And We're Off!

If you don't know what this icon means, you're WAY behind in the internet game, sir or madam. You should probably just click on it now. Go ahead...I'll wait.

Are you interested in following my trip around the world with Chris Danner and STA? If not, why are you even here?! I'm mean, come on! This is a trip to Fiji, Australia, Asia, Africa, and Europe. I'm traveling with a guy I'm meeting TODAY, and I don't have to pay for a thing! We're hitting ten countries in 3 months and meeting thousands of people along the way. If that's not compelling, then someone needs to explain to me the workings of the human mind and the appeal of American Idol.

This could be a turning point for me, the chance for my passion's to hit a large audience and, dare I say, make an impact in the inquiring minds of wishful travelers. I look forward to this opportunity with jittering anticipation, like a dog in much need of a bathroom break outside. Envision that, and that's what I look like right about now. I'm pumped.

Again, please SUBSCRIBE to my posts for this summer by clicking on the image above or the similar orange button on the top right of the site, and get ready to spend this summer trotting the globe with Chris and I through your thoughts and dreams. And, remember that this trip is in desperate need of input and feedback. Make your opinions, questions, and recommendations known through this website or the STA World Traveler Intern website.

Now let's get a move on. To Lewisville, Texas! Oh...and following my twitter might be a smart idea, too.

Wrapping it Up at Home

The Lager of the Netherlands washes the fresh-made guacamole down my hungry trap as a Hoosier sunset falls on my face one last time. I embark tomorrow at noon thirty for the coolest experience of my life. Soon, I'll see my brother and his wife one last time pre-parenthood and make one last attempt to get fit with my trainer. Meanwhile I shove my face with tortilla chips and sit on my rear-end typing to you.

What have I been doing this week?

Finishing the Big Journey blogs

According to my blog coverage from last year, I am still traveling back in time from Tokyo to Hawaii, crossing the International Date Line on November 17th. Yes, according to my flight times on that trip, I arrived in my destination before I boarded the plane! Trippy, huh.

Well, I'm making sure I don't forget any of those rare and exciting moments by forgetting to document them thanks to the WTI commencement. I hope some day to make those stories into a full-fledged book, so I can't afford to miss the last destination out of redirected priorities. Tonight, my friends, will be the last time I blog about the Big Journey. And then I will be ready for the next step.

Giving Away Clothes

For some reason, I gather this minimalist mindset either before or after I travel. I adore the idea that when I get home, I'll have nothing but what I hauled across the world, all salted with sweat and grit from my adventures. This week, I took a massive bag to my closet and gave away many prized possessions. I have one pair of pants hanging on the racks in there. Rut row...but it just feels so darn good.

Shopping

Got me a sleep sack to stay all clean and warm! Got me some water filtration tabs so I don't get intestinal parasites again! Got me a swimsuit that actually constitutes as a two piece (I've worn tankinis for a decade, but the way I wear them, they ain't no two pieces!). I'm rarin' to go.

Being a Kitty Mama

After "mothballing" car insurance and warning banks about my globe-trotting, I thought I'd give my lady feline a little check-up before I head outta here. She checked out all fine and dandy, and I had a whale of a good time carrying her in there like an African mother (with a sarong strapped around my back). Frankly, I was a bit surprised she had no issues, because she's been bringing live chipmunks to the door for three days in a row. Not so odd when you realize this coincides with her strict diet.

Where yat? My house, that's where

I have some really cool friends that I'm going to miss (family, too). So, I invited them all over last night for a small soiree infiltrated with the smells and tastes of my favorite restaurant, Yat's. It was a hit, even for those who had already eaten upon arrival. I made it a point to serve all the foods and drinks I miss on the road. Guacamole was a must. As were an assortment of Mexican lagers. And then there was the consensus to pull out the Clark family videos. I tell ya, we know how to live that Vida Loca. They sent me off to see the world with laughs and a slightly stronger liver. Thanks, friends. I'll see ya when I see ya.

There's an incredibly strong chance I won't sleep tonight. And who really could. I'm meeting a being called Chris Danner tomorrow at Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport, whom will be my ultimate travel companion for two and a half months. Let's do this.

Pack that Back Up

The poll's closing at 5pm EST today, one which determines my packing philosophy for this summer adventure. Vote one last time or comment on my packing list thus far! I want you to be a part of the STA intern experience, which is the only thing compelling me to leave such important decisions in your hands. Some other advice I've gotten for this pre-departure crunch time via my friends on Twitter:

jliamquinn @nomadderwhere TIP: Scan a copy of your passport and email it to yourself and a family member. This way you have a copy if you loose it!
feleciacruz @nomadderwhere just read this...mostly obvious, but some diffs... http://www.travelblogs.com/articles/18-things-you-dont-need-on-your-packing-list
jliamquinn @nomadderwhere TIP: International ATM's often offer the best conversion rates and with little or no fee's. (see your bank for details)
jliamquinn @nomadderwhere Be sure to alert your bank about traveling abroad.

Boy-o-boy, I leave tomorrow. Gimme some advice before I go! I'm much obliged…

Written in the Star

I feel incredibly privileged to be a featured person in the Indianapolis Star. After an hour long interview and photo shoot a couple months ago, this article brought me great joy with its final materialization on Sunday, also race day in Indianapolis.

