I flew from Sydney to Kunming, with a layover in Kuala Lumpur. Spent three incredible days with two American believers who are starting a café business in China. I took China Eastern Airlines to my final destination after four months of travel to Beijing. Beijing is big and fantastic. I stayed 5 minutes from Peking University. I enjoyed visiting the Badaling Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace with company of my new Chinese friends. I also went to an underground church meeting!

I was not expecting the weather to be below freezing. I actually came off the plane in a t-shirt! I was approached by two young guys trying to sell me an “iPhone 8”. I also went inside an extravagant mall and used a squat toilet. I was extremely impressed with the degree of innovation Kunming and Beijing have, along with the massive amount of construction. China isn’t the same as I imagined before experiencing it firsthand.

Duration

3 days

Accommodation

Believers Flat (3 nights)

Favorite Food

Breakfast dumplings

Favorite Site

The Great Wall

Cool Person I Met

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Crikey mate! I was the typical 90’s American kid who considered Steve Irwin a hero and watched Kangaroo Jack 100 times. It’s been a long dream to visit Australia. Some didn’t understand why I traveled so far to only stay 4 days, but it was worth it to me. I definitely need more time to visit next time.

I took the famous Coogee to Bondi beach walk, visited Hillsong Church, ate a kangaroo kebab, stared at the Opera Theater, and took a train to the Blue Mountains. This excursion was perhaps the most adventurous one I embarked on this World Trip. I went into the woods alone, in the dark, no flashlight, in search for some kangaroos. My journey was cut short after hearing mysterious noises in the woods, which compelled me to find two trees to set up my hammock for the night. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any kangaroo or koala bears this time. I’ll be back! Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!

Duration

4 days

Accommodation

Believer’s house (3 nights), hammocking (1 night), and hotel in Kuala Lumpur layover (1 night)

Favorite Food

Kangaroo kebab

Favorite Site

Bondi Beach

Cool Person I Met

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Singapore impressed me quickly. I couldn’t believe how connected the country was by subway as I exited the airport. The cleanliness and pristine, modern feel of everything was unlike the other cities I had been to. The diversity of people and the four official languages. I felt this country-state-city was the utopia city, manufactured to reflect all of human learning throughout the world.

I covered the main parts of the country by foot. The architecture was incredibly modern and unique. The Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, skyscrapers, and business buildings captivated me. I met some great people and spent a lot of time fellowshipping with other Christians. I’ll miss the really cool accents and brilliant people.

Duration                                                                                                              

3 days

Accommodation

Believers house (3 nights)

Favorite Food

O-Matcha Parfait

Favorite Site

Gardens by the Bay

Cool Person I Met

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After a layover in Kolkata, I made it to Bangkok! I went to a Christian meeting every night but one during my visit. My accommodation was actually at a Bible school and I had breakfast with the students each morning. Throughout the day, I explored the city on my own. The King of Thailand recently passed away and I visited the shrine dedicated to him in the Grand Palace. I went to the Wat Arun and hiked to the top of Wat Saket. I enjoyed walking through the old town and the ferry across Chao Phraya.

Duration

5 days

Accommodation

Believers house (4 nights)

Favorite Food

Pad Thai

Favorite Site

Royal Palace

Cool Person I Met

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My train was supposed to leave Jaipur at 2:30am from Jaipur to Delhi, but I boarded a 4:00am train to Agra. Oops! This was the first and only transport I missed. Agra was the most polluted place I’ve visited, not what I expected of a city that held a wonder of the world. The Taj Mahal was breathtaking and well worth it. This was also the first time I used my $10 unlimited talk/text/data plan because of the spontaneity of this situation.

My host picked me up at the Delhi train station late Sunday night. I only could spend a day and half in Delhi but it was packed and fun. I walked through the old markets, the political center, and through the modern malls. The last day I went to visit a Bible school. I participated in their classes, lunches, and other activities.

