World Flavor

Not long ago, Jeff wrote a post to get you all caught up on what we’ve done so far. Now, as our time in Chiang Mai draws to a close, it’s time to hit the road again. I’m sure you’re curious about where’s next for us, so here’s a heads up on where you’ll be reading about soon.

Late February – Southern Thailand

Xmas Day on Railay Beach, by ToGa Wanderings

After a brief stop in Bangkok, we will be headed to Railay Beach for a week. Railay is on a peninsula just south of Krabi, on the Andaman Sea. Its limestone cliffs are popular with rock climbers. We look forward to lounging by the beach, climbing, and kayaking.

Early March – Malaysia

We will stop briefly in Malaysia to stuff ourselves full of roti canai, and fly out of Kuala Lumpur. Interestingly, we will be there almost exactly a year after our first visit!

Mid March to Mid April – Turkey

Cappadocia, by Moyan_Brenn

We fly to Istanbul, where a friend of mine from high school is teaching English. We’ll spend a few days there and then do a loop back via Ankara, Cappadocia, Antalya, Pamukkale, Selcuk, and Canakkale. We are really looking forward to the food and sights – both natural and cultural – in Turkey!

Mid April to Mid May – Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, and Slovenia

Dubrovnik, by Lena_Ni

From Istanbul we’ll make our way overland to Slovenia, with whirlwind stops in Sofia, Bulgaria, Nis, Serbia, Budva, Montenegro, and about 3 weeks in Croatia. We only have a week to spend in Slovenia itself.

Mid May to Early June – Italy

Herculaneum, by spdl_n1

Our short time in the previous places is because, for the very first time on our whole trip, we actually have a schedule to keep! Jeff’s parents will be joining us for 3 weeks for a tour of Italy. We are really excited because we haven’t had any part of the round-the-world trip with other people. Also, it’s Italy – I can’t wait to get back to some ancient historical sites after finishing my major in Classical Civilization, and need I even mention the food? My last trip to Italy was in high school in 2004, so I will be returning almost 10 years later!

Early June to Early July – France

Notre Dame de Paris, by dalbera

I have been to France before, in 2003, but only to Paris. My memories were tarnished by violent protests (no one wants to see a man light himself on fire at age 15 – or make that any age). I’d like to give Paris another try, and also see a good bit of the rest of France. We have about a month to explore. We will eat a lot of baguettes, croissants, and cheese, I suspect.

Early July to Early August – Spain

Barcelona, by Moyan_Brenn

Our last stop will be a month in Spain. We haven’t planned it out yet, but I know I want to go to Barcelona and Granada. Also, crossing my fingers for a meal at El Celler de Can Roca in Girona – the world’s second best restaurant! The first is Noma in Copenhagen, in case you were wondering. Sadly, El Bulli, the former best in the world located in Catalonia, is now shut down. My other goal for Spain is to ride a gorgeous Andalusian horse in its homeland!
And finally, after extremely close to 2 years on the road, we will be heading home! Whether by plane or boat, our finances and the universe shall decide. We are really hoping for the transatlantic cruise option to be viable. The plans after that aren’t set yet but you’ll certainly hear about it here.

Looking up at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

This week’s Indie Travel Challenge prompt is very deep and thoughtful: how has travel changed your life?

For me, travel has come hand in hand with some important changes in my life. My very first trip abroad was in the summer of 2002. Of course, 9/11 was still fresh in everyone’s minds and we were not sure if it was okay to travel yet – and there was a war on with Afghanistan, and war seemed not far off with Iraq as well. But current events weren’t the only things that made me hesitant to go. Just before we left, my paternal grandfather died of leukemia. The funeral was going to happen a day or so after I took off for Paris and London. The trip was a Christmas present from my maternal grandparents and they were taking my cousin as well. I strongly considered not going. But then my parents urged me to go. My paternal grandmother was even for it. They all said, “he would have wanted you to go.” So I went. I was sad, of course, but I had done most of my mourning for him during the course of his long fight with cancer. I made the choice to enjoy my trip as best I could (and I did enjoy it). My memories are perhaps tinged a bit with grief (and also, shock at seeing violent protests in Paris, where people lit themselves on fire).

