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My Pre-Departure Task List

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It was 5 years ago this week when I put pen to paper and wrote down my goal to travel around the world. The exact date was April 19, 2002. This week also marks the 3 month anniversary of my blog. And while we're on the topic, March 2007 marked the 8th anniversary of my […]

Prague Is The Bomb!

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There was a guy at my college who use to say "Prague is the bomb" so often it has been eternally etched in my memory. Luckily, my experience visiting the city lived up to its billing. The following excerpts were from Sunday, July 19, 1998 to Tuesday, July 21, 1998. Day 10 Today we went […]

My Top 5 Most Hilarious Travel Photos

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Ian over at Brave New Traveler has thrown down the gauntlet for funniest travel photos, in the form of a contest. Without further ado, I share my top five most hilarious travel photos. Were it not for this contest, these shots would've remained far away from being highlighted here! 1. The Snorkeler (Belize, 2006) I'm […]

Escape to New York City (Part 2 of 3)

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"I'm going to forever associate your apartment with hangovers," I half joked to my brother. Indeed, while I only had 5-6 drinks Friday night, I've cut back on my alcohol consumption over the past few years. The tolerance I once built as a young buck is a thing of the past, which is not necessarily […]

Escape To New York City (Part 1 of 3)

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It was another awesome weekend in New York City! Allow me to rewind and review for your reading pleasure. I caught the 11:30 am Washington Deluxe (aka Chinatown) bus from DC to NYC this past Friday, April 6. The round trip fare of $35 is unbeatable, and as usual, the bus barreled northward with little […]

Would You Accept A Sponsored Trip Around The World?

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If you were to win a contest where the prize was a trip around the world, would you accept it? Before you answer, there is a catch. You will be filmed for a TV show which will document your experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Oh, there is another catch, because the show needs to highlight certain […]

2007 Cherry Blossom Festival In Full Bloom

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The famed cherry blossoms surrounding the tidal basin in Washington, DC were in full bloom this weekend. The Festival kicked off Saturday, March 30, with tens of thousands of locals and tourists from around the world descending upon the National Mall to enjoy the day. Upon exiting the Smithsonian metro station (which puts you on […]

5 Days In Amsterdam Is 1 Too Many

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In honor of my parents current vacation in Belgium and The Netherlands, I am posting three journal entries from my time in Amsterdam. The following entries were written July 14-17, 1998. Day 5 We got to Amsterdam exactly on time, 9:20 PM, Monday night. The train station had plenty of backpackers. Sam is having trouble […]

Why Ignorance Can Be Bliss On The Road

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Since reading The Lost Girls' post on their trials and tribulations in northern Vietnam (especially the part about the cab ride from hell), I started to reflect on my own experiences, and the few times I felt threatened abroad (at least that I can remember). The experience that stands out the most in my mind […]

5 Reasons Why I Blog

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I recently commented on nomad4ever's post about reasons why he, and others, blog. I realized if I'm sharing those thoughts with his readers, I certainly should share them with my own. 1. An outlet to share my travel experiences and advice, partly as a way to encourage others to travel independently. Soon after I returned […]

Passport Renewal and My First Travel Writing Assignment

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Passport Renewal Yesterday, I had a new passport photo taken at my local FedEx Kinko's. The cost was $5 per set, where a set equaled two photos. I ordered a total of three sets for starters. Two photos were sent along with my passport renewal application, and I'm keeping the other four for future use. […]

Whitewater Rafting in Costa Rica

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The following journal entry was written Saturday, May 14, 2005 in Costa Rica: 6:42 am I'm awaiting the pick-up by Exploradores Outdoors to go rafting for the day on the Pacuare River. I'm trying not to be anxious that it's past 6:30 am, though if the tour company knows they have a person to pick […]

A Pay Raise Realized

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Raise! It's the first Friday of Spring in the States and...payday! This is my first paycheck to include my merit increase for 2006. It's a nice monthly boost which will just barely cover my rather large rent increase for the next 7 months. Time is really flying now. It's hard to believe it's been 5 […]

Remembering Rome by Moonlight

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I continued to read "On the Road" while everyone returned to the room. Above me was a beautiful brunette from NYC. To my right was a beautiful blonde from New Zealand, and there was a girl from Australia. The other four beds were filled by two couples. I slept by the window, periodically turning to […]

Ireland - The Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, and the Aran Islands

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In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I've selected two previous journal entries from my adventures in Europe. Enjoy! Days 47: Tuesday, August 25, 1998 I decided to spring for another bus ticket ($15) to get to the Cliffs of Moher. The bus trip went by fairly slow. We got to take a car ferry for […]

Annual Bonus, Savings Update, Etc.

