How to Travel 43 Countries in Two Years!

Friday, March 23, 2018

Julio Fernandez

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What is it like to travel 43 countries in two years?

Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to travel the world. That desire was increased in my formative years, especially after watching movies like “The Beach” and “Into the Wild.” This expand-your-horizons appeal in my bloodstream was undeniable, and it often still shouts out to me, “just go!” I’ve always wanted to put my daily life on pause and become captivated by the beauty of the world while traveling. I still haven’t managed to achieve it, at least not to the extent I wanted, but I know a guy who has. Every time I think of Mike, I think of the essence of wanderlust. He knows how to travel 43 countries in two years. Something most of us aspire to do, but few accomplish.

Peyto Lake in Banff national park, Canada. Hammock action.

How to travel 43 countries: WHO IS MIKE?

After years of building real estate funds, Mike had had enough. The Wall Street suit and tie lifestyle became troublesome. He fully came to realize it on his sister’s wedding day, when he caught himself occupied with his work e-mails and not embracing the joy of the big day. He had only taken one vacation in seven years time. Here is where our story begins.

Mike’s first real pause from the hectic tempo of life came in the form of a three-month vacation. Little did our protagonist know at that time that it would be longer than three months. An interesting fact is, before these ventures, Mike had never been outside of the U.S. So, as a rookie traveler, he decided to over-plan and over organize everything. With all of these travel plans being made, it started to feel like work for him, and more questions arose. He was battling within; obviously he wanted to travel because “everybody wants to travel.” But just like with other things in life, if there is no essence and purpose, there is no gratification. The big European cities that he started with did not provide him the feeling of joie of vivre that he was craving. Luckily, in no time he understood what made himself tick. Nature and paths less traveled fulfilled his cravings. This was the moment that the little boy traveler became a man in wanderlust!

Ha Long Bay Sunset, Vietnam.

Mike and I met two years ago in Croatia at the start of his quest. I vividly remember the spark he had in his eyes back then, and it is still there today. We haven’t seen each other ever since, so what needed to be a two-hour interview turned into an engaging and vibrant 48-hour New York City experience. In this time frame we managed to ride a mechanical bull, develop a theory where Artificial Intelligence wins in the end, get stuck in an improvised elevator with six beautiful girls, eat at Tom’s Diner, walk the Brooklyn Bridge two times, and most importantly, create a certain appeal towards New York in Mike’s soul, although he doesn’t like big cities. Maybe the reason for that was having his first slice of pizza in more than a year!

Mike is an active traveler and a thrill seeker. He enjoys nature and immersing himself in the authentic experience of the destination. His style of travel might not be for everybody, but he does it par excellence.

Nepal – the Himalayas view.

TIPS AND TRICKS or how to TRAVEL LIKE A PRO?

One of the first thoughts that may come to your worried mind is how to pack for the trip. The short and sweet answer would be – LIGHT! As Mike states, newbies tend to over-pack, and he did the same when he started to travel. His mantra nowadays is, “I only take things that I am willing to throw away.” This helps with the potential anxiety of losing your precious belongings. When you are 5,000 miles away from home, you do not want to worry about your favorite jeans or jewelry being stolen or lost.

People have a tendency of bringing big travel backpacks that are not allowed as carry on luggage on planes. Disregard this and save time and money by avoiding the checked baggage option and always have your stuff with you. It will be faster and more flexible.

Everest base camp.

Packing cubes and a laundry bag are lifesavers for organizing your clothes so they don’t get wrinkled. Subsequently, you will need to separate the dirty clothes from the clean ones and avoid the synergy of smells. For the savvy travelers, you can shower and wash your clothes simultaneously, saving time and money. Lastly, Mike couldn’t stress this enough, TRAVEL UNDERWEAR IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING! He is a huge fan of the ExOfficio travel underwear, with their convenient slogan: “17 countries. 6 weeks. One pair of award-winning underwear. (Ok, maybe two.)”

