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Technically Speaking, A Day from Hell.

I wish I could say I haven’t been keeping up with my blog because I’ve just been too busy, living life, out of wifi connection. In reality, I lost my phone and broke my computer in one day on the journey from Lombok, Indonesia back to Australia. Yes, one day. My most important technologies exterminated. If you don’t want to be incredibly inconvenienced, distraught and, frustrated in a foreign country… my expert suggestion would be to not, do this. So, to my dismay this post is another “I fucked up but I’m learning stuff along the way,” edition to Dana The Explorer.

I woke up early morning the day I was scheduled to leave Lombok. Elli and I were parting ways. She was about to embark on a three day hike up a volcano and I was scheduled to start another workaway on a cattle farm north of Sydney. Before I said goodbye to Elli, I started throwing up. My first experience of “Bali belly” after almost a month in Indonesia, just a few short hours before I was to begin what would be a 36 hour journey back to the Land Down Under.

It was the Bali Belly that would temporarily destroy my connection to the 21st century. I decided to pack my computer away in my backpack. I assumed it would be safe, after all, there’s a computer pocket. WHAT COULD GO WRONG? ( Hold that thought.)

After a cup of tea to sooth my stomach, I laid down on a beanbag in my hostel, half a asleep waiting for my transportation to the ferry. Eventually I heard my name called. At this point, what I think happened was that I put my phone down on a table, strapped on my backpack and took off. Leaving my iPhone and lifeline on the table. Still feeling like complete crap and knowing I had scheduled transportation at every step of the trip from Lombok back to Bali and to the airport, I didn’t even look for my phone.

I didn’t look for it in the shuttle, not in the cafe they dropped us off at to wait before I hopped on the back of the Shuttle Company Owner’s motorbike with my 50L backpack. I was so sick I didn’t care to look for my phone while I was waiting in the office at the port for an hour. I didn’t care to look for it in the hour and a half ferry from Lombok to Bali. I found my airport transfer after looking for a half hour, I finally decided that I should check the time.

After it definitely wasn’t in my purse. I started to panic. Because I’m traveling light, that’s the point. I know I’d never stick my phone in my backpack because I wouldn’t have access to it. Once I confirmed it wasn’t in my purse or backpack I knew it was gone, I literally have no other belongings. I was angry at myself, still felt sick and, even managed to get with the middle seat for the two hour traffic-riddled trip to the airport. I was pissed. The silver lining was that I was just going to be slightly unconvinced, I could get to the airport, log on to my computer and figure everything out. Or so I thought.

I found the airport waiting area before I passed security and pulled out my laptop. The screen was black. Hmm bummer, I thought I’d charged it. I moved my stuff over to a charging station. There was even a converter already in the plug, lucky me, I thought . I plugged in and tried again. Screen still black, except this time I heard the apple start up noise. Why is the screen black? Why is this happening? I was scheduled to arrive on a farm soon, the only information I knew was that after I got to Australia, there was a 6pm bus from somewhere that would lead me to the farm. Now the reality set it in, I was phone less and computer less in an airport in Indonesia, completely alone. Cue the tears.

After several deep breaths and thoughts along the lines of “what the expletive is happening” and “it’s just you here, you need to figure this out” I scoped out a couple that looked like they spoke English and I pulled it together enough to explain that I lost my phone and my computer wasn’t working, could I please use yours to try to figure out my life?

My only objective at this point was to figure out information about the farm I was going to. By some miracle, I remembered my Workaway password and username on the first try. The second miracle was that my host, Kevin, provided me with his phone number in our correspondence . I shot him a message that I’d be calling on random number and wouldn’t be able to be in contact until then.

At this point it wasn’t a priority to check in at home. I didn’t want to spend any extra time on this stranger’s laptop and honestly, I still felt like complete crap. I thanked the couple, who I never got the names of, and set off to find a place in the airport to wait out the time I had until my flight. About 5 hours… I found the most chocolatey looking brownie I could find and sat and waited, trying not to dwell in the shit day I’d been having.

I’ll spare you the incredibly boring details about how I eventually managed to find my way to the farm. It involved a bus to a train, another five hour wait on a park bench and a two hour bus ride. When I made it to the farm, there was a 14 week old puppy and a room just for me.

