Owner: This World Traveler URL:www.thisworldtraveler.com Join Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 11:40:50 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: The adventures of reasonably young man lost in life and found in travel. Memories, photos, tips, travelogs, the whole bit. Site statistics:Click here
Be a Frequent Flyer without Flying Anywhere!
Free... 2007-05-09 01:25:00 Be a Frequent Flyer
without FlyingAnywhere
!Free flights! The siren song of the internet these days for me. I'm always looking for a reason to get away and sneak off somewhere... be it to hang out with a good friend far away, or just to explore someplace that's new to me. There are plenty of ways to do that on the cheap these days - believe it or not, the price of flight has stayed relatively stable in the last 20 years, despite fuel costs that have tripled! There are the low cost carriers like Southwest, JetBlue and Frontier which can get you pretty far on $100 dollars, the incoming Ultra Low Cost class of airlines - like SkyBus and Spirit where penny airfare sales are common and tickets are available regularly for ten dollars or less!But that's still not cheap enough for my skinflint heart. I want it for nothing, dammit! So frequent flier miles seem to be the best option. Flying not actually necessary. Seriously.For example, Delta, is the airline I collect miles on. I'm saving up
Picture of the Week: Reykjavik, Iceland
This pi... 2007-05-08 06:46:00 Picture of the Week: Reykjavik
, Iceland
This picture was taken at NASA in Reykjavik Iceland on November 18, 2006. DP One was spinning at the biggest club in Iceland. Turned out he didn't even know it was happening on the way there. Neither did we til we saw posters for the event plastered across the city. NASA is one of the biggest clubs in Iceland. The turnout was small, but the dancing... who knew they had B-Boys in Iceland? Read more:Picture
Flashback: June 2003. The Start of Something Big
... 2007-05-08 02:06:00 Flashback: June 2003. The Start
of Something BigThe date was June 4 and I was in South Bend. Sitting in John's VW, eating double cheeseburgers just before I was to start my new ambition of coasting across the world and living hand to mouth on odd jobs and the charity of friends and well wishers. Being as cheap as possible, I found myself flying out of New York and taking a 24 hour train across the midwest and northeast of the country to get there. Standing at that rundown station, in a not so nice part of the down at heel city - there were lots of feelings running through me. Feelings I wasn't ready to accept yet. It was the end of a lot of things - a difficult relationship with John, the boyfriend of 3+ years that I was about to leave for this dream, a very poor professional situation that was on its way to bankrupting me, a general feeling of malaise and being in a rut, and a feeling of comfortability.It was the start of a lot of things too. My new career of travel was definitely o
I guess today would be the second part of my reint... 2007-05-05 23:01:00 I guess today would be the second part of my reintroduction. An explanation, if you will, of what I plan to do with this blog and where I plan to take it. Since my life is in flux, I'm not 100% sure. But if little changes in my life over the next few months - I do plan the following.In 2008, I am currently planning to take a three month hiatus from the working world to travel parts of the globe that I have yet to see. In order for this to work, I need the following - 10K in the bank, a manageable debt load, and a good idea of what I'm going to do and where I'm going to go. My goal is pretty clear cut, and its going to be a lofty one to acheive. I need to save another 5K and cut about the same from my debt load in the next year. If that can happen by March, all things go!My trip will be more about people and experiences than places and things. I want to focus my trip on South America, Asia and potentially Australia. If I only visit one of these continents, I'm alright with that - as
Every few years, my life gets difficult. Uncomfort... 2007-05-05 00:18:00 Every few years, my life gets difficult. Uncomfortably comfortable. Stuck in a bit of a rut. I find myself needing something to shake myself out of it. The last time I felt this way, I tried to travel til the money ran out. It lasted about four months or so, considering the $3000 budget, it was a pretty long stretch.I'm feeling the call of the road again, but this time I am a bit more conflicted. I think that travel isn't a cure to my problems. Four years ago, I thought it was. I know that I need a change of life, and it could take a number of forms. I could grow deeper roots here in New Jersey. I could pick up and join the peace corps and spend two years in small town Eastern Europe or Central Africa. I've also thought about a three month leave of absence to explore the world a bit more.Whatever ends up happening, travel will be a big part of my plans. Not to see things and sights but meet people and build relationships. I'm restarting this blog because I'm motivated to create my
Back Home
So I made it back home this week, aft... 2003-09-20 20:47:00 Back Home
So I made it back home this week, after a long day through Airports on Wednesday. The Copenhagen airport is very nice, fairly comfortable but quite boring if your flight gets delayed. And mine was, about three hours. However, the folks at SAS do believe in service, and gave everyone on the full flight a voucher for a meal and something to drink while we waited. I looked for a bar with a tv, I didn't find one. After a few hours of waiting, I got on board the plane after some extra security. Yes, I was randomly selected. Turns out the plane was struck by lightning on the way to Copenhagen which is why it was delayed. However the flight was smooth, and the entertainment was quite nice. SAS has seat back screens for all classes on intercontinental flights which means that you can choose between 12 movies, 15 channels or just watch the flight from the cockpit camera. It was a great flight and a great trip. Only a shame that I couldn't have stayed longer.
