Q & A

It has been a welcoming surprise to have garnered so much interest in my travels through this blog.  While I suspect there are many of you who secretly follow by not commenting or interacting, I am greeted with many comments and email inquiries relating to my posts, pictures, stories, etc.  In many ways the words shared validate the reasons I decided to undertake this journey in the fırst place... it is, however, the questions many ask that I enjoy and look forward to the most as it shows a personal interest in what I am experiencing and provides me the opportunity to relay my own interpretation of these experiences along the way!  Here is a sample of some of the questions I have encountered followed by my reponse... You may find one of your unasked questions in the mix:

• Do you get lonely traveling alone?  When you are in Paris and surrounded my numerous happy couples making out you can not help but wish you had someone to squeeze.  But traveling alone has its advantages: there is no one to debate with and you can make a gut decision to do something and go somewhere on a whim.  You are forced to interact with people, find common ground, and make friends.  There are less barriers when people find you are traveling solo and opportunities come about to stay with people or partake in an event that would not have occured otherwise.  Often times you realize that in reality you are not alone all that much! 
• Are you homesick?  I go through bouts.  The fırst 5 weeks or so weren't even an issue.  Then, from time-to-time, you really miss having people you are close to around, dream about your own bed, your own shower, desire not to always be packing/unpacking, and (for me) start going stir crazy when its been weeks since you've had the chance to surf!  It is tempting to think about cutting it short and migrating back home when you're on a long haul but then the next day you fınd yourself somewhere magnificent and all is good in the world! 
• Where is your favorite place so far?  It would be both unfair and impossible to answer this.  Every place is special for a reason; be it a friendship forged, natural wonder explored, or experience had. 
• This must be costing you a fortune... How can you afford to do this?  You might think you have to be independantly wealthy to undertake such a trip!?!  While there are some initial fixed costs (i.e. airline flights, gear, etc.) you would be surprised just how cheaply you can travel.  Between hostels, couch surfing, & homestays (and eating street food) you can pull off Europe for an average of 50 USD per day.  And the rest of the world is cheaper!  Do the math and compare that to your budget at home!  I even have come across a few travelers who are experimenting by traveling for short periods with no money at all - relying on the hospitality of people for food and a roof over their head.  Contrary to what people may think it doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg :)
• What/where do you eat?  Surprisingly many hostels in Europe offer free breakfasts.  And if you are at a homestay then food goes without saying.  I typically take full advantage of anything free (water included), snack often, and only have one large meal per day.  Every culture has its version of fast food (think Pita Gyros in Greece and Kebaps in Turkey) and street food is local, fresh, and cheap.  Still, you need to partake in at least one great restaurant meal in each country to experience and taste the flavours of the place.  The rest of the time make friends and hope you get invited home for dinner! 
• How do you stay healthy?  Walking so often everyday for miles you stay relatively fit although I find I am much softer in places!  A problem though is getting stiff and so I have tried to incorporate some stretching and or light yoga into my daily routine to combat this.  When I have a room to myself for a bit I wıll also do some push-ups and other exercises.  How your body and stomach react to the changes in environment and diet is different from person to person and you live with whatever happens.  Fortunately so far, apart from a flu bug in California, I have avoided getting sick!
• Any travel tricks picked up along the way?  I have many!  I have rigged up a string attached to my coin wallet that loops around my belt and insures my money can not get pickpocketed.  I also carry with me a false wallet with an old credit card and some small cash in the event someone decides to try and mugg me - they'll get some small money and I'll be ay-ok.  Because I am traveling so light I never have a guidebook with me so I've made it habit to check out the calendars and postcards on display at shops when I arrive somewhere new as my first step in formulating a plan of what to see and do!  I also have found that I am developing a ''travelers intuiton'' when it comes deciding what bus to take, where to go/eat, and who to appraoch.  These are just a few. 
• How is your gear holding up?  Are you happy with your pack/shoes/etc.?  Any thing you'd wish you brought but did not?  The short answer is - my few things are holding up great so far, I couldn't have made a better choice on my pack/shoes/etc, and I should have brought a netbook or iPad (working now on acquiring one).  Also, a pair of jeans, while not on the ''pack light list,'' should have been included for Europe.  I am going to do a subsequent blog addressing this topic more thoroughly.  Stay tuned.

Hope, if nothing else, you got some entertainment value from this Q & A!?!  Keep the questions coming :)