The moral of the story is, sometimes life sucks and you have to cry to strangers. Other than the last hours I spent in Indonesia, the things I saw and did there will stay with me forever. I’m once again incredibly lucky that nothing was stolen from me, it was my own mistakes I have to live with. I even managed to find my phone, It’s currently in Malaysia with Eli. I’ve got an amazing support system, a new computer, and a google phone that sort of works. Yesterday I became 1/3 of the proud owner’s of a car and I’ll be one the road again soon. More adventures to come.

Beautiful Balinese Blunders

Bali has been exactly what I’ve needed it to be. The beautiful Indonesian island was a two hour flight from Darwin and a world away. Eli and I have been here a little over two weeks now and I am sad to leave. If I had the money, I would stay in Southeast Asia forever. For me, I’ve always kind of considered it a backpacker’s Mecca. A balance of chaos and tranquility. A place where your dollar gets you a hell of a lot more than it does anywhere else in the world. I’ve seen unbelievable temples, beaches and immersed myself in a completely different world under the water. I haven’t been keeping up to date with this blog because I’ve been busy living and meeting beautiful people. I’ll write more in detail later but for now, I’ll share the best story to tell and definitely the most embarrassing.

Before I begin, this one is dedicated to Ellison Fellers, who drove me around on her motorbike for two weeks. It also doesn’t hurt to add, I am completely in one piece.

We rented a motorbike in Kuta for a day drip to Uluwatu. Eli drove, an experience she said took years off her life. The plan was that I would navigate. Thankfully, we met someone with a working GPS so all I did was white knuckle it on the back. Kuta is busy and chaotic. As far as I can tell, there’s no rules of the road in Bali, just go, and don’t hesitate. Once we got out of the belly of beast it was calmer. Rolling rice paddies, kites flying everywhere, cows grazing. We stopped along the way to see Balinese Dancers and giant sculptures of warriors and mythical bird creatures.

I was terrified to drive a motorbike. But after spending time on the back of a few, I started talking myself into it. Everyone was doing it. All the tourists you met, the 13 year old local girls, the local man driving and eating a mango with a machete. My thought was that, if they could do it, surely I could. So when we got to Canggu, a much quieter alternative to Kuta, I thought I was ready. Eli and I woke up early to rent bikes from our hostel. To the tune of about 4 USD, we rented two bikes and two helmets.

I backed my bike out it’s parking spot and hopped on. Eli gave me a quick tutorial. It’s easy, they say. Turn the bike on, accelerate, tour around with the wind in your hair. No. Not for me. Basically, Eli’s tutorial lasted longer than I did on the bike. My first experience driving a motorbike last only long enough for me to accelerate directly off a ledge into the rice padi next to our hostel. Maybe, three seconds total. Yes you read that right. I drove a motorbike off a cliff, landing myself and the bike, knee deep into mud and rice crops. I think now might be the time to remind you of what I wrote earlier in the post… I made it out without a scratch. I was completely fine , just my ego absolutely shattered.

As I’m lying there, all sorts of local workers started to gather. Some to help me out, help the bike out, most to see the tourist who managed to get themselves into this predicament. One got on the radio to tell the others what happened more came out. I stood there,covered in mud, absolutely incredulous, watching these men lift the bike out of the mud. They hosed the bike off, insured that it still worked, and then hosed me off. It was… an experience. After the security guard told me I couldn’t drive anymore, they took the keys back. (Thank you I was really planning on just hopping back on after this ordeal.) I went to take a quick shower and cried. I can honestly say this was the most embarrassed I’ve ever been in my life. I’m actually not sure “embarrassed” accurately portrays what I was feeling. One more time, I was completely unharmed. It could have been a lot worse.

After my shower, I hopped on the back of Eli’s bike and the group of friends we’d made went to go get breakfast. We laughed about the whole thing, I slowly got over my embarrassment with good coffee and banana french toast. As much as my ego was bruised, I was glad I had people to share the experience with. Even if Eli still shows the pictures to every new friend we meet.

I think at this point, driving my own motorbike will be my traveling white whale. Someday, I will literally get back on the bike with no mishaps. Maybe not today. At least at this point I’m comfortable riding on the back of one.

When it comes down to it, renting motorbikes in Southeast Asia is exactly like making the decision to travel long term. It’s just something you have to try, I at least had to try. It can be terrifying, dangerous and all together intoxicating. But if you really want to immerse yourself in another culture, you have to take the chance. If you have an opening, and don’t take the chance to go, you’ll likely regret it. You’ll find places you never knew existed, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t tried it sooner. Traveling or renting motorbikes might be out of your comfort zone, you might make mistakes and get a little banged up along the road. But trust me, you’ll love the freedom.

