A Day in Detroit

Waking up at 5 a.m. is no easy task. Waking up at 4 a.m. because you forgot about the time zone difference after playing the Wii till 1 a.m. is even tougher. But let me tell you - it was well worth it.

Kurt and Jeff stayed the night at my house, and we we're playing the Wii the night before. We got up super early in the morning while it was still dark, and I made us breakfast. We then headed out at 5 a.m. for a 3 hour drive to Detroit that was actually 4 because we guessed wrong. Oh well. By the way, the sun is just rising at 5 a.m. so I'm glad I had my buff with me.

We we're halfway through Indiana already when I realized I had forgot my shoes at home! I was wearing my flip flops (thank you, Monticello). Luckily Kurt keeps many extra pairs of shoes in his car and I was able to wear his Nike Dart 7's. I was so fortunate.

We finally showed up a half hour late (10:30 a.m.) just in the nick of time - they were about to leave the area and we would have no way of contacting them! But it was just perfect. As soon as we got to the YMCA we met everyone, shook hands, signed waivers, and continued up to the roof. As Jeff pointed out, it was the first time we were encouraged to train parkour, let alone on a roof! Insane.

So, we were up on the roof and we started doing our thing. I was taking many pictures as well. Chase was moving around and doing some jumps. I find it very interesting and encouraging that I was able to do some jumps pretty easily that he had a difficult time with. Of course, I should never be surprised about that, but when someone as famous as Chase is around you tend to put them up on a pedastal.

One thing I really enjoyed was that Chase had me film him doing some moves, and he really liked the way I handled the camera. He said, "This guy knows what he's doing", and "Somebody employ this guy." Good times. I'm very happy to know my shooting skills are up there, and praised by Chase Armitage!

It was a very cool view of the city of Detroit. Which, by the way, took me by surprise in a few ways! First of all was how spacious the city was! Really wide streets and an easy view of everything around us! Just fantastic. I remember one of the main roads being made of brick. Meaningful graffiti was everywhere too, such as "zombieland" which was really appropriate considering the emptiness of the city. It was very strange, the city would be energized and active for a few streets, and then completely abandoned and somewhat scary the next. Then, an entire new city appeared. Very weird, and super awesome.

Plus, and I loved this, EVERYONE WAS SUPER NICE! Incredibly kind. I won't ever forget that. Detroit also has a lot of unique architecture and an awesome monorail that (still) runs throughout the city. One thing that was disappointing and really weird was the lack of Detroit pride merchandise available for tourists. I went to 3 different shops and only one of them had maybe 5 shirts, some magnets, and some shot glasses. That was it. I even asked the shop workers if they knew of a place and no one did.

I discovered a lot walking around by myself for 45 minutes. Amazing how much one can learn from a short walk. Jeff and Kurt remained in the car napping while I was roaming the city. I love how I can just get up and walk to wherever I want without a map and just go. Love it.

Had a good lunch as well with the team, very nice people with interesting stories. The more I meet people such as that the more I am reminded to not be so harsh on others because each person has their own unique story and each person is an individual that I have no idea about what is going on in their life.

Overall, really great time, absolutely loved Detroit and the people I came into contact with. Nice little cafe Kurt, Jeff, and I stopped at. Everyone was just super friendly, no tension. I would love to go back!

➜ Check out the Division 19 kickstarter site for a pretty cool trailer. 

   ▼This is a pretty interesting article on Detroit herself: 25 facts that will leave you shaking your head▼

Buff

wrapped in nyc

One of my favorite and coolest textiles I have comes from the Philippines. It's a beautifully colored cloth that saved my neck (literally) from the incredible sun over the few days I spent there. Sunblock was no answer - I sweat it out as quickly as I put it on. Plus, it just made everything super oily and nasty. Not fun.

