Succumbing to Wanderlust

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About this blog

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain

I've quit my job, sold most of my possessions, and said my goodbyes. Now I'm ready to see and experience the world (or at least a slightly larger subset of it).

• 1

  Getting ready   Oakland, United States on May 5, 2007 3 pictures 0 comments
• 2

  The first couple of days in Quito   Quito, Ecuador on May 8, 2007 0 pictures 2 comments
• 3

  Spanish Classes in Quito   Quito, Ecuador on May 12, 2007 5 pictures 0 comments
• 4

  The Market in Otavalo   Otavalo, Ecuador on May 13, 2007 0 pictures 1 comment
• 5

  El Dia de la Mama   Quito, Ecuador on May 13, 2007 0 pictures 1 comment
• 6

  La gripe   Quito, Ecuador on May 17, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 7

  Museo de Guayasamin   Quito, Ecuador on May 18, 2007 5 pictures 0 comments
• 8

  A friend of a friend of a friend   Quito, Ecuador on May 19, 2007 2 pictures 1 comment
• 9

  Mitad del Mundo   Mitad del Mundo, Ecuador on May 20, 2007 5 pictures 3 comments
• 10

  Leaving Quito   Quito, Ecuador on May 22, 2007 1 picture 0 comments
• 11

  Baños   Baños, Ecuador on May 25, 2007 4 pictures 4 comments
• 12

  La Selva (aka The Jungle)   Puyopongo, Ecuador on May 27, 2007 5 pictures 0 comments
• 13

  La Selva - Day 2   Puyopongo, Ecuador on May 28, 2007 19 pictures 0 comments
• 14

  The last day in the jungle   Puyopongo, Ecuador on May 29, 2007 11 pictures 0 comments
• 15

  The goal of the day - clean clothes and rest   Baños, Ecuador on May 30, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 16

  Riobamba   Riobamba, Ecuador on May 30, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 17

  Cuenca   Cuenca, Ecuador on Jun 2, 2007 0 pictures 1 comment
• 18

  My first couchsurfing meet-up   Cuenca, Ecuador on Jun 4, 2007 0 pictures 1 comment
• 19

  Stuck in Cuenca   Cuenca, Ecuador on Jun 6, 2007 8 pictures 0 comments
• 20

  Still stuck   Cuenca, Ecuador on Jun 7, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 21

  Leaving Cuenca, southward bound   Vilcabamba, Ecuador on Jun 8, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 22

  Hiking and relaxing   Vilcabamba, Ecuador on Jun 9, 2007 16 pictures 0 comments
• 23

  The Mandango Loop   Vilcabamba, Ecuador on Jun 10, 2007 6 pictures 0 comments
• 24

  Fish juice and border crossing   San Ignacio, Peru on Jun 13, 2007 9 pictures 0 comments
• 25

  Tuk-tuks, road closures, and a random guy   Chachapoyas, Peru on Jun 15, 2007 1 picture 1 comment
• 26

  Pre-Inca ruins and a lot of time in a mini-bus   Kuelap, Peru on Jun 16, 2007 38 pictures 0 comments
• 27

  Overnight buses make me tired   Chiclayo, Peru on Jun 18, 2007 0 pictures 1 comment
• 28

  Meeting the bro, moving south, and catching a cold   Trujillo, Peru on Jun 21, 2007 4 pictures 1 comment
• 29

  Catcalls in Hebrew and no more fishpack!   Huaraz, Peru on Jun 26, 2007 19 pictures 0 comments
• 30

  Couchsurfing, salsa dancing, and a jazz club   Lima, Peru on Jul 2, 2007 18 pictures 2 comments
• 31

  Islas Ballestas and Paracas Reserve - one big yawn   Pisco, Peru on Jul 5, 2007 13 pictures 0 comments
• 32

  A very strange party and sandboarding   Ica/Huacachina, Peru on Jul 5, 2007 1 picture 0 comments
• 33