The Aussie Chronicles:
Sailing Fails, Sea Planes and Southeast Asia.

I have a feeling I’ll be reminding myself throughout this trip that it’s “all about the journey”. Nothing like a failed, long awaited, sailing trip to remind you of that. We did, eventually, set sail to the Kimberley’s. Before the ranting begins I should mention, I do not regret waiting for this boat trip, I’m just bummed it wasn’t the kind of adventure I was seeking.

I’m sure I’ll never make it back to the Kimberly’s again. It’s beautiful but incredibly remote. I can say I’ve sailed down the west coast of Australia, visited Berkley and King George’s River. We trudged through the Bush, saw not one, but two elusive salties ( that’s salt water crocodiles in Australian), and stumbled upon 20,000+ year old Aboriginal cave paintings. It goes with out saying this was an experience like no other. But what’s an adventure with out some rocky waters?

The unfortunate part was that our captain began a new relationship shortly before we set sail. Eli and I found ourselves on what felt like, some one else’s honeymoon. When there’s 5 people sharing a very small space, you don’t need the boat to be rocking during dinner time (if you catch my drift). Don’t get me wrong, if someone wants to pay me to be a personal chef on their private boat for their honey moon.. sure, kinda weird, but sure. But I was working for free, on what I thought would be a very active journey. There was no escape. Swimming off the boat was entirely impossible due do the aggressive animals lurking in the merky blue waters, and our captain was preoccupied with the new love he’s found. There was one outing a day off the boat. Bushwalking to the top of the waterfalls, where hopefully we could find some croc free fresh water to swim in. Peter & Co would run off. Our fearless leader had no intention of leading or creating any type of group dynamic. It was a bummer. Thankfully, the three people left on the boat ( Eli, Gonzo and I ) who were not involved in a hot and heavy relationship, got along great. We mutually felt that what was supposed to be a six week adventure was not going to happen. We had to get out of there.

Flash forward to a four seater sea plane picking us up, Uber style in the middle of a gorge. We set the plan to leave in motion, thanks to one Satellite phone, the only possible way you’re getting service in west bumfuck, where we were located. We couldn’t wait to get out of there. I don’t want to seem ungrateful, because I am not. It was an incredible opportunity, and one that many people will not experience in their lifetime. We were spoiled, having entire gorges and waterfalls to ourselves. The entire time we saw two other boats. This, was the Outback.

Workaway hasn’t been ruined for me. There will be hosts who actually like me, willing to provide positive experiences for a little bit of elbow grease. But this sailing trip challenged parts of me that are hard to suppress. I bit my tongue and kept on with my duties even when I felt I was at my wits end. At the end of the day, I was on a free sailing trip. Some things aren’t worth the battle.

I’m understanding why people love to plan out their holidays. I’ve got so many ideas and you’d think a year would be a sufficient amount of time to complete at least, some of them. I guess, I’m having the best type of problems. I’m wondering what’s ahead as I’m traveling on a Greyhound bus back to…… DARWIN!!

Never thought I’d be excited to head back to this place but it will be the most civilization I’ve seen in a few weeks. The sea plane dropped us off in a poe-dunk town called Kununara. Darwin is a ten hour trip away and the closest city from there. Eli and I have made plans to fly to Bali at the end of the week. We both thought we’d be sailing for another four weeks, without spending money so we thought, why not go somewhere cheaper than Australia? Sigh.. Bali it is.

Stay Tuned.

The Aussie Chronicles: Life in
Darwin Part Deux.

So, a little over three weeks have passed and I’m still *expletive* in Darwin. The only change is that I am finally sleeping on the catamaran at least. The captain’s 3 daughters are on board this week and the plan was to sail around with them first before taking of to The Kimberly. But as per usual, there’s a slight bump in the road. Or more like, a tear in a sail and a broken alternator. So Eli, the other Workaway crew member and I have been cooking and cleaning for our keep while helping out Peter with his daughters. The problem is that, we’re still docked in Darwin so during the day when they’re off doing activities we are stuck back in Darwin. The Land of nothing to do.

The last three weeks haven’t changed too much from my last posting. The bright side is I’ve met friends who’ve made it much better and we all agree, Darwin is not the vision of Australia we’d had in mind. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still loving my travels but as of right now, I think I’m loving the prospect of the adventure ahead. At this point I’m just hoping it actually happens.