I'll have more report
AmsterDAMN!
The last few days have been crazy. Ov... 2003-09-14 12:42:00 AmsterDAMN!
The last few days have been crazy. Overnight train to Paris from Hamburg, where I meet my uncle and pick up my stuff and then back to Paris to take the train to Amsterdam.... been accosted by bums, hookers, pimps... and that was just in the Train station. I found a place for the night at the Cosmos hostel and will be visiting the Torture Museum and maybe a couple other places. Visited the coffeeshops too, but thats another story.
The last Hamburg report
Hanging out in Hamburg,... 2003-09-12 19:41:00 The last HamburgreportHanging
out in Hamburg, at my family's house. Been here for the last two nights and am about to take a night train to Paris to pick up my laptop before heading back to Copenhagen (one of my favorite discoveries) and wait out the last two days til I fly home. After that, I have to find a job, and quick or I'll be stuck at the parents' house for quite some time. Any ideas?
Missive from Helsinki
Funny how things work. You ... 2003-09-08 13:24:00 Missive from HelsinkiFunny
how things
work. You don't wanna come home for so long, and then you look at the bank account and September 17 can't come quite soon enough. I booked passage home from Copenhagen next week, and although I'd love to stay longer - the pocketbook wont allow it.
It's been beautiful and warm for Helsinki. Yesterday, after dropping off my gear at the Olympic Stadium Hostel (actually in the stadium), I hopped around the city, checking out the Fish Market which sells anything but fish and around the peninsula, eyeing the Gulf of Finland and relaxing on some rocks by the beach. I'm here for one more day it turns out, tomorrow afternoon I catch the train to Hankö and then a boat to Rostock, Germany. 22 hours on the Baltic. Should be fun....
Dispatch from Haparanda
Thats in Sweden you know.... 2003-09-04 17:54:00 Dispatch from Haparanda
Thats in Sweden
you know. Im here for a night, before crossing over to Finland, the tenth and probably final country on this trip tomorrow. Today was a travel day, and by day I mean 19 hours... It started last night with a train trip from Stockholm C to Luleå C, on the Connex rail line. There are several different rail companies in Sweden, sort of like the US pre Amtrak. It also means that the trains are rather slow, and quite old and outmoded. I don't figure that this train went any faster than the usual Amtrak ride. Luleå is the closest to Finland you can get on the train... to get to the Haparanda/Tornio border with Finland, you have to take a bus... it takes about two hours, and was quite crowded. I got into town at about three, and fortunately, small town Sweden is rather compact... only five minutes to get me to the Youth Hostel, which was full. However, I did find a boarding house nearby where I have my own room with TV for less than a dorm bed at the Read more:Dispatch
Copenhagen in review
So I ended up not staying ... 2003-09-02 10:26:00 Copenhagen in review
So I ended up not staying at the Hotel Jorgensen. I'm sure its a quite pleasant place to stay but right in front of the building, there was a sign on a lamppost advertising a hostel for only 95 Kroner a night, 35% cheaper than Jorgensen and with breakfast. It was a bit of a hike to the address shown, but it would be worth it to save my 10 bucks for my copenhagen stay. When I got there, there was no hostel. Just a house. Disappointed, I sat down and referred to my guide and found a cheaper hostel than Jorgensen that was a bit closer to my spot in Norrebro. It was called the Sleep In Heaven, and had a nice front atmosphere and I got my dorm bed for 110 Kroner a night, or about 16 bucks... to stay in a bed with 100 other of my closest friends. Everybody there was from Australia or New Zealand it seemed and a group of us hung out that evening and wandered to Christania, for a mind bending evening in the free town... smoking substances, watching some great music, snea Read more:Copenhagen
Something smells in Denmark....
And I think it ... 2003-08-30 15:08:00 Something smells in Denmark
....
