Category Archives: Travel Thoughts

Why Your Travels Should Incorporate Social Good

Why you should volunteer and give back is a tricky question, because on the surface we all tend to have this notion of helping out others is “good,” but acting on that, and understanding the motivation behind service is harder to pinpoint. I left to travel back in 2008, and at that point I planned to volunteer throughout my travels, but I had no concrete understanding of the specifics—I just knew I needed to integrate service in some way, to connect on a deeper level with each place, and also as a way to show my gratitude for the circumstances of my own life, that allowed me to travel.

wadi feynan

Learning about the local Bedouin culture at an eco-lodge in Wadi Feynan, Jordan

Once you set out on the road and travel, it’s immediately apparent the similarities among cultures—we all have the same basic wants and needs, similar goals for life: education, work with dignity, and freedom to provide for our children. There’s a commonality there that I didn’t understand until I left, and once I found this shared thread among all people and cultures, it deepened for me the understanding that we are all on a shared journey. We are connected by our humanity and in that connection there is a responsibility to take care of one another, and the environment—our shared home.

In the early days of travel, I mostly confined my service activities to volunteering in a handful of places and letting that suffice as my way of giving back—and it was a good way to be sure. But the longer I have traveled, I have realized there are smaller ways to create social good and change at every step through responsible travel and supporting small, local communities through tourism and business.

I realized along the way that giving back is a mindset, not just actions, and it is this mindset that I think has the ability to allow all travelers to have a deeper travel experience and a more profound understanding of their place in the world.

In 2011, I launched Grassroots Volunteering and began writing free responsible travel guides because I wanted to empower travelers to connect more deeply to the people and places they visited. This database lists out social enterprises—small, local businesses with underlying social missions—as well independent, grassroots volunteer opportunities. It’s these travel experiences, where we are incrementally and slowly embodying the change we want to see in the world through our actions, that I believe we have an obligation to support.

So much in my life has been given merely through circumstance of birth. My education was free all the way through until I graduated University, I live in one of the only dozens of countries where being a female does not hamper my ability to live a life on my own terms, and I have access to resources that are beyond those of the majority of the world’s population. Wealth and resource disparities have created significant chasms in the opportunities each person has on this planet, and we each have a duty to find ways to serve others—even the small integration of a service mindset has the ability to catalyze positive change in ourselves, and in the world.

Shannon O'Donnell

A storyteller and knowledge-seeker captivated by the world. Formally an actress and web-nerd, I left in 2008 to travel solo, volunteer, and hunt down delicious vegetarian eats all over the world. She recently published "The Volunteer Traveler’s Handbook, and her travel stories and photography are recorded on her world travel blog, A Little Adrift.

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What is the Most Important Thing Travel has Taught You?

For an interview I recently did, I was asked “What is the Most Important Thing Travel has Taught You?”

My response is as follows…

That we live a very privileged life — and we need to be grateful for that, take advantage of the opportunities presented to us, and leave this world a better place than when we entered it. I have grown to love the quote that I first heard from Will Smith, “If you’re not making someone else’s life better, you’re wasting your time”

What has travel taught you?

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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Life Lessons from My Travels of 2012

[Note from editor: This post was originally published at Annzventures.com]

To say that my 2012 has been incredible is an understatement. 2012 has turned way better than I imagined. The funny thing was that this was the year that I did not set specific goals yet I got a lot of things done. I traveled around ten new countries, started this blog, promoted tourism to my home country on a travel channel, finished my around the world adventure and opened myself to more opportunities.

Personally, I have spent more time with my family and relatives in three different continents and made friendships with the most incredible group of people all over the world. I’m also at my healthiest self and most of all I’m a lot happier than I’ve ever been. It’s been Anna-mazing year experimenting, discovering, learning and flowing through life’s ups and downs. I’m very grateful.

Like many travelers, I have found that each city or country holds a special place because of the places I’ve been to, the people I met and the lessons I learned while traveling. But I narrowed my list to some events in my travels this year where I learned life’s simple but big lessons. I love how simple they really are. I travel because the world has such a special way of  teaching me these lessons.

