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David Lee

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Member since
2nd May 2009

In late 2007, I quit my job and left the comfortable life in the USA for the open road with nothing but a 20-pound backpack, a long list of countries to see, and a penchant for sharing my adventures online.

Starting in Tahiti, I worked my way west through 20 countries on 5 continents. Low on money, I stopped traveling to spend the first half of 2009 living in beautiful Medellin. My days are spent figuring out how best to help motivate others to travel, while my nights are devoted to learning salsa, Colombian style.

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David Lee's activity

  1. 20 Nov 2009

  2. David Lee wrote a blog post Destination Asia: Packing Ultra-Light

    “You’re an idiot,” was the exact reaction I got from my mom when I told her that I would be packing ultra-light."

  3. 17 Nov 2009

  4. David Lee wrote a blog post ‘Round the World Trip: As You Like It

    A ’round the world trip in 29 days? Blasphemy, I hear long term travelers shouting from the rooftops after reading Maryann Haggerty’s Washington Post article, Around the World in Four Easy Lessons."

  5. 15 Nov 2009

  6. David Lee wrote a blog post Briefcase To Backpack: Encouraging Career Breaks

    Whether you’re traveling through South America or Southeast Asia, you’re likely to meet far more Europeans and Australians than you do Americans. The concept of long term travel has yet to go mainstream in the United States, and thus career-related resour"

  7. 04 Nov 2009

  8. David Lee wrote a blog post So, What Exactly Is Couchsurfing?

    A: Let me begin my answer by quoting Couchsurfing’s mission statement, as I believe it succinctly sums the project up:"

  9. 31 Oct 2009

  10. David Lee wrote a blog post Hot, Hot Varanasi

    I was beyond pleased to see my autorickshaw driver awaiting me at 4:20am outside the Karma Temple’s gate. I shook his hand, he started the motor, and we were off in the dim pre-dawn light. I realized my decision to take the early train to Varanasi meant a"

  11. 13 Oct 2009

  12. David Lee wrote a blog post Walking Tour of Washington, DC

    I learned a valuable lesson in Colombia earlier this year – when you stay put, it’s only a matter of time before other world wanderers visit your neck of the woods. Of course it helps to live near a major city, and in my case, that city is the US capitol"

  13. 08 Oct 2009

  14. David Lee wrote a blog post High Heels and a Head Torch: The Essential Guide for Girls Who Backpack

    A little over two years ago, I read and reviewed my first travel book aimed squarely at the female population. Despite having “lipstick” and “women” in the title, I found it to be perfectly suitable for men as well."

  15. 06 Oct 2009

  16. David Lee wrote a blog post Close Encounters of the Creepy-Crawly Kind

    Have you ever jumped atop a piece of furniture in your home or workplace after seeing a mouse run by? Grab your significant other to squash a spider? Or douse a trail of ants with a full can of Raid?"

  17. 02 Oct 2009

  18. David Lee wrote a blog post Souvenir Spotlight: Thai Beer Can Tuk-Tuk

    We’ve all done it – bought the souvenir from abroad, which once opened at home, results in thoughts like “what the hell was I thinking?”"

  19. 01 Oct 2009

  20. David Lee wrote a blog post The Singapore Food Scene

    This past Sunday’s Washington Post Travel section featured a great story for foodies about Eating Well on Singapore’s Seedy Side. It brought back memories of visiting the various food stalls around the city and sampling everything on offer."

  21. 26 Sep 2009

  22. David Lee reviewed Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal

    Since rioting Tibetans and the iron-fist of the Chinese government meant I’d miss the chance to visit Tibet, I was soaking up as much of the culture as possible in Nepal. Nowhere was it more alive than around the Buddhist pilgrimage site of Boudha…"

  23. 25 Sep 2009

  24. David Lee wrote a blog post Friday Flashback – Boudhanath Stupa

    Since rioting Tibetans and the iron-fist of the Chinese government meant I’d miss the chance to visit Tibet, I was soaking up as much of the culture as possible in Nepal. Nowhere was it more alive than around the Buddhist pilgrimage site of Boudhanath Stu"

  25. David Lee wrote a blog post My Actual Costs – Europe – Summer 1998

    When it comes to travel, there are two things you can count on: (1) you’ll always find a cheaper exchange rate after you’ve traded your money, and (2) you’ll always go over budget. I don’t mean to be negative, but these are the Murphy’s Laws of travel. Ye"

  26. 24 Sep 2009

  27. David Lee wrote a blog post Packing List For A Summer In Europe

    I brought much of the following on my post-college, 2-month trip to Europe in 1998. Since posting the original list online upon my return home, I added a few reader suggestions. I think most of it still hold true today."

