I don’t think I’ll ever write a book, I doubt I have the patience it would take to do so. However I do love writing short stories or story series; I gravitate towards this concept of blogging series and I have a number of them from my travels and expat experiences. These have often been some of my most popular writing here on Ottsworld, but they are hard to find buried deep within the dark, musty blog archives. I’ve finally pulled them out, dusted them off, and provided them the spotlight they deserve. I hope you enjoy my story collections from all over the world.
The Motorbike Diaries
Motorbike Diares
17 volumes of how I learned how to ride a motorbike in the motorbike capital of the world – Ho Chi Minh City. I lived there a year and it took 5 months before I would rent a bike and another 2 weeks before I would take it out of my living room and try to drive it. These stories are the craziness that ensued; learning how to park, turn left, drive in the rain, fix flat tires,and go to the gas station. Learning how to be a part of the HCMC traffic was my crowning achievement during my time in Vietnam.
The Spice Diaries
Spice Diaries
17 volumes about the month I spent volunteering in Delhi India. It contains short little diary entries on my experience as a volunteer – good and bad – and not really edited. It is a true diary. I had never volunteered before, but my experience with teaching kids computers and English in a challenging environment changed the trajectory of my life to come. It set me forth on a path of nomadic living and traveling that I never would have predicted. The kids I taught and the friendships I made in the volunteer program were my highlight of my career break travels. I don’t think I’ve ever cried so hard to leave a group of people in my life. You’ll learn about volunteering and India…and hopefully you too will fall in love with the people I met and the places I went.
Dhal Bhat Days
Dhal Bhat Days
13 volumes about living and volunteering in a remote village in Nepal during monsoon season; land slides, no running water, sporadic electricity, a huge spider in the outhouse and some of the nicest people I’ve ever met who I coincidentally couldn’t communicate with. This series is about breaking down my fears in a tiny village that literally didn’t understand me. This was the first time I had ever been homesick on the road and it was also the first time I had ever slept above a buffalo barn and battle with leaches daily.
Tiger Balm Tales
Tiger Balm Tales
22 volumes of my greatest hiking adventure yet – the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. What makes this tale unique is that I did this 21 day hike with my 73 year old father. This is the story of a father-daughter tale of ups and downs, and a nightly ritual of applying Tiger Balm. In addition, this series ties back in the Dhal Bhat Days since we revisited the tiny village I volunteered in. If you are interested in hiking the Annapurna Circuit then this series will help you understand what it’s really like – for people of any age. This series was so popular that I did turn it into a free downloadable ebook.
Road Trip USA
Road Trip USA
18 volumes of an epic drive across the US from DC to San Francisco. A friend and I logged thousands of miles and had numerous adventures along Route 66, National Parks, and some amazing small towns with very big hearts.
