My guest MCK runs a program called Bounce. Basically, it's a twenty-minute conversation in which he listens to you and asks you the right questions to work through whatever's on your mind. He and I did a Bounce session at the beginning of this podcast and it was very helpful. We also touched on many other travel related topics.
Special Offer!
For one week after this podcast is released, MCK will give you a twenty-minute Bounce session, and you can pay whatever you think it's worth. Head on over to mck123.com/1000 for more info.
MCK's website is mck123.com. He has lots of information about Bounce, as well as his other projects.
His other website, ShallWeBounce.com is focused exclusively on Bouncing.
We talked rather extensively about my Chain Fail episode of this podcast. Highly recommended.
When I said that there were 100 million cars in China, I was citing outdated news. In fact, this number is from 2011. It's nearly double that number today, and there are likely more licensed drivers in China than there are people in the US.
Here is the sour papaya that MCK brought in. It tastes like a lighter version of a Sour Patch Kid.
Matthew Clausen and I recorded this podcast on a dark and breezy night, while sitting atop the Great Wall of China. We had just finished a long day of trekking on the wall, starting at the popular restored section of Mutianyu, and ending at “wild” Jiankou. We had a fantastic time reminiscing his week-long visit to Beijing, culminating in this outdoor adventure. We also discussed rock climbing, our views on what it means to travel, and much more.
According to worldpopulationreview.com, the district of Huairou (怀柔区), from which we recorded this podcast, has a population of 373,000, barely a blip on the radar by Chinese population standards.
Jiankou (箭扣), where we were camping, was constructed in 1368 and has never been restored.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect basically states that when people have a low level of skill for a certain task, they tend to overestimate their skill level at that task.
We didn't talk about this during the podcast, but these infographics help to explain the cultural differences between Germany (or “The West”) and China (“The East”).
Apparently Amazon Prime Air is real, and it's coming to an airspace near you.
It is forbidden to fly a drone over the Forbidden City in Beijing. Just ask Trey Ratcliff.
You can hear Roni Rodrigues tell his story of flying his drone over Lake Baikal here.
Here's an explanation of the notion that You Remember 10% of what you read.... It's not really quantifiable, as we suggested during the podcast.
And now for some photos from our hike on the Great Wall of China:
My guest today is Tamara Gil, a multimedia journalist based in Beijing, China. Tamara and I had a long and interesting conversation, during which we covered quite a large number of topics. Be sure to check out the Show Notes below for more info.
Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was impeached last month. Now she could be charged with bribery, a crime that could land her in prison for ten years or more.
The BBC has more info about the latest laptop ban. This article, as well as other media I've read, focuses on the fact that we'll have to talk to our neighbor or read a book while flying. It'll be just like the good old days! But my concern has nothing to do with this. I'm worried about my laptop getting broken or stolen. This is no laughing matter; the media (at least from what I've read) doesn't seem to get it. Especially considering the fact that journalists (AKA the media) are commonly targeted by hackers. And now they have to hand their laptops over to airlines – maybe even to hostile governments – and hope for the best. This is far more important a concern than keeping yourself entertained during a long flight.
Where are the people at? This map shows China's population distribution.
Here's a short video about the Naadam Festival in Mongolia:
The movie about the Mongolian family is called The Cave of the Yellow Dog. You can buy it on Amazon.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History is the best podcast out there. I talked about Wrath of the Khans during this show.
The Netflix show that's set in Kublai Khan's time is called Marco Polo.
The Lost City of Z by David Grann is a great book about Percy Fawcett's 1925 journey into the Amazon. A movie of the same title is now out. I can't wait to see it.
Conspiracy theories abound about Malaysian Airlines flight MH370's disappearance. Here are some of them.
And finally, here's some more info about the 2014 protests in Hong Kong, AKA the Umbrella Revolution.
And now for some photo fun! Here are some pictures of some of the places Tamara and I talked about:
The Burj Khalifa is the world's tallest building, at 2722 feet and 163 floors.
The Dubai Mall has all sorts of elegant art and architecture. Here are some umbrellas hanging from the ceiling
When it's 45 degrees outside, it's good to know you can stay inside. In this case, I'm riding the metro toward the center of the city. The trains are automated, so you can stand in front and look out the giant windows.