I didn’t know much about Argentina before I chose it to be my gateway to South America, but one thing I knew, actually two, is that it’s a) a Spanish speaking country and b) It was summer in Buenos Aires.

So, my flight got booked and a plan was quickly formed: Spend a month in the Argentinean capital, primarily to learn Spanish. At first I was thinking of sharing an apartment with Spanish speaking people, something which could definitely help my non-existent Spanish, but then I thought Buenos Aires might be a good place to live on my own for a bit, especially after so many months of moving around.

Paris of South America?

During my search for accommodation I discovered many resources nicknaming Buenos as the “Paris of South America”. In reality, B.A looks like a huge concrete jungle with a bit of European personality, a mixture of Bangkok and Paris I would say.

Quite a lot of buildings are, how to say it nicely, unimaginatively designed. It felt like some people just wanted to make quick profit by tearing the old European style houses and neighbourhoods down, and instead building tall condo-apartments as quickly as possible. The “Parisian” architecture, however, still resonate into the present day in some of the more affluent pockets of the city.

The analogy to Paris is, however, a very accurate one in that each city shares a similar lifestyle. Restaurants and coffee shops are crowded with people till the very late hours of the night and it’s quite common to see people dress smartly for dinner and other nightly occasions. Similar to Europe, nothing really starts until late. Restaurants get filled only around 10-11pm and nightclubs begin to function only at 2-3am.

Adapting

As far as the Argentinean nightlife lifestyle, I had no real difficulties adapting, especially after spending a summer in Europe & Israel. The best part for me was the Buenos Aires dinner scene. The selection at most restaurants is so wide and inexpensive that it is hard not to have a dine-out experience almost every night. The Argentinean meat is so tasty that even a few travellers I met took a break from their vegetarian regime. I remember asking my beautiful Argentinean friend Evelyn if she ever dated a vegetarian guy and her answer was definite and quick: “There is not such a thing in Argentina!”.

This lifestyle setting meant that social circles were quite easily formed. I rented myself a comfortable studio apartment in the trendy suburb of Palermo and within a week I met some of the best people on my trip.

A few culture shock moments however waited for me. Here is a quick list:
- The challenge of finding Pepper in supermarkets.
- The challenge of walking on a flat, even, safe pavement.
- The challenge of finding a seat in a morning/noon/evening subway
- The challenge of kissing a guy goodbye…

Learning Spanish

Perhaps the biggest challenge was to understand the Argentinean Spanish. The Locals speak it like they drive their cars: Very Fast.

Armed with a vocabulary of only a few words of Espanol, my only chance was to spend a big chunk of my time learning the language, so I registered myself to an intense 3 week course. The course was great, especially the social side of it, but too slow for my taste, so I added a few hours a week of private lessons.

I can honestly say that my trip in Argentina wouldn’t have been the same without those few first weeks. I might not speak Spanish very well now but I can understand many conversations, which is a big part of experiencing the South American culture.

A few weeks later I felt it was time to leave the big city for some fresh mountain air and decided to head south to the amazing Patagonia.

Write soon,
Tal

El Calafate is the main gateway into Patagonia and Glaciers National Park with its famous Perito Moreno Glacier. The only word that came into my mind when I first saw this impressive glacier was: WOW.

The word stayed with me for a very long time and echoed stronger within when we started our trek on the glacier. The bluest glacial ice I’ve ever seen, with cliffs rising straight out of the water everywhere you looked. Walking on the ice with its huge cracks and beautiful soft colours was nothing but amazing.

Patagonia Chile

My greatest South American adventure took place in Torres Del Paine national park on the Chilean side of Patagonia. We crossed the border from Argentina to the sleepy town of Puerto Natales, one of the southernmost cities in the world, passing snow capped mountains on the way, and amazing views of wild nature.

The night before our planned trek we had a fierce storm come through. It was freezing cold with strong winds and heavy rain, but we were determined to stick to our plan and start trekking the next day.

I still had fresh memories of getting caught unprepared in heavy snow while trekking in New Zealand a few years ago, so I decided not to rely on lady luck and hired the best (but heavy) snow gear available.

My backpack was super heavy and within the first climb, with strong frontal winds driving into me, I knew I had set myself a real challenge. I felt quite heavy, however after each and every step we took, both my Spanish companion and I grew stronger. With so much nature around, my heart was light and my mind completely at rest, making the physical challenge enjoyable and fun.

