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What is the most impressing place in the world you have ever been? What advice would you give to someone who wishes to travel there?

The Golden Temple in Amritsar on the Pakistan/Indian border took my breath away, as did Lalibela in Ethiopia. For Amritsrar, don’t go in the Indian summer, it’s almost unbearably hot! For Ethiopia, just go go go, you’ll have the country almost to yourself. Perfect.

What do you hate to forget in your suitcase?

I travel with a backpack exclusively, and I’m pretty much always on the road but I try to make sure I always have at least $100 USD in cash stashed away somewhere in there. If I’ve forgotten that, I’m always stressed that perhaps I won’t find a working ATM or an open cash exchange place. The cash is my safety net.

What would you say to those travellers who are afraid to travel on their own, and end up going to a travel agency even if they do not like taking part in organized tours?

I think it’s normal to be scared, but we have to embrace those fears. I talk about motivation a lot on my site, and essentially taking that first step is the hardest part, so commit. Buy the one way flight, turn your back on the tour, then you have to do it, you’re commited. And from then on in, it’s just easier and easier (and much more awesome!).

What kind of food have you tried on your travels and you found it delicious/surprising? Can you recommend us any place where to try it out?

Should I tell the truth here?! Let me think, pigs penis, lambs testicles, scorpion, dog, snakes blood, rabbit head, turtle soup, locusts, silk worms, starfish, bees and whatever else you can possible imagine! In terms of delicious food overseas, I just love love love gai yang, kao niew gap nam jim jao (griled chicken, sticky rice and spicy sauce) in Thailand, hunt it done and thank me later 😛

Finally, tell us something that happened to you travelling and that you will never forget…

I’ll try to keep it to a clean memory clean in case my mum reads it! I’ve done a lot of cool things like climbing Kilimanjaro, going to a world cup final, swimming with sharks etc. But the one lasting memory I really have was when I signed my teaching contract in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I had just eaten in the local market, ordered my food in Thai, and I was late for work. I drove my motorbike around the corner a little too fast and almost crashed into an elephant, I stabilised myself and carried on. 10 seconds later I had a beautiful feeling of “Wow, I’m really living in Thailand, on a motorbike, the weather is beautiful, I’ve done it, I’m living my dreams”. I remember the thought like it was yesterday, and it was beautiful.

Johnny

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