After five years working in London, I decided it was time to move back to Los Angeles, but not before taking a year off to see the world. I gave up my great job with Lehman Brothers in Administration and a fantastic flat (and roommate) I’d lived in for over three years, packed up all my belongings into some 60 cubic feet of boxes and said farewell to the wonderful friends I made in London. Before setting off for Asia, I spent seven weeks in the States including a weekend getaway in Chicago with my best friends from high school, corrective eye surgery in Philadelphia, Aud and Rob’s wedding in Bermuda, 13 days in Israel on Birthright (with a side trip to Petra) and time in quiet Oak Park with my parents and sister. Then, on July 18, 2010 at 1am, with only 13 kilograms in my 50L backpack and a small shoulder bag, I boarded a flight to Singapore. The goal of my adventure is not one of self-discovery or mending a broken heart but a journey of true desire to explore the world, experience new cultures, taste various cuisines, explore beautiful wildernesses, meet local people, and maybe learn some Spanish along the way. What lies below are my stories (or more of a daily recount of events) from the road.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Mighty Medellin

Friday, February 18, 2011
  • Flight at 9am, woke up at 6:30am in order to leave the hostel at 7am
  • Easy flight; sat next to an older American woman living an hour outside New York; she, her boyfriend and I shared a taxi into town; fabulous views coming into the valley of the city, so many houses built up on the hillsides
  • Arrived at hostel just before noon; able to check in
  • Took metro into the city center to get lunch; 1:30pm, found a restaurant serving regional food
  • Got a bit lost and end up on the Plazoleta de las Esculturas with all the Botero sculptures
  • People at restaurant were so friendly, ordered a mixed plate of local food, got a free shot glass
  • Started pouring rain so I wait until it lets up a bit to leave
  • Museo de Antioquia; ended up trying to translate and English note for one of the guys working there
  • Wandered around the plaza; back to the hostel at 4pm
  • Sit around talking to people and waiting for Julia who turns up around 8pm
  • We walked to Zona Rosa for dinner to a place serving pasta, I only brought some money since I was concerned about my safety, didn't want to risk my camera (turns out to be fine); pasta with Bolognese sauce and parmesan
  • Taxi back after dinner
  • Hang out and go to bed around midnight



Saturday, February 19, 2011
  • Woke up at 9:30am, can’t find Julia, so spent a bit of time at the hostel and headed out at 11am to go to the metro cable
  • Took the subway across town and transfered to a cable car, at the top there is another cable car
  • I thought that I’ll get even better views of the city but it turns out it goes 20 minutes into a National Park, soaring over the trees, amazing
  • A man offers to take a photo of me; he and his wife (Gilberto and Toto) are from Medellin and are taking their 4 year old daughter and her 13 year old cousin to the park
  • We end up going to the hotel for lunch together, they pay for me
  • Walk down to the lake, kids go on the paddle boat; 4pm we get a bus back to the metro cable
  • They offer to drive me back to my hostel since they are parked one metro stop further; such a nice couple
  • Julia is at the hostel, turns out her wallet was stolen (or she misplaced it but she isn’t sure)
  • After the man comes to open her locker we head to Zona Rosa for dinner, I notice a sign for the opening of Snog, a fro-yo place I loved in London, random that it is opening in Medellin
  • Picked a Thai restaurant recommended in Lonely Planet; some guy comes up to us to offer help, Colombian living in New York, but we turned him down and got a table the two of us, drinks were 3 for 1 so we ordered a passion fruit margarita; a little too salty; food is ok but definitely not Thai
  • Walk around for bit, taxi back to hostel
  • Early to bed for me since I’m not feeling good






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