To anybody who has traveled..

[Neshani]

I used to believe that everyone on earth should be forced to travel and do psychedelics at least once in their life. Over time I've met a lot of people and realized that there are tons of people not cut out for psychedelics and tons of people not cut out for travel.

Before you sell your house and do too much drastic shit, take a vacation somewhere.

Travel is nuts. It opens your eyes if you let them. And it changes your life if you let it. But if you're only happy with American shit, it'll suck. Plus travel is work, and real adventure sucks balls when it's happening. Take a look at Indiana Jones. That's some insane adventure shit right there, but adventures SUCK while they're happening, but they're fucking dope when you tell the story later.

There's no need to turn into a hermit just yet. Take a trip to a country where they don't speak English and see how it goes. I loved it, but other personality types melt down.

I'm guessing you have a passport already, so just book a flight. Don't think about where you'll stay, what you'll do, who will come with you, how much money things will cost, etc. Book a flight and I guarantee everything else will fall into place.

As far as missing too much shit while you're gone, that should be the last of your worries. I've been gone almost 5 years and all my Stateside friends are doing the same shit. Some are married now, some have kids, but shit really hasn't changed a whole lot.

 

[MaKaVeLi_420]

I used to believe that everyone on earth should be forced to travel and do psychedelics at least once in their life. Over time I've met a lot of people and realized that there are tons of people not cut out for psychedelics and tons of people not cut out for travel.

Before you sell your house and do too much drastic shit, take a vacation somewhere.

Travel is nuts. It opens your eyes if you let them. And it changes your life if you let it. But if you're only happy with American shit, it'll suck. Plus travel is work, and real adventure sucks balls when it's happening. Take a look at Indiana Jones. That's some insane adventure shit right there, but adventures SUCK while they're happening, but they're fucking dope when you tell the story later.

There's no need to turn into a hermit just yet. Take a trip to a country where they don't speak English and see how it goes. I loved it, but other personality types melt down.

I'm guessing you have a passport already, so just book a flight. Don't think about where you'll stay, what you'll do, who will come with you, how much money things will cost, etc. Book a flight and I guarantee everything else will fall into place.

As far as missing too much shit while you're gone, that should be the last of your worries. I've been gone almost 5 years and all my Stateside friends are doing the same shit. Some are married now, some have kids, but shit really hasn't changed a whole lot.

Neshani, great insight man. Appreciate that. I had a chat with my pops and he suggested just going on separate vacations instead. Not a bad idea but I really want a break. I think I'm going to approach with your route. I have been strategising the last couple days here, and leaning to somewhere in the Mediterranean. Maybe Spain/Morocco, or Turkey/Greece for my first trip across the Atlantic.

So are you from the States then? I remember seeing you have a flat in Germany..How'd you end up there?

 

[iaoish]

I agree with Neshani, traveling like this is hard work man!
Last three day's I've been traveling straight.. .without much sleep.
In non comfortable trains and buses.

True.. you can get in situations that are no fun at all! but make great stories/memories.
And you learn a lot about yourself, finding yourself in these dire situations.
Especially if you are completely alone at that point... what to do?


Here:
http://waariswouter.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html

Here:
http://waariswouter.blogspot.com/2010_12_01_archive.html

Here:
http://waariswouter.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html

And here:
http://waariswouter.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html


Are some photos I took... if you are interested and have the time you can browse through them.. I don't have the time right now to link them through and put a story with them.
Dinner is calling me and I want to change my guesthouse in a few min.

Have a good trip, where ever you may go!

I am always happy to see Americans traveling!

 

[drewski.kalonji]

I'm reading this in India. This is my 3th month here and I spend one month in Nepal in between.
Next destination is Myanmar, Thailand , Laos maybe Cambodia and Vietnam.
When my money runs out I'll jump to Australia to get some job. I don't care if it's picking fruit or shaving sheeps or something else, as long I make some money to travel more.
I have no intention of going home anytime soon.

If you want to do this I can only advise you one thing: do it!!

