| Q: |
How did you pay for this trip? |
| A: |
That’s the most common
question I get. And if it weren’t for a few people being
shy, I’d get that question a lot more... |
| Q: |
How
much did it cost? |
| A: |
It cost less than you might expect,
about $28 per day in Asia, for instance. But costs vary a lot
depending on... |
| Q: |
What was your favorite place? |
| A: |
Here is a short list of some places
that stick out in my mind, and the reasons I remember them,
along with links to... |
| Q: |
What
place had the biggest impact on you personally? |
| A: |
Ethiopia. You can leave Ethiopia,
but it never really leaves you. |
| Q: |
What
was your worst experience?
|
| A: |
In general, my worst experiences
had to do with my GI tract. My journal is littered with tales
of my zany fecal misadventures... |
| Q: |
Wasn't
it dangerous? |
| A: |
While I was traveling, 3,000 people
were killed in the World Trade Center attack, right here in
the good ol’ US of A... |
Q: |
How
did your parents feel about this? |
| A: |
My mother, who died in 1994, was
an avid traveler. If she had been around, I’m sure she
would have been worried sick, but... |
Q: |
How
did you maintain your Web site? |
| A: |
The hard part was dealing with photos,
since I did not have a digital camera... |
Q: |
Why did you take this trip? |
| A: |
Answer coming soon. |
Q: |
What are you planning to do next? |
| A: |
Answer coming eventually. |
| Q: |
What did you learn along the way?
|
| A: |
I am a very different person now.
Here's a top-ten list of things that struck me upon my return. |
| Q: |
Did you visit any places where you would consider living? |
| A: |
For me, it’s important to live
close to my family and friends, even if it’s not in the
most beautiful place on earth. But, if that were not a factor,
I can think of a few... |
| Q: |
Are
there any places you missed that you wish you had visited? |
| A: |
You just have to get used to not
seeing everything. After all, I only had two years. Here are
some places I hope to visit someday... |
| Q: |
So where are you going next? |
| A: |
Probably India and Nepal. I will
attend a friend's wedding in the Punjab in late November, and
hope to trek in the Everest region into December. |
| Q: |
Why don't you get this published
as a book? |
| A: |
I’m flattered by the number
of times I get that question. But the idea really doesn’t
interest me. It’s very hard to get travel writing published.
I have much easier ways of making money. And I like the idea
of giving it away for free on this Web site. |
| Q: |
Did
you meet any interesting people along the way? |
| A: |
Traveling inevitably introduces you
to some of the world’s most interesting people. I’ll
tell you a bit about a few of the most memorable people I met
along the way, and provide links to relevant journal entries... |
| Q: |
What
kind of camera did you use? |
| A: |
I deliberated on this for ages, and
it’s the result of a series of small decisions... |
| Q: |
Was
it tough to travel in countries where you didn't speak the language? |
| A: |
At first, yes, it was very difficult.
However, within a month, I unwittingly learned a mixture of
drawing, gesture, pantomime and patience that allowed me to
communicate with... |
