Post Worldtrippers'

One Year Later

2008-05-07T20:57:00.002-05:00

I posted this on my new blog - NithinCoca.com - but I thought it was appropriate here too.

12 1/2 months ago, I stepped foot on American soil for the first time in over a year. I wasn't wearing a flag lapel pin, and my passport had stamps from some rather unseemly countries (Turkey, the Emirates, Malaysia, to name a few), my hair was long, and I was going to live at home. But I knew then that, even though I had just finished a trip around the world, with experiences that I'm only now starting to understand, I was starting a far grander journey.

The journey to change America.

I travel with a slightly different perspective than most travelers. The world is a patchwork of disparate peoples, each with their own dynamic and fascinating history - and I only wanted to tap into this great collective of knowledge. So I went, from the picturesque battlefields of Gallipoli, where the seeds were planted that led to the great ethnic cleansing in the former Yugoslavia only a decade ago. I visited the remote kingdom of Nepal, where the rapidly changing weather patterns were wreaking havoc on subsidence crops (a precursor to the food crisis today, I now realize).

I realized what power I had - I was from America. Six years of Bush had taken it's toll on me, but I still believed that I could make a different. I just hadn't tried hard enough.

Change isn't easy. And that's a lesson I'm learning slowly everyday - but after what I've seen, nothing seems too daunting.

Trippers Best Of...Tourist Attractions

2008-01-18T18:10:00.001-06:00

Tourist attractions. They range from historic buildings, fantastic ruins, to museums and artwork. I excluded religious and sacred sites, which I ranked here and natural wonders, ranked here. Enjoy!

1. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain - Serenity, Peace, and majesty define the greatest remaining monument to Moorish Spain. Whether it was walking through its detailed corridors, or gazing at it from the Mirabor de San Cristobal, awash in golden light above Granada, this is definitely one the great majesties of architecture anywhere in the world.

2. Gallipoli, Turkey - The site of the one of the most famous WWI battlefields, and the only battlefield I visited during my trip. Where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk made his name, a pilgrimage for many Australians and Kiwis, one of the most beautiful places in Turkey.

3. Great Mezquitza of Cordoba, Spain (pictured) - The largest Mosque in Europe, now converted into a Cathedral, where you can see the simplicity of Moorish architecture juxtaposed with the excesses of Catholicism. Absolutely amazing.

4. Ruins of Ayyutthaya, Thailand - The ruins of the former Royal capital of Thailand, scattered around a large area. Wonderful for exploring by bike, and gorgeous by night, especially when they're are too many tourists around!

5. Old Sighisoara, Romania - The birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, better known as Dracula, a wonderful fairy-tale like city built on a small hill, and still undiscovered by tourists. Throw in a great hostel, and you have a gem.

6. Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan

7. Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey (pictured)

8. Rila Monestary, Bulgaria

9. Museum of Jewish History, Berlin, Germany

10. St. Mark's Square, Venice, Italy

Return to Trippers' Best of...

Trippers Best Of...Backpacker Ghettos

2007-12-22T19:08:00.000-06:00

They are unavoidable, and sometimes amazing. Backpacker ghettos, the places in many (mostly eastern) cities where the concentration of hostels and guesthouses as hit a critical mass, and with the surrounding bars and cafes, has become the meeting point for travelers from around the world. It's where you can have breakfast with a Englishman in the morning, go trekking with a Frenchman in the afternoon, and play drinking games with an Australian in the evening.

Some are great, others are cancerous. Here are my favorite 5, and my least favorite 5.

1. Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal - Beautiful streets with incredibly affordable food, lovely boutiques, and transportation by Rickshaw and foot. Also, the nightlife ain't bad, and the drinks are cheap!

2. Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia - Home of the infamous Daniel's Traveler's Lodge, one of the top 10 best lodging. Besides being a refuge of cool, mountain air in a hot, hot country, Tanah Rata has an amazing selection of South Indian, Chinese, and Malay food all at ridiculous prices, and a fantastic, laid back, backpacker atmosphere.

3. Sihanoukeville, Cambodia - One amazing thing about this place? How about FREE ACCOMODATION! Yes, at least at Khin's Shack, another one of the top 10 best lodging. Throw in a really relaxed atmosphere, only two bars on the beach, and plankton in the ocean, and you have yourself an epic time. Unfortunately, it looks like commercialization is going to ruin this place, so go there soon! Imagine Thailand 15 years ago!

