Who Is This Guy?

Yangshuo, China

Hi! I’m Aaron! Welcome to my travel site!

I’ve got a hefty dose of wanderlust. It all started at the ripe old age of 4 when a midlife crisis uprooted my family from Western Massachusetts to Quito, Ecuador where I would spend the next five years. During that time, I quickly became fluent in Spanish and gained a unique appreciation for foreign cultures. At such an incredibly young age I was able to experience some of the great wonders in this world, including the Amazon Rainforest, the Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu.

Add to that mix an eccentric and well-traveled grandmother who was my own special “Auntie Mame.” She opted for retirement in the Mexican state of Jalisco and frequent visits that took us throughout the country ensued. She continued traveling up until her passing in 2008. Just as she wanted, we scattered her ashes in Bhutan, a country she had visited and adored. She continues to be an inspiration for me, particularly as I travel.

My first big “trip” out on my own came in 2006, where I took advantage of  a study abroad opportunity in Thailand, spending a full 5 months in a peaceful, seaside resort not too far from Bangkok. It was an exciting time, as I tried my hand at backpacking, hitting up Thailand and it’s Southeast Asian neighbors. Sure, my time there was comprised of smaller 4-12 day trips, but I instantly knew I was hooked!

In the winter and spring of 2010, I set off for Asia again, this time on a 3 month epic that would take me through 6 countries (7 if you count Hong Kong as a separate country, which it pretty much is). It was such a fantastic experience that I couldn’t wait to get out again!

Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

The winter of 2011/2012 proved to be another great travel experience for me, as I set off to explore another incredible region: The Middle East. It was a grand 6 week adventure that would take me through 3 countries (4 if you count the Palestinian territories, which sort of operate as separate countries) on a journey through human history!

But I wasn’t done with the Middle East just yet! A chance meeting with a fellow traveler on a bus in Israel brought me an invitation to travel in Iraq, where this friend was an English teacher. With an offer like that, how could I possibly resist? I spent 5 weeks in Turkey and Iraq‘s northern Kurdistan Region in the spring of 2012.

By summer of 2013, I’d decided to take a spontaneous trip, setting aside US$1,500.00 and cashing in some frequent flyer miles, I ended up in Indonesia and traveled on a whim until that money ran out. 2 months and 8 flights later, I flew home from Hong Kong on a first class ticket that I booked 9 hours ahead of time! Talk about a grand adventure…

The summer of 2014 saw a return  to the Middle East yet again, taking advantage of an amazing flight deal that landed me in Dubai, Oman, Kuwait and Italy! 2015 started by ringing in the New Year in Berlin, while taking some time to explore Germany and Austria!

2016 was quit the year of travel for me as I embarked on four trips across the globe! Abu Dhabi, Kenya, Zanzibar, Seoul, The Philippines, Australia and Cuba!

2017 saw a slightly slower schedule, as I set off for Morocco and Barcelona in the spring, took a summer trip across the USA by rail and rang in the new year in Myanmar and had a whirlwind stop in Tokyo on the way back!

2018 took me to Brazil, Argentina (for a day to see the other side of Iguazu Falls), the Portuguese Azores, Costa Rica and Panama City.

2019 was the year of hiking adventures for me. I accomplished a very long term goal of hiking the W Trek at Torres del Paine National Park in Chile’s Patagonia Region. I trekked 53 miles (85 km) in 4 days, which is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I also visited Argentinian Patagonia and hiked to the foot of Mount Fitzroy. In the summer, I visited Mauritius, Seychelles and the French island of Réunion, all located in the Indian Ocean. In Réunion, I hiked the Cirque de Mafate, trekking 17.5 miles (28 km) in 3 days. I also visited London and closed out the year by taking the train to Atlanta, Alabama, and New Orleans.

The pandemic of course put the breaks on my travel plans, but I tried to make the best of an otherwise bad situation. In July 2020, I took a road trip up the Maine coast to Acadia National Park.

And 2021 saw me getting back out there. In the spring I took a road trip around Utah, visiting all five National Parks (Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands), as well as the Grand Staircase Escalante. I went on some epic hikes! In the summer, I visited both Iceland, and Hawai’i, making it my 50th US State! And in December, I made my way to a place I’ve wanted to go to for a very long time: Socotra, an obscure, otherworldly, island in the Indian Ocean that belongs to Yemen. And along the way, I visited Expo 2020 in Dubai.  

When I’m not blissfully on the road, I reside in New York City where I become the ultimate travel junkie and spend my days dreaming up my great adventure!

Learn More About Me

I’ve done a couple of questionnaires the made their rounds through the travel blogging community. They’re great ways to get to know me better!

Get to Know Me Through my ABC’s of Travel and My 7 Super Shots.

Where I’ve Traveled