Blog - Go Backpacking

Popular Travel Games - Cards, Chess, Charrades, and more

Card games and chess are ubiquitous with a backpacker's life on the road. Both options are popular and proven ways to casually get to know fellow travelers, often in hostel common areas. Whether you're kicking a party night off with a drinking game, killing time on a rainy day, or simply enjoy the quiet challenge of a chess match, social connections are always an invitation away.

Cards

The best known, and therefore most common card games, include Hearts, Spades, Gin (Rummy), and Poker. These games frequent develop on train rides and during rainy afternoons when everyone is hostel-bound. Drinking games include the ever-popular Asshole and Bullshit. Usually, there is always one person in a given hostel common room familiar with the rules of these popular games, so don't be afraid to suggest one even if you don't know how to play.

Chess

For those who appreciate a slower pace to their competitive endeavors, chess can provide ample time to not only get to know your opponent, but to impress your fellow travelers with your intense patience and intellectual prowess. My fondest memory of a chess game was last year when an 18-year old German guy taught me some basic strategy the night before I left Flores, Guatemala. I was actually able to beat another person (vs. the more common stalemate) using the tips.

Charades

Picture this: after an afternoon of fishing off the coast of a small Caribbean island with new friends you met the day before, and barbecuing your fresh catch together under the moonlight, you sit around on the sandy beach and strike up a game of charades. Such was my experience in Belize last year on Caye Caulker. I had to act out "Alf," and to my surprise, a girl guessed it despite my lame attempts to walk like the furry alien TV character.

Truth or Dare

While I have yet to play Truth or Dare in my adult life, it falls under a common category of more personal, conversational games which focus on eliciting stories and experiences from one's past. Inevitably, these games result in flushing out the sexual histories of their participants.

What games have you enjoyed (or avoided) during your travels?

Chef Ferran Adria's El Bulli - #1 Restaurant in the World

Spain is on my short list of western European countries to visit on my backpacking trip. Spain also happens to be the home of Chef Ferran Adria of El Bulli restaurant. Located 177 km northeast of Barcelona, along the Mediterranean coast, El Bulli was ranked the #1 restaurant in the world in 2006 by over 500 critics, chefs, and gourmets around the world (for The Restaurant Magazine's annual Top 50 list).

The restaurant has become such a destination for international foodies, it's website has instructions for arriving by air, road, and sea! Unfortunately, such directions won't prove useful if you wanted to make a reservation for 2007 as they're booked for the rest of the year.

I've seen the food, cooking, and presentation techniques featured on several TV shows, and it's no wonder Time magazine listed Ferran Adria as one of it's 100 most influential people in 2007. I'm going to leave it to others to describe the fantastically innovative approach he takes to fine dining.

Instead, I ask whether you would consider paying $300 ($400 w/wine, $500 w/tip) per person for a 30-course menu at a restaurant with accolades such as these? You would literally need to build a trip to Spain around when you could get a reservation.

My answer? I would like to do it sometime in my life! Given how far in advance you have to book a reservation though, I do not know that El Bulli will be an option on my upcoming world tour. While I could pay for it by skipping an entire country, say Switzerland, I do not think it'd be an experience I would want to have alone, and I doubt I'd find any takers at the local hostel!

_________________

Restaurant Review - Chocolate and Zucchini covers a 2006 Dinner at El Bulli, complete with details and pictures of over 30 courses, prices, and reservation strategies.

10 Rules for Coping with Panic Attacks

Three or four years ago, I was taking a shower before work in my apartment when I was suddenly overcome with an intense panic. My heart started to race, my breathing became shallow, and I jumped out of the shower not knowing what hit me. Part of me knew I was in no mortal danger, however that didn't seem to be the part controlling my body at the time. I turned on my computer, and did a quick Internet search for "panic attacks."

As I started to read through a few web pages, I came across a very similar version of the following instructions for coping with panic attacks, which I began to repeat to myself over and over...

1. Remember panic feelings are only normal reactions that are exaggerated.
2. They are not harmful and nothing worse will happen.
3. Notice what is happening in your body now. Stay with the present. Slow down, relax but keep going.
4. Thinking about what might happen is unhelpful. Only now matters.
5. Accept the feelings. Let them run through you and they will disappear more quickly.
6. Monitor your level of anxiety: 10 (worst) to 0 (least). Watch the level go down.
7. Stay in the situation. If you run away, avoid or escape, it will be more difficult in the future.
8. Take a few slow, deep breaths.
9. Consciously relax your tense muscles. Feel yourself relaxing.
10. Now begin to concentrate again on what you were doing before.

Eventually I got myself to work, where I mentioned what had happened to my very understanding boss. The first day or two after the initial event were very difficult. I felt as though I was going to have the experience again at any moment. I was literally scared of being scared...even paranoid. It was awful.

Over the following months and years, I became more in-tune with my mind and body, and what I could do to help decrease the likelihood of having another panic attack. While I was challenged many more times, the severity was never equal to that first occasion. I carry the list of rules above with me in my wallet, just in case. I ensure time for regular exercise, writing, and socializing. When I do these three things routinely, I greatly minimize any irrational fears of impending death as a result of minor aches and pains. If you've never had a panic attack, this might sound a little weird, however the problem is simply a physical fight or flight response to non-threatening experiences (a subconscious overreaction).

I wanted to ensure these tips were posted to my blog should I need to call on them during my backpacking trip around the world.

7 Small Ways to Start Increasing Your Savings Today

Last week's techniques toward saving BIG money encompassed the broader ideas I adopted toward reaching my financial (and therefore travel) goals.

This week, it's time for a barrage of simpler suggestions culled from my own experience, as well as the many good travelers on the BootsnAll message boards.

Adopt a few, try them out, keep doing what works for you, and spit out those that leave a bad taste.

1. Bring your lunch to work rather than going out to restaurants or buying food.

Not only will you save money, but you'll also probably lose weight because you're exercising control over portion size.

By the way, bringing lunch does not mean you have to spend time making it yourself.

I eat frozen dinners 4 of 5 days a week, allowing myself a restaurant meal every Friday as a reward for being disciplined.

2. Entertain at home versus going out to bars and clubs.

If you're a social butterfly, do more entertaining at home. In exchange for hosting, ask your guests to bring their beer or wine.

Pick up chips and dip, turn on some music, and you'll have a gay old time.

3. Cut down on alcohol, nicotine, and drug use.

Would you rather be drinking a Bud in your apartment, or Sapporo in Sapporo, Japan? Your liver, lungs, and other vital organs will thank you for the break.

4. Open a high-interest savings account.

I'm currently using ING Direct, which is an online bank. I'm earning 4.5% interest, which feels like about ten times the interest I receive through my regular savings account.

They even have a little counter which shows accrued interest per month, and year-to-date. I'm currently earning $40/month on a $12,000 balance.

5. Pay for cable TV, or broadband Internet, not both.

It is becoming increasingly popular to watch TV shows via the Internet. My brother even bought a plasma TV for his NYC apartment so he could watch shows and movies he downloads on a big screen.

I, on the other hand, still pay for both. However, I do intend to downgrade my cable in 3 weeks after The Sopranos finale.

6. Document ALL of your spending.

The mere act of tracking your spending will likely curb your impulse buys. Reviewing how you spend your money can be an enlightening process.

If you're like me, and the prospect of tracking such information for eternity sounds painful, try it for three months.

It should be enough time for you to see some trends and areas where you can cut back. Check out eight months of tracking I did from 2005-2006.

7. Use coupons and shop sales.

While I've cut back on getting my car washed as my trip draws nearer, when I do go, I clip out a coupon from a weekly newspaper for 30% off.

Bonus Tip

Adjust your auto insurance policy.

Increase your deductible, and your premium will come down. If you have medical insurance, opt out of medical coverage through your auto-carrier.

The maximum payout usually is very low, so you're mostly paying for supplemental coverage.

Planning for a Trek in Nepal: Choosing the Right Route and Season

I made a noteworthy change to the early part of my 'round-the-world backpacking itinerary to better support a trek in Nepal.

It's a change in route, rather than the countries I intend to visit. Initially, I was planning to tour Southeast Asia first, then work counterclockwise toward Tibet, Nepal, and India.

Sunrise over the Himalaya - Poon Hill, Nepal (April 2008)

The order was something along the lines of New Zealand, Australia, Bali, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Tibet, Nepal, India (and on to Africa).

Apparently, from the new book I started reading a few days ago, Trekking in Nepal by Stephen Bezruchka, this would put me in Nepal during the monsoon season, which runs from July through late September.

The author indicates that trekking in monsoon weather can be an adventure in itself; however, the idea of constantly walking in the rain, up and down slippery slopes, while encountering washed-out bridges, does not appeal to me.

So, with a little rearranging, I figure I can head in a clockwise manner and hit Nepal in near prime trekking weather, March/April, which are the third and fourth most popular (and thus potentially ideal) months to trek.

The prime season is October and November; however, that will fall too late in 2008 for me to make a reality based on my overall plan.

Since trekking in Nepal is one of the experiences I am looking forward to with the most childlike giddiness, I was happy to rearrange my approach to:

New Zealand, Australia, Bali, Thailand, India, Nepal, Tibet, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand (longer stay, then on to Africa).

Also, the book is starting to give shape to the kind of trekking experience I want. While reaching Everest Base Camp sounds cool, I think it's the second most popular trek for a reason: the high altitude.

I've also started researching what the experience actually involves, from acclimatization days to permit logistics and trekking costs. Trekkers booking from abroad can also check Magical Nepal's Everest Base Camp trek for a day-by-day itinerary and practical planning details from a Kathmandu-based operator.

I've seen some posts on BootsnAll saying it's not too bad; however, I've also never been above 5,000 feet unless it's in a plane, nor have I ever walked for weeks at a time.

So, I'm currently focusing on a 2-3-week trek in the Annapurna region (the most trekked area of Nepal, per the book).

If anyone has trekked in Nepal (or the Himalayas), I'd appreciate any feedback on your experiences and/or suggestions!

What Indiana Jones Taught Me About Faith

Disclaimer: This post will be the least religious, most basic intellectual deconstruction you'll find on this topic!

A frequent post which appears in BootsnAll's Around the World and Vagabonding Travel forum is the one where the future traveler starts to feel anxiety around his or her long term journey.

Usually, they post a message a few weeks or days before departure, stating how nervous (yet excited) they feel.

In response, veteran trampers write words of encouragement to nudge them past their fears.

For the past year or so, I've responded by saying I can't wait to have that feeling and be the person posting about it.

In actuality, I've already started to experience it.

In less than six months, at age 31, I'm going to quit my job of five years, sell or donate almost all my possessions, and get on a plane to fly halfway around the world, with only a backpack, some money, and my wits to sustain me for months, if not years.

If I hadn't been interacting with so many others who have or are already doing it, I'd think I were crazy!

In many ways, this plan is very NOT me.

My family brought me up to get good grades in school so I could get into a good college.

Do well in college, then get a job and start a career, and family, which results in buying a house and having kids (grandchildren for my parents).

Then the cycle starts over again with the new generation of Lee's.

As you can tell by now, I took an offramp from this traditional road, though it doesn't mean I'm not scared at times about it!

And this brings me to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. In the third installment, Indiana is on a quest for the Holy Grail.

As he draws closer, he's faced with three tests. When my nerves start to fester about my upcoming trip, I recall Indy's third test, the Leap of Faith, where he comes across a bottomless canyon which he must cross.

The problem?

There is no visible bridge for him to use. What is our hero to do?

Indiana Jones steps out into the void on faith, not reason. To his surprise, and ours in the audience, a bridge did exist, though camouflaged with the canyon walls and only visible once the camera pans to a perpendicular view.

So when my reasoning turns to anxiety, like Indiana Jones, I remind myself to have a little faith...in myself...my fellow travelers...and the locals of each country I will visit.

________________

Further reading: Faith and Reason from a Christian perspective, Wikipedia, and Internet Movie Database entries on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Travel Decision - How Much to Keep in Storage?

