No words yet [PLACEHOLDER] but here are the pictorals from 10 days worth of beachin and meatin!

Uruguay

Buenos Aires

The Philippines

When you looooove Southeast Asia but don’t wanna double back on previous parts of its rich paradise (yet), go to the Philippines. It has all of the color and life as, say Thailand, with a tenth of the tourists. Maybe a hundredth.

Philippines – Palawan

Philippines – Luzon and Surfing

And, as a bonus the tourism and foreigner scene is interesting in itself, falling into one of three camps, each one a commentary on the peripherals of globalization:

China – the Karen Dynasty

A lot has changed within China since my first visit 3 years ago. Or maybe just within me. Or both. My only overlap between the trips was Beijing so I suppose its like comparing Chow Mein to Chow Fun. My last trip was down through the guts to Vietnam (that story here), but this one covered different real estate. Brigid and I began in Shanghai where my sister, Karen is now living, and the three of us looped up and around the highly urbanized Yellow Sea in the northeast.

Pics

In summary: loogie central, armies of street sweepers, smog, and cranes. Tiny villages have more construction projects under way than San Diego has had in the past decade with new cities trying to sparkle through the nuclear winter.

I don’t know what to say.  Too much.  Let’s make this a placeholder for now.  Here are the pics which can do some of the talking.  Whew.

Chronologically…

Family Oz Christmas

Family NZ New Years

NZ South Island Road Trip

Wilson’s Prom

WA

Australia Til Now

Building the Yellow Brick Road

Whitsundays

Grampians

Snow in Oz

Yankeedoodle Day in the Park

Brazil – O Norte

Brazil – Rio to Sao

Brazil – Pantanal to Iguazu

I sit here on my cousin’s couch in Sao Paolo pondering my 6 weeks in this marvelous country. Given my travel history, six weeks within one border is an eternity and this one has worked its way into my heart like few others. Brigid and I joked that we’ve barely spent this long in the U.S. together – a vacationship consisting of equal parts international and domestic. Meanwhile, my sister has leap-frogged both of us and moved to China. To my parents perplex, Brigid and I will follow her lead in an Australian sorta way come September 21st. I can’t wait to settle. The other day, we racked up 14 bus rides in 24 hours. No doubt that in the past 3 and a half months we’ve broken triple digits.

South Africa – Johannesburg

South Africa – Cape Town

Johannesburg (Part 1)

Team Botswana (Brig, James, Michelle, and myself) was temporarily divided between air and land onward routes to South Africa. Brigid and I, of course, opted for 7 buses over two long days while the employed Americans soared high in the sky like the patriotic eagles that they are.  

Botswana

Botwana is second to Zambia in ease of entry and tied with nicest people in Africa. Brigid and I freeloaded on a boat across the Chobe River and bam, in Botswana. There’s an optional customs building that you can elect to go into but whatever.  

Zambia

Getting there was more than half the battle for us. We left Zanzibar island in Tanzania and this is how it went.

Tanzania

Part One: A Morsel of Kenya

We arrived in Nairobi, Kenya in the middle of a damp night. In the dark, we raced to erect our new REI tent against the interests of the early morning creepy crawlies. This tent is awesome but after squeezing our massive bags inside, Brigid and I are left with a deficit on space. Luckily, the close quarters are welcomed through the brisk nights. The days are much warmer and tent time is on an as needed basis.

Egypt – Nile

Egypt – Sinai

Egypt was a late addition to the grand plan. In fact, everything aside from South Africa was a late add. In 2006, four drunk riled up Yanks in the midst of German World Cup fever proclaimed that come 2010, we’d make our foray onto African soil for the next World Cup: South Africa. I filed that promise into my skull and moved on with my life. Four years is forever. Who knows, we might be married and grown up by then. But life meanders.  

This next adventure takes Brigid and I through Africa and South America over the next 4 months. The lead up has been a déjà vu of my last pack-up-and-go in 2008 with my job, housing, and life all wrapped up and put on hold. However, the distinct wave of excitement that launched me on my way last time hasn‘t surfaced yet. Don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to it but last trip was born out of years of fantasy. This one is more spontaneous and driven by a feeling of obligation: an obligation to touch down on two new continents, an obligation to understand the people and cultures of those unexplored lands, and an obligation to experience a balanced taste of the world before moving forward with any further life decisions. Of course, hitting the road is a decision in its own right – and of no lesser value than where to live, where to work, who to love, how to live, and how to find happiness.