The wrap allowed me to protect my scalp, neck, and face from getting any more sun burnt than they already were. My friends Rye, Reds and Carlo showed me how to tie it multiple ways so I could adjust it however I wanted. I also wear it all the time when I go training as a simple belt that just looks cool and makes me feel b.a. 

training in hammond with an inspirational belt

Though that item is one of my personal favorites and I will continue to use it, I recently saw a 'buff' in action and I had to get one. I just ordered the Mandala from - where else - REI. I watched a few videos about how one can use it (check them: Buff Headwear and High UV Buff Demo) and I immediately noticed how much easier this would be to manage than my Filipino beauty. 

I fell in love as soon as I opened it - the mandala looks so sick and I take this thing everywhere I go. It's incredibly useful and effective as such. I will not be travelling without it.

I LOOK like I'm from Hammond

I've used it many times for training and it absorbs the sweat with no problem, and it retains it, too. I'm used to always wiping my brow and face with my arm or shirt to continue my training, but the buff takes that away. Such a convenience. I almost regret using it during training, because now I can never go back to not having one!

I recently discovered another use for it on my way to Detroit. It was 5 in the morning, the sun was rising, and I was trying to get some sleep in my friends car. Luckily, I remembered the buff, pulled it out, slipped it over my eyes and that's all I needed.

training in West Lafayette, IN

The buff is versatile, useful, and easy to wash. I will not be leaving the home (or cave or tent or whatever!) without it. Get one! NOW! 

That's...a Mosque?

I wouldn't have guessed that a run down, crumby, old brick building in the middle of Columbus, Ohio would house one of the most diverse centers of worship (let alone a diverse set of people in itself) I had ever been to!

When my host pulled into the parking lot behind the building, I was really kind of let down at first. I was hoping to see a grand building, with gold capped pillars and impressive architecture to match the feeling of awe that the text of such a religion supports. That feeling of being let down was quickly over run with a question of immediate concern, "Why was this the building of the Mosque?" My host told me that they had to have their Mosque here in order to hide: rocks had been thrown through the windows, cars had been vandalized while worship was going on, etc.

I was really taken aback at the honesty of the answer. My host didn't want to prove a point of any kind, he simply told me the way things were. That was enough for me to quickly soften up and be more receptive of what experience laid before me.

I wasn't sure if I had my cross necklace on or not (at the time, I was not a Christian, but I also loved playing devil's advocate, as I still do). Looking back, that wasn't really mature at all, and in fact, I'd like to point out how stupid and horribly offensive I was, without even mentioning the great hospitality (I had never ate beats before, and they were delicious.)

I met people from all over the world: Egypt, Somalia, Mexico, America, and more from Africa. I was able to  speak to the Imam of the Mosque himself! We were having conversation before the worship and my questions were apparently too tough or deep for the others, so the Imam came over and chatted with me. I am very proud to say that even he immediately recognized I was no beginner and no fool. I won't say what exactly we talked about (I know it had something to do with, if God is all-powerful, couldn't God make it so that I was meant NOT to be a Muslim? And, if God is all-powerful, could God not simply void the Qur'an (assuming it is 100% true) at any moment just because whatever?)

Anyways, the point of my post is to allow me to remember a great story. A story of me sitting on the floor, looking up to many shelves of great golden-bound books and chatting with men from all over the world in an extremely unassuming, simply, and homely rundown building. I certainly left with a new sense of respect for the entire operation and people, and knew inside how grateful I was to have had such an experience (I almost said no!) and that I would never, ever forget that I entered, for a very short time, the world of the oppressed.

Happiness Is Closer Then There

In fact, it's right here. Where I am, where my family is.

It's true - my soul is in Asia, and my heart is in Cebu, but my body is here. I can't ignore the fact that in order to be as truly happy as I can be, to be a part of where I truly belong, I do indeed have to leave - I have to go out and return to that place where I found my family of choosing, my friends.

But I'll never forget that my family is a part of me, and always will be. It's too much to overlook and would be such a shame to forget the other half of me - the other half that Bilbo Baggins would be proud of (the side that wants to stay home and forget about the adventures). I love when my tiny 2 year old cousin walks into my cabin without knocking, sits in the chair I just got up from, and says, "What't there to eat? I'm starving." Then immediately gets up, climbs my bunk bed, and jumps off to the other bed next to it.