4. Goreme, Cappadochia, Turkey - Imagine, rooms carved into caved for less than $3 a night. Fierce competition keeps the prices here low, and in the offseason, when I went, a beautiful, peaceful time. Check out Restaurant Mercan and say hi to Mustafa for me!

5. Kanchanaburi, Thailand - A lovely, riverfront backpacker's ghetto, with good, cheap restaurants, not too many tourists, and in close range to all the historic sights of this important WW2 city, including the infamous Bridge of Tears.

The WORST

1. Koh Phangang, Thailand - One moment, I was on the boat back from the island, and I walked outside. There I saw people sitting alongside the entire side of the boat, not saying a word to each other. Many gave me weird looks as I walked by. That was Koh Phangang, an antisocial, lazyass island with more white people on the beaches than California.

2. Vang Vieng, Laos - Imagine a city in Laos with no Lao people. Instead, just drunken, high, and drugged up westerners sitting at bars designated by the TV show shown on repeat all day (Simpsons, Friends, Family Guy, Seinfeld), and overpriced bars where everyone speaks English. If I wanted that, I'd have gone to Vegas, where at least I can gamble.

3. Khao Sahn Road, Bangkok Thailand - The most infamous backpacker ghetto (see the Beach) was not the place for a solo male traveler like me. Disgusting guesthouses, loud, loud nights, and bars that play soccer, rugby, cricket, and shitball, but not good old Football, its pretty close to hell.

4. Lake Boeung Kak, Phnom Pehn, Cambodia - Not terrible, but the accommodation by the Royal Palace is cheaper, nicer, and better located. Here, you really are in a city within a city, and its tough to escape and see the real Phnom Pehn. Too much weed, too many movies, and too much inactivity.

5. Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey - My first real backpacker ghetto! Great location, but all the guesthouses and hostels are run like business's, and they mean to rip you off. I recommend staying on the other side of the river, or Couchsurfing, as I did my last two times after staying here and getting ripped off.

*note - Europeans cities tend not to have backpacker ghettos, hence, they are not on this list. Hostels in Europe tend to be more spread apart among the city, and the preponderance of regular tourists rather than budget tourists ruins the ghetto dynamic. Hence so much Asia on my list, though Sultanahmet is technically in Europe!

Return to Trippers' Best of...

Trippers Best of...Friendliest People

2007-12-14T00:31:00.000-06:00

What makes traveling around the world different from sitting in your room and watching the Travel Channel? One word PEOPLE! People are the wealth of the world. So here, a cursory ranking of the friendliest people in the world, by no means exhaustive, and heavily subjective!

1. Bulgaria - Once I crossed the border, I immediately felt at home. From having locals show me around Veliko Tornovo, to being invited to an soldier's apartment during the national holiday in Plovdiv, Bulgaria was fun, friendly, and the only country in Eastern Europe where I felt truly at home.

2. Isaan, Thailand (pictured) - A little bias because I spent three weeks there teaching english, but the people are so lovely, smile like no one else in the world, and are such a joy to be around. Read my ode to Isaan here. And my life as a Thai teenage heartrob here.

3. Dhulikhel, Nepal - Once again, volunteering bias, but my memories of living in Dhulikel, playing soccer with the villagers, and visiting the homes of my students, are of some of the most open and happy people in the world.

4. Luang Prabang, Laos - One short story. I was riding my bike clumsily through the main street in the second largest city in Laos, Luang Prabang. I turned abruptly, accidentally cutting off a Lao girl on a bike. Instead of giving me an evil glare, or shouting, she just stopped and smiled. The next day, the exact same thing happened. That is the mark of a laid back society that understand what really matters. Back home in the US, I try to keep that attitude anytime someone cuts me of in traffic.

5. Lisbon, Portugal

6. Romania

7. Malaysia

8. Osaka, Japan

Return to Trippers' Best of...

Trippers best of...Religious Sites

2007-12-04T15:01:00.001-06:00

What is a sacred site? Loosely defined in the World Trippers dictionary, it's a site which a large number of people come to for pilgrimages every year, or a site that has spiritual value of some sort. I began this trip in the heart of Christendom, a block away from the Vatican, traveled through the middle east during the holy month of Ramadan, then trekked near the most remote pilgrim sites in the world, in the Himalayas.