It just goes to show you, the people you meet along the way have a huge impact on your trip and it’s important to put yourself out there. It took my awhile to mingle with people at my hostel. It was cliquey and most people were living there long term. Thank god for Melissa and Hettie. Melissa is from Northern Ireland and had been traveling around SouthEast Asia for the past 6 months before arriving in Darwin. Hettie is English and was towards the end of her Working Holiday visa.

We were lucky that Hettie befriended a tour guide from one of the tours she’d been on in her time here. She woke me up one morning whispering, ” Dana… do you want to come to Litchfield?” Yes, I absolutely did. Litchfield is a national park about an hour and a half drive outside of Darwin. You either need to rent a car or purchase a tour to get there. We were going for free because of Hettie’s connection to and awesome Aussie named Trent who wanted to go for the day. Melissa and I got to come along. It was by far the best day in Darwin. And a better picture of what I hope Australia will be. There are multiple waterfalls and swimming holes that make up Litchfield. To sum it up quickly, it was magnificent. It only added to the experience that the man taking us was an experienced tour guide for the area. At one point he stopped along the trail and said, ” do you hear that…? BATS!” Trent proceeded to stare into the trees until he’d spotted huge, bats spreading their even bigger wings. Along with a wild emu we saw on the dirt path we drove back on, it was the most Australian wildlife I’ve seen so far.

As of right now, Eli and I have found ourselves mooching off of the free wifi at the Doubletree while Peter and the girls are experiencing Litchfield for themselves. She is literally and figuratively on the same boat as I am. We need to set sail soon or scrap the whole boat trip idea to find adventure elsewhere. These Explorers have had enough of Darwin. Stay Tuned!

The Aussie Chronicles: Life in
Darwin – You Love It Or You Leave It.

I’ve arrived in Darwin to catch the catamaran I’ll be working on. There’s not much going on in this town. Most people are either trying to find regional work to extend their visa or just getting in from Southeast Asia. It funny though because from what I can tell, you either love Darwin and find yourself here for 4 months or you’re trying to get the hell out of here. For me, it’s different because I’m using Darwin as a jumping off point for another adventure. There’s simply just not much to do, and it’s equally as expensive as Sydney. I’m feeling more on the leave it side. But I’ve met some good people.

It’s cool to be in the Outback though. Actually, it’s hot, which has been lovely considering Sydney was cool and cloudy. Darwin is the area you visualize when you think about Australia. It has red rocks, the weather is either a wet or dry season, and everything can kill you. Despite the heat and coastal location, there’s no swimming in the ocean in Darwin. You can thank salt water, predatory, crocodiles for that. Thank god for man made watering holes and lakes. Because, man, it’s warm. I’m loving every second of it. My hostel has an outdoor living space. It’s not the best hostel in the world but it’s nice to have a couch outside and be able to use it all day and night. There’s also and outdoor kitchen, so there’s frequently beer bong.

I have a few more days here but I think I’m just going to end up working on my tan because I’ve pretty much seen it all. I could book a tour to see some more rural places but if this sailing trip is going to be anything like I think it is, I’m sure I’m going to be seeing some incredible untouched parts of Australia. So I’m not sure I want to spend a couple hundred dollars for something I might see again, in the wild, for free. It could be a mistake but I’m happy to work on my tan and save money where I can.

Darwin does have good sunsets and a cute little night market in it’s corner. I’ve been good about my purchases though. No boomerangs yet. However, I heard somewhere that every good adventure needs a good hat… I went to the grocery store in an effort to be as frugal as possible and have been cooking the majority of my meals. Saving money where I can so I can spend it on beer, one of the only activities Darwin seems to be good for.

The Aussie Chronicles: First Stop, Opera House.

After figuring out where I’d be staying for the next few days it was finally time to start exploring the new planet I had arrived on. I’d come to Australia without much of a concrete plan and the week I spent in Sydney would be the perfect amount of time to figure out my next few moves. It’s a big city. But also one with great public transportation. Luckily, my hostel was in a convenient location for all the Sydney must see’s.

