Adventure / Namibia · 2009
Namibia: In the Footsteps of Bushmen
From the trek to the trek to the Celebrex sprint: nine recovered chapters from the 2009 Namibia desert race, read as one continuous journal.
Read the story ↗Essays, poetry & other curiosities
Words I wandered into.
Coffeehouse contemplations, poetic (mis)adventures, and a few things that refused to stay in my head.
21 pieces to explore
Desert journals, mountain paths & poetic (mis)adventures
Long ways from home.
Adventure / Egypt · Sahara · 2008
Sahara: The Long Way Through
The journey begins, the hare meets the turtle, and the desert keeps going. Twelve recovered chapters from the Sahara, with the original race photographs.
Read the story ↗Adventure / 2008-07-18
The Thursday night adventure email
Hey All, Did a 2mile swim at 5:30 in the evening and 4 hour bike ride out of the city and up to the Namhan Sansong Mountain range. Came down the steep, windy side in the dark. No lights on the road but my weak headlight spitting out into…
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Adventure / 2000-11-08
Nepal
Nepal Trek Oct. 18 - Nov. 9, 2000 Rushing away from the fallen dream of Shangri-La as I readied myself for my pilgrimage of the spirit, I never realized I’d return to find Katmandu as I did. No, not a Mecca of spiritual bliss that I had so…
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Adventure / 2009-09-06
TransAlpine Race - Day 1
After three days of rain and a chilly turn of events here in Southern Germany, the start of the TransAlpine race’s was welcomed with a sunny, albeit chilly morning. Today, with my teammate Stuart Lotherington of London, England and I will…
Read the story ↗Adventure / 2010-03-08
Tarawera thoughts
Came across this as I visited another racer's site and thought it summed it up too well to leave alone... I embark on my next adventure across New Zealand soon. The Tarawera Ultramarathon Run - 100km course from Rotorua to Kawerau in the…
Read the story ↗Adventure / 2010-03-14
Winded
or Hangin in Hua Hin with humans in flight Have arrived in Hua Hin, Thailand to do some beach running and relaxing on my way down to the race in Rotorua. The run today was, if not on the Edge of insanity, pretty near it with intense heat…
Read the story ↗Essays, ideas & the things between
Coffeeshop Contemplations.
Essay / 2016-09-27
Longer Days and Shorter Skirts
High Fashion – The Jalbeun Chima Effect As the spring days dawn earlier and the Cherry Blossoms fall, the skirts rise to the occasion to the joy of most men. As you can guess, this is my favorite season in Korea. And the best thing to look…
Read the story ↗Essay / 2016-09-27
Coffeeshop Contemplations
PETER LIPTAK OK, I know, how cliché! A writer sitting at Starbucks, laptop open and nursing a four-hour, four-dollar double short cappuccino – deal with it...The coffee shop is a great place to observe and discover the heart, the essence…
Read the story ↗Essay / 2016-09-30
Itaewon Lost
OK, I know, how cliché! A writer sitting at Starbucks, laptop open and nursing a four-hour, four-dollar double tall cappuccino – deal with it… The Task: observe and discover to the heart, the essence of Itaewon’s inner philosophy The…
Read the story ↗Essay / 2016-10-01
Itaewon Found
Last time, I spoke of Itaewon lost. Well, “I once was lost…” and then I went to the desert. I recently entered the Sahara Race, representing Itaewon (& Korea) while raising money for the Peter Pan Fund in the hardest race on Earth. Why…
Read the story ↗Essay / 2016-12-26
How NOT to make New Years Resolutions
By now you must have tired of all the constant Tra-la-la of Christmas music, the hangovers of year-end parties and, ahem, good cheer. Then in a mirrored moment, you realize that the time has come for shedding holiday pounds and making New…
Read the story ↗Essay / 2016-02-12
Saints and Souls
If love is red, what is the color of devotion? As I sip the subtly sweet, soft intense flavors of my double-short latte, I contemplate caffeine and passion and ponder the swift approach of Valentine’s Day. Yes, the red day is nearly upon…
Read the story ↗Essay / 2016-03-28
Coffee or Tea?
“Coffee or tea?” Not so great a question as “What is the meaning of life?” but a bit of pith for our next coffee shop contemplation. After all, philosophy is the study of being, the issue of who we are and why we are, or in another sense,…
Read the story ↗Essay / 2019-07-23
Awkward Greetings
When I meet someone new, I will often ask them what they do. ~ While this may be an unwanted throwback from my years in Korea (where the first five questions are always: Where are you from? How old are you? Are you married? (And why not?…
Read the story ↗Essay / Jun 23rd, 2011
Tennis Anyone?
North Korean policy weighs in with a bombing blemish, a minor faux pas, a “fault” once again. What’s your take on this? I realize this is a sensitive subject for many, but please share your thoughts… (and please keep it…
Read the story ↗Essay / Feb 28th, 2009
Good Neighbors
Living in Itaewon, I sometimes feel like I’m in another world. Not entirely Korean, and yet not really foreign. I guess it’s roughly equivalent to being in Korea town in LA or China town in New York. This “foreign friendly” neighborhood,…
Read the story ↗Poetry & wordplay
A few lines worth lingering over.
Poetry / Feb 14th, 2009
An Ode to Espresso
No Sadness Cafe I love espresso, So sweet and so strong. My eyebrows dance As I sip soft blackness, My mouth, once long, enlivens With swift speech setting A sun dried arch of life, Spitting out pop culture: Movie quotes of youth. When I…
Read the poem ↗Interviews & profiles
Other voices.
Profile / 2016-09-27
Men in Tights
Men in Tights – Riding hard through the streets of Itaewon Michael Wright, Interview with an Itaewon Legend (The Founder of Seoul Synergy Triathlon Team) OK, let’s get down to it – who are you and why are you wearing tights? (Oh, and you…
Read the story ↗Profile / 2017-11-02
Poet, Publisher, Pete
The Rise of the Exile A shaky-handed signing for the children of Namibia. by Drake Baer All expats are exiles “All expats are exiles,” says Peter Liptak, founder of English-language Exile Press, “I think it's a very conscious choice on the…
Read the story ↗Profile / 2019-09-10
Author Interview with Peter Liptak - The Making of a Poet
Peter Liptak, who also goes by pETEthePoet, is a happy father, publisher at Exile Press, and author of poetry, children’s books, and linguistics books. Liptak is currently continuing a series of books for English language learners in the…
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Historical dates and original wording retained. Desert chapters are gathered into complete journeys. About the archive ↗