005-Traveling Around the World

Episode #5 (30 mins) One Girl, Her Backpack and a Passion for Travel

I'm talking about how I got started traveling and where it has taken me over the past three years. I'm discussing a little about how I got started working on yachts and answering some listener's questions.

Travel music for your iPod

As long as I have been traveling I've taken music along with me. When we would go on roadtrips when I was young my parents played Kenny Rogers and Willie Nelson. I still think of those trips when I hear The Gambler. While I still love Kenny and Willie, I've progressed a little in my musical tastes. The first time I traveled in Europe I listened to a lot of David Gray, Fuel, U2 and Daft Punk. In Barcelona, I listened to John Mayer everyday on the train into the city. To keep awake when I was standing watch while yachting, I listened to Green Day. The music I chose depends on my mood, but here's a sample of some songs I like to listen to when I'm traveling.

Pimpin All Over the World- Ludacris
Good Riddance Time of Your Life- Green Day
A Brokedown Melody -Jack Johnson
One Road to Freedom- Ben Harper
3x5- John Mayer
Wide Open Space- Dixie Chicks
Learning to Fly- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Wheels- Cake
Move Along- The All-American Rejects
All These Things I Have Done- The Killers
The Middle-Jimmy Eat World
Pump It-Black Eyed Peas
Breakaway- Kelly Clarkson
What You Waiting For- Gwen Stefani
God Is a DJ-Pink
Something More- Sugarland
When You Come Back Down-Nickel Creek
Somewhere Over the Rainbow-Isreal Kamakawiwo’ole
Tu Vuo Fa L‘Americano-Renato Carosone
Babylon-David Gray
G.E.A.-Xavier Rudd
Turn-Travis
The Fallen-Franz Ferdinand

Another Amazing Girl Traveling the World

I just read a really inspiring article entitled, "How To Sail Around The World and Surf" about 26 year old Liz Clark in National Geographic Adventure. The article mentions her blog Swell Voyage where she has documented her adventure over the last 5 months. Liz writes

The voyage of Swell is a return to the essence of surf exploration. It is the pure enjoyment of elemental pleasures and absolute indulgence in the enlightenment of travel. It is a journey to promote respect for our natural environment, especially the ocean, to appreciate cultural differences, to challenge myself, and to inspire others to face their fears and live out their dreams.

The article is in the print magazine of National Geographic Adventure along with 10 other inspiring people living their dream adventure. If you can't do it on your own for whatever reason, check their stories out and live vicariously.

West Texas Turtle

This turtle was thinking pretty hard about crossing the road. I tried to convince him not to. I waited to see if he had made up his mind but it was taking way too long, so I just decided to leave him. My life has been reduced to talking to turtles on the side of the road.

Baz Buz, South Africa

While in South Africa, just about every backpacker that I met along the way was traveling by Baz Bus. All you need is a one way ticket to some specific destination (say you're going from Cape Town to Johannesburg). With that ticket you can take the bus and hope on and off wherever you want along that route. I haven't found any other form of transportation anywhere as perfect for backpackers and independent travelers like Baz Bus. You'll meet plenty of friends along the way and have the trip of a lifetime.

Travel Tips

I was thinking today about what I've learned while traveling. Below is a list of things to keep in mind when traveling.

General Travel Tips:

•Make two sets of color copies of your passport, airline tickets, and the front and back sides of your credit cards. Leave one copy with a friend or family member and keep one copy separate from your actual passport and documents. If anything is lost or stolen, you will have the numbers to cancel your credit cards and proof of your airline tickets.

•In our technology-based day in age, you can also scan in the above documents and email them to yourself (as long as you use a web-based email account). You will then be able to access then without using a phone!

•If your passport is stolen or lost, immediately report it to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. They can assist you in getting a new one. It is also recommended to carry extra passport-sized photos of yourself to expedite the process.

•Be sure to take advantage of airline frequent flier clubs. Not only can you earn free trips but you also are less likely to get bumped from a flight if you are a member of the airline’s club.

•If you are going to be traveling for a decent amount of time and plan on making calls home regularly, consider renting a cell phone. You can have the freedom to make local calls and some plans even allow free incoming calls.

•If you have a detailed itinerary, let friends and family know where you are going to be at all times. You know where you are, but they don’t and that can be stressful.

•If you trust the hotel you are staying at, keep your valuable in the safe in the front office.

•Never put your luggage or any other valuables in the trunk of your car, especially if it is a rental car. Sometimes car rental companies actually burglarize their own cars making more money off what they steal and the insurance to cover the damages, than actually renting the car to you.

•If you are flying in or to notoriously corrupt country, ask the airline you are flying with to wrap your luggage in plastic wrap. No one is getting into your luggage to steal anything without a lot of hassle.

004-I'm living out of my car now!

Podcast #4

Podcast #4

Lost on the Tokyo Subway (again)

I know I have this posted, but here it is again.

Lost on the Tokyo Subway

Atlanta and the Georgia Aquarium

Last weekend, I had the chance to visit my best friend, Rose, in Atlanta. I absolutely love this city and wish I could have stayed there longer than just a few days. To me it seems like a young professional's dream city. Plenty of trendy bars, places to shop and lots of newly built condos-and of course IKEA!

Rose has a membership to the newly opened Georgia Aquarium and I've been dying to check it out. So we went on a Saturday afternoon to the world's largest aquarium which is not really the best time to go if you can't stand crowds or kids. I don't care and I didn't really have a choice anyway. The layout was fantastic with different exhibits across the building. I loved the beluga whale tank, but was a little disappointed with the way too small South African penguin area. In my opinion, you can never have enough penguins!


The main attraction is the Ocean Voyager. An acrylic tunnel leads you through the 6 million gallons of saltwater like you're walking on the bottom of the ocean floor. At the end you'll come to the gallery with the second largest viewing window in the world at 23 ft. tall by 61 ft. wide and 2 ft. thick. The aquarium houses four whale sharks about 15 ft long. They are the largest species on earth and can grow to as much 40 ft.

I have to say the aquarium was astonishing. I've seen many, altough the Sydney Aquarium is still my favorite. However, if you're in Atlanta, you must go.