It's just one aspect of the larger picture that reminds one of what a perfect socialist community would be: we share everything, our doors are unlocked, and though we talk about each other both behind our backs and right in front of them, we always sit down to eat a big family dinner in the open fields that only the Midwest has to offer - complete with a setting sun on the soft clouds, reminding us of the fun we had today jet-skiing, shooting fireworks, or playing kickball, and that tomorrow brings just as much possibility.

I've always wanted to get up and just leave, and yes, I am doing just that. But I won't forget where I grew up, and I won't forget all the lessons I've learned from that. I'm a quarter city (Hammond), a quarter country (Monticello) and half travel. And when I am travelling, I'll certainly have all my family in the back of my mind, and all the fun right there in my heart - taking happiness with me wherever I go.

My Frame

Everyone has a certain frame of reference through which they filter the world and analyze their experiences. My frame of reference is parkour, which, ironically, for me, is about not having a frame of reference which dominates my entering into new worlds, but about adapting my ways to those of the worlds I come into and accepting all that is.

walkin' in Cebu

Wherever I go I always make an effort to interact with my environment, which is the best way to get to know the land, the actual place I am visiting.

And I intend to interact with the native, original peoples every opportunity I can, for they have much to teach me about the ways of life. If I leave a place without knowing the name the natives call it, I have missed out on a central part of that discovery.

It is always my keenest intention to operate however the local people operate: if they eat their food a certain way, then so do I; if they greet people a certain way, then so do I; and if they are a certain religion, then so am I. Of course, sometimes, it is expected of foreigners (especially Westerners) to play the part of the foreigner, which is fine with me as long as I get to destroy stereotypes along the way!

boarding on Lake Shafer

The way that I personally interact with my environment is through the training of parkour. It's difficult to describe just what that means because parkour takes on so many forms: one day I will be rollerblading, the next slack lining, followed by beach volleyball, followed by a week of solo training consisting of climbing buildings in the darkness of night. My parkour is about being strong and competent in all that I do, be it physical activity or aesthetic such as my photography and poetry (I am published, after all.)

When in the Philippines I ride the over-crowded Jeep-Me; in Japan I sleep on a thin mat on the floor; and in America I express my views with bold confidence. But wherever I am I always remember that I am a vessel of experience entering a new place, a new way of living, and I do my best to experience things the way they are - not the way I expect them to be or what others tell me to be careful of (I don't give a shit if you tell me your friend saw so many bugs in the restaurants he went to eat at!) If I personally didn't experience it, it's not as credible to me and never will be.

sleeping in new jersey -> new york

Training parkour for seven years and into my 8th as I write this, I've realized that I am now strong to enter into the world and do what I would like in order to be more complete, happy, and less restless (though, of course, not entirely restless). I'm a certified parkour instructor, and an affiliate coach of Parkour Generations, which has brought me amazing opportunity. I've instructed all over the USA, in Tokyo, and Cebu as well. I plan to continue to teach parkour for the rest of my life, though for now it will not be nearly as formal as it used to be.

My travels will be my new training, and the volleyball, kayaking, ice skating - all that will have to wait for a little while as I go out and see the world. The ability to book a flight just in time, or to socialize with someone from another culture smooth enough to secure a bed for the night, or be confident enough to say yes to the unknown item my friends are pushing down my throat - these are the things that I must now be capable enough for, to last on the journey and know that one day I will come back with an entirely new me that has advanced and grown in oh-so-many ways that only a journey like that can possibly ever offer.

psigear photo shoot

I've been in commercials and videos, in newspaper articles and photo shoots. I've ran my own small parkour company with a website, merchandise, and classes and was able to instruct from home to afar. Now I must take all of these things and realize that they built me up for something more, something beyond staying here. For now, that means travelling.

Who knows how many other opportunities will arise once I do actually set about? Who knows how many amazing possibilities will open up as I talk to people and begin my path anew? What new ideas will I be introduced to, what new philosophies will challenge my ways of thinking, what food will test the acids of my stomach?