Somewhere in the middle of the trek we decided to leave our heavy bags unguarded and climb to one of the peaks. We actually decided to run it so for a few hours we ran up the mountain free of cares and worries. The view was spectacular all the way up with powerful waterfalls and huge green trees.

Just before we reached the peak we stopped for a rest near one of the rivers. It was starting to get dark so my friend hurried me up so we could get to the peak together. To my surprise, the only words that came from my mouth were: “You go”. I knew a shift was going on in me. I was the guy who never left a summit unconquered but this time I just felt free and peaceful and so incredibly happy that it didn’t matter anymore.

The rest of the trek was everything I had hoped for and more, with different landscapes and diverse flora.

Into the wild

After the great experience of Torres Del Paine I decided to head north and go on another independent trek in Patagonia.

Mount Fitzroy is a mountain trek with a visually dramatic peak that starts in the small town of El Chalten (meaning “smoking mountain” for being surrounded by smoke-like clouds)

On the first night I met a young Israeli guy who invited me to trek with him the next day. He turned to be one of the most inspiring travellers I’ve ever met, having travelled in isolated areas around the globe since he was 17.

We decided to go off trek and climb along one of the many rivers in the area, getting deep into the wild where no other travellers could be found. My new travelling companion took off his shoes and jumped from rock to rock totally immersing himself with nature. He lengthily explained how shoes separate us from the earth not allowing us to connect with the ground. My new friend was truly a special guy and the trip quickly became special as well!

Lake District region

After so much trekking I allowed my legs to rest in the beautiful Lake District region and continued to explore Argentina in ways other than intense hiking.

Live your (biggest) dreams!

Sometimes the worst situations in one’s life end up being the best opportunities in the long run. This was the case for Serpio Huaman, a local Peruvian who lost his house in a tragic mudslide.

I still remember the first time I saw Serpio’s tough but smiling face when I got to his destroyed house. His face was beaming with gratitude and humility. When his eyes welled with tears and my heart started to sink, I knew that I’d see him again someday. However, I never dreamt of what was going to happen. The universe has its own way of taking care of things I guess.

Up until this point, the small and isolated town of Ocotuan had probably never been visited by foreigners, but Serpio’s seeming bad luck turned out to be a blessing, and travellers from all around the world ended up visited his house.

The whole idea started to form when the image of Serpio crying on my shoulder kept popping up in my mind every time I went to help clear the wreckage. After a quick chat with a friend, I decided to take a video of Serpio requesting help and built a special website where photos could be published. It proved to be a very powerful way of delivering the emotions behind the tragic disaster.

When the first donation arrived I got very excited. I felt so much gratitude and appreciation. When the donation pool reached two thousand dollars in less than 48 hours I knew that something amazing has just happened. A new house can be built I thought, and amazingly enough it was.

The universe has conspired to help me and I met the right people at the right time, who gave so much of their free travelling time for the task. The rebuilding story had its own power which touched the hearts and minds of random travellers I met in Cusco.

More than 100 people have been involved in this little random 2 month project. The before and after photos can be seen below. Huge thanks to anyone who has helped out. Serpio and his family were in tears of happiness last time I visited.

Thank you.

This question has been repeatedly asked over the last year by other travellers who have heard that my business allows me to continue travelling indefinitely.

I’ve been on the roads for last the 10 months now and I’m obviously living not only my dream, but also one many others have. Travelling is a very pleasurable thing to do and definitely a big passion of mine. It has actually been non-stop travelling for me since I remember myself - my dad used to work on a ship, so I spent at least 3-4 months overseas every year during my schooling time. Travelling is in my blood you could say.

I feel there is another side though, a side that I got to see more clearly in the last few months. For me, travelling can also be a form of escapism (and provided it is not overdone, there is little harm in that), once it’s indulged a little further, one starts withdrawing from an active role in life.

I remember that after my military service a long time ago, and whilst lying on the beach of this perfect Thailand island, I said to myself: “I’m not going to leave this place, I’m going to build myself a house here and drink daiquiri coconut cocktails all day long for the rest of my life”. Four weeks later I went back home and registered myself to a university. Yes I was quite young and naïve back then, but the point is still valid and in any stage of life; one needs to find meaning in what he does.

