United Sates of America

One Last Hurrah United Sates of America

Still on the right path…

Looking back at what seems like a life time ago – when I was still in the planning stages of my extended Round-the-World trip and before I ever bought my first outward plane ticket – friends and family would often inquire as to how long I was planning to travel, or what event or mental shift would mark the end of my trip.  At the time, I’d always respond with ambiguous and slightly humorous answers, such as, “Who’s says I’m ever coming home?” or, “Not until I run out of money, obviously!”  Now that I’ve been traveling for over two years (with a few restful stops back home for sanity reasons), I can say that the correct answer to the question of when one’s trip has come to an end is “when the time is right.”  This moment will differ from person to person, obviously, but it is a moment that you’ll know when you reach it.  Having spent the last few months back in the United States, both recovering from extended travel burnout and pondering the future of my trip, I’ve come to the realization that that time has come for me; that I am in need of a proper “home” again.  So I will soon be returning back to Columbus, OH, laying down some permanent roots again, and settling back into a semi-normal life.
Those who know me well, however (or those who have also been similarly bitten by the traveling bug), know that hanging up one’s traveling shoes isn’t actually that simple –  at least not without one final farewell tour, that is!  And as such, I’ve chosen to embark on a “Last Hurrah,” so to speak, to act as a book end to this chapter of my life.  In a few days’ time, I catch a flight to the Kansai Airport in Japan, where after several days of recovering from jet lag in Kyoto, I’ll be heading down into the Wakayama Prefecture to spend a week hiking the famous Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trail.  After the exertion of carrying my heavy pack through gorgeous cedar forests and over the scenic mountains that one passes along the way, I’m then off to spend a week soaking up the sun and blue waters in the tropical paradise of Japan’s Southern island chain known as Okinawa.
After my second Japanese adventure, I’m headed to what will be a new country for me — one that I’ve been recommended by fellow travelers more times than I can count and has occupied a spot on my “wish list” nearly as long as any other destination – that of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.  My plan is to take in the cultural and culinary scene around the capital city of Yangon (formerly Rangoon) before heading into the interior of the country to check out other sights such as Bagan, Inle Lake, and Mandalay.  These last few destinations, however, will depend upon the travel conditions, as I am going to be arriving in the peak of the monsoon season (meaning many of the roads may be washed out), so we’ll see.  And finally, to finish my travels through Asia, I’m going to let my trip run full circle and return to the what was the first country I visited in Asia over a year and a half ago, that of Singapore — where, incidentally, I’m planning nothing other than stuffing my face full of as much delicious Hawker Center food as my stomach will allow.  I can’t wait!  So in the coming weeks, I’ll be active again on the travel trail, meaning that I will have another series of posts coming your way for your own personal enjoyment.  In the meantime, however, I’ll leave you off with a few images of how I’ve been occupying my time here at home over the last few months (just in case you’re curious):  Enjoy!

As usual, if there is a natural park or hiking trail anywhere close, that is likely where you’ll find me

I also opted for a bit of kayaking on a recent trip to Badin Lake in North Carolina

I played some golf, as well. Actually, I won’t lie: I played a LOT of golf

Is there any sweeter sight for a golfer than this?

Summer concerts were definitely on the docket, too — another of my favorite activities

Can you guess the bands in either of these photos? (hint: I’m secretly a hippie at heart)

To keep the restless feet at bay, I also took a trip to our Nation’s capital (seen here is the home of our First family)

Back home in Ohio, another interesting aspect of the area in which my family lives is the significant Amish population. You’re technically not supposed to take pictures of them, but I figured one quick shot of an Amish buggy going down the road couldn’t hurt

The sun setting through the trees near my family’s house

As much of my time on the road is focused on finding that next delicious thing to eat, my time at home is equally spent planning and preparing for my next meal.  My eating habits at home are all over the board (not to mention all over the world), but here were a few of my favorites from the last few months:

Pulled Pork Sandwich topped with Coleslaw — an American classic that always reminds me of the summertime

A glimpse back at my time in Vietnam with a bowl of Pho Tai Bo Vien

Suckling Pig Hash — this is certainly excessive, but you won’t find me complaining

Taco Trucks are a big part of the food scene here in Columbus, so naturally I had to indulge myself with a few tacos, sopes, and gorditas

One can never have too much Ramen (ever)

I haven’t yet made it to Indonesia, but that didn’t stop me from trying some Bakmi Ayam

A modern American take on the Sichuanese classic Dan Dan Mien

BBQ Shrimp and Hush Puppy Omelette…yes, you heard that correctly (note: it was glorious!)

It wasn’t all “dining out,” however, as another passion of mine is cooking.  Here are a few examples of my attempts to recreate at home a few of the dishes I’ve sampled while on the road:

Gathering ingredients at the massive West Side Market in Cleveland, OH

My first crack at the South Korean dish of Dubu Kimchi (complete with Makgoelli to drink!)

My baking skills aren’t as sharp as my cooking skills, but that didn’t stop me from attempting to make Melon-pan, a common sweet bun found throughout Eastern Asia

One can never go wrong with a classic: Smokey, sticky BBQ pork ribs….Mmmmmmmm….(drools on self)….

And finally, a beer and wine tasting event just to keep things interesting

Post-Script — Since my last post a few months ago, I’ve passed a number of significant milestones.  First off – and most importantly – this marks my 100th post.  Woo Hoo!  Further, my blog has crossed over both the 100,000 hits mark and the 3,000 subscribers mark, so I owe a big thanks to all of you who have been following along over the last few years.  I really appreciate the readership, and I only hope my travels have been entertaining (and hopefully inspiring) to both other travel junkies and armchair travelers out there alike.