Craig's Homepage
(forgive the cheesy title)


A warning...

I mean no offense by anything said on this site. I have an irreverant view of the world and will undoubtedly be travelling to places that people hold dear. My sense of humor is dry to say the least, and definately warped.

Preamble...

At the age of 32, living in Seattle, Washington, USA I came to the realization that there had to be more to life. I found myself scoffing at people that told me I was successful. Sure I had a great job as a computer programmer and lived a comfortable, relatively carefree life, but something was missing --everything was missing. I had learned very well how to work, but I had never learned how to take a vacation, to live, to enjoy life. Being the extremist that I am I decided to sell (nearly) everything I owned, take a year leave from WRQ (what an awesome company to allow me this opportunity), and backpack the world in search of myself.

In the beginning...

So, here I am. Travelling solo with a backpack. I flew into Rome on 8 December 1999, a wednesday on which the city was celebrating the immaculate conception (crowds, businesses closed, etc. The up side is that I saw a dude in a majenta beenie drive by in a parade). On this site you will find information about my travels. I'm sure that there will be more information at first, slowing as I ease into things and move from the larger cities to areas where internet cafes are not so plentiful. Incidentally, this session is costing me 10.000 italian lire per hour (about US$6 at today's exchange rate).  I can be reached via e-mail at C_Lish@yahoo.com.

Exercise on the road...

Most people find it difficult to stay with an exercise program whilst travelling. I believe that the main problem isn't that they're travelling, but the fact that they have stepped away from their daily routine. At home, you run, bike, go to the gymn, whatever, at the same point in your routine every day. Then, when you travel, you have a new routine which generally doesn't incorporate exercise because it's inconvenient. Finally, after six months of travel, my travel routine became common enough to become a daily routine, which could then incorporate an exercise program. I'm more of a gymn workout type of a guy, so that's the program that I've worked up for myself. Now, because I'm backpacking, I can't afford to find a gymn to join in every town I get to, nor can I be expected to carry free weights around in my pack -- that would be workout enough! If you're interested in my solution, check out my travel exercise routine.

The saga continues...

December 1999:  
Rome Italy: 09  10  11  12  13 
Rome Italy to Assisi Italy: 14 
Assisi Italy to Florence Italy: 15 
Florence Italy: 16  17  18  19 
Florence Italy to Bologna Italy: 20 
Bologna Italy to Brindisi Italy: 21 
Brindisi Italy to Corinth Greece: 22 
Corinth Greece to Athens Greece: 23 
Athens Greece: 24  25  26 
Athens Greece to Haifa Israel: 27  29
Haifa Israel to Cairo Egypt: 30 31
January 2000:  
Cairo Egypt: 01 02 03 04 05
Cairo Egypt to Luxor Egypt: 06
Luxor Egypt: 07 08 09 10
Luxor Egypt to Cairo Egypt: 11
Cairo Egypt: 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Cairo Egypt to Dahab Egypt (Sinai): 21
Dahab Egypt (Sinai): 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
February 2000:  
Dahab Egypt (Sinai): 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
  16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
March 2000:  
Dahab Egypt (Sinai): 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14
Dahab Egypt (Sinai) to Wadi Rum Jordan: 15
Wadi Rum Jordan: 16
Wadi Rum Jordan to Petra Jordan: 17
Petra Jordan: 18
Petra Jordan to Amman Jordan: 19
Amman Jordan: 20 21 22 23
Amman Jordan to Jerusalem Israel: 24
Jerusalem Israel: 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
April 2000:  
Jerusalem Israel: 01 02 03 04
Jerusalem Israel to Tel Aviv Israel: 05
Tel Aviv Israel: 06
Tel Aviv Israel to Haifa Israel: 07
Haifa Israel to Athens Greece: 08 09 10
Athens Greece: 11
Athens Greece to Rome Italy: 12 13
Rome Italy to Venice Italy: 14
Venice Italy: 15
Venice Italy to Milan Italy: 16
Milan Italy to Interlaken Switzerland: 17
Interlaken Switzerland: 18 19
Interlaken Switzerland to Dijon France: 20
Dijon France to Paris France: 21
Paris France: 22 23
Paris France to Amsterdam Holland: 24
Amsterdam Holland: 25 26 27 28 29
Amsterdam Holland to Prague Czech Republic: 30
May 2000:  
Amsterdam Holland to Prague Czech Republic: 01
Prague Czech Republic: 02 03
Prague Czech Republic to Munich Germany: 04
Munich Germany: 05 06
Munich Germany to Amsterdam Holland: 07
Amsterdam Holland: 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Amsterdam Holland to Barcelona Spain: 22 23
Barcelona Spain: 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
June 2000:  
Barcelona Spain to Andorra: 01
Andorra: 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Andorra to Zaragoza Spain: 12
Zaragoza Spain: 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Zaragoza Spain to San Sebastian Spain: 20
San Sebastian Spain: 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
San Sebastian Spain to Sotres Spain: 29
Sotres Spain: 30
July 2000:  
Sotres Spain to Arenas Spain: 01
Arenas Spain to San Sebastian Spain: 02
San Sebastian Spain: 03 04 05
San Sebastian Spain to Pamplona Spain: 06
Pamplona Spain to San Sebastian Spain: 07
San Sebastian Spain: 08 09 10 11
San Sebastian Spain to Barcelona Spain: 12
Barcelona Spain: 13 14 15 16 17 18
Barcelona Spain to Ibiza Spain: 19
Ibiza Spain: 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
August 2000:  
Ibiza Spain: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Ibiza Spain to Luton England: 12
Luton England to Ealing England: 13
Ealing England to Uckfield England: 14
Uckfield England: 15 16 17
Uckfield England to Ealing England: 18
Ealing England: 19 20
Ealing England to Uckfield England: 21
Uckfield England: 22 23 24
----------------------------------- End of Update 13-SEP-2000 (more asap)-----------------------------------
Uckfield England to Barhill England: 25
Liverpool England (daytrip): 26
Barhill England: 27 28 29 30 31
September 2000:  
Barhill England: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Barhill England to Munich Germany: 13
Munich Germany: 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Munich Germany to Dublin Ireland: 27
Dublin Ireland: 28 29 30
October 2000:  
Dublin Ireland: 01 02 03
Dublin Ireland to Dingle Ireland: 04
Dingle Ireland: 05 06 07 08 09
Dingle Ireland to Doolin Ireland: 10
Doolin Ireland: 11
Doolin Ireland to Galway Ireland: 12
Galway Ireland: 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
November 2000:  
Galway Ireland: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
  16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
December 2000:  
Galway Ireland: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
  16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
January 2001:  
Galway Ireland: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
Galway Ireland to Sligo Ireland: 09
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