TravelStream™ news feed for member mattravels81 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/mattravels81 en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:49:20 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1236487620/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1236487620/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1236487620/tpod.html Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:49:20 -0400 Matt Travels Asia, the Pacific, and Beyond

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Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand

Well, its come down to this... after almost 7 months of traveling, I am finally getting ready to wrap up my "official" gap (half) year. Just to brief you on some of the activities that have happened since my last full entry, Gary, Ryan and I had a great week sailing around the Bay of Islands, down to Cape Brett, and almost as far up as Cape Reinga... with almost no catastrophes :) Then, we did two great days of diving exploring the Rainbow Warrior wreck and the Poor Knights Islands, the best sub-tropical diving out there. Having dropped them back off in Auckland for their flight home, we said our goodbyes and held back the tears. The next day I caught a flight down to the Queenstown in the south island. Here, I planned out seven days of adventure, which included a day of mountain biking, sky diving in Wanaka, and a full day-long glacier hike at Franz Josef Glacier on the southwest coast. I felt like I was back in Ireland with the amount of rainfall this area gets per year... btwn 9-15 meters! Still it keeps the glaciers growing up there, as I learned, because it keeps adding fresh ice to the top of the glacier. Today was a long bus ride back into Queenstown for a "possible" bungee jump tomorrow (still trying to convice some people to come with me).

On Tuesday, I will begin my return trip home, but not before making just one more stop.... in Munich, Germany... to visit the lovely Miss Nicole Richter, whom I met in Nepal while hiking Annapurna. Having kept in touch these past few months, she has been a good travel friend and has invited me to try snowboarding with her and her brother in the Alps of Bavaria. Honestly, who could turn that down! Should be a good time, though Im not looking forward to FREEZING weather!

So, this is it... the last entry. I thank you all for reading and getting engaged in my life out here. I have learned many lessons out here, probably too many to enumerate... but here are a few, many of which are good life lessons as well:

1. Never underestimate the importance of good underwear. You will potentially have to live in one pair for several days w/o a wash. Invest wisely.
2. People all over the world actually love America. No country receives as much praise except perhaps Canada.
3. Travel by yourself but never alone. Learn to make friends and the world just unfolds around you.
4. You get what you pay for. If something is really cheap... anywhere... it probably is actually really cheap.
5. Don't rush into anything. You always have options.
6. If someone tells you to go somewhere because its "really excellent", promptly avoid it... unless you intended to go there anyway.
7. Don't be afraid to be a tourist once in a while. Sometimes there's a reason the road is less traveled.
8. The world, like at home, is full of idiots. Use discretion in how you spend your time.
9. Learn to accept kindness, even when it is least expected. Just pay it forward in the future.
10. Finally, the world is a small pond. Try your best not to pollute the pond.

See you all on or after March 28th!!!!

p.s. New pictures @ http://picasaweb.google.com/matthew.zerbo
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1236284520/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1236284520/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1236284520/tpod.html Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:07:17 -0500 Matt Travels Asia, the Pacific, and Beyond

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Wanaka, South Island, New Zealand

Forget boring stills... check out the full video on YouTube!!! I think the look on my face once my legs are dangling out of the plane is worth the 5 minutes. Mom, sorry if this scares you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDiLfFzg4qU
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1234496820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1234496820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1234496820/tpod.html Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:04:24 -0500 Matt Travels Asia, the Pacific, and Beyond

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National Park Village, North Island, New Zealand

Hello everyone and welcome to NZ!! I have two special guests with me today (and for the next two weeks), everyone please give a big round of applause to Mr. Gary O'Neil and the young Ryan O'Neil. Welcome to the blog guys...

Guys: Thanks!
Me: So Gary, how do you like NZ so far?
Gary: Im tired...
Me: Why are you tired?
Gary: Well we woke up this morning at six to begin a seven hour hike through Tongariro National Park. Also, I've been carrying too much luggage throughout the trip because I wanted to look fashionable on the trail...
Me: Understandably so...
Gary: And so that's been weighing me down a bit.
Me: Were you at all surprised about how great my fitness was on the hike today?
Gary: No, not at all, I mean, we all know you're a natural athlete... 10 days of straight drinking in Australia couldn't hope to slow you down.
Me: Very true, my friend, very true. Next time I should proabably make it a full two weeks. Ryan, how about you, how are you liking the trip so far...
Ryan: I want to play laser tag... and you owe me an ice cream for beating you down the trail today.

