How can you afford it? Do you specifically try to do it all cheaply or are you just rich?

I had savings from selling my house and a business when I started.

However, I also try to save money. $100/night is expensive for me.

Now days I make a living from my website.

Travelling is obviously very expensive, when my dad did it many years ago he was on a $50 a day budget.

It doesn't have to be expensive if you travel in affordable countries.

I know many people who can travel for around $1,000/month. I met one guy from Ukraine who did it on $300/month!

Two questions;

What's the scariest situation you've been in on your travels?

Where has the best food?

Best Food: I'd go with Japan and Argentina. Fish and beef :)

Scariest situation: I visited the Preah Vihear temple on the border of Thailand and Cambodia in 2008. It is a small temple located exactly on the border that they were fighting over. I took a 7 hour trip on the back of a motorbike to get there. It was crawling with soldiers, but nothing was actually happening with I arrived. I later found out 2 soldiers were killed by landmines soon after I left.

On the way back to Siem Reap we got pulled over by some guys in a car. My driver had a gun under the seat and was ready to pull it out before they pulled away. They were talking in Cambodia so to this day I still don't know what was said, but I was scared.

I can sympathize with with the feeling you had in the car on the way back to Siem Reap. Luckily I spoke the same language as everybody involved (English) so it wasn't half as scary. I can't imagine how fast your heart must have been going.

Do situations that tense occur frequently due to language barriers, or do you find most people to be pleasant?

Most people try to help if they know you aren't a local.

The scam artists tend to be the ones who speak english and approach you to start a conversation.

You are living my dream. What kind of tips can you give an 18 year old who is trying to do this before I turn 30?

Make traveling a priority in your life.

Don't spend years toiling away working so one day you can travel. There is no reason why you can't start doing it now.

What would be a good amount to start on? Avoiding the expensive places for now.

That depends on how long you will be traveling and how much you move around.

The longer you stay in one place, the cheaper it is.

For example, you can get a nice apartment in Bangkok for $200/month. That is one night in an upscale hotel.

The shorter your stay, the more you will pay on a nightly basis.

Also, the less you move around, the less you pay for flights and transportation costs.

You can easily get by on $1000/month in SE Asia (Singapore excluded).

I would stay for a month or two so that works great. Also what country when I go there that you absolutely need to know the languange?

English is the language of tourism.

While you should always try to learn the basics of a language in any country you visit (please, thank you, etc), I don't think you have to be fluent to travel anywhere.

Some places might be more difficult than others, but you can usually figure stuff out with hand gestures, maps and a calculator (for prices).

Have you had any long-term relationships during your travels? If so, how did they deal with your lifestyle?

No. It is really hard to do. I'm never in once place very long.

I meet very few single women who travel. Most travel with their boyfriends/husbands or with girlfriends.

Locals, contrary to the movies, don't normally get involved with tourists.

The fact that I'm never around for more than a few weeks doesn't help either.

I know traveling is a big form of happiness.. but does the lack of an emotional connection with someone a little disheartening?

I have many friends all over the world. I do connect with people. I'm just not in a relationship right now.

It is entirely possible it might happen, it is just hard to find someone who is open to a lifestyle like mine.

I used to read your blog all the time so this is awesome, and I know you've probably covered this question but I think it could make for interesting stories:

Anyway, what's the most interesting/frightening piece of culture shock you've experienced?

In terms of straight up culture shock, it was probably the first time I ever traveled over seas back in 1999. I landed in Japan. My heart was racing and I couldn't sleep because of jet lag. I spent the whole night watching Japanese TV and walking around the hotel noticing all the little things which were different.

I can't say I'm really phased by it anymore, however.

tell me about the underground trash village

It is inhabited by mole people.

Which countries, in your opinion, are living in the most of a "bubble" so to speak. And what perspective would you like to give them, given the things, places, and cultures you have seen?

Larger countries tend to live in the biggest bubble.

The United States is probably one of the best examples. We don't border many countries and we don't tend to pay much attention to anyone else.

Which country surprised you the most?

As in you were expecting hostility and they were hospitable or vice-versa?

I was expecting some hostility in the Middle East because I am an American. However, not only didn't I receive any, people seemed genuinely glad to meet me.