  Aliens, astronomical calendar, or water prayer???   Nazca, Peru on Jul 7, 2007 8 pictures 0 comments
• 34

  Getting ready to trek into Colca Canyon   Arequipa, Peru on Jul 8, 2007 0 pictures 1 comment
• 35

  Hiking down and then all the way back up   Cabanaconde, Peru on Jul 12, 2007 14 pictures 0 comments
• 36

  Road-blocks galore and an unexpected hike   Chivay, Peru on Jul 12, 2007 15 pictures 0 comments
• 37

  The protests and marches continue...   Arequipa, Peru on Jul 13, 2007 0 pictures 1 comment
• 38

  The buses are running! Hip hip hooray!   Arequipa, Peru on Jul 17, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 39

  I made it to Cusco in one piece   Cusco, Peru on Jul 18, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 40

  A small town and a collection of random people   Ollantaytambo, Peru on Jul 20, 2007 1 picture 0 comments
• 41

  Vomiting on a world wonder, literally   Machu Picchu, Peru on Jul 22, 2007 29 pictures 0 comments
• 42

  The return to Gringo Hell (aka Cusco)   Cusco, Peru on Jul 25, 2007 0 pictures 1 comment
• 43

  My last day in Peru   Puno, Peru on Jul 26, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 44

  Lola's not in this Copacabana   Copacabana, Bolivia on Jul 27, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 45

  The stomach strikes back and Isla del Sol   Copacabana, Bolivia on Jul 30, 2007 31 pictures 0 comments
• 46

  Is it really Bolivia if everything's in Hebrew?   La Paz, Bolivia on Aug 1, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 47

  Capibaras and anacondas and pink dolphins, oh my   Rurrenabaque, Bolivia on Aug 5, 2007 35 pictures 0 comments
• 48

  In the jungle, the mighty jungle...   Rurrenabaque, Bolivia on Aug 9, 2007 37 pictures 0 comments
• 49

  Back in La Paz for a couple of hours   La Paz, Bolivia on Aug 11, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 50

  A market, a train station, and a marching band   Oruro, Bolivia on Aug 11, 2007 0 pictures 1 comment
• 51

  A long train ride   Tupiza, Bolivia on Aug 13, 2007 2 pictures 0 comments
• 52

  Volcanoes, hot springs, geysers, rocks, and salt   Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia on Aug 15, 2007 25 pictures 2 comments
• 53

  No shaking for me   Uyuni, Bolivia on Aug 18, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 54

  La ciudad blanco (the white city)   Sucre, Bolivia on Aug 20, 2007 0 pictures 2 comments
• 55

  Altitude sickness, stomach problems, and a fiesta   Potosi, Bolivia on Aug 24, 2007 32 pictures 0 comments
• 56

  My last days in South America   La Paz, Bolivia on Aug 27, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 57

  I survived the Death Road   Corioco, Bolivia on Aug 28, 2007 20 pictures 0 comments
• 58

  Adios South America   La Paz, Bolivia on Aug 29, 2007 5 pictures 2 comments
• 59

  Two weddings and lots of family time   Buffalo Grove, United States on Sep 5, 2007 5 pictures 0 comments
• 60

  A short stopover during a long flight   Toronto, Canada on Sep 13, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 61

  Arrival in Germany and a castle   Würzburg, Germany on Sep 13, 2007 4 pictures 0 comments
• 62

  Stefan's house   Seßlach, Germany on Sep 14, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 63

  A cute, little town and a castle   Coburg, Germany on Sep 14, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 64

  Another cute town and another castle   Bamberg, Germany on Sep 15, 2007 13 pictures 0 comments
• 65

  A lazy Sunday   Seßlach, Germany on Sep 16, 2007 3 pictures 0 comments
• 66

  A long train ride, a very rainy day, and some fun   Salzburg, Austria on Sep 17, 2007 17 pictures 0 comments
• 67