Here are my top travel experiences:

1.  Making it to Southern Philippines

Camiguin

The first place I visited this year was the islands of Bohol and Camiguin. When there are news about terrorism and dangers in the Philippines, they’re mostly from Mindanao region. Since I was traveling in eastern Visayas, I took the opportunity to hop on a ferry to visit Camiguin Island in Mindanao. I wasn’t surprise to see only four foreigners traveling around this beautiful island with seven active volcanoes, untouched by commercial tourism. I’ll surely be back to climb some of those volcanoes.

Lesson: Media always blow things out of proportion. Don’t be afraid to take risks and trust your own judgment. You might just surprise yourself.

2. An inspirational talk in Bohol, Philippines

Jagna

The night before I gave the talk at my cousins’ school, I was listing excuses why I can’t make it. I doubted myself on what I will be speaking about. Who am I to give a talk to these kids when the school is run by Asian Nobel Prize awardees? My cousins are geniuses and I am… just a traveler. So, I went back to thinking how can I inspire instead and it went very well. Then one girl asked me what my views are with regard to ‘traveling as a waste of money’. I found my answer to be rather my simple philosophy with money: save some and spend some. But when you spend, spend it on things you love~ things or experiences that will not only make you a happy human being but will also enrich your life. One of them is travel.

Even if only that 1 kid out of the 160 kids, is inspired to hold on to her big dreams in life despite difficulties and naysayers, it already made my talk a success.

Lesson: When in doubt, take a leap of faith. Regardless of where you are in life, trust that you and your story are enough to make an impact. Everyone has something valuable to say.

3. Celebrating Songkran festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Songkran Chiang Mai

I’ve already mentioned how Couchsurfing activities changed my travel life during my time in Thailand. If you’re going to Thailand and planning to celebrate the New Year in an entirely different setting, Chiang Mai is the place to be. The Thais know what “how to open the new year with a bang” really means- with water fights. It’s too much fun!

Lesson: Adults should never forget the kid inside them who also needs time for play.

4. Traveling with my Vietnam Crew

Hoi An

I have written about my travels in Vietnam and my dislike for the country. But I admit that I had an incredible time traveling here because of the people I met. We had our share of bus from hell rides, ray bon’s bargaining moments, biking adventures through the crazy rush hour in Hue, celebrating a birthday party at a hostel, and having the yummiest cooking adventures. I will always always have fond memories of Vietnam simply because of my travel buddies.

Lesson: It’s not where you go to but it’s who you share travel experiences with.

5. Stepping foot in Europe

Lucerne

My flying time from Manila to New York is around 18 hours via the Pacific ocean route. Nobody will ever take the longer route via Europe especially if it involves 10 hours of layover time. However, I know people on the stopovers of the only flight I could get back home so I decided to go down to Zurich on my connecting flight even if I wasn’t sure if it will work nor did I prepare for a trip to Europe. The rest was history.

Lesson: Life gives you unexpected twists and turns. Pay attention to the signs and trust that the universe is on your side. Be present and before you’ll know it, you are simply flowing.

6. Reaching Eastern Europe

Budapest2

Coming to Budapest felt unreal. The moment I stepped out of the subway and marvel through the old buildings I had an “OMG, I’m in Eastern Europe” moment. Why I was there at that time, I really don’t know. All I know was that I just said yes to an invitation.

Lesson: It’s not as hard as you think. There are times when you just have to say yes to life and go.

7. Reconnecting with a travel soul sister in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam2

You will meet a lot of people in your travels, but there are very few who will stay true friends. You will just know. That’s how I felt about my connection with my friend Wing. She and I met last year in Bandung, Indonesia then I bumped into her on my last day in Gili Trawangan. I accidentally met her a few months after in Ko Phi Phi,Thailand. Eight months after that, we were biking the streets of Amsterdam. We’re already planning on Africa for next year.

Lesson: There are no accidents. Travel connects you with people you need to meet.