Well there you have it folks, our first few days in NZ under wraps, and already a blast. Btw, even though Ryan is ten, he only narrowly beat me by a few steps. But right now we have some celebratory drinks and plan our next few steps before someone allows us to pick up a sailboat and cruise it around the Bay of Islands (self explanatory) starting on the 17th to the 23rd.

Peace out, y'all
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1233972900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1233972900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1233972900/tpod.html Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:36:34 -0500 Matt Travels Asia, the Pacific, and Beyond

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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Hello readers! I see that readership has been down this month, so Im gonna make this entry just a bit more special.

Greetings from one of the best summer climates I've experienced since my time in the CO mountains six years ago. Summer in Sydney is all its cracked up to be, with great beaches full of beautiful people, awesome nightlife, and ocean water so cold it could shrink frozen vegetables. Last I left off, I was in Melbourne helping Tom, aka "The Kid", meet up with his mates from the UK. The day they arrived, we had decided to go watch the mens final tennis at the Australian Open on the big screen just outside of the stadium. What else to do in preparation than get a case of beer and watch some football on TV in the comfort of the lad's A/C room. By the time we got to the Open, things were already heating up. People were dressed the part, decked out in Swiss and Spanish colors. We had a pool going to join in the festivities but sadly I did not win the forty dollars. Instead, I spent that amount on beer and junk food, all of which I'd been missing on the two week road trip.

Next day was rather uneventful. I had a chores day which consisted of cleaning out the van, doing laundry, and getting a haircut. I watched a bit of the Super Bowl at the barber, and was quite pleased with Bruce Springtein's performance. Bruce has had a special place on this trip as he has been keeping us company in the van with the Essentials collection. Later that night I met up with Rachel, a girl we sat next to at the Open, and some of her work companions. This was the first time I hung out exclusively with the elusive Australian native. It was like catching a tiger in the wild... these people are hard nuts to crack.

Next day, I said goodbye to the lads, and parted ways. I went up to Mt. Buller, a ski resort north of Mel, and rented a bike for the day to ride. Mt. Buller is one of the tallest peaks in Victoria. I was trying to prepare for some of the adventure things we'll be doing in NZ shortly, and I think Gary has biking on the list. Next night was Sydney, and having arrived late, I just parked my van in the city and camped out there after a stiff vodka. In the morning I went sightseeing a bit, got terribly lost in the traffic, but ended up in Bondi, Sydney's most famous beach, where I spent the afternoon. Later that night, I got a call from Renata, a Brazilian I had met while snorkeling in Gili. She wanted to know if I wanted to hang out with her and some of her friends that night, so we hit up probably the most trendy bar I've been to.... well, ever. Even for NYC, I don't go to bars this fancy. Speaking of, Pennino, we have to make Rudy's one of our stops out on dude night.

Currently Im in Manly Beach, just north of Sydney. Its a smaller beach town than the big city, and a good place to get a parking spot. I will stay here for most of the weekend, as I prepare to fly out to meet G.

Hope this satisfied your thirst. Next time we meet, I will be deep in the heart of native Maori country learning the finer points of the All Blacks rugby techniques.

P.S. Try and say the title of this entry ten times fast... bet you can't.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1233440160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1233440160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1233440160/tpod.html Sat, 31 Jan 2009 17:29:44 -0500 Matt Travels Asia, the Pacific, and Beyond