I was sitting in a lawn chair, cold beer perched in my camera-case-turned-koozie, hearing Indy cars zoom behind me, when my parents forwarded the link to the piece online. Reading the whole thing while sitting there amongst the thousands of fans at an event that was integral to my WTI success (see video)...it was all so smile-inducing.

The article takes the form of a Q & A, just as the interview did. The responses, now not just in my head but in print around central Indiana, reminded me of the excitement I find in this travel game (not that I needed the memo) and why I do it.

I'm hoping to open minds, and being from a city where the travel section comes out but once a week in a small, hidden section of the paper, I hope to connect to many at home that may have the misconception of "scary, expensive travel" and not "mind-boggling, self-defining, gorgeous, inspiring, life-changing travel."

Big expectations. Big dreams. A big summer. We doin' big thangs, whodi.

Two Weeks to Go!

Guacamole of Holiness! We're leaving in the wink of a moment for the World Traveler Internship. I keep thinking back to the big phone call and that visceral awareness I had of this imminent journey. Today, it's but an idea that I cannot grasp. I keep saying this, but it's impossible to fathom how cool this experience really is! So two weeks until departure...What have I been up to?

I've been brushing up on my dance moves, perfecting such moves as the Jerri Blank, the robot, unspeakable gyrating, and much more, hopefully all culturally accepted in our future destinations.

During said dance break, I began my work on dealing with uncomfortable situations by "dealing" with the dead chipmunk my cat dragged to the threshold of the downstairs patio. Troubleshooting involved first using my tripod legs like I was Inspector Gadget to remove the dead rodent and second, successfully, with the bottoms of my flip-flops. Bucky is still lying outside my window in the garden, legs frozen in pre-spring tension (sorry for the grotesqueness, PETA).

Flexibility is key in travel, so when I had to take a detour in my plans with "bush" camping, thanks to a mild monsoon, I dealt with these changes like a pro...and regretfully returned to my "comfortable, safe, convenient" bed inside. Darn.

Had some fun with time lapse photography and a mock packing exercise. I'm still waiting to know what I'm packing...it's all up to the poll!

Since I'm still an owner of a PC (please don't giggle), STA sent me the MacBook to allow adequate familiarity with the world of Macs. Did you all know it's possible to compose your own music on something called GarageBand? And do you know how swiftly these things run? How intuitively? My mind has been iRocked.

If you pay attention to this blog at all, you've realized surely by now that I'm all about recording every moment of this pre-departure experience. Now that you've seen what I am able to produce, I'd love some feedback on what you like to hear...AND SEE! After all, I am putting myself through this rigorous experience all for the benefit of hopeful travelers like yourselves. Oh, what a burden I must bear. Ha!

Johnny Boy's Back

Who's this Johnny fellow, you say? Why our fearless Indy native whose name evokes terror in the minds of the Great Depression bank industry. Dillinger. John Dillinger.This dude was a quintessential 1930s gangster, a ruthless gunman and bank robber, and now the subject of Hollywood's newest action-thriller starring the ever-heartthrobby Johnny Depp: Public Enemies.

Why am I interested in this? Frankly, I'm not, but there's been talk that Indianapolis may try to capitalize on this potential moment for tourism, however miniscule that influx may be. And one of those spots sure to be on the "tour" would be the Noodle that is Slippery. Yes, my second hometown hot spot from my STA application video: The Slippery Noodle Inn. Remember the bullet holes in the wall from notorious Hoosier gangsters? Yup, Johnny Boy put those there when the same building was his hide-out.When I'm traveling, I love these moments where history and reality converge in my own perception. But when I'm at home, these moments rarely occur...either because I don't look for them or they just don't pop up in Indianapolis as easily as they could in NYC, Philadelphia or pretty much anywhere. I apologize, Indianapolis, for speaking a tad poorly of you. You know I don't mean it. I'm just excited we're a setting for something on the silver screen.

Home Court Attention

From '04 to '08, I was fortunate enough to have at my disposal (and for free, might I add) one of the nation's leading student newspapers. Though these papers litter the IU campus daily, left under desks in Ballantine Hall and sometimes coating atrium floors with their glossy weekend section, a large portion of the Bloomington campus reads this publication with regularity.

I'm not one to enjoy constant updates of the Hoosier backetball team, but I liked reading scattered interest stories, the Associated Press world updates, and doing the crossword while my teachers were getting settled before class.

Today was quite thrilling to see an article in the Indiana Daily Student about my World Traveler Intern endeavors. The turnover between interview and publication was speedy, and I hope this exposure means a larger audience for both the internship and my beloved site. Check out the article, written by Ashley Bornancin, by clicking the excerpt below.

As for planning out her trips, Clark said she let her instincts take her to where she wanted to go and made some decisions by tossing a coin.

WTI Basic Training: Day Two

Day One's lack of roughness was rectified last night, Day/Night Two, with a wee hour rain storm that had me waking every hour to see if I was lying in a pile of water. Without stakes to pull my fly away from the tent walls, it was somewhat of a waiting game, but all was successful by morning, and I awoke once more with that fresh feeling one can only get after sleeping outdoors.

After one successful night of "bush" camping, I decided to turn it up a smidgeon and incorporate some more factors to toughen up my travelin' image. And since food is essential to life, travel, and survival in the wilderness, I took on a segment called "Bush" Camp Cuisine. Here are important things to remember when eating outdoors:

Never put food in your tent. I once had a monkey approach my tent with crazy eyes as he watched me eat a banana. I threw it at him and zipped up fast.