1. Sunrise from Ta Prohn, Angkor Wat, Cambodia (pictured) - I got up at 5AM, rode my bike though the quiet morning streets of Siem Reap and then hiked up to this hilltop temple, where me and a few other restless souls watched the glory of the sunrise over the largest religious complex in the world, Angkor Wat. Pictures and words don't do this any justice.

2. St. Peter's Cathedral, Vatican City. The beams of sunlight through the giant strain glass windows into the behemoth interior left an impression that has let to subside.

3. Boudha Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal. This urban buddhist temple in Kathmandu is hidden behind a row of red brick building, within which you find a amazing white stupa, barely squeezed into the small square, with the trongs of Tibetan buddhists circling the temple, orange robed children sitting on the white surves of the stupas in one the best surprises of Nepal (and a temple I can't find any link to online!

4. Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey - A living temple, with the most beautiful interior and roof I'd ever seen. The courtyard outside, with the Hagia Sofia across the plaza, is one of the most incredible places in the world.

5. Doi Suthep, Chaing Mai, Thailand - A beautiful though small courtyard of this Thai temple sitting on a mountainside with incredible views of the 3rd largest city in Thailand.

Return to Trippers' Best of...

Malaysia - a Diverse Paradise

2007-11-07T16:29:00.000-06:00

The only country in the world with significant populations of the world four major religions - in Malaysia you can find Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and Christians, though necessarily side by side. Throw in some of the most amazing beaches, unspoilt islands, and amazing food, you have yourself one of the most dynamic countries in Asia.

I spent almost two months of my trip in Malaysia, visiting every province but two. I even went to Borneon Malaysia, to Sarawak for a week. Click on the photo or here to see my photos from Malaysia.

6 Months on...

2007-11-06T13:20:00.000-06:00

The first real post in far too long.

It's now been about six months since I landed on the United Airlines flight from Tokyo to Chicago, officially ending my trip and returning back to the heartland, to the United States. It feels like it was just yesterday that I came back, yet it feels like eons ago when I was in Tokyo.

The last six months have been a whirlwind. I've kept on traveling, mostly for political and job reasons, to Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, Washington DC, Omaha, and I've lived in Kansas City, Des Moines, Iowa, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Yet I feel unfulfilled, and not surprisingly, I'm back exactly where I was six months ago, at home, living with my parents, trying to figure out my next step.

I don't wish that I was still on my trip. But I do with I had just returned home, to that optimistic feeling, and I wish I could redo the last six months with more focus. My book is coming around, but slowly, my goal of having a draft finished in six months now passed, I haven't gotten that job that I wanted, nor have I fulfilled my trip dream of having my own apartment or place in cool neighborhood.

Hopefully soon. Hopefully.

Trippers' Best of...Bars

2007-09-24T00:05:00.000-05:00

Bars and social gathering places (cafe's, patios, etc). Where you meet people, whether it be locals, or fellow travelers. These were not secondarily the best bars of the world, but that bars where I had the best time. So, without further ado, the best bars of the world!

1. Musee du Vin, Porto, Portugal (pictured) - Gustav and company made this bar the best deal and best ever Lonely Planet rec ever. Each glass came with a personalized description of history, region, and personal preference. We spent over 2 hours there, learning and soaking in the history of wine, the best bar experience of my life. Be sure to check it out if you make it to Porto!

2. Village Bar (unnamed), Temple village, near Sangaa, Nepal - While traveling, you discover the best places by chance. During a hiking tour of the area around Sangaa, Nepal, our friend, Pasupathi, took us to a small temple village, where there was one little restaurant/bar. In this dirty, lamp lit shack with elderly Nepalis, we ordered some noodles and some homemade rice wine. Then we ordered some more, and more, all in all four rounds, while chatting with the locals in broken Nepali, enjoying the amazing view and chatting amongst ourselves. The total cost for over 20 glasses of rice wine, 5 bowls of noodles, and a bottle of water? 270 ruppes, or, about 4 dollars.

3. King Night Pub, near Kamlai Village, Isaan, Thailand - I saw this place while zipping back home on the back of a motorcycle. So one evening, while volunteering in a small village in the NE of Thailand me and some fellow volunteers decided that we needed a place to go hang out and get some drinks. So off we went, and walked into the deserted Karaoke bar, woke up the owners, and then spend the next two hours dancing and singing with the family (including their 6 yr old son), all whilst enjoying a good earned beer, to Thai karaoke songs with a few English words in the chorus. Then, the owners gave us all free rides home on their motorbikes. Now that's what I call service.