Meaning vs. Pleasure

Some people take the other extreme and completely trade pleasure for meaning; they are willing to work, for example, in an unenjoyable job just because this type of job is more meaningful. Some will even be willing to sacrifice their life for the right cause. In the past, I’ve been on both sides of the scale, but now I know that my aim is to find an optimal balance.

In 2009 I derived an immense amount of pleasure out of my RTW trip, especially from experiencing freedom in its most absolute form. Quitting the 9 to 5 routine, becoming completely in charge of my life, has been a very meaningful event for me.

Although it’s quite tempting for me to continue on this route, choose myself an exotic beach that has a satellite internet connection, keep developing internet businesses, and “retire” from the affairs of this world, I’ve decided to take a different path this year.

Adding More Meaning

I’ve spent quite a lot of time in the last month thinking of what my primary focus in 2010 would be. In recent years, I established myself a tradition of choosing one primary focus for the upcoming year. It has been quite an effective tool as I was able to immerse myself in one main area, extracting more wisdom out of it.
While thinking, I have realized that if I had the choice (which I do), I would like to help more. It also became clear to me that one my biggest enjoyments and excitements in life is turning dreams into reality, sometimes, even more than the dream itself.

I decided to combine both this year and set myself an objective to be of assistance to those who seek help, and at the same time, develop intellectually and professionally in the area of personal coaching.

Law of Attraction

It is funny how the universe conspires in helping you to achieve what you want when you put an intention out there. The right opportunities and the right people seem to appear almost immediately.

Last week I was offered a 2 month volunteering program in a US institute that specializes in coaching, starting early May. I already had travel plans for Central America, but I felt immediate clarity, especially after my latest reflection process, and a few hours later I had a flight ticket to New York.

The very same week, another opportunity presented itself when a fellow traveller has asked me to mentor him for one year in business. Before this month, I would probably have postponed it, but I said yes, and it looks like we are going to learn quite a lot from each other.

Another project that I always wanted to take on but kept on delaying for some reason was in the area of Internet Marketing. I always wanted to use my professional skills and build an online platform that promotes organizations which help those in need. It now feels like the right time, so yesterday I purchased a domain name and the project is officially underway. 

In between, and while I’m in South America, I plan to volunteer in either Bolivia or Peru. I’ve got a few volunteering recommendations, but I guess I’ll choose when I get there.

So it seems I’ll be on the road for at least another half a year, and probably a bit more, but I’m starting to feel ready to get back to Australia. Once I get back, I will continue my commitment to help others while developing in the area of coaching.

Well I guess that’s how 2010 is going to look like for me, but first there is a carnival in Rio in a couple of week to celebrate!

Much love from Brasil,
Tal

Some of you know that around a year ago both my parents had a terrible car accident which left my mom in hospital for long time, without the ability to move her neck. At that point in time, I hadn’t seen them for close to 3 long years. Every time I planned a trip, another project popped up at work. Although I was very happy and grateful for the opportunity given to me as a manager (especially during a global financial crisis), I remember feeling quite frustrated by my inability to fly for a longer period.

I knew something had to change, but my personal financial situation made it impossible to do it right away, as I carried a considerable debt from the time I was a student. Despite my economic situation I wrote a resignation letter, bought a flight ticket and set myself a fixed date, which I promised to never change even if the Australian prime minister would personally ask me to run a project for him.

It worked! I focused all my spare energy, and in April this year, I left for a round the world trip. My family and I spent two blissful months in Israel. I travelled all over Europe during the summer. I trekked Nepal’s Annapurna Himalaya and Everest ranges, and I spent a spiritual month in India, meditating and practicing mindful living.

It feels like the universe has conspired to make all my dreams, and even more, come true. I say a lot of whispered “thank you’s” before I go to sleep these days, which I guess is another special thing that happened this year.

I celebrated this Christmas in Buenos Aires with some beautiful friends I recently met, and will celebrate New Years Eve in Rio de Janeiro with beautiful friends yet to be made.

I wish you a very happy new year and much love around you.

Europa Classica

After spending a few weeks full of sun and partying in eastern Europe and days full of nature in Switzerland, I felt it was time to experience some of northern Europe’s classic countries and their stylish capitals.

1. Scotland, Edinburgh
Highlight: nonstop laughing at the biggest comedy festival in the world

I landed in Edinburgh for the last days of the famous international festival with heavy rain and thick dark clouds as if they had been brought directly from Antarctica. I changed my flip flops with heavy trekking shoes and put a jacket on for the first time in 4 months of travelling.