Avoid high maintenance foods that require lots of preparation. Remember those hobo meals of hamburger meat and veggies in aluminum foil from summer camp? That's just a little slice, dice, and season. Delish.

Meals that require lots of condiments to be good are a pain. No one wants to be the guy who carries the Costco sized ketchup and dijon mustard up the mountain...and risk their tents to ant armies.

It's easiest to avoid foods that need refrigeration. Sadly, Italian gelato just doesn't pack well for an afternoon hike.

Help yourself by using light-weight camping flatware and utensils; a clean pocket knife works wonders instead of bringing your best steak knives.

Try not to drink lots of liquids or libations as midnight bathroom breaks could be lethal. I once pitched a tent fifteen feet off the ground in an open camp. At night hippos and elephants would walk under the tent's platform and graze, and I decided against imbibing at the bar that night in order to avoid the awful situation of a bathroom break amongst territorial African mammoths.

Day Three may be exponentially more challenging with the constant rainfall and thunderstorms in Indianapolis today. Chances are my move to open the solid flaps in my tent to get fresh air in there has brought in the floods. The babbling brook (a.k.a. the storm drain in the backyard) will be a torrent tonight and may carry me away from my spot near the tulips.

Wouldn't that be sad...if these rains kept you all from learning how I pack for a bush camp experience or even an unspeakable lesson in "bush" squatting? Let's keep our tough and callused fingers crossed. Day Three...TBD.

WTI Basic Training: Day One

I'm sleeping in my backyard. Why? Because I've been a nancy for months. Last year I slept in bus stations hunched over my bags with 100 other women and kids. Exercise was sought by running for trains and trekking in inappropriate sports wear at 16,000 feet. Where did that grit and toughness go? This week, I'm breaking out of the suburban mold for my future this summer as a travelin' intern. This is my attempt to roughen up like my days in the African bush...minus the wild buffalo staring contests...add the potential for coyote encounters...multiply the opportunities to use proper facilities...divide the free time to be distributed either pumping iron at the club or nannying down the street. Wild, huh.

Last night, I rolled into my beautiful Coleman with three thick sleeping bags from Grandma's closet and an oversize stuffed dog for a pillow...just like the sleeping accommodations on safari. I brought out all my essentials on that long hike to my tent: my travel book, the biggest jacket I could find, and one of my most trusted travel tools...MELATONIN.

This is serious. If I were to bring just a few things on the road, that short list would include this natural sleep enhancer for its amazing ability to induce authentic and fulfilling sleep against the odds of bush sounds, jetlag, and snoring hostel dorm sleepers. Maletonin, go getcha some.

Anyway, after throwing on my George Costanza Gore-tex and fluffy down socks, I snuggled up with my Bryson, knowing fully well there was nothing "rough" about this experience, other than hearing barking dogs and lawn mowers before the alarm goes off in the morning. And with a quick brushing of the teeth, without water mind you...and spitting in my Mom's flowers, I was fresh and revitalized from an evening amidst nature.

It was an interesting experiment. Made me want to take backyard "bush" camping to new levels.

And so I will tonight on day two. This time I'm covering some interesting topics, such as cooking in the "bush" and maybe more.

T minus 20 days until Lewisville

I have less than three weeks, THREE WEEKS I tell you, until my plane leaves for the STA Head Office in Lewisville, Texas. I couldn't list any adjectives describing my excitement even if my life depended on it. The visceral anticipation has not come to me yet, and how could it when the most incredible opportunity too cool to fathom is on my horizon? I recently spelled out a few things I am doing to prepare for the World Traveler Internship, but how is everything developing, you ask? Quite nicely, actually. Thank you for inquiring.

Body Training

I've never been fit, I'll be honest. I used to wear t-shirts in the pool and nude-colored leotards under my skimpy dance outfits. However, I've gotten over that embarrassed state from my childhood and have learned to use that extra fluff for even more impressive cannonballs.

On my previous trip, I had trouble incorporating a workout routine to my nomadic lifestyle, and this left me feeling bogged down and rather unhealthy. Fortunately for my slow body, I (usually) allotted myself oodles of time to avoid that rushed and exhausting experience of being on the road. The Internship, however, will be a whirlwind I've got to be prepared for.

I decided to turn up the dial and hire a trainer, April, at my local industrial sized fitness facility, Lifestyle Family Fitness (I'm not plugging right now, I just like specifics). This girl has everything I want in a trainer:

1. Doesn't treat me as though I am inferior
2. Admits her own inadequacies and makes this fitness challenge feel like a group effort
3. Offers wonderful ideas for replicating the workouts we do while traveling (e.g. "Do these push-ups off your hostel bed...You can get the same results by sitting like this with a rubber band around your feet")

I take multi-vitamins. I now eat roughly six small meals a day. I get my heart rate up six times a week and pump mad iron four times. My grandma thinks I'm losing weight. I'll take her word for it.

I'm actually liking all this. I am a creature of habit, so getting into a routine pleases me. All I can ask for is a little more vim and vigor on the road (and possibly a core like Jennifer Aniston), so I can approach any experience energetically from start to finish.

Mind Training

I listened to you. There was an overwhelming lead for Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country at the time when I was ready for a new book, and now, any chance I get, that two-pointed nose of mine is all up in that book.

Spirit Training

As evident by the background of suburban homes, this adventure is sure to be trying and extreme. What am I trying to do?

Get tough.

