So, I realize it has been a very long time since I’ve posted a blog. Too long! I’ve discovered that the more time goes by, the harder it is for me to sit down and write. We are all creatures of habit, and if I get in a habit of not writing, then I find that it’s hard to break,
Read moreMost people I know despise airports. They would describe them as a complete pain in the ass, and understandably so- the torturous waiting in lines, the often times aggressive security staff that do such a remarkable job at making you feel like a potential terrorist that you actually start questioning it yourself, dealing with pushy crowds from all walks of
Read morePeople who aren’t long-term travel-obsessed the way I am often ask me why I love traveling so much. When I meet people on the road, there tends to be a common understanding that we all love to travel, but we rarely ask each other why. So, I decided it would be fun to get to the root of it and
Read moreWhen traveling the world in the gloriously extravagant backpacker style as I do, everything I own is carried preciously on my back, lugged from one place to the next. Every article of clothing, every toiletry item, every souvenir, adds to the cumulative weight that I must bear on my back daily or weekly, depending on how often I decide to
Read moreFor the past several months, I’ve been planning my big departure to the other side of the world. Through my previous experiences with long-term travel, I’ve discovered that there’s lots of boxes that need to be checked off before an adventure of this caliber. Aside from the obvious (quit job and move out of apartment), there are also plenty not
Read moreSo, I’m doing it! I’m finally doing it. I’ve talked about it, wrote about it, dreamt about it, obsessed over it, stressed out over it, and got in fights with my significant other over it. And now, it’s happening. I’m quitting my “desk job”, moving out of my apartment, giving away my useless shit, and buying a one way ticket
Read moreIt was late on Monday afternoon and I had just finished my hot yoga session. I didn’t have any plans and didn’t feel like going directly home. Instead, I began wandering aimlessly down the avenues in my neighborhood, taking side streets that I had never taken before, when I was suddenly struck with an intense pang of loneliness. It felt
Read more“Right now!” That’s what everyone will tell you. They’ll urge you to follow your dreams right now. They’ll ask you what you’re waiting for. They’ll remind you that you only have one life to live. They will yell “carpe diem” and pitch every other encouraging one-liner that they have in their back pocket… while they sit back and watch. If
Read moreI set my work lap top down, lean back in my creaky wooden chair, and take a deep breath. My San Francisco flat feels extra cozy today. I peer out the window at our makeshift “garden” that I’ve convinced myself I’ve played a crucial role in grooming, and realize I haven’t taken a rake or hoe to it since the
Read moreHow does one go… From waking up each morning on a hay stack bed, gazing up at the half-torn tarp roof clinging to its last fibers, piercing shrieks of hungry roosters in the distance, sixteen worn and scruffy people flung beside you, all crammed in one shanty bedroom. To waking up in a king-sized bed, arms outstretched, drowning in a
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My Road, My Life 