about me
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I have lived in Brooklyn, NY since 1992. I started my international travels in 2002 by taking Caribbean Cruise (Aruba, Curacao, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten) and spent a week in Antigua. The following year I went to St. Petersburg, Russia (city of my childhood) for 3 weeks just after the city's 300th anniversary celebration. Since then, I visited over 35 countries and 200+ cities, have been on over 180 flights, and have taken several cruises and road trips. Every year I try to take one long 2-week trip and a few short trips (1 week or less). I plan my own itineraries and do my own research and bookings. Each of my trips had been fantastic in its own way, but also had been a step-stone for the following trip, and extra motivation to make the next trip happen. After my son, Alex was born my priorities changed. However, I still try to keep my travels going - whether it is with my family, by myself, or with my childhood friend. My Life Philosophy: While many people save and invest money into stocks, properties, and other material things, I invest in great memories and positive emotions. Obviously, all aforementioned things matter to me and my family, however Life is too short to spend in one place. And it's also too short to spend it doing something that does not make you happy, that does not give you moral satisfaction. At some point you realize that there are some things in life that are more important than comfort and stability; things that fire up your spirit, and get you excited and anxious to get up every morning. You want to do something positive and meaningful, and maybe make someone else's life better and happier. Years later you'll be able to look back at your life and say to yourself that it was spent with purpose, was challenging, fulfilling, and stacked with great memories. The Way I Travel: I explore every city on foot. What is the better way? No cars, buses, or other means of transportation will give you the experience you get by walking the city. You wander into the places and restaurants where tours will simply not going to take you. You explore known as well as unknown. You try something you would not think of trying. You go where the path takes you, not how you planned your path. That is not to say that I do not take local transportation (metro, buses, trams...), organized tours, or excursions. It all depends on time, season, weather, availability, ease of reach... Most of the time I do advanced planning and booking, but it does not always work out the way you want to, and sometimes you have to improvise on the fly. And I always go by the slogan - it's better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. In addition, when I plan my trip, I try to make sure that the trip will include adventure, learning, beach, culinary exploration, and partying. People That I Do Not Understand: There are certain things some people say that really bother me and these statements simply do not make any sense. For example, An "American" idea of traveling follows these lines: "I'll travel when I retire, have free time, and enough savings on my account". This concept does have its problems: 1. There is a great chance of not being able to get to the retirement stage 2. You think you'll have resources to travel, when in fact you may not 3. You might have serious health issues 4. Things that you are able/want to do when you travel young are not the same as things you can/want do when you are older (or much older). Another interesting response from people: "I do not like to travel". This one is simply ridiculous: I completely understand when a person is not able to travel due to a lack of financial resources or other circumstances, but when people with sufficient funds tell me that traveling the world does not interest them, it tells me that these people are ignorant and close-minded. Another "brilliant" statement: "I can see all these places on TV or Internet without leaving my house" leaves me speechless (although, with AI, this virtual reality becoming more realistic). I can not say it any better than St Augustine: "The World is a Book and Those who do not Travel Read only One Page". People That Do Not Understand Me: Some of my friends and family members can not grasp the concept that for me traveling the world became a lifestyle and not a once-in-a-while vacation. They are being shocked that I am taking more than one trip a year, that some of my trips are longer than a week, and the amount of money I spend on my vacations. My simple response - you have your priorities and I have mine; you have a