Living with the comforts of a nice mattress, clean carpet, and temperature control have possibly made me a nancy, no longer able to hack it in the world of adventure travel. I'm powerless and vulnerable to the hardships the elements can muster. I've got to get my toughness back.

And so I pitched my tent, my beautiful Coleman from my 10th birthday (although back then I was only allowed to pitch it indoors), and this week I will sleep in my backyard and reform that thick skin I used to sport during my Big Journey days. Though the experience will pale in comparison to the bush camping of East Africa, we do have a coyote around here somewhere...and that could make late-night bathroom breaks kinda ugly.

Interested in my backyard tent antics? Videos to come by May 15th and be sure to follow my twitter for real-time updates. I sense you're ever-so anxious to know what happens...

One Year Ago Today

One year ago today, this began.

I'm thinking back to the all-nighter I pulled before I guzzled a glass of micro-nutrient drink, piled my bags into the car, and left out of the old (and now non-existent) Indianapolis Airport for Milan, Italy. I'm sad and happy and all sorts of amazed.

How on Earth did I wrangle another RTW experience while still in the wake of the last one. And though I've been battling this concept for the last month (oh gosh, I don't deserve this...wait, maybe I do...naw, I'm un-deserv--O.K. I earned this...and so on), I've landed on grateful, humbled, numb, and overwhelmed.

The last 365 days have been nothing but travel-soaked and incredibly productive. I've grown astronomic amounts with the embarkment, every day of overstimulation, and the decompression in America where I've chewed on my global experiences with fermented values and beliefs. With all the many ladies who have asked me for advice and inspiration to do their own solo RTW, I surely hope I convinced even one to make the dream happen ASAP for the sake of their own development. Not that I believe I've grown as much as I ever will from one year, but at times I feel as though I skipped a year or two in the maturing process and came out a solid individual.

And so tonight, on this Cinco de Mayo, I'll treat myself to a beer or three (domestic unfortunately) and cheers to personal dreams being accomplished and the growth of the individual thanks to travel and experience.

Side note: As it is the end of the month, I am in the process of gathering contributions to the charities I've been moved by. This has been a sad month with the passing of Evan Witty, my friend and fellow volunteer with Cambodia's Hope, and I want to make it easy and convenient for anyone to offer something for his initiatives and passionate endeavors. If you are interested in sending a donation, get it to me and I'll send it off (or give you information on how to do so).

Indy Local News Covers This Girl

I remember the excitement in elementary school from making it on the local TV channel during our Indian and Pioneer reenactments; oh, what a thrill. However, today was infinitely cooler as I took a very “Alice in Wonderland” wide-eyed gaze around the WISHTV set. I was probably just projecting, but those anchors and backdrops looked crisper and more vibrant than the rest of the visible world (must be because they’re in High Def).

After speeding through Indianapolis on a Sunday morning (mistakenly wearing flip-flops out the door and having to meet my mom half-way back home for a shoe switch-a-roo), I went from the entrance to the set’s black couch in about 20 seconds flat. No preparation. No verbal briefing. No quick powdering of the nose.

I watched coverage of the swine flu and local weather forecasts from my dark corner of the set, amazed I had a reason for being there to contribute, and was eventually joined by an anchor who quickly went through the upcoming questions.

I didn’t know where to put my hands. I saw my dark silhouette in the crew’s monitor. The lights illuminated my formerly creepy corner and revealed a set as high tech as the rest of ‘em. My lips started twitching, but knowing that would definitely show up in HD, I looked at my interviewer and mentally checked out. Luckily, autopilot kicked in.

Eventually, the lights dimmed, and I was shaking hands in closing. Unless my mind regenerated a completely fictional last three minutes of life, I actually believe I didn’t mess up! Even my brother, the one most excited to tell me my flaws in a humorous manner, complimented my comfortable and clear dialogue.

Success? Sch-wing!

Only regret: not wearing lipstick. Hello, No-Mouth.

Insert Pun using word "May" here

And then there's May - the beautiful month of blooming things and excitement for the freedom of months ahead. So how does one prepare for the STA World Traveler Intern in the final stretch?

April and its Many Pleasures

The STA World Traveler Internship is becoming a dot on my horizon now, within viewing range and getting bigger and more omnipresent in my daily life with each globe rotation. And if you've been wondering how I am preparing for this experience, I guess you haven't been following my blog. Wa waaaaaaa...sad. Well, I've been building my domain from its humble roots at blogspot to where it is now, a whole lotta pages of stuff. And with my previous trip still hovering in a cloud above my head like unprocessed thought bubbles, I've been busy putting that experience in an oak barrel for further fermentation before its eventual publication (in book form, baby!).

In the last couple weeks, I've had some thrilling moments, all in the name of travel and enjoying the Motherland. With this focus on "being where I'm not", I often shrink out of the social picture or adopt the ways of penny-pinchers to increase my spendings for future trips abroad. Oh, but not this time.

Road Trip to Des Moines

Two weekends ago, I decided to honor a promise I made to a certain sorority house in Des Moines, Iowa, one which graciously offered incredible support for a girl they didn't know in a contest that thrived on public outreach. I called up my travel buddy, Garrett, a Semester at Sea friend, and asked him if he was doing anything that weekend and wanted to fly to Indy for a road trip. Within hours he was booked, and within a week we sat in Broad Ripple (a neighborhood/the Indy Mecca of all things party-like) at a dimly-lit Egyptian restaurant talking strategies for shocking our friend, Alexis, tomorrow in Des Moines. Alexis is another Semester at Sea friend, my potluck roommate, and my ultimate travel companion. She knew I was coming but didn't know about the impromptu Flight of the Garrett.