4. La Alberca (Pueblo Ingles) Hotel Bar, La Alberca, Spain - Drinking cheap beer and rose wine with drunk Spaniards until 2 or 3 AM. Throw in some spontaneous flamenco and you have yourself an unforgettable bar experience.

5. Bar Vietnam, Luang Prabang, Laos - This underground, illegal, tourist only bar was filled to the brim with us backpackers who couldn't stand Laos' 2AM cutoff. Strange, that's the same time the bars cutoff in Los Angeles...

6. Island Bars, Budapest, Hungary - A group of bars on a small island on the Danube. Lovely and beautiful.

7. Frog Shack, Sihanoukville, Cambodia - For the beachbums in Sihanoukeville, this was the only game in town for the late night crowd. Luckilly, it was a great game, with decent music, a DJ, a lounge, real bathrooms, and the plankton beaches of southern Cambodia.

8. Visitors Bar, Bordeaux, France - Connected to the visitors center was one of the nicest, classiest, yet affordable wine bars that I had ever been to. With modern, yet not overdone furnishings, good service and incredible wine.

Morocco - Rocking the Casbah!

2007-08-04T13:34:00.001-05:00

Alright, the photos keep on coming! Now, Morocco. Click on the extreme picture to the left to see my album from Morocco, the land of amazing food, friendly people, and lots of French. Good ol Berber hospitality!

From the Atlas Mountains to Fez to Marrakesh, the two ancient royal cities of Morocco, here is the fascinating melting pot that is Morocco.

Cambodia: Siem Reap to Sihanoukville

2007-08-04T02:22:00.001-05:00

Click on the photo to see my album from Cambodia, a country with an amazing history and a tragic recent past. I spent three weeks there during my SE Asian adventure. To read posts from my time in Cambodia, click here.

Windows on the World Slideshow

2007-07-31T12:14:00.000-05:00

A collection of photos from various windows around the world. An idea stolen from Lonely Planet Experimental Travel, I tried to take a photo from the view of every place that I stayed. Click on the photo, or here, to see my slideshow of the windows on the world, from Rome, Italy to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Pictured - Kathmandu, Nepal from Happy Home.

Laos: From Slow Boats to Tigers

2007-07-30T13:55:00.001-05:00

Click on the photo to the right to see my photo-journal from Laos, the land of a thousand elephants. enjoy!

Trippers' Best of...Lodging

2007-07-28T19:47:00.001-05:00

From guesthouses, to hostel, to hostels, to camping, to staying at people's houses, to sleeping on trains and buses, I did it all. These are the ranking of the best paid places. For sake, anyone who offered me a free place to stay (and there were many of you), consider yourself the true #1!

1. Prince Mekong Villa, Siem Reap, Cambodia - I don't think I ever more at home, or even felt so sad to leave, than during my five days at the wonderful Prince Mekong Villa. A gem in the dirty sea of guesthouses that is Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor Wat. Free welcome drink, free one time laundry, free unlimited bottled drinking water, free bikes, free hot breakfast, and self serve beer. not to mention the only kitchen in SE Asia. Paradise...did i mention it cost $4 a night for my own fanned room?

2. Indigo Youth Hostel, Valencia, Spain - I had just had one of the worst days of my traveling before I came to Indigo. There, the friendly staff, beautiful spacious common areas, and small, intimate atmosphere melted all my worries away. What a fantastic place, I wish I could have stayed longer. You really helped me remember why I love traveling.

3. Nathan's Villa, Sighisoara, Romania (pictured) - Free breakfast...all day long. No check out time, just leave when you have to. A downstairs bar, plenty of booze, great tours, and the most amazing open air market just a few blocks away. That 5pm breakfast was delicious!

4. Hiker's Hostel, Plovdiv, Bulgaria - Hiker's had it all, a great staff, a lovely garden and a perfect location right inside the Plovdiv old town. Free internet, free breakfast, and a full kitchen along with a friendly backpacker atmosphere made it a perfect traveler's stop.

5. Mut Mee Guesthouse. Nong Khai, Thailand - A pleasant surprise in a the pleasant border town of Nong Khai, Thailand. Beautiful rivenside garden lounge, cheap bikes, and a short walk to the central market. Not to mention it cost $2.5 for a comfortable 3 bed dorm room!

