A Trip to Remember: Traveling Post-grad (2 of 2)

[Originally published July 2, 2016]

My trip consisted of 6 stops over the course of 32 days, covering over 22,000 miles. And I simply could not have done it without my phenomenal friends, and oftentimes, their families. I traveled to and from nearly every destination alone, but when I arrived at each stop there was always a familiar face that I could look forward to seeing. Thank you to everyone who joined me or gave me advice along the way, my experience would not have been the same without you - and a special shout-out to Emilio, Aash, Jongwon, and Riley for hosting me.

New York > Barcelona > Dubai > Seoul >Tokyo > Honolulu > Mexico City > Philadelphia

[NOTE: this is not a fully fleshed-out blog, just some notes from my trip back in 2016.  More full writeups to come in the future ... stay tuned!]

22,993 Total Flight Miles:

• NYC - Barcelona: 3,836 mi
• Barcelona - Turkey: 1,390 mi
• Turkey - Dubai: 1,863 mi
• Dubai - Doha: 234 mi
• Doha - Seoul: 4,418 mi
• Seoul - Tokyo: 717 mi
• Tokyo - Osaka: 247 mi
• Osaka - Honolulu: 4,102 mi
• Honolulu - LA: 2,556 mi
• LA - Mexico City: 1,553 mi
• Mexico City - Houston: 752 mi
• Houston - Philadelphia: 1,325 mi
  
  

(1) Barcelona - Stop # 1

• Emilio: C/ Santa Amelia 41, Flat 2, 4th Floor
• Met: Howfarfromhome - Steve, Openbart (roller blader)
• Capricho, Episcopal palace
• Day 1, Monday, May 30th:
  • 2 buses: 46 from the airport to Gran Via and then bus V7 from Gran Via to Santa Amelia
  • shopping mall, BK > walk to Sagrada Familia, then meet back up for dinner
  • walk down/around area squares and the gothic cathedral > subway back to place
• Day 2, Tuesday, May 31st:
  • wake up, across street for fruit Bfast
  • Santander atm broken (euros for T-10 metro), so walk to Sarria stop anyway and find an English language tutoring place conveniently. Directions to ATMs > 50 euro bill & break it, get t-10 finally > on my way
  • First went to Tibidabo, meet a nice Italian couple from Naples > then down funicular to the bus, a woman from Jordan helps me save my time from going to Park Guell
  • back to Sagrada, but 6 hr soonest ticket so in limbo > go to the Picasso museum w/ new friend from Brazil, very good!
  • she goes back to Sagrada and I go in Cathedral > then to National Art Museum, then to Les Quinze Nits
  • make the subway back to Sarria and back to place without phone 
• Day 3, Wednesday, June 1
  • park near apt., palace blocked by stairs for event
  • arrive at Sagrada area early, got Paella
  • into and up Sagrada Familia - met nice British older couple I climbed up with
  • into Parc Guell, see the dragon, bench
  • down to Parc de la Ciutadella, cool fountain > eventually walk down to arc > great convo with cool travelers from South Africa and rollerblade guy
  • dinner @ Emilio's rec: La Dolça Herminia
• Day 4, Thursday June 2
  • Monserrate
  • dinner w. family from India, walk around plaza Espana and Christopher Columbus statue, pic on lion
  • fountain show w/ Emilio
  • people met: Canada. South Carolina. Egypt. Moscow. London.
• For Next time: 1) Basilica of Santa Maria, 2) Palau de la Musica Catalayna, 3) Mercat de la Buqueria, 4) Caixia Forum, 5) Poble Esp, 6) Monument to Christopher Columbus, Inside casa Batllo, Camp NouBarcelona Beach

(2) Dubai - finally made it!

• Met from Yemen: Alawadhiamani@gmail.com
• Met man from Syria who explained moving his whole family to Sweden to get a passport/citizenship for 5 yrs
• Day 1: Burj Khalifa, Dubai mall, fountain show
• Day 2: satwa shops, desert safari - dunes, camel, dancers (tannour & Fire blower), met 3 from Trinidad & Tobago
• Day 3: hop on hop off bus, movie with family
• Day 4: Abu Dhabi - Grand Mosque, etc
• Day 5: drove around marina area, Emirates mall and indoor ski slope

(3) Seoul - first time in East Asia!