Visiting all 7 continents is on my bucket list. Any specific destinations you can recommend and which ones to avoid?

If you can, and it is a really difficult place to get it, try to visit South Georgia Island. It is in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. Nothing like it I've ever experienced. You go on shore and there are 100,000 penguins there all loud and stinky.

I also highly recommend the Jellyfish Lake in Palau, Micronesia, Oman and the Galapagos Islands.

Ok, what part of Antarctica did you visit? When would be the best time of the year to go? I'd like to avoid freezing my ass off if I could.

I'm thinking of Egypt in Africa, some random places in Europe, China, Brazil, any places there you'd suggest I visit?

I visited the Palmer Peninsula which is where 90% of all the visitors to Antarctica go.

You only choice is to go in the southern hemisphere summer, which is the northern hemisphere winter. When I was there it never got below freezing (which was in January).

The peninsula is north of the Antarctica Circle and surrounded by water. It isn't the same as going to the South Pole which is always incredibly cold.

How long were you in the Palmer Peninsula? also i imagine there isn't too much to view/do out there, am I right? and what which country would you recommend to visit? Brazil or China?

We were in Antarctica I think for 5 days total. Antarctica is basically penguins and ice, but one of the most beautiful places in the world.

I am embarrassed to say I haven't been to either China or Brazil. I've been to a lot of tiny countries, but I haven't been to a few of the big ones yet.

Two questions: How did you begin traveling the world? Was it something to went in to with the intentions of making it a career?

I hit a point in my life where I didn't know what to do, so I thought I'd travel around the world for a year or two.

I certainly didn't intend or think it could lead to anything beyond that.

I started a blog because I've had a personal website since about 1997, so it was a natural thing to do.

About 9 months into my trip no one was reading it so I had a come-to-jesus moment in Hong Kong where I figured I was either wasting my time or I needed to really try to make something of it.

Since then I've been started taking it seriously and now it is an actual business.

Why country had the most hospitable inhabitants and why? Why one had the most unfriendly ones?

Friendliness and hospitality are two different things.

People in Fiji and Samoa I found to be very friendly. The best hospitality I've received was in the Middle East.

People in the Arab world might not come up and hug you if you are a stranger, but their hospitality is world class if you are a guest.

so what about the most unfriendly?

I wouldn't say that I've found anyplace to be unfriendly per se, but some places are rather pushy.

My experience visiting the pyramids in Egypt was one of the worst I've had traveling, mostly because of very pushy vendors. Other, regular Egyptians I met, however, were very nice.

NO country was unfriendly? Really? I've traveled quite a bit and culd definitely name some

Which?

Have you visited anywhere that made you think, "that's where I'm going to live when I've finished traveling"?

No. If I am somewhere for more than a month now I get antsy and want to get moving.

There are many cities I do like, however. Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney, Vancouver, Hong Kong, London, Bangkok and Vancouver.

If they had better bandwidth, I also wouldn't mind spending some extended time in some of the countries in the Pacific.

You must really like Vancouver.

It is a nice city.

Did anything particularly inspire you to "give it all up", I recently read "Into the Wild" and have to admit that the image it paints touched me and made me reevaluate what I want to do, was there a similar situation with you?

I don't really think I gave anything up.

I never had a real job in my life. I started a business after college and sold it when I was 28. I started a few other business and went back to school in my 30's.

I eventually hit a point where I didn't know what to do with my life.

I loved traveling, so I decided to go travel.

I don't regret it one bit.

Have you ever used Credit card bonus points to buy flights/ hotels, etc?

Shockingly, no I haven't.

I've been using a debit card the entire time I've been traveling. I haven't had a credit card in 15 years.

I recently tried to apply for 2 milage credit cards and got turned down for both because I don't really have any credit history anymore.

I've just come off a year of holiday, and whilst it was brilliant in a lot of ways, my progress narrative got in the way at times. I always felt I had to be doing something practically useful with my time, get creative or the like. I also had to put far too much work into getting laid, as not getting laid on holiday would stress me out. How do you deal with this, and any tips for me next time around (apart from getting a girlfriend :)).

Because I'm doing this full time and I don't have to go back home (nor do I have a home to go back to) I don't have to worry about being productive or feeling like I HAVE to do something.