new car, and I do not; you own a house/apartment and I rent; you have a growing bank account and mine stays steady. To most people, this is not the right way to live, but to me taking a trip gives me a burst of enthusiasm, energy, knowledge, and thirst for new experiences. It is like getting an adrenaline shot - traveling breathes new life into me. Small Steps Into the Future: I am still hopeful that one of these days I'll make a career transition to something that makes me happy and I enjoy doing (Travel Industry). For now, I'll keep working in the Information Technology field and continue my world exploration a few weeks per year. I do participate in various travel meetup groups (online and in-person) and will try to attend more meetings, expositions, and conferences this year. These activities allow me to expand my social network and befriend open-minded people with a positive outlook on life. Most Influential TV Shows: My number one show is Josh Gate's "Expedition Unknown". This show is a gold mine if you love adventure, history, and suspense. It is closely followed by "Rick Steve's Europe", Andrew Zimmern's "Delicious Destinations", Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" and "Parts Unknown", Science Channel's "Unearthed", National Geographic's "Globe Trekker", Smithsonian's "Aerial" series, Gordon Ramsey's "Uncharted". These shows are great orientations of global travel and present you with international cultural and culinary diversity. Jack Maxwell's "Booze Traveler" covers the drinks. Dominic Monaghan's "Wild Things" takes you closer to nature and animals. Don Wildman's "Cities of the Underworld" and "Mysteries" Series explore curious and unusual objects and locales. These shows inspire me to learn, read, watch, and most importantly - experience life, people, cultures, food cuisines, sites, art, history... the World! My Favorite Countries and Cities: I am fascinated by the ancient history of today's Mediterranean region - Italy, Greece, Egypt, coastal Spain, France, and Turkey. My favorite country in Europe is Italy, closely followed by Greece. I can go back there every year... there is just something special about these two countries... I absolutely loved my trip to Egypt and would rate it 9.5/10 highest of all my trips - the experience was totally out of this world! I also have to add Brazil and Peru to my favorite countries - South America is always full of amazing surprises and natural beauty. When I think of the Cities, I find Venice very unique, Prague - very charming, Barcelona - most outgoing, Naples - charismatic and bursting with life, Rome - historical and magical, Rio de Janeiro - scenic and exciting, New York City - home of so many cultures and nationalities. My Top Countries and Trips 1. Italy 2. Greece 3. Egypt/Brazil/Peru/S.Africa My Top 10 Cities 1. Venice, Italy 2. Rome, Italy 3. Barcelona, Spain 4. Prague, Czech Republic 5. Rio De Janeiro, Brazil 6. Naples, Italy 7. St. Petersburg, Russia 8. N/A 9. N/A 10.N/A Places I Want to Visit/Re-Visit (Realistic List) Obviously, I would love to visit every country in the world and spend more than a day or a week in each location. But to be realistic, at least for now, I'll only mention my priorities. 1. Sicily, Italy (2+ weeks) 2. Greek Islands & Mainland (any island, multiple trips) 3. Tuscany, Italy (2+ weeks) 4. Anywhere in Italy (multiple trips) 5. Rio de Janeiro + Paraty (10-14 days) 6. Bolivia (10-14 days) 7. Portugal (10-14 days) 8. England (London & nearby) 9. Czech Republic (Prague & nearby) - done August 2023 10.Spain (2 weeks, 2 trips) 11.Jordan (10-14 days) - done October 2023 12.Israel (2 weeks) - 2030's 13.Argentina + Uruguay (10-14 days) - 2027 14.Costa Rica (coast to coast) (2 weeks) 15.America's National Parks (Bryce, Zion, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon (N & S Rims)...) 16.Dalmatian Coast Drive: Kotor, Montenegro to Ljubljana, Slovenia or Venice, Italy 17.Cyprus 18.Colombia (Cartagena, Bogota, Medellin, Bucaramanga) (10-14 days or separate short trips) 19.Amazon River boat trip (Brazil, Peru) - 2030's 20.Cruise or 3 week trip: Thailand + Hong Kong + Great Wall of China (China) + Taj Mahal(India) - 2030's 21.Safari trip: Kenya & Tanzania with Serengeti (2-3 weeks) $$$ - 2030's 22.Peru 2 (Lima, Caral, Cusco, Rainbow Mountain, Sacred Valley, Puno, Lake Titicaca) (10-14 days) 23.Turkey (historical sites all over country + Ankara + Pamukkale + Cappadocia) 24.World Cup 2026 USA - travel USA and attend the Final 25.Disneyland (Florida, USA) with Alex Short Trips (3-4 days): Munich, Germany Edinburgh, Scotland Stockholm, Sweden Copenhagen, Denmark USA - Domestic Trips |