And I think
it means I need to get some deodorant. Seriously though, after 20 long hours in the train, I'm in Copenhagen for at least the next couple days and already had a bit of an interesting time. Spent most of yesterday afternoon hanging out at the Prevostats, in Reims. They are the friends of the family who put me up for a night there. I played with a baby who was being babysat and took a train to Paris where i transferred to the night train to Copenhagen. I was quite worried that I would miss the train, but turned out not having to worry given that the train left an hour late. The train crew was delayed. I had my compartment completely to myself - which I attribute to my special trick of spreading my gear out and closing the shades until we leave the station.... and got plenty of sleep.... when I wasn't hearing the weird french lady laugh at something the American minister was saying in the next compartment... His name was Dennis and turned out
The latest, yo
So, I am back in France for anot... 2003-08-29 12:50:00 The latest, yo
So, I am back in France
for another day... picked up my sweaters, failed to find vendanges work... and I'm off to Copenhagen tonight by train.... Only need to spend 19 hours in the train to get there. From there, I'll be trying to stay cheaply for a couple days before I venture out to Sweden and the Arctic Circle. Sometimes, I think I'm better off not doing the grape picking... I thought that to myself as I pictured picking grapes in the cold heavy rain that has been falling down all morning here in Champagne region. Maybe I lucked out....
On another matter, how do Shania Twain and System of a Down belong next to each other on the radio? Strange....
In Berlin
Found the cheapest Net Cafe in the ci... 2003-08-25 15:08:00 In Berlin
Found the cheapest Net Cafe in the city, but the screaming baby behind me is getting on my nerves. Berlin has been a nice relaxing time so far. Tonight its fun with Janine and Matthias, tomorrow Timon, Kerstin and Immanuel and on Wednesday I'm most likely out of here and not coming back on this trip. As to whether I head straight to Scandinavia or first to France has yet to be decided... and its also starting to look like a flight out of London may be my best bet. I found a cheaper flight out of Amsterdam, but Kuwait Airways doesn't serve booze, and not being the best flyer - that can be a dealbreaker.
The Munich blur
Is it really Saturday already? ... 2003-08-23 15:38:00 The Munich
blur
Is it really Saturday
already? I´m at the net cafe in Berlin right now, reflecting on a crazy three days in Munich... Wednesday, I explored the town a bit, window shopping... taking a look at maybe picking up a souvenir or two, and the day flies by. Next thing I know, Im pub crawling and having a few pints too many. I´m sick for most of Thursday and walk quite a bit, spending some time at the Schloss Nymphenburg, a huge sprawling palace in outer Munich, with a lot of water fountains, a small river, some amazing statues and a huge garden behind it. Definitely worth a look.
I felt sick for most of the day, so I mostly stayed close to the Tent, which is an experience in itself. Like I said in my last post, the place has a summer camp atmosphere and I was talking with and making friends with all sorts of people, German, Australian, British, Irish, Romanian, French and American. Sat by the bonfire all night long and was challenged by the LaRouchites who were still there
The start of a German story
So, I had a feeling t... 2003-08-20 14:38:00 The start of a Germanstory
So, I had a feeling this Munich sojourn would be a bit strange. I caught the early train from Klagenfurt to Munich, the EC114 (Wörthersee) and had a mostly pleasant trip, talking with this guy from England who's a general manager at McDonalds, taking two months off to travel. He gets off the train at Innsbruck, the last stop before München and missed all the fun. These plain clothes cops came on and started checking passports. Thinking it was just border control, I got my passport ready... but he walked right by, not even giving me a second look. Then they arrest the guy behind me. Start questioning the Romanian next to me. For the first time in a while, and thankfully so, I've been mistaken for German. The train finally pulls into Munich about 2.30 and I find the Easy Internet Cafe right across. I have an hour to kill before I can check in at the Tent, so I hung out and relaxed and went to my hostel.
It's only open through August, and it's called th
Alive and well in Munich
The last few days have b... 2003-08-19 15:40:00 Alive and well in Munich
The last few days have been somewhat of a blur. Spent Friday evening wandering through Switzerlands largest jazz festival. Its in Basel and features exclusively local talent. Some good, some not so good. Mostly brass bands and dixieland music.... and its really quite funny to hear technically perfect jazz covers with blues songs sung in thick swiss accents. Saturday night I found myself overnighting to Klagenfurt Austria where I spent two great days wandering around the Klopeiner See, walking about 10 km a day and just relaxing quite a bit. In Munich right now, and I promise more to come soon! Read more:Alive
The Next leg of the trip
It's all set. Saturday n... 2003-08-14 12:16:00 The Next leg of the trip
It's all set. Saturday
night, I will be leaving Basel and headed back to Austria for a couple nights in St. Kanzien and a return to Ingrid's mountain home. It should be a lot of fun and I expect to spend most of that time at the beach, getting a tan and just generally relaxing. After that, I should be in Munich for a couple days and after that, its not quite clear.
