Most of this year’s travel was done in the first part of the year. I rang in the new year in South Africa, where I spent a month kite surfing. I was around the Langebann area where I stayed in a communal kite house with other like-minded people who were there just to kite surf. I made a lot of good friends during the month I stayed there.
The longest duration I spent abroad was 2-months in the Dominican Republic where I practiced more kite surfing. The location wasn’t as great Langebann, South Africa, but the distance from the East Coast of the U.S. made it convenient and cheap.
While I was in the DR, I practiced my Spanish by trying to eat the local eateries versus the restaurants developed for the tourists. This is because when I order, I’m forced to speak Spanish.
I didn’t travel to any extreme northern or southern parts like I did last year. The most exotic place I visited was the Seychelles, which in it’s own right is pretty special. I didn’t find the beaches too inviting as the shore breaks didn’t make the water too inviting.
I managed to fly the Singapore Suites returning from Singapore to New York. The experience was unique. I think Singapore Airlines has one of the best drink menus to make up for the lack of a business class bar.
Speaking of business class bar, Qatar Airways on their A380 has the best business class bar I’ve ever experienced.
Another thing I wanted to do was experience the street food in Taiwan. I briefly stopped in Taipei for a night and I had friend who showed me around trying different street foods. I really wanted to comeback and experience more of that. I was able to spend 3 nights in Tapei in the September time frame.
I managed to squeeze in a few weeks in Sri Lanka and toured around the island by myself using the local buses. I was there in the April time frame and it was really hot, humid, and dirty. It seemed like I was visiting a UNESCO world heritage site everyday. At times it seemed like my senses were de-sensitized to the sights. At some point in my life when I’m sitting at desk job, I’ll realize how amazing the sights were.
Lastly, I added an important skill to my resume – the ability to drive an auto-rick shaw. I paid an auto-rick shaw driver $4 USD to try out his wheels. It’s like a cross between a go-card and a motorcycle. You never know when the skill can be useful.