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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).

  • Niece Project Travels

    The Niece Project

    2012 begins a project for me that has been in the making for a long time. But first, let me back up a few years…
  • camino de santiago questions

    Camino de Santiago: 23 of the Most Frequently Asked Questions

    You have made the decision to hike the Camino de Santiago, Camino Frances – what next? I bet you have a bunch of questions you need…
  • Nepal Annapurna Circuit

    The Beginnings of a Nepal Trekking Plan – Annapurna Circuit

    Tiger Balm Tales Volume 1 Why? Such a simple question, yet it resonated in my head many, many times on my most recent trip to…
  • Mongol Rally

    It’s Real Now – Starting the Mongol Rally

    Have you ever worked so long and hard on something that you forgot what you were doing or why you were doing it? The idea…

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It’s Mom’s Turn

“But why can’t you just travel for a year in the United States? There’s plenty to see around here.” She pleaded. I could see the…

Going it Alone

“Why don’t you just go by yourself?” Rachel asked. I let the thought sink in – my mind was swirling in confusion. My gut reaction…

A New Look in Liege

The first time I passed through the Liege train station, I was stunned. I looked out my train window and saw curved iron beams, symmetry,…

Riding the Rail Pass in Europe

The train gently rocked back and forth, I spread out in my first-class seat, plugged in my electronics, and enjoyed the complimentary coffee that the…

It’s a Man’s World

As I was marveling at the bright colors of the watermelon, eggplant, and tomatoes against the typical Omani cream-colored backdrop of souq buildings – I…

Oman Coastal Hiking

The wall of thick, humid air hit me as I got out of the safety of the air-conditioned truck. I breathed it in – filling…

Trekking in the Oman Mountains

I packed my down coat rather skeptically – but on day 3 of my Oman hiking trip, I found myself eagerly unpacking it and putting…

Off the Beaten Path in Oman

I was surrounded by jagged canyon walls jutting up from the pools of water and shading me from the sun. I wondered if it could…

A Mosque of Grand Proportions

I stood staring upwards at the chandelier in the dome of the Saltan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat Oman admiring its soft glow. I was…

Roughing It In Oman

I laid out my new sleeping bag on the thick mat under the stars. It was muggy outside, but I still got into the down…

Tip Toe Through the Tulips

  The home of tulips – the Netherlands When I lived in NYC and San Francisco I used to treat myself to a bouquet of…