Traveling with a girlfriend might help, but there are also a whole host of issues you have to deal with when traveling with another person.

Have you traveled with other people before? I just got finished with 6 months in SE Asia, and spent most of the time in smallish groups. I traveled on my own quite a bit as well, and they were definitely different experiences, I wouldn't really put one over the other. Thanks for doing the AMA!

Yes. One of my sponsors is G Adventures. They run small group tours all over the world. I've been with them on several trips in Eastern Europe, SW United States, the Galapagos and Antarctica.

I usually travel solo, but do occasionally do small groups.

Avoid large groups and tour buses at all costs!

Which country, in your opinion, has the best tasting food?

1) Japan

2) Argentina

3) Spain

Have you been to S Korea?

Yes. I was there in November/December 2007 and froze my ass off. I ended up leaving earlier than I had planned and would like to return.

How do you meet new people during your travels?

If you stay in hostels, it is really easy to do. They usually have common room where everyone hangs out.

I also have readers of my blog in most major cities around the world. I will often meet them for drinks or dinner.

Has there been one common characteristic every culture seems to share

I think everyone, everywhere in the world wants to live a comfortable life in peace.

Most of the problems in the world are caused by a fanatical few.

If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

Here is your passport stamp.

Hey, great AMA, i am planning my first trip round the world as we speak, my plan is to leave JAN 2014. I am a 24 year old male and have been saving for some time. I have a lot of money saved up (6 figs) and I plan on going for 2 years+ . What I wanted to ask is...when you get to a new city do you just wake up whenever you feel, go out get food, walk around and than go back to bed? I guess im asking how much is planned? Or do you just go with it and things will fall into your lap

I am not a big believer in planning too much when traveling. Plans all end up going to hell after a while. Being flexible is more enjoyable than being on a schedule.

Instead of a schedule, just have some objectives of things to do and see in each place.

When (or if) your traveling days are over, where do you see yourself retiring too?

I plan on doing this so long as I am physically able. I don't want to stop.

I've backpacked a lot for the past two years, but I am mostly on trips no longer than a month. After a while I feel weary and a tad homesick. Have you felt "tired" of traveling? If yes, what made you carry on? Edit: grammar

I certainly do get tired. I usually just stay somewhere for an extended period of time to rest.

2012 was really tiring for me. I went to Bangkok in October and spent the entire month there not really doing anything.

I will often just hole up in a hotel somewhere and play video games and eat junk food for a weekend.

1. What you learned during your travels?
2. What you think each country you visited have in common?
3. Did you hated/loved a specific country food?
4. What country was more "open" to foreigners and what country was less receptive with foreigners?
5. Did you saw a beautiful woman during your travels that you can't forget?

1) I could write a book on that subject.

2) I think people around the world all have a sameness about them. They all want to make sure their kids are raised well and live a comfortable life. How we go about doing it might sometimes be different, but for the most part, we all want the same thing.

3) I love Japanese food and Argentinian beef. I also have developed at tase for Spanish cuisine.

4) Countries that are multicultural and/or rely on tourism seem to be the most open to foreigners. Countries that are monocultural usually are not as open. That doesn't mean they are hostile, but they might not be as outgoing as others.

5) I met an Austrian woman in Fiji back in 2007 who was one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. I can still remember her as if it was yesterday.

GO WIN HER BACK MAN

She was traveling with another guy :) She was hot but not really available.

ill beat him up for you =)

Thanks!

What's your favourite city on each continent?

Africa: Cape Town Australia: Melbourne Asia: Bangkok South America: Buenos Aires North America: Vancouver Europe: London

(not a really shocking list, I know)

Okay now favourite city you have visited so far?

For visiting, I really like Jerusalem. I was there during Holy Week in 2009 and it was an incredible experience.

I didn't have it on the above list because I wouldn't want to live there, but I really like my experience. I'd spend extended time in all of the other cites above.

Wow London is your favourite city in all of Europe? That makes me quite proud to be British. Have you ever been to Wales or Scotland? Both pretty secluded and life is sparse but amazing counties. Maybe I'm just a biased Welshman though

I've only been to Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland. I've been to Northern Wales and visited Snowdonia.

