What I Do When I Don’t Travel: 20 More Facts About Me

Who am I apart from only a man who likes to journey? What do I do after I’m not on the highway? What are my pursuits? Do I’ve hobbies?

Since I’m greater than only a author and journey fanatic, I needed to share a bit about who I’m and what I do after I’m not on the highway (indulge me for one article).

Whereas I do submit plenty of my day-to-day life on Instagram, here’s a little bit about me and my life!

1. I hate flying. I like airports, lounges, and elite status, however the act of flying makes me sick. I don’t like heights and any turbulence makes me suppose the aircraft is about to crash. I’m not flier and I take Xanax to calm me on most flights. (Ironic contemplating how typically I fly!)

2. I by no means traveled independently till I went to Costa Rica at age 23. My journey experiences up till then had been a sequence of highway journeys with my dad and mom and a drunken weekend in Montréal after I was 19. (I additionally by no means went west of the Mississippi till I used to be 25.)

3. I made a decision to journey long-term after meeting five backpackers in a shared taxi whereas on vacation in Thailand. I used to be so amazed at what they had been doing that the following day I made a decision to give up my job and make long-term journey my purpose. They had been two Australians, a Canadian, and a Belgian couple. They modified the course of my life and don’t know.

4. After I was youthful, I needed to be an archaeologist due to the Indiana Jones motion pictures. I ultimately went to high school to be a highschool historical past trainer and taught for one 12 months, however then the financial system tanked and nobody was hiring historical past lecturers so I obtained a job doing administrative work at a hospital in Boston earlier than I began touring.

5. I’ve had three actually unhealthy incidents on the highway. On my very first journey on my own, I obtained horrible meals poisoning. I used to be hospitalized for 3 days and placed on a morphine drip. Second, I popped an eardrum in Thailand. And, third, I got stabbed in Colombia, which is certainly the worst factor that has ever occurred to me!

6. I’m prepare dinner. I don’t prepare dinner a lot on the highway as a result of I hate how hostel kitchens aren’t absolutely stocked and everybody crowds them on the similar time, however now and again, I wish to prepare dinner an enormous meal for my fellow vacationers. Nonetheless, after I’m residence, I prepare dinner rather a lot and even host dinner events for my pals. Some signature dishes embrace shrimp scampi, this scrumptious tomato/basil/olive salad, stir fry, and baked salmon.

7. I used to be a vegetarian. After studying Quick Meals Nation, I made a decision to surrender meat and was a vegetarian for 4 years. It wasn’t consuming meat I used to be towards, however moderately industrial farming and the chemical compounds/antibiotics within the meat that I didn’t like. I gave up vegetarianism after I began to journey.

8. I believe it’s impolite to show down meals in different cultures. If you happen to go to a village in Mongolia and you might be given meals, it’s insulting to refuse. “Sorry, your conventional and heartfelt cooking doesn’t go along with my dietary wants.” It’s culturally insensitive. However that’s a rant for one more submit.

9. I’m an enormous fan of soul, Motown, blues, and jazz.

10. If I might ever choose what time interval I might reside in, I’d pick 1920s Prohibition America. I believe that may be an thrilling time to reside in. However perhaps I’ve simply learn The Nice Gatsby an excessive amount of.

11. Talking of Gatsby, I discovered to swing dance so I might throw myself a Gatsby-themed birthday celebration. I did it for 3 years in a row. They had been epic birthday events.

12. After journey, politics is my second love. I reside and breathe politics, and it’s the solely information I sustain with whereas touring. I’m at all times prepared to debate and debate the world any time of the day and with anybody, irrespective of how effectively I do know them. (Nonetheless, in the previous couple of years, I’ve turned off listening to the political information each day as a result of it was inflicting me plenty of anxiousness and never use of my psychological power!)

13. People always ask will I be nomadic forever. My reply: I don’t know. Eternally is a very long time. I journey much less now than I used to and I believe I’ll proceed to take fewer journeys however I nonetheless journey rather a lot when in comparison with the common particular person. For now, I’m having fun with the trip and see no motive to hold up my backpack simply but.

14. I’m a Japanophile. I like every part concerning the tradition: the meals, the historical past, the etiquette, the panorama, the structure — all of it. I might eat sushi each day if I might.