The drive across three "I" states went from flat to flowing and chatty to hilarious. Needless to spell out in eloquent script, she was happy with the Garrett surprise hidden in the truck under my Dora the Explorer pinata and then immediately led us to our afternoon activities of outdoor paint fights and formal affairs (yes, it was a quick turnaround of cleanliness and demeanor, but we're professionals).

Day #2 in Des Moines consisted of finding Garrett's pants, eating excellent BBQ, and loading into a purple party bus with $250 worth of canned, bubbly goodness. These Drake University sorority girls put on quite a show in the middle of the bus, bringing along stuffed squirrels, skis, and funnels galore, and I couldn't help thinking how interesting American undergraduate culture would seem to anthropologists from foreign lands and times. We laugh at the cows on the streets in India thinking, "Why is that necessary?" I wondered the same thing while rolling through downtown in a crammed bus, sipping chilled beverages, watching others drink and high velocity and volume, and listening to Flo-rida's obsession with boots and fur. What a weird world we live in.

Little 500

The World's Greatest College Weekend. I challenge all to refute this statement. And though I will consider the point that it's delusional to believe without a doubt your college traditions are superior to others, I will speak firmly for myself and say I truly had my greatest Little 5 experience this time around.

Indiana University holds a bike race every spring where Greek and independent teams compete for pure glory and risk the bones in their body for our awe of the athletic spectacle. This time-honored tradition had apparently been in my blood for years prior to my actual attendance, as my father was on the steering committee for the events in his stint as a Hoosier. Of course, I don't bike, and neither does my dad, but we sure do enjoy watching things go in circles; and by things, I mean finely-tuned human machines on Schwinn bicycles.

As evolution would have it, the athletic event named Little 500 (standing in the shadow of the Indy 500 motor race 60 miles away) quickly transformed itself into a week-plus of gluttonous binge drinking and the active pursuit of making this guzzling action creative with varied activities (e.g. Greek events, massive themed house parties, strategic bar hopping, outdoor games, personal challenges, and the "early bird gets the tequila worm" mentality). Once again, the sight is one that simultaneously inspires awe, disgust, belly laughs, amazement, and disbelief.

This year was possibly the best because of my mastery in selecting venues and juggling my circles of friends. I had no idea I would could enjoy the bars on the busiest nights of the year (GO TOWNIE BARS!), hang with my favorite people (thanks to an unexpected, melodious blending of high school and college pals), experience new sides of my four-year home (Hello, Bloomington breakfasts), and all the while feel generally pleasant (life hasn't been the same since I found the "turn-off switch" for imbibing). I'm growing up and learning the tricks, learning who I like to be surrounded by, and understanding my own familiarities with new eyes.

On top of the weekend's perfection, I reaped once again the wonderful benefits of being an applicant in the STA pool. I got to meet up with a fellow Top Ten'er, Bob Fawcett, and boy did we have a good time. Friday night we met and exchanged a good amount of chatter at my new favorite townie bar, The Vid, discussing videos, potential life plans, experiences at IU, and all things deliciously travel related. Saturday night, however, brought on a whole new range of excitement with new townie bars, traditional Bloomington cocktails, night rides in pizza delivery trucks and a pre-dawn hang session in what most Hoosier students would entitle "Hippy/Creeper's/Skater/Don't-go-there-ever Park."

The most notable perk of this awesome encounter happened with our lingering stance on the curb outside the bars, where we conjured plans to ride in a very rumbly, intimidating truck parked nearby. Item #1 on my Life List keeps me always searching for the ultimate truck bed experience, but unfortunately Bloomington on race night is no place to challenge the laws of the State of Indiana. Instead, we asked the pizza delivery guy who owned the fantastic truck to take us along for his next delivery in the truck cab.

"We just want to see the town and go on a little adventure."

After showing us his teeth could pop out of his mouth (wow, they were in his mouth, and then all of a sudden they weren't!), he offered us a ride. We then proceeded to get our brains scrambled with the sudden acceleration of his loud engine and exchange looks in the backseat that screamed "Ridiculous!" in polite silence. It was a short adventure, but it left us laughing for a while as we eventually wandered towards People's Park for a chat that led into Sunday's sunrise.

I have finally found people that do what I do, share my oddball passion, and I thank STA once more for creating a venue for travelers to find each other and share what gets them going. Which leads me to my next pre-departure activity...

Lunching with a fellow Applicant

I'm not the only one who loves Yat's, Indianapolis, and traveling. After watching Jackie Knowles' application video for STA WTI, I thought "Yikes!"...I've got intense competition in my own 'hood! Though we don't share picket fences, Jackie and I share a side of Indianapolis, and we became in contact thanks to our Youtube videos.

We met up this week on an awesome weather day for an outdoor dining experience at our favorite eatery and exchanged travel stories that thrilled us. Jackie has had a slew of ballin opportunities, and lunching with this girl solidified my goal of reaching as many of those like-minded travel enthusiasts (applicants or otherwise) to contribute to the journey ahead.

It's really occurred to me now that the Youtube responses for the Internship are a coagulation of amazing minds that could make the trip mind-boggling in reach, motivation, and coverage. Just as I encouraged Jackie, I want to reiterate to anyone reading, "COLLABORATE!"

