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Travel and Life Experiences of a Corporate American Runaway

I’m Sherry. I’ve been traveling around the world and writing about it on Ottsworld since 2006. Yes, that makes me one of the first travel bloggers! I started out as a novice middle-aged traveler and have transformed into a world explorer and travel industry expert! I share my adventures, tips, and advice on how to conquer your fear of traveling or traveling alone so that you, too, can have epic adventures to intriguing places!

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Where I’ve traveled…

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10 Travel moments I’m most proud of

1

Traveling with each of my six nieces as part of the Niece Project

2

Living in Vietnam for a year solo

3

Finishing the 9,000-mile Mongol Rally

4

Having no home and being nomadic for 11 years

5

Taking my Dad to Antarctica

6

Completing the Camino de Santiago solo

7

Driving a rickshaw 2,000 miles across India and raising money for charity:water

8

Taking over my Father’s Capitol Quest and cycling from Capitol to Capitol in the US

9

Launching my first small group tours

10

Getting my first passport when I was 30

The one thing they all have in common is overcoming fear and trusting in the world to take care of you.

Travel Series

I’ve done a number of long-term travel ‘projects’ (I might call them Epic Trips) that I’ve written about. These are best read like a book with chapters. Some of these have taken place over weeks (like the Mongol Rally or Camino de Santiago), some over months (the Motorbike Diaries), and some over years (like the Niece Project).

  • Camino de Santiago Cathedral

    The Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage

    My Camino de Santiago experience When I set off from Pamplona in 2012, I knew almost nothing about the Camino de Santiago—and that was intentional. I skipped the guidebooks and detailed planning because I wanted to experience the pilgrimage with fresh eyes. Looking back, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend my approach, but it led to one…
  • Youth travel niece project

    The Niece Project

    In 2012, I finally launched a project that had been quietly growing in my heart for years.But before I tell you about it, let me rewind a bit and start with something you don’t often hear: “I don’t want to have kids.” For some, that statement feels like a deep breath of truth. For others,…
  • Motorbike Rush Hour Vietnam

    How I Learned to Ride a Motorbike in Vietnam

    The Motorbike Diaries The Motorbike Diaries kicked off in 2008 when I was living and working in Vietnam. This chronicles my epic journey to become a part of Vietnamese culture and drive among the locals. My attempt to blend in, rev up, and somehow survive the madness of Vietnamese traffic while inching my way into…
  • Mongol Rally Sherry Ott

    The Mongol Rally – The Ultimate Road Trip Across Europe and Asia

    What is the Mongol Rally? The Mongol Rally is an unsupported road rally from London, England, to Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia. In July 2011, four well-traveled, and some may say crazy, travel bloggers set out on a 10,000-mile journey to Mongolia. This was no fluff press trip…this was us against the open road, in a car…

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All Blog Articles

Rickshaw Run Thrills and Agony

I can still see the poor skier lose his balance and slide down the mountain with skis criss-crossed and pointed in every direction. He seemed…

The View Inside My Rickshaw

I already showed you the view outside my rickshaw during the Rickshaw Run; now it’s time to get a little glimpse of inside our rickshaw…

Eat With Locals While Traveling

“Beautiful things happen when you bring people together over food,” said Hila. We all sat at a long table with vases of fresh flowers, Billie…

The View From My Rickshaw

Only one team member can drive at a time during the Rickshaw Run, so that means half of the time you are a passenger. As a…

Rickshaw Run FAQs

Thinking about doing the Rickshaw Run after following our experience in April 2014? You’ve read through all the adventurous marketing hype, and you are ready…

The Niece Project Version 3.0

Summer is about here – and it means kids will be on summer vacation – AND it means that another Niece Project is in motion!…

Solving Market Mysteries

“What is it about photographing markets that you like?” Charlie asked. We were both leaving the early morning fish market on a bit of a…

Sleeping on a Private Island

“You know what I just realized? We are on a private island of our own!” Sherry cocks her head ever so slightly to consider this….

A Soft Landing in Jaipur

The plane wheels hit the ground with a jolt, and our seats rocked slightly as the plane moved. A few seconds later came the applause…

My Kauai Base Camp

I walked into base camp covered in mud and sweat, carrying my camera and backpack. I must have looked exhausted to those around me as…