How I felt inside, however, was completely different. I felt light and airy, full of anticipation for lots of laughs. I have been a long advocate for live comedy during my years in Melbourne. Every major comedian comes to Edinburgh to try and win a prize that will ensure him certain success in the other festivals around the world.
The festival itself has over 2000 shows a day (and I think the same number of pubs) and it is not only about comedy but also about music, dance, theatre, street performance, and circus. It caters to almost every taste and budget. Some are free, and some are costly, some are funny and some are not-so-funny.

So here I was, jumping from show to show, or pub to pub, or whatever, blending with the charm and atmosphere of the streets of Edinburgh. It was probably not the most glamorous festival I’ve seen, but it definitely filled me with joy, lightness, and more than anything, lots of laughter.

2. England, London
Highlight: a (very) long weekend at the pub(s)

I only had one weekend in London (still not sure why) and I honestly thought I’d properly tour the city and its historical landmarks, but my old friend Raf, who now lives in London and who graciously offered to host me, was thinking differently.

As I arrived to Raf’s very well located apartment, a cold beer immediately found its way into my hands, and I also got told that we were about to leave. I could not find a reason to argue and not long after (and still in the Holding Beer position) I was in one of central London’s better pubs.

10 hours later I’m still in the pub (and still in the Holding Beer position), this time with a large group of newly made friends (whoever said that London people are not friendly has obviously never gone out on the weekend…and is obviously not a beer drinker). I actually managed to drag myself out of the pub for a few hours, only to find myself the next morning, once again, in the pub – this time for breakfast (which seems very common in London). And the story goes on and on and on until the very next day.

I must admit that I felt a bit guilty for having done only one landmark tour in London (that is to say, the English pub) but it was one of the most entertaining weekends I have ever had. I never imagined I’d participate in another Ironman event during my trip. That very long weekend definitely felt like one. Guess I’m just happy that my liver lived to tell the story.

3. France, Paris
Highlight: a (very) long day (and night) of walking through the streets of Paris

After a whole pub-weekend in London I was committed to explore some of the iconic landmarks of Paris. I was obviously a bit naive, as Paris is filled with so many historical monuments that even a month would probably not be sufficient. Literally every corner of the city is covered by history and tradition.

Just as in Rome, I was strolling the streets for a full day without a care in the world, enjoying the special atmosphere that the city so well cultivates. So when the night fell, I was just happy to meet my French host and sit somewhere with a good bottle of French wine. Aurelien, my generous host, had different plans (mmm, sounds familiar…), and once again I found myself in the streets of Paris, this time for street exploration during the night.

Although I felt like a broken-down athlete after a marathon who has just been convinced to run another one, I was very grateful to my host. You haven’t really seen the Eiffel tower until you have seen it glimmering in the night, or seeing the famous Moulin Rouge windmill sparkling at night.

Once again a European capital managed to totally exhaust me. No complaints though!

4. Belgium, Brussels & Louvern
Highlight: probably the best beer (country) in the world

Lis and I met in a small spiritual town in India, so it was only natural that we both shared many deep conversations and philosophical discussions.
One of them was about beer. Lis convinced me (quite easily) to visit her in her country, Belgium, and taste some of the “best beers in the world”. That’s what she claimed anyway.

She was right.

5. Netherlands, Amsterdam & Utrecht
Highlight: being hosted

This is not only to my Dutch host, Michel, who invited me to Utrecht, a beautiful old city near Amsterdam, with so much enthusiasm and energy, but also to Lis, Aurelien, Raf, Bjorn and anyone else I might forget.

Thanks for the shared breakfasts, lunches, dinners and the BBQs.
Thanks for the interesting and fun conversations.
Thanks for introducing me to your closest friends.
Thanks for driving me, cycling with me, and walking with me.
Thanks for opening your home to me.

Thanks for everything.

6. Germany, Berlin
Highlight: spending a full day in the Jewish Museum

Going to a Jewish Museum in Berlin was never on my to-do list when I first thought of a European trip (and especially not for a whole day), but I somehow found my way there, so I went with it.

