20 Best Photos 2017
20 Best Photos 2017. The year is not quite over, but my international travels are until the end of the year. And, I did tell a white lie, there are more than 20 photos in this post. Also, I have highlighted some items from Amazon with some images of cool travel products. If you click on any of those items and then shop at Amazon I will earn a fee (at no cost to you). Algeria I spent a fabulous two week exploring Algeria, a new country for me. It is an undiscovered gem. Bhutan I went back for my second visit to this unique and amazing country. Isolated with less than 700,000 people, it is a must-visit. Bolivia On my list to visit for quite some time, I finally made my first visit in 2017 to Bolivia. Highlights included Salar de Uyuni, La Paz, and Lake Titicaca. Burkina Faso Another new country, I visited Burkina Faso in a hot and sunny May. Highlights included the painted village in the south, Tiebele. Chile Federated States of Micronesia [...]
Pongtharin Tanthasindhu – 113 countries … and travelling on a Thai passport
[Download .mp3] Pongtharin Tanthasindhu - 113 countries ... and travelling on a Thai passport Pong, 28 years old, has traveled to 113 countries is hoping to complete his goal before he turns 35. Pong has travel in his blood. He started traveling to nearby Asian countries and Europe with his parents as a kid. Pong spent a year as a thirteen year old in Bangalore, India learning English at a strict boarding school. He continued his schooling in Canada as he went to high school and university. Instead of heading back to Thailand on summer break he ended up visiting his classmate in the middle of Russia in the Urals for two months, living like a local. During university, he took a year off, and began a backpacking trip to the Middle East which included Syria. Owning his own business has allowed Pong a lot of flexibility in his travels. Pong shares with us why he loves South Africa and why he is not fond of the Gulf States. He takes us to current conflict zones likes [...]
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 [...]