I quit my job, I used to work in IT and didn't like it at all. All my studies are in this field and I want to work as something else when I get back. Don't know what yet. So I decided to go traveling.
I might have problems finding a decent job when I get back, since I lack credentials.
I also gave up my home.
So when I get back, I have no job, no house.
I also was together with a girl for about a year when I left and broke up with her.
But this is the best decision I made in my life.
The things you see, the things you learn the things you expierence. Indescribable.

Don't worry about the material losses of your house or job. You can get a new job pretty easy. But it won't be a CEO job offcourse. And you can always crash with friend and/or family until you find your own place.

I expierence the world to be such a beautiful and amazing place!

are you traveling solo and meeting people along the way or do you got a little group of folks?

 

[iaoish]

I travel alone. None of my friends could or would want to travel this way.
I also prefer to travel alone eventhough this is my first time like this.
Have been on the road for about four months now but never really alone.
You meet so many people on the way.

 

[MaKaVeLi_420]

I agree with Neshani, traveling like this is hard work man!
Last three day's I've been traveling straight.. .without much sleep.
In non comfortable trains and buses.

True.. you can get in situations that are no fun at all! but make great stories/memories.
And you learn a lot about yourself, finding yourself in these dire situations.
Especially if you are completely alone at that point... what to do?


Here:
http://waariswouter.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html

Here:
http://waariswouter.blogspot.com/2010_12_01_archive.html

Here:
http://waariswouter.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html

And here:
http://waariswouter.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html


Are some photos I took... if you are interested and have the time you can browse through them.. I don't have the time right now to link them through and put a story with them.
Dinner is calling me and I want to change my guesthouse in a few min.

Have a good trip, where ever you may go!

I am always happy to see Americans traveling!

bro, this is absolutely fucking fantastic. Where do you get the time to do all the blogging? And why cant it be in english! fuuuuuuuuuuu....lol

oh yeah im canadian not american..close enough, i guess


are you finding that a lot of people speak english along your journey? Have you been staying in Hostels to save money? whats your budget like? Have you fallen ill at all?




oh man i just figured out to use the little Google translator, and translated alll that text into English. fucking beauty...im gonna read your blog. thanks again brother

 

[iaoish]

Sometimes you stay longer in a place and you don't really do anything you can have time enough to blog.
But not enough time to put everything in Dutch and English though!

Almost everybody I meet speaks English... not everyone so good though.
I stayed at hostels, hotels or with local people yeah.

I have been sick once. One day vomit and 3 days diahrrea 4 months ago but now I drink the Indian tap water even, no problem.

The google translator is not that good I saw... When I get home I will translate everything myself.. hopefully it will take a while!
I've met many people who travel for 14 months or 4 years even.


in 3 day's, Burma! oh boy!

oh yeah im canadian not american..close enough, i guess

I'm sorry! Didn't want to offend you, lol

 

[Mike Manson]

I have been sick once. One day vomit and 3 days diahrrea 4 months ago but now I drink the Indian tap water even, no problem.

Not even Andrew Zimmern drinks, or eats food with, Indian tap water. lol

 

[MaKaVeLi_420]

iaoish....what is your budget like bro? Per day? and what type of food are you eating? I read in a blog you are vegetarian...which I cant blame you for. Can't imagine them having refridgerators in Indian markets.

 

[iaoish]

Indian tap water got nothing on me!! Haha

Once you see india, the way basically all the animals walk in the street, eat garbage, and you see deseased chickens and I saw (and smelled) a chicken battery and when you see the state of the animals up close.
It cures you pretty quick of eating meat.
Plus India is a easy country to be a veggie in because they have an enormous veg kitchen.

Right now I'm using the wifi in Kuala Lumur airport to wait for my connecting flight. And I know the Malay food is incredible good, but that includes meat though. Until now I'm still a veggie but I don't know how long I can keep it up though.

Budget depends all on you though.
I don't spend too much but I prefer to eat at local places instead of some restaurant with continental food where a lot of other people go.
The food is (my opinion) better and cheaper.
Take cheap rooms some are maybe a little more then a dollar a day, usually with shared bathroom.
You pay more the nicer the room and with bathroom etc.
Also the price for rooms is often up for negotiation.