Wow. And that was just a week and a half in the Midwest. Not too shabby of a place, my friends, not too shabby at all.

The Sunglasses Tell All...My STA Introduction

Introduction #2 and more content still to come.

Beautiful, no? Any questions?

A Roundabout Introduction, Urkel-Style

STA asked me to make an introduction video. This is what my mind conjures up...

Do you get me now? Really? You need more than my brother's open-mouthed smile to know my true essence? Well, don't worry. This is just the tip of the creative iceberg.

A Cartoon Tiger, a Phone Call, and a New Bambina

The Long and Short of STA's Announcement for my 2009 WTI spot.

My mom got me hyped up on Tuesday, explaining how STA would probably contact the ten and/or the interns the day before the big announcement. Tuesday quickly went from a low-stress, jam-packed day of watching little ones run around to one of terror and excitement for my future. With a heart truly set on this opportunity, I had to made evacuation plans for my sanity, in case I did not receive the golden ticket. I believed my heartache would need intense therapy and an immediate distraction. Two children leaned on my arms and lap while I tried to shade a cartoon tiger and explain the effects of 2 and 3 dimensions in drawing. It went completely over their heads, but I like to pretend I can impart knowledge and appear intelligent to those decades younger than I.

The phone rang, and I nearly soiled myself. I felt sick, the sensation of vomiting pending on the yay or the nay that awaited me after pressing the green phone symbol on my big, bad mobile. I thank the sweet spirits of debilitating anticipation that Kristen didn't make small talk before announcing I was one of the interns. Glee.

My knees nearly buckled, and I had the strong desire to lie down on the floor (a regular Clark pastime and relaxation technique). The kids stared at me in confusion, and I was reminded of a Schoolhouse Rock song upon seeing "the whites of their eyes". Not much verbal communication happened after that from my end as I was experiencing a plethora of tingles and jingles and a flashback to my middle school stuttering days.

Now, when I got my first big part in a play, my parents heard the message on the phone machine before I got home from school. Upon getting my acceptance letter to high school, the parental units gave me the knife to open the envelope. Mama called with the results of my college acceptance while I was away on a school trip with Papa Bear. Never have I had the opportunity to utterly shock my parents with incredible news...until now.

Telling the Family

I got in the car after work, screamed in sporadic staccato, and drove home to sit on my big secret before I concocted a plan. That night I had a very important dinner with the family, one that will be a fond memory forever with the announcement that my brother and his beloved lady were having a girl. My parents insisted I drive us to the restaurant, a bad idea considering I was completely distracted, but I managed to get in only a few near accidents without bursting the thought bubble hovering over my head.

Pulling him aside from the bar at the restaurant, I told my brother in order to explain that I didn't want to stomp on the thunder of his big night. He and Allison, the oven of the bun, then went to the dinner table to unzip their jackets and reveal shirts reading

It's a Girl!

Kicks to my shins implied I needed to announce my big thing, so I placed my phone in front of Mom as she told a story to the table. The phone displayed a message from the "team" wishing congratulations, but she got too carried away in her own recountance to notice my hint for many minutes. Ian laughed at me from across the table, as I had to continue refreshing the backlight, but an eventual eye wandering down to the table caught a glimpse of "Congratulations", and she stopped mid-sentence to scream, hug, and shed a lone tear.

I'm an aunt and a very lucky lady. Thank you for the opportunity to work my bootay off for all of you.

Day-by-Day Itinerary of my World Traveler Internship

I have a fun time visualizing my future expeditions by checking out the intensely filtered, unique perspectives found on Flickr (click on the photo for the credit), so enjoy this interpretation of the dream locations on the itinerary.

Dallas

Day One we fly into Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport and meet for the very first time. The marketing team will pick us up and escort us to the Hotel Palomar for a swanky couple evening's stays. Afterwards, a little downtown time is in the mix!

Day Two will be jam-packed with Head Office shenanigans. Company meetings. Equipment, itinerary, and assignment overviews. A memorable lunch out at Olive Garden, and dinner and drinks with the team once more. Man-o-man, what a day.

Day Three brings us back to STA Head Office to make some hilarious films, join the marketing meeting, and eat lunch with the big wigs at Senior Management. After all those great times, we head off to the airport to time travel across the International Date Line towards our first destination: FIJI!

Fiji

Day One in Nadi (pronounced Nan-di) where we meet the group and leader then board a local bus for the rural Fijian village where we'll volunteer, all while using our free time to explore the countryside, which includes lush gardens and peaceful Hindu temples. Or, we may head to the markets to snap up a bargain and sample some Fijian fare. I'll have a Fiji water, please? Ha...right.

Days Two through Thirteen are all about Teaching and Building, two delightful pastimes abroad. We'll also play games withÂ kids, share meals and jokes with the project team and attempt to become valued members of the community. Learning about the Fijian culture and discovering the area, by getting out beyond the village, will surely be an unmatchable experience.

Day Fourteen takes us back to Nadi to board a plane for the next stop, the Australian Outback!

Australia

Day One and Two we land in Sydney and marvel at the coolness of the city. The next morning we're out to Alice Springs to get settled before the Connections tour.

Day Three takes us from Alice Spring south to Yulara, where we'll spend the afternoon exploring Uluru, a.k.a. Ayers Rock. We'll be sure to check out ancient caves touched with Aboriginal paintings and learn about the oldest culture in the world (wah wah woo wah!). A birdy says the sunsets at Uluru are amazing, so the cameras will be clickin'!