People have different ideas about their religion. To me, Judaism is just a label on a birth certificate, something I have not willingly chosen. “Being” Jewish does not have much depth of meaning to me. More particularly, “being” Jewish in a Jewish museum in Berlin, didn’t feel more significant than, lets say, visiting as a Christian. I feel this type of label only separates us from each other, which leads us to judgments and false categorizations. True religion, in my eyes, has to be based on universal values that eliminate separation, not promote it.

Anyway : ), with no relation to my own personal beliefs, it really felt that new Germany is not afraid to face its past. The museum offered such a rich and unique insight to the suffering of so many people, not only during World War II, but also earlier. The display was so extensive that I spent most of my day there.

Just a good reminder of what hate can do…

7. Denmark, Copenhagen
Highlight: celebrating the Jewish New Year with my parents.

My parents, in sharp contrast, do believe in their religion, so they both decided to fly to my uncle in Denmark and meet me in order to celebrate the Jewish New Year. Spending a week with my parents is not something I take for granted. My choice to live in Australia means that I hardly see them, and also means I hardly have a chance to taste my mom’s home cooking!

I had quite a lot of highlights during my Denmark visit, but none can come close to that one (yummy) dinner. : )

8. Norway, Oslo
Highlight: celebrating my 34th birthday on a boat around the Oslo Fjord

When I first asked my mom where she wanted to meet me on my RTW trip, I secretly hoped she would choose an exotic spot such as the jungles of Brazil or at least something like a Mediterranean beach town. When she said Norway I nearly choked. Norway? Really? : )

Norway it was, and on my 34th birthday I found myself sailing on a boat around the beautiful Norwegian Fjords with both of my loving parents. A very memorable birthday weekend that will stay with me forever.

Physical
1. * Energized healthy Diet for 90 days - (In Process - Vegetarian from 5th of April, No Alcohol from 18th of April)
2. Daily Morning Exercise for 90 days (In Process - Started 18th of April)

Business
3. * 25 new websites - (In Process - 8 new Websites till far)
4. * 50 Blog websites Updated regularly on Monthly Basis
5. * 150 Websites No.1 in Google for Keyword with Traffic (In Process)

Career
6. Life Coaching Course - (In Process - Registered)
7. Personal Training Course - (In Process - Registered)
8. * First Thing First for 90 days -(In Process - Started 18th of April)

Financial
9. Savings / Investment - AUD$10,0000 at the end of the year (In Process - AUD$1500 each month from 1st of May)
10. Passive income - AUD$3000 Monthly at the end of the year - (In process - Around $2000 in April)

Mental
11. * Write Personal/Motivational Blog on Weekly Basis for 90 days (In Process - Started 18th of April)
12. * Daily Audio/Book for 90 days (In Process - Started 18th of April)

Social / Emotional
13. Call different friend each time on weekly Basis for 90 days (In Process - Started 18th of April)
14. Greet Strangers for 90 days (In Process - Started 18th of April)

Spiritual / Helping
15. Morning Meditation/Prayer for 90 days
16. * Mentoring for 90 days - (In Progress - Internet Business, March-June 2010)
17. * Volunteering for 90 days - (In Progress - Bolivia/Peru (March) & USA(May-June)

Travel / Other
18. * Travel Central America (Achieved - Costa Rica May 2010)
19. * Learn Surfing (In Progress - Peru & Costa Rica, April & May 2010)
20. * Travel North America (In Progress - May-Sep 2010)

Most Important:
- Daily Morning Exercise - Why? Increased energy, Healthy Feel
- First Things First - Why? Focused on important, Purposeful, Achieve Dreams
- Daily Audio/Book - Why? Learn/Grow/Be Inspired
- Morning Meditation/Prayer - Why? Clear focused mind, Appreciation/Gratitude
- Increased Passive Income - Why? Avoid dependency, Do/buy what I want

2009 Goals List:

Physical
1. Poisons elimination Achieved (Coffee, Fat, Alcohol)
2. Top 50% results in Triathlons - Achieved (Top 45% Olympic Distance Triathlon Melbourne, Jan 09).
3. Exercise 5-6 times a week - Achieved

Business/Career
4. Expand Online Businesses – More than 100 operative websites. - Achieved (Around 200+ Websites)
5. Mastery of Search engine optimization - 50 websites in Google’s first page for their domain name keyword - Achieved (More than 50 websites with top 3 results)
6. profitable Marketing Affiliater Not Achieved

