Each dot represents a place I’ve visited and got my bearings around it. That is at least a two meal, two drink, whole day affair.

I love to travel but hate to be a tourist. Most of the time I’m trying to go through a road less traveled, aiming to blend in with local life rather than disrupt it, always mindful of not inconveniencing locals or disrupting their daily lives. My goal is to immerse myself in the atmosphere of each place I visit while connecting, if possible, with like-minded people.

Only two of my visits were involuntary, one due to faulty airplane maintenance (hi there, Milan!), and one due rerouted layover/flight (via Helsinki). Furthermore, only twice I’ve involuntarily prolonged my stay (one night within Newark airport itself, and another night at near LaGuardia, thankfully in a hotel).

All in all, I’m grateful for the overall smooth experiences I had over the years.