Day Four we move from Yulara to Kings Creek for equally breathtaking sunrise views of Kata-Tjuta (The Olgas) mountain range! I guess we get to next discover the 36 domes and learn about the unique plants and animals here. Then, off we head through red sand dune & desert oak country to Kings Creek Cattle Station!

Day Five we return to Alice Springs because this working cattle/camel station is the largest exporter of wild camels in Australia...hmm, what an interesting topic for a video. I'll try not to piddle from excitement as we prepare to hike the canyon rim to see sites like the Lost City, Garden of Eden, and North and South Walls.

India

Day One is a day for Delhi, when we will arrive in our hotel and get all situated and such.

Day Two we tour the city! Exploring Old Delhi will be all about visiting the stunning and historical Jama Mosque, the ornamental Red Fort and the Raj Ghat (a moving memorial to Mahatma Ghandi). Also there are plans to visit the new landmarks, stopping at India Gate, the Government buildings, and Qutub Minar victory tower. Who knows what else will go down on the town.

Days Three and Four take us a-wandering to Jaipur, the legendary "Pink City", which is blessed with a wealth of wonders. Here we'll see the pink, delicately honeycombed sandstone windows of the Palace of the Winds, the Observatory and the Maharaja's City Palace. A huge perk is also seeing the Amber Fort, out of which a visitor half expects seeing Indiana Jones swing.

Day Five we find ourselves in the middle of India, in rural Abhaneri, to see a step well and to enjoy some lower-key life.

Day Six is Fatephur Sikri, a magnificent 16th century Mughal city known for Jama Masjid. Then, we get comfy in Agra for the next glorious day.

Day Seven we pay homage to the Mughal forces of genius by visiting Agra and the awe-inspiring Taj Mahal - one of the man-made wonders of the world! There will also be time for a visit to Agra Fort, which is supposedly a site often overlooked but not to be missed.

Days Eight and Nine we will squeeze the last bits of joy out of Delhi-time and prepare for the heat and hilarity of DUBAI!

Dubai

Days One through Four and we're chillin' out in Dubai, relaxing and enjoying ourselves and some well-earned free time before heading to the bush!

East Africa

Day One and Two on the African continent will be spent getting settled in the bustling center of Nairobi, Kenya.

Day Three sends us off to Arusha to rest and relax before the "bush".

Day Four sends into the bush where we visit Lake Manyara, a fairly wooded game park with a soda lake in the middle. Tree-climbing lions are said to be found here!

Days Five through Seven we fly off to the middle of nowhere, via the archeological site of Olduvai Gorge, "The Cradle of Mankind," to visit the world famous Serengeti National Park, one of Africa's premier game parks. We'll surely enjoy the multitude of animal and bird life while cruising through the acacia-spotted savannah, keeping a look out for the "Big 5" once again and taking in the vastness of the Serengeti plains. This adventure will be accompanied by Elton John and his beautiful soundtrack additions to The Lion King.

Day Eight and Nine we journey to Ngorongoro Conservation Area and will truly experience the thrills of the crater floor as we take in our final safari experience viewing the high concentration of wildlife. This place is an animal utopia and a location out of a dream. After lunch, we break camp and continue to a hotel in Arusha, a vibrant and colorful town with bustling markets.

Day Ten Chris and Lindsay do Arusha. Asante-sana East Africa, and we are out! Next stop: South Africa!

South Africa

Days One through Six we start in Cape Town doing all of the above: Long Street, Volunteering in townships, Hiking Table Mountain, and visiting Stellenbosch wine country.

Day Seven we dive with sharks...and then recover from the trauma in Hermanus.

Days Eight through Ten are all about adventure sports: bungy jumping and sky diving. Plettenberg Bay is home to many a crazy adrenaline junkies and some incredible beach.

Day Eleven marks the end of our garden route trip in Port Elizabeth.

Greek Islands

Days One through Three are all about getting settled in Athens and enjoying the great shopping, sun, and glorious AC as we create videos from trips gone by.

Days Four and Five bring us to Paros with our group. We're tanning, swimming, beaching, reading, shopping, drinking, eating. You name it.

Days Six and Seven scare me. They mean I have to stay up all night partying, surrounded by expensive libations and pretty people. Alrighty, I'll give it a whirl.

Days Eight and Nine we bake by the pool and adore the sunsets of Santorini. Walking on volcanoes and riding donkey may or may not be on the agenda...more may than may not.

Scotland

Days One and Two will be all about getting settled in Edinburgh, Scotland. I love these low key days. They are sure to be godsends. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and has a lot to see and experience. Maybe we can walk the Royal Mile, picking up souvenirs from any of the great shops along the way. Oh, and I’m sure we’ll check out the castle and drink a pint or two!

Days Three through Five couldn’t be cooler with a visit to the Scottish Highlands for an adventure that’s sure to resemble a Bear Grylls episode! Eh, probably not. But we will see castles, mountains, lochs (lakes), and experience Scottish food and drink, like Haggis and whiskey. I plan on throwing Chris into Loch Ness and bait the legendary creature. He eats Cali meat, I’m sure.

Ireland

Days One and Two of the last destination will be bittersweet, nostalgic, and Guinness-soaked as we live up Dublin, Ireland. Oh, sure, we’ll enjoy Dublin Castle and all the other good sites, too.