To store, or not to store, that is the question! Last summer, I drew up a rough list of how I would handle my material possessions before embarking on my trip around the world.

My Arlington Studio Apartment — My studio apartment

I was pretty proud to put my Sony TV in the sales column. However, I figured I'd store clothes, select books, snowboard gear, art, kitchen stuff, and the few pieces of furniture I owned, including my queen-size bed, kitchen table (with four chairs), and leather love seat. The price of 5'x10' storage spaces seemed to fit my budget-about $100/month (climate-controlled).

Then, this past Friday night, while drinking a delicious Sam Adams Boysenberry Wheat Ale, I took a measuring tape to one corner of my studio apartment and measured out a 50-square-foot space. My bed alone took up 30 sq. feet! Good grief, I thought.

I could either increase the amount of money I'd be paying to save my stuff, thereby reducing my travel budget, or I could get rid of the few big-ticket items I owned. Perhaps that way, I could even downgrade to a 5'x5' storage space at about $60/month.

The next day, after donating some stuff, I stopped by an Extra Space storage facility about 15 minutes from my apartment. Handrick, the rep there, was super friendly without being pushy. First, he showed me the 50-square-foot space (400 cubic feet).

It was conceivable I could fit my bed on its end in there with the rest of the stuff I mentioned above; however, it would be tight, and I know it's not ideal to store a bed on its end due to gravity's effect on the springs (so I hear, at least).

More than the tight squeeze concerning space, the cost increasingly irked me. After all, my ultimate goal is to be away with a complete sense of freedom, and paying so much for storage would eventually weigh on me.

The 25-square-foot space (200 cubic feet) would definitely not allow me to include furniture. It would have to be straight boxes, floor to ceiling.

As I stood in the cool, small enclosure, it became clear that my priority was to save money rather than hold onto stuff. So, I revised my sell vs. storage list to reflect my new decision to sell my bed and table set (via Craig's List, as suggested on the BootsnAll message boards) and hopefully find a friend to take care of my leather love seat.

Unfortunately, my parents' home is not an option as they will likely be moving while I'm gone, and I wouldn't feel right asking them to assume the responsibility. However, I'll reserve the right should all else fail!

Another Donation Trip to the Salvation Army

I made yet another trip to the Salvation Army yesterday to donate more unused clothes, books, and my 12-year old 35mm camera.

My office has a lounge with a bookcase, so I've been dropping off my more subversive fiction (Post Office, The Catcher in the Rye) and non-fiction books (Culture Jam, Commodify Your Dissent) for coworkers' benefit in the hopes of sharing some of my views on consumerism and life with them. I figured books on cocktails, mystical Persian poetry, and string theory might be better suited for the Salvation Army crowd.

My 35mm Minolta camera, which has worked wonderfully since the mid-90's, is far past it's prime from a cultural, financial, and convenience perspective. In Belize last year, a person who took my picture gave me a look when he held it as though I'd been living under a rock for not going digital by the year 2006. Before heading to the Salvation Army, I dropped by a pawn shop to see if I could hawk it after I saw no interest through Craig's List, and the old lady basically laughed in my face!

I have to admit though, I'm extremely pleased with my new Canon PowerShot SD700 IS Digital Elph!

Venice, Renaissance Art, and the Police

The following journal entry was written Friday, July 24, 1998:

With no air conditioning, and five people in one room, last night was hot and uncomfortable. I slept well, especially after taking some cold medicine procured at a local pharmacia. Today, I learned our stay in Venice would only last two nights. For this reason, I set out to see some major attractions. But first we needed to find a cheaper hotel/hostel to stay in. After a failed attempt at this, we returned to the Hotel Leonardo and got ready to check out. As we dropped the key off, we decided to bargain, by quoting the 29,000 lire price of a room we didn't have. Since the guy knew he was ripping us off already, it didn't seem hard to bring the price down to 28,000 lire per person, for one room (down from 40,000 lire).

After this burden was lifted, I led the group to the Accademia which housed 15th-18th century Italian Art. The place wasn't air conditioned, like I had expected. Therefore, I continued to sweat buckets while viewing the artwork of Carpaccio, Bellini, Tintoretto, and Giorgionne, among others. Though the "Tempest" was there, it didn't seem as impressive as its legend/history. The altarpieces were amazing to see up close. The glow of the gilded paint is definitely something that can only be appreciated in person. "The Feast at the House of Levi" was there too, and it covered the entire side of a giant room. Such a giant magnitude isn't even comprehendible from a slide or book.

From the museum, we headed to San Marco. There, everyone seemed happy to feed and be attacked by the pigeons (except me and Bill who just looked on in horror). Eric and Sam decided not to pay the four dollars to go up the Campanile. I, on the other hand, don't regret spending a dime (or lire) in this beautiful city. The view from atop the bell tower was spectacular, plus there was a cool breeze. There were four giant bells up there, and I was wondering if they ring them while people are up there? From San Marco we went to Lido again. There Eric and I took a stroll down some of the more residential streets. I was trying to figure out if these large houses were apartments, and if so, how expensive they were. There were also small canals going down the east/west streets. We also stopped in an arcade. I played three games of "Fantasia." The game attracted me because of the naked girls that appeared on the demo screen. The object was to clear a screen, using a cursor, thereby revealing a semi-naked model. Most of the other games were old, really old. For example, they had Popeye and Donkey Kong. According to Eric, the game boards/chips were probably pirated (bought on the black market), which explains why all the games are in blank or generic boxes/consoles. After the arcade, we went to dinner at a pizzeria that boasted 100 types of pizza. I ordered the mozzarella, cheese, and "roast suckling pig." The meat was thinly sliced and delicious. And, it only cost $5. It was very enjoyable dining on the sidewalk. We even drank Venetian red wine!

After dinner, we went to the beach because Sam and Dave wanted to go swimming. There were very few people on the beach at this late point in the day. Mostly, they were tourists like us who wanted a late swim in the Adriatic Sea. After that, we took the vaporetto back to our hotel, while watching a beautiful sunset. Since the one-way trip takes an hour, we also got to see the Grand Canal and San Marco at night, all lit up. Most of the boat traffic on the canals had stopped by this time (8:30 PM?). We got to see a small boat pulling a lighted platform with an opera singer, and (4-6 piece) accompaniment. After hearing that it had reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit today, we went back to the hotel and cleaned up our sweaty bodies.

We bought some wine with the thought of drinking it near a canal. At the time, it sounded like a romantic notion, but it turned out to be a waste of time. Instead of going to the San Marcaulo boat stop (which had benches, was dark, and actually on the Grand Canal) we went down some random canal which came to an end with a wooden fence marked (no entrance). We had been sitting there for a few minutes when Bill arrived with a beer. He immediately climbed around the fence and pissed. About five seconds later 2 policemen armed with machine guns approached the fence and began to figure out who was behind it. As it turns out, there was an important statue being restored back there, hence the fence. Bill came around the fence and got a tongue-lashing from the police (who actually cocked their guns or something at one point). The rest of the time we were sitting on the small dock (in front of a palazzo), the police remained at the exit of the canal, watching us. I guess it was their beat for the night. Since I hadn't seen much public drinking (picnics) in Venice, I felt really awkward at this point. This was compounded by the small boats of people riding by us. Basically, I wasn't enjoying the situation; therefore, I wasn't even drinking the wine.

We went to a bar later, where I ordered a pint of Guinness for $4. That night Bill stayed out until 3 AM. When he got back, and was walking down the alley, our crazy Italian neighbor began yelling at him again. Bill left, then waited till the guy had gone to bed, and then climbed up the wall (of the hotel) to our second story room (about 12 feet). This was a very impressive feat to accomplish while drunk and tired.

5 Techniques to Save BIG Money

Now that we've reviewed effective strategies for paying off debt, it is time to turn our attention to a much more fun topic, saving money!

While my goal has been to go backpacking around the world, the amount of money I've been saving over the past five years is easily enough to buy a condo in a nice neighborhood in Washington, DC or a Porsche.

For these techniques to work, I am assuming you are as passionate about your goal as I am about mine.

Table of Contents

1. Maintain your current standard of living
2. Downgrade your living situation
3. Sign up for automatic paycheck deferrals, or an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
4. Sell your car, or live closer to work
5. Be conservative on your taxes
Bonus Savings Tip

1. Maintain your current standard of living

Adopt a mantra akin to " I want what I have, and don't want what I don't have."

In my case, as my income rose over the past few years due to raises, cost of living adjustments, and a promotion, I simply saw the added income as a way to save more money toward my goal, rather than upgrade my car (Audi A4 please) or buy a new watch (Tag Heuer).

This approach may not work if you are impatient, or have little time to achieve your financial goal.

2. Downgrade your living situation

This tip is for those of you who cannot maintain your current living arrangement while working toward your goal.

If you're living alone, perhaps it's time to find a roommate, move in with a friend, or (gasp) back home with your parents.

Personally, I'm the type of person who is much happier living alone after years of experience with roommates (who were often friends mind you).

Technically, I considered my move from living with a roommate to a studio apartment an upgrade; however I locked in an amazing deal on the terms of my lease as a result of good timing.

My initial rent began at about $250 less than the normal rate for my apartment.

My yearly increases were 7%, thus I saw the benefit of my initial rate pay off over 4 of my 5 years in the apartment.

By this last lease renewal (for 9 months), the rate caught up with me due to the real estate growth in my neighborhood, however I still negotiated them down from their initial renewal rate!

If you can't bring yourself to downgrade, then commit to technique number one by not upgrading.

3. Sign up for automatic paycheck deferrals, or an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

I've worked for two start-up companies, earning stock options with both.

Neither situation afforded me an early retirement when the company went public or was bought.

I did learn the value of ESPP's though. In both cases, I was able to defer a percentage of my post-tax salary to buy the parent company stock at a 15% discount off of the lowest price within a financial quarter (three month period).

The current participation in my company's ESPP plan will account for about 35% (or $10,000) of my total trip savings.

The reason I prefer this approach over deferring money every paycheck to be deposited in a savings account is that I have the potential to earn at least a 15% return on my investment.

Luckily, my company has been doing well, so it will be more than that when all is said and done.

If you do not have access to an ESPP, then definitely sign up for a percentage of your salary to be deferred into a high-interest savings account (such as ING Direct) each pay period.

Increase the deferral percentage periodically, or whenever you receive a pay increase.

This technique is extremely effective because you save the money before you are tempted to spend it!

4. Sell your car, or live closer to work

I couldn't bring myself to sell my car, the driving culture is too ingrained in me. I did ensure that I lived close to my job though.

I currently live 8 miles away. This reflects a desire to save money, as well as time (long commutes are draining). I can go two weeks on one tank of gas in my VW Jetta.

Given the increasingly high cost of gas, this should be a no-brainer.

Getting rid of a car altogether can save you on loan interest, insurance, maintenance, gas, parking, and car washes.

Plus, using mass transit, a bicycle, or walking are all better for the environment. If you need to buy a car (such was the case when I totaled my first VW in 2005), go pre-owned (aka " used").

You immediately avoid the instant depreciation that occurs with a new car, and reinforce the importance of your goal over a new automobile (which really boils down to a status symbol, right?).

5. Be conservative on your taxes

My suggestion here is to pay the government a little more than you may owe at the end of the year.

By doing so, you will ensure a refund once you file your taxes, versus potentially owing money.

I made this switch for the 2006 year, and was much happier to receive a $600 refund than having to pay as I did in previous years.

The counter argument here is that the government will not pay you interest on that money.

Using my 2006 refund as an example, even with 5% interest, I'd only be earning $30 off the extra money paid in taxes.

Considering this would account for 0.001% of my total financial goal, I'm not too concerned.

Plus, I'm setting myself up for a refund for the 2007 year, which I will receive once I've already quit my job and am on the road in 2008.

Bonus Savings Tip

Drive defensively

In my early 20's, I received four speeding tickets within 13 months.