It is the question that pushes me! Without those questions I would not be going. But I have them - they are in me, inside of my chest, right here, finding their way onto the screen hoping someone will read them and enjoy the ride as well. I hope to be able to share the answers I find with as many others as possible, and I hope to return here with a sense of accomplishment, pride, and ever-lasting wonder that, somehow, someway, I made it out alive.

Tokyo!

No matter what happens, I have been training for this my whole life. This is what I want. There is no greater reward or gift than what I could be doing for myself now. This is the top for me. This is it. And I am strong enough for it.

But soon, as parkour has always taught me, I will come back even stronger yet, with a sharper mind, a softer tongue, and a fuller heart.

The Homeless Guy

Whenever I'm training at a local spot, sometimes I see the well-known homeless guy of my city: longer, dirty-blond hair always covered up by a black hat except for the few times he takes it off to shake out the grungy mane atop his head; a dark green coat that always look much too heavy; and beige khaki pants that seem to have been used to clean chimneys, followed up by brown construction boots.

Whenever I am fortunate enough to see him, I run up to him and give him something to eat. Usually it's whatever I have on me, which tends to be something smaller because it's just a training snack, maybe fruit snacks or a fruit bar.

I remember seeing him walking on the sidewalk one hot summer day, with blue sky, yellow sun, and his enormous jacket, while I was working at the pizza place. I ran outside and told him to hold on a just a few minutes - I'd be right back with some bread. I put the garlic bread in the oven and waited. I was a little nervous because I remember it took longer than I thought and I was hoping he wouldn't just leave because he thought I was playing a trick on him! That would have been horrible.

The bread was finally done, I grabbed it, ran outside and gave it to him. As usual, he looked at it and kind of grumbled, I said, "No problem, man. Enjoy." And we both went out ways. That's the way the meetings always went - he would grumble, and I would say, "Yeah, no problem man. Enjoy."

I remember one time, I had next to me in the passenger seat, a full bag of trail mix with dried fruit I just purchased the day before from a grocery store. I was driving down the road and I saw the man next to a store, heading in the other direction. I decided to turn around and find him. When I did - he had disappeared! I noticed there were trees next to the shop we were by and I realized what he had been doing. I drove by and turned back around, but there he was again, on the sidewalk. I pulled over and got out of my car, and called him. I handed him the bag and said, "Hey man, here, do you like stuff?" He grabbed the bag and kind of looked at it. I continued, "You can have it. I didn't mess with it I just bought it and opened it today."

I always kind of feel weird and regret it a little asking him if he likes something or not - how the hell should he know? Kind of ignorant on my part, but I'm just trying to be conversational, letting him know I'm not afraid or ashamed of him.

He replied with a surprisingly smoother voice than I expected, "Okay, yeah. Thanks." And he walked off. I got back in my car and drove away. I was smiling the whole time because I realized he said "thanks"! I was so happy! I actually made him a have somewhat of a conversation! Human interaction. Politeness. All good energy. I loved it.

This has been happening over a few years now, I'd say about 4. I still see him all the time and I've just thought to myself, "Will he realize that I am gone?" What will he think if I don't randomly show up and give him food anymore? Maybe he won't think anything at all, actually. All I know is, that when I'm travelling the world, I will always be thinking of him and how, though I am helping others across the world, there are those who need help here, as well.

I hope he doesn't think I have abandoned him or forgot him, I hope he doesn't think I don't care about him anymore. Maybe one day, years from now, I'll come back and stop him and say, "Hey, man, this is for you." Maybe next time we'll make eye contact.

The Big Red Bag

8 million people live in London, England. How much larger is that number on any given day when we take into consideration all of the day-travelers and tourists?

The volcano that erupted in Iceland landed all of the planes out of the UK for quite a while, including the one I was supposed to take back to the States. I had stayed a night in Heathrow airport using the wonderfully thin mat they supplied to all of us and the heat blanket which looked like a large amount of tinfoil. I had met some friendly Germans there and we passed the time together for the day. When I realized I wasn't going to be going home any time soon, I e-mailed my professors and decided to head back into London.