Obviously, it was time to take a selfie with the Sydney Opera House. I boarded the train at Central Station and took it a few stops to Circular Quays Station. Seeing places in real life that you’ve seen thousands of times in picture is always a strange feeling. I’d made it. The Sydney Opera House is right in front of you once you’ve left the Circular Quay station. I walked around the boardwalk to get the perfect shot. It was cloudy but I didn’t care. After a significant amount of Opera House selfies I wandered to find the Sydney Harbor Bridge Walk. A free alternative to climbing up the bridge. I would suggest doing that if you have a disposable income but it wasn’t in my budget. Half way through the bridge there are also slightly higher point where you can pay 5/10 AUD to get a little bit higher of a view. I kept on walking. The Harbor Bridge is long and provides beautiful views of North Sydney and Sydney Proper. Before I walked on the Bridge I saw Luna Park, a small amusement park and another quintessential Sydney photo-op.

While on my way to the Bridge Walk entrance I found myself in a market on The Rocks. I love useless little souvenirs. I take mental notes of the boomerangs,kangaroo stuffed animals, and crocodile fashion I’ll buy when I’ve got less months ahead of me.

The entrance to Luna Park is a large face, with an open mouth. Although it’s your typical amusement park it offers great views of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the city’s skyline. I wandered around North Sydney a bit more, hung out in the park under the bridge and made my way back over the Bridge Walk again.

On my way to The Royal Botanical Garden’s I stopped off a convince store to get myself some TimTam’s. I’d heard that Tim Tam’s are better than Oreo’s. At first, that idea was a hard no for me. However… considering I’ve already purchased another box, I’d say they’ve grown on me.

The Royal Botanical Garden’s are lovely. But at this point in my day my feet just hurt. I sat in the herb garden and read for a bit, mustering up more energy. Eventually I made may way to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, the only view point where you can get both the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge in one picture. It was nearly sunset when I’d arrived and the view lived up to my expectations.

The rest of my time in Sydney was spent meeting friends at the hostel and becoming as caffeinated as humanly possible, mooching off free wifi offered by most cafe’s. On my last night I’d gotten in touch with my Australian friend Johanna, who I’d met in Barcelona the summer before. Jo and I were quick friends and reunited in Paris as well. So Sydney was our third city together and it was great to get some Australian insight about the adventure ahead of me. She recommended we meet at the Opera Bar, an unpretentious bar that looks out of the Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge. I would highly recommend going for at least one drink there if you find yourself in Sydney. It offers unbeatable views, great food and live music.

By the time I’d met Jo I had a plan all set up for probably the next couple months. I’d heard how great Workaway’s are for travelers looking for unique experiences and free accomdation. So I’d spent most of my time in those cafe’s reaching out to potential Workaway hosts. One of which was Peter, owner of a 42 foot catamaran looking for a crew to sail with him to The Kimberlies in the Northern Territory. My next couple months in Australia fell together pretty quickly. I Skyped with Peter, and booked my ticket to Darwin. A four hour plane ride to the North. The next morning, I’d heard back from another Workaway host I’d reached out to. This one, a cattle and horse farm four hours north of Sydney (with motorbikes!).

So as it turns out, losing my first reservations in Sydney enabled me to pack up and leave for Darwin on a whim. Which brings me to the outdoor living space in my hostel in Darwin, where I’m writing this now. While Darwin doesn’t have much going on as far as cities go, it’s going to be a jumping off point for what I think is going to be an incredible adventure ahead of me. Stay Tuned.

The Aussie Chronicles: Letting
Adventure Into Your Life Part One.

Dana the Explorer has made it to the Land Down Under. Despite some minor bumps in the road I am currently enjoying some free wifi, a ‘long black’ and a toasted cheese sandwich. The journey took longer than expected but it just goes to show you, the best laid plans don’t account for small windows for connecting flights and a completely ill informed airport staff. But it’s all about the journey anyway, right?

The flight from Boston to LA would be the most painless part of the journey. I watched Hidden Figures and started Big Little Lies. My experience in LAX would not be as easy. After disembarking off my first flight I needed to make a quick transfer to catch my plane to Sydney. Sounds easy enough. I ran to the board to check my gate and get on a shuttle to take me there. The first shuttle I took was narrowly hit by an airplane wing. The empty bus was with filled the sounds of the driver explaining to another employee how the Air traffic controller was using the wrong signals so she didn’t realize he had wanted her to stop. That was fun. When we finally arrived in the terminal I looked at the board again. My gate had changed, my flight was apparently in the terminal I’d just left. * Insert panic mode* I did not, have time for this. My Dad was concerned I was going to miss my connecting flight. At this point, I was praying he would be wrong. I ask an attendant and she tells me I need to go to the International Terminal (you’d think that would be perfectly logical) I waited for another shuttle and took this one back to there terminal I just come from.