The point was, I had a choice between living in the moment and embracing every opportunity, or staying behind. Reflecting on the past is of course important but the experience really instilled in me a value of taking every opportunity. Since then a motto of mine has been “savor every moment,” which I considered for the name of this blog. There were times I felt guilty for skipping my grandfather’s funeral. But then I would think of how I was honoring his memory in a different way, by living life to the fullest, which he always did.

During that trip, my cousin and I spent a lot of time with our heads craned over the balcony of our Paris hotel room, watching people in the street below. Strangely, this is one of the things I remember most about the trip. I think it was at that point when I noticed the small differences in the way people lived their lives, and it got me really interested in that fact. I discovered that people are so much the same in other countries – we’re all people, after all – but it was the differences that fascinated me. Perhaps that’s why I went on to study anthropology at college. It was also the beginning of what I hope will be a lifelong relationship with travel. I fell in love with the excitement, the feeling of newness, the uncertainty of it all.

Later, in 2008, I studied abroad in New Zealand. We had an amazing orientation in Auckland and Rotorua and then were dumped in our flats in Dunedin. I went from surrounded by new friends to alone in my cold, unheated flat on an overcast evening. Immediately I thought what the hell am I doing? Can I handle this? I sat there feeling miserable for a little while until I realized it was really stupid to feel so miserable – I was in a new country with so many possibilities and new things to discover. I might have missed my parents and my boyfriend, but what is that compared to having the opportunity of living in a new country? I picked myself up and went out to dinner with my new friends and decided to enjoy myself. Of course, not every day was easy, but I absolutely loved my semester in New Zealand. I realized I could be on my own and be fine. I could take care of myself even in a strange new place.

My self-confidence developed so much in New Zealand. I challenged myself a lot there too. I realized that stepping outside of my comfort zone was the best way to grow as a person. After that, I knew I could travel alone and enjoy it, and that I could jump off bridges and squeeze through tiny cave passages and basically do anything I put my mind to. That’s an incredibly powerful and addictive feeling.

So travel has done a lot for me. I will continue to face my fears and live life to the fullest, as much as I possibly can. Travel and I have many long years of happiness ahead, and I can’t wait.

I have a confession to make. I love filling out surveys, and I love taking part in memes. I’ve wanted to get in on this travel ABC thing for a while now but I kept thinking I couldn’t because I wasn’t ‘tagged.’ But that’s silly. Plus Candice of Candice Does the World tagged anybody and everybody. So here goes.

A: Age in which you first internationally travelled.

I was 14 when I took my first trip abroad (and my first flight) to Paris and London with my grandparents and my cousin.

B: Best (foreign) beer and where.

My favorite beer so far, anywhere, has been Monteith’s Radler which I tried on a tour of the Monteith Brewery in Greymouth, New Zealand. I’m not a huge beer fan to be honest but I am slowly growing to like it since I keep trying new ones.

C: Cuisine (favorite)

Indian, followed closely by Mexican. I need to make it India and Mexico, seriously. I’ll try (basically) anything and I love street food.

D: Destinations (favorite) and why? Least favorite and why?

Favorite: New Zealand. It’s just so incredibly beautiful and varied – something for everyone!

Least favorite: I’m not a big fan of Los Angeles or Atlanta, though I enjoyed my trips there. I also don’t currently have a great opinion of Paris, though I want to give it another chance. I think it’s mostly related to seeing some protesters light themselves on fire which was a little traumatizing.

E: Event you experienced that made you say “wow”

There are a lot that could fit this, for different reasons. The Colbert/Stewart Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, DC (WOW, that’s a lot of people having a fun silly time). A reception at the US Ambassador to France’s residence in Paris (WOW, those are expensive hors d’ouevres). The Seoul Lantern Festival (WOW, this is beautiful and kind of magical). Among others.

F: Favorite mode of transport

The best way to see beautiful landscapes, in my opinion, is on a horse.

G: Greatest feeling while travelling?

I love the feeling of being overwhelmed with a brand new place. Also, the feeling that comes with seeing incredible natural beauty.

H: Hottest place you’ve ever travelled to?

This was home at the time but the hottest place I’ve been was actually Washington, DC, last summer. There was a day when I had to walk from Dupont Circle Station to the South Korean embassy when, with the heat index and everything, it felt like 120 degrees Fahrenheit (about 48 Celsius). I felt like I was dying.

I: Incredible service you’ve experienced and where?

The best service I can think of was at Dogwood Restaurant in Atlanta (sadly now closed).

J: Journey that took you the longest?