Before I went back to the area where the parkour certification was to find someone I could stay with, I decided to spend the day seeing as much of London as I possibly could. So there I was, with my tiny camera in one hand and my huge, red, rolling suitcase in the other being as touristy as absolutely possible - and trying not to turn as red as my luggage.

I decided to hop on one of the tour buses (it was actually a really good deal plus a ride on the St. James river) rather than spend much of my time just walking. I set my luggage in the corner of the bus on the first floor, and made my way to the top of the bus to enjoy the warm weather and the sights.

Easy travellin', 21 year old

We could get off the bus whenever we wanted to go see various attractions. I decided to go see the Sherlock Holmes Museum. So I got off the bus and started making my way towards the museum when I realized that this small walk was much easier than before, when I realized that my camera was in one hand and there was nothing in my other. I forgot my bag on the bus!

I looked back towards where I had come from - bustling people all over the place, bright sun and blue sky, old buildings lining the thin streets - and thought this simple phrase, "Oh well. I hope they have a lost  and found." And I carried on into the museum.

An hour or so later I emerged from that truly awesome museum with a new mission: to reclaim my bag. I made my way back to the bus stop, told  one of the tour guides my situation, and asked if they had a lost and found. To my surprise, they did. He used his walkie-talkie to contact a tour bus, then told me to jump on it and I can get off at their lost and found area.

Let's remember what city I'm in. London: one of the most popular tourist destinations with plenty of sight-seeing companies, intriguing side streets, and plenty of scams (though I was fortunate to run into any of those).

The bus pulled up, opened the doors, I stepped inside and voila! - there's my bag, sitting in the same place as I left it. Out of all of the possibilities of getting onto a different bus, or someone messing with my bag, or it being reported to security, it was right where I left it, and somehow I was right where it was.

I grabbed the bag, got off the bus, and made my way to the boat ride on St. James River.

Moral of the story? Probably many. But the one I take away most is: don't worry. Maybe it's a good thing to be tense at some moments to make sure you accomplish what needs to be done, but at this moment, I just couldn't worry - I had no desire whatsoever to panic so I just went on with my day and everything turned out fine.

Who knows - maybe my bag got to see more than I did.

Day Pack

I bought a Kelty Big Basin Hydration Bag years ago (I think 3) at Target just for carrying around the usual items I'd need for my parkour training and travels. I didn't do any research on it (it's from Target, I wasn't trying to be impressed) but it's lasted all this time.

I believe I paid $60.00 for it - but it could have been cheaper. It came with a 2-Liter hydration bag so that was a plus (though, admittedly, I never really used it). I've taken it urban climbing, through forest trails, airplanes, jogging (and I'm not afraid to just throw it around, either) and it's never been damaged in any way.



I'd recommend this bag for simple outings and journeys, but it's also great in that it's small enough to roll up and fit inside your regular luggage or travel bag (which is what I have done many a time.) I've attached some pins to the mesh just to personalize it a bit more, too. It can fit a lot more inside of it than it might seem! I've stuffed water bottles, shirts, shoes, fruit and a camera plus my wallet and keys and it still fit comfortably on my back.

The fact that I did no research, paid under $100, it's been around the world with me and will continue to do so allows me to always put my trust in this bag and I know I can rely on it without fail.

Korea, North

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” 
                                                                                                     ― Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad/Roughing It

The first time I learned I could travel to North Korea (officially Democratic People's Republic of Korea) I was stunned. And immediately afterwards, I was uber excited. Consciously or not, it became the place for me to discover, bumping Antarctica to second.

But why was the desire to go to North Korea so powerful? What made it become the most desired travel destination so quickly? One word: mystique.

Juche Tower

Usually that word is something positive, referring to vast treasures and fabled myths hidden in wait just for you. But this time around it refers to the blanket of mystery suffocating it's people and way of life, portrayed always by our media as our sole enemy and rival. This time, the word mystique brings about an air of danger and uncertainty that I know will present itself to me when I do finally hop aboard the plane heading for the world's least visited country in the world.