Repeat the whole, running-around-the-airport-like-a-chicken-with-my-head-cut-off thing only to find out… once again, I was in the wrong terminal. How, I don’t know. I run up to someone in a neon vest and plead for help. At this point, I would not describe myself as composed. And for anyone who knows me well, let’s just say I’m not my best when I’m frustrated. Thankfully at this point the few other travelers in the area were also on my flight to Sydney and were having the same issue. Together now, we hounded the staffers for information and pleaded for assistance. At this point we were missing the flight. At first their suggestion was to run all the way through the terminal we were in, exit , go through security and hope for the best. Or board another damn shuttle and do the same thing. No option seemed like it was going to get me there. Eventually, they told us, “don’t worry, Terminal 2, where you need to be, is closed right now. They’re not going to leave with out you.” We were instructed to wait until they were given the OK and they would take us to terminal 2.

With our worries temporarily (and artificially) pacified, we waited for the shuttle. After finally arriving, we were greeted by completely surprised terminal 2 staff. They had no clue we were coming, the terminal was apparently still closed. Despite their concerns about fines, they let us through. We missed our flight, it left with out us.

By this time, there were five of us in the same boat. We waited for an attendant who would rebook our flights and put us up in a hotel for the night. At least I wasn’t alone in the struggle. Multiple employees from the airport came up to us looking for our story. Not in a “I’ll be assisting you” way but more of a “airport gossip” type way. They were looking for us to point out who had given us the wrong information. The point was, the five of us had each spoken to several people from the airport before missing our flight and no one had any idea what was going on. The wrong gate was even printed on one of our tickets. Needless to say, it was a mess.

We waited in line at guest services to have our hotel rooms booked. There was George, we would end the experience hugging this George M from Delta. But poor George tired to lecture me about how I had read the ticket wrong. I hadn’t, neither had anyone else. The airport was in the wrong here, and it was the airport who would be paying for our hotels. I tired to talk upgrade but George wasn’t having it . Eventually, he booked us all on the same flight a day later in an extra leg room seat, a room at the Crown Plaza and three meal vouchers. I’ll take it. My room had a king bed, it wasn’t awful but it wasn’t Australia either.

The bright side of the ultra confusing situation was meeting JuanPaul. An Australian-Argentinan-Eastern European. He’d traveled everywhere expect Africa and Antartica. JP made a great travel companion and gave me some inside scoops about Oz. I wasn’t expecting to have to stay an extra day in LA but at least I wasn’t alone. We finally made it to Australia. It wasn’t until after I’d passed customs that I realized I’d forgotten my power converter for all my chargers. He gave me his, SO THANK YOU JUANPAUL.

Finally, I’d made it to my hostel. When I tried to check in I realized that, I had messed up my reservation because of the plane delay. Basically, Australia is in the future and I hadn’t booked the right days exactly. Of course, they were full for the night. The staffer took pity on me and gave me a key to take a shower, use some wifi and regroup ( thank you Diego). After a very needed shower and change of clothes. I was able to book a new hostel. Also, I had a chance to call my bank who despite the travel notices I’d set, blocked my transactions on my credit cards.

Which brings me back to the café in Sydney where I’m currently sitting, finished with my coffee and toasted cheese sandwich. Despite the bumps in the road, I’m in Sydney, I’m safe, happy and have a place to rest my head tonight. The lesson here is that even though at times I was frustrated with the journey, it could have been a lot worse. After all, I signed up to meet Australians and have an adventure. With out realizing it, I’d started that journey before I even left the States.

Stay Tuned for more tales from Down Undah!

10 Things Not to Forget Before Your Long Term Adventure

There’s more to traveling long term than just packing a bag! Don’t Forget the details. Here are 10 things you can’t forget.

