Happy Travelversary: 3 years on the road

Read my thoughts from a year ago on my 2 year travelversay.

On March 13, 2007 I sat in the offices of Edina Realty near my home in Minnesota and signed the documents which transferred ownership of my house to the family which purchased it. I handed them the keys and from that moment, I was a man without a home. That is the moment I mark as the beginning of my adventure.

Fast forward 1097 days later and I’m in a pub in Bangkok, Thailand writing my 1,550th blog post on the second laptop I’ve gone through since I’ve started. Someone reading this will probably leave the 7,402nd comment to be left on my blog. 1,250,000 have taken a look at my site and tens of thousands have bothered to follow long on various social networks. I’ve been to over 70 countries, 110 World Heritage Sites, and I can’t even count the distance I’ve traveled. A helluva lot has happened in three years.

It is difficult to describe just how much my life has changed. In the last 1,000 days I’ve seen and experienced more than most people do in a lifetime. I’ve been on islands, mountains, caves, forests and deserts. I’ve seen the lights of Hong Kong and the ruins of Rome. I’ve swam with jellyfish in Palau, whale sharks in Australia, and the ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. When I write posts like this and thing back on the totality of what I’ve done, I have a hard time believing it all.

In that time I’ve also been witness to many people beginning journeys just like mine. Of the hundreds of people who have contacted or met me on the road, I have yet to me one who regretted the decision to take a long term trip. Those are pretty good odds and something those who are sitting on the fence about making such a decision should consider.

I want to thank everyone that has been following along online, both new readers and old, all the people I’ve met around the world who have showed me their cities, and all the other travelers and bloggers I’ve met along the way. You have all made the last three years the best years of my life.

Turning over the keys to my house and hitting the road was the best decision I’ve ever made, and I hope to still be doing this come March 13, 2013.

27 thoughts on “Happy Travelversary: 3 years on the road”

  1. Congrats! If I can last half as long as you and gain a fraction of the loyal readers you have I would mark that as a success.

  2. Hey Gary. Funny, I just left Bangkok on the 12th as the Red Shirts were coming to town. I spent many days doing some of my blogging at a pub with wifi. Mine was Soi 8 on the street of the same name. No chance that was where you were hanging was it? What a town!

  3. WOW!!! ….. I hopee youh kno dat this is a very nicee picturee of youh….(false statement)&& BESIDES all that ii actually think ii wanna go there && havee fun wifdd mhaa friends!!! AHHAT!!!!!!

  4. Congratulations! It’s great to see your still going. I first started following your blog about two years ago. Maybe more? But I even remember long before when you didn’t have your current logo or wordpress theme. I hope to see you’re still going not just in three years, but five and ten and maybe even after!

  5. Congratulations Gary, I love following your blog. This entry is very inspiring especially for me who wants to travel the world as well. Have fun on your future adventures. I will keep reading and wishing I was where you are. :-)

  6. Congratulations to you! This entry is very inspiring especially for those who want to travel as well. Have fun on your future adventures.

  7. Hi, Gary! I’m not sure WHEN I began reading your blog but it’s been more than one year, I believe. Keep up the good work – entries, photos, etc.! Sure wish i could follow you lead but with two BIG dogs and a disabled fiance, that’s sort of out of the question. Besides, we don’t have up-do-date passports- my ONLY question is, how often do you have to renew necessary immunizations? LOL

  8. Congratulations Gary. You and your travels are a real inspiration. Only coming to your blog in the last year, I really appreciate this post that gives me a bit of the back story. Best wishes for more best years ever.

  9. Nice site. I love what you have been doing. I hope that soon I will experience travelling outside my home country too! :)

  10. Wohoo for you! Maybe you’ll come and explore Europe more in the next three years? ;)

  11. Congratulations Gary. Your story is an amazing one. Someday someone is going to want you to host a travel show or something like that, you’ve had some amazing experiences and I love being able to watch what you are doing and revel in those amazing photos of yours. Fantastic. Keep it up.

  12. Congratulations on this accomplishments. Truly amazing what you’ve done in these last three years. I’m raising the remainder of my Guinness in the hope you’ll have many more like the first three.

  13. Hi Gary

    No wonder you have not regretted the decision. I have just finished a 10 month trip which I had wanted to do for a long time, until now traveling for a month or 2 a year and once for 3 months, which was never enough.

    My problem now is that I have realized that that is what I want to do. It is my thing, probably like yours and like that of many readers. But, like with most people, money is an issue and I need an income. So here I am, in Mexico, trying to find a job that will earn me some money but at the same time will let me travel far and often.I am looking for a lifestyle that will allow both. Hopefully I will make it!

    Federico
    maitravelsite dot com

  14. I’ve been following you since a couple of months into your trip, and hope there’s more to come! Congrats on three whole years on the road! :)

    • I’ll be in Thailand until at least the Thai New Year, then a trip to Burma. After that I’m not sure.

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