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Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Well, I made it... and without too much worry. Aside from a vegetable oil spill and a little parking fender, Tom and I managed to drive about 3000 miles over the past 12 days. Stops included: Kalgoorlie, an old western mining town where the bar girls serve beer in their "skimpies"; a night of camping on John Eyre highway, a 90 mile stretch of road through a shrub dessert; climbing 40ft sand dunes on the beaches outside of the small town (pop 200) of Eyre; participating in the annual "Tunarama" festival in Port Lincoln where I placed in the tuna throwing competition with a distance of about 30ft (No worries, the tuna was made of old rubber tire); climbing the Flinders Range, a dessert mountain range that is over 200 million years old; and finally celebrating Australia Day in Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. Obviously, there were many other stops, but these are some of the most memorable. Now we have arrived in Melbourne and are getting ready to go watch the big mens tennis match on the big screen outside of the stadium (entrance - $20, fun - priceless). My buddy Tom is taking his acrobatics lesson now, and today sadly will be our last day together as I leave him to his two mates who have flown in from England to begin a 5 month working holiday in Australia. As for me, I will take the van up to Sydney, hang out with some people I have met in my travels, and fly out to meet Mr. Gary on the 10th, as scheduled. So there it is, short and sweet. I obviously have more stories to share once I return home, but as for now, my internet time is running low... and we have to get over to the stadium for one of the biggest tennis matchups in Australian history. Denise, Im sorry you couldn't be here for this... and yesterday, we could have gotten tix for the womens match but they were running at about $280 a piece and I didn't have Dad's CC number so, it just didn't work out. But perhaps look for me in a lawn shot, they expect the turnout there to be pretty high.

Take care!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1232268240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1232268240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1232268240/tpod.html Sun, 18 Jan 2009 03:58:43 -0500 Matt Travels Asia, the Pacific, and Beyond

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Perth, Western Australia, Australia

So, after almost two weeks of west coast fun, it is nearly time to leave this part of Australia and do the obviously nutty, insensible thing to do when one decides to go to Australia... drive through the Outback. Starting tomorrow, I will be leaving Perth and living in a very small camper van, taking the southern road through the Nullabar over one of the longest stretches of highway in the southern hemisphere to Adelaide and then down to Melbourne and Sydney. My travel partner will be Tom, aka "The kid", a young, cheerful and agreeable English chap just under ten years my junior... who has come to Australia in search of work and adventure, like his predecessors. I will drop him off in Melbourne and continue the journey on my own from their.

Im excited to basically have a set place to live for the next three weeks after being homeless now for over four months. I don't know how often I will be in touch over the next week or so. Communications are spotty in this part of the land, and generally the rule of thumb is plan your distances and bring plenty of water. I have 45 liters right waiting to be loaded. But have no worries or fears. I've watched Crocodile Dundee like at least five times when I was a kid, so I know exactly what to do if one gets stuck out there.

Godspeed, and may Bob Carpenter carry us swiftly through! (Only Pete's gonna get that one)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1232210220/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1232210220/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1232210220/tpod.html Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:40:45 -0500 Matt Travels Asia, the Pacific, and Beyond

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Perth, Western Australia, Australia

I have yet to write an entry this thematic and absent of any plot in my travels. This is because when it comes to Australia, the plot is often indistinguishable to that of things I might be doing at home, and so I don't want to bore you. Yes, Australia is wonderful, we all know that. I compare it to Ireland with better weather and hardier people. Right now Im taking kite surfing lessons and its rocking my world. I plan to get some equipment for FL once I start making some money again.

But I had an epiphany tonight and realized that none of you really understands what the travel road is like. I've only given you a slice of my life out here and never told you about the insane people you meet, the disgusting places you stay, the general relentless uncertainty that each day brings.

You see, this is not an experience that changes you, per se, not any more than deciding to climb a mountain peak or sail a boat through rough seas. You might learn from it, but there's no reason for it, and at the end of the day, Im still the same person. I haven't fit into other cultures. I haven't even been enlightened, really. I've only experienced something I couldn't at home - an adventure. A chance to stand next to the fire without a shield. A chance to see myself in the world with all of my talents and shortcomings in full view. Often we hide behind the illusions and comforts with which "home" provides us... and this I feel is deprivating to the soul and its grand plan.

The bible tells us that Jesus went out into the desert for forty days just to see if he could resist temptation from the Devil. Not to compare myself, but maybe that has something to do with it. I think about this when I deal with the loneliness, the beauty, the strangeness, and the vastness of this experience... so vast at times you feel like it will swallow you whole.

Often times I heard from people that I was "lucky" to embark on a trip like this. Luck is not the half of it. Sacrafices were made, but it was a calling I couldn't ignore. I believe that in life, at times, something tells you to drop everything and do something completely different, because it is destiny... and because nothing is above that, you must listen to it. Don't take this as a religious rant but God has been with me every step of the way, its just a fact. You can't do a trip like this without Him - to lose yourself in the world in this way, its just too difficult. Before I left, Mom gave me a copy of the New Testament. Little did she know she was just scratching the surface with those pages... you need a lot more faith than you can garnish from a book.

