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Nels Abrams
After one year and 16 countries, I am back home. We are living in my hometown of Spokane, Washington. It is great to be back. In a desperate attempt to keep the adventure alive, we have decided to train for an ironman triathlon. After so many bus rides and hotels, we were both feeling pretty unhealthy towards the end of the trip. My hope was that the training would make me feel vibrant and athletic. So far, I mainly just feel sore. Our other big news is that we are moving to New Orleans in September. I will be working there as a p.e teacher for a public charter school and Lauren is going to work in the public health sector. That's right, my triumphant return to academics is in gym. Neither of us has ever been to the South, so this should be an exciting chapter. We would love to see some friends, so consider us your Mardi Gras home base. That's about it from here. Nels Abrams
Travel Blog Posts
March 11th 2007
Thailand has become synonymous with pampered, yet "exotic" travel. I have never quite understood this view, as it is ridiculously easy here to get quite immersed in raw Asia. In fact, outside of obvious travel hot-spots this country can be difficult traveling due to a minimum of English proficiency. It is true there is an established tourism industry that provides an opportunity to enjoy plush travel, but for anyone keen on "authenicity" you can simply walk a few blocks and find yourself perfectly alone. So, if Thailand being "too touristy" is what is keeping you away, look past that. What we found, on our limited forays into the great unknown, was a hard-working, proud and direct country. Now, if you are a drill sergeant, those qualities might seem ideal, but for my holiday? First, the population ... read more
February 22nd 2007
Sleepy Laos is a great place to travel. Free from the major irritants of most Asian countries: pollution and demanding vendors, the atmosphere inspires one to imagine stepping into the pages of National Geographic. We began our time by crossing the northernmost Thai border at Chang Kong into Huay Xia. Here we had the experience of becoming instant millionaires, as previous hyperinflation has resulted in a comic exchange of $1 to 10,000 Kip. I had been here five years before and had fond memories of playing basketball in town and being dragged into a classroom to "teach English". (After two hours of suprisingly difficult work I had managed to scrap "goodbye" from their vernacular and replace it with "check ya later, dude". My work there was done.) From the border we took the new highway the ... read more
December 31st 2006
The Yeti is said to live amongst the Nepalese Himalayan mountains. The local villages that inhabit the northern regions believe he is a kind of shaman and his existence seems better substantiated than his American cousin, Bigfoot. Whether true or not, the myth adds yet more mystery to an already intriguing country. Far from the highest peaks in the world along the Tibetan border, the Buddha was born in the southern jungles as prince Siddhartha around 2500 years ago. During my time here I found these historic and geographic phenomenas somehow softened. Perhaps it is the people: gentle and charming. Or maybe it has simply been a matter of time. For whatever reason, monks in robes, stoned sadhus and the Himalayas have become comfortable. Like a co-worker or aunt. First, the mountains. There are several areas ... read more
November 24th 2006
Of all the cultural differences that I have struggled to understand, the Bollywood phenomena is far and away the most perplexing. Each film is apparently a musical consisting of a vieled woman dancing and singing while her beloved chases after her with ridiculous physical gestures of love towards the sky and his heart. Over and over. A massive film industry, Bollywood produces more films and has a wider audience than Hollywood. Well, from here I'll start with my impressions of an Indian reality that is more ubelievable than most movies I've seen. I have travelled in "third-world countries". The supposed misfortune of these people, in my experience, does not fully depict the lives of the inhabitants who live poorly, but with a happiness and dignity. In India we have seen a scale of poverty that has ... read more
November 22nd 2006
We had no intention of heading to Istanbul. It so happened that we flew with Turkish Airlines and were given the opportunity to extend the layover at the capital. What a blessing. This city is an immense, proud and fascinating place. On arrival we were blown away by the vastness of the city. Very intimate and walkable, it is the sheer expansion that is impressive. The description of it being a blend of East and West seems about right. That said, I have become more confused as to exactly what that means. I think I grew up in a cultural atmosphere that implied "what is good is Western. We have brought modernity to the world." From this assumption I was predisposed to see a foreign city with a mix of poverty and wealth as being a ... read more
November 5th 2006
FRANCE With a blend of intimidation, due to French rudeness myths, and excitement, due to fond memories of Pepe Lepew, we headed into France. Our first stop was another farming experience. This time with an English family living in the rural South West. We know what you're saying, "living with British ex-pats isn't really seeing France", but we decided that this blending of nationalities IS the new reality of Europe since the creation of the European Union. It seems there is a large population of British people immigrating to France after being priced out of England. The family we stayed with are the De Lewers. They are a lovable, eccentric, family of ten (including cats and dogs). Hippie in the best sense of the word, we really enjoyed the happiness and loving atmosphere that was created ... read more
October 20th 2006
We did it! So, after almost a year of our relationship being on "long-distance" phase, Lauren and I are finally able to be in the same place for longer than a coupla weeks. Of course, now that she actually has to spend time with me.......So, we met in the Spanish capital of Madrid on the 21st of September. The city is massive but somehow seems pretty mellow. The extensive metro reaches virtually anywhere in the city and, again, provides a sharp contrast to the embarrassing transportation in our beloved Seattle. I had heard of Madrid being the L.A to the Barcelonan New York and in some ways the comparison fits: The consciously "hip" and alternative scene of Barcelona and the friendlier, yuppier Madrid have little in common. After chillin in Valencia and Benicassim on the Mediterranean ... read more
September 20th 2006
Wow. What a month in Italy. Although I love South America, travelling there had worn me out and I arrived in Rome lonely, angry and sick. Thanks to the healing powers of the "La Dulce Vita" I'm back. I never did figure out what was wrong with me; I am convinced it was a combination of several deadly diseases that would have killed a lesser man. In my case, it merely reduced me to pathetic whining for 4 months. Anyway, while in Rome I met a friend named Louis Wang from Hong Kong. We had a great time simply wandering the streets and checking out the city's remarkable art and architecture. Some of my favorites were Boromini's churches, Caravaggio's painting's and Bernini's sculptures. If you haven't heard of these people, don't be too impressed, they are ... read more
August 14th 2006
"I'm looooving it". And I am not talking about traveling. I'm talking about my new love for McDonald's. Give me a Double Quarter Pounder with cheese and a Coke and I'm in heaven. How did I miss this for all those years? The only glitch on perfection seems to be calling it a "double quarter pounder". Doesn't that make it a half-pound? One more quick item of business. I am sorry if you are receiving these and don't want to. I hate getting mass e-mails so, if it is not easy to cancel your subscription, write me and I'll do it no worries. Consider telling me more nicely than an old friend of mine who wrote "leave me the fuck alone." Onward to Argentina. Argentina is a big country (8th biggest in the world) but fairly ... read more
July 13th 2006
****I have a home page at nelsabrams.blogspot.com. I would like to create a "friends" page so send me fotos!!**** Hey everybody, here's the latest and greatest on my trip. We (Lauren and I) spent our time here doing the classic lap from Lima, down the Pacific coast, over to Lake Titikaka and up to Cusco and Machu Pichu. The country is amazingly diverse in it's different regions. Along the coast is the driest desert in word. It has had less than an inch of percipitation over the past couple hundred years. If this conjures up beautiful imagery for you, you are mistaken. My overiding thought during the seemingly endless bus ride from Lima to Ica was "this is the ugliest place I have ever seen in my life". It was apparent the coast of Peru was ... read more
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