http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/alexcottin/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from alexcottin en-us Fri, 25 Dec 2009 11:02:02 +0000 Fri, 25 Dec 2009 11:02:02 +0000 With barely a day to catch my breath debrief and plan the next leg of my trip I was right back at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport checking in on East African Airways en route to Juba the capital of South Sudan. Safari njema Have a good journey Samuel the gregarious Merlin driver with a smile as big as all outdoors exclaimed as I made my way through the customs line.. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Sudan/South/Juba/blog-446903.html Turkana Northern Kenya hellip ldquoThis is Africardquo Not sure if it stems from the residual joy of the recent election of our 44th President or the exotic challenging allure of Mount Kilimanjaro but going to Kenya has always been very high on my travel wish list.And now this wish has come true As part of my induction at Merlin Medical Emergency Relief InterNational the NGO t http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Rift-Valley-Province/Turkana/blog-445462.html Anyone who has ever traveled with an infamous buddy pass before knows all about the uncertainty tied with this type of traveling which often times leads to frustration... The sweet sight of a smiling gate agent who hands you a boarding pass at the last minute is one of life's greatest relief Though I certainly can't complain having had the opportunity to travel the world with such perks my http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Puno/Lake-Titicaca-/Taquile-Island/blog-422874.html Despite a strong persuasive attempt by Ines Aldo myself and the skillful bartender at the restaurant mixing potent pisco sours Paul managed to make his flight back to the States... We said our adios and once again I was back on my own eagerly anticipating the rest of my trip.After a few more obligatory beverages accompanying the muchneeded catch up reunion with Ines and Aldo I traced the http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Cusco/Cusco/blog-421218.html While most friends back in the States were grilling out watching fireworks and celebrating independence day Jordan Paul and I made history on our own...well sort of. Quite fittingly July 4th was Perus second annual Friends Daywhich as part of a new social campaign falls on the first Saturday in July. Mostly a marketing strategy put on by a local beer company this day actually symboliz http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Ancash/Cordillera-Blanca/blog-415820.html Since the very first time I picked up a surfing magazine and for as long as I can remember I have always dreamed of heading to Northern Peru to surf Chicama the worlds longest wave.... Well 15 years later this dream finally came through and not only did it happen but I was able to share it with my two best friends I could not have asked for a better experience. So I left Mancora headi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/blog-414595.html Well... Its been a while since I last logged on to this blog and I was surprised to learn that I still actually have an account and that my profile hadnt become obsolete I just assumed that with the increasing preponderance of new online social networks Id have to subscribe to the latest electronic medium to share and document my travel experiences... But this makes it much easier.And obviou http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Piura/M-ncora/blog-412914.html Aisle or Window Sir the friendly lady at the Eva Air counter in Bangkok asked me with a welcoming smile. Hmmmm This is one of the many existential conundrums that I have never been able to answer consistently. It seems that every time my mind vacillates between one or the other. I would have plenty of time to experience both options on my long LONG way back home to New York. In fact I d http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-103583.html You hope and you dream. But you never believe that something's gonna happen for you. Not like it does in the movies. And when it actually does you want it to feel different more visceral more real. I was waiting for it to hit me. Richard in THE BEACHJust when I thought that this trip could not get any better it somehow does.After Cambodia I was fully content with anything thrown my way http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Phi-Phi/blog-101826.html I have never felt as captivated by one country as I did in Cambodia. The past few days have truly changed my life one of the most inspiring experiences ever. The following words and pictures do not nearly do it justicehellipFrom Bangkok the bus journey is absolutely heinous The lonely planet rightfully describes the trip as unreliable and averaging between 8 to 15 hours. Well as Irsquo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Siem-Reap/blog-99950.html ldquoInvest in your futurerdquo Irsquove been told over and overhellipWell last night I may have defied that biblical and allinspiring adagehellipbut man do I feel emancipatedThere comes a time in everyonersquos life when he or she has to look deep inside and act according to onersquos inner feelings. I donrsquot care how many times we are taught to think rationally and do wh http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Taiwan/Hualien/blog-97857.html Socrates once wrote ldquothe unexamined life is not worth living.rdquo Even though this was back in 400 BC this wise manrsquos words seem all too relevant or so it would seemhellipOne week into this adventure and I can already say that this has been one of craziest experience ever. To soothe the cultural barriers and the ensuing confusion and pain I have been blessed with Beccars http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Taiwan/Taipei/blog-96036.html ldquoInch Allahrdquo The words keep ringing in my ears. ldquoGod willing.rdquo This popular phrase often times heard all throughout the Arab World seems particularily ironic today. On this particular day God does not seem willing to send me off on a good startrdquo After a very busy week training in Istanbul and absorbing as much admittedly a little too much information as pos http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/blog-93775.html