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 once 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 once I’m not on the highway (indulge me for one article).

Whereas I do put up 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 standing, however the act of flying makes me sick. I don’t like heights and any turbulence makes me assume the aircraft is about to crash. I’m not a very good 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 have been a collection of highway journeys with my dad and mom and a drunken weekend in Montréal once 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 assembly 5 backpackers in a shared taxi whereas on trip in Thailand. I used to be so amazed at what they have been doing that the subsequent day I made a decision to give up my job and make long-term journey my objective. They have been two Australians, a Canadian, and a Belgian couple. They modified the course of my life and don’t know.

4. Once 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 yr, 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 obtained stabbed in Colombia, which is unquestionably the worst factor that has ever occurred to me!

6. I’m a very good cook dinner. I don’t cook 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 every now and then, I wish to cook dinner a large meal for my fellow vacationers. Nonetheless, once I’m dwelling, I cook dinner rather a lot and even host dinner events for my mates. Some signature dishes embody shrimp scampi, this scrumptious tomato/basil/olive salad, stir fry, and baked salmon.

7. I was 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 somewhat industrial farming and the chemical compounds/antibiotics within the meat that I didn’t like. I gave up vegetarianism once I began to journey.

8. I feel it’s impolite to show down meals in different cultures. Should you 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 together with my dietary wants.” It’s culturally insensitive. However that’s a rant for an additional put up.

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

10. If I may ever decide what time interval I may dwell in, I’d decide Nineteen Twenties Prohibition America. I feel that might be an thrilling time to dwell in. However possibly I’ve simply learn The Nice Gatsby an excessive amount of.

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

12. After journey, politics is my second love. I dwell 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, regardless of how nicely I do know them. (Nonetheless, in the previous couple of years, I’ve turned off listening to the political information on daily basis as a result of it was inflicting me plenty of anxiousness and never a very good use of my psychological power!)

13. Folks at all times ask will I be nomadic eternally. My reply: I don’t know. Perpetually is a very long time. I journey much less now than I used to and I feel I’ll proceed to take fewer journeys however I nonetheless journey rather a lot when in comparison with the typical individual. For now, I’m having fun with the journey and see no cause to hold up my backpack simply but.

14. I’m a Japanophile. I like the whole lot concerning the tradition: the meals, the historical past, the etiquette, the panorama, the structure — all of it. I might eat sushi on daily basis if I may.

15. I’m an unabashed Taylor Swift fan. She has a music for each emotion and, if 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 whole narrative arc in three minutes. That’s significantly good writing. I went to the Eras Tour a number of occasions. I like her.

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

17. I don’t drink espresso. It tastes like shit to me. And I don’t wish to put added sugar or milk (or soy milk) in my cup of joe. Drinks ought to be capable of stand on their very own! Nothing goes to alter 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. Numerous it. Particularly inexperienced tea. That’s my drink of alternative! I’m a giant fan of the model Rishi.

19. My alcoholic drink of alternative is an quaint. A couple of years in the past, a couple of mates turned me onto whiskey and I’ve been obsessed since. I choose a bar by the standard of the previous fashioneds they serve.

20. In the future, I’d wish to discover ways to backyard. I wish to develop my very own meals. I like cooking and assume it’s a logical step.

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

22. Once I was youthful, I labored for the Sierra Membership in Massachusetts. I created a PowerPoint that we took to totally different group organizations to indicate that, by being power environment friendly, they may lower your expenses and the setting without delay.

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

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

25. Once I’m working, I’ll typically play one music on repeat again and again. It helps me focus as a result of it finally ends up simply being white noise. As I write this put up, 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 coloration. 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 at all times sounds so bizarre once I watch it.

28. I like motion pictures. I in all probability watch two or three every week, both within the theater or at dwelling on Netflix. My mates 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 wish 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 an everyday donor to Everytown for Gun Security — however as a result of I’m a type of loopy “preppers.” I feel the world is just about f*cked, and I’d wish to know how one can shoot a gun to (a) shield myself in case civilization ends and (b) hunt (one other factor I wish to discover ways to do) for meals when that occurs or (c) the zombies come. Having a Plan B by no means harm anybody, proper?

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

31. I spend an hour a day studying. I’m a giant fan of biographies and journey, historical past, and enterprise books. I feel studying and educating your self is among the most necessary issues you are able to do in your life, and I can not perceive individuals who don’t learn books. In your typical yr, I’ll learn round 50–70 books. You could find a listing of all my favorites right here.

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

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

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So there you’ve gotten it! Some extra fascinating information about me. Properly, issues I feel are fascinating at the least.