And so, I say to you that if and when you decide to travel, in this way, and lay down your notions of tourism and cultural comparison... to open up to the world and let it happen to you and find the self-discovery rather than the thrill... keep the faith because there will be long and hard days... and wonderful, glorious days, all of which will slip through your fingers like the moments filling up your everyday life right now. You will feel like you lost yourself, but then feel like you never changed at all. You will be homesick but then feel like home is still all around you. You will meet complete strangers that you depend on like old friends, and sometimes, just once in a while, they actually come through.

On the road, I finally know what its like to live and not worry about the next day because the next day will just happen, as it should. And this is one of the greatest lessons in travel and faith I've learned thus far.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1231903560/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1231903560/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1231903560/tpod.html Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:33:34 -0500 Matt Travels Asia, the Pacific, and Beyond

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Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Well, normally... I don't really make a big deal about this... but spending your birthday abroad (like I did 7 years ago in Ireland) makes you think about friends and family at home. So my birthday wish is to all of you. I hope that everyone is happy (inspite of the cold weather) and healthy and that 2009 is ringing-in in a fantastic way. I am still having a great time out here in Australia, meeting new peoples every day from all over the world (the west coast is really diverse, surprisingly). Looking forward to my kitesurfing lessons which start on Friday. From there, its either a long road trip or a short plane flight over to the southeast coast. Will keep you posted on that.

Take care everyone! And have a birthday drink with me tonight from around the world...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1231389060/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1231389060/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1231389060/tpod.html Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:50:26 -0500 Matt Travels Asia, the Pacific, and Beyond

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Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Well, I have finally arrived back into the western world, and I must say, I feel more confused than ever. First off, let me say that Perth and western Australia are beautiful. Its a bit like so. California but much smaller with fewer people. For a capital city, Perth was one of the smallest, quietest, and cleanest cities I've been to, looking more like a small town in CO than a major city. I'm interested to see what the rest of the outback looks like.

But I guess the real reason it feels strange here is that much like getting off a treadmill, my legs are still going even though my surroundings are somewhat at rest: no more touts, taxi drivers, rickshaws, food stalls and aggressive shops. I guess I'm just feeling a bit underwhelmed. I'm also out of the loop here as most travelers are not travelers at all. They are kids with day laboring jobs, living anywhere from 2 to 5 months out of one hostel. In some ways, I feel like a disturbance in their world. But that said, its still a really nice place, maybe even too nice and clean for a New York native. Its almost Disney here.

The other thing is prices. Welcome back to 10 dollar meals. Fortunately for me, I've befriended some Asians who can cook and don't mind sharing their delicious dishes with me, provided I chip in of course. This is still a good way to budget dinner>

So far the biggest attraction for me has been the beaches. I've never seen nicer, cleaner beaches within a city limit before. And the ocean is powerful, too much to body surf. So I've taken up to doing a bit of running on the beach to keep my fitness up.

Last thing is that I purchased a cell phone for the rest of my trip. Feel free to call/text, always happy to hear from you. The number is: 0415503967 (country code not included, though I think it is 61)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1231046880/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1231046880/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mattravels81/1/1231046880/tpod.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:37:08 -0500 Matt Travels Asia, the Pacific, and Beyond

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Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

Hey everyone, in Malaysia right now, waiting on my flight to Perth, Australia. The last ten days have been a bit of a blur, as it seems like months ago that I was on the Gili islands celebrating Christmas. I came back to Bali for NYE, and shortly after flew to KL where I have been hanging out and eating a lot of good Asian food at the brand new mall here (I really love the Asian malls, we have no idea what we are missing in these food courts). Not really feeling up for a big entry. Again, Kuala Lumpur is not that exciting of a city, just pretty typical of an Asian city. The hostel Im staying at is great, people are really nice. A few of us went to the big club here called Zouk. Unfortunately, next week, Armin Van Burin is playing there, so I missed out by a week. Still was a good time. OK, now time for pictures. I have uploaded Indo onto Picassa, so I will let them do the talking. Take care!

http://picasaweb.google.com/matthew.zerbo
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