The Wandering Scot

An occasional travel journal.

Browsing Posts in Travel

North Dakota: ABM Sites

The MSR Pyramid  North Dakota is home an abandoned 1970s Anti-Ballistic Missile complex, originally intended to protect the US ICBM launch sites from incoming missiles. In theory, it was a de-escalation step, since the ability to protect the launch sites in the face of an enemy first-strike would make the US less trigger-happy in the […]

North Dakota: Fargo

I’m in Fargo, North Dakota, where I’ve been participating in Traditional Local Customs. Yes, this is the actual wood chipper used for body disposal in the movie Fargo.  Oh ya, you betcha!  🙂  It’s now the star attraction at the Fargo Visitor Center.  You can bring your own body parts. Update October 2024:  I revisited […]

I’m in North Dakota, visiting the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile Site.  It’ a real (retired) Minuteman control silo. It’s one of several Minuteman sites that were closed down under the START treaty ICBM limits. A giant freight elevator takes you down 52 feet to the command level, then there is a 7 ton blast door […]

I’m on a short tour in the Papua New Guinea Highlands I‘ve dutifully attended various cultural demonstrations of Traditional Highland Customs. These included things like the Huli Wigmen who use spells to grow out their hair and then make ritual wigs from it; the ghostly Mudmen who wear heavy clay masks to scare off enemies; […]

Australia Zoo Encounters

I’ve been visiting Australia Zoo (aka Steve Irwin’s Zoo) near Brisbane. I’d arranged three interactive Animal Encounters. Naughty Wombat Encounter Elle the wombat was cool, and happy to be patted, but she also made it very clear she was only in it for the snacks, and dragged her keeper off as soon as all the […]

I’m in Thimphu, Bhutan, where I’ve been visiting the Royal Takin Preserve. Takin are strange looking creatures. As every Bhutanese child knows, they were created centuries ago by Drukpa Kunley (aka the Divine Madman) who glued the head of a goat to the body of a cow. A fine combination to be sure! Wild Takin […]