Have you been to North Korea?

Sorry if this has already been answered.

No, not yet.

How many different languages can you speak fluently?

I only speak English fluently.

I can speak bits of many other languages enough to get by ordering food, taking buses and getting a room.

What are some of the best festivals you have been able to experience? For example, have you been in attendance for the festival of colors in india? or new years in china?

I have been to an Indian Holi celebration in Singapore. It was great fun and it took 2 weeks for the dye to get out of my hair. I'd love to do it in India.

Songkran (Thai New Year) is a giant, nationwide, 3-day water fight. First day of Songkran I was walking down the street and a woman I never met dumped a bucket of water down my shirt!

I was also in Jerusalem for Easter/Passover which was something to witness.

I haven't been in a Chinese speaking country during Chinese New Year yet.

I am graduating high school in June, and instead of a graduation party and present, my family and I decided we want to go on a trip. It was originally a cruise, but rather than spending $2000 for 3 days, we are now thinking of an actual trip, possibly out of the country (live in the US). Where do you suggest? We want something family friendly (decently low crime rates), with enough things to do, and something that isn't a 14 hour plane ride. And thanks for this, I love traveling and not only do you have a great website, but this is a great AMA.

Here are some ideas:

• Canadian Rockies
• Newfoundland
• Mayan Rivera in Mexico (Crime rate = Finland. North Mexico is different story)
• Costa Rica
• Baja California in Mexico
• Island hop in the Caribbean. Pick 3-4 nearby islands and visit several.

Upvote for Newfoundland!

Gros Morn is one of the most under appreciated national parks in North America.

For someone who's currently in college (and going to be saddled with student debt) and wants to someday spend a year traveling the world what do you recommend in terms of preparation? When's the right time to do it? How much should you save up?

Your debt will always be there waiting for you :)

You can travel surprisingly cheap if you visit cheap countries. Avoid Western Europe, Japan and Australia if you want to save money.

Spend time in SE Asia, Central America and Eastern Europe.

I think the sooner you can travel the better. Don't get stuck in the trap of always putting it off to pay off your school loans, then your house and your car, etc.

If I wanted to travel the world for a year and experience as many different cultures, foods, etc what places should I absolutely go to. Assuming I've only been to the US and Europe.

Also, does it get lonely traveling alone?

Travel west. Stop somewhere in the Pacific like Fiji, Samoa or the Cook Islands.

Vist somewhere in SE Asia like Thailand, Vietnam and/or the Philippines.

Visit somewhere in South Asia like India or Nepal.

Visit somewhere in the Middle East like Jordan or Oman.

Visit somewhere in Africa like South Africa or Botswana.

Then visit somewhere in South America like Argentina, Peru or Chile.

As for loneliness, not so much. I meet new people all the time and am always talking to people online.

How are you funding this obviously expensive trip?

The first several years were funded from my savings. I sold my home and a business.

Today it is funded from my website and sponsorships I get from companies and tourism boards.

In most cases what do you do when you get to a new place? Do you do typical tourist things or do you try to find out what the locals do? Hope that makes sense.

I do usually do the obvious tourist thing and get it out of the way.

If you are going to Paris for the first time, just go see the Eiffel Tower and Louve and be done with it. Then you can spend your time walking around and exploring at your leisure.

I don't think it is either/or.

Im from mexico,i dont knowifyou had visited here What's the weirdest thing you've seen ? And the most beautiful?

I've been to Mexico several times, but really have to explore more of the country.

As for beauty, I'd pick the jellyfish lake in Palau (do a Google search on it. It is amazing)

As for weird, I'd have to say the moon rock I found in the Solomon Islands. (yes, i found a $5,000,000 moon rock in an open case that the US gave as a gift to the country in 1978)

I'm sorry what? Could you elaborate on the moon rock you found? No idea what you are talking about and how you returned it or why was it just laying around...also the $5M is just an exaggeration for something like that?

Here is the whole story:

http://everything-everywhere.com/2007/07/25/the-curious-case-of-the-solomon-islands-moon-rock/

1. What is the worst part of your lifestyle?

2. Do you ever get lonely? Do you ever want to settle down and get married? I've travelled on my own before and at points really wished I could share the experience with someone.