8. Partying with the locals in Gent, Belgium

Gent

I don’t know much about Belgium before I step foot in this country aside from their chocolates. But after spending some time here, all I can say is that Belgian people are one of the most chill and authentic people I have met in my travels. The day I arrived in Gent, I was invited by my friend to a party. Not only was I on to some great European music, I was also with a really fun and intimate company of close friends but never for a second felt foreign in this incredible city.

Lesson: When you approach everything with no expectations but only with an open heart and an open mind, great things simply happen.

9. Finding my sweet spot in Madrid, Spain

Madrid

Anyone who has been to Spain would agree how beautiful and appetizing it is to the traveler’s eyes. I spent almost a month there and reached a point of exhaustion trying to see everything. I don’t even know why I had to cram everything given my little time. So I learned to enjoy wherever I was, which was in Madrid and I had more quality interactions and experiences.

Lesson: Quality triumphs quantity.

10. Having an Eat Pray Love moment in Milan, Italy

Eat Pray Love

Ironically, I first stumbled upon Eat Pray Love the time I ended a five-year relationship. I tried to see if Elizabeth Gilbert and I had something in common but I got bored with the book and didn’t make it to the Eat part. Despite not being a fan, the book haunted me down again while I was at a grocery in Milan and I thought that maybe I do have something in common with her. After all, I made it to Italy. All I know is that we both followed our hearts and took the time to take care of the most important person in our lives, ourselves.

Lesson: The love you have for yourself is the most important quality that you possess. This is why self-love and self-care is essential. You cannot give what you do not have.

11. Celebrating my birthday in Lyon and Montbrison, France

Lyon

This has been the third year in a row that I have celebrated my birthday in a different country in a different continent. Luckily this year, I had two birthday celebrations- one in Lyon and another one in the French countryside where people didn’t speak any English. Despite the language barrier, I had cakes baked for me, shared lovely meals with families and never felt more welcome in my travels. I had the warmest birthday celebration with my French family. I’ve had a good share of hellos and goodbyes but it was only in France that I cried when I said goodbye.

Lesson: There are two types of people, people who pull you down and people who lift you up. If you focus more on seeing the goodness in people despite differences, you will have more of the latter.

12. A mind blowing event in New York City

NYC

One of the best parts about living in the New York area is that most of the people whose works inspire me, either live in New York or hold conferences and book tours here. In 2010, I met a writer whose book brought out the status quo rebel in me. His name is Chris Guillebeau.

This year, after returning from my 16 month trip, I was fortunate to be invited to join a weekend conference held by one of my favorite writers and thinkers, Michael Ellsberg where he interviewed some of the most brilliant people in the planet. I could not put to words the feeling of being and learning in this event.  But I will share with you with one of the most profound learning I had which you can also use for this new year by Bryan Franklin.

He says that there are only 3 beliefs that you need:

  1. Believe that you always make the right decision… even when there is no clear answer.
  2. Believe that the people who know you, love you.
  3. There are 3 categories of things you can attempt in life: 1.Things you cannot do 2.Things you can do and 3. There’s a gray area- things you’re not sure if you can do it. And you CAN do everything in this area. There is a sequential order of way of doing this. The key is in finding the right people to help you with this gray area. Learn from them and do it.

Lesson: There is nothing more powerful than surrounding yourself with the right kind of people. You need people who will help you tackle that gray area so you can progress and create something so beautiful that you will have to share it to the world.

~

This new year, I wish you all things wonderful and exciting. It is also my wish that you’d be able to create adventures that you didn’t get to do in 2012. The beauty of adventure is just like success, it is how you define it. The only person that’s stopping you in fulfilling your dreams is you.

And if your gray area is travel/ solo travel/ budget travel/ <insert excuse for not traveling>, you have to trust me on this one- you CAN do it. So, choose adventure. Choose courage. Courage comes from the heart. Take heart.

You are worth it.

