Rough Riding – Chiang Mai, Thailand

…My left knee jams under the accelerator grip, and the next thing I know, I’ve lost power, lost my balance and I’m toppling, slowly and gracelessly toward the ground. A group of monks are laughing at me uproariously.  I pick myself up with Buddhist humility, and ride slowly and carefully out the temple gate… Flashback:…

One Tough Mutt – Portimão, Portugal

“…I have four dogs altogether”, Catherine tells me.  “My oldest is a rescue dog.  I found him in the garbage bin outside my apartment…” Catherine picks us up from a servo, just west of the Spanish border, and offers to drive us to Portimao. “There’s just one catch though guys”, she apologises, “one of you…