1) Traveling can be very tiring. Especially when you are trying to run a website at the same time.

2) Not so much. I have no desire to settle down right now. I suppose traveling with someone would be nice, but it would be very hard to find someone who would want to travel this much.

Top 5 places you recommend I visit. Go.

Micronesia, Japan, Oman, Antarctica and Spain.

I could easily have added a dozen or so more :)

I've been to Japan and Spain. I've also been to Dubai. Is Oman similar? If not, I guess I'll have to go there too.

Oman is NOT all all like Dubai. Nothing is really like Dubai :)

Oman is more laid back and is more like "real" Arabia.

Hey Gary! After following your blog and twitter and facebook for a couple of years, I feel like I almost know you. I'd love to know your feelings on the idea of American's retiring in other countries? I'm sure you have met some ex-pats and have opinions on this option. Is there one country that seems better than others for retiring Americans?

The idea behind retiring abroad is that your retirement income/pension can go a lot farther in some countries than it can back in the US.

Mexico and Panama I know are popular choices in this hemisphere. I've also met Americans in Micronesia, Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

I think a lot of it has to do with where you are comfortable living and what languages (if any) you speak.

If you ever visit Europe again, i would suggest coming to the Serbia. It's such a beautiful place..

I may be coming through Serbia soon if I go to Greece in February. I have to be in Berlin in March and I'm thinking of just taking a bus/train through the Balkans.

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I once had a man in Oman who spoke no English drive me 100km to my hotel and buy me lunch and never accepted any money for gas.

How'd you enjoy the Philippines?

I liked it a lot. I only visited Luzon and Palawan. I'd like to return to visit more of the islands like Mindanao.

Is your eventually goal all countries? Visit Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Mongolia yet? Have you started hitting Africa pretty hard yet? All I have is Egypt and Morocco. :(

I'm at a measly 40 countries but I also have a full-time career/life so I have to travel in 1 month spans twice a year.

Do you like the ADD method of travel (Hit a city for 2-3 days and move on) or are you a purist that tries to stay months out in one place?

It is a long term goal. I haven't been to any of the countries you listed yet, but I have plans for visiting all of them.

Visiting a place for 2-3 days is fine if you only have a week or two, but I'd be exhausted if I tried to do that for more than a month.

Ideally I like to stay in one city for at least a week, if not longer.

What's some advice on how to travel for cheap?

The #1 tip for traveling cheap is to visit affordable countries. That means staying away from Western Europe, US, Canada, Japan and Australia.

The cheapest dorm bed you can get in Zurich will get you a really nice room in Bangkok, for example.

What do you do to orient yourself in a new city or country, to get over the first bit of culture shock? You've said elsewhere you're not phased by it anymore, but how do you figure out the customs/expectations/unspoken mores of new places?

If you act in a conservative manner (keep to yourself, don't make a scene, don't speak loudly, touch people) and dress in a way which doesn't bring attention to yourself, then it really isn't too much of an issue.

Yes, some cultures have quirks you might not be aware of, but even if you do occasionally violate a local norm, people will usually forgive you if they know you are not from there.

What is the best mountain range you have ever seen?

The best photos I've taken have come from the Saint Elias Mountains which border Alaska and the Yukon.

The Grand Tetons south of Yellowstone are up there too as is the Southern Alps in New Zealand.

Im thinking about working at a ski resort in New Zealand over my summer break (I live in the northern Hemisphere) what are your opinions on that?

Working at resorts is a great way to see the world. You can earn some money and explore the country during the weekends.

Assuming you'll be on the South Island, you'll be able to visit Queenstown, Milford Sound (which is beautiful), and the glaciers.

Maybe even visit some nearby places serviced by Air New Zealand like Cook Islands or Samoa.

I'm going to Peru this summer for 2 and a half weeks. I'm also thinking about cramming Ecuador in there as well. What are you recommendations on what to spend my time on while I'm there

I'd highly recommend the Galapagos Islands if you are going to Ecuador. You can do that in 3-4 days.

I wasn't that impressed with Quito to be honest.

Bulgarian guy here. I was wondering, have you ever been to Bulgaria? what were your impression? anything cool you did there?

