New England Patriots Fans Unite
New England Patriots Fans Unite. I have been a Pats fan since the Grogan days while growing up outside Boston. And some of those days were pretty lean. Of course, the football gods have blessed all Bostonians under the holy trinity of Kraft-Belichick- Brady. And over the years, I have taken my Patriots game on the road. And I mean the international road. I am on a quest to travel to every country in the world (there are 193 of them). When I am traveling I am constantly watching games overseas, and keeping my eyes out for Pats fans. And some of these fans turn up in very unlikely places. Burkina Faso I yelped out to my driver to stop the car. I had spied a Patriots jersey in a sea of people in a small village in the western part of Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in western Africa. I hopped out and approached the man sporting a Tom Brady jersey. And he was not too happy to see me and more than a bit confused. [...]
Arvinder Bahal – 178 countries … and on his way to outer space!
[Download .mp3] Arvi is nearly finished in completing his quest to travel to all 193 countries, and has had some amazing experiences on the way. Arvi only has 15 countries left and is hoping to finish this quest in the next year. During his travels, he has visited both Antarctica and the North Pole. He sailed around Antarctica from New Zealand to Chile, stopping and visiting McMurdo Station via helicopter during his 30 day cruise. He joined a Russian nuclear ice-breaker as it journeyed to the North Pole. Arvi shares with us why he is fond of Macedonia, thinks Paris is overrated, and why Nigeria is not one of his favorites. Arvi tells us about crossing the border from India to Bhutan as he motor-biked in Bhutan in the early 1970s, when tourism did not even exist. And Arvi will most likely be our first guest who travels to outer space. He has placed his deposit with Virgin Galactic and heopes to be traveling to space in 2019. Arvi shares with us what it is like hanging [...]
Two Nights Niger
Two nights Niger. I wasn’t overly excited about my brief trip to Niamey, Niger. I arrived late at night to the Diori Hamani International Airport via a direct flight from Algiers. I passed immigration without any obstacles except for a brief argument with a gentleman who tried to cut the line. As I waited for my luggage, I sweltered watching the lazy carousel. Exiting the dingy airport, I was met by a scrum of gadflies and touts. I spied my driver gripping a sign with my name. I wiggled myself through the crowd and slid into my driver’s car. We weaved through the streets of Niamey, mostly bathed in darkness. Niger is a country of 20 million people yet it is twice the size of California. Niger is a predominantly Muslim country. The average Nigerien makes 98.48% less than the average American. That works out to $434 a year. Landlocked Niger declared independence from France in 1960. It is a dusty and hot place. Niger has been in the news quite a bit (October 2017). Four US [...]
Haircuts Around The World
Haircuts Around World. Twenty dollars! Actually, twenty-four dollars with the tip. (Updated in 2023, now it is about $35!) That is the price for my haircut at the barbershop near my apartment in Chicago. There is no heavy lifting involved; 20 or 25 minutes and I am out the door. I am a bit of a value shopper, maybe even a bit cheap. In fact, I often time my haircuts while I am traveling overseas to save a couple of dollars. As I travel around the world, it is always interesting to note the commonalities and difference in culture, for big things, and others barely noticeable. So, at the end of the day, no matter what country you are in, everyone needs haircuts. And getting a haircut overseas allows you to have a small glimpse into the window of local life. I recall my first international haircut was in Hong Kong after graduating university. The barber aggressively buzzed the back of my head to my delayed protests. There was a language barrier and the barber did [...]
Paraguay – 113th Country
Paraguay – 113th Country. To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries. Paraguay is my 113th country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! I took a three hour flight from Santiago and touched down in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay. Paraguay with seven million citizens is a landlocked country, surrounded by Bolivia, Brazil, and Argentina. Paraguay was the loser in the Paraguayan War from 1864-1870, the bloodiest conflict in South America. Paraguay lost approximately 60-70% of its population and 25% of its territory. Paraguay also holds claim to the longest serving leader of South America, Alfredo Stroessner, who led from 1954 to 1989, until he was toppled in a military coup. I spent three nights in Paraguay, based in the capital of Asuncion. Asuncion is a sleepy, laid back town with a lack of tourists. It is a walkable town, and you are able to visit the sites in a day. I spent another [...]
Three Days Paraguay
Three Days Paraguay. Paraguay might be considered one of the ugly stepsisters of South America, with less than 650,000 tourists visiting this landlocked country. On this southern continent, Paraguay is only more popular than Guyana and Suriname, not household names for tourists. I spent three nights in Asuncion, the sleepy, river-based capital. Asuncion is an acquired taste. There is no landmark beckoning you to witness its magnificence such as the Christ Redeemer soaring above Rio de Janerio or the majestic Machu Picchu ensconced in the Peruvian Andes. I will share with you how I spent my time visiting this country of less than seven million. What To See Plaza Uruguaya Asuncion is a very walkable city, very quiet and easy to navigate. And like many Spanish colonized countries, there are many plazas to stroll around. Feel free to relax, people watch, and check out some of the statues located in this plaza. Estacion Central del Ferrocarril Located on the plaza, it is the former train station and now present-day museum. Don’t worry about fighting off the crowds [...]