I've done my research and found others' blogs and travel journals who have actually braved the tour (the only one I know of is Koryo Tours.) And it's expensive:  €780 for just 2 days plus the ticket to Beijing which is going to be at least $1,000 more. The tour price does include the flight ticket from Beijing to Pyongyang (I get so excited every time I realize I can actually go there), so that's a plus.

But one thing that really sticks out is the opportunity to interact with real North Koreans. In the face of all that there is to scare each other away from the other, I have the opportunity to go there and be the character showing one of the sole purpose's of why I travel: to show others that, though our governments may hate each other, our people do not. I want to show whoever I come in contact with that though I am foreign, I am not bad. Though I am American, I am not evil.

There have been experiences of other bold travelers going to North Korea and interacting with the people as they would anywhere else (for the most part): taking pictures, smiling, communicating via body language - amazing stuff when you consider it's being done in the capital of the world's scariest and most secluded nation.

I want to experience that. I want to see the reality of whatever it is I can see in that land (I know much of it would be staged); I want to pour the people of North Korea into my heart and learn who they truly are; I want to be in the reality of "our enemy" and be able to say I learned from them - and then pass that on to others.

I want to be that bridge between 2 cultures which are so far apart I never thought I'd ever be able to visit it, and I want to destroy as many social fabrications about Americans as I can and show that no matter what our governments say, we are all people, we are all human, and we can all smile.

Plus, how bad ass would it be to be able to say, "Oh yeah, I've been to North Korea"? ✌

Antarctica

Who goes to Antarctica?

That's why I wanna go.

☃

The Feet of My Feet

Shoes are by far one of the most important tools a traveler has at her disposal. The wrong shoe can mean a disaster of an experience: blisters, remorse, and overall uncomfortability are the last things you'd want while trying to focus on the enormous sight you're about to come upon - the one you've just been dying to see!

A good shoe, on the other foot, would mean, in comparison, pure bliss. Feet in general are over-looked by most, not taking the time to consider the importance and unique structure of the foot. Proper walking form increases muscle strength, versatility in movement, and even posture! Trust me, I speak from experience.

How does one go about improving their walking form (actually, it's more like learning how to walk again, from scratch)? Go barefoot. As much as possible. Everywhere and always. Don't worry about the weird looks - you're going to get more weird looks when you discover how amazing barefoot walking actually is, and then decide to buy a pair of outrageously awesome and weird barefoot-specific shoes.

The first thing is you will immediately notice is that you are much more aware of your environment. Do you really want to go barefoot at a gas station? How about a public restroom!? You'll consciously decide to step here instead of there when you realize that makes the difference between gum on your foot and no gum on your foot.

Of course, I don't mean to convince you to drive barefoot (besides, that's illegal). The places I spoke about above are from my own experience after I already purchased and was wearing my personal favorite barefoot-specific shoes: Vibram FiveFingers. Though not 100% barefoot, they feel like it, so walking into a public restroom with Five Fingers on makes you think and feel you're in their with just your feet to the floor - it's quite an experience that makes you realize janitors should be getting paid more.

The first time I tried on my FiveFinger Sprints back in 2010 I was laughing with joy and giddy with excitement over this weird, new feeling. These shoes were one of the strangest feelings I've had - I was barefoot, but not barefoot! It was really cool.

I love these shoes: fastening system is amazing; non-marking rubber; good grip for a variety of activities (I train parkour so I'm always running, jumping, climbing, and doing all kinds of random movements in diverse places!); cool color and big attention grabber. Yes, I love these shoes.

Not bad for the price, either. These have lasted me for 4 years until I just recently started noticing the rubber was losing it's life force. I won't be actively training in them, but I still wear them all the time and I'll definitely be taking them with me wherever I go. Of course, I want to make sure that my feet are treated properly, and that I don't leave anything up to chance while I'm travelling...




So, I just purchased (May, 2013) a new pair of FiveFingers (from REI, of course). The KSO.

