Hey Again Steemitizens!
source
Today is the day I finally take on my trip of a lifetime. I am going to be travelling for 18 days through 6 countries (including my own, the USA) and I have to admit, I am freaking out on so many levels right now, it's got my stomach in a bit of a knot.
To start off, let me begin by saying my discord and chat availability will be intermittent and at odd times of day over the next 19 days. Please be patient if you are reaching out for either @YouAreHOPE or @SteemStarNetwork related business discussions.
source
After departing the USA via a 90 minute stop in Philadelphia Pennsylvania to change planes, I will be arriving in Amsterdam Netherlands, where I will spend Sunday and Monday with the ever so lovely @poeticsnake, and I am very excited to meet her in person. At the current time it is our plan to actually do the Steemitizens of Steem broadcast from her home. It will likely be a shorter broadcast than the usual 4.5 hour show and will definitely be starting later than usual, stay tuned for an announcement a short while before we go live, and join in the fun as we do the show together, with me probably very much in an "Amsterdam state of mind" if you know what I mean. ;)
source
After that, I will be flying to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. I was planning to meet up with @nnnarvaez there but his travel plans have been changed and that will no longer be possible. I may or may not leave the airport here as a result, because I only have an 8 hour window between flights and I'm terrified of missing any planes on this journey due to the tight scheduling of my stops and the risk of massive costs for flight changes mid-route.
source
Once I have successfully made it past these first two destinations, I will be heading to Kolkata India in West Bengal, the land of amazing tigers and beautiful landscapes. I will be attending a wedding there for one of my non-steem company's employees, a gentleman who is not on STEEM (YET!) but who has been my friend now for a couple of years, as well as my senior lead business analyst and team director onsite in India. I am super excited to meet this very dear friend in person and to attend a four day long(!!!!) traditional Indian wedding ceremony. India is a long time destination dream of mine, and I will be there for about 11 days before departing for points even further east!
source
After India, I am heading over to Hong Kong, where I will de-plane and board a jet ferry to the pacific island of Macau. I have to admit I had never heard of Macau until my cousin suggested I skip the Hong Kong experience and go straight over there. At first that made no sense at all to me, until I learned that Macau is also known as "the Las Vegas of the East" and is known for it's 36 major casinos on the rather modest sized island.
Macau is quite interesting because it was settled by the Portuguese which seems very odd to me since it is all the way around there off the coast of China! I am quite looking forward to this experience of mixed, historic culture and of course, I love playing poker in casinos, a hobby I have had for years. I am not the world's worst player so I expect that will be an amazing experience. I was able to book an affordable beach side room, so even though I will only be on the island for about 20 hours total, I will be sure to get in some great card games, and a nice pacific beach sunrise, before boarding the jet ferry back to Hong Kong to depart towards America again.
source
Upon arriving back state-side, my last stop is a quick layover for a few hours in Chicago, Illinois where I will be reunioning with an old buddy from my childhood hometown for a bite of world famous Chicago style pizza and a beer, naturally!
source
And then finally, back to Richmond, Virgina, my current place of residence, to sleep and sleep and sleep!
I am excited, nervous about the countries, foods that could kill me and all that stuff. I am travelling solo and if anything goes wrong in a country where I neither speak the language or know anyone around me... Well, let's just hope nothing goes wrong and I don't forget where I am, and accidentally drink some hotel orange juice or coffee made with local water I'm not used to, because that could be very bad.
I know your instinct is to say, don't worry, nothing will go wrong, but when I last travelled out of the country to the UK in 1994, I drank a canned beverage, that was not heat-pasturized for bacterias like we do in the USA and ended up in a hospital for 3 days! That experience has left me quite worried about the potential for a repeat experience on this trip.
Aside from that, I am SO DAMN EXCITED!
source
It's hard to believe that in 19 days from today, I will be able to say I have been to 12 countries total in my 49 year young life, an experience a rather proportionately small number of people in history can probably claim. It's awe inspiring to consider that.
I am not a rich man, this is a very big deal to me, made possible by the big Steem December lift, and a rather modest inheritance I received last fall of a few thousand dollars. If those two events had not coincided, none of this would have ever been possible at all. So thank you steem for showing me the whole world!
I don't have a lot of time left today before the Uber comes to take me away, so I will leave you by saying that I love you all, and I ask you to pray or think of me in your own ways as I make my way, solo, around the world to the East and back again in a full circle of this big old dirty, wet, brown and green and blue rock we all live on and share with each other.
Video by @IntheNow
While I am on the road, I will change from @YouAreHOPE founder, to an Agent of HOPE putting boots on the ground first hand, as I've cashed out a small amount of the community's generous donations to YAH, to use as I see opportunities in the streets of some of these countries to touch lives in need around the world.
