Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you travel so much?

I travel because it helps me to put things into perspective. I find that placing myself into unfamiliar territory challenges everything I believe in and have been taught, allowing me to either confirm or change current views, thoughts, opinions, etc.

Also, at some point I would like to build a house somewhere tropical and always on the lookout for different styles and architecture as well as a warm environments (geographically and culturally).


How do you pay for your travels?

Short Version: I worked my ass off to get through college taking jobs from bank teller to commercial roofer, then went into corporate finance for 10 years, never married or had children, and then one day sold my house and everything I owned, invested the proceeds into interest and dividend paying investments which is what I use to pay for travels.


Do you travel alone?

Sometimes when I get to a new place I start out alone but always end up meeting other people who are headed the same route. Traveling alone is great because it forces you to meet new people.


Has anything bad happened to you during your trip?

There have been many close calls as well as accidents, diseases, etc. Please see my (Bad Travel Experiences) blog for more info and some pics.


What do you bring with you?

I bring enough clothes for about 10 days, which is probably too much because it's easy and cheap to do laundry along the way. Other items include my iPod with portable speakers, camera, laptop, plug adapters, headlamp, travel clock, books, luggage locks, towel, Nalgene bottle, and compass. The key to traveling light is to have as many dual purpose things as possible.


How long are you planning to travel?

Originally I thought I was going to be gone for 2 years and then it was 3. I'm coming up on 3 years now and still have a lot to see so I'm guessing 5 years total???


What is your favorite place so far?

I'm not good with this question because I haven't seen much and even the places I have there was still so much more but at this point I'm going to have to go with India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bolivia, Colombia, and of course Costa Rica.


Don't you miss your family and friends back home?

Of course. I try to make it back every once in a while and spend some time in between major trips like South America and Europe and then again between Europe and SE Asia. Also I use Skype to call people and take advantage of web cam option so mom can see that I'm still alive.


How do you decide when and where you're going next?

After moving around so much I've become pretty good at sizing up a place to get a feel for how much time to spend. I talk with people along the way to get some ideas of what to do and then if I like a place I'll spend a few extra days, weeks, or even months hanging out. The one exception is the that I'm not a big fan of cold weather so I try to plan WITH the seasons and yes I'm looking for an endless summer.

Turkey

I took a boat from the Greek Islands (see blog) Turkey, landed in the port city of Bodrum and then headed straight for Fethiye where you catch the 'Blue Cruises' which are large wood boats cruising the turquoise waters off the coast of Turkey visiting islands, underwater cities, parties in the blue lagoons, archeological sites, etc. It cost about $180 for a 5 day cruise that included all meals, accommodations, and transportation. There were about 24 of us on the boat and most of us slept on the deck under the stars. Sometimes the captain would pull anchor around 5am and sail to another island or lagoon while we were sound asleep from partying the night before. We awoke to the sunrise and a cool breeze, dropping anchor again around 9am, and then jump off the boat for a morning swim followed by a fresh water shower off the bow and a full Turkish breakfast in the stern. During the day there were plenty of activities: snorkeling, water skiing, parasailing, wind surfing, scuba, and exploring local islands. Then we would take off to another place and play cards and drink along the way. At night they served a huge dinner followed by lots of drinking and meeting up with other boats to hang out on the beach, eventually making our way back to the boat again.

After the cruise I ended up going to Istanbul with some of the 'blue cruise' group and spending a few days visiting the mosques, public markets, and eating incredible food. Turkey borders Iran, Iraq, Syria, Armenia, Georgia, Bulgaria, and Greece, and the city of Istanbul is split between Europe and Asia serving as a bridge between very different worlds making it the most interesting country I visited in my two month trip through 10 countries in Europe.

Greece

From Rome (see blog) a buddy and I took a train straight to Brindisi, Italy and then caught an overnight ferry to Athens, Greece. We met up with a few friends that we're part of an organized trip through the islands over the next 5 days so we decided to tag along and hit Mykonos, Paros, Ios, Syros, and Kos. Quite honestly I couldn't tell on island from another but do remember huge parties on Ios, and Kos seemed to have the most ruins and geographical features. Other than that they all seemed to blend together with great beaches, weather, parties and people. After a week I was more than ready to move on to Turkey (see Blog).

Rome - Italy

I took the train from the south of France (see blog) to Rome and only spent a few days there but was able to visit most of the major sights including the Vatican. A few things surprised me about Rome/VC. One was how intertwined the ancient ruins are with the everyday life of a modern city. Everywhere you look, in residential neighborhoods, parks, commercial districts, and shopping areas, there are signs of the crumbled empire. The other thing that stood out for me was the opulence of the churches. The amount of gold, silver, marble, and other gaudy stuff is overwhelming. At first glance you think how beautiful but then I started to reflect on my trip in South America, especially the town of Potosi in Bolivia (see blog) where it is estimated that over 9 million indigenous workers and African slaves died in the mines. Of course that was under Spanish rule and this is Italy so I took a bunch of pretty pictures and moved on to Greece (see blog).

French Riviera & Monaco

I went from Barcelona, Spain (see blog) to the French Riviera. All of the cities in the area are gorgeous but Monte Carlo in the principality of Monaco is by far the best. The place reeks of opulence from yachts to Ferraris to one of the most famous casinos in the world. I only spent a day here and it was more than enough. Most of my time was spent in Nice and Marseille.

Next I was on to Rome, Italy (see blog).

Barcelona - Spain

After running with the bulls in Pamplona (see blog) we headed to Barcelona, Spain which is a gorgeous city on the Mediterranean coast near the border of France. We spent 5 days here before heading through the south of France and Monaco (see blog).

Running with the Bulls - Pamplona, Spain

I had just come from Amsterdam (see blog) and was ready for the famous 'Running of the Bulls' in Pamplona, Spain. They call it the festival of San Fermin which was another amazing event that is hard to explain with words, pictures, or even video. Starting July 6th and continuing for 8 days, it's a non-stop party from 7am where we congregated in the streets waiting for the canon shot to signal the release of the bulls into the street for an 850 meter dash into the coliseum where the real action begins. The actual running of the bulls only last 15 minutes and is not much of a challenge. I stayed in front most of the time and got bored so I waited for the bulls to catch up and then ran along side of them for a bit. The bulls run straight to the arena with the exception of a few stray runners that they catch in the corners and can do some serious damage.

We entered the arena in a large group and the bulls were funneled out. I started to take pictures when a guy tapped me on the shoulder and pointed behind me to the set of fresh bulls that they were letting back into the arena. I guess I missed that part in the book and thought it was over. There were about 250 of us in the center and at least 5,000 spectators in the stands above. The bull starts charging all of us and grabbing victims one by one. Throwing them up into the air and then charging them a few more times once they hit the ground. Please see the first video below – in 50 seconds the bull gets at least 3 people before heading for me. With camera in hand and still running I jump the wall to safety. Crazy stuff! It was one of the most amazing things I've ever done and will probably be in my top 10 for life.

Next up Barcelona (see blog).