than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
- Mark Twain
States to make preparations for the journey of a lifetime, a 16-month round-the-world odyssey to 30
countries on five continents: Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Laos,
Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Greece, Italy, the Holy See
(Vatican City), San Marino, Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia,
Estonia, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Iceland.
Around the World in 80 Travel Tales contains short stories and vignettes of experiences I had or
observations I made during this trip. I have also included five tales from China and Vietnam, which I
visited prior to leaving Japan. I have tried as much as possible to portray my experiences and
impressions as they in fact occurred; i.e., from my perspective, which is by no means infallible or
impartial. To some extent, hindsight, reflections, new information, better judgment, and, indeed, memory
loss have naturally seeped into this work.
It is my hope that readers of Around the World in 80 Travel Tales will benefit from being able to share
in and learn from my observations and travel experiences, many of which are remarkable and certain to
evoke a mixture of feelings and impressions. The eighty chapters cover a wide variety of subjects relating
to particular incidents or experiences, specific countries, or broader themes and impressions. Each one
is unique, and I have purposely mixed up the chapter styles.
Why I Traveled Around the World
It goes without saying that I have been asked on innumerable occasions why I embarked on this
adventure in the first place. In retrospect, there were three main factors that inspired me to strap on my
backpack and cover the globe.
First, I had intended to visit South Asia after departing Japan. I wanted to see Nepal, where I was born
but which I didn’t remember as my parents were posted elsewhere shortly after my birth. Nepal beckoned
my return—though listed in my passport as my birthplace, it was unfamiliar territory. I also wanted to
return to Bombay (now Mumbai), India, where I had spent several years growing up as a child.
The longer I contemplated a trip to South Asia, the more I thought about adding in some of the
Southeast Asian countries I had wanted to visit but had been unable to from Japan. The Sydney Summer
Olympic Games loomed on the horizon, and drew my attention to New Zealand. As often happens in life,
one thing led to another. Before I knew it, I concluded that I should just travel for a year and cover as
much ground as I could. The short list of countries to visit became a rather lengthy one. When I finally
arrived in Europe, I extended the trip by another four months to visit many of my friends and relatives
there and to explore the Baltic republics.
The second factor that inspired the trip was a lingering concern in the back of my mind about whether I
would be able or willing to visit some countries or regions in future years given trends such as over-
population, pollution, environmental degradation, pestilence, political instability, conflict, etc. Not long
after I left a few countries, there were riots (Ethiopia), bombings (Laos, Tunisia and Indonesia),
escalating civil conflicts (Nepal and Sri Lanka), or major natural disasters (India). The 9/11 terrorist
attacks occurred a few months after I left the Arab world. These attacks and more recent events such as
the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), avian influenza (bird flu), and the Iraq War
have confirmed my belief that I timed the trip well—it is possible I wouldn’t return today to some places
out of heightened concern for my personal safety and well-being.
Lastly, I had a strong feeling that the best time for a global odyssey was immediately after leaving my job
in Tokyo. My circumstances were such that I fulfilled what I consider to be the five prerequisites for
undertaking a global adventure or otherwise lengthy voyage:
(1) a strong desire to travel (and complete the trip);
(2) physical and mental health and stamina;
(3) the time in which to travel;
(4) the financial wherewithal; and,
(5) no restrictive commitments, personal or professional.
With the fortuitous confluence of these prerequisites, I knew I had to seize the chance to travel and set
out as I did—the likelihood of another opportunity arising in the future was uncertain and appeared
remote at best.
How I Traveled
There are numerous ways to travel around the world. I opted to purchase a 15-stop round-the-world
ticket on the Star Alliance, and to make other arrangements along the way. For anyone considering a
similar trip or extended travel abroad in general, I recommend highly Rob Sangster’s Traveler’s Tool Kit:
How to Travel Absolutely Anywhere! and The Globe Pequot Press’ The Traveler’s Handbook: The Insider’s
Guide to World Travel.
Some travelers lose the desire to continue traveling after a short time on the road; others can travel
until the end of time. I had a fairly good idea of what countries I wanted to visit and of roughly how long I
should spend in each one. It was only in this way that I was really able to cover so much ground in such
a relatively short period of time. My main interests were historical, archaeological and religious sites, as
well as places of natural beauty. Although I focused on seeing as much as I could in the countries I
visited, I otherwise tried to follow Lao Tzu’s dictum that a traveler neither have fixed plans nor the
intent on arriving at his destination. Plans inevitably changed or were modified by circumstances or
desire.
The Endless Road Ahead
There is much more of the world for me to explore, especially in the Americas, and I truly hope to have
the opportunity to travel Around the World in Another 80 Travel Tales!
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