With New Year’s Love,

Anna

Anna Zalazar

Anna is an adventure and nature lover, a student of life and a minimalist world traveling status quo rebel. Blogger at Annzventures.com

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The “Overview Effect”, and Travel

The Bigger Picture

I’d encourage you to watch the “Overview Effect” below — and think about it in a travel context (I’m assuming you are a traveler if you’re reading this blog in the first place)…

As Jodi Ettenberg says,

That you cannot ignore the happenings in other places, or stick your head in the sand, because it’s too late – you’ve stepped away and looked at the planet in a different light. While far less vivid or spectacular than a space trip, travel does tend to push people to think about the forest through the trees and to constantly pin current observations against past experiences. We all do this, naturally. But I think that the more you see, the more you have to compare ‘against’, which then permanently alters your views of the planet and of its people. The ultimate example of this, of course, is seeing it all from above, an orb glowing in the darkness of space.

I believe Jodi is right. As a fellow traveler who has spent significant amounts of time outside the confines of the United States, it’s too late for me to bury my head in the sand regarding the realities of the world we live in. My views have permanently been altered as a result of the people, places, and things I’ve experienced traveling.

What would happen if every single person on the planet were forced to spend a month in Kenya and a month in China (note there is no specific reason behind choosing those two specific countries as examples)? Or if a 3-4 month stint abroad was required to graduate from college? Or if you got kicked out of the country for 2 months when you graduated high school? At a minimum, what if there was a requirement that every person who seeks to hold a public office has to have spent 3 months out of the country?

Those may sound extreme, particularly coming from someone who believes everyone should be free to make their own decisions in life — but unfortunately many people think meddling in other people’s business is their right – which leads to wars, treaties, loans, and contracts in the name of protecting our national best interests (read: oil prices). If people saw what everyday life consists of for half of the world’s population, maybe they’d stop acting out of self interest and work to improve the greater good, with everyone’s input? Maybe people would stop striving for material possessions and instead focus on relationships and enjoying what they already have?

I know I’m on the extreme of anti-consumerism; I freely admit it. I firmly believe friends and real-world experiences make you happy, not physical possessions. For me, travel was the catalyst for that realization.

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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Traveling with No Regrets; Budget versus Experience

[Note from Editor: This was originally posted at Reclaimingmyfuture.com]

Whether you’re a budget backpacker or just on a cheap holiday, money is often in the back of your mind and you wonder whether you can treat yourself to an expensive meal to celebrate a birthday or spend a little more on a specific day out to do something you’ve always wanted. It’s that age-old budget v experience argument.

The big question isn’t:

Should I blow a bit of my budget on an experience?

The big question is:

Isn’t travelling all about experiences?

My philosophy of travel, when it comes to paying out is this:

What if you never get back to that country/place and you’re then full of ‘shoulda, woulda, couldas’?

Whilst money may be tight in the sense that you can’t afford ‘luxury’ accommodation, travelling with next to no money and living off noodles from the supermarket doesn’t allow you to explore other sides of your destination.

If I hadn’t have ‘splashed the cash’ in Thailand (all £1000 of it), I never would have had learnt to dive and gone on the last boat of the season around the Similan Islands to spend my days amongst turtles and Manta Rays, discovering what it feels like to be so happy you cry underwater. I spent a lot of money but the experience and memories I got from it are immeasurable!

Manta Ray!!

Some peoples budget are tighter than others but everyone has that ‘special something’ that they’ve always dreamt of doing. Maybe it’s learning to dive or eating in an expensive restaurant with a view to die for. We all have an ‘achilles heel’ of travelling and most of us have pretty big bucket lists so when you budget for your travels, make sure that you budget enough for any amazing opportunities you know you’re going to come across.

You have to decide what’s important to you on your travels. If there is something that you’ve always wanted to do and it costs a bit more than you’re comfortable with, ask yourself this: Would I be full of regret if I never got back to this place and didn’t do what I had wanted? If the answer is yes then hand over that cash or plastic and have yourself the time of your life!

When I was in Tanzania, I had the opportunity to take a hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti at dawn. It cost me $500 (way over-priced considering how cheaply you can get them in other countries) and I wasn’t overwhelmed with it after but at LEAST I DID IT. I would have been FULL of regret if the other people in our group had come back and said what a magical trip they’d had and I hadn’t taken the opportunity that was right there in front of me. I spent over £1000 that I didn’t NEED to in Africa but I spent it all on FUN things and I don’t regret a single one of them for a minute because they added to the experience of a lifetime and I have brought back so many amazing memories because of them!