  Munich Lindy Exchange and a funny Ghost tour   Munich, Germany on Sep 21, 2007 9 pictures 0 comments
• 68

  A cross between a carnival and a huge frat party   Munich, Germany on Sep 23, 2007 49 pictures 0 comments
• 69

  David Hasselhoff saved the world from communism   Berlin, Germany on Sep 28, 2007 40 pictures 0 comments
• 70

  Country #8 (for this trip)   Poznan, Poland on Oct 2, 2007 3 pictures 0 comments
• 71

  Copernicus gingerbread   Torun, Poland on Oct 5, 2007 2 pictures 0 comments
• 72

  Couchsurfing again   Gdansk, Poland on Oct 7, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 73

  A concrete city   Warsaw, Poland on Oct 9, 2007 12 pictures 0 comments
• 74

  Chocolate pomegranate clusters invade Krakow   Krakow, Poland on Oct 12, 2007 47 pictures 1 comment
• 75

  Polish food and other observations   Krakow, Poland on Oct 19, 2007 0 pictures 1 comment
• 76

  October Snow   Zakopane, Poland on Oct 22, 2007 20 pictures 0 comments
• 77

  Back to Krakow   Krakow, Poland on Oct 25, 2007 1 picture 0 comments
• 78

  Mozart's murder and the Free Masons   Prague, Czech Republic on Oct 29, 2007 120 pictures 0 comments
• 79

  A quiet little town with a big castle   Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic on Nov 6, 2007 50 pictures 0 comments
• 80

  A one-night stopover   Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic on Nov 8, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 81

  Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...   Vienna, Austria on Nov 9, 2007 18 pictures 0 comments
• 82

  The next Prague? Really???   Bratislava, Slovakia on Nov 14, 2007 21 pictures 0 comments
• 83

  I like thermal baths   Budapest, Hungary on Nov 16, 2007 36 pictures 0 comments
• 84

  A dinosaur or a city in Romania?   Sighisoara, Romania on Nov 22, 2007 23 pictures 0 comments
• 85

  Searching for Dracula   Brasov, Romania on Nov 23, 2007 55 pictures 0 comments
• 86

  "Brava America!"   Bucharest, Romania on Nov 27, 2007 3 pictures 0 comments
• 87

  Entering Tito's territory   Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro on Nov 29, 2007 13 pictures 0 comments
• 88

  Remnants of a war   Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on Dec 2, 2007 27 pictures 0 comments
• 89

  A destroyed and rebuilt bridge   Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina on Dec 5, 2007 22 pictures 0 comments
• 90

  All Croatian men do not look like Dr. Luka   Split, Croatia on Dec 5, 2007 60 pictures 0 comments
• 91

  An incidental tour   Dubrovnik, Croatia on Dec 8, 2007 25 pictures 0 comments
• 92

  An illuminated old fortress with lots of goats   Kotor, Serbia and Montenegro on Dec 11, 2007 44 pictures 0 comments
• 93

  Waiting for an early bus   Ulcinj, Serbia and Montenegro on Dec 13, 2007 5 pictures 0 comments
• 94

  Entering Albania, the land of car washes   Shkodra, Albania on Dec 14, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 95

  Cold weather, power outages, and litter   Tirana, Albania on Dec 14, 2007 1 picture 0 comments
• 96

  Brittany Spears and Albanian conversations   Berat, Albania on Dec 15, 2007 21 pictures 0 comments
• 97

  A frustrating day   Vlore, Albania on Dec 16, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 98

  Finally reaching my destination, sort of   Sarande, Albania on Dec 17, 2007 4 pictures 0 comments
• 99

  More Tirana time and general Albanian observations   Tirana, Albania on Dec 18, 2007 0 pictures 0 comments
• 100

  Out of Albania, into Macedonia   Ohrid, Macedonia on Dec 19, 2007 27 pictures 0 comments
• 101