Photos taken during a meetup with Steem's own "The Writer's Block" founder @RhondaK
DONT FORGET THE T-SHIRT SPOTTING CONTEST!
Remember, I bought a bunch of STEEM t-shirts with the logo and my name on them. If you see me wearing one, anywhere on Earth and approach me and say hello, I will transfer 5 steem or sbd (depending on what I have on hand) to you, either right away or as soon as I am in a spot with wi-fi!
Wherever you are, may your day ahead be bright, and with any luck, the four winds will likewise, blow me safely home again.
See you on the other side!
Yours in service,
@SirCork
Founder @YouAreHOPE Foundation for steem backed & community fueled worldwide humanitarian aid.
Founder @SteemStarNetwork - The 24/7 live stream at the center of the steemiverse!
Steem Witness #74
Traveling mercies to you sir. Stay safe. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you. Thank you once again for everything you do for this community and the destitute and forgotten around this big blue marble.
Amen, God Speed and May all the travels go smoothly as they should
<3
b.a.
Thank you Axey. Hold down the Sarge for us.
Thank you Sarge. Hold down the fort for us.
You better APOLOGIE THE FUCK RIGHT NOW. This is the real @sircork.
Very interesting trip you are on. Totally different kind of places you chosed. I hope you'll have a nice journey there. Personally have been only in Amsterdam and Hong Kong of those places you will be travelling on this trip. I was in Amsterdam on December few years ago - it was a birthday weekend trip. It was quite cold wind but otherwise I liked the athmosphere of the city. Some day should go there on summertime. I was in Hong Kong over 8 years ago, it was a business trip. We attended to a fair. It was interesting trip, but for a country born "boy" Hong Kong was too crowded for me, mass of people on the streets. Enjoy!
Have a nice trip man.
Thanks brutha
I do hope, someday you will love to come to Aceh, Indonesia. in Aceh a lot of people who have joined the steemit flatform, of course your arrival will be a spirit of its own to increase the steam passion in our country... regard me @aafadjar--steemian from Aceh, Indonesia
Thank you for the gracious invitation and compliment. I hope someday to travel more like this and if I could I would go everywhere!
Sir you'll be fine we are praying for you. Your tour will be fun filled and you will enjoy every bit of your trip.
He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. He will be your shield.
It quite unfortunate that your meeting with @nnnarvaez was cancelled. It's ok all for good and i know your subsequent visit to the Emirates will not be a solo meeting as the Steem family in UAE will be glad to welcome you.
I wish you all the best as you tour round the would.
One LoveMuch love for you sir @sircork I hope to see you someday.
Thanks so much for the blessing of the Lord of Israel and prayer and love. Where are you located?
I'm in UAE sir
Close enough for a free lunch between 8am and 2pm on Tuesday?
Actually the window is tighter than that probably, I'm on the ground for just about exactly 8 hours, and if you aren't close enough to meet up, any suggestions with what do in AD for a couple hours that won't risk missing my flight?
Many say just get a cab for an hour or two and tell the driver to show you the major sites in a drive by, which may be what I do, and of course the gold market interests me.
Thoughts?
Am delighted and honoured sir.
If possible we could explore top attractions in AD for like an or two to have a glimpse of the landmarks and beautiful architecture. A visit to the gold souk will also be nice. AD Airport is like 2 hours drive away from my location. I will try as much as possible to be at the airport before your arrival
I would absolutely love to meet a native steemitizen in each country. Join us here in the YouAreHOPE discord and we can stay in touch. I would hate to bother you with a two hour drive for such a short visit but it would be kind of amazing too. https://discord.gg/zkTeKeS.
Am on the server already. Talk to you there
Have you visited the Philippines?
It was the very first place we did mission work with the Cebu city steem crew, and it is a dream of mine to go there. I had a remote virtual assistant in olangapo city for years who has been a very close friend even longer now. I can't wait to go there, but that good sir, is a trip that demands 100% attention and no other stops. Also, its a really long swim from here :)
Ohhh Olangapo is near enough Banawen, Zambales where we have adopted the indigineous Aeta community there. Your VA friend might be interested when we go there in June.
Yeah a long swim in the Pacific Ocean hahaha. I would love to meet you when you get here.
That will definitely happen some day!
wow is amazing.
good post friends.
Have a most wonderful adverture brother. It is so cool you are able to do this thing. Peace.
Wonderful Adventure is my middle name. Wait no, both my middle names. Wait no it's not really my middle name. My middle name is Cecil. But I like yours better.
Peace brother.:)
wow,,,,heard so crazy,,,I hope I can do someday too,,
please visit Aceh,,,beside you could feel free with scenery and here most Indonesia Steemians come from Aceh
Safe travels!