My car insurance doubled from $900/year to $1,800/year.

It took me three years of slower driving, and no additional tickets, for my insurance rate to noticeably decrease.

Careful readers may note my mention of an auto accident under tip number four.It was my fault, however I was shocked to find out that Progressive didn't raise my rate because it was my first accident.

Next week I will touch upon some smaller, day-to-day ways to save money.

Travel Dispatch from Vietnam (circa 2001)

I was sitting in my work cubicle, three years into my my first post-college job, when one of my good friends sent me the email below. I can remember my blood boiling with envy and jealousy as I read it. I don't have a record of my response, however I'm sure it was something to the effect of "just you wait, I'll get my chance to travel and then I'll be the one sending you such messages!"

----- Original Message ----
From: A Friend
To: Dave
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 11:39:30 AM
Subject: Vietnam.....

hey mr wannabe world traveler!

whats up?

At the moment, I'm held up in an Internet cafe in the middle of Vietnam waiting out a f*cking monsoon storm. Hopefully it will pass in the next 20 minutes but you never know!

Anyway, I have been traveling and thinking about how much you would LOVE S.E. Asia! Everything that backpacking in Europe USED to be, still exists here in S.E. Asia. The backpacking culture is MUCH MORE pronounced and finding reasonable hotels/travelers ghettos and the like is not only feasible, but quite often, the only way around. Today I'm in a little hotel in an alley run but a Vietnamese French woman for 3$!! Food here is supposed to be expensive and I average 2-3 a meal!! And that is at a nice sit down establishment!

Also, there is simply so much to see and do. There is a very well worn backpacker path and it is truly fantastic. You meet people all the time (though it is low season so it's a lot of older couples, at least in North Vietnam) and then bump into them again along " the path."?

From where I am, I will slowly go south and eventually reach Saigon. Then cut through Cambodia to Bangkok which is supposed to be the backpacker epicenter on the planet. Spend a few days there trying to be like Leonardo di Caprio (which apparently, everyone is) then off to the beaches. Trying to time it for a full moon party.

After a few weeks, I will go own through Malaysia into Singapore to more or less come home.

Anyway, bottom line-come here! It's great! Well, you won't find loads of hot women but everything else is fantastic. You still can find places where few tourists visit and travel can be a real challenge (e.g., China, where, if you don't speak the language, you are totally f*cked and have to rely on your wits to get around-of course, I only hear about this since I am Chinese).

Ok, the rain just stopped do I'm off!

Cambodia and The Killing Fields

I first became aware of Cambodia through a song by the early 80's punk band The Dead Kennedys. I was about 13, living in an upper middle class suburb in New Jersey. My friend Jeff introduced me to DK, and in turn, the song Holiday in Cambodia. I liked it because it poked fun at rich, preppy kids (yes, the irony was lost on me at the time), by comparing their normal life to Cambodia during the genocide of the late 1970's. Beyond the song, my knowledge was limited to an awareness that Cambodia was probably a dark, dangerous place. While our war with Vietnam was a topic for history class, I can't recall a mention of Cambodia in school, which seems odd given around 2 million people died during a 5-year period within my lifetime.

Fast forward to my mid-20's when I start to consider traveling to southeast Asia. I still didn't know much about Cambodia, except that it was sandwiched between a few countries I'd heard were popular on the backpacker circuit - Thailand and Vietnam. I had also begun to see Angkor Wat pop up in guide books. I figured I'd be in the area, so why not put it on my rough itinerary to visit. It wasn't until about a year ago that I watched a documentary about the Khmer Rouge's 1975-79 takeover. It was also last year when I saw The Killing Fields mentioned in a dialog on the BootsnAll message boards about travel-related movies.

On August 2, 2006, I recorded The Killing Fields. I held onto the movie for 9 months, purposefully avoiding it. I knew it'd be serious and sad, and it's far easier to watch comedies and vacuous TV shows instead. My attitude changed after watching this past week's episode of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Our intrepid hosts, Albin and and Melanie Ulle, visited Cambodia. They rode elephants to a temple to watch a sunset, walked around Angkor Wat, ate crickets, and toured the killing fields with a survivor. The city shots of Phnom Penh were just as beautiful as those of the rural areas, and the people seemed very proud of their culture. I wanted to go.

Later that night, I watched The Killing Fields. Based on a true story, journalist Sydney Schanberg leaves his translator/friend Dith Pran behind as Phnom Penh falls to the Khmer Rouge fighters in 1975. Syd returns to NYC, where he's haunted by the fact that he didn't ensure Dith's evacuation (as he did Dith's family), to the US. Meanwhile, Dith experiences the forced labor camps, and endless violence and brainwashing of Pol Pot's ethnic cleansing campaign. The story touches on the worst, and surprisingly best, of human behavior.

If you're as naive about Cambodia's recent history as I was, watch The Killing Fields, and you will appreciate your life a little more, regardless of how big your problems seem.

My First Day in Venice, Italy

The following journal entry was written on Thursday, July 23, 1998:

When we arrived in Venice, I was still feeling ill. It was about 9 AM, and we had a full day ahead of us. After mulling around the train station a bit, we decided to find a place to stay right away. A man approached us from the Hotel Leonardo, who said he had a room for five people. Since it was only 10 minutes from the station, we decided to take it. When we got there, we found out our room was merely a double bed, with three single cots/mattresses wedged in. There was no room to walk. There was also a sink and a pisser in the room. Immediately after opening the window shutters, an Italian man across the alley from us began shouting at us. Apparently he didn't like Americans. Since none of us knew what the hell he was saying, we just ignored his adamant rants.

We got ready to go to the beach. Our first mistake was buying a 35,000 lire ($20) vaporetto (water bus) pass. They never checked us (or anyone else). This made me wonder if anyone else buys tickets besides tourists? The minute I had stepped out of the train station, I had fallen in love with the city. This was reinforced after my first vaporetto ride down the Grand Canal. San Marco and San Giorggio Maggiore were spectacular sights.

We reached the beach after a one hour ride. Lido's main street had pink marble sidewalks from end to end. The street was also lined with gelaterias (ice cream stores) and pizzerias. We arrived at the beach a little before noon. The sky was cloudless, the sun hot. It was at least in the mid 90's. I knew I was going to have to be extra special in protecting myself from the sun. For this reason, I wore my hat (with 360 degree rim) at all times, except when in the water, my prescription sunglasses (in the water too), and plenty of sun block. When we left around 3 AM I had managed to survive the hottest part of the day with patchy sunburns on my face and legs. Except for a painful burn on my right ankle, I felt very lucky and confident. I don't think anyone else brought sun tan lotion.

The beach had lots of small shells on it, and seemed relatively clean. We settled on a small section of public/free beach. There was a giant luxury hotel (former palazzo probably) to our right. Both sides of the free beach were lined with cabanas and umbrellas for as far as the eye could see. Apparently, the hotels on Lido's beach attract a wealthy and elitist clientele. It seemed like the locals were mostly on the public beach. One of the first things I noticed was the openness of women to sunbathe topless. It didn't really shock or surprise me, but it did provide for some nice views. Luckily, however some people stared a lot more than me (I never stared, just glanced)! There were very few one piece bathing suits, and plenty of Speedos on the guys. Like everywhere in Europe, the people of Venice appear much thinner than Americans. Both males and females are dark (olive) skinned with dark hair. The fashion seems to revolve around sandals, comfortable/thin dresses, and the color black.

Then we got back from the beach, we showered. There was a bathtub and detachable shower head, which only reached to the chest level of one's body. I showered kneeling down, and tried to get the hang of such a method. Eric had gone in before me and had sprayed the entire bathroom with water (he tried to shower standing up). The sink had a foot peddle you used to control the water. I assume this is so you don't have people turning knobs with their recently soiled hands.

We went to dinner at an Italian restaurant down the block from our hotel, the Friggatorio. There, the meals seemed cheap for what you got. I was the only one who did not order a three course meal. After dinner, we sat at the end of a canal to watch the sunset. It was extremely beautiful. The sun seemed to create a red/orange glow along the canals and buildings. Perhaps the best part of Venice is the lack of noise. There are no cars (except on the island of Lido), and the Venetian lifestyle appears to have changed little in the past 1,000 years. Upon nightfall, I decided to go to bed, since I was sick and tired. The sun and heat managed to drain my energy quite easily.

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For all journal entries, go to Backpacking in Europe

8 Surefire Strategies for Eliminating Debt

Last week, we put our goals on paper to cement our commitment to them. This week, the rubber hits the road as I share some effective ways I approached eliminating my debt on the way to saving for a dream trip around the world.

After eliminating my debt, I began saving for a dream trip around the world. Here I am on a coastal walk in Sydney, Australia. — Debt-free and happy on a coastal walk in Sydney, Australia.

Table of Contents

Debt Management Tips

Debt Management Tips

1. Value saving money over spending it

Have you ever been without debt? Maybe the last time you can remember was when you were a kid. Those were the days! Cultivating a low tolerance for debt may translate as dull and conservative; however, if you require money to reach your goals and dreams, the sooner you adopt this attitude, the better.

2. Buy a book about paying off debt, TODAY

A $12 book I bought about five years ago helped me organize my approach to paying off thousands of dollars in debt over the years. I went with the catchy Debt-Free by 30, Practical Advice for the Young, Broke, & Upwardly Mobile.

Just about any good debt book will provide a path for you to follow via answering self-assessments, accounting for monthly expenses, and harping on the evils of credit card companies. Flipping through the book, I cringe at having considered it acceptable to pay $140 monthly in credit card payments (most of it toward just the interest).

3. Apply the 90/10 rule with gift (or unexpected) money

A year after one of my grandmothers passed away at the age of 90, I received a monetary inheritance.

Well before it was wired to my bank, I had established a plan to use 70% to pay off the total balances on my three credit cards (canceling two of them in the process), 20% as seed money for my trip (which I locked up in a 12-month Certificate of Deposit), and 10% on "stuff."

When the money arrived, I executed my plan immediately. I have no clue as to what happened with that remaining 10%. It just seemed to evaporate (which is why I strictly limited the percentage of purposeless money).

4. Pay off high-interest loans first

I picked this tip up from a second book, The Four Laws of Debt Free Prosperity, which I received for free as part of a lunch series on financial planning offered by my employer. When I read it, my remaining credit card balance had reached around $2,000, and I was struggling to pay it down again.

Here's the Debt Elimination Exercise in an Excel document that I drew up while reading the book. Ultimately, I decided not to worry about paying down my car loan (see tip #8).

For readers carrying college-related debt, refinancing student loans can help reduce this monthly expense, thereby allowing you to focus on paying off higher-interest debts first.

5. Use online banking to set up automatic payments

Paydays can be intoxicating. You have a sudden influx of money into your bank account, which can cloud your judgment, tempting you to buy stuff rather than pay off your debts.

To ensure you continue to chip away at them and to avoid racking up late fees, schedule debt payments to coincide with your paydays. Many institutions allow you to schedule recurring payments to make it even easier to part with your money (don't worry; there's no better place for it to go).

6. Call on friends and family

If you owe money to family or friends, share your goals (or dreams) with them and suggest they forgive your debt instead of buying you a birthday or holiday gift. You include them in making your dream a reality, which is a powerful approach.

7. Avoid retail credit cards

Resist the temptation to sign up for a new retail store credit card for an instant discount on the items you're purchasing when offered. If you're like me, that instant $30 savings can lead to a $1,000 wardrobe financed on store credit (and high interest rates). Despite this lesson, I still buy at Banana Republic, only with cash rather than credit!

8. Insurance money

If you happen to crash your car (like I did in 2005), and you need another, buy it used and put ALL of the insurance payment toward the down payment. Do this regardless of how dealership finance or bank people suggest you invest it (thus taking on a higher debt through their organization and increasing their revenue from interest payments).

Thinking long term, it's better to begin eliminating your debt while you still can rather than leave it for your loved ones should you pass away unexpectedly. What have been your most effective strategies for tackling debt?

