Oh, the Places You’ll Go —One Man’s Trip Around the World in 14 Days
Jay Michael took a 14-day trip around the world. (Photo: Jay Michael)
After my plans for a trip with friends started to look a bit rocky, I decided to take matters into my own hands and plan a solo trip to somewhere far, far away. I started to research different getaway options, and my first draft had me at an awfully un-posh ashram in the beautiful state of Kerala in India. It made for great practice as a travel agent, but it all felt a bit too Eat, Pray, Love for my liking (and sanity). Instead, I chose to use my 14 days to take a Round the World (RTW) trip.
I almost embarked on an RTW trip post-university, years back, but I succumbed to a good job offer and adult responsibilities. This felt like the perfect time and place to book my first trip (hopefully one of many) around the world. Like a kid with a new toy, I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, planning and booking what was soon to become a 14-day trip to Berlin, Tel Aviv, Delhi, Agra, and Manila. I did the heavy lifting myself, by assembling the flights online. It was all remarkably easy and fairly affordable, considering the journey.
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I waited until the day of departure to pack, which incidentally resulted in packing perfection. My three main rules: First, every top had to match every bottom. Secondly, if It wouldn’t get multiple uses, it wasn’t coming along. And finally, when in doubt, leave it out. I packed, repacked, reduced, and reconsidered endlessly, until I ended up with what turned out to be the ideal marriage of outfits for cold, mild, and tropically hot weather. For anyone wondering, I only packed two pairs of shoes, which was an accomplishment in itself.
The street art in Berlin is both raw and beautiful. (Photo: Jay Michael)
My first stop was Berlin. To sum up the city in a few words, I would call Berlin a mystical and beautifully gray tattooed lady. Her streets were lined with street art, filled with colorful spray-paint on every open surface. Overall, the culture was relaxed, yet rigid and conservative — and nevertheless free and inclusive.
I spent my two days in Berlin walking through idyllic German Christmas markets, sipping tea, reading at hip cafes and bookshops, gazing endlessly at street art of a kind that no museum has ever collected, and drinking a lot of beer very, very late into the night. I noticed a very handsome, inked gay man at a bar, and we ended up talking. I fell madly in “like” before deciding to call myself an Uber to get back to the Soho House. We found one another on Facebook and have stayed in touch… so I will always have a tour guide should I ever return.
Much of the street art in Berlin looks as if it could be on display in a museum. (Photo: Jay Michael)
After landing on a night flight to Tel Aviv, I dropped my bags off at the Intercontinental David, called an Uber and made my way to Holon, my late father’s hometown. I had been back through the years, but this was the first time in decades that I had had access to the apartment where my father was raised. It was broken-down and dilapidated, yet so beautiful to me. I spent a few hours sitting on the front porch, remembering the stories of hardship and triumph my father once told me there. It was bitter and sweet. For a brief moment, I closed my eyes, and it felt as if my father was sitting right next to me. I spent that whole day wandering around my father’s haunts and visiting with family.
Tel Aviv has an abundance of fresh food markets. (Photo: Jay Michael)
If you do nothing but four things in Tel Aviv, this is what you should do:
Visit the Shuk (Market) Ha Carmel.
Eat a falafel from the Shuk or my favorite spot, Falafel Ratzon (where a falafel costs 6 shekels).
Spend a few hours wondering down Dizengoff Street, and make sure to take detours off the small side streets. Those are where I always find the best spots.
Grab dinner at one of many new locally sourced chef-driven eateries throughout the city. I tried, and happened to love, HaBasta, which is hidden off a small but lit side street.
Soon, it was time to part from Tel Aviv, and I was headed to Delhi. From the airport, I was whisked off to the Leela Palace, suited to the greatest of maharajas, and with its large gates protected by armed guards. It was lovely, but I was ready to see the real Delhi. I hired a well-known food blogger to take me around the tourist-free streets of old Delhi. I indulged in forbidden street food with the locals, and found myself pushing and shoving to get through the streets like a true Indian. I even taught an unsuspecting rickshaw driver how to take his first selfie. I was having the time of my life, and I hadn’t even been in India for 12 hours.
Related: 8 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Went to India
My rickshaw driver taking his first selfie (Photo: Jay Michael)
I went to markets, I toured palaces, I rode in rickshaws and tuk-tuks, I ate curry galore, I prayed at the Taj Mahal, and met with the local Agra sages, all of which were once-in-a-lifetime experiences. However, nothing was to compare with my time spent in the Delhi slums. I was guided by a well-spoken and excited 17-year old named Sabir (or Sabs for short) from the Salaam Baalak Trust. Sabir lost his father early in life and his mother gave him up to an abusive uncle. At 10 years old, Sabir ran away and embarked on a 24-hour train ride to Delhi, where he lived on the streets until he was taken in by the Salaam Baalak Trust. I spent my last hours in India thinking about Sabir and pondering what had really made me take such a trip. Was I looking for time to relax, or was I searching for something more?
I spent the end of 2014 in flight to Manila, and when I woke up, I felt refreshed and ready for my final exploration. Manila attracts few tourists and has no real roadmap, which may be one of its most attractive features. What I found the most inviting was the passion of the Filipino people to show you their way of life. I checked into my hotel, and again ran off to meet a food blogger and professor who would take me to the areas less traveled.
Riding in a Jeepney in Manila (Photo: Jay Michael)
We rode in Jeepneys (a stretched, open-back Jeep Wrangler that serves as shared transport), we took the elevated train system, we met and ate with the locals in Quiapo and Cubao, and most importantly, I spent the day living like a real Filipino. My two days in Manila were perfect, but not nearly long enough. And before I knew it, my responsibilities back home started to creep back into the foreground. I got that sad feeling you get at the end of a long beautiful journey; it was my time to come home.
Before my little cousin went to college, I told her to “move far away from home, and travel the world.” She reminded me of this advice a few weeks before I left for my RTW trip. I remembered those words throughout my journey, and for once, I put emails aside and let life take the reins. I met people with less wealth than the average American, who were able to find happiness in ways unseen stateside. I toured the slums with teenagers who thought they had won the lottery by finding a shelter, if only for a few days. I took rides on the back of trucks and rickshaws and saw life from an angle different from anything I had ever imagined. I returned home humbled and inspired, refreshed and ready.
Related: 10 Quotes That Will Inspire You to Travel, GIF-Style
Standing in front of the Taj Mahal (Photo: Jay Michael)
If you’re looking to take your own RTW trip, here are some helpful tips:
Find bloggers and local writers to tour you around. There are endless resources online for each city.
Don’t over-plan. Book flights and hotels, but let the rest fall into place as you wander each city.
Use public transit, walk, and take runs, but stay out of tour buses.
Let yourself go and try a few things you would never normally allow yourself to do.
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