Thank you! I will be in touch with you as soon as I get somewhere calm - probably about mid week next week to talk about the other post I'd like to ask for your help with. A couple different ones actually, if you are down for it, I could see you quickly taking on a role in this organization helping us run point on publications and some of that sort of on-steem marketing so to speak. If that interests you, we can discuss what I have in mind next week. None of our jobs are paid, all volunteer of course, but the rewards on the platform extend far beyond financial compensation from this set of tasks. Think on your desire to be more involved with YAH and I'll get more specific with you in a chat next week.
Be well!
@sircork - good luck on your journey! Sounds fun & tiring at the same time. Hope everything goes well. I know what you mean about staying away from canned beverages- it is true. But, if it is a carbonated beverage, then the carbonation should kill all the creepy-crawlies!
Stay safe out there man! Upvoted & resteemed this excellent post.
The drink was an alcoholic cider at a pre-wedding party. I spent three days in the hospital and 6 days total non stop vomiting. It was awful. Silver lining? I didn't have to go to my ex-wife's sister's wedding we were over there for and now in retrospect, 14 years after our divorce, I didn't miss a thing and nobody is teasing me about it for the rest of my life :D
hehe
But yes, I already deduced that even though Im not a big soda drinker in my older age now, that no matter where I go, a coca cola is probably pretty safe.
thanks for sharing a very good post, I really like posting @sircork.
This is totally rad and I can't wait to hear about your experiences. I hope you have a lovely journey and I can definitely see why you'd be concerned following what happened before and reasons related to that is why I have a hard time wanting to travel sometimes. Stay safe, take lots of pictures, and I will look forward to hearing about your trip!
I think there will be a few selfies taken. I'll try to stay in touch as much as possible with everyone but I'm on vacation gang so don't hold me to much.
Totally, you're on vacay enjoy it and deal with your steemit brethren later! Lol
Ride on boss,we are with you
Have a safe journey... and a blast in Amsterdam! :-D Hope you have a great time during your world tour.
watching the mark on the map, thought you will visit in Bangladesh.
got excited, but.... you mean Kolkata.
can't believe you will fly over BD.
anyway, best wishes to you. :)
Love_From_Bangladesh
I want to come there but im not sure time and funds permit the train time and travel. It genuinally is another destination, as is Tibet, that I always wanted to see, but will be so close too now and likely not get to attend.
Only so many days in a trip, and so many dollars in my wallet, but maybe this one wont be my last journey east!
Love from America and a few other temporary places over the next couple weeks :D
we are waiting for you. As soon as you can, share your experience of new places, new culture, new people. :)
I hope to post something at least i find interesting every day :) it may be a story or just a photo but something....
Sounds like a fun trip and a lot of great places. I just left visited Amsterdam last week - too bad we just missed each other.
Safe Travels @sircork
Damn that would have been awesome! I hope you left me some crumbs....
There is plenty left just for you! I'm sure you will have a great time. Maybe will get the opportunity another time!
"Amsterdam state of mind"
bwahahahaaaa... :D
Only one person. sigh Steemit, I thought higher of you all!
nice catch ;)
Good to see you met my BOT
CORKY ;)
Godspeed and Safe Travels, my friend!
Hahaha. The damn bot is hipper than the peeple lol.
Yes, thru Superior Programming ;)
U must have been on lay-over in Philly?
Following closely for updates :D
good post it's amizing
The best thing anyone can do is travel. Travel as much as you can. See as much of the world as you can. We Americans don’t get out enough. Travel builds empathy. It also gives you an opportunity to bring all the best things you experience back home. Enjoy your time!
I totally agree with you. After completing this trip I will have now been to 12 countries. It really helps give perspective and it's also been very beneficial in my work with the YouAreHope Foundation I created when working with people of all nationalities. You spoke wise words!
12 is a great start. Here’s to many more! 🥂🍾☺️
Amazed to know about your trip around the world. If you had been coming to Bangalore then we could have met. Have a great time, take care of health & food!
Godspeed my friend. This will be the trip of a lifetime in so many ways. I envy the India trip, but, I look forward to the pictures.
Eat something exotic in Hong Kong, preferably of the street cart. You won't be disappointed. ;)
Love to you and see you on the flipside.
Upped and Steemed Tip .2
Maybe someday I will be able to afford to do this. The good news is I get to live it out vicariously though you. :) Have a wonderful time good Sir.
Have a good and safe trip sir @sircork
Hope you follow me sir @denver86 thank you sir
Sounds like such an epic trip, I'm sure it will go smoothly I'm not great with languages myself but generally while travelling you can always find someone who can either translate or pretty much work out what you want using a translation app. I had to laugh at your misfortune in the UK - sorry to hear that we don't deliberately try and poison visitors - but you can actually get battered and fried Cadbury Cream eggs for easter this year 🐣
#thealliance