Affiliate Spotlight - Order Free Travel Brochures

InfoHub Specialty Travel Guide is a distributor of thousands of free travel brochures. In early 2007, after only a few minutes searching their directory of travel packages, I realized I needed to become an affiliate simply to ensure I kept such a great resource close at hand (really!).

My primary interest was finding a tour company for a trek in Nepal. A few clicks took me to countless packages by a variety of tour guides. It was a bit overwhelming to have so many options, however the layout of the directory is easy to follow. After you drill down into locations or categories of travel, information is presented in rows, including the name of the tour, highlights, duration, price, season, and destination. From the summary results, you can dig deeper into the details and itineraries of trips, as well as order free brochures.

As an affiliate, I earn $2 for each brochure mailed out, which in sales terms is treated as a "lead," however recipients are under absolutely no obligation to buy travel packages through the tour operators sending them the information. I would kindly like to request readers of this blog consider ordering a brochure through my affiliate link, as it will help to support my future travels.

I encourage you to try searching for an activity or country and see if you don't find yourself interested in getting more information, or even signing up to be an affiliate as well! At this time, they do not appear to have an affiliate referral program.

Extras: For visitors, the main site includes plenty of travel-related articles and a well-visited forum. Affiliates have access to a wide range of text and banner advertisements, as well as reports to track lead and sales generation.

Tequila Shot Heard 'Round the World

The Panty Ripper, Singapore Sling, and Cuba Libre reflect just a few of the tasty libations which await travelers abroad. As for me, I tend to seek out and enjoy the national beers of the countries I visit (Imperial, Belikin, Heineken, Guinness). Taking shots is a drinking experience I (thankfully) left behind in college....or so I thought!

I was hanging out with some British army troops on my second night in Belize when a girl with us suggested we drink some tequila. Normally, I'm not a fan, however I sucked down the first shot to fulfill my duty to the group. When it came time for the second shot, it was suggested that we do a special combination move (I forgot the exact name). You may know the classic approach to tequila shots as licking the salt from your hand, taking the shot, and putting a lime wedge in your mouth. Well this special approach involved snorting salt, taking the shot, and squeezing lime juice into your eye.

I can be very stubborn at times, and I made sure to assert myself at this point in the night. The girl even tried to bribe me with a view of her underwear if I'd take part. Unless she intended to up the ante, I was content to watch.

What's the strangest mixed drink or shot combination you've encountered while traveling?

Around the World Travel - Domain of the Wealthy?

If you've been on the backpacker trail for a short time, such as while visiting a single country, or even just been perusing travel blogs online, you may have picked up on a common answer to the question "Where are you from?" The most frequent answers in my experience have been:

Australia
New Zealand
United Kingdom
Canada (w/maple leaf flag to prove it)
United States
Israel (after required military service)
Japan
Western European countries (Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, etc.)

I once read about how Buddhism tends to take root in countries and societies after they reach a certain level of success - both culturally and economically (which once included Tibet). This seems both odd, and completely understandable. Affluent societies naturally value the concepts and things which bring them wealth, yet at the same time, a counter-culture develops which values non-materialism. The growing Buddhist movement in the United States is a prime example.

I'd like to think I've traveled a good bit so far, though I've yet to meet a backpacker from India, a country with ⅙ the world's population. My memory is a bit foggier on any Chinese backpackers I've met, though they certainly didn't make my list above. So on my upcoming trip, while I intend to visit both India and China, I have little expectation I will cross paths with many backpackers from either country.

Perhaps I'm wrong though. Maybe things are different in southeast Asia? Maybe Costa Rica is an uncommon destination for African backpackers? It's quite possible, as China's economic boom continues, the backpacker trail will see an influx of new world travelers. I for one, welcome greater participation by citizens of other countries in traveling the world. I truly believe it helps different cultures understand one and other better. And let's face it, the list of countries above is a homogeneous lot, a reason many of us choose to travel to far lands in the first place.

Which nationalities (not mentioned above) have you come across on the backpacker trail?

Travel Fear - Food Poisoning

Symptoms of staph food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, retching, stomach cramping, and diarrhea. In more severe cases, dehydration, headache, muscle cramping, and changes in blood pressure and pulse rate may occur. Symptoms generally come on quickly. How severe they are depends on your susceptibility to the toxin, how much contaminated food you ate, how much of the toxin you ingested, and your general health. The condition is generally over in 2 days; however, it is not unusual for complete recovery to take 3 days and sometimes longer in severe cases. - WebMD

I met a guy in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica a few years ago who had come down with a case of food poisoning after eating undercooked chicken. He said he noticed the chicken looked odd, however ate it anyway (lesson: always trust your instincts). He described the next few days like death. The people at the hostel helped get him some antibiotic, I think, however he basically had to wait it out in his tent. I have a slight sense of what that must've been like after this past weekend.

At 4am Saturday morning, the nurse I spoke to on the advice line said it was either the stomach flu (gastroenteritis), or a mild case of food poisoning. Don't try telling me what I was going through was "mild," I thought. I had spent the last 4 hours feeling possessed in my bathroom. Like a scene from The Exorcist, I was not in control of my body. At the time, I ran through memories of my worst alcohol-related experiences, and none came close. Indeed, whatever had invaded my digestive tract was pure evil.

By sunrise Saturday, the worst of it seemed to be over. I was able to keep down the little sips of water I had been taking since 4am, and was continuing to drift in and out of sleep. I had a headache for which I couldn't take medicine (for fear it wouldn't stay down), and a sore throat. I had lost about 5 pounds in the past 24 hours. I spent Saturday in bed, trying to catch up on my sleep. By Sunday morning, at the time I'm writing this post, my headache has dissipated, and sore throat abated. I had signed up for a Photo Safari of Old Town Alexandria for this afternoon, with the hope that I could improve my photography skills, however I don't have the energy to attend.

One of my bigger travel fears is coming down with food poisoning (among other diseases), especially if I am in a rural or remote area (such as the Himalaya). If you've ever read advice on how to avoid it, you know the experts basically suggest you stay away from street food altogether, and take a very strict approach toward eating anything else. For example, you should stay away from raw lettuce (as in salads) in case they were washed with contaminated water.

For better or worse, I now have a sense of what it would feel like, and I didn't even need to buy a plane ticket.

___________________

Read more about Food Poisoning or Stomach Flu at WebMD

Establishing Travel and Financial Goals

In the first article of my series on Saving for a Trip Around the World, I shared a little background on my decision to make a global tour my personal goal. I also touched on the reality of my financial situation at the time (namely my debt). For the remainder of the series, I will share the strategies and habits I adopted to bring me out of debt, thereby allowing me to aggressively save for my upcoming travels.

Write Down Your Travel Goals

First and foremost, commit your travel goals to paper. The mere act of writing something down takes it out of the ethereal, ever-changing cloud of thoughts in your mind and helps make it a reality, a tangible thing you intend to achieve. In April 2002, I started at a very high level as you can tell from the photo above. I tied each goal to a motivation so I would be reminded of why it would benefit me to reach it. I knew my ultimate travel goal required a large amount of money, which would be hard to save if I remained in debt, which I couldn't get out from under until I found a new job! I posted the goals in a very visible place to ensure I saw them every day (such as near the bathroom).

I had also begun to keep a paper journal around this same time. I found the practice of writing (with no intended audience other than myself) beneficial in many ways. In regard to my travel plans, because of the money required, my thoughts were primarily focused on paying off debt, saving, and continuously revising my financial goals for the upcoming months. The photo of the index card below captures my cash (vs. company stock) targets in 2006, after I had paid off my debts, and begun to earn significantly more at work.

Set Financial Benchmarks

I was newly employed in June 2002, though still in debt, paying more than I could afford on rent and my car, and not earning as much as I had hoped. My first savings goal was to sock away $25 per paycheck (every two weeks) toward my trip. It sounds like a drop in the bucket now, almost laughable, however it was all I could afford at the time. In retrospect, it was a turning point after years of racking up credit card debt living beyond my means. I began to consciously save money in a thoughtful and consistent manner. I started to value saving money over spending it (something credit card companies would hate to see catch on). At those early stages, the development of good financial habits was more important than the amount of money being saved. By 2006, as you can tell, my monthly benchmarks had been raised substantially.

By the time I am ready to depart later this year, it will have taken me 5 ½ years to meet my goals. While this may seem like a long time, I had established early on that I was going to continue to maintain my 2002 standard of living, rather than sacrifice to the degree some others are willing to do (mostly those younger folks out there!).

Constantly writing and revising financial goals helped keep me on track. I've regularly set aggressive short term goals, and rarely met them. I'd rather fall short of an aggressive goal than a non-aggressive one. I decided it'd be better not to set the bar too low, just to have a warm fuzzy feeling of meeting it. Alternatively, others may find greater motivation in setting easily achievable goals.

Next week I'll share my experience extricating myself from debt.

Creative Travel Blog Advertising with MOO.com

I was introduced to the services of MOO.com by my friend Andrew during a recent trip to New York City.

We were sitting in a bar talking about our respective websites when he whipped out one of his new business (mini) cards.

I was immediately struck by the smaller than normal dimensions, specifically 20mm x 70 mm (roughly ⅓ the size of a typical card).

On the front was a picture he had taken of a bicycle, the same he has on his blog header.

His name, occupation (artist, educator, producer), website, and phone number were on the back. My first impression when he showed me the card was, "cool, I want one!"

I had been tossing around the idea of buying a set of business cards or custom stickers for my trip to promote my website while traveling; however, I was faced with the reality of being a less than a stellar graphic artist.

Seeing the great quality of Andrew's cards, I realized my past travel photos would instantly fill the creative void I would face down the road.

Within a few days of returning home, I pulled up MOO's website to customize my first set of cards.

As he had informed me, you can order 100 MiniCards for $20, with the flexibility to choose a different image for each card.

MOO allows you to upload images through their site or access them via others, including Flickr.

As I had begun to use Flickr a few months ago, I selected that option, followed by the MiniCard size (versus a larger Notecard size available).

The instructions indicated the process was as simple as 1 - Choose, 2 - Crop, 3 - Personalize, and 4 - Purchase.

Once I had chosen the size, a page loaded with my Flickr photostream, I began the challenging process of deciding which of my fantastic images should represent me, my blog, and my future travels!

Once I had selected the lucky photos by (dragging and dropping them in a box), I moved on to the cropping stage.

The site makes this process easy. However, I did swap about 20% of my photos after seeing how they looked with the cropping.

You have to be judicious with only 1,400 square millimeters of space.

The personalization options include 3 fonts, 9 font colors, 12 small images for the backside (including your Flickr profile photo), and the ability to add a variety of info to each card (such as title, license, or camera details).

The final step is payment, and I was pleased to see the shipping was only $4.99, bringing the total cost to $24.98. The cards arrived within 2 weeks of my order.

The MOO experience is fun and lighthearted. It is filled with witty words from the company.

For example, when I tried to backtrack using browser navigation, the expected page didn't reload.

Instead, I received an error message which stated, "Oops, sorry, something untoward has occurred! An email has been sent to our hardworking developer bees."

The British humor cracked me up, and you don't get the feeling they're trying too hard either. A filler info card which I received along with my set says, "Yay! You're our new best friend."

Yes, MOO is my new best friend, and if you're looking for an easy, inexpensive, creative way to market yourself, your blog, or anything else, check out their printing services!

Counting Down to Departure

5 months until I submit my notice at work
6 months until my lease ends
7 months until I leave

The numbers continue to get smaller in the multitude of ways I track the ever-decreasing time between this moment, and when I depart the country for my world travels.

7 episodes of The Sopranos before I downgrade my cable TV
1 season's worth of DC United soccer games left to watch

I'm a TV addict, though there are only a few shows I'll truly miss (and watch the DVD's later). Lost, Heroes, and The Office come to mind. The Major League Soccer Championship game is being hosted in Washington, DC at RFK Stadium this year, keeping alive the idea that I could see my team win the 2007 season on their home turf, a few weeks before I leave.