I decided to get this pair because of the mesh covering on top. I'm going to be doing a lot of unplanned travelling to exotic places so I think having more protection is a good idea. Sand, water, twigs and grass - all of those things which I found in my Sprints shouldn't be creeping up into the KSO's.

I went with black because I don't want the same attention (though of course the looks will keep coming) as I did with the red Sprints. I don't want to stick out any more than I have to.

Finally, I cannot emphasize enough the beautiful advantage of travelling with barefoot-specific shoes: their incredibly lightweight! And they can bend and be stuffed to whatever position you need. I can't wait to hit the  road with my new FiveFingers...or the rocks, the walls, the trails, the forest - whatever comes my way!

Why I Travel

From playing with ant hills in my backyard to climbing buildings as a professional parkour instructor - I've loved discovering the world through experience. As William James said, "Truth is an event, and only through experience can the veracity of a truth be verified." Why and how do I link truth and experience? 

The reason I travel is actually quite personal. My beliefs push me forward towards every action and decision I make. I believe the world was meant to be experienced, so the reason I travel is actually a thank you to my Creator. 

If I was to not travel, I would not be fulfilling my purpose, my potential to it's fullest and therefore I would become ungrateful. As my current Guru Joseph Campbell puts it, I am "following my bliss." 

I've always been a seeker of truth, no matter what that might be. I've always known that in order to find whatever it is I am looking for, I must go out and touch it myself, to taste it with my own tongue and be made whole through my own vision.

I travel in order to show others that we are not all the same, though we are all one. I want to show others that we are not simply products of our governments - we are free-thinking spiritual beings with a desire to live in harmony with one another through sharing. That's what life all comes down to for me: sharing. 

By travelling I get to share who I am with others. Perhaps more importantly than that I get to learn about who others are, and then take that back with me and spread the knowledge elsewhere - ridding the world of ignorance and negativity, showing others that it is okay to be who you are. 

Experiencing the world means you learn about yourself and what makes you who you are and why. These are important things because one day I will start a family - I must be able to pass on the good knowledge and way of life, to take responsibility for their upbringing. How dare I create immortality without being fully prepared myself? If I do not know myself, how can I ever instruct another? 

As you can see, the reasons I travel are perhaps less common or not expected. Of course, I travel for all of the other reasons as well! I love meeting new people, trying daring things, learning mystical tongues and changing my favorite food from day to day. These things are a huge part of who I am and what attracts me to be with others who are not like me. 

However, the "deeper" reasons for me are my "normal" reasons - they are not deep at all in my eyes. They are simply a part of me. 

This is why I call this blog "The Bridger" - I aim to be a symbol of a path that allows us to share with each other out of love and respect, to rid the fear of the unknown, and finally, to show that experience is the best teacher and out of that experience will come your truth. 

Where I Shop

I'm not one to become much of a member of anything (I suppose my nomadic lifestyle transfers over many things), but all it took was one explanation of the benefits and I was in.

So, what are the benefits of being a member of REI? 

For starters, it's only $20 for a life time membership! Here come the good parts.

1. 10% annual refund. Just from buying the Osprey Atmos 65 for $239.00, I'm getting $23 back next March - no matter what. Your purchases add up, so the more you spend the more you get back. It's a once-a-year refund they call a dividend.

2. There are many special deals only members can enjoy. These include: coupons, discounts on rental gear, and special pricing on travel classes. Also, only members get to shop through their discounted items (a whole different level of the store I was at.)

3. It's a co-op. That means I actually only a little piece of REI - cool! But should I be supporting REI?

4. REI gives back - LOTS! REI is always making sure to give back to the environment, community, and employees. Last year (2012) REI gave $10,000 to support the bike lanes in the city of Chicago! Not only is that not selfish, worthless greed, it's beneficial aid (this was the clincher for me)!

5. Life-time warranty. If you're item is damaged REI will take care of it. You can either get the product repaired, or if it cannot be repaired, you will simply get an entirely new item! Did I mention that was life-time?