Financial
7. Zero Personal/Credit Card Debt - Achieved
8. Passive income - US$1000 Monthly -Achieved
9. Services Income - Achieved (SEO & IT Services)

Social / Emotional
10. Summer of Socializing - Achieved (Australian & European Summer )
11. Spend time with family. Achieved (2 Months in Israel)
12. Strengthen Friendships - Achieved (Strengthened & Expanded Friendships)

Mental
13. Have a personal blog and write regulary. - Achieved (Monthly Writing)
14. Finish 1 book each month - Achieved
15. Learn new Language. - Achieved (Spanish)

Spiritual
16. Participate in Vipassana Meditation Achieved (June)
17. Mentoring, Volunteering - Achieved (Volunteered Melbourne Hospital, Life Coaching)

Other
18. Travel Asia- Achieved (May)
19. Travel Europe - Achieved (Aug)
20. Travel South America - Achieved (Nov)

Choosing a motorcycle was quite easy – I always wanted to ride a BMW, so I ignored the price tag and concluded that if I’m going to fulfill my dream, I’ll do it in style. My new Bluish BMW and I got introduced to each other formally in Zurich, and we clicked almost immediately.

The weather on the other hand, didn’t want to align, and I had two days of nonstop rain with complete fog when I started to climb the mountains. Day 3 looked the same, but just as we reached the foot of our first mountain, a few rays of sun started to break through. It turned to be a perfect sunny day!

The views were absolutely spectacular, and inhaling the fresh mountain air made the experience even more magnificent. In this land, lush green Alpine valleys, flawless lakes, and crystal clear streams blend into one another and create one of the most picturesque scenes I have ever seen…I remember riding my bike like there is no tomorrow, bending my bike into the twisting corners, feeling connected to everything around and simply becoming one with nature.

Couch Surfing throughout Europe

I first heard of couch surfing on my way to the U2 concert in Croatia during a random catch-up with a local girl who had a perfect American accent. I was curious how she acquired her accent so I asked her about it.

“Have you heard about couch surfing?” She asked.
“Couch what?!” I replied.
“Oh man, you must check it out. It’s great. I hosted so many Americans on my couch that their accent just got stuck to me”
“Oh, so you’re renting your couch?” I asked, a bit surprised.
“No, I do it for free, just go to www.couchsurfing.com and try it yourself!”

Well now I was even more surprised, but I decided to check it out. As soon as I got to Switzerland I created a quick profile and sent 50 messages to couchsurfing.com members in the Zurich metropolitan area. I was quite sceptical and thought I’d get one, maybe two responses. I got 40 responses…around 10 were positive…and all in one day!

Instead of reading their profiles, I simply chose the first one who replied and made my way to her home. I knocked on the door and a lovely girl opened it with a big smile. “I’m so happy you arrived. I hope you like chicken, because I’ve just started to cook us dinner”.
Is this for real?! I remember asking myself.

My first ever host turned to be a 29 year old court judge (and probably the youngest judge I’ll ever meet). She made every possible effort to make me feel at home and always with a smile. Lucky me, I thought to myself. I was still sceptical about the whole thing, so I decided to give it another try and the universe once again responded favourably.

Bjorn, my second host, owned a motorcycle, so we made plans to have a trip together to the Swiss Alps only 5 minutes after arriving at his home. The guy definitely knew how to ride, and it turned to be one of the best trips I’ve ever had. He introduced me to some of his good friends, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable. I was now convinced.

Every couch surfer who hosted me (no matter where he or she was, Switzerland, France, or the Netherlands) was simply great. Cornilia, Bjorn, Michel, Aurelien and all the others – BIG thank you! See you when you get to Australia.

“Why Croatia?” I was asked few days before I took a ferry and crossed the Adriatic Sea from Italy. I didn’t know much about Croatia but the many stories I have heard about the beautiful Croatian islands with their crystal clear water were good enough reasons.
There are over 1000 islands in Croatia, all with beautiful beaches and virgin nature so it was a bit hard to choose which ones to visit. After a few days in the city of Split, a perfect gateway for island exploration, I decided to spend most of my time in one island only.