2 calendars (1 at home, 1 at work)
Countdown plugin for blog (upper right corner)

Every few days, I cross off a batch of dates from my home and work calendars. Special joy is taken on the days I can flip the whole page over to the next month.

2 months before my brother leaves for Iraq
? months before my parents sell their house and leave Virginia

My small family is about to head it's separate ways. While my trip was planned ahead of my brother's enlistment, his number is up after two years of waiting. He'll be gone 7 months, and I'm not sure whether I'll find it helpful to be abroad during part of that time. My parents are retired, and while I hope they remain in VA a little longer, so I can live with them for three weeks in November, I'm more hopeful that they'll continue to live long and happy lives while I'm away.

How do you count down the time to departure for your trips?

5 Reasons Why I Travel

Mike over at Vagabondish has tagged me to share five reasons why I travel.

While on the surface, the question seems easy enough for us in the travel sphere to answer, it did cause me to pause for a little self-reflection. Here's what came to mind:

1. Freedom and Independence

Just the way the States' founding fathers intended, long term travel allows me to fully experience life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I first felt the complete sense of freedom backpacking could entail when my friends decided to leave Europe early after about ten days, and I stayed for another five weeks traveling solo.

2. Mr. Extrovert

I'm an introvert by nature, though when I'm on the road, I'm more naturally outgoing.

It's probably a matter of subconscious social survival - either speak up or face a lonely, less fun trip!

So I'll approach women on the beach, in a bar, or hostel, and I'll suggest social options with more authority than I might otherwise at home.

It's a wonderful feeling to step outside my usual social bounds.

3. New Cultures

I'm proud to be from New York, and the USA, however, I'm also proud of my desire to get out of my home country and see it from new perspectives.

In addition to looking back at my home from abroad, I love learning about how others live.

So far, the majority of my time traveling has been spent in Western Europe, and only more recently have I experienced less industrialized cultures (in Central America).

4. Foreign Food

I grew up a stubbornly picky eater. For example, I hadn't tried Thai food until my last night in Europe when I was 21.

It was another few years before I discovered the delicious taste of shrimp.

And the first time I ate fish off the bone was in Belize just last year (age 29).

Since I started to enjoy cooking for myself (and others), I'm seeking out more exotic foods, such as sushi, and the bone marrow I tasted in NYC last month.

The world is my oyster (yes, I've tried them too!).

PS - for Anthony Bourdain fans, I fully intend to suck down a beating cobra heart in Vietnam this time next year.

5. Logistics and Planning

Part of my enjoyment of travel comes before I even step out of my apartment door. I relish the time it takes to plan a trip.

As you may imagine, I'm getting a BIG kick out of the logistical aspects of planning my 'round the world trip.

There you have it, my five reasons why I travel. Did I blow you away with my profound insights?

If not, maybe tagging Bangkok Ali, Jas from Through the Lenses, or Nina from Justwandering.org will give way to such deep thoughts.

Buddhism Inspired Contemplation in Costa Rica

The following journal excerpts were written in Cahuita, Costa Rica on Monday, May 16, 2005:

7:41 am

I saw some hummingbirds earlier. I was chilling in a hammock. Senses fully awake:

Sight - the palms, sky, clouds, morning sun
Hearing - the crashing ocean waves, birds chirping
Taste - the salty air
Smell - the sea air again, the plant life
Touch - the feeling of the slightly damp hammock against my back, the light breeze, warm sensation of sun on skin

I imagine this is how it's like on the beaches of Thailand, Bali, etc. I am reawakened to the possibilities of life, travel, community, humanity, compassion, companionship, love, laughter, present moment, awareness. So much to take in. An assault on the senses. One can only surrender and breathe it all in. Tactile, touch, important in travel and exploring. Grab the earth, take off your shoes. Feel, experience.

....And me? I'm working, though, reminded of unfulfilled time in the world, backpacking, freedom, independence, experience, trials, stories, camaraderie, and wanderlust. You only live once. I've yet to meet someone who has regretted their time off. Traveling, seeing the world. As I told Wes, I feel myself, inner core, self-esteem, strengthening with each day of this trip. I will follow through. Things are just as they are supposed to be. No need to rush, rushing creates anxiety, undue suffering. I am building a spiritual practice to sustain me, strengthen my core beliefs. The prospect of long term travel, discovery, so exciting. Life is impermanence, ever-changing. To travel long, will too end. I should not be afraid that it would. Life is about the journey, not the destination. So are all experiences, relationships. Grasping, clinging, leads to undue suffering. Mindfulness, awareness, recognition of this happening is my practice at work. Suffering is human, cannot be avoided, however through practice, can be avoided.

Breakfast was a big plate, 2 scrambled eggs, slice of cheese, slice of ham, slice of tomato, 2 pieces of toast, rice/beans, OJ and coffee. I wrote all this at the restaurant.

It routine a bad thing? Cahuita is wonderful, would more than two nights here lead to routiness, or lack of the same level of stimulation I am currently experiencing? These questions are ok to ask, though, I have to be careful not to allow anxiety to result. Anxiety about whether I stay or go. It would serve no purpose. I will have to decide when to go anyways, why worry about, why worry I can make a wrong decision. There is no right or wrong decision. I trust myself, and therefore the decision I make will be the right one, regardless of which direction it sends me.

I think there is condensation under the plastic face of my watch. I need to take a crap. Ants run on the tile floor, so busy, fast, and small.

Want to go to Cahuita? Book a good hostel here

The Decision to Backpack Around the World

Excerpt from my journal, dated April 19, 2002:

Goals and Motivation

Goal: Find a new job
Motivation: So I can pay off credit cards

Goal: Pay off credit cards
Motivation: So I can begin saving money

Goal: Begin saving money ($12,000 to $15,000) while continuing to enjoy life
Motivation: So I can take a trip around the world by December 2006 (age 30)

Variables

Raise at work
Employer going public (selling stock options)
Paying off car loan

You’ve probably deduced a few things about me already. I started writing in a journal in 2002. My reasons were unrelated to travel plans, however it served as a great outlet for that subject too. I’m goal-oriented, or at least began to develop an awareness of, and strength behind, that trait in 2002. I was unemployed and in debt. It would seem to be an odd time to consider setting such a grandiose goal as to eventually quit a job I have yet to obtain so as to backpack around the world. There were a few other undercurrents in my life at the time though.

I had begun to re-examine my values at the same time I began to explore Buddhism. The confluence of thoughts lead me to place a higher value on international travel (experience) than materialistic wealth. As I recall, the epiphany was rather understated. It was a simple thought to myself, the power of which I would not realize until years later. Almost everything I write in my blog can be attributed to this affirmation, or clarification, in values.

Deciding to place a higher value on experience rather than material goods is not an easy task in the consumption-hungry society of the United States. It’s a challenge, though with practice, I miss the desire and attachments less and less. It all starts with an awareness of what you’re buying into and whether all that buying leaves you any happier than before. I’ve found backpackers tend to share this common value, as well as hippies! Enough about the serious stuff, let’s look at how scary my finances were in early 2002. Perhaps we can have a good laugh.

In March 2002, I had been laid off from my first job (at CareerBuilder.com) since graduating college. Between severance pay, vacation time, and unemployment benefits, I felt fairly comfortable in the short term given the enormous shock to my life. Unfortunately, I took some heart in the fact that all of the employees, from the CEO down, had lost their jobs at the hands of our parent company (Tribune and Knight Ridder publishing). Such was life when you worked for a technology company during the high-tech boom. At the time, my debt looked something like this:

Student loans - $60,000
Car loan - $17,000
3 credit cards - $5,500
Total debt = $82,500

And I had the gall to think I could pay off the debt and build a surplus of another $15,000 (I later doubled this to $30,000). All together, we’re talking about $100,000.

Five years later, I’m executing the last few months of my savings plan, and am on track to reach my goals. It’s a great feeling, and I hope this series on how I got here can help others make their dream travels (house, Ferrari, etc.) a reality!

_________

Note: While this post was originally published in April 2007, it was discovered missing in 2011, and therefore re-added and backdated.

My Pre-Departure Task List

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 domain name, GoBackpacking.com!

As I reflect over the past 3 months of blogging, I realize I've yet to touch upon the planning aspects of my adventure in a detailed, sustained, or meaningful way.

I love the logistical aspect of travel and have learned quite a bit from others who have gone before me.

Hopefully, some insight into my approach will prove useful to future travelers.

After all, I picked my domain name in 1999 with the desire to encourage every person to "go backpacking."

So without further ado...Click on the text link if you have Microsoft Excel, or click on the "View" box to see an HTML version (everyone else).

Pre-Departure Task List

Please feel free to comment on what I've included, have yet to mention, or am obviously putting off!

On Wednesday evening, I'm going to kick off my weekly series "Saving for a Trip Around the World" which will feature my rough itinerary, budget, savings goals, and progress toward those goals.

6 Bathroom Comforts I Miss On The Road

"There's no place like home." -- Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz

I think it's safe to say Dorothy's Kansas bathroom wasn't the first thing on her mind while navigating the yellow brick road in far-off Oz.

Then again, Dorothy never bore witness to the hostels and public bathrooms that exist overseas and was not subjected to the terrors within.

Minus a pair of ruby red slippers to transport me home, I'll have to grin and bear it on my trip around the world.

Amenities

1. Showers: Hot, steamy, high-pressure showers are one of my favorite experiences in life. At home, I enjoy them every single day as a matter of routine. On the road, as I've learned in Central America, "hot water" is often a euphemism for "less cold than ice water."

2. Towels: I pride myself on a relatively small backpack when traveling, so I certainly don't have room for a full-length, slow-drying towel. A small Paktowel has served me well, but that doesn't mean I enjoy wringing the sucker out five times before I'm ready to get dressed.

Quick-dry cotton towels are easy to use and travel-friendly, as you don't have to wait hours to use them again. In addition, the super absorbent towels can resist odor and mildew and fight bacteria. Mizu Towel is the world's first bacteria-detecting towel. Its color-changing strips detect residual soap, dirt, sweat, and bacteria metabolites.

3. Dove Cool Moisture Body Wash: "...combines refreshing cucumber extract and soothing green tea in a light, fresh-scented moisturizing formula that leaves you with the clean, cool feeling of hydrated skin." With a description bordering on services rendered at a 5-star spa, you'd be wild not to miss the soaps in the States. Surprisingly, my all-purpose Campsuds doesn't compete.

4. Gillette Mach3 Power Razor: The marketing campaigns got me on this. At home, I must have a vibrating razor with four blades and a lubricating strip. On the road, I sacrifice this gentle (and expensive) razor for the cheap, disposable, single-blade plastic ones they practically give away at airports, and my skin does not appreciate me as a result! Also, it's hard to find travel-size shaving gels, which I find far superior to cream.

5. Charmin Ultra Toilet Paper - Ahh, the soft touch of this double-ply paper to my *beep* keeps life worth living. Charmin's website features scented toilet paper that smells like wildflowers. Only in America do we now expect our toilet paper (and garbage bags) to smell of flowers. All joking aside, it's a rough toilet paper world out there, and I'm not ready to fathom the locales that make do with water alone.

6. Privacy - My apartment bathroom may be small; however, it's all mine. No sharing, no rush to let others shower, change clothes, brush their teeth, or whatever else backpackers do to amuse themselves in there.

And honestly, after a long day of travel, nothing compares to the deep relaxation of a hot sauna. At home, even a small personal sauna setup, like the ones recommended by Christoffer Arfert of Select Saunas, can offer spa-level comfort you won't find on the road.

What do you miss most about your bathroom while traveling?

Prague Is The Bomb!

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 to Prague Castle, a short walk from our hostel. We went to St. Vitus Cathedral, the main steeple tower (287 stairs with a great view of the city), the St. George Basilica, and the Royal Palace. We ate lunch in the green in front of the complex. Tonight I'm looking forward to checking out the night life in Prague.