• Cell: 010-9498-1011, Address: 6-237 Changjeondong Mapogu, Seoul, SK
• Day 1: arrival, dinner - terriaki beef, walked around area a bit, plans in coffee shop
• Day 2: bfast/met dad, palace walking around traditional houses and on famous street, KBBQ, walk down river, walk around nightlife streets, club
• Day 3:  - 
• Day 4: Church, Chinese restuarant, N tower, myongdeong, fish market, dinner at house
• Day 5: mountain hike, spa
• Day 6: airport

(4) Tokyo - first time having Ramen, Sushi

• Met Sean's friends: Sinji and I___ (need to look up spellings)
• Hostel name: Shinjuku Kuyakusho-mae Capsule Hotel
• Pupuru: well worth it! - pupuru + hotel came out to 183.89 per person (5 nights @ about $27/night on average)
• Day 1:
  • airport arrival, bus to Tokyo station, metro to Shinjuku, walked around hostel area
  • two fantastic dinner places - first time having sushi and tsukemen!
    • numazuko: Ikeda Plaza Bld 1F, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
    • fu-unji: 2-14-3, Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo -- FAVORITE DISH had all trip!
• Day 2: 
  • met up with Sean & friend >> JR rail to harajuku - fashion, hip...crepes street
  • Asakusa - local food stands, temple/gate, smoke, fortune paper, green tea ice cream, souvenirs
  • Senso-Ji Temple > Tendon for lunch >Tokyo sky tree tower > onsen in Kinshicho > Yakitori in Shinjuku - Torikizoku
• Day 3, June 16th
  • meet with Satomi!
  • Tsukiji Fish Market - ramen >> Akihabara - Yodobashi >> Meiji Jingu (first had lunch on famous street in Harajuku - tonkatsu) >> owl cafe - T___baba
  • back to Shinjuku, walk around a bit (uniclo (sp)), then dinner above station - had Chinese fried dumplings and egg/ham fried rice & good chat with Satomi about work and university culture in Japan
• Day 4: Hakone
• Day 5:  Kamakura (ice shavings desert), club
• Day 6, June 19th: Ichiran Ramen, meet w/ Terri Burns!
• For next time:
  • Shibuya crossing, samari museum, National Theatre traditional puppet show (Bunraku), Shinjuku garden (trip advisor)?, imperial palace? get magnet, traditional kimono (back to Asakusa?), Yokohama (sp)?, Kyoto & Osaka, koyasan, Hokkaido, Nikko

5) Honolulu - welcomed relaxation / familiar language

• Day 1: airprt arrival, Alamoana beach & biggest outdoor shopping mall, Kbbq din
• Day 2:
  • Makapuku lighthouse hike, tide pools >> lunch @ Teddy's, then Bubbies mochi ice cream
  • Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay >> Rainbow drive in
• Day 3: beach with Alex - Waimea beach, shrimp truck - Giovanni's in Haleava, dinner with Alex, Jack, Taylor - Wagaya
• Day 4: hike Crouching Lion, paddleboard - Kailua (next to Lanikai), dinner @ Japanese Nabe (hot pot) (us 3 & sis.)
• Day 5:  Kayaka beach park surfing lesson with Surf & Sea, saw sea turtle, met Spanish dude from Barca (in Haleiwa)....dinner - Fook Yuen Chinese food
• Day 6: mall, Wakiki beach
• For next time:
  • more hikes, spear fishing w. Jack, shark cove/scuba diving cert
  • buy surfboard: 175-200lbs, 10ft board at least (maybe 10.5 if don't do it often)...new range $900+, used $350+
  • Pearl Harbor USS Arizona

6) Mexico City - last but certainly not least

• Sat next to CA person: Jaustino Francisco And met Player for USMNT: Ventura Alvarado
• Met: Amanda, Fernando, Andrea (Mexico)
• Met: Kayla (Mexico), Alexandre & Solenne and Lucile (France)
• Day 1, Saturday June 25th:  arrival, lunch at a good taco place across st > to Amanda's sick house then club
• Day 2, Sunday June 26th: wake up late, great lunch at M.R. > to park and walk around castle a bit before started pouring, dinner (breaded chicken) & Copa America finals
• Day 3, Monday June 27th: Independence Angel, Bellas Artes (downtown) - post office .... Coyocán (Unesco Site) - amazing ice cream, cool 1528 church, Andrea dad's place
• Day 4: Pyramids, castle, Mexican shot
• Day 5: Bfast at Taco Naco, flight at 3pm
• For next time: National Museum of Anthropology, San Miguel - antiques, festivals