  28. 16 Sep 2009

  29. David Lee wrote a blog post A Dead Bat In Paraguay by Roosh Vörek

    I met Roosh in Medellin about five months ago. In addition to acquainting himself with Colombia’s culture (and women), he was there to finish writing his second book. A Dead Bat in Paraguay is the memoir of his 6-month backpacking trip around South Americ"

  30. 14 Sep 2009

  31. David Lee wrote a blog post Whitewater Rafting & Camping Trip

    In Nepal, I had my pick of the rivers. From day trips to 10-day expeditions, costs were low by western standards and opportunities for adrenaline rushes were high. With only two day trips to my credit, I decided to go with a 3-day trip on the holy Kali"

  32. 12 Sep 2009

  33. David Lee wrote a blog post Interview – An American Expat In Costa Rica

    I met Casey during my last week in Colombia. More than a decade earlier, he had left the United States to start his own business in Central America, which surprised me considering how he seemed about my age!"

  34. 11 Sep 2009

  35. David Lee wrote a blog post Trip Advice For Kenya

    Preface: I did some house cleaning around GoBackpacking in preparation for the launch of the new layout. Any useful bits of information that had been stored in the corners of the castle are being dusted off and presented anew. The following information"

  36. 04 Sep 2009

  37. David Lee wrote a blog post Souvenir Spotlight – Religious Box From Tibet

    When I returned from my backpacking trip, I unpacked all the boxes I sent home like a kid on Christmas morning. Some of the stuff had sentimental value, some of it was just as cool as I’d remembered when buying it, and a small percentage fell into the “wh"

  38. 11 Aug 2009

  39. David Lee wrote a blog post Reconnecting In The Big Apple

    My endgame for the whole trip around the world was always to leverage my sense of being uprooted to make a move to another part of the country."

  40. 07 Aug 2009

  41. David Lee wrote a blog post I’m Alive And Well In New York City

    I’ve been quiet the last few weeks because, to be honest, returning to the USA has been a real jolt to my system."

  42. 23 Jul 2009

  43. David Lee wrote a blog post Making My Way Back Home

    I awoke at the all too early hour of 5 am with nothing about a long travel day toward home ahead of me"

  44. 21 Jul 2009

  45. David Lee wrote a blog post Bogota Travel Blogger Meetup

    The taxi ride to Jose Maria Cordova International Airport outside Medellin was just as stunning as the bus ride which first took me to the city in late January."

  46. 07 Jul 2009

  47. David Lee wrote a blog post Come Fly With Me (Over The Himalaya)

    The flight from Chengdu to Lhasa was cool - crossing over the Tibetan Plateau - the snow-capped, glacier-ridden mountains slowly coming into view through the cloud cover. Getting to the airport early had paid off - I was able to secure a window seat (13A)"

  48. 03 Jul 2009

  49. David Lee wrote a blog post The People's Park

    I picked up my e-ticket to Kathmandu at Sim’s Guest House travel desk and grabbed a taxi to the People’s Park in central Chengdu. The Lonely Planet spoke highly of it, and I was surprised by what I found."

  50. 30 Jun 2009

  51. David Lee wrote a blog post My First And Last Ba Guan Treatment

    After an afternoon sightseeing at DuFu’s cottage, prior home of a famous Chinese poet, I decided to check out a Chinese Tibetan spa near Charlie’s apartment building. I only knew it was a spa because I had asked him about the prayer flags over the front e"

  52. 28 Jun 2009

  53. David Lee wrote a blog post Spa Life, Giant Pandas, And Movie Night

    Around 1am Charlie, Jody and I arrived at a 24-hour spa."

  54. 26 Jun 2009

  55. David Lee wrote a blog post Mission Impossible: Obtain Chengdu-Lhasa Train Ticket

    expect everyone and their dog to be trying to get on the Chengdu-Lhasa train.” —- Lonely Planet China"

  56. 22 Jun 2009

  57. David Lee wrote a blog post Lazy by Day, High Rollers by Night

    We all slept until at least noon on Sunday."

  58. 20 Jun 2009

  59. David Lee wrote a blog post World’s Largest Outdoor Seated Bronze Buddha

    Day 5 in Hong Kong was dedicated to taking the MTR to Lantau Island, home of Po Lin, a Buddhist monastery containing Tian Tan Buddha statue, the world’s largest outdoor seated bronze Buddha (apparently there is a bigger one indoors somewhere)."

  60. 17 Jun 2009

  61. David Lee wrote a blog post Merlion, Snakes, And Singapore Slings

    After a comfortable sleep, I spent some time on my federal/state taxes. It was a luxury to have access to Ian’s computer with fast broadband connection after so many slow sessions in Indonesia."