Day 11

Meanwhile, we emerged from the Soviet-made metro to an escalator of gigantic proportions. It was steep, fast and long. The metro cars, according to Dave, are Russian-made. This might explain their performance. These things speed along quite fast, and the doors close with a jarring force, and appear unlikely to reopen if you get stuck in them. Either way, your nuts would be squashed. Also, the metro system is only 3 lines, and extremely easy to use.

We walked around for awhile. We walked over the Charles Bridge (1,000 years old). It's amazing to think of how many generations of peddlers, artists, and tourists have been on that bridge. The view of the Royal Palace and St. Vitus Cathedral was also nice. We got dinner at a small restaurant. Again, the normally $12-plus meal was only $5. We got ice cream afterwords, at a place that also had a full bar. Even the sausage stands on the street sold small bottles of liquor. When we returned to our hostel, Dave cracked open a ½ liter bottle of R. Jelinek Vodka (Moravia) which we bought for $3 at the grocery store. That was also the scene of Dave accidentally breaking a $10 bottle of liquor. It was quite embarrassing. Oh yeah, back to Prague for a second. When we were in Old Town, in front of the astronomical clock (15th century), some girl (Simi) recognized Dave as Greg's brother. Ok, I opened Sam's bottle of white wine first, and it was tasty. Screwdrivers were made.

By the time we ordered our drinks at Jo's Bar, Bill was right behind us, which means he must have caught the last metro of the night. I ordered a gin and tonic hoping it would be as good as the one Eric had received a few days ago. According to him, it wasn't the same. Plus, it was twice as expensive! We went down to the third floor where there was a small dance floor with nobody on it. About 20-30 minutes later, I eased my drunken body onto the floor and started dancing more and better than ever before. Of course, it helped that I was with everyone else, and they were playing all Top 40 American hits like: Nirvana, Chumbawamba, Natalie Imbruglia, The Doors, Don McLean (American Pie), etc. We left at 3:45 AM. Bill stayed, and ended up coming back alone. The walk back seemed to be short, up to the Prague Castle, then down to our hostel. Sleep. Tomorrow, I'm hoping we go to the "Yellow Submarine" puppet show (with black lights, $14). I'd also like to see the clock chime (bones are supposed to come out), and I'd like to dance again!?

Day 12

Well, we didn't do too much today: slept late, mailed postcards, played cards, and sat around. Of course we went to the supermarket. Around 11:15 PM, we finished our drinks and decided to head into Prague again. We brought along 3 guys from California who had just arrived down the hall from us.

Since Jo's was the only place we really knew, we went there again. This time, however, I managed to spend more money at the bar on 2 warm screwdrivers, a really bad gin and tonic (w/o gin it seemed), and 2 cheap beers. Apparently, Monday night was American music night because they didn't play any of that while we were there. I danced a little bit, but the prospects weren't the same, or the music. There was some (gay) guy there who started poking Eric, and later everyone in the place. Bill later reasoned that he was dealing cocaine. There were some really hot girls there but they seemed untouchable by my mortal style. Toward 1 AM, Eric, Sam, and Dave left. I decided to stay with Bill. There were two cute girls that I spotted. Often, one would leave the other. I was unable to approach either, but before we left, Bill did. They said they didn't speak English (Norwegians), which sounded like a shady excuse. There was also a girl with a red Beefeater shirt. She appeared to have a boyfriend though. The next day, she ended up taking the same train as us to Vienna. The night ended with Bill and me walking home during a thunderstorm (w/lightning). The rain was light. It felt good to take my shirt off for half the walk home (I ended up catching a bad cold/flu tonight, which I had for the next 2 weeks).

Also, today, we ate at that same Italian restaurant where I got the same meal, noodles w/ham. I also bought a weird bottle of beer which was made of whiskey and vitamin E. The label had the male/female symbols, and said "Don't drink and drive, fly." It also said stay cool, while showing a picture of a cigarette and a snowflake. It wasn't that good.

__________________

Read more of my tales at Backpacking in Europe.

My Top 5 Most Hilarious Travel Photos

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 literally a fish out of water when it comes to snorkeling, so I was in no position to argue underwater when my tour mate Andrea asked for my underwater disposable camera so she could snap this winner of me!

2. The Spelunker (Belize, 2006)

To preserve the 1,000 year old Mayan archeology sites within the dry chambers of Actun Tunichil Muknal (cave of the stone sepulcher), all visitors are required to wear socks.

This photo was taken after we exited the cave, which has a stream running through it, and requires you get rather wet. And how about that hard hat!

3. The Seducer (Belize, 2006)

After a few nights of partying with British army troops on R&R, I snapped this photo of my new (very straight) friend Darren in a girl's bikini and towel after he spent the night sleeping in her room (on the floor I might add).

Yes, Darren was right, this picture was bound to end up on the Internet!

4. The Zipliner (Costa Rica, 2005)

I had this photo snapped of myself after spending an hour with SkyTrek, ziplining throughout the Montaverde Cloud Forest Preserve.

It was exhilarating, and I proudly displayed the piece of metal that kept me tied to the cables.

Notice how I'm still rocking the harness gear around my waist and crotch, along with another protective hard hat!

5. The Homer Simpson - Doh! (Costa Rica, 2005)

This is the view to the left of me on a quiet beach in Puerto Viejo.

You might be wondering why I think it's hilarious.

Notice the clothes and sunglasses on the log?

That's what the beautiful 18-year old English girl Alice was wearing before she began to sun herself in a bikini farther to the right.

I find it funny that I took a picture of an empty beach, rather than her, after she had me put sun tan lotion on her back. Doh!

Please share your thoughts and comments on these photos, I'd love to hear them!

Escape to New York City (Part 2 of 3)

"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 a bad thing!

It was about noon when my brother Jon and I left the apartment to meet up with his old friend, Brent (and girlfriend). The movie was Grindhouse, a double-feature with the first movie directed by Robert Rodriguez, and the second by Quentin Tarantino. It turned out to be 3 hours and 15 minutes of blood curdling gunfire, yelling, and loud music. Quite the way to recover from a late night! After the movie, we got a bite to eat at Jackson Hole, a western-themed restaurant a block from my brother's apartment. Soon after we sat down, Alexander Rodriguez crushed a bottom of the 9th grand slam to bring the Yankees a come-from-behind win against the Orioles! I had a guacamole-smothered chicken sandwich which was about all I could handle at the time. We returned to the apartment, said goodbye to Brent, and I plotted our next move.

It'd been several years since I saw my college friend Andrew (see Breathingplanet in my blogroll), and we had recently reconnected via MySpace. Since he was living in Brooklyn, I called him and we made plans to meet downtown. We ducked into Local 138, a random bar near the cross street we had picked. I ordered a couple of Strongbow ciders, my brother and Andrew beers, and we got into a variety of conversations as we caught up on the past few years.

After a few drinks, we headed over to my brother's favorite (dive) bar, Cherry Tavern. About an hour later, Kai met us there, and we loaded up the jukebox with tunes, and had another drink or two. I was struck by how Andrew strongly encouraged me to use my trip as a way to network, and take my website to the next level. He also introduced me to the coolest business card. You can use Flickr photos to create your own MiniCards online. You can get 100 cards for $20 at Moo. I fully intend to design and order some this week! Around 11 pm, Andrew said goodbye.

By now, Kai, Jon and I were getting hungry. We walked over to Hearth which we skipped the previous night, however their kitchen was closed by the time we got there. This turned out to be a GREAT turn of events. After checking one other place (whose kitchen had also closed), Kai suggested we go to Blue Ribbon, which was known for staying open late (4 am to be exact). My dinner at Blue Ribbon, between 12 am and 2pm Sunday morning, was one of the best in my life. As a result, I am dedicating Part 3 of this series to that meal alone.

After dinner, we grabbed a taxi to carry our drunk selves home. I crashed on the futon again, completely satiated with the night and weekend's events. Good friends and food in the best city on Earth!

Remember to check back tomorrow for my Blue Ribbon restaurant review.

Can't wait? See all my pictures from New York City on Flickr.

Escape To New York City (Part 1 of 3)

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 traffic until we reached the Lincoln Tunnel. Upon disembarking at 34th and 8th Ave, I walked for about 20 minutes east past the Empire State Building to my brother's apartment at 36th and 3rd Ave.

After some relaxing in the glow of his new Samsung flat-screen HDTV, I picked Hearth as the restaurant for our dinner. I wanted to take him out for a nice meal given his upcoming deployment to Iraq. We made an online reservation for 10 pm. Soon after, my friend (and his roommate) Kai called, telling us to meet him at an art opening in Soho (because of the open bar). Also, our friend Chris and his fiancee were in town for the evening. We arrived at the gallery around 7:30 pm, quickly got in, and met up with everyone. The art was fairly good, however the fashion styling of the ultra-hipster crowd was far more colorful and interesting. Two drinks and some small talk later, we left the gallery for dinner at a yet to be determined restaurant nearby. While I was excited to try Hearth's Italian cuisine, I decided the time was better spent with my friend Chris, who had to catch an 11 pm train back to New Jersey.

We settled on Ideya, a Latin Bistro. We ordered a pitcher of sangria to keep the fun times rolling. For an appetizer, I chose Salmon Ahumado - ancho smoked salmon, grilled corn and chayote salad, with lime crema. It was beautifully presented, light and delicious. My entree was Pollo Estile Caribe - sofrito marinated roasted breast of chicken, cilantro whipped yuca, and chorizo hash. Very tasty! For dessert, I went with the Churros con Chocolate - warm cinnamon and sugar spiced churros, mint whipped cream, and a chocolate dipping sauce. Yum.

After dinner, Chris had time for a drink, so we left the cold outside for the warmth of Soho Room, a bar nearby. Guinness drafts were ordered, and more fun conversation ensued. Thirty minutes later, Chris and his fiancee left, so we headed to our last stop of the evening, Nurse Bettie (bar) on the Lower East Side. I had a Level 3 vodka tonic, and we met up with Kai's sister and friends for a little bit, before calling it a night and crashing back at the apartment.

Stay tuned for Saturday's adventures in Part 2 of this epic weekend!

Can't wait? See all my pictures from New York City on Flickr.

Would You Accept A Sponsored Trip Around The World?

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 destinations based on a book, and producers will need to adhere to a certain time line, and you'll get to see these great places, however you'll basically have to do what the producers tell you for 3 months.

The Travel Channel's new 1,000 Places takes a newlywed couple through 13 countries, and 100 of the places mentioned in the book 1,000 Places To See Before You Die. The station found the couple through a typical search that was open to the public.

I watched the first episode, where we are introduced to Albin and Melanie Ulle as they tour Alaska. They seem like very nice people, experiencing extraordinary places. I have little knowledge of the production aspects of the show, however I'm going to make some assumptions.

The majority of their trip is paid for by the show (they pay for incidentals and souvenirs)
The most interesting and adventurous activities are scripted (they have little say in what they do, where they go)
They inherently act differently when being filmed (even if subconsciously)

The show has me wondering whether I would accept such a trip. On the plus side, I'd experience things I could not otherwise afford on a budget trip, such as the occasional five-star accommodations or a helicopter ride to a glacier. I'd gain some temporary fame as a result of being on a TV show, which could open up new opportunities. Just being on TV would be darn cool. On the down side, I'd lose the freedom of choice I love about independent travel - the ability to go anywhere I want, any time. I would have my travel experiences broken up by the need to share my thoughts in a video diary type format. Not having to pay for much, I would be lacking a sense of fulfillment because I didn't really have to work for the money in order to make the trip a reality.

What would I do, you ask? I'd like to think, deep down, that I would have the strength to decline the offer, in favor of doing it myself. Now, after the first RTW trip is completed, all bets are off!

Would you accept a sponsored trip around the world? Leave a comment and let us know.