6. Traveller's House, Lisbon, Portugal. - a two week old gem (when we were there).

7. Treehouse Hostel, Gruneu, Austria - Gertrude, the owner, sure knows how to have a good time!

8. Mostel Hostel, Sofia, Bulgaria - With three entries in the top 10, Romania and Bulgaria were paid accommodation heaven.

9. Daniel's Lodge, Cameron Highland, Malaysia - Don't mention the Lonely Planet writer who wrote a bad review over the nightly bonfire.

10. Goodbye Lenin Hostel, Krakow, Poland - Free BBQ, two free shots, free internet, and it was named after one of my favorite movies. Woo-hoo!

Dishonorable Mention: Flying Pig Hostel, Amsterdam. Besides being expensice (26 euros a night), no airconditioning amist a heatwave, and horribly overcrowded. Then they charged us a 10% conversion fee on my credit card to make it even worse. HORRIBLE.

Return to Trippers' Best of...

Sunrises and Sunsets of the World

2007-07-28T19:18:00.000-05:00

Click the photo to see my slideshow compilation of sunrises and sunsets of the world.

Trippers Best of...Countries!

2007-07-27T12:26:00.001-05:00

A very rough list...as a matter of fact, its in alphabetical order, not order of greatest. If you ask me this question in person, I will, depending on how I feel at any given time, answer any of the following 5 countries.

1. Bulgaria (pictured) - From the moment I crossed the friendship bridge into Bulgaria, I discovered a country that had a true identity and wasn't scared of the past, but instead looking straight into the future. This is Bulgaria, one of the funnest countries with some of the most delicious food in the world.

2. Nepal - Such wonderful people, and amazing sunsets. Living in the Dhulikel valley. What an experience.

3. Thailand - The land of a thousand smiles, and some of the most warm, open, joyful people I'd ever met in the entire world. Shout out to Isaan and the remote, amazing NE!

4. Portugal - I was only there for a week, but from Gustav at the Porto Vinotheque to the beautiful beaches of Lagos, it felt that I only got a small taste and not the huge feast that I wanted.

5. Turkey - The first country where I felt like I really got to know the locals. I was invited to dinner multiple times, got to experience ramadan, including the amazing Ramadan sunset from Cappadochia's mountains, and went into the remote black sea coast. But I still need to go back!

Dishonorable Mention: The UAE, though I had a great time there, because of this.

Return to Trippers' Best of...

Trippers' Best of...Cities

2007-07-18T17:25:00.001-05:00

Cities are the center of the human jungle. Chaos, to beauty, cities are where things happen, but not neccesarily where the world lives. But all transportation goes through cities at some point, and these were my favorite. Only cities are included, villages and small towns will be ranked later!

1. Veliko Tornovo, Bulgaria (pictured
) - Maybe it was my 8 euro apartment with a view of the entire valley. Or the delicious Italian/Bulgarian restaurant we went to twice. Or all the amazing people I met, or the fact that Bulgaria would come to be one of my funnest countries.

2. Berlin, Germany - Best food, friendly people, amazing nightlife, and best of all, cheap (for european capitols). I want to live here.

3. Luang Prabang, Laos - The former capitol of the land of the thousand elephants has just begun to get hit with mass tourism, but it was the most laid back, easygoing place i went. I would ride my bike down the main highway, and be going as fast as the cars. I never heard anyone honk, and always saw smiles all around me.

4. Kathmandu, Nepal - The capitol of Nepal but with a population of less than a million, delicious food, amazing architecture and some of the most beautiful temples that I have ever seen in my life.

5. Nong Khai, Thailand - Who says border towns suck? Amazing restaurants, people, and the most beautiful guesthouse patio in SE Asia, Mut Mee's, not to mention the towering statues at Sculpture Park.

6. Marrakesh, Morocco (pictured)

7. Sighisoara, Romania

8. Istanbul, Turkey

9. Osaka, Japan

10. Kuala Terrenganu, Malaysia

Istanbul, Seville, Porto, Lisbon, Luang Prabang, Osaka, Plovdiv, Sighisoara, Venice, Salzburg,, Marrakesh, Kuala Terrenganu, Khon Kaen, Nong Khai

Dishonorable Mention - Bangkok. They took the Los Angeles blueprint of how not to build a city, and took it a whole new level. You can tell, though, that it was once a beautiful city, the Venice of the East but not anymore.

Return to Trippers' Best of...

Trippers Best Of...Scenery

2007-06-10T16:26:00.000-05:00

Part of the best of series.