  62. 13 Jun 2009

  63. David Lee wrote a blog post Scooter-Born Prostitute Rips Me Off

    The Lonely Planet warns readers against prostitutes that ride around on scooters and hassle men walking around alone at night. It specifically warned of one gang (alley), so I made it a point to stay clear of it."

  64. 09 Jun 2009

  65. David Lee wrote a blog post Gili Trawangan - Welcome To My Paradise

    Gili Trawangan is a small island off the coast of Lombok, an island the size of Bali just to it’s east."

  66. 08 Jun 2009

  67. David Lee wrote a blog post The 2008 Australian Open - Men’s Singles Final

    I booked my departure flight from Australia out of Melbourne for the end of January because it seemed like a noteworthy city to visit."

  68. 06 Jun 2009

  69. David Lee wrote a blog post Dare #5 - Completed - Monkey Business

    #6 - From Sara: I have a good first dare for ya. After seeing your picture with the fluffy koala bear, and reading about the monkey forests full of gray monkeys in Bali, I’ve decided that your dare is the following:"

  70. 03 Jun 2009

  71. David Lee wrote a blog post Day 2 (of 3) - My First SCUBA Dive

    I slept surprisingly well for my first night aboard a sailboat. We had anchored down in a protected area off one of the islands so the water was quite calm."

  72. 30 May 2009

  73. David Lee wrote a blog post Heli-Hiking Franz Joseph Glacier

    Spending a full day (6 hours ice time) hiking on the Franz Joseph Glacier on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island was something I’d been looking forward to for months. It was fully my intent to do the full day hike, however…"

  74. 28 May 2009

  75. David Lee wrote a blog post Tramping the Tongariro Crossing

    I awoke from my slumber in Taupo to a chilly, cloudy, rainy morning. As I peered out the hostel window, I could barely see across the lake to the volcanoes I was hoping to climb."

  76. 26 May 2009

  77. David Lee wrote a blog post Canyoning - Abseils, Jumps, and Chutes

    I’d wanted to go canyoning since I first learned about it in 2005 while planning a trip to Costa Rica."

  78. 22 May 2009

  79. David Lee wrote a blog post Driving a VW Down a Tahitian Mountain

    There are two things I tend to avoid during international travel - public phones and driving. I managed the public phones in Tahiti well enough (after that first mishap) and was surprised with a crazy drive on my last night."

  80. 20 May 2009

  81. David Lee reviewed Australian Tennis Open in Melbourne, Australia

    I booked my departure flight from Australia out of Melbourne for the end of January because it seemed like a noteworthy city to visit. It was only after talking to my tennis fiend of a friend (code name - Sup2dresq) before leaving that I learned my trav…"

  82. David Lee reviewed Franz Josef Glacier in South Island, New Zealand

    Given the 4-hour half-day glacier hikes seemed lame, I opted to upgrade to a heli-hike. Basically, you get a scenic helicopter ride up the glacier (higher than where the regular hikes go), hike around for 1.5 hours, and then get a ride back down. I had …"

  83. David Lee reviewed Tongariro Crossing Hike in North Island, New Zealand

    I awoke from my slumber in Taupo to a chilly, cloudy, rainy morning. As I peered out the hostel window, I could barely see across the lake to the volcanoes I was hoping to climb. The Tongariro National Park is a World Heritage site, and home to New Zea…"

  84. 19 May 2009

  85. David Lee wrote a blog post Video of the Week - Dangerous Destinations

    What happens when you’ve been to 10…20…30+ countries, and your wanderlust is still going strong? You might start looking to countries off the beaten track - such as the ones deemed the most dangerous in the world by Forbes Magazine (List of Ten Countries"

  86. 16 May 2009

  87. David Lee wrote a blog post Day 1 In Bali - Sensory Overload

    Don’t look in a cheap shop if you have no intention to buy something."

  88. 13 May 2009

  89. David Lee wrote a blog post Dare #16 - Completed - Cage Diving With Great White Sharks

    Boarding the Barracuda, I was acutely aware of the potential for seasickness. At the time, I was more concerned about an upset stomach than getting in the cage. A clearly stated rule of the trip was “no vomiting” in the toilet on board."

  90. 09 May 2009

  91. David Lee wrote a blog post Cambodian Hospitality

    I hesitated at first, when Phi-lay asked me to join his family for dinner after having only spent a few hours with me."

  92. 04 May 2009

  93. David Lee wrote a blog post Day 3 - Redemption At 4,320 Meters

    We initially planned to wake at 5am, and head up to the pass at 6am, however there was a rain delay of an hour."

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