Tuesday, we headed to the Basel city center at 6 in the evening to witness something a touch crazy. The annual Rhine swim. Over 5000 people jumped in the Rhine after the starting pistol shot off and swam (or floated) about a mile down the river to the other side of the city center. It was a record year for the event, but given the 100 degree heat, it was only to be expected. It looked like a lot of fun and made me wish I brought my bathing suit. Afterwords, I wandered through the City Center, catching a movie and ending up at the Irish Pub, Paddy Reilly. There are a lot of expats that hang out t
Sweltering in Switzerland
It's still hot here in ... 2003-08-12 00:21:00 Sweltering in Switzerland
It's still hot here in Europe, record heat across Western Europe, including the first 100 degree day in London in recent history. Although some good news on the horizon for this, the heat looks to be breaking at least somewhat on Wednesday and Thursday, at least in Germany and Switzerland... as for France, Spain and the UK... we'll have to see.
It's been a slow day for me, hanging out with the family and spending time in the swimming pool. A beautiful thing.
The first Nighttrain (Paris-Basel)
It's morning i... 2003-08-11 08:56:00 The first Nighttrain (Paris
-Basel
)
It's morning in Basel and I'm back visiting family for a few days... hopefully en route to Austria, Southern Germany, Scandinavia and the Netherlands with my Eurrail pass. Turns out that I forgot to fill the date in for my first trip on the Eurrail pass, I thought the conductor had to fill it in. Turns out I was wrong - and since my ticket was never checked, I rode for free... so make that a 16 day pass. hehe
The ride wasn't that comfortable, alternating between too hot and too cold, screaming baby just behind me (I swear I think someone I know is tracking my trip and hiring someone to bring a screaming baby along so I can never sleep) and uncomfortable sleeper chairs. At one point a Japanese girl was using part of me as a pillow. I wrote a haiku about it.
SNCF 469
Japanese rests head
On knee, soft hair touches me
Yet I'm still awake
I dont like the SNCF generally because they do a lot of investment in their high speed link while leaving the re
Blech
Its three AM and I can't sleep. It is sooo ... 2003-08-07 03:09:00 Blech
Its three AM and I can't sleep. It is sooo hot in Paris and I miss air conditioning. Maybe you've read about it in the papers but this is very unusual for Europe. On Spanish TV they were literally frying eggs on the sidewalk... and when the temperature tops 120 in the sun, it works. It hasn't been quite so hot in Paris. Only 105 today, but at 7 PM it was still 100 degrees and no sign of letting up. Its still around 80 now, I imagine at 3 in the morning. The last time I was this miserable, I would take long car rides in the AC comfort of my Pontiac. But alas, this is Paris and I am car less... Tomorrow they say will be just as bad and its possible this will go into the weekend as well. Le sigh.
It's official, I leave Paris this weekend. A quick stop in Reims to pick up the rail pass and then off to Basel, Switzerland I go for 2 or 3 relaxing days at my aunt and uncle's swimming pool. I should also have a definitive answer to whether or not my trip ends at the beginning of Se
More Stuff!
Check it out, I've been productive la... 2003-08-06 02:39:00 More Stuff!
Check
it out, I've been productive
lately! Take a look at these new chapters in the story of me. London: Day Three London: Day Four and London, Reims and Paris by plane and train.
I hope you like them. If you do, please consider showing your support by making a donation and keeping me travelling!
In other news, I found the best Falafel ever in Paris. The place is called L'As de Fallafel and is in the Jewish neighborhood in the fourth arrondissement. Amazing Falafel sandwiches... the trick is to get the sandwiches sitting down. That and an order of fries split between four makes a great, relatively cheap meal. You can eat there for about 9 Euros that way, including drink! I think I am starting to get a hang of Paris this week. Was out with Kimon and a couple of other friends tonight, and we went to where one of his friends was working... at the Dissidents ad agency. Very cool. Got to see some award winning commercials they produced, including some great spots for the Lau
The Start of a new leg?
So last night I was in Br... 2003-08-05 01:53:00 The Start
of a new leg?
So last night I was in Brussels at the VIncent Van Gogh hostel, totally unable to sleep, wanting to go home... coling up with a ton of reasons why I should go home. Came back to Paris, got energized again. Cathy, the friend who has lent me her flat came into town and took me to a party where i met another cool guy named Alexis. We are going to see the Basquiat exhibit on Weds... and I got a job tip that might save the trip... the Vendanges (wine harvest) starts in two weeks. If I can get in on that... thats a solid grand in my pocket for two weeks of work. I have a call to make in the morning. On top of that.... the French post office found the missing Eurrail pass on its way to me now... so things are starting to turn around! Whew! What a relief.
Recommend Site To A Friend
