5 Months In, The Story So Far

 

 

On August 25, 2011, I flew from New York to London and began what still feels like the dream of a lifetime.  It is hard to believe it has been five months already and, like I’m sure every traveler before me, at this point I want to keep going indefinitely.  That’s not to say everything has been rosy.  In fact, at times my traveling has been much harder than I thought it would be.  Hard bus journeys, being sick, feeling lonely, being totally exhausted from trying to see and do too much – these are things that most often don’t make it to my blog.  That’s because the good days far outshine the bad.  I’ve met incredible people, seen amazing sights, and have learned (and in some cases, re-learned) much about myself.

 

With that, I wanted to look back and revisit some of the things that have happened in the last five months.

 

ENGLAND

My trip began in London, the city where I spent a semester studying abroad in college almost exactly 13 years ago, August of 1998.  I only spent a quick week here for a couple of reasons.  First, it is a very expensive city.  Second, I had been back to London in the fall of 2008 and seen most everything I wanted to then.  Third, London made for a good temporary stop on my way to Egypt.  I could take a week to iron out any kinks in my traveling gear in a city I felt very comfortable in.  Plus I hoped my jet lag would be a little less harsh after spending a week acclimatizing in London.

 

I had no trouble settling into my Harry Potter hostel, saw a few of my favorite sights, and easily made friends while exploring one of my favorite cities in the world.

 

 

EGYPT

I flew into the chaotic city of Cairo after my easy stay in London, and it is here that the true adventures began.  Even with all my traveling experience, I still struggled right off the bat.  I took a one week tour with G Adventures so that I could ease into traveling solo in Egypt, and I loved the tour.  Seeing the pyramids, the Sphinx, and King Tut’s treasures were three things I had wanted to do for as long as I can remember.  It really felt like a dream turned into reality.  I embarked on my own after the tour finished, exploring Coptic Cairo before quickly meeting two great Germans in my new hostel.  Together we headed for a day trip to Alexandria, and then east on a crazy bus ride to Dahab.  They then convinced me to go to Jordan and Israel with them, two countries I had not planned on visiting when I set off in late August.  Just a few short weeks into my trip and already I was heading off in directions unknown to me.  It would also turn out to be the best decision I made.

 

 

 

JORDAN

After a completely wild ferry, customs check, and taxi ride we reached Wadi Musa, Jordan.  From there our group expanded as we met more travelers, and we all set off exploring the ancient city of Petra for a couple days, which contains so much more than just its iconic sight, the Treasury.  I was completely blown away, and even though it was intensely hot, I was smiling from having made a decision to come to this country.  It didn’t take too much convincing for me to come along on the ride to Israel and the city of Jerusalem.

 

 

 

ISRAEL

Following a few weeks in the very conservative countries of Egypt and Jordan, our group of three found ourselves in sensory overload at the sudden change in clothing at the beach town of Eilat, Israel.  From there we grabbed a bus to Jerusalem with the route hugging the Dead Sea most of the time.  I was due back in Cairo for a flight to Bangkok so my time in Jerusalem was limited to four days, but they marked some of the best days of my trip this far.  The deep history of Jerusalem and walking the iconic streets of the Old City will forever be imprinted on my mind.  It is something I truly will never forget.  I said goodbye to my German friends, and we split ways, them moving on to Tel Aviv while I headed back to Cairo in what would turn out to be the most grueling bus ride of my trip.

 

 

 

THAILAND

I flew from Cairo to Bangkok, and I have to admit that even though Bangkok is dubbed as being chaotic, it seemed far more tame than my time in Cairo.  I spent a full week exploring the temples and streets of Bangkok before heading south to do some island hopping.  I took scuba diving lessons in Ko Tao and in the process became completely addicted to diving.  Since Ko Tao my travels have changed to include places that offer great diving.  I then headed to the island of Ko Pha Ngan and experienced the legendary Full Moon Party before making my way to Ko Samui and the beautiful Ang Thong Marine National Park.  I then traveled from the east coast to the west coast and the island of Phuket.  None of them compared to my time spent diving in Ko Tao, but I did develop a fondness for bungalows.

 

I then headed north to the mountainous jungles and the city of Chiang Mai.  I spent the days feeding elephants, motorbiking through the mountains surrounding Pai, and learning how to cook Thai food while dominating the element of Fire.  However, I will remember most the Yi Peng festival, the Festival of Lights.  It was the primary reason I visited Chiang Mai in the first place and it did not disappoint.  Seeing thousands of glowing lanterns being released and filling the sky is another image that will not soon be forgotten.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INDONESIA

After 7 weeks in Thailand I flew to meet my friend and former co-worker in his hometown of Medan, Indonesia.  We spent five days in Medan before flying to Bali.  After exploring Bali together, he returned to Medan while I lingered in Bali, perfecting my beach bum, surfer dude, and reading habits while also meeting a bunch of great travelers.  The days turned into weeks, and before I knew it my birthday and Christmas were just around the corner. I shook myself out of the beach lull and hopped a mini bus to the island of Java.  There I climbed the majestic Mt. Bromo volcano before heading on to the endearing city of Jogjakarta and its stunning temples, Borobudur and Prambanan.  Jogjakarta was also where the idea for The Faces Series was born.  I then treated myself to birthday and Christmas presents by diving the waters of the incredible Bunaken National Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SINGAPORE

New Year’s Eve found me flying to Singapore, where I rang in the new year surrounded by fireworks and the feeling that my new traveling life has been both a bit odd and exhilirating.  I spent five days in the cash-depleting city/country of Singapore, visiting their wonderful zoo and then getting a taste of uncaged wildlife by hiking the trails of the well-maintained MacRitchie Reservoir park, highlighted by a walk along a treetop suspension bridge.

 

 

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE

January 2012 finds me back in Chiang Mai, saying goodbye to friends I have met who live here before moving on to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia on February 2.  I have spent most of January relaxing, enjoying the company of friends and the markets and temples of Chiang Mai.  I am also trying to decide where to go from here.  I know my short-term plans.  Malaysia, the Philippines, Cambodia, and Loas.  But what then?  I have a new list of places to go that seems a mile long, yet the funds are dwindling.  I have come to a point where I need to start deciding what and where I want my life to take me from here.  The easy answer is “Keep on traveling”.  The tougher question is “How do I make that happen?”.  I have a few ideas, but I honestly don’t know where life will take me after a couple more months.

 

I’m excited, yet worried about what the future holds.

 

Funny, that’s pretty much how I started my trip back in August.