15. I’m an unabashed Taylor Swift fan. She has a music for each emotion and, whenever you hearken to her non-pop hits and actually get into her catalog, you see simply how proficient of a songwriter she is. Take heed to The Final Nice American Dynasty. She wrote a complete narrative arc in three minutes. That’s severely good writing. I went to the Eras Tour a number of occasions. I like her.

16. I’m additionally an enormous fan of Sia. Unbelievable songstress and author.

17. I don’t drink espresso. It tastes like shit to me. And I don’t need to put added sugar or milk (or soy milk) in my cup of joe. Drinks ought to be capable to stand on their very own! Nothing goes to vary my opinion on this. I’ve tried for years to accumulate a style for it. It’s simply not going to occur.

18. I drink tea. Plenty of it. Particularly inexperienced tea. That’s my drink of selection! I’m an enormous fan of the model Rishi.

19. My alcoholic drink of selection is an quaint. A number of years in the past, just a few pals turned me onto whiskey and I’ve been obsessed since. I decide a bar by the standard of the previous fashioneds they serve.

20. Someday, I’d wish to discover ways to backyard. I need to develop my very own meals. I like cooking and suppose it’s a logical step.

21. I was a semi-professional poker participant. I funded plenty of my authentic journey with poker winnings and lived in Amsterdam for just a few months enjoying “professionally” on the on line casino within the metropolis.

22. After I was youthful, I labored for the Sierra Membership in Massachusetts. I created a PowerPoint that we took to totally different group organizations to point out that, by being power environment friendly, they might lower your expenses and the atmosphere directly.

23. After I was in highschool, I performed plenty of Magic: The Gathering and gained my state’s championship (my pal got here in second). We gained a visit to NYC to play within the nationwide event there. I misplaced within the first spherical.

24. I don’t eat sweets. Perhaps yearly I’ll have a cookie or brownie however, for essentially the most half, I don’t do desserts or sweets as I don’t like all of the sugar.

25. After I’m working, I’ll typically play one music on repeat over and over. It helps me focus as a result of it finally ends up simply being white noise. As I write this submit, I’ve been listening to Candy Annie by Zac Brown Band on repeat for the final two hours.

26. I don’t have a favourite colour. I’ve two: blue and inexperienced.

27. I used to be one of many spokesmen for Asiana Airways. I did a industrial for them that aired for 2 years on TV. They dubbed out my voice although. It always sounds so weird when I watch it.

28. I love movies. I in all probability watch two or three every week, both within the theater or at residence on Netflix. My pals and I’ve group chats devoted to motion pictures.

29. My favourite liquor? Scotch, particularly peaty Scotch from Islay. (My favourite model is Ardbeg.)

30. I need to discover ways to shoot a gun. Not as a result of I’m a gun nut — I strongly dislike them, need actually strict gun management, and am a daily donor to Everytown for Gun Security — however as a result of I’m a type of loopy “preppers.” I believe the world is just about f*cked, and I’d wish to know methods to shoot a gun to (a) defend myself in case civilization ends and (b) hunt (one other factor I need to discover ways to do) for meals when that occurs or (c) the zombies come. Having a Plan B by no means damage anybody, proper?

To that finish, I’d additionally wish to discover ways to shoot a bow and arrow. I believe that may be actually enjoyable — and helpful.

31. I spend an hour a day studying. I’m an enormous fan of biographies and journey, historical past, and enterprise books. I believe studying and educating your self is without doubt one of the most essential issues you are able to do in your life, and I can’t perceive individuals who don’t learn books. In your typical 12 months, I’ll learn round 50–70 books. You’ll find an inventory of all my favorites here.

32. I’m a morning particular person. I are likely to get up round 7am and do my greatest work earlier than lunchtime. On day, I’ll stand up at 6am.

33. I’ve gotten far more into the health club within the final 12 months. I’m going to the health club six days every week and do pilates sooner or later every week. Going to the health club typically has a constructive knock-on impact too: when you begin going to the health club, you find yourself consuming higher and ingesting much less since you don’t need to wreck your exercises. I’ve gotten into rather a lot higher form the previous couple of months and I plan to proceed that this 12 months.

So there you will have it! Some extra fascinating info about me. Effectively, issues I believe are fascinating at the very least.
 

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