  A laundry fiasco   Skopje, Macedonia on Dec 21, 2007 1 picture 0 comments
• 102

  Christmas Eve with missionaries   Sofia, Bulgaria on Dec 23, 2007 5 pictures 0 comments
• 103

  Warmer(ish) weather, finally!   Istanbul, Turkey on Dec 25, 2007 35 pictures 0 comments
• 104

  An ancient city, a small village, and a creepy man   Selcuk, Turkey on Dec 29, 2007 53 pictures 0 comments
• 105

  A low key New Year's Eve   Pamukkale, Turkey on Dec 31, 2007 12 pictures 0 comments
• 106

  Yummy boreks from a master   Antalya, Turkey on Jan 1, 2008 10 pictures 0 comments
• 107

  Surrounded by fairy chimneys   Goreme, Turkey on Jan 4, 2008 54 pictures 1 comment
• 108

  My last hurrah in Europe   Istanbul, Turkey on Jan 8, 2008 18 pictures 0 comments
• 109

  Family time and a much needed haircut   Haifa, Israel on Jan 15, 2008 9 pictures 0 comments
• 110

  I heart rugalah   Jerusalem, Israel on Jan 20, 2008 4 pictures 0 comments
• 111

  A stop on the way to Sinai   Eilat, Israel on Jan 22, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 112

  Climbing Mt. Sinai   Dahab, Egypt on Jan 23, 2008 31 pictures 0 comments
• 113

  Eating our way through Tel Aviv   Tel Aviv, Israel on Jan 29, 2008 3 pictures 0 comments
• 114

  Corporate America can be good sometimes   Amman, Jordan on Feb 1, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 115

  Long live the king!   Bangkok, Thailand on Feb 1, 2008 13 pictures 0 comments
• 116

  Wat-hopping   Ayutthaya, Thailand on Feb 5, 2008 12 pictures 0 comments
• 117

  Why did the wild elephant cross the road?   Pak Chong, Thailand on Feb 7, 2008 36 pictures 0 comments
• 118

  Wat hopping, part 2   Sukhothai, Thailand on Feb 9, 2008 8 pictures 0 comments
• 119

  Eating yummy food and chilling with monks   Chiang Mai, Thailand on Feb 11, 2008 3 pictures 1 comment
• 120

  I think my stomach hates me   Pai, Thailand on Feb 15, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 121

  Last stop in Thailand   Chiang Rai, Thailand on Feb 19, 2008 10 pictures 0 comments
• 122

  From Thailand to Laos   Huay Xai, Lao Peoples Dem Rep on Feb 23, 2008 3 pictures 0 comments
• 123

  A very long boat ride   Pakbeng, Lao Peoples Dem Rep on Feb 24, 2008 8 pictures 0 comments
• 124

  Bowling and cooking   Luang Prabang, Lao Peoples Dem Rep on Feb 25, 2008 20 pictures 0 comments
• 125

  Treking with mud (but without stomach problems)   Luang Namtha, Lao Peoples Dem Rep on Feb 28, 2008 28 pictures 0 comments
• 126

  Squat toilets in the most populous country   Jinghong, China on Mar 2, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 127

  Buy smoke? Hash?   Dali, China on Mar 4, 2008 4 pictures 0 comments
• 128

  "Tiger Leaping. You go, come back."   Lijiang, China on Mar 7, 2008 46 pictures 0 comments
• 129

  Some news   Kunming, China on Mar 12, 2008 8 pictures 0 comments
• 130

  Mandarin ducks are all different   Shanghai, China on Mar 15, 2008 54 pictures 0 comments
• 131

  Bike ride, dancing, and massages   Yangshuo, China on Mar 19, 2008 57 pictures 0 comments
• 132

  Hostels, Warriors, a Goose, and Dumplings   Xi'an, China on Mar 23, 2008 63 pictures 0 comments
• 133