Hvar Island is one of those paradise islands that have everything one can look for in a dream vacation: 80KM of Emerald Coast, isolated pristine beaches, perfect sunny weather, great roads for motorcycle trips and unbelievable nightlife.
I spent most of the day shirtless in the sun, riding a scooter between the two main towns in the island. One town is quiet and peaceful, the other buzzing and busy. A perfect balance…

Bars and restaurants were opening day and night, the nightlife didn’t quit until the sun came up, and I was surrounded by beautiful people who all came for a common purpose: Fun!
My apartment had a big patio overlooking the bluish sea water, only a few minutes from the beach. I remember sitting with a book in one hand, reaching out to a chilled beer with the other, enjoying every second of my time there.
Days spent mostly on the beach, each time at a different location, sometimes alone and sometimes with people. There is really nothing quite like swimming in calm, clear water, feeling the water slither along your body.

After close to a week in Paradise Island I went back to the mainland to meet my friend, Ilya, who just arrived in Serbia. On the way I stopped in Zagreb, Croatia’s capital, for one night. I didn’t plan to do much in Zagreb but it turned to be a very special night. While having dinner in a local restaurant I noticed that it’s quite busy. When I asked the waiter for the reason he said that U2 are going to perform in the next hour. 10 Minutes later I was already on my way to see U2. Simply unforgettable night!

Serbia – A Brilliant Surprise!

I arrived in Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, with zero expectations, as I didn’t even plan to visit the country. On the long train ride from Zagreb I managed to read a bit about Yugoslavia’s collapse and who’s against whom in the Balkan region.
As I got off the train, a snapshot of Kosovo’s war and NATO’s bombing in 1999 had been revealed to me. There are two huge holes in major governmental buildings from two sides of the main street – a looming sight of yet another costly and unneeded war.
The city itself looked a bit grey with many architecturally uncreative buildings. Little did I know what a pleasant surprise was waiting for me…

Branko, a young Serbian guy and the owner of my new rental apartment, offered to drive me in his car to the apartment. Before we got into the car he made us a strong Serbian Coffee and we spent some time chatting about Belgrade. Nice guy I thought to myself! As he left me in his apartment, he said something about having a “Serbian Drink” later that night which I gladly accepted, especially after 8 hours on the very slow train. A few hours later I convinced Ilya, who arrived Serbia a few days earlier, to join me, and we both went to Branko’s place. Branko is one of those people who genuinely loves people and wants to give them the best hospitality he can. We had such a great night together that Ilya moved in the next day… (Branko – if you read this, I miss you man!)

In Serbia, every night is a celebration, and you can easily find packed nightclubs during the weeknights and even on the traditionally quieter Monday nights. The beautiful people of Serbia simply love the good life, so we joined the club and for 5 nights in a row tasted the delights of Belgrade’s nightlife. During summer, most clubs close their downtown venues and move to floating rafts on the Danube river. The raft parties are extremely energetic, especially those that offer Serbian folk music- a mixture of Serbian lyrics with disco beats. Serbians love their music!

I left Belgrade on a sunny Sunday morning with mixed feelings. Ilya on the other hand extended his stay. He simply couldn’t resist the beautiful women of Belgrade. I didn’t blame him.

Hungary – Time to Rest!

Another long train ride was ahead of me; a10 hour journey from Belgrade to Budapest with no air-conditioning, on a hot, humid day. This is going to be a nightmare I thought to myself. Luckily I shared the trip with a young Serbian girl who played for us some house music from her old mobile. She got off the train at one of the many train stops and bought us a few cans of beer. The train ride suddenly became fun!

My uncle, who lives in Budapest, left me his apartment in downtown Budapest, so I could enjoy a bit of privacy and peacefulness in my long trip. A very much needed feature in any long trip. I took some nights off to relax and invested my energy on sight seeing. What can I say, Budapest is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, with amazing architecture and stunning views across the Danube River. The streets are wide, clean, and generally traffic-free during the nights. The nightlife scene is not as exciting as Belgrade but definitely had lots to offer. I left Budapest after 4 days, totally relaxed and ready for my next adventure.

Prague – Business and Pleasure

I couldn’t ask for a better way to end my Eastern Europe trip. A very comfortable king size bed and a delightful room in a delightful 5 star hotel were waiting me as I’d been asked to present at a conference that took place in Prague. It was quite funny to wear a suit after close to 6 months, especially after a trip in countries such as India and Nepal, but I got used to it quite quickly.
So my Prague experience included luxurious dinners, cocktail parties and local shows. A bit “too stylish” compared to the rest of the trip, but hey, no complaints from this side!