Before you leave your comfort zone, take photos of all documents such as your passport and travel insurance. Once you do that, send the photos to your e-mail. This way if you lose your passport and your phone, they will still be accessible.

Whitehaven Beach, Australia. -The pristine white beach consists of the purest silica sand in the world.

Get travel insurance! You may not need it 99 times out of 100, but then there is that one time when you are in China participating in a traditional wedding when all of a sudden a champagne bottle hits your foot, cuts you, and you need emergency medical treatment. Yes, this really happened to Mike. Even though he doesn’t have any tattoos, he has scars from his trips as everlasting memories.

Find an accommodation with breakfast included. For your first day, you want to be in a nice centrally located hotel or hostel. Everyone goes to breakfast, which means you can connect with other travelers even if you are not keen on eating the most important meal of the day.

Walking tours are the way to go! The ins-and-outs provided by the local, licensed guides are invaluable. You should do this on your first day to get an overview of the destination. Furthermore, you will meet other like-minded travelers. Mike’s signature move is to bring a bottle of wine and cups on the tour, and then share with everybody. You make friends quickly over vino!

General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National park, USA.

Find a park and catch the breeze of daily life. The first thing Mike does in a new city is go for a run, get lost, and then find a park. There is something always happening in parks. In China they do mass workouts, dancing, and Kung Fu. You will stumble upon parks with architectural beauty, and they are always places of gathering. Every park is unique, and it represents the culture and the dynamic of the locals.

Never go to a restaurant where you can immediately enter without at least a short wait. It is good to check the menu as well. Restaurants with big menus that offer different types of cuisine rarely live up to your expectations. All the top-notch restaurants have only a few items that they are proud of and always prepare with love. If there is a sign that says AUTHENTIC, stay away. If it is actually authentic, the locals will be in it, and no sign would be required. Lastly, if you don’t know what to order from the menu, just look around the restaurant and find something visually appealing by pointing out the food from other tables. Bon Appétit!

Glen Canyon National Park, USA.

You should be prepared to have limited access to Internet, so it is wise to download maps that can be used offline. Mike likes MapsMe. Another piece of advice, stay away from Wi-Fi and talk to people. You would be surprised how much good airplane mode on your phone will bring you. When you disconnect from the grid, you start to create genuine connections with people.

The language barrier will be present, so a good move to break the possible tension with the locals is to learn a couple of phrases in their language. People will be appreciative of the effort. Mike’s go-to for every country is, “Sorry, I do not speak your language.” Most importantly, A SMILE TRANSCENDS ANY LANGUAGE! If you approach with good intentions, that is all you will need. Doors will be opened and friendships will be made. Go through life with a smile!

Leshan, China. -The largest and tallest stone Buddha statue in the world.

How to travel 43 countries: LIFE ALTERING EXPERIENCES!

Encouraged by his aunt Annmarie (a big shout out to her, she is one of his favorite people in the world who inspired him to travel), Mike decide to apply for a spiritual retreat in Igatpuri, India to practice the ancient meditation method of Vipassana. He admits he only applied to make his aunt happy, and he never thought he would get in, since people wait for years to be accepted. To his surprise, he was accepted 10 days later, and embarked on a 12-day retreat of silent meditation. No reading, no writing, no talking, no looking people in the eyes, with only two daily breaks to eat. Mike concluded, in a nutshell, “IF I REALIZED HOW HARD IT WOULD BE, I WOULD HAVE NEVER DONE IT. IF I REALIZED HOW REWARDING IT WOULD BE, I WOULD HAVE DONE IT SOONER.” This experience awakened Mike’s spiritual side, and he has been meditating and embracing the energy flow that guides him ever since. This 12-day silent meditation turned into a 36-day life alteration, as he continued with a 24-day hike in the Himalayas.

Igatpuri, India – the 12 day silent retreat.