Days Three through Seven we will be immersed in a raucous adventure around the south and west coasts of this beautiful country. I’ll probably be tempted to cry the whole time, thoroughly emotional due to the end of the WTI experience, but man will we have a lot to look back and dream about forever. Yes this trip is sure to bring enlightenment and a sense of lifetime fulfillment. I'm on board.

Stop. Collaborate and Listen.

I now interrupt this Big Journey travelogue to talk about my STA final video and upcoming web development. But fret not, because I will pick up with my travels in Cambodia, Thailand, Japan, and Hawaii upon the completion of this madness called the "final round".

The Indy Video

For those of you coming from other worldwide destinations, Indianapolis seems like a barely noticeable bump on the map. For those of us coming from towns of 13,000, it's a Mecca of development. We inhabitants often make fun of Indianapolis and its available opportunities, holding it up to the same light as NYC to point and laugh, but we also get very testy when people come down on this city that actually has a lot that keeps us completely content.

Given the objective to highlight a local spot in town and convince STA travelers to hit it up, I decided it was going to take more than a good eatery to make budget travelers flock to the Circle City. I took my cameras and traversed the entirety of the capital to find Indy's best, knowing fully well that I had in my back pocket my favorite spots and events that would cause any outsider to come a-running. And documenting just one of the three gems wouldn't be effective in letting people know how multi-faceted this place truly is. Crossroads, indeed.

Joe is my favorite cook in town. The day I asked for my staple B&B (black beans and caramelized, only to hear it was no longer available, was the day I lost hope in the culinary efforts of mankind. Luckily that dark period didn't last long, and my favorite is back on the blackboard menu.

My friends and I have envied the boys who work here for years, wishing we could get the chance to spoon out this fresh grub to the eclectic, young crowd of Broad Ripple and beyond. Unfortunately, those who grasp the opportunity to work with Joe never let it go, so turnover in this restaurant's roster doesn't often occur.

Cajun creole, freshly made each day, doesn't seem like a uniquely Indianapolis type of fare, but Indianapolis doesn't really have a food style. We are a blend of every nationality on this spinning ball, and every once in a while a local joint pops up that showcases the dedicated, sophisticated, and multi-cultural taste reflecting that fact.

The frequent diners at this establishment are truly appreciated by the staff and get the kind of special treatment neighbors give neighbors (not to be too down home and cliche). Everyone at this place calls me "Winnie", from the Wonder Years TV show, and they all say it as though they were the first to come up with this revelation every time. I guess it's flattering; she was the idolized girl-next-door. But man did she have some bad bangs!

Yat's. Put this on your "Must Consume" list.

The Slippery Noodle Inn

The superlatives: The oldest Bar in Indianapolis. One of the Best Blues bars in the Country.

What's this place actually like? Sit outside on the patio and enjoy the tasty bar food and drink while enjoying a part of downtown that feels more like a small town street corner. Sit inside and watch biker dudes smoke their Lucky Strikes, laugh about their daily trials, and smile at you when they realize you're filming them for a video segment. Feel the warm embrace of their toothy grins and further suggestions of awesome bars in Indianapolis. Harley guys are sweethearts.

John Dillinger was the typical 1930s bank robber/gangster, a notorious man who claimed Indianapolis as his hometown. He and his automatic-wielding posse used the west wall of this building for target practice; the slugs are still visible in the bricks today. During Prohibition, whiskey and beer were produced in the basement. The offices of today, on the bar's top floor, used to be the whorehouse for the patrons. Oh, such interesting and classy history.

Wandering the maze of hallways and hideaways on the bottom floor is an eerie experience when coupled with the thoughts of former slaves hiding where liquor bottles now stack. The Slippery Noodle, which shares parking lots with Union Station, was a part of the Underground Railroad. Gravel crunched under my feet as my waitress graciously showed me around, pointing out the original wooden doors that hid the worrying eyes from happenings during the Civil War.

Now, I love a good, frosty beer, but this whole package makes driving the half hour into downtown seem completely worthwhile.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

May is big in Indianapolis. Crazy people are out running around downtown in the nation's largest mini marathon. Others prefer to take on the hectic parking scene and the sometimes aggravating task of opening lawn chairs in order to be among the 300,000 spectators of a parade only trumped in grandeur by the Macy's Turkey Day and Rose Bull parades.

My kicks come from joining a group of friends and becoming one with a half million koozie-grasping, checkerboard-wearing sports fans on race day. The Indy 500 is the world's largest single-day sporting event (the single-day inclusion is to sidestep the shadow cast by the Olympics). If you've got a seat on Turn 1, never let it go. You may even find yourself in the background of an MTV Japan newscast or sitting next to the resident big shots in Indy.

People like me, though, are all about the infield. Be prepared with your sunscreen, cut-off jean shorts (a.k.a. "jorts"), and a cooler on wheels. The more checkerboard paraphernalia you have dripping from your sweaty frame, the better. ESPN2 has it all wrong; it's not about the cars going around in a circle, it's the cultural immersion into a fun-loving crowd of race fans on Indiana's biggest day of the year.

The New Website

In the coming weeks, I will be dropping my beloved blogspot for something more substantial. Nomadderwhere will wander on and find a new home elsewhere. The new site will include videos, blogs, photography, links, and maybe even additional information if the need calls for it. I tell you this because I like people who read. I like people who read my posts down to the bottom (you!). I like people who believe the world is bigger than the US of A...and like to read about that.