There are other benefits as well like a VISA card and voting privileges.
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This isn't exactly a benefit of being an REI member, but it certainly helps the image and makes me feel good about supporting REI: on many products and brochures, REI always has females at the front. I love when a company respects women and support their roles in anything whatsoever. It's fantastic to see REI supporting women in this way.

Lessons of the Pack: Choosing a Bag

There are very few times in my life when I feel like a child - being schooled in the oh-so-personal art of pack-choosing is one of them. It took many hours and more fittings of packs to actually find the right one. These are the top 5 lessons I learned when shopping for my first ever travel pack. I had read that REI was a really good company so I decided to head to Chicago and see what I could find. 

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Lesson #1: It's a pack, not a bag.

That's the first thing I learned when I went shopping for my first ever travel bag (I know, I know - it's a pack). I had done a lot of research on the internet about travel packs and learned a whole slew of new terms to impress with. Of course, those many hours didn't amount to much when having conversations face to face with experienced world travelers.

Lesson #2: Price Tag Surprise

Most packs are in the range of $100 - $400 depending on the company and size. I decided the $200 range is acceptable for my budget. This turned out to be a good amount to begin at - the experienced employee at REI recommended me to packs no more than $240 in price and even praised a pack at $150 as one of the most versatile and trustworthy. Moral of the story: higher price does not equal a "better" pack, and it also doesn't mean it's the pack for you. Stay within your budget, but remember that this pack should be lasting you for years to come - don't think $50 here or there is a bad idea when you consider how long this item is going to serve you let alone where it will be going and how it will be treated (I heard you wanted to go to Antarctica right after the volcanoes in Hawaii).

Lesson #3: Women's Packs are Women's Packs

Women's packs are not simply male-packs downsized - they are uniquely made to fit the body of woman and this is seen in the general size of the bags and the shoulder straps. Women also get much more interesting colors to choose from. Why is this a lesson of mine? It might be because I tried one on thinking I would purchase it until the employee pointed out it was a woman's. That might have happened. Don't feel embarrassed if this happens to you - apparently it happens all the time.

Lesson #4: Sizing?

Yes, that's right, you must get sized for a pack as though getting sized for a shoe or a suit. A pack is personal and it's going to be with you for a very, very long time - you don't want something that feels uncomfortable or you're only 'okay' with. Every person's body is different so there is no universal answer for what pack belongs to which type of person. The store will have a sizing mechanism there for you to try on. Make sure everything about the pack fits well and comfortable, and don't rush in making a decision!

As for the size of the pack itself, it would be a good idea to be able to store it in over-head compartments on airplanes. Most carry-on luggage is about 22 inches tall, which was my guide for sizing up the pack I'd choose.

Lesson #5: In-store Practice

Whatever pack you are choosing, make sure to have it weighted and actually walk around with it. You're going to be travelling with all of your things so wearing an empty pack is no good. The store will have weighted pillows to fill the pack with. Try sitting, kneeling, bending over, walking up stairs - this will help you really feel the pack and how it fits to your body. The design of the pack will make a huge difference here - rounded backs for ventilation versus straight backs with foam pads will affect the distribution of weight due to the frame build.
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These lessons took hours and hours of online research and face to face conversation. After all of these things were tested out, I made a decision as to what pack I was going to get: I chose the Osprey Atmos 65 out of the bunch I was looking at (I tried a total of 11 packs!). It didn't have a rain cover so I purchased that separately (also from Osprey) for another $35. In total I ended up spending about $300 and I don't really feel bad about going over budget because this is the kind of thing I have always saved up for and it's one of the most important tools of my journeys. 

Why this pack? First, the design of the pack was extremely comfortable - the curved back design distributed the weight near perfectly and didn't put too much stress on any one part of my body. Second, the ventilation or air flow for the back on this pack is outstanding! That's good for humid areas which I will be more involved with, let alone regular travelling which guarantees sweating anyway. Third, I also enjoyed the bottom compartment which allows easy access to the bottom of the bag which will be a great time saver if I need something packed all the way down there. Lastly, it was a pretty sick looking pack and the colors were all me. This is a pack I can relate to and would love to take with me around the world - and that's what it all comes down to.