From his childhood days Mike had two agendas. The first one was to travel to Australia, even though he did not have a clue where Australia was, but it sounded great. His playful imagination dictated that he needed to rent a camper van and explore the vastness of the Land Down Under. The second thing on his bucket list was to roller skate the Great Wall of China. Luckily for Mike, these did not only remain childhood dreams, because he achieved them both. Australia was conquered with a camper van, and the Great Wall of China was skated with his newly-acquired shoes with wheels!

Pre-travel, Mike was a picky eater. A burger with fries and no add-ons was pretty much his go to. Even his friends and family often joked that he would starve to death in different countries of the world as he did not speak the language and the ethnic food is way different than the juicy burger he was accustomed to. Upgraded-traveler Mike embraced the culture and the local cuisine, and ate everything during his two years of venturing. Bugs and scorpions (not that good, he admitted, but try them so you can brag that you did), snakes (“too bony,” he said) , guinea pigs, dogs (“tastes like chicken”), rats (“delicious,” he said, “like you are eating a steak”), whale, and many more. Provoked by Anthony Bourdain’s statement that the worst meal he has ever eaten was a fermented shark from Iceland, Mike responded, “Challenge accepted!” He said the taste of the shark is not that bad, but it is extremely potent, so it will stay in your mouth for hours. To avoid this, he advised to take a shot of the Black Death liquor afterwards, and it washes the taste of the shark away. The Black Death really is death, and it’s terrible, Mike concluded.

Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The snake was for lunch that day.

How to travel 43 countries: RIGHT OF THE BAT REMINISCE!

The sunrise in Namche Bazaar in Nepal, and the first time his eyes saw Mount Everest were moments that shook him to the core, and are things he will never forget. Mike said one of the most stunning places he visited was the Taj Mahal, built of shimmering white marble that seems to change color depending on the sunlight or moonlight hitting its surface. The outdoor views are obviously majestic but something that drew his attention was the interior, that has never been photographed. Machu Picchu, believed to be a royal estate or sacred religious site of the Inca leaders, is captivating. Everybody should treat themselves with this hike and the complimentary jaw dropping views.

Machu Picchu, Peru.

The most attractive people he has encountered were in Iceland, where the women and men are gorgeous. Australians want to be naked all the time, and they are the heaviest drinkers of them all. Burma is energy, Nepal is nature, South Korea is a party, Costa Rica is full of happy people. China is the most rigid country he visited, where there is military everywhere, but it is probably the safest place in the world. Brunei is the most boring place he encountered, but on the flip side the lamb steaks are only a dollar! India is a roller coaster ride. It was the hardest place Mike has traveled to, but one of the most rewarding ones. India is a symphony of flavors, cultures, emotions, and outlooks on life.

Xingping Guangxi, China.

Mike said he likes to indulge himself with scuba diving and observing the trees. I was surprised by the second part, but after hearing his spiel on trees and seeing the passion he disperses while talking about them, my curiosity was awakened. It goes without saying that he visited the General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park. It is the largest tree in the world, and probably one of the oldest at 2,500 years! When it comes to scuba diving, he is currently getting his masters in diving in Honduras. “Scuba diving is the closest thing to getting to outer space,” Mike said. Similar to meditating, it is a peaceful out of body experience, a perfect way to adjust and balance your thoughts. Places where you should take a dive are Moalboal, Philippines, Gili Trawangan, Indonesia, and Borneo, Malaysia. If this is your cup of tea, check out this community of divers.

Cebu, Philippines – Whale shark diving.

Mike’s current lifestyle might be something peculiar for the average person, and a path that only a few will ever decide to take. Is he a modern globetrotter hero or a marginal soul trying to stay away from the grid? This answer, I can’t provide. The only thing I know for certain is that Mike is living life to the fullest and crushing it. The experiences he acquired while traveling shaped him into a humble, open-minded, and authentic human being. He is building bridges between different cultures and people, and reminding us that we are all brothers and sisters. This type of person is a rare find nowadays.

Ngozumpa Glacier, Nepal.