Don’t get me wrong, you shouldn’t get yourself in debt. I had a loose budget for my African adventure because I knew I was coming back to fully paid employment and would be able to pay off any credit card debts quickly but even then, you have to weigh it all up. Is your activity worth a couple of months of living cheaply? Can you afford ‘luxury’ accommodation? Or would you regret it the moment you had paid for it?

If the answer is yes it’s worth it and you won’t regret it then open your wallet because despite the experience costing the money, the memories you will have will far outweigh what you ever paid for it!

 

What experiences have you splashed your cash on that made you happy you opened your wallet?

Toni White

Love to write, love to talk &infected with wanderlust! Let's get talking about adventure & inspiration

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Why Do You go Away?

Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.

— Terry Pratchett

I love this quote. In my mind, you can’t truly appreciate a place without having a broad set of places to compare it to.

Why do you go away?

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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The Traveler’s Curse. Can You Relate?

Holy cow do I agree with this. I honestly couldn’t have said it better myself…

From Ben Cole’s blog

An old vagabond in his 60s told me about it over a beer in Central America, goes something like this: The more places you see, the more things you see that appeal to you, but no one place has them all. In fact, each place has a smaller and smaller percentage of the things you love, the more things you see. It drives you, even subconsciously, to keep looking, for aC place not that’s perfect (we all know there’s no Shangri-La), but just for a place that’s “just right for you.” But the curse is that the odds of finding “just right” get smaller, not larger, the more you experience. So you keep looking even more, but it always gets worse the more you see. This is Part A of the Curse.

 

Part B is relationships. The more you travel, the more numerous and profoundly varied the relationships you will have. But the more people you meet, the more diffused your time is with any of them. Since all these people can’t travel with you, it becomes more and more difficult to cultivate long term relationships the more you travel. Yet you keep traveling, and keep meeting amazing people, so it feels fulfilling, but eventually, you miss them all, and many have all but forgotten who you are. And then you make up for it by staying put somewhere long enough to develop roots and cultivate stronger relationships, but these people will never know what you know or see what you’ve seen, and you will always feel a tinge of loneliness, and you will want to tell your stories just a little bit more than they will want to hear them. The reason this is part of the Curse is that it gets worse the more you travel, yet travel seems to be a cure for a while.

 

None of this is to suggest that one should ever reduce travel. It’s just a warning to young Travelers, to expect, as part of the price, a rich life tinged with a bit of sadness and loneliness, and angst that’s like the same nostalgia everyone feels for special parts of their past, except multiplied by a thousand.

Can you relate?

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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Want to Know What’s Happening in the World?

I haven’t really watched or read mainstream news for quite awhile; probably 3-4 years. The negativity of the mainstream news beats me down, and I’d rather look elsewhere for more positive and motivational news to consume. I’m clearly not alone – Joel Gascoigne doesn’t either (and a number of the commenters on that post).

Mainstream news doesn’t paint an accurate picture of what’s happening in the world. Want to know what’s actually happening? Joel answers it best:

If you want to see what is going on in the world then go traveling and find out for yourself.

Photo credit: Jon S

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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For the Love of Money

[Note from editor: This post was originally posted on The Table Less Travelled]

Ironically, as I was on the subject of “money can’t buy happiness” last week, I happened to read the next chapter of my book “The Happiness Project” whose topic was Buy Some Happiness. The author, Gretchen Rubin, is on a yearlong quest to find what makes her happier and she says, “Money satisfies basic material needs. It’s a means and an end. It’s a way to keep score, win security, exercise generosity, and earn recognition…It buys time – which can be spent on aimless drifting or purposeful action. It often stands for the things that we feel are lacking: if only we had the money, we’d be adventurous or thin or cultured or respected or generous.”

