Frequently Asked Questions
As a traveler and blogger, I am always asked about my favorite destinations, my personal travel style, and for general recommendations to help others plan their trips. I have found that this form of communication is essential to successful planning as published recommendations can lose all meaning if you do not know the traveler behind the tip.
Out of all of the questions that I am asked, the following are the most frequent.
What inspired you to travel?
My inspiration to travel wasn’t one experience but rather a goal to visit my list of must-see destinations. It started with Western Europe, then Egypt, and moved on to spots in Asia including Japan and Thailand. The more I traveled, the more I talked to others and learned about places around the world I previously had no interest in.
For each destination that was checked off, another three were added on, and my addiction grew.
With 34 countries visited thus far, my must-see destination list is now longer than ever. Short of being an active war zone, there is no destination that I do not have the desire to see.
If you ever become location independent, where would you live?
I have a fond appreciation for the mountains of Switzerland. Something about the brisk mountain air, beautiful scenery, and sheep running around with bells around their neck just feels like a place I could call home. Or it could be the fondue, that is a close second.
It might be too cold there in the winter time, so I would take dual residence in Chiang Mai, Thailand as it is incredibly cheap, has delicious Thai food, and is a black hole for travel writers who seem to get stuck there for years on end.
What has been your most difficult experience while traveling?
Communicating in China has been the most difficult by far. Out of the 34 countries I’ve been to, I would say it was pretty safe to not know the local language in 32 of them. Japan would be one of the two difficult ones, but people there were so polite they helped regardless of if they couldn’t communicate. China is the second.
After several attempts at asking for directions or ordering a train ticket, I learned that the best way to get around China is by having everything written down before heading off somewhere. This saved me several times when wanting to buy a train ticket or take a taxi to an attraction or hotel I couldn’t pronounce very well.
What is the best on-a-whim decision you have made?
I had been dreaming of taking a guided tour around Egypt ever since I was a kid. When I was about to book it I wanted to throw in a side trip to Petra in the “nearby” country of Jordan.
I found short trips with crazy itineraries that departed from Cairo and only had a few hours in Petra. After less than an hour of research I ended up finding another tour company that gave me the same Egyptian package plus an extra 6 days in Jordan for just a few dollars more than the original tour I was going to purchase. Not knowing much about Jordan, I booked immediately.
It should go without saying that Petra was amazing, but watching the Perseid Meteor Shower in the stunning desert of Wadi Rum with the Milky Way as the backdrop is something you have to see to believe.
Let the secret out, what is your favorite hotel?
My favorite hotel is easily Hotel Rendezvous in Hanoi, Vietnam. When I stayed in 2010 the price of their dorm was around $8 US per night. The reason this place was great was that it is a boutique hotel that happens to have one dorm room. For the price you got a bed in a 6 person dorm with full sized beds, a divider in the room, soft sheets, an amazing shower, free breakfast, and a perfect location. Half the people in my room were there for a week or two longer than they planned solely due to the room being amazing.
The owners, an Australian couple, were the nicest people I ever met and had the best local food recommendations as well as amazing packaged tours to Halong Bay and Sapa. The only downside was that the dorm was on the 6th floor and a hike to get up there, but absolutely worth it. Go there, and tell them Jeremy sent you.
If you could only eat three meals you had while traveling for the rest of your life, what would they be?
I became absolutely addicted to Green Curry while traveling around Thailand for 6 weeks, and has since replaced Pad Thai as my go to meal.
Okonomiyaki from Japan is another one that I would never get sick of. The translation is quite literally “Whatever you want, fried” and is a pancake made of cabbage, meat, and seafood that could also include soba noodles, thin crepe layers, and is almost always covered in bacon with a tangy sweet barbecue sauce on top.
My final choice would be a good Italian pizza. You can’t mess with the best.
What is your idea of adventure?
I’m not one to sit still. I love going to beaches, but can only appreciate their beauty for just a few minutes before wanting to jump in or move on; so I seek out adventure at every possible opportunity.
From paragliding off a mountain in Austria, eating scorpion in China, playing with tigers in Thailand, or scuba diving the Red Sea, I crave adventure at every possible opportunity. My philosophy is that if I can’t do it at home, it is probably something I should try on the road. If you had to ask me to pick one, well, give me a scuba tank and throw me in the deep blue sea and I’ll be happy.
What cameras do you take traveling?
My Nikon D80 SLR never leaves my side as well as a modest selection of lenses and extra gear to go along with it. I seem to only get two years out of most Point and Shoot cameras, so I am currently in the market for one as well as a durable dive casing.
Do you collect anything from other countries?
I have a not-so secret obsession with collecting shot glasses from around the world. It is one item I am almost guaranteed to find everywhere and with enough choice that I can be picky about the one I buy. My favorite two come from Vatican City and Egypt as you would not expect those two nations to sell alcohol related items and they took quite a bit of hunting to track down. In fact, the Vatican City shot glass was sold to me by an 80 year old nun at the top of St Peter’s Basilica!
Where are you going to next?
Between work related trips and personal adventures, I am all over the place. Check out my blog, Living the Dream, to read about my adventures around the world!
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