  The Great Wall and Olympic fever   Beijing, China on Mar 28, 2008 132 pictures 1 comment
• 134

  Consumerism and unexpected couchsurfing   Tokyo, Japan on Mar 31, 2008 22 pictures 0 comments
• 135

  Happy birthday to me!   Beppu, Japan on Apr 4, 2008 32 pictures 0 comments
• 136

  Atomic bombs are bad and my return to the US   Nagasaki, Japan on Apr 8, 2008 9 pictures 0 comments
• 137

  The first a-bomb   Hiroshima, Japan on Apr 10, 2008 44 pictures 0 comments
• 138

  Two onsens and a castle   Matsuyama, Japan on Apr 13, 2008 16 pictures 0 comments
• 139

  Temples and geisha   Kyoto, Japan on Apr 15, 2008 49 pictures 0 comments
• 140

  "Copy watch, copy handbag, tailor, ladies' tailor"   Hong Kong, China on Apr 22, 2008 7 pictures 0 comments
• 141

  Vegas of the East? Meh   Macau, China on Apr 28, 2008 9 pictures 0 comments
• 142

  Like a banana pancake for mosquitos   Bangkok, Thailand on May 1, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 143

  One year on the road   Siem Reap, Cambodia on May 5, 2008 55 pictures 2 comments
• 144

  Bad tourist   Phnom Penh, Cambodia on May 8, 2008 9 pictures 0 comments
• 145

  Rainy beaches are not so exciting   Sihanoukville, Cambodia on May 10, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 146

  Millions of motorbikes and memories of war   Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on May 15, 2008 22 pictures 0 comments
• 147

  Floating markets   Can Tho, Vietnam on May 19, 2008 22 pictures 0 comments
• 148

  A sunny beach, finally   Mui Ne, Vietnam on May 21, 2008 12 pictures 0 comments
• 149

  Hiking in the mountains   Dalat, Vietnam on May 25, 2008 32 pictures 1 comment
• 150

  Another beach, waiting for the bus   Nha Trang, Vietnam on May 27, 2008 1 picture 0 comments
• 151

  The night bus, custom clothes, and a cooking class   Hoi An, Vietnam on May 29, 2008 6 pictures 1 comment
• 152

  Bicycle riding, avocado shakes, and che   Hue, Vietnam on Jun 2, 2008 24 pictures 0 comments
• 153

  Finally, a proper backpackers hostel   Hanoi, Vietnam on Jun 6, 2008 1 picture 0 comments
• 154

  Halong Bay   Cat Ba, Vietnam on Jun 8, 2008 27 pictures 0 comments
• 155

  My last stop in Vietnam   Hanoi, Vietnam on Jun 13, 2008 3 pictures 0 comments
• 156

  KL - briefly   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Jun 14, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 157

  Breaking out the fleece   Cameron Highlands, Malaysia on Jun 15, 2008 13 pictures 0 comments
• 158

  Back to the heat   Georgetown, Malaysia on Jun 22, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 159

  Smoothness on the beach   Pulau Perhentian, Malaysia on Jun 28, 2008 12 pictures 1 comment
• 160

  Recouping from island life   Kota Bharu, Malaysia on Jun 30, 2008 6 pictures 0 comments
• 161

  Dodging leeches   Kuala Tahan, Malaysia on Jul 4, 2008 26 pictures 0 comments
• 162

  A sleepy beach town   Cherating, Malaysia on Jul 7, 2008 2 pictures 0 comments
• 163

  The real Bali Hai   Pulau Tioman, Malaysia on Jul 10, 2008 18 pictures 0 comments
• 164

  Smuggling stuff into Singapore   Singapore, Singapore on Jul 16, 2008 9 pictures 0 comments
• 165

  Last stop on the world tour   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Jul 21, 2008 17 pictures 0 comments
• 166

  The end   Lafayette, United States on Jul 24, 2008 1 picture 0 comments