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

Who am I in addition to 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 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 really like airports, lounges, and elite status, however the act of flying makes me sick. I don’t like heights and any turbulence makes me assume the airplane is about to crash. I’m not a very good flier and I take Xanax to calm me on most flights. (Ironic contemplating how usually 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 sequence 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 meeting five backpackers in a shared taxi whereas on vacation in Thailand. I used to be so amazed at what they have been doing that the following day I made a decision to give up my job and make long-term journey my purpose. They have 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 films. I finally went to high school to be a highschool historical past trainer and taught for one yr, however then the economic system tanked and nobody was hiring historical past academics so I received 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 received 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 a very good 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 every so often, I wish to prepare dinner an enormous meal for my fellow vacationers. Nevertheless, once I’m house, I prepare dinner loads and even host dinner events for my buddies. 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 quite 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 believe it’s impolite to show down meals in different cultures. In case 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 along with my dietary wants.” It’s culturally insensitive. However that’s a rant for an additional submit.

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 pick 1920s Prohibition America. I believe that might be an thrilling time to dwell 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 may throw myself a Gatsby-themed birthday 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 effectively I do know them. (Nevertheless, in the previous few years, I’ve turned off listening to the political information every single day as a result of it was inflicting me plenty of nervousness and never a very good use of my psychological power!)

13. People always ask will I be nomadic forever. My reply: I don’t know. Ceaselessly 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 loads 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 really like all the pieces in regards to the tradition: the meals, the historical past, the etiquette, the panorama, the structure — all of it. I’d eat sushi every single day if I may.

15. I’m an unabashed Taylor Swift fan. She has a tune 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 really 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 to 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. Plenty of 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 number of years in the past, a couple of buddies turned me onto whiskey and I’ve been obsessed since. I decide a bar by the standard of the previous fashioneds they serve.

20. Sooner or later, I’d wish to discover ways to backyard. I wish to develop my very own meals. I really like cooking and assume 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 a couple of months taking part in “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 neighborhood organizations to indicate that, by being power environment friendly, they may get monetary savings and the atmosphere directly.

23. After I was in highschool, I performed plenty of Magic: The Gathering and received my state’s championship (my buddy 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. Perhaps yearly 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. After I’m working, I’ll usually play one tune 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 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 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 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 house on Netflix. My buddies and I’ve group chats devoted to films.

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 a daily donor to Everytown for Gun Security — however as a result of I’m a kind of loopy “preppers.” I believe the world is just about f*cked, and I’d wish to know how you can shoot a gun to (a) defend 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 believe 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 believe studying and educating your self is without doubt one of the most vital issues you are able to do in your life, and I can’t perceive individuals who don’t learn books. In your typical yr, I’ll learn round 50–70 books. You could find an inventory of all my favorites here.

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

33. I’ve gotten far more into the gymnasium within the final yr. I’m going to the gymnasium six days every week and do pilates sooner or later every week. Going to the gymnasium usually has a constructive knock-on impact too: when you begin going to the gymnasium, you find yourself consuming higher and ingesting much less since you don’t wish to destroy your exercises. I’ve gotten into loads higher form the previous few months and I plan to proceed that this yr.

So there you’ve gotten it! Some extra fascinating info about me. Nicely, issues I believe are fascinating not less than.
 

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