Sometimes you can stay in places like a hut on the beach where I stayed not too long ago for less then one euro a day. And you have the ability to cook yourself. You can cook 5 times for the price of one meal in a restaurant.

But I must admit sometimes I go and eat the pastas o pancakes aswel.

And if you visit places like a lot of temples you visit you have to pay to get in. (Taj Mahal for example, ok not a temple but you know what I mean).

And a lot a lot a lot a lot of times you have to fight for your money with everything you do. There are almost no fixed prices. And having blond hair and blue eyes doesn't help me with this.
I pay "tourist price" for everything. And after you hear; "you are white, for you it's nothing"
This pisses me of though, one time it's nothing. But all through out the day, everyday. 2 rupees here, 12 rupees there and 30 rupees there sums up to be a lot though. Although I can't blame them at all.
I would do the same in their position and they also do the same for local rich Indians.
It does help when you know some of the language, then everybody seems to be more sympatic towards you.

These Asian girls at the airport drive me crazy here! I shouldn't have put on a cotton pants today.

 

[iaoish]

Oh yes. To be a veggie is also cheaper. The price of food with meat is more expensive in Nepal and India.

And it also depends on how often you will buy drugs. In India is real easy to get what ever you would like.
And in India every city is a holy city, so usually no alcohol allowed. But everything is possible as they say. But comes with a price.

I met people who spend a lot of money just by enjoying and not thinking about expenses.
But also people who are more careful with their money and don't spend a lot but these are 'hardcore travelers' as you will.
I'm somewhere in between. I like to keep an eye on not spending too much because I have 0 income right now.
But I also like to enjoy from time to time.

Maybe all that talk was useless and you wanted numbers, but that is something you have to figure out yourself I guess.
I'm on my way to Myanmar, I've heard there are no banks or ATMs. So I have to take dollars for 28 days with me. I'll see if I took enough.

 

[iaoish]

im going to thailand in 2012 ,im going for 3 months to train muy thai its like 1200 bucks room 2 meals a day and training 2x's a day , i got into mma and plan on gettin my first 4 amateur fights this year, i got an interview for a new job hopefully i get it and in the mean time before mid next year i can make some friends around the bars and clubs around here so when i come back i can work as a bouncer

Did you arrange this from your gym?
Because yesterday I arrived in Thailand and I already saw some gyms where you can train, I checked some of them out because I love MA but all these gyms where just for tourists and I didn't see one Thai guy training there. There are also lots of full muscle macho guys who come to train here.
But in my opinion, if it is just for tourists then you probably can get the same if not better training back home.
If you arranged this via your gym it should be alright. If not I would advise you to do a lot of research before you go. Because it would be a waste if you waste your money and time.

What ever you do, have lots of fun and enjoy! And goodluck with the fights and finding that new job!

 

[MaKaVeLi_420]

Mike...where are you bro? I'm off to Hamburg what should I check out there?

ioaish where are you? still Southeast Asia?

 

[Mike Manson]

How long are you gonna be there? Need a number to call for some weed? Coke?

- St. Pauli, Reeperbahn: Europe's biggest red light district. Tons of whores, bars, clubs, sex shops, etc.!
- St. Pauli, Schanzenviertel: Close to the red light district (walking distance). I lived there as well as many of my friends. Lots of restaurants, bars, shops. Mostly young people live there and it's always full of people drinkin, smokin, makin music, etc.!
- Hamburg Harbour, Landungsbruecken: Take a trip with a boat around the old wharehouses. There is also the Hamburg Dungeon nearby. It's kind of a history of Hamburg haunted house type of thing.
- Alster: Lake in the middle of the city. Shopping and chill out spots all over the place.
- Planten Un Blomen: Big park in the middle of the city.
- If possible try to get tickets for a soccer match of St. Pauli. They are in the first devision, but they are quite special. They are Anti-Establishment left winged and it's just an experience to go to a game. If you don't mind beer and weed all around you.
- Hamburg Zoo: First modern Zoo in the world.
- Michel: the trademark of Hamburg. Old church close to the red light district. Was destroyed three times but always build up again.