It should go with out saying BUT you better have your passport and any visas you may need.
All the proper chargers for your electronics. How bad would it suck to lug your kindle or laptop around without anyway to charge it?
Saline Solution and Glasses … This doesn’t go for everyone but it definitely is a big concern of mine while traveling. I have terrible eyesight and it would be a HUGE problem if I forgot one or the other. I can’t always expect that there will be a place to buy contact solution so I always make sure I have a good amount when I leave.
Depending on how long you’re thinking about traveling for… be sure to check in with your doctor, dentist, eye doctor, counselor ( or whoever else ). It’s better to be safe than sorry, and you cannot let your health take a backseat. God forbid something go wrong while you’re away. Make the appointments, get that cavity filled, do whatever you need to do so you’re healthy and happy on the road.
On that note, ladies and gentleman, BIRTH CONTROL! This is important and should not be considered a faux pas topic. Traveling long term leads to many beautiful and wild experiences. If you’re idea of beautiful and wild doesn’t involve babies or a good dose of antibiotics then you need to consider your method of birth control before you leave. *POSSIBLE TMI ALERT* For me I chose to have an IUD in place because I’m not ready to become a mom and other forms of birth control are difficult to keep up with when I’m on the road. Condoms need to be in your arsenal regardless.
Check out some cultural norms for where your headed. Even places that may seem similar to your home country will have their own idiosyncrasies. I love winging it when I get to a place but researching a bit a head of time might save you from feeling like an idiot at dinner. For instance, if your headed to the States it’s important you tip your servers and bartenders. You may not understand the reason for it, or like it at all but as they say, “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
Leave your flight and accommodation information with someone at home. They’ll probably never need it or look at it at all, but it can give you and your loved ones a little peace of mind by knowing your plans and where you’re staying.
Consider looking into adding some extra memory to your phone/ iCloud/ computer. I have a feeling you’ll be taking a lot more pictures than you would in your everyday life. Trust me, from experience, it is not fun to get a “sorry not enough room to take a photo” message instead of capturing that beautiful once and a lifetime moment. I upgraded my iCloud memory for 99 cents a month. Even on a travelers budget, I don’t notice it missing.
Do not think packing for this journey of yours the night before will cut it. Pack your bag and repack it, again and again. Seriously, be thoughtful and strategic with what you’re bringing. It’s true, you’ll be able to survive with much less than you think. My method is to start pile with everything I *think* I’m going to bring on the floor of my bedroom. Then, I try to pack it all it my backpack. That entire pile never fits into my 50L backpack. Cut it in half. Try on all the clothes you want to take and make all the outfits you possibly can with that. Hey, maybe this method doesn’t work for you! But it forces me to frequently look at all the stuff I’ll be living with for a long time. It makes me realize I can’t fit all my cute outfits in my pack. When living a minimalist life, on the go, you need to be as thoughtful as possible. That means taking your time to pack.
Throw yourself a little bon voyage party. Unless you can’t stand anyone and it’s ASTA LA VISTA for you… Have one last get together with your friends, neighbors, family…whoever. It will be a nice memory for you and everyone else to draw from when you’re missing home.

Irish Adventures. Great Music, People and Whiskey.

For me, it was a no brainer. My family’s heritage is Irish, The US city I’m from boasts Irish culture and I’ve met enough Irish people to know that I just had to go there. I was not disappointed. In fact, I look back on my time in Ireland as one of the best parts of my trip. What you’ll lose in nice weather, you gain in spirit. And I’m not just talking about the whiskey (which is great too…). I fell so in love with Ireland I even contemplated a second stop before I headed back home. Ireland is an amazing, small country that I urge you to explore if you find yourself in Europe.

As I mentioned, before I’d actually set foot in the country I’d had the pleasure to meet loads of Irish expats living in France. I loved them. I mean LOVED. So not only was I lucky enough that I got an introduction of their sense of humor and inevitable antics, I also got some insider tips before I headed to the country myself. In my experience, the people of Ireland are loud, welcoming, friendly and a breed all of their own. Get a bunch of Irish people in a room ( most likely with alcohol) and they’re singing folks songs, banging on tables, having the greatest random Tuesday you’ve ever seen.

The green hills are rolling and filled with livestock, The Cliffs of Moher are breathtaking, (to put it lightly), but if you’re in Ireland and haven’t been to the pubs… you’re not doing it right. From my experience,you’ll walk into a larger-than-expected dark building with grand wooden features. Some pubs are even converted churches with stained glass windows, which is impressive and something that I’d personally never seen. ( I mean, if anyone were going to convert churches to pubs, it would be the Irish). But the best part of these pubs is not the Guinness or the grandeur, it’s the live music. I’m pretty sure every pub I went in had live music at least once a night. I’m talking, big bands, multiple instruments (instruments I’ve never even seen), incredible, live music. I am always a lover of this so to me, Ireland’s musical interludes was something I fell in love with. What was striking was how causal it all seemed. The locals weren’t surprised to see a 10 person band just hanging out at a table simultaneously playing and drinking… but I was !

