I've been traveling around the world for 6 months - here's the most epic thing I did in each country
- This past March, I left New York to travel around the world as Business Insider's International Correspondent. Over the course of 5+ months, I have so far visited 12 countries and had countless adventures.
- I decided it would be fun to pick the best, most epic adventure that I had in each country, from off-roading in the desert in Inner Mongolia to visiting one of the seven wonders of the world in Jordan and partying all night in Seoul, South Korea.
- While I hate travel bucket lists, I hope that sharing my favorite recent adventures may provide some inspiration for both travel junkies and those looking to take their first trip abroad.
I'll be honest: I hate bucket lists.
To me, they turn what should be a freeing experience of discovery - travel - and turn it into an endless checklist where you constantly feel inadequate against the things you haven't done.
I prefer traveling with less of a plan. I pick a country beforehand, and maybe a few destinations within, and trust that I'll encounter amazing people, sights, and adventures so long as I say yes.
When I left to travel as Business Insider's International Correspondent this past March, I approached the trip the same way.
From China to Russia to Israel, I have found myself in the middle of more adventures than I can remember. There's been off-roading in the desert in Inner Mongolia, visiting one of the seven wonders of the world in Jordan, and partying all night in Seoul, to name a few.
With twelve countries checked off on the trip so far, I decided it was time to pinpoint my favorite adventure in each place. Perhaps you'll find some inspiration for your next trip abroad.
Here's what's gone down so far:
The trip started off with a bang in Hong Kong, where I attended Art Basel Hong Kong, the premier art fair in Asia for millionaire and billionaire collectors to buy and sell art. The fair peaked with an elaborate soiree organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
The star-studded party was held at Hong Kong's Jumbo Kingdom, the world's largest floating restaurant and featured a mix of celebrities, art world big shots, artists, collectors, and — thanks to a last-minute invite — yours truly.
The party's experiential theme evoking 1930s-era Hong Kong was designed by Burning Man veteran Jason Swamy, a co-founder of artist collective Robot Heart. Some attendees, however, found the allusions to opium bars and Asian courtesans to be tone-deaf.
After Hong Kong, I headed to China, where I spent a whirlwind five weeks traversing from Shanghai and Beijing to far-flung cities on the ancient Silk Road. In Inner Mongolia, I befriended a group of Chinese adrenaline-junkies who were part of an off-roading club.
The off-roaders invited me to join them on a two-day tour through the desert. They'd already been driving for nearly a week, but they couldn't get enough of racing over massive sand dunes and camping in Mongolian camps in the middle of nowhere.
The adventure was not without its dangers. A number of times the jeeps got stuck crested over a sand dune and another jeep had to tow the others out. And, that's to say nothing of how we were chased by park rangers because foreigners are only supposed to go in to the desert with official tour guides, not a local off-road driving club.
Read More: I tried to climb the 'plank walk' in China known as 'the most dangerous hike in the world,' but just getting there was the hardest part»
Next, I headed to Bali, Indonesia to decompress. The city of Ubud has been well-known as a spiritual and mystical center to Balinese for centuries — Ubud means "medicine" — and over the last several decades for new agey tourists.
It may sound hokey, but I did a full-day spiritual retreat that included yoga, "ecstatic dance," a cacao ceremony, and workshops of "authentic relating." I was very skeptical before going in. By the time it was over, I had cried twice.
The retreat ended with a dance party and a sound healing ritual. Located on a beautiful estate outside Ubud, the retreat felt otherworldly. There was no need for alcohol at this party; everyone was already buzzing.
In Singapore, I spent several days trying as much Singaporean food as I could manage to fit in my stomach. Singaporean food is known for being a tasty mix of Chinese, Indian, and Malay cuisines. It may not look pretty, but these are flavors you've likely never tasted before. It is the most interesting and unique cuisine I've ever had.
The best places to try Singaporean cuisine (and a shortcut to understanding the city-state's culture) is in "hawker centers." Built in the 1950s and 1960s to make street-food more sanitary, while preserving the local food culture, hawker centers are large open-air complexes of food stalls where Singaporeans eat every day. There are dozens of centers across the city, each specializing in different dishes and cuisines.
One of my favorite Singaporean dishes was rojak, a traditional fruit and vegetable salad. There are different types of rojak with Chinese, Indian, or Malay flavors, but the basic idea is that you select what you want in your salad and, depending on the items, they might fry them up or serve them fresh with sauces.
Read more: Every amazing, strange, and delicious food I tried during an epic 6-week trip to China »