My 6 month journey around Southeast Asia is rapidly coming to an end.  In fact, by the time you read this, I’ll likely be in the middle of my 24 hour return trip or even back home.  The money tree is in desperate need of watering (most landlords don’t offer layaway) and I also think I’m ready for another change of pace.  The traveling lifestyle is unbeatable, but I feel that it loses its top-level novelty once it truly becomes your life.

Fear not – travel will always be my greatest passion, and even as I think about my pending job search I’m planning future trips to India, China, and South America.

Not to get too far ahead of myself, if anyone knows about engineering job openings on the west coast that deal with developing alternative energies or environmental conservation, hit me up!  I plan on moving to Portland, Seattle, or San Francisco and will be in desperate need of employment!

My wanderings around SE Asia have been incredible and have exceeded all expectations.  In addition to a break from the pencil pushing, I’ve experienced some crazy sh*t, met some wonderful people, and learned a lot about Southeast Asian life and culture.

Solo travel and slow travel were new to me on this trip and have proven to be particularly rewarding.  I’m certainly not averse to fast & partner travel, but this was a nice change of pace and perspective.  I was able to take as long (or short) of a time in each town visited, had a favorable disposition to interact with locals and immerse myself in their culture, and embraced the occasional solitude for soul-searching reflection.

Random Trip Tallies

6 months of traveling through 6 countries has produced countless memorable experiences, more friendships than I’ll be able to keep up with, and far too many squat toilet misadventures.  I still have my 2 original pairs of pants (and no more), I lost 3 pairs of sunglasses, missed 1 train and 1 bus for which I had a ticket, ran in 5 different hashes, and got beat up once <see Blind Pain post below>.  Miraculously, I endured zero arrests <see Jail in Japan post below – that happened on my previous trip>, zero muggings, zero life-threatening diseases, and even maintained my exit-hole purity.  (Sorry, didn’t know how to appropriately say: “I didn’t get raped!  Horray!”).

Travel Writing

I initially harbored hopes of breaking into the travel writing industry during this trip.  On a small, but significant level, I achieved this with my MatadorTrips article.  Although it’s a rather small and single publication, it got me in the door with your friendly neighborhood Matador/BNT editor (read: Tim).  Hopefully, with a little diligent work at home, I’ll be able to transform my two full notebooks into a few polished articles.  Stay tuned!

Random Ingrained Lessons Learned and SE Asia Traveling Advice for the Masses

The following are tried, tested, and proven traveling philosophies for me, but may not suit your traveling style or priorities.  Everyone gets something different out of travel, and that’s precisely what’s so great about it.  Travel is uniquely experienced so that everyone comes away with something different that they can call their own.

Most items below play around the same core ideas: travel is best when cheap, hard, and awkward.  These traits tend deliver rewarding experiences, fresh perspectives, inspiring insights, and meaningful relationships.

• Travel is meant to be awkward at times; feeling uncomfortable and out of place is a good sign that you’re off the tourist path and in the midst of the real country you’re exploring.

• Real adventure involves hardship: it is only highlighted by brief, but powerful, moments of exhilaration and triumph that make it worth the effort.

• If a restaurant or bar is welcoming, it’s probably expensive and touristy.  Follow the side streets to find cheap and culture-rich venues.

• Money can improve every dodgy situation or solve it if it needs solving.  Money can make you more comfortable, speed up any process, and get you off the hook, but the easy way out also tends to be the least interesting option.

• With that in mind, always use the cheapest available transportation: you’ll be with the locals and have the best experiences.  But, of course, the best experiences are not always the most pleasant experiences.

• Patience is imperative.  The bus will not leave on time and it will break down.  Multiple times.  Locals will try to overcharge you and it’s up to you to barter in a composed manner.  Food ordered in a restaurant may take an hour or more to be served – bring your notebook, a book, or make a buddy.  If you want food fast, go to the market.  Politely decline the 57 “want moto?” offers encountered each block.  Westerners who do not exercise patience embarrass themselves, and everyone around them, and only become more frustrated.  In short, chill out to fit in.

• Drinking with locals is a great way to break the ice and dive into authentic local culture.  Ditch your fellow backpackers in the guesthouse bar and find local watering holes.  (Just don’t be stupid and wake up wallet-less in the gutter.)

• Lonely Planet guides (and other popular guidebooks) are only good for background info, maps, and for telling you where all the other white people are.  Damn near every independent traveler uses LP these days, so every guesthouse and food stall listed is already full and twice the listed price because of the increased popularity.  Traveling without (or with less reliance) on the guide is advised.

 Last two, and most important:

• Every experience is a good experience (yes, even if it’s a bad experience).

• Live everyday of your life in love.

So long for now, Southeast Asia.  It’s been a blast and I will miss you.