There is a lot more. I just wrote down what came to my mind first. If you stay there longer let me know. Also let me know what you are interested in!

Some Websites:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Hamburg
http://english.hamburg.de/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburg

The Wikitravel one is pretty good. You don't really need anything else...

Oh, and I'm still in China. Not sure when I go to Hamburg next time. Just got back from a trade fair in Canton and am quite busy. Customers coming to my office soon, as well as my family...

 

[MaKaVeLi_420]

great post man. i will be there for 2 weeks but its a business trip so i will be busy working. the nights/evenings will be mine to explore. im fuckin pumped to finally visit the motherland.

do most people there speak english? i speak very little german and hopefully wont have a hard time navigating.

what is a good, popular beer to drink? I know everywhere in germany has their own beers, but i dont want to look like a major tourist. i dont do drugs so no need for weed or coke, lol

are the people friendly there? from what i have heard, germans tend to loosen up after a few beers.

 

[Mike Manson]

great post man. i will be there for 2 weeks but its a business trip so i will be busy working. the nights/evenings will be mine to explore. im fuckin pumped to finally visit the motherland.

do most people there speak english? i speak very little german and hopefully wont have a hard time navigating.

what is a good, popular beer to drink? I know everywhere in germany has their own beers, but i dont want to look like a major tourist. i dont do drugs so no need for weed or coke, lol

are the people friendly there? from what i have heard, germans tend to loosen up after a few beers.

Germans are nice in general I'd say. In Hamburg we are a bit "cold" at first, but once you get to know us, we are quite alright. lol

Most Germans can speak English, as everybody has to learn English in school. Some that weren't good in school and never practiced it can't speak though. Most will try their best though.

Schanzenviertel is a good place to meet people I'd say.

There are many beers you can drink, but the beer you should drink in the St.Pauli disctrict is Astra. There is also Astra Rotlicht, which has above 6% of alcohol. That's my new choice of beer back home.

If you want some OG Hamburg food and beer, you have to go to Groeningers. They brew their own beer. If you like seafood and meat, and want to experience something traditional, then you have to check it out. It dates back to 1260.

But you can find any kind of food in Hamburg. From prolly any country in the world.

Check this: http://www.groeninger-hamburg.de/index-Dateien/Page592.htm

 

[iaoish]

"most Germans are good in English" whahahahaahahaa Don't lie Mike!!! j/p But you know!!!!!!!



I'm in Thailand right now Maka, got two more weeks on my visa then I will be heading off to Cambodia, I think Laos as well and I'm thinking of doing Vietnam from south to north on a manual shift bike, buying one in the south and drive up north and sell it there.
After that I will see, so many possibilities. Maybe by that time I will have enough of traveling and go home.
Tomorrow will be 6 months exactly I'll be away from home. Have done and seen so much but there is so much more to see and experience!
I'm still enjoying!

 

[Mike Manson]

"most Germans are good in English" whahahahaahahaa Don't lie Mike!!! j/p But you know!!!!!!!

Actually I was always complaining about Germans watching movies only dubbed etc., but the last couple times with my wife or New Zealand friends in German surprised me. From restaurants to small stores, people were able to talk decent English. I didn't really have to translate much...That was a positive experience...

 

[iaoish]

Complain about it all you want but watching Dirty Harry dubbed in German is as funny as it can get!

But really though, dubbing these movies is hella retarded, all those countries doing that should stop it.
Everybody would speak so much better English then.
That's the way I learned it! I didn't learn it from the schools.

 

[Mike Manson]

I seen German shows in Chinese and Japanese...lol

At least the dubbing in Germany is as professional as it can get. When you compare it to other countries, even the US it is a lot better. How about Poland. I've seen shows in Poland and Turkey where you can hear the og, but you have one dude dubbing over it in polish/turkish. Everything. All parts. lol