4 Essential Tips For The Bald Traveler

Surveying the landscape around Battambang, Cambodia

The bald traveler faces unique challenges on the road. Tropical beaches, water sports, and high altitude trekking can greatly increase the risks of sun exposure.

And the longer he is traveling, the greater the likelihood he will chalk up some painful burns on the 'ole noggin.

Whether you suffer from male pattern baldness, complete baldness, or simply prefer the bold look of a hairless head, the following tips are worthy of consideration before embarking on your next adventure.

1. Bandanna

There is no greater tool in the bald man's arsenal against the sun than a classic bandanna.

Cheap, widely available, lightweight, sweat-soaking, snot-devouring bandannas are the multi-tool of head wear.

Just remember to buy a lighter color, such as blue, versus black, which will turn your head into the equivalent of an asphalt parking lot in summer.

2. Hat

Baseball caps, 360-degree rims, cold-weather beanies, or cowboy style all provide shade for your face, nose, and sometimes even ears and neck, in addition to your scalp.

Hats are useful when you're in the most exposed of conditions, such as fishing off the coast of a Caribbean island, or in cold-weather climates, such as atop the snow-capped peaks of the Himalaya. Both situations can offer few options for seeking shade.

3. Sunscreen

The bald man has probably tried every sunscreen or lotion under the...well...sun, and may even have a favorite.

The author, who has watched his hair disappear from atop his head throughout his mid-to-late twenties, tried out Bull Frog Quick Gel Sport Spray (SPF 36) on two separate trips to Costa Rica and Belize.

Being an alcohol based spray, it was easy to apply, didn't sting (as some can), and was extremely effective in the tropical heat.

4. Shade Strategy

The bald traveler can sometimes be identified by the zig-zagging pattern he makes as he dashes between spots of shade while walking along trails or roads during mid-day.

For those sensitive to the sun, planning your day around when it's strongest makes perfect sense...so do it!

Even those with hair tend to stay out of the sun in tropical locations due to the intense heat.

While these tips were written tongue-in-cheek, skin cancer is all too common. Stay safe on the trail!

2007 Cherry Blossom Festival In Full Bloom

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 the Mall, halfway between the Washington Monument and Capitol Building), I was immediately struck by all the kites in the air. Apparently April is also national kite month, and it was one of the first events of the festival. I circled the tidal basin, completely open to the beautiful blossoms and kaleidoscope of languages being spoken. I unleashed the options on my digital camera for the first time, snapping pictures in a wide array of settings, mostly with super fine (1600x1200) resolution based on a great post I read recently. Below are my unedited favorites, in the order taken, which was between 2:30-4:30pm. It was mostly cloudy, and as the afternoon wore on, I didn't adjust to account for the dimming sunlight. Maybe next time I'll get up early enough for sunrise...yeah right! I included links to larger versions hosted on Flickr.

Comments are appreciated!

Capitol Building - Large - 1024x768

Jefferson Memorial - Large - 1024x576

Cherry Blossoms and Washington Monument - Large - 1024x768

FDR Memorial - Large - 1024x576

White House (a Democrat can't get there soon enough!) - Large - 1024x576

World War II and Lincoln Memorials - Large - 1024x768

5 Days In Amsterdam Is 1 Too Many

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 getting money. We have to figure out how to use the damn phones. We found a hostel in the Red Light District with one room left. Coffee shops were everywhere. We dropped our stuff off, and hit the town. The streets of the Red Light District were truly ablaze with a neon red glow, emanating from the lights installed in the prostitute's windows. We walked around the District. There were some good looking women in the windows, but none on the street. Most of the businesses seemed to close at 1 AM. The only loud bars were gay, Jaques and the Cockring. We went back to the room where I drank a bottle of red wine and slept.

We were awoken at 9 AM by two guys who busted into are room and said "you've got one hour to shit, shower, and shave." We got our egg and bread breakfast downstairs, then set out toward Bob's Youth Hostel. We got there and got a room before noon. It filled quickly. While we were waiting for all the rooms to be cleaned, we went to the Hootsie Tootsie coffeehouse. The coffee we got was in a cup the size of a thimble, and it was so strong! You could practically eat the grains of coffee. The woman there gave Bill an orange for free. Later, when Sam asked for one she seemed to take offense by saying she was doing us a favor by giving us one. I also tried to find out what was in the "smart" drinks, apparently liquor and something (that came in three different colors). Bob's is nice, dormitory, cheap, friendly, popular. The toilet is weird though: your shit falls onto a plateau, and then when you flush, it goes down. The result is you sitting on top of your shit and toilet paper until you are ready to flush. This seems like a very smelly way to do things, but I guess it saves water.

Day 6

Today, we slept till 10 AM, when they woke us up to clean the rooms. The free breakfast was OK. Last night we met a girl named Rebecca, from our hostel, who was quite friendly. She joined us for our evening. We went to the Jolly Joker after short stays at a few other places. I liked this coffee shop a lot. We sat at the bar and watched the bartender explain the effects of eating/smoking hash to a couple of tourists.

Well it has also been fun hanging out down on the first floor of Bob's: $1 Heineken's is good with me (later I find out it is much cheaper to just buy them at the nearby supermarket). We ventured down to the Heineken Brewery this afternoon, but the tickets normally sell out by 11 AM so we decided to go tomorrow. We then went to the Vincent Van Gogh Museum. House of Arles, Sunflowers, and Wheatfield With Crows, among others were my favorites. We then went back to the hostel, where I went to the bathroom. I'm starting to adjust to my European diet, and I probably should start eating more to stay feeling well. Finally, Dave, Sam, and I went to the Magic Mushroom Gallery. They had lots of weird herbal drugs, like powder that you snort like cocaine. It was all legal though, and I guess there is a demand? We also went to one of the Sex Museums. It was a novel idea, I guess, but not too interesting.

Day 7

Today I went down to the Heineken Brewery at 11 AM in order to get tickets for the 2:30 PM tour. After that, I went to the Rijksmuseum. I was able to get through the whole museum in 1 ½ hours. The Nightwatch by Rembrandt was interesting. There were also several Vermeers. Paintings are much easier to appreciate in person, especially when it comes to size and color. The doll houses were interesting: miniature paintings, china, carpets, and furniture. There was some Renaissance art, but no artists I knew. Also, the minute I stepped off the trolley this morning, I felt diarrhea coming on. I immediately searched for a restroom , and luckily found one at a McDonald's. They didn't have any toilet paper, but I had a napkin in my pocket.

The Brewery tour was great. They no longer make beer in the building, so you can't see the actual process. Instead, they had a multimedia presentation that was, at times, very funny (unintentionally). After that, Dave, Sam, and Eric went to the Magic Mushroom Gallery. That night I was very happy. We went to a club called 114, which had a cover, and sucked (empty). We also went to the Doors coffee shop, Baba's, and the Whootsie Tootsie again. At the last place, we got there 20 minutes before it closed. There was a crazy bartender there. He had the build of Jean-Claude Van Damme and the long, curly hair of (?) someone else. He welcomed us with handshakes, and another guy asked where we were from. Obviously, we had found a local bar. It was definitely nicer than the other, more touristy places. I love Amsterdam. The women are all skinny and cute. Almost everyone speaks English, and their pastries are great. Tonight we saw four drunken people box in a taxi, while on their bikes on a narrow back street. I thought it was adorable.

Day 8

We planned on taking a night train to Prague today (Friday). This meant we had the whole day to kill. We went to a coffee shop called the Dolphin's Smile, where they had painted the walls in an appropriate way for the theme. After being driven out by the horrible music, we went to the Cafe Chocolate where we got some chocolate cake (what else). We took our pieces and ate them while sitting out on the sidewalk tables. We left before I got to check out the skateboard park. I did see one group of kids backpacking with their skateboards. And, I did get to meet some interesting people. It was hard to sleep on the night train, since we were upright. I was really tired, too.

Postscript - Bob's was truly the first hostel I had stayed at in my life. It's where I first experienced hostel and backpacker culture.

Why Ignorance Can Be Bliss On The Road

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 was during my 2-day stay on the French Riviera...

Nice, France, August 1998

The French Riviera sounded rich and exotic, so I made it a must-see on my European tour. Rock, rather than sand beaches aside, it was a pretty city, and I was halfway through my trip and feeling as though I had the swing of independent travel. Early on my first full day, I came across a plaza as I was exploring. It was rather large, and seemingly popular and well trafficked by locals and tourists. I remember it because I saw a bunch of skateboarders working some ledges. I sat down on a bench on the edge of the park to observe, trying to figure out how good they were. I was a skater myself at the time so I enjoyed secretly rating the skills of others. I got the impression they were a group of friends.

Later that evening, I decided to walk along the plaza side of the street on my way to dinner. I was carrying my standard 1.5 liter of bottled water, though it was only half full. As I walked past the plaza, one of the older locals among the group I saw earlier motioned to me to give him my water. I immediately got the feeling the guy was on an arrogant power trip, perhaps showing off to the others. At the least I found it intrusive - certainly not something I'd ever encountered in the States, New York City, or Washington, DC. I could've said "no" for a variety of reasons running through my head, including the fact that it was gross to think I would then drink from the same bottle afterwords, or some random dude is cheating me of the water I paid for and fully intended on drinking that night (thus forcing me to buy more while I was on a tight budget). I was in no position to say "no" though, being vastly outnumbered by a group (I'm willing to say gang even) of kids hanging out all day in a public park in the Summer heat. If you've seen the movie Kids, then you know the thoughts running through my head about getting beat-up for no particular reason other than you've insulted a kid trying to prove himself. So I gave him my water. I then turned to find someone offering me drugs (which I declined). I turned back and saw some woman gulping my water. After she sucked it down, they returned the near-empty bottle to me.

I remember walking away pissed, and feeling belittled. I knew it was the right thing to do, I just didn't like the way it made me feel. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. You give the person your water because you don't know if they're drunk, on drugs, or looking for an excuse to fight.

The traveler is always at a disadvantage, whether it be knowledge of the locale, language, or local customs and culture. Learning to let go of one's pride is not an easy task. Buddhists subscribe to the belief that something so seemingly simple can truly take infinite lifetimes to achieve. The good news is it gets easier with practice. It's my hope that by acquiescing quickly and easily when I feel threatened or in danger on the road, I skirt the escalation of events such as occurred with the 3 Lost Girls, when their refusal to pay a small cab fare which was potentially inflated, based on principal, lead to a yelling, spitting cabbie who felt just as wronged as them.

5 Reasons Why I Blog

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 home from my European trip in the Summer of '98, I learned HTML and transcribed my travelogue onto the Internet from my parent's basement.

My trip was a life-changing experience, and I wanted to let the world know about it and encourage others to do the same.

I can still remember how painstaking the process was to re-type all the text from my messy handwriting and scan all my photos.

Before I knew it, people were reading my entire 50-day journal and asking me questions in preparation for their trips.

As a result, I created the domain "gobackpacking.com" in 1999 as a way to share my newfound travel knowledge and encourage others to take similar trips.

Nine years later, I'm upping the ante, and this blog is intended to be a way for me to share my experiences planning for, embarking upon, and returning from, a solo trip around the world!

2. Stay in touch with family and friends while abroad.

I would venture to say this reason is one I share in common with all my fellow travel bloggers.

Sharing experiences and photos from the road, in close to real-time form, is a revelation in communications.

You already know that, though, given you're reading this right now!

Sending postcards is a nice gesture; however, you can't fit much on them.

Writing lengthy letters might work for the one or two people most important to you; however, I've yet to meet anyone drafting old-school handwritten letters to home.

Instead, Internet cafes have invaded every nook and cranny of the backpacker trail.

It's a good thing. However, I do not intend to feel as though my blog is an umbilical cord while I'm away (i.e., the posting frequency will be lower, though content more exotic!)

3. Make a little extra income to help me on the road.

It had been about five years since I last updated my website, when my good friend Kai, brother, and parents finally convinced me to pick it up again (because I love it, they knew).