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I received my first annual bonus...ever...yesterday. I'd been looking forward to the day since my company was acquired in 2005. Perhaps that is why it seemed so anti-climactic. I had earmarked the whole bonus for my RTW savings 15 months before it was in my pocket. Don't get me wrong; I'm very satiated by the […]

The Famous Yaks of Manali, India

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Manali Like the ride to Lake Rewalsar, the Manali drive was astonishing! There were endless hills filled with exotic plants. Once we got closer to Manali, I noticed that the most prevalent plant was cannabis. Weed was growing everywhere! It took a while to find the hotel, and when we did, the desk guy did […]

Exploring India's Lake Rewalsar Region

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Many travelers in Dharamsala that I met told me that they were just staying a few days and then moving on to the north, mountainous town of Manali. After talking to several people it was clear to me that I had to visit Manali. My family including my grandpa, mother, uncle, and aunt, all wanted […]

Casual Adventure, Best Gear Store on Earth

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Arlington, VA - I was a young 21 when I first walked into Casual Adventure. I was on the prowl for a backpack to accompany me around Europe for the summer. Nine years later, I found myself returning once again as I prepare for my first trip around the world. Casual Adventure is a family […]

Lounging in Cahuita, Costa Rica

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I wrote the following journal entry on Sunday, May 15, 2005: 4:50 pm Kendall, Canadian girl I met at the hostel in San Jose. I was in the common room, reading and watching TV. She was seated opposite me; I couldn't help but notice her nice, tan legs as she sat with one leg over […]

Adventure Travel's Annual Expo

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Where would one go to ride an aerial zip line, have golf swings analyzed, and take a scuba diving lesson under the same roof? Adventure travelers of all ages descended upon the Washington, DC Convention Center last weekend for the final day of the 2007 Adventures in Travel Expo. Billed as Washington's Ultimate Travel and […]

Dharamsala, India - Home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

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From Delhi, the most practical mode of transportation to Dharamsala is by bus. There are two bus services (State and Deluxe) available. I opted for the deluxe bus ride. The ride to Dharamsala takes about 10 hours and goes through small, winding mountain roads. Before coming to India, I heard many horror stories of overtired […]

Inside India - Packing List and Travel Tips

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So you have decided to travel to the exotic land of India. Unfortunately, this is no small task, and it is recommended that you plan a trip like this out more thoroughly than other destinations. Packing List First, check out the backpacker's comprehensive packing list. This list is the best I have found for any […]

The Secret of My Success

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Yesterday, the Salvation Army was the benefactor of my full size, barely used ironing board, and an oversized Prince tennis racket. Since last summer, I've been slowly assessing my material belongings and deciding which are worth paying to store while I'm away, and which I'm better off donating, selling, or throwing away. It's been an […]

The Amazing Race and Peking Duck

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I had two firsts last night - watching the Amazing Race and eating Peking duck. It's ironic that I've seen a ton of reality shows, yet I have always passed up the one about international travel where the contestants carry all their stuff all on their backs. The only reason I decided to start watching […]

You'd Better Belize It

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The following journal entry was written on my third day in Belize, Saturday, May 13, 2006: 4:44 pm I pedaled another 15 minutes and reached Captain Morgan's resort. I had a beer and water at the bar. Scoped the scene. A lot of young and old American couples. Looked nice enough but was missing character, […]

Inspirational Quotes from Fight Club

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You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fucking khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world. -- Tyler Durden in Fight Club Just like Turbo Tax told me, I received my […]

An Inconvenient Truth

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I started to recycle again today. I had stopped upon moving into my current studio apartment four years ago this month. The kitchen barely had room for a medium garbage can, let alone another bin for recycling plastic and glass. I told myself it'd attract bugs too. I told myself I'm just one person, not […]

The Anthem

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It's a new day But it all feels old It's a good life, That's what I'm told But everything, it all just feels the same Good Charlotte's opening lyrics to The Anthem ring in my head from time to time. Very catchy stuff, if not a bit hackneyed. Then again, tons of punk bands have […]

The Life Acquatic

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Friday, payday, good day! I just finished watching the Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Great movie, a little trippy. In particular, I really dug the Portuguese adaptations of David Bowie songs. Bill Murray has made some great movies - among my favorite being Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, and Rushmore. I picked up a bottle of South African […]

Three Little Birds

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It's been a week since I started this blog, and I'm increasingly keen on the idea of maintaining it on my trip around the world.

New Day Rising

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Eureka! Installing this blog software by WordPress on my own website was a snap. I had already done the message boards a few months ago, so I'm sure that experience helped. Still, with this up and running so quickly and easily, I'm now psyched to host my Round the World travel blog on home turf! […]