Duration

2 days (plus one-half day in Agra)

Accommodation

Believers house (2 nights)

Favorite Food

Spinach paneer

Favorite Site

Taj Mahal

Cool Person I Met

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My goal in these two cities were slightly different than the rest of my journey. I spent four full days with a company in Dehradun and three full days meeting local businesspeople and speaking at a conference in Jaipur. It was both a humbling and surreal experience. In one sense, I felt very under qualified due to my age and experience. On the other hand, I did have something to offer those I met, which was actually helpful. Still, I must’ve learned more through observation and listening than anything I gave.

Jaipur was the first and only time I stayed in a hotel during my four-month trip. I also didn’t get to see much of the touristy sites because of the conference. Yet, I enjoyed this almost more since it meant I could spend more time with locals. Perhaps, my favorite part of travel is meeting locals and living like a local.

Duration

8 days

Accommodation

Believers apartment (4 nights) and Hotel (3 nights)

Favorite Food

Barbecue Nation

Favorite Site

Robber’s Cave

Cool Person I Met

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I love India! My first impression of taking the bus 2.5 hours to my host’s home in the city was one of only a few negative things. As an American, I was also surprised to see no toilet paper in the bathrooms, no forks at the dinner table, and no shoes in the house. Bangalore is a vibrant, growing city. I enjoyed meals in people’s homes and seeing some of the big tech businesses that make this city the “Silicon Valley of the East”.

The first Hindu temple I ever went inside was the largest ISKCON temple in the world. It shocked me culturally and spiritually. An experience I will never forget. Another cool experience was celebrating Diwali. I had no idea how popular this holiday was and that I’d be in India at that time. My hosts helped me with practical things throughout my stay. I’m so impacted and thankful for visiting this city.

Duration

4 days

Accommodation

Friend’s house (4 nights)

Favorite Food

Butter chicken

Favorite Site

Shiva temple

Cool Person I Met

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After visiting 35 cities in Europe, I experienced some culture shock in Cairo. Exiting the airport was a painful experience as every taxi driver haggled me at 11:30pm. The air was more polluted and had a distinct smell. Cars drove aggressively without acknowledging traffic rules. And there were many positives. The tea. The hospitality. The street food. The pyramids. The night life. The history.

My entire time in Egypt was accompanied by some hosts who took good care of me. We went to the touristy and the real parts of Cairo. I even rode a camel around the pyramids! Cairo was by far the cheapest city I’ve visited so far. One bag of around 10 pita breads made of the street was $0.25. I had a great Egyptian experience and hope to go back soon.

Duration

3 days

Accommodation

Believers house (3 nights)

Favorite Food

Koshary

Favorite Site

Pyramids of Giza

Cool Person I Met

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I slept the night again at the airport upon arrival and walked to a church meeting in the morning. This time, I walked past hundreds of people with red and yellow flags on their back. Turns out that day, 10,000 protestors rallied the streets over the Catalonia – Spain dispute. I enjoyed exploring the city and observing the raw emotion of people who were living in this predicament.

Duration

3 days

Accommodation

Airport (1 night), Hostel (2 nights), Believers apartment (1 night)

Favorite Food

Chorizo

Favorite Site

Sagrida Familia

Cool Person I Met

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Overall, Lisbon is my favorite European city. I wasn’t expecting it! The cobblestone roads, rich history, fun people, tasty food, pastel coloring, beach, port city, the weather, monuments, cost of living, coffee/beer, and castles have captivated me. My tour guide was the most engaged passionate one of the 13 I’ve done in Europe and I had a very fun hitchhike experience. 30 minutes from Lisbon is Sintra, a town of many castles. Go to Lisboa!

Duration

3 days

Accommodation

Couchsurfing (2 nights)

Favorite Food

Codfish “bras style” (mixed with potatoes and onions)

Favorite Site

Castle of the Moors

Cool Person I Met

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