I have. I've been to Belogradchik, Sophia, Veliko Tarnovo and Plovdiv.

Bulgaria is one of the most affordable countries in Europe and I thought it had some of the best bandwidth I've seen anywhere in Europe as well.

Shopska salad is one of my favorite foods, but hard to find outside of Bulgaria!

Any good online resources for an American over the age of 25 looking to travel the world cheap? Thanks

HostelWorld.com is a good place to find cheap places to stay.

Couchsurfing is also a good place to find free stays and a way to meet locals.

My friend Tim Leffel also wrote a book on the world's cheapest destinations. That is a good place to start: http://travel.booklocker.com/

do you approve of a well-varied Trail Mix as a complete travellers food?

Not for me as I have celiacs and can't eat gluten.

Ever tried wwoofing? I'm wwoofing right now.

No i haven't.

How do you finance your trips?

Savings for the first few years. Now I make money from my website.

Have you been to Iran or Azerbaijan?

Not yet. Iran is high on my list of places to visit. I've only heard good things about it from other travelers who have been there.

I've been planning a caucuses trip that would take me to Azerbaijan, but I just haven't done it yet.

I'm assuming you're American; what is your favourite country that you have visited? What did you think of England? And Italy?

I don't have a single favorite country.

I enjoyed both England and Italy. In fact I'll be running a 2 week photography tour in Italy this May.

http://everything-everywhere.com/2013/01/18/registration-for-the-2013-travel-photography-tour-is-now-open/

How many times have you been the victim of crimes such as mugging/pickpocketting/theft? Which countries did you feel you had to be most cautious in?

Never. I've been very lucky and cautious.

I'm cautious everywhere. The biggest threat isn't always from the people who live in the country, it is often from other tourists.

For someone who is Jewish, I am apprehensive traveling to certain countries even though I would love to go there. The entire middle east outside of Israel for instance. Also I have Israeli stamps in my passport.

Should I be apprehensive? Have you met Israelis or Jewish people in your travels in countries where Islam is the dominant religion? Do you get any hostile responses for being an American?

I have never had any problem being an American. People recognize the differences between the government and its citizens.

If you have an Israeli stamp in your passport, you can apply for a new or second passport from the State Department. Just tell them the reason why.

Middle Eastern countries you can travel to with an Israeli stamp include Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Oman and UAE.

The only country that I know of that explicitly excludes Jews from entering is Saudi Arabia, which is pretty hard to get into anyhow.

Actually, I might be wrong on the UAE thing.

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I spent 3 weeks driving around both islands in 2007 and I returned in 2011 for the Rugby World Cup.

Beautiful country. Easy to get around. More affordable than Australia.

Which people have the worst sounding accents?

When speaking English, I'd say women from Thailand. It sounds like a cat screaming sometimes. (I like Thailand and Thai people for the record!)

I was in Thailand when the tsunami hit, though i was further up North and was not directly affected. Ever face any crazy weather events or natural disasters while abroad?

I was on Maui during the Japanese tsunami in 2011. The tsunami hit the island around 2am but nothing really happened. All the locals were calm but the Europeans were freaking out :)

so how do you fund your traveling? Also, I want to travel, but the thought of it is off putting, like I can buy a ticket to anywhere that I want to go, however, what do I do when I get there? As far as living and stuff. What's your tips on that? Like, what do you do when you get out of the airport?

Just being somewhere new and different is an experience in itself. You are put in a situation where you have to react to new surroundings, language and people. Going out to eat and having to navigate different foods something new.

Travel is the single most educational thing you can do.

I'd say a year on the road is worth as much as a 4-year degree.

How often do you run out of room in your passport for stamps?

I'm on my second passport in 6 years.

Both passports had extra pages put in (American can get that done) and my current one is starting to get full. I have maybe 2 empty pages left.

how do you afford it?

how old are you?

how did you decide to do this?

What do your family, and friends think?

I think it is so cool what you're doing by the way

1) See the answers below about how I fund it.

2) I am currently 43. I was 37 when I started.

3) I just decided to do it one day. It took me almost 2 years from deciding it to actually doing it.

4) They thought I was nuts when I told them.

5) thank you!

