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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

Net-ti-quette

I made a big purchase today…my first motorbike helmet. I kind of feel like it is my first rite of passage. Or maybe I should…

Bringing Home the Bacon

There’s a reason it’s called work. Work is still work. After two years of being out of work, my mini retirement has ended for a…

De-Worming

I was talking to my friend Jill the other day; she’s lived here as an expat for over a year, so she’s familiar with the…

Village to Ballroom

There are things I don’t like about being 38…mainly the wrinkles, and the realization that my appendages are still growing while other parts of my…

Kathmandu – Second Time’s A Charm

Dhal Bhat Days – Vol 12 9/13/08 For all Kathmandu Photography – click here!  (opens new window) For all Kathmandu snapshots- click here! (opens new…

I prefer window

Dhal Bhat Days – Vol 11 9/11/08 I thought I would be more excited about leaving Puma considering my living conditions for the last two…

Flower Children

Dhal Bhat Days – Vol. 10 9/10/08 To see all of the snapshots of the ‘last day’ activities – click here! (opens new window) Time…

Do You Meat?

Dhal Bhat Days – vol. 9 9/9/08 During a break at school one afternoon, I noticed a big crowd in the village. I asked the…

School Days

Dhal Bhat Days – Vol. 8 9/8/08 To see snapshots of the school and the kids – click here! (opens new window) To view all…

Barbot or Bust

Dhal Bhat Days Vol 7 9/5/08 To view snapshots of Barbot – click here! (opens new window) To view the photography of Nepalese village life…

At Last – A Shower!

  Nepalese Shower Dhal Bhat Days – Vol. 6 9/4/08 I think it’s happening – I’m settling into my travel life a bit more. I’m…