Fire-Making Entries Home in the Woods G Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 Yesterday, we left the Kungur Ice Cave and headed eastwards, driving until dusk. When we spied what looked like a tractor's path snaking into the hills nearby, we pulled off the main road with high ... Friendly Russia G Saturday, August 14th, 2010 It seems that anyone who has traveled far and wide eventually comes to the conclusion that no matter where you roam, people are very much the same. Having heard variations of this idea my entire lif... Cave Hunting G Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 A few weeks ago, we received a contact through our website from a Romanian who lives in Tara's hometown. He was excited to tell us all about the country he grew up in, and the things we shouldn't mi... Homesick G Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 It being a sleepy, rainy morning, we almost succumbed to the desire to stay put for one more day. Thinking better of it, we slowly pushed ourselves to motion, dutifully packing our things in a half-... Serbian Hospitality G Saturday, April 3rd, 2010 Before we left, we received numerous warnings that Eastern Europe would be a dangerous, depressing, soul-suck full of steely thousand yard glares and ferocious dogs. So far, these stereotypes couldn... Filling in the Blanks G Sunday, March 28th, 2010 We awaken to the faint sound of drizzle and the whipping of our rainfly in a hefty wind. Yesterday's brilliant sun and balmy weather have gone, leaving us with rain and a distinct chill in the air. ... Pushing Through Paradise G Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 We were thankful for the shelter of our tiki hut this morning when we discovered it had rained in the night. We really and truly no longer take having a roof over our heads for granted! Since the a... Exploring Kerkennah Island G Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 I'm cozied up in our sleeping bag; Tara has run off to take pictures of the coming sunrise on our little desert island. Before yesterday, my only experience with the desert was sweltering on the sea... Under the Spell G Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 We're not sure what to expect as we purchase tickets for the ferry to the Kerkennah Islands off the coast of Sfax. It doesn't really matter what it's like, though, the total cost is 1 dinar 800! We... Free Camp & Fire G Saturday, June 6th, 2009 We went to bed feeling sick. Huddled together, we tried to fall asleep but were unable to drift off over the cacophony of our own hacking, coughing, sneezing, and trumpet-like nose blowing. Our nos... Hearth & Home G Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 Once again, we waited out the rain this morning. When the alarm went off we promptly turned it off and rolled over, the sound of the raindrops in our ears. Tyler was fed up and decided that if it k... Making a Fire in a -3°F Snowstorm G Monday, December 15th, 2008 …is ridiculously difficult, apparently. Tyler and I bundled up for another fire-making adventure- this time, on a snowy, -3 degree ("feels like -27") evening. Despite our best efforts, we we... Alcohol Stove Making: Part 2 G Monday, December 15th, 2008 I've really enjoyed tinkering with our penny alcohol stove over the past few weeks so I've decided to try some other designs. Up for today was the "Cat" a super low tech unpressurized stove. It has... Ooh Look! I made a fire! G Sunday, November 23rd, 2008 I've never made a fire before. With frigid fingers I gathered little grassy things and made a tinder. It's kind of like a nest. And then I gathered little pieces of birch bark, small twigs, bigger... Ultralight Alcohol Stove G Monday, November 10th, 2008 Tara and I spent all day Saturday working on what was supposed to be a fun learning experience making emergency backup stoves. To our surprise what we wound up with works better than our WhisperLite...