Alright thanks a lot man, and your life is awesome! I believe it is unhuman to stay in one spot complacently for too long.

If you get all evolutionary about it, humans were hunter gatherers originally. We'd wander from place to place looking for food.

Do you ever come back home to visit? How did your family and friends take the news you were leaving?

Yes. I get back to see my family 1-2x per year.

At first they all thought I was nuts, but later they were all sort of proud of what I accomplished.

Ever been to Antarctica? What was your favourite country?

Yes. I visited Antarctica in January 2012 along with the Falkland Islands and South Georgia Island.

I don't really have a single favorite country. Different places are great for different reasons. Hard to compare mountains to beaches.

Ever been to Croatia or any of the Balkan countries?

Only Dubrovnik.

I'm trying to figure out where I'm going next month. One option is to visit Greece.

I have to be in Berlin by March 6. If I go to Greece I'm thinking of traveling overland through the Balkan countries to get there.

That's awesome! I am planning to go on a big trip, I've saved up $10,000. Like you mentioned, I'm trying to avoid expensive places like Western Europe (plus I've been to a few places already). I was planning on doing SE Asia, and perhaps the Middle East/E. Europe. I haven't really made solid plans yet. Do you have any specific cities/places you think are absolutely worth it? Also, did you learn anything more than rudimentary phrases in the native tongue?

Depends on the language. Tonal languages like Chinese, Vietnamese or Thai are much harder to learn if you didn't grow up with them. The biggest thing is to show some sort of effort and try.

In the Middle East I would definitely visit Wadi Rum and Petra in Jordan. They are near each other.

In SE Asia I'd visit Mulu National Park in Borneo, the Rice Terraces of Banaue in the Philippines, Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, Angkor in Camboida and Skuhothai in Thailand. I'm sure you'll also probably want to visit some of the islands in Thailand as well.

Have you picked up any other languages? If so, did it have a snowballing effect into picking up a second, third, and so forth?

I only speak English fluently. I have probably encountered over 40 languages during my travels and that doesn't include the hundreds of languages in Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu or the many regional dialects.

I have learned a bit of most languages I've encountered. Enough to get by.

I'm curious about your tax status. If you earn money from your website through running courses and stuff, and getting sponsored by companies, do you pay tax in those countries or back in the US?

In the US. My official residence is there. I'm not a resident or citizen of another country.

Why havent you been to China yet or did you and what was your view given the many preconceptions? During my year off I experienced an amazing culture and people there if you go to the south west, west or north.

I was going to go to China in 2007-8. I ended up passing because it was winter hoping to return later. However, they stopped issuing visa before the olympics, so I had to put it off again. So far, I just haven't gotten there.

I've been within 100m of the border in Macau, but have never actually gone into China proper.

Hi, I'm going on this solo trip in late march / april.

I bought an one way ticket to hong kong, and I'm planning to stay there for 3 days before catching another flight to Fukuoka, then the plan is to maybe take a train to hiroshima / see miyajima, then kyoto area, and finally spend the rest of my trip in tokyo, before flying home.

However I'm kinda worried about rushing the trip. Do you have any advice for a first time traveller in Asia?

And If I'm lucky maybe I'll catch the sakura season aswell.

That does sound rushed, but if you don't have much time then you don't have much time.

I been to all the places you listed and would recommend them. 3 days might be quick for Hong Kong. In addition to the stuff in the city, go and see the Big Buddha and the 10,000 Buddha Temple.

Hiroshima was my favorite city in Japan and I'm glad you are visiting Miyajima.

If you go to Kyoto and Nara, make a stop in Horyuji. You can take the train there on the way from Kyoto to Nara. The oldest wooden buildings in the world are there.

If you had to settle down in one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

I wouldn't. I plan to keep on doing this for as long as I can.

Hello anthony bourdain...

I'm not a foodie :)

Which nationalities are you least fond of?

I don't really think in those terms. There are elements of every culture that are negative and some that are positive. You just learn to accept it for what it is after a while.

There isn't anywhere I've been that I wouldn't want to return to.

Yeah, yeah.......just spill the beans.

Yeah, he's holding out on us.

Not really.

I know it sounds like an evasive answer, but it really isn't.

If you want one, I'll go with Canadian just to be a troll :)