In November '06, I wiped the dust off my computer and began working on the site again - first adding a robust phpBB message board, then this WordPress blog. I learned about Google AdSense and Text Link Ads.

I responded positively to some recent e-mails I had received about advertising.

It didn't take long for me to find out the time and work I invested in the earlier years could benefit me now, so it was not as though I was starting all over again.

As a result, I'm working harder to ensure my site and blog can provide reoccurring if humble, earnings while I'm unemployed and traveling.

Your readership and support will help me BIG time down the line!

4. To help break my TV addiction.

There's no doubt about it, when I'm working on the website, I watch less TV, and listen to more music.

I know I watch too much TV - I always have, and I know better.

I have developed a better awareness about it, and am more likely to turn it off sooner when I realize I'm in a hypnotic state rather than actively enjoying the show I'm watching.

My recent trips to Costa Rica and Belize over the past two years have helped to remind me there's a whole world out there ready to enjoy!

5. I like to write, and I'm sure blogging helps strengthen my writing skills.

If you've been reading along, you'll know I'm courting the idea of trying to become a published travel writer.

I'm working with a local writer whose work has appeared in major newspapers and blogs.

Learning about copywriting to provide quality content on this blog will surely develop my writing skills.

I now throw the gauntlet down to a few blogs I read regularly - what are your top 5 reasons?

Stacy at Rambling Traveler
Nath at Ubertramp
Dan at The Lost Globe

Passport Renewal and My First Travel Writing Assignment

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. Actually, I was a bit surprised at the cost, and decided I could probably scan and print more for less, using my parent's computer. The actual passport renewal fee was $67. On top, I felt it appropriate to FedEx the application given it included my old passport. The total cost was about $100. It was money well spent!

My last passport renewal was in August 1997, a year before I was to take my first backpacking trip (to Europe). In looking back at that picture, I was quite chubby in the cheeks. I've lost about 25 pounds, and a head of hair in that time.

Assignment Old Town Alexandria

After a cool, rainy Saturday, I hit Old Town Alexandria, Virginia with a bounce in my step today. My travel writing assignment was to write a 1,000 word piece on the top 10 must-see's of the city. I worked in Old Town from 2002-2004, so I already had some locations and ideas in mind, however I didn't want to be prejudiced to them. Plus, what's the fun in being a travel writer if I'm going to pretend to know everything about a certain place without going out to experience it first hand.

So with the sun shining, I pounded the brick sidewalks, and made an afternoon of the assignment. Surprisingly, I had a heck of a good time with myself, and the city's offerings. After putting it off a few weeks, I now have 6 days to write my piece and submit it to Mr. Haines. Submission will be followed by a group critique at his house. Once I've written and revised the piece, I will post it here under a new Category entitled "Publish Me!"

Whitewater Rafting in Costa Rica

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 up at hostel Pangea, I'm good to go. I checked out the adventure company website, to get a little background, looks reputable. I woke up at 5 am again today. I don't even need an alarm clock. I'm not sure if it's still jetlag or what. I keep losing track of what I'm spending. I bought a $22 Puma Italia Soccer shirt yesterday. Let's see, I've cashed $150 in traveler's checks, and withdrawn $100 from my checking account (really a net of $90 because I got $10 change when paying for the rafting). The rafting is probably the biggest 1-day expense I'll have.

3:02 pm

The rafting has come to an end. We got in the river at 10:30 am and were out around 2:30 pm, plus 45 minutes for lunch in the middle. The mini tour bus was comfortable. I'm starting to get used to being driven around the edges of the jungles and cliffs and mountains. Just gotta relax and trust the driver. The ride here was scenic, lots of waterfalls. We stopped for breakfast, toast, eggs, fruit salad (really good), OJ. Then a short bus ride, 15-minute walk down to the river. River Pacuare. I was in a raft with 3 Southern Americans (Mississippi & Georgia), and a couple from San Jose, CA. I got their pic. Veronica and someone (I can't recall his name). Our river guide was Fernando, he just stayed in a kayak, safety guy/photographer. Seemed to have a lot of fun too. Our raft guide was David.

I was wearing my Adidas sandals, not a good idea. First my feet haven't been used to sandals; second there was no ankle strap. So one of the guys had to duct tape. I put two pieces around each foot. 30-45 minutes into the river, my right foot went numb. I realized the tape had cut off circulation to the lower half of my foot! I pulled the tape off and began shaking my foot, then switched sides with the other guy in front. My foot started to feel better, and then I realized the sandals were hurting my feet too. I realize I was wearing the worst possible footwear, and fiddling around with them in rapids was not smart. We hit two Class IV rapids and five Class III rapids. There were rapids quite often, with rests of calm water maybe one to two minutes long. Saw some butterflies, vultures picking at a dead sloth, and a few birds here and there. We saw plenty of waterfalls, and rode beneath a few. Lunch was tortillas with lettuce, onion, turkey, ham, cheese (burrito), trail mix, watermelon, pineapple, and lemonade.

At the end, I had an Imperial, water and another granola bar. I could've used more water, I'm feeling a slight headache, definitely need to pack more snacks and water going forward, just in case. For example, 45 minutes into the way back to San Jose, traffic jam. A car flipped over. The ambulance has already left, and we're still parked. It's been about 30 minutes. I'm starting to see my sunburn. We got out of the van, as many others got out of their cars. A car in front of us with a group of young men started playing soccer, juggling the ball with music playing in their car. It's such a contrast to America in our traffic jams. I took a picture, I had too. It is a cool scene. The guys aren't in a hurry, pissed off, talking on a cell phone. Just interesting. I'm feeling a slight headache. Probably a bit dehydrated. On the river near the end, we all jumped out of the rafts. I was floating on my back, looking at the forest from another viewpoint. It was wonderful. I felt very lucky to be there, at that moment, present to enjoy the splendor of nature.

Read more from Backpacking in Costa Rica.

A Pay Raise Realized

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 years since I conjured up the idea to travel around the world.

Here's the rough plan:

Late September - submit my resignation at work (shhh!)
November 2 - last day of work
November 3 - move key possessions to storage, and shack up with my retired parents
November 22 - celebrate Thanksgiving with family (parents only, as brother likely to be overseas)
Soon after - fly to New Zealand (exact date to be determined based on cheap airfare)

Remembering Rome by Moonlight

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 see the crescent moon over Rome. -- Journal excerpt, July 31, 1998 (my first day in Rome, Italy)

I remember that evening almost 9 years ago like it was yesterday. It's funny how such moments can later feel etched in your mind, while seemingly inconsequential at the time. I definitely remember making a mental note of the fact that I could lie on my lower bunk, surrounded by several young, attractive fellow travelers in a pension in the Italian capital, and simply turn my head to the left to see a bright white moon watching over the city.

I'm reminded of my first night in Rome every time I take notice of the moon. Full moons, half moons, crescent moons - they all take me back to that moment in time when I felt as though I was the luckiest guy ever. Backpacking around Europe on my own, a newly minted college graduate, beaming with confidence and newfound independence!

Every now and then I even spy the moon from my current apartment, while lying in bed, with the shades slightly open (I like a few shadows cast on the walls as I doze off). It's calling out to me to see it from all angles and latitudes...and I'm going to answer that call in December.

Sunsets are a dime a dozen. Who out there has a memorable moon moment?

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

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 20 minutes too. It turned out that the bus changes drivers (and has a layover of 1 ½ hours) at the cliffs. This ended up being the perfect amount of time to explore. When I got there, the weather (not the sky) was clear. Then, fog and clouds covered up the cliffs, and then it cleared a half hour later. As I was leaving, the visibility was less than 100 feet. I thought this constant change created an interesting effect. Though I was a little weary, I decided to walk along the edge of the cliffs. It was very exhilarating, and I was proud of myself! It was the first chance on my trip that I got to climb around/up and down rocks. The scene reminded me of Friedrich's "Monk by the Sea," a very spiritual painting showing man's insignificance in relation to the size and power of nature. I took several pictures, but there is no way they will be able to convey what it felt like to be engulfed in the mist of the Atlantic.

I ended up hopping off the bus in the lower village of Doolin, the unofficial trad music capital of Ireland. I walked down to the shore where I got my first glimpse of the small ferry I would be taking to the Aran Islands. It was being tossed all over by the sea. At this point, I seriously considered changing my plans. I decided to think about it. Then I decided that if I never got the chance to come back, how could I skip these islands. Plus, if I didn't go, I would have to leave Doolin because there would be nothing to do during the day.

On the way back from the coast, I stopped at O'Connor's Pub. This was the first of the two venues for the "world class trad" music I would see. It was populated with a good mixture of locals and tourists. I decided to check out the other pub in the upper village (15 minute walk). McDermott's had about ten to fifteen people (including staff). The decor included signs like "if I wanted to hear an asshole, I would have farted." The other bar had foreign currencies and police/fire badges on the walls. At this point, I decided to hit O'Connor's for the night. I ended up not getting a seat, it was crowded, and I was kind of bothered by the fact that they didn't do any singing. I left early, though the music was good (and original too).

Day 48: Wednesday, August 26, 1998

I woke up and headed down to the ferry dock. The sky had cleared overnight, and it was only partly cloudy now. But, the sun was shining down on me. I boarded the ferry, noticing the water on deck. I ended up sitting on the side of the boat that got soaked by the rough Atlantic waves. After about ten minutes of getting wet, me and everyone else in the immediate area moved. I sat (alone) on a bench near the one I was just on. I was surprised at how well I felt. And the seas were quite rough, the tiny ship was tossed. Water rolled back and forth across the deck. I didn't mind getting wet. It all added to my rough seas experience. I know the trip out to the islands was bumpy because on the way back, the water was still, and the ride was smooth.

About ten steps after I got off the boat, I was reeled into a tour bus. I got in since it was going to all the attractions ($7.50). It turns out that most people bike the island. And at ten miles long, it is not too bad for a day's workout. The whole island was covered with miles of stone walls. The amazing part was how the rocks were all placed and balanced by hand. The fort was said to be at least 4,000 years old! I tried on a $135 Aran sweater, but didn't come close to buying it. Just too expensive. I realized when I got back to the hostel that I was sunburned (in Ireland, no less). I took a three hour nap.

I only got out of bed to check out McDermott's. When I got there (after checking out an amazing sunset), I was so tired. Even more, I had no money, only enough for a pint of cider. The band was really good, and for the first time, I saw a person playing a pipe/flute. Six people in all. There was no singing after the first two songs. Once again, I was forced to stand due to the crowd. Tired, I returned to the hostel for sleep. As I walked back, in the dark, noticing the stars, I thought about how little had changed in that Doolin pub. There were travelers in the past, who could stop for the night and be entertained by a trad band. I thought about this for awhile, even as I went to sleep.

__________________

Annual Bonus, Savings Update, Etc.

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 fact that half of it is now earning me 4.5% interest in my ING Direct savings account!

Still, there were no champagne bottles uncorked...no gourmet dinner with a girlfriend...or beers with friends to celebrate.

And for those of you who've kept up with my dental tribulations, you may know that much of the money won't even go toward my trip, but rather a dental implant I'm getting in four short days.

I was reviewing my savings targets, and it seems as though I'm going to have to start saying "no" more often and more aggressively than I have in the past.

Still, it feels like I'm getting walloped right now with a confluence of expenses. Here are the big ones:

$1500 - Stage 1 of dental implant
$180/month - Amount of my rent increase, effective February (to Oct)
$200 - new wheel for my car (I have a crack in one, and I'm running on borrowed time and air)
$150 - 6-month car tune-up (VW in da house)

On the plus side, I realized last year I couldn't afford a vacation this Spring as I've done the previous two years.

It'd be too detrimental to my overall plans.

I know it's the right decision, even though I'd come back super motivated (and more excited, if that's possible).

In the future, I will be dedicating more time to how to work your way out of debt, and save, save, save for whatever it is that you want.

For now, check out the financial situation I'm coming from 5 years ago, to see how far I've come to position myself to take a RTW trip by year's end!

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