I agree with her that money alone can’t buy happiness, but it can help buy happiness. The author says “Money, spent wisely, can support happiness goals of strengthening relationships, promoting health…having fun.” To me, money does indeed buy things that make me happier – a gift that I can send to a friend for their birthday, a plane ticket home to spend time with my family, covering transportation costs of extensive travel, buying food that gives me so much joy and pleasure.

The author also mentions that, “When money or health is a problem, you think of little else; when it’s not a problem, you don’t think much about it. Both money and health contribute to happiness mostly in the negative; the lack of them brings much more unhappiness than possessing them brings happiness.” Preach! Whenever I feel like I have a sufficient amount of Benjamins stashed away I feel free, more giving, more open to opportunities or adventures that arise, and generally less worried. When my bank account starts depleting and I see more withdrawals than deposits, I feel anxiety, uncertainty, risk-averse, and quite frankly more like a hermit.

I’m thankful that I was raised in a family where I was taught the value of a dollar, and taught about hard work and dedication. But as I’ve aged (just a bit), it’s been harder for me to manage the balance between working and playing. Yesterday, as I lied on the beach soaking up a “play now” break, I was reminded of the beauty of working hard to achieve your goals. And the satisfaction and happiness that comes from knowing how much effort you’ve put in to receive something you truly cherish.

Enjoying the Tel Aviv beaches

A young boy (maybe 9 years old), approached us on the beach with a backpack slung over his arms, resting on his stomach. Beads of sweat trickled down from under his bucket hat as he asked my boyfriend if we’d like to buy some lemonade from him. As I dug around for the equivalent of 75 cents for a small cup of lemonade, the boy shared with my boyfriend that he’s saving up money to go to Brazil for his Bar Mitzvah. My heart melted and I wanted to buy the whole thermos. He trotted off looking for his next prospective customers, targeting the women in the area – smart kid.

As he walked away, marching in the heavy sand under the hot Israeli summer sun, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of happiness. If this was my son, I would be so proud of his efforts, dedication, and hard work. I’m sure by the time he’s 13 he’ll have enough money for that trip to Brazil – and can you imagine how proud and happy he will be?

Cutest kid ever

This young boy was a needed inspiration for me to remember that creativity and hard work can launch you towards achieving your goals a lot quicker than sitting around and thinking about them. It’s very few and far between that somebody stumbles upon the luck to become wealthy, successful or accomplished without shedding some blood, sweat and tears.

Today is a reminder for you that not all things come easily, and not all things should come easily. Buckle down, go to work, and focus on accomplishing your goals. Don’t let the fear of hard work stand in the way of your achievements.

Annie Cheng

At the close of 2010, I quit my job in Seattle and struck out on a 5 month, 10 country adventure - I went, I ate, I conquered. And then...unexpectedly...I fell in (gulp) love. With somebody who was far from home. After packing up again, I've moved to Tel Aviv, Israel for a different kind of adventure. More eating, less pork, and many more stories to share...

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Burning Man, and Life Taking You Crazy Places

I’ll be honest. I’ve been wanting to go to Burning Man for about 5 years now. But I’ve never made it a priority to actually attend.

Until now.

Most of the entrepreneurs at Startup Abroad are from San Francisco. So naturally Burning Man has been a topic of discussion since it starts this week and many of their friends are attending. One entrepreneur in the crew, Scott Mcleod (who happens to have grown up in the same city as me), is flying back to San Francisco on the 28th, and leaving for Burning Man the morning of the 29th.

We spent a ton of time talking the other night, and of course one of the topics we discussed was his expectations for his first Burning Man experience.

Over the course of the past few days, I put a few feelers out to people I know in San Francisco, a really good friend from Seattle who has gone the last two years & is attending again this year, and asked the burners in the Startup Abroad crew a bunch of questions — and a few days later, I’m going to Burning Man for the first time.

I literally just wrote about the thrill of buying plane tickets a few days ago. Little did I know, a mere 3 days later, I would end up taking the plunge on a new life path and buying a one-way ticket across the Pacific (I just did the exact same thing in April) for my next epic adventure.

This time around, it cost me $921 to cross the Pacific.

You only live once.

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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