Beauty is everywhere, but some places just take your breath away. They can be completely unexpected, or hyped up by everyone you meet. Here are my favorite scenic places in the world.

1. Dhulikel Sunrise, Nepal. Just look at that. No contest.

2. Cinque Terre, Italy. The five villages along the coast seem to slither down the dramatic coastline.

3. Kota Kinabalu National Park, Sabah (Borneo), Malaysia. The rugged peak of the tallest mountain in SE Asia greeted me in the morning, though I unfortunatly didn't accept its modest challenge.

4. Annapurna Trekking, Nepal. You know you're near the top of the world when you reach 10,000 feet...and its just a "hill."

5. Pyrennes, Andorra and France, This tiny electronic store-driven nation has some beautiful mountain passes.

6. Cappadochia, Turkey. Fairly tale land of rock homes, cave dormitories, and brilliantly carved Christian chapels.

7. Backroads of Isaan, Thailand. Sitting in the back of a truck, the brisk wind blowing my hair, and the sunset just over the horizon.

8. Mekong River, Laos. Slow boat down the beautiful, untouched Mekong valley.

9. Sumo-Udo, Kansai Province, Japan. Probably wouldn't have made the list if it were'nt for the Cherry Blossoms!

Dishonorable Mention: Fes river, Morocco. Most polluted body of water that I have seen.

Return to Trippers' Best of...

Trippers Best of...Beaches

2007-06-03T11:39:00.000-05:00

The first of the 10-15 part series, best of. See the unfinished best of index here.

80% of the world's population lives within 50 miles of the coast. Kansas is not 50 miles from the coast. So here are the best coastal beach areas of the world, from Portugal all the way to Cambodia...and the winner is....!

1. Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Free accomodation, cheap food, and plankton illuminating the night sea. That, and 50 cent mango shakes, what more could you ask for?

2. Middle of Nowhere, Mekong River, Laos. See here for the story behind this magnificent, stat studded, beach on the river. A very close second.

3. Songklha, Thailand. I've never seen so many seashells in my life. A untouristed, authentic, southern Thai beach.

4. Lagos, Portugal. Walking among the cliffs of these beautiful, pristine, algarve beaches, which, may I mention, were topless in many locations?

5. Chigasaki, Japan. The birthplace of surfing in Japan greeted us with this amazing sunset over the perfect hood of Mount Fuji during our mid-spring BBQ.

Dishonorable Mention: Koh Phanang, Thailand. When I first walked onto this disneyland-like neon-lit beach, I looked around. Everyone was white. Even in Southern California, or Southern France, I'd never seen this many pale, white bodies before. Aren't we in Thailand?

Other memorable beaches: Pale English in Malaga, Spain, the beautiful sunsets of Palau Perhenthian, Malaysia, the too-peaceful battlefield beaches of Gallipoli, Turkey, and the tiered cliffs leading down to the small, serene beaches at Cinque Terre, Italy, all just missed the cut.

Return to Trippers' Best of...

It's Over...

2007-05-28T10:26:00.000-05:00

I noticed today that traffic has suffered on this site. Maybe its cause two of the trippers haven't posted since last year, or maybe its cause the trip is over. Why check the site when the trip is over? Why click on the adds when the boys no longer need our money? So why care?

Well, the trip may be over, but this site will live on forever. Welcome to the post-trip section, where we (probably just me) will post our thoughts, feeling, and advice on how it feels to be home after being gone for 11-13 months travelling. Some of us are planning to hit the road again, others, to get a job, others just looking to get back into the groove of things, of how things were before we left.

So keep checking! I'm going to be working on the brand new Best of! Trippers section, which will showcase the best places, food, things, and even unthings that I saw during my trip, with PHOTOS! Yes, photos.

Now that you mention, photos. I have over 5,000 photos from this trip, many duplicates, and I didn't organize during my travels because, well, I didn't have a computer. So I'm slowly, but surely, gathering all those photos in one place, organizing them, and soon, making a digital slideshow of the best photos, soundtracked with music from my trip around the world. Sound nice? Well, I'll post it on YouTube when I'm finished.

So the trip might be over, but the adventure it not. I started a new blog to showcase my next story, politics and the 2008 election. Check it out - http://nithincoca.wordpress.com

Until next post...I'm sure you can't wait!

Hold On!

2005-10-22T22:32:00.000-05:00

We're not there yet! Check out the other sections.

(links to other sections here)