I worry about how I’ll take to the road this time. Last time I embraced it, but I have butterfies this time. Do I still have it in me to overcome the little challenges that being a vagabond presents? What am I looking for this time? I don’t know the answer to either of these questions but this lack of expectations plays to my advantage. I’ve said that the key to life is a good attitude and no expectations. Barring a floundering attitude, I think the sequel should at least be meaningful. Fun would be a bonus.

Haiti. March 27 – April 4, 2010

It looks like Baghdad, maybe worse.  

USA.  June 1, 2009 – April 30, 2010  Pics

Holy cow, America is weird.

February 14 – May 31, 2009

To minimize my overwhelming re-entry into the USA, I’ve decided to forego any formal remarks on my southeast Asian adventure. It has been exactly that, an adventure, but it’s so colorful, diverse, and exciting, that telling the tale seems an unmountable task. Maybe I’ll work through some commentary someday when I’m back behind a desk or whatever lies next for Mr. Sabbatical. I’m sure some of you might read it, some will have forgotten. Some of you have probably already forgotten and that’s ok. I won’t. I never will. I will someday forget about my debt but the tales will spin webs in my head until I‘m so mentally congested that I need another sabbatical. Enjoy my pictures and comments. Bite sized and scrumptious.

Indonesia – Bali & G-Land

Indonesia – Lombok

Indonesia – Flores & Komodo

Singapore

Malaysia

Thailand – Southern Beaches

Laos

Thailand – Northern Highlands

Thailand – Bangkok!

Thailand – Koh Chang

Cambodia

Vietnam

China.  January 25 – February 13, 2009  Pics

I arrived in Beijing at about 9pm from Delhi.  After 3 weeks of zipping across India, I was excited about a very loose agenda in China. 

India.  January 8-25, 2009  Pics

This is the second half in the adventure of Esteban and his Brownbear (one of our many band names).

U.A.E.  January 3-8, 2009 Pics

I arrived for my first Arabian night shortly after fulfilling my first international beer run. 

Scotland. Dec 16, 2008 – Jan 2, 2009  Pics

Scotland is the reason I included Europe in my little quarter-life adventure altogether.

England. December 12-16, 2008  Pics

The 12 hour return train ride from Sarajevo to Budapest passed much quicker despite the smoky rickety cabin I lucked into. 

Vienna & Sarajevo. December 3-10, 2008  Pics

After my time in Budapest with Rodney, Zoltan, and the mob, I decided to take the two hour train to Vienna for a couple days to mitigate my impending hit.

Hungary. November 27-December 6, 2008  Pics

I had been looking forward to Budapest for a long time.

Bulgaria & Serbia. November 15-27, 2008  Click for Pictures

…pronounced Sophia, for those of you that might not be fluent in Wingdings. 

November 27, 2008 (Happy Thanksgiving!)

A few things I miss so far.  My miss log.  My mlog.

Luzern, Paris, Amsterdam. November 5-15, 2008  Click for Pictures

My favorite part of my life
Is letting it go to see what turns out right
Or turns out wrong
Its all the same I’ll get to write a new song

Turkey. October 25-November 5, 2008  Click for Pictures

Turkey was an interesting place for me.  I arrived and was overwhelmed.

Italy. October 20-25, 2008  Click for Pictures

A week ahead of schedule, I was heading to Turkey on the first of four ferry’s over the 48 hours it would take to get there.  I was up for the adventure.

Greece. October 12-20, 2008  Click for Pictures

The flight from Ireland was quick and painless and sitting in the aisle seat next to me was a new character, airplane girl #3.

Ireland. October 6-12, 2008  Click for Pictures

It wasn’t until the day before my departure from the states that I realized how long six months was really going to be. 

October 5, 2008

Sabbatical (n) – a leave from work for research, study, or travel, often with pay and usually granted to college professors every seven years.