Blogs

A Colombian Passport to Asia

We all know that Colombian fame around the world is not the best. Our terrorist history has left scars in our lands, our past, our present, in the perception others have about us, and the relations we have with another countries. Due to this, even though we are proud of who we are, it is no wonder that traveling with a Colombian pasaporte is not easy. The procedure and paperwork required to obtain a visa is generally a headache and forces us to plan the trip with a lot of anticipation, leaving little room for flexibility in case we need to change plans.

Me Gusta Kuala Lumpur

When we left India, we arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where we felt in paradise by comparison. Kuala Lumpur is clean, the people are civilized, extreme poverty is not everywhere, transportation is efficient, food is prepared in a hygienic way, the lodging is more comfortable for the same money (or less)...and basically, Kuala Lumpur offers all the amenities you need to feel pleasant.

Starting in India: Food

I love India food. The flavors, the spices, the smells. Nann bread, lamb masala, tandoori chicken. I have rarely ever been disappointed by an Indian meal. India was about to change that...

Starting in India: Transportation

This isn't Europe. We didn't expect it to be, but we also didn't expect it to be...so degraded.

Starting in India: Lodging

When traveling to areas of the globe at the bottom echelons of tourism civilization, the hotel prices increase exponentially while quality decreases in tandem. The Lonely Planet normally breaks down hotels by Budget, Midrange, and Top End. There ought to be a "Shithole" category for India. In no other travel guide have I read about any city's lodging so many terrible things. Originally (and still primarily) a tool for "backpackers", the editors of the Lonely Planet usually have decent things to say about the budget accommodations. Not true for New Delhi.

Starting in India: Introduction

Starting the third and final continent of the journey in India was probably not my best idea ever. Andrea and I traveled South America together, her native language mas o menos. We traveled Europe together, a sophisticated place of old and new first world. And then, we decided to travel Asia together...

Home

I realize the blog is several months late, but better late than never.For those unaware, I departed Roads Unknown this past November and returned home to the States to begin college. I will be documenting that..."experience" in a new blog. But for my Roads farewell blog, I'd like to summerize a few thoughts I wrote down, shortly after returning home, after fifteen continuous months on the road.

Then and Now

If you'd asked anyone 26 months ago where I would be today, Colombia it would not be. If you had asked me 2 years and 2 months ago where I would be today, Asia, would be the best guess. In October 2008, I would not be able to tell you much about where I was going to be, who I had become, what I was going to do next. But, I would be able to tell you to not be surprised, anything really could happen, right?

Nine down, Ninety-one to go

Earlier today, I came across an article on the Matador travel blog titled 100 Things to Experience Before You Die. Just for kicks, I decided to tally up how many I've done so far. I think I'm off to a decent start, but there's a great deal left I still wish to do:

Durban

I can’t begin to describe the impact staying in Durban, South Africa has had on me and my trip. My month there is undoubtedly a major highlight of the trip overall. The countless people I met and friends I made, the seemingly non-stop insanity and the quiet days, the deep discussions and the silly inebriated conversations, all reminded me on a daily basis “This why I travel”.