Roads Unknown | Living Around the World

Blogs

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”.

The Mozambican Visa Expedition: Part 2

Visa in hand, all that remained was to buy my bus tickets. It was far less painful and time consuming. I was good to go, bus for that night, now to try and get a minibus taxi home. I was unable to find the taxis to my neighborhood. Again, three people (two of them taxi drivers) send me to the wrong place. Apparently there is a South African law against admitting you don’t know where a place is.

The Mozambican Visa Expedition: Part 1

Probably the most difficult (logistically) trip I have ever had to arrange was a seemingly simple one: to get from Durban, South Africa to Maputo, Mozambique. LP says there’s a direct bus. Nice, considering I didn’t want to go through Joburg.

A Special Report on ZA: Part 3

Experiences. The acquisition of, good and bad, are what this adventure, as are most, is ultimately about. With experience you have the opportunity to gain knowledge, insight, wisdom into the lives of others as well as yourself. South Africa came with more than expected. Different than expected. Better than expected. Experiences.

A Special Report on ZA: Part 2

Brazil v. Portugal was up next and with almost week out on the farm without television, we were feeling left out of the World Cup madness. Little did we know when we set out at 4 in the morning, sleeping in the back of the "bucky" on a mattress for an 8 hour journey across the country, what type of madness we would be encountering.

A Special Report on ZA: Part 1

Africa is lost in many respects to the world. For many, literally they get lost looking for it on a map. For others, its a continent doomed to demise. For few, its the next new thing. I couldn't even begin to write an deserving blog of Africa, specifically South Africa, our home for nearly the past 2 months. While we have traveled very little in terms of places, we've experienced much more in terms of culture: life, death, happiness, sadness, hope, fear.

I Returned

I boarded a plane with an expected 20 combined hours of flight travel. I spent 8 hours in airports, 6 in the Johannesburg bus station fearing for my pockets, 12 in a train to the Mozambique border, 4 in taxis waiting to leave, cross, and arrive in Maputo. I spent the next 3 walking lost around a new city, a new country.

An American in Lima

Contrary to common practices, this past weekend turned into an culinary exploration of America in Lima, Peru. Culinary is absolutely the wrong word, but I do like the more distinguished sound of it.

Free Weed!

We’ve been in Cusco a little over a week now. The greatest annoyance (and it is very annoying) is the countless women offering cheap massages, shady dudes offering drugs, and restaurant owners shoving their menus in your face. The level of hassle here greatly surpasses that of any other touristy town I’ve been in.

This is Bogotá

For the past 6 months I experienced the joys and nots of living in Bogotá. A tribute to what this trip has become, Bogotá was an expected series of changes, coincidences: life.