Flying to New Zealand for my semester abroad – a 4 hour car ride to Washington, DC, followed by a 5.5 hour flight to LAX, an 8 hour layover, then a 13 hour flight to Auckland. Total travel time: 30.5 hours. But it was worth it!

K: Keepsake from your travels?

Once upon a time I collected keychains, but now just photos. I’ve bought flags from every place abroad I’ve lived for a significant time, and have considered getting tiny ones for the places I visit.

L: Let down sight? Where and why?

Seokguram Grotto near Gyeongju, South Korea is not worth your time. Unless of course you enjoy standing in a long line to see something that you get rushed along from and can’t even take pictures. Also, the Mona Lisa – it’s small, hard to see, and ridiculously crowded. The Louvre is of course worth many hours of your time, but don’t get your hopes up for its most famous occupant.

M: Moment where you fell in love with travel?

I suspect it was when I was in Paris, possibly during the hours my cousin and I spent just sticking our heads out the window of our hotel room and people watching (also we were incredibly amused with the way people parked their cars). It was then I became fascinated with learning how other people live and think.

N: Nicest hotel you’ve stayed in?

Probably the Millennium Hotel in Knightsbridge, London. At least that was the fanciest. I really liked the Courtyard Marriott in Fredericksburg, Virginia – it’s right in the middle of the historic part and really nice. In Singapore in February I’ll be staying at the Conrad Centennial in Marina Bay thanks to my boyfriend’s Hilton Honors points and I expect that to be rather nice as well.

O: Obsession. What are you obsessed with taking pictures of?

Food. Funny signs. I used to take a lot of pictures of benches, but not so much anymore.

P: Passport stamps. How many and from where?

My current passport only has 3 stamps – New Zealand, Costa Rica, South Korea. Canada doesn’t give you a stamp if you come in by car, it seems. My passport before that only had a few as well. I’ve been to 9 countries plus the US, and through the airports of 2 others.

Q: Quirkiest Attraction you’ve visited?

I really enjoy quirky attractions. Highlights include the town of Bulls, New Zealand, for its pun-laden signs, the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, and the 826 chain of stores (I’ve been to the ones in San Francisco, Seattle, Brooklyn, Ann Arbor, and DC). Whenever I’m going somewhere I check Atlas Obscura first to see what quirky things I can find.

R: Recommended Sight, Event or Experience?

Eat local food. Meet locals through sites like Couchsurfing (you don’t have to stay over to do this – you can just take part in meetups). Go bungee jumping. Visit New Zealand.

S: Splurge! Something you don’t mind forking over for while travelling?

Good food and adventure experiences.

T: Touristy thing you’ve done

There’s nothing wrong with being touristy sometimes, and I definitely have been. I’ve gone up the Eiffel Tower, posed with the Leaning Tower of Pisa (and then climbed up it which is not as common), and many other touristy things.

U: Unforgettable travel Memory.

Making bread in a tiny Costa Rican village while watching some kids mess with a parrot. A wonderful, very local experience that I keep thinking about.

V: Visas. How many of them and for where?

I’ve got 2: a student visa for New Zealand and an E2 (work) visa for South Korea.

W: Wine. Best glass of wine had while travelling and where?

I like wine but I don’t like to spend money on alcohol while travelling. However during my trip to Italy (at age 15) I had at least one glass of nice Chianti which I didn’t fully appreciate at the time, sadly.

X: eXcellent views and from where?

I’ve seen some good ones, but the view from Nugget Point in the Catlins, New Zealand, really took my breath away.

Y: Years spent travelling?

After going to Paris in 2002 I also went to Italy the following year and Costa Rica the one after that. I thought I had sated my wanderlust after Costa Rica, but it was reignited in college and I studied abroad in New Zealand, and have traveled when possible ever since. So about 4 years now. I’ve been abroad at the moment for 5 months.

Z: Zealous sports fan and where?

Kiwis are really into their rugby, and watching an All Blacks match at a uni-student-filled bar was really entertaining.

Tag

Now I’m supposed to tag some other bloggers. I want to tag you. Yes, you. Don’t have a blog? You can play in the comments!

The French flag flying at the base of the Arc de Triomphe. I went to Paris with my grandparents way back in 2002. I think it was before I ever had a digital camera. This is a scan from a disposable camera photo. Or maybe I’m misremembering, and I took it with a film camera I owned.