On my first night in Dublin and Ireland in general, me and a friend I’d just met wandered into the nearest pub, finding it to be packed with people singing, dancing laughing.They were listening to a great cover of one of my favorite songs that reminded me of my time in France the summer before.It was really one of those, ‘ I’m traveling! I’m really doing this!’ moments. It was a feeling I’ll never forget and one that I continue to chase.So put on your dancing shoes, shoot your whiskey back and enjoy witnessing real Irish culture, you won’t have to try too hard.

The best tip I got about Ireland was simple. Go to Galway. I’m passing this advice on to you. Of course you want to go to Dublin, but I’m telling you, go to Galway. You know it’s a good time when you meet three Irish dudes who just came for a fun weekend getaway. It’s not a built up tourist destination it’s real and it’s amazing. To be honest, I’m even having trouble writing this because none of the words I’m coming up with truly capture what an awesome destination Galway is. You’ll just have to go yourself and let me know what you think! Galway is a quaint colorful city on the west side of the country. A perfect location for seeing places like the Cliffs of Moher and Connemara. While I was there I stayed at Galway City Hostel and it was fantastic. The entire time there I felt like I was part of a family. The facilities had everything I needed and as a solo traveler I easily made friends because of the hostel’s social atmosphere. I will a hundred precent be back to Ireland in my lifetime.

Traveling the World 101

Congratulations! You did it… Quit your job, bought the ticket and boarded the plane. Apart from dealing with the inevitable jet lag, you’re thinking, what the hell do I do next? Here is your go to guide about what to do once you’ve landed and are fully doing the stuff you’ve been dreaming about.

Book at least one night of accommodation for when you arrive on new turf.
My reasoning for this is that I just do NOT, what to deal with not having a place to lay my head after god knows, how long of a journey. I’ve read plenty of other advice stating that you can just figure it out. Which I’m sure is true, in at least some parts of the world. But when you’re first starting out, give yourself the peace of mind at least to know you can arrive wherever you are . Plus, I’m not always the type of person okay with winging it. Leave your self some space for spontaneity. But plan enough so that you don’t have to figure out every single detail on a whim- it gets exhausting.
Make a friend – or several
Whether your solo or in a group, you’re going to need to branch out of your comfort zone and mingle a little. You’ll thank yourself later. After all, why travel in the first place if your not open to new people and environments? Most of the best places and things I’ve seen while traveling have a lot to do with the people I met beforehand. I’ll say it again, it is important to try to connect with people when you’re on the road. Not everyone will matter enough to become your next best friend on social media. However, they might have great insight, tips, and horror stories for you to listen to. You better believe I met a ton of people when word got out I had a link to the new Game of Thrones episodes. Or, maybe your new friends are amazing temporary drinking buddies who’ll makes you completely forget that you were lonely that day.
Take a deep breath, and get ready for an adventure- because at this point it’s inevitable.
The first days are the most magical. You will be completely anxious, excited but don’t burn out too fast. The places and things you want to see in the chosen area will be there on your day 2, 3, 4… With each new place you visit, find a happy balance between finding your way around your new environment and checking things off your travel bucket list. What I mean by this is don’t over schedule your trip so much that you can’t grab a beer with your new hostel friends because the tour you scheduled three months prior to your trip is leaving at 6 AM the next morning. Personally, I like to arrive to a destination with a couple things I’d like to do but other than that I like to figure it out as I go. That’s just me.
Take a free walking tour !!
I recommend taking a free walking tour within the first couple days of arriving to a new location.( *Pro Tip: they say free… don’t forget to tip your tour guide!) I absolutely love walking tours not only are they informative, they’re a great way to get a grasp for the culture and history of the area you’ve chosen to travel. Plus, you could make a friend. Most of the tour guides are young people themselves and are an excellent source of information. Hostels sometimes have their own walking tour or could provide you with info about where to meet up with companies who organize tours.
Where to next?
Okay you’ve got a feel for your first location… but you didn’t make this life changing decision to travel the world so that you can stay in the first location you landed, did you? Once you’ve arrived, taken the free walking tours, made a few friends, partied, laughed, thought at least 4 times “is this real life?” you’ll eventually be ready to head on to your next location. Don’t forget to take this post advice with you there too. Traveling should be whatever you want it to be.. so if this approach to your first few days on a new planet was far too loose goosey for you.. then by all means Plan ! Plan! Plan! But getting out of your comfort zone is the first step, once you’ve done that the rest is easy-ish.