Traveling obviously isn’t about keeping a country count or checking things off of a list! I don’t advocate that. On most years, I don’t add a new country. Instead, I choose to get to know places I love better.

My adventure bucket list and accounts of some serious travel adventures can be found on my vagabondinglife.com blog.

Languages

  • I can speak functional Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Malay.
  • I can travel and negotiate in Thai and Mandarin Chinese.
  • I have studied Russian (in university) along with many other languages while living abroad, but I don’t consider myself functional in them.

Sample Adventures in the Field

  • Climbed Gunung Marapi (active volcano) in West Sumatra (2017)
  • Explored West Sumatra, Indonesia, by motorbike (2017)
  • 19 Days Solo Trekking in Himalayas, Nepal (2016)
  • Summit Gokyo Ri and EBC (Nepal), Cho La Pass, two glacier crossings, blizzard survival (2016)
  • Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain (2015)
  • Climbing to Camp Muir on Mount Rainier, Washington State (2014)
  • Two days/nights in a winter storm atop Mount Rogers on the Appalachian Trail (2014)
  • Jungle trekking in the Nam Tha Protected Area in Laos (2015)
  • River kayaking in the Borneo interior (2013)
  • Survived Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines (2013)
  • Remote longhouse stay in Sarawak, Borneo (2013)
  • Studied kung fu at the Shaolin Temple in China (2007)
  • Exploring wild caves in Laos (2006)
  • Climbing Gunung Sibayak (active volcano) in Sumatra, Indonesia (2011)
  • Tracking Komodo dragons in Rinca, Indonesia (2009)
  • Whale hunting from canoe in Lamalera, Indonesia (2009)
  • Living with local family in remote village in Alor, Indonesia (2009)
  • Driving motorcycles throughout Northern Thailand (yearly)
  • Surfing in Sri Lanka (2012)
  • Riding camels across desert in Rajastan, India (2012)
  • Trekking in North Sumatra to spot wild orangutans (2011)
  • Five-day trek through Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan, China (2007)
  • Walking railway to Machu Picchu in Peru (2010)
  • Rock climbing in Alaska, Colorado, Kentucky, Thailand, Indonesia, and England

A Few Notable Landmarks Explored

  • Everest Base Camp, Nepal (2016)
  • Angkor Wat, Cambodia (2006)
  • Machu Picchu, Peru (2010)
  • Stonehenge, England (2008)
  • Temples in Ayutthaya, Thailand (2010)
  • Great Wall of China (2007)
  • Plain of Jars, Laos (2013)
  • The Citadel, Vietnam (2010)
  • Desert forts of Rajasthan (2012)
  • Nazca Lines in Peru (2009)
  • Shaolin Temple in China (2007)
  • Grand Canyon, USA (2014)
  • Pagodas of Bagan, Myanmar (2015)

Sports and Adventure Experience

  • High-elevation trekking in Nepal (5,900+ meters)
  • I am PADI Advanced scuba certified with 35+ dives.
  • I have studied Chinese kung fu off and on since 1990.
  • I trained in Shaolin at China’s famous Xiao Long Wu Yuan Shaolin Temple
  • Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and energy work
  • Skydiving from 12,000 feet
  • Bungee jumping from 50 meters
  • Zorbing down a hill in North India (Manali)
  • Horseback riding in the U.S., Egypt, and Thailand
  • Surfing in Bali and Sri Lanka
  • Free diving (no air) in Koh Lanta, Thailand
  • Cliff diving in Jamaica, Thailand, and Indonesia
  • Kayaking (to Class II) and canoeing
  • Parasailing
  • Rock climbing in Colorado, Kentucky, Alaska, Thailand, China, and more
  • Free solo climbing (no rope) in Kentucky, Colorado, England, and Thailand
  • Rappelling
  • Marksmanship, U.S. Army “expert” qualified at 300 meters
  • Hunting (deer and small game)
  • Camel riding in Egypt and India
  • Whale hunting (by harpoon) in Indonesia
  • Fishing (spear, traditional, fly, trap, net, etc)
  • Proficient on a motorbike

Scuba Experience

  • Gulf of Thailand (Koh Tao and Koh Chang)
  • Andaman Sea (Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi)
  • Caribbean (Jamaica)
  • Red Sea (Egypt)
  • Indian Ocean (Indonesia)
  • West Bali National Park (Indonesia)
  • Apo Island (Philippines)

House Sitting and Permaculture

  • 2015: Two-month house sitting assignment at an off-grid location in Mexico. Solar, rain water, and vacation-home-off-season experience
  • 2014: House sitting at an organic farm in Kentucky with chickens, pigs, and horses
  • 2014: Multiple house-sitting gigs in Seattle, Washington
  • 2006: Multiple house-sitting gigs in Alaska

Countries and Places

Countries only count if I left the airport and explored the place properly. Despite what some may claim, layovers in airports do not count!

  • Thailand (my usual base in the region)
  • Nepal
  • Burma/Myanmar
  • Philippines
  • Cambodia (x2 trips)
  • Laos (x 3 trips)
  • Vietnam (x 2 trips)
  • Malaysia (x 15 trips)
  • Indonesia (x 9 trips)
  • East Timor
  • Brunei
  • Singapore (x 2 trips)
  • Borneo (x 2 trips)
  • Sumatra (x 2 trips)
  • China
  • Shanghai
  • Egypt
  • Colombia
  • Ecuador
  • Peru
  • Mexico (x 2 trips)
  • Canada (x 2 trips)
  • India
  • Sri Lanka
  • Jamaica
  • England (x 3 trips)
  • Spain
  • France
  • Ireland
  • Germany (x 2 trips)
  • Belgium
  • Italy
  • The Netherlands (x 2 trips)
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Alaska (x 2 trips)
  • Hawaii (x 3 trips)