Country Plans

Well THAT was fun.  When shall we do it again?

Update September 2015:

Below are my thoughts BEFORE I went.  Check the “What I Did” page for what actually happened. The above map changed a bit too.  No Australia.  Substituted Bali for Philippines. Substituted Uganda/Kenya for South Africa.    I’ll get an updated map as soon as I can.

Written Summer 2014:

Japan – most interested in Tokyo and Kyoto and the temples there. I’ve heard that there is a railpass that is a Good Deal if you buy it outside the country. I also want to visit Hiroshima, for historical reasons.

Korea – friend of mine is the Dean of a business school in Seoul, so hopefully I can visit him and maybe teach a class or two.

China – where to start? Really…I’m asking…where to start??? I’m thinking Beijing (Great Wall, Tianamen), Xi’an, Wuhan, Yellow Mountains (Huangshan, Anhui), Shanghai and Hong Kong.  What am I missing?

Vietnam – I will be in Danang for 6 weeks working with an East Meets West Dental Clinic.  Also looking to do some touring  Hanoi,  Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta. Something about the Vietnam War and how societies and nature heals draws me to want to spend time here.

Cambodia – Still studying. All I can think of is Angkor Wat and some of the temple scenes from the movie Samsara.

Thailand – I’ve heard of amazing tropical bungaloes along the coast, where I can live and for very little money. Who knows something about this?  Planning on spending maybe up to 8 weeks here, split between Chiang Ma and somewhere on the water east of Phuket.

New Zealand and Australia – not really sure what if I’ll make it here. So I’m wide open! If I go, I’d like to do some diving in the Great Barrier Reef.

India – another month planned here to teach and hopefully do work with some of my favorite nonprofits –International Volunteers HQ,  Blue Planet Network and IDEO.org. Fascinated with the history of the founding of Buddhism, so would like to see that. Also, I’ve heard that people sometimes go to India to do a retreat for a few weeks and “get enlightened”. I’m interested in that too.

Kenya/Tanzania/Rwanda – another month of teaching with IVHQ. Want to do a photo safari, to see these animals that are amazing and threatened. Definitely want to take an excursion into Rwanda to see the gorillas – in as unobtrusive and respectful way as I can.

South Africa – just had a great conversation with a fascinating man who leads a school in South Africa for boys, and then places them in colleges in the U.S. More info as it comes available!

Morrocco – still studying, but I love the Middle East and I just don’t want to go there right now – seems like there are other parts of the world that are less…chaotic. However, Morrocco seems calm enough!

At this point in the trip, I’m going to do some purely pleasurable touring through Europe – starting with Spain and Portugal, but making a bee line for Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Really interested in taking a Baltic cruise to include St. Petersburg and fjords!

One of my highlights is the Arctic Open, a 36 hole golf tournament played in the midnight sun.  In Iceland!  Above the Arctic Circle! 

What can you add to these countries?

What am I really going to regret not doing that is missing on this list?