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Articles

To Rio!!

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Strong he stands with helm in hand, and steers a course so true, through storm and tempest, towards the land that beckons strange and new.

-7th grade Birthday verse.

On Tuesdy, June 3rd, I will finally firmly grab the helm and steer a course to South America. The past few years I have been on an Odyssey behind the bars in San Francisco.  I’m ready to go and explore a whole new world, and to get lost in a place that’s teeming with global cultures, where Caipirinhas flow like the mighty Amazon. My journey begins at the foot of a golden gate, and will carry me beneath the mighty falls of Iguazu.

In the next few days, I’m going to be packing my bags,  and leaving my house for the last time.  The reality is setting in now, that these are my last days here in San Francisco. Soon enough, I will be in an alien land, in the midst of the madness  brought on by the entire worlds craze for one golden cup.
This is my quest for the holy grail of adventures. My dreams are of embarking on this adventure soon, with nothing but the open road and an open mind to the enchanted lands of the Amazon that lay before me.

 

 

Articles

Only One Week Left!

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In one short week my life will change forever.

When I walk onto Flight 7711 en route to Brazil, not only am I embarking the journey of a lifetime, but it will also be the start of my unplanned life.

My whole life up until this point has been planned out.  I always knew I was going to high school, then college.  Even before starting college I planned to work to save up money after graduating so that I could travel.  All these plans end the moment I step on that plane for Brazil.  It’s as if I have been planning for this trip for so long that I never expected the day of departure to actually come.

Its not like I haven’t traveled before, just that this time its different. This time there is no time table, no itinerary, no commitments, and no real reason to return home.

If I want to become a gaucho and spend the rest of my days herding cattle on the Patagonian pampas, I can.  If I feel like living deep in Amazon learning the ways of the ancient shaman, I can.  If I want to become a hippie and spend my days growing (legal) weed in a commune on the Uruguayan coast, I can. If I can’t handle life on the road and want to return home in 2 months, I can do that too.

I have never had this kind of freedom before, and to be honest it’s a bit daunting.  The first chapter of my life is coming to an abrupt end, and the second is about to be written.

Photo: My two travel bags, my new Deuter Quantum 70 + 10 and my Canon camera bag, + my passport with a fresh Brazil Visa good for 10 years.

 

 

 

Articles

84 Days to Go

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With only 84 days to go until we leave for Brazil to break some borders the excitement is definitely building.  It’s hard to believe that it has already been 10 months since I graduated from Oxy.  In terms of preparation, we have already purchased our one way flights to Rio de Janeiro for $600 and secured a place to stay in Zona Norte – a 10 minute walk from Maracanã Stadium – for the entirety of the World Cup.

Quick Travel Tip: We saved $500 by buying a $440 international flight from Miami to Rio and an $160 domestic flight from SF to Miami vs around $1100 from SF straight to Rio. 

Next on my to do list is to get insurance for my camera equipment and computer, and buy the perfect backpack for the trip.  Both are proving to be harder than I was expecting.

My Equipment:

  • Canon EOS Rebel T4i – Primary Cam
  • EF-S 10-22mm f/1:3.5-4.5
  • EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6
  • EF 50mm f/1.8
  • Canon Vixia HG20 – Backup Cam
  • GoPro Hero 3+ Black – Undercover Cam
  • GoPro Hero 2 – Undercover Cam #2
  • Canon PowerShot S3 IS – Decoy Cam
  • MacBook Pro

Until departure I’ll keep lyfting and ramp up preparations into high gear.