world reviewer

You are here Homepage Community Members Sherry Ott

Sherry Ott

Member statistics

Member since
12th December 2008

What is Ottsworld? It’s my journey! I quit my corporate IT job 2 years ago and said goodbye to blackberries, meetings and New York City. I traveled around the world to 23 countries, finding a new exciting world outside of my office walls. I’ve decided that I can never go back to that world. This may be a little crazy, but I’ve decided to keep this wonderful adventure alive. I am now relocating to Vietnam to teach ESL, do photography, and continue blogging and writing. It’s a huge change, but I’m willing to give it a shot and see what happens.
Join me on the journey!

Ottsworld Blog

View as map »
Sherry Ott's activity

  1. 25 Sep 2009

  2. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Mongolian Food - Got Milk?

    I walked into the ger making sure to duck my head for the low door frame and went around the ger clockwise as I was taught in my cultural training . I took a seat where the family pointed – at the 10 o’clock position; the esteemed position for visitors. T"

  3. 23 Sep 2009

  4. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Q&A - Blogging and Cooking School

    Real questions from you…the lovely people who actually read this blog (thank you, thank you!!) These people contacted me through email and I’ve received permission to reprint their questions and my answers on my site so that everyone can benefit (even you"

  5. 07 Sep 2009

  6. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Gobi Desert Landscapes - Mongolia

    When arriving in Mongolia I was stunned at the emptiness."

  7. 04 Sep 2009

  8. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Three Glorious Years!

    As my parents celebrate their golden anniversary, I’m celebrating my 3 year anniversary (that’s leather in case you wanted to send a gift!) No, I’ve not been secretly married; instead I’m celebrating my separation from corporate life!"

  9. 22 Aug 2009

  10. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post In Search of…A Plan

    After arriving a day late to Ulanbatar, I had a lot of ground to make up. I arrived with no plans except for a guest room booked for one night. My plan was to make no plans and to figure it out when I arrived. In addition, I had another goal, I really wan"

  11. 19 Aug 2009

  12. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Ger to Ger - Cultural Travel in Mongolia

    As I looked at the Ger to Ger handbook, I became a bit nervous about my pending journey into the desert. I paged through the lightning strike section with the extensive “flash to bang” explanation wondering if there was something more statistically releva"

  13. 12 Aug 2009

  14. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Saigon City Guide

    Last month I produced a Saigon City guide podcast for one of my favorite travel websites, The Indie Travel Podcast."

  15. 10 Aug 2009

  16. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Always Pack Your Toothbrush In Your Carry-on

    Many people hate airline travel. They hate overpriced airline tickets, they hate the cramped space, the crying babies, the lost luggage, and the swine flu or myriad of other viruses you tend to catch on the plane. However airline travel is usually necessa"

  17. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Dust Bowl

    I often wonder how many months the pollution and dust in Saigon will take off my life. For this reason, I can’t imagine living here long term. Hell, I imagine that living here long term is akin to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day!"

  18. 18 Jul 2009

  19. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Adventure Eating

    This week, we went out to a night market on a rainy night and I tried more things that I never would have dreamed of being edible!"

  20. 16 Jul 2009

  21. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - Vol. 14

    No matter how hard I try, I just can’t do it. I lose the mental battle every time. I tell myself to be calm, patient, understanding – but then it happens – BEEP, BEEP BEEEEEP, BEEP, BEEP;"

  22. 12 Jul 2009

  23. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - Vol. 13

    I hopped on my motorbike tonight at 8:30 PM to find out that my headlight no longer worked. It would only work when I throttled the bike up – but after I slowed down, the light went out."

  24. 09 Jul 2009

  25. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Price of Being a Foreigner in Asia

    I was out with a friend today shopping for camera equipment for my upcoming trip to Mongolia."

  26. 06 Jul 2009

  27. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Durian - The King of Fruits

    There are many hard things about living by yourself overseas…I may write a book about it someday if I can ever force myself to slow down long enough."

  28. 29 Jun 2009

  29. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Cyclo Sunday - A Tourist In My Home

    I have been asked to produce a Saigon City guide for a travel website. At first this seemed rather simple, I’ve been living here for the past 8 months and have gotten to know the city very well."

  30. 26 Jun 2009

  31. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Grey’s Anatomy in Vietnam

    I had been putting it off for as long as I could, but finally after 6 months I had to go visit the hospital."

  32. 11 Jun 2009

  33. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - Vol. 12

    Mirror Mirror on the motorbike, what is your purpose; are you just there for decoration? Unfortunately after driving a motorbike in HCMC for the last 3 months, I feel as if I’m the only person here who uses my motorbike mirrors for their intended purpose;"

  34. 09 Jun 2009

  35. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post How to Live Out of a Suitcase

    You may wonder how on earth you can live out of a suitcase or backpack. I can’t say it’s easy, but with a few of these tips, you’ll at least make sure your whole ‘home’ doesn’t smell like your dirty socks!"

  36. 06 Jun 2009

  37. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Travel Q&A with Ottsworld

    I’ve been blogging now for close to 3 years and I get questions from strangers weekly."

  38. 04 Jun 2009

  39. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post A Little Rant About Traffic

    One of the disadvantages of living a solo life is that when you have one of those experiences that you just want to tell someone about – there’s normally no one around to listen. So, instead of bottling it all in, I blog; which makes me feel as if I’m tel"

  40. 29 May 2009

  41. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - vol. 11

    What the Helllllllmet? Whenever I get on my bike and take off into the street I always have a small wave of panic come over me. I feel like I forgot something. I feel strangely exposed; one might say naked."

  42. 20 May 2009

  43. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - Vol. 10

    Patience and the Law. I drove over to my favorite cheap eats restaurant in the Backpacker Area in District 1, Lam Café on Bui Vien Street. When I say cheap eats…I mean it…I can get lemon grass beef with rice and a mango smoothie for $2 US."

  44. 14 May 2009

  45. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - Vol. 9

    Move over Project Runway, Vietnam has Project Poncho! Ok, I am joking, however it would be a great idea for a show here! There is one thing that I like about the rainy season , the ponchos. There is a whole poncho industry here that’s I’ve never seen be"

  46. 07 May 2009

  47. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Turning on the Faucet: Vietnam’s Rainy Season

    It has arrived in Vietnam with a vengeance; the rainy season. I am reminded of the movie Forest Gump; his description of Vietnam."

  48. 03 May 2009

  49. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - Vol. 8

    My motorbike license recently arrived proving that bribing officials here actually works. See, you learn something new every day in Vietnam. Of course the whole license is in Vietnamese and I can’t read a thing but my name."

  50. 23 Apr 2009

  51. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post You wanna get personal, I’ll show you personal

    I realize that it’s been quite a while since I’ve left a personal update on my life here in Vietnam. I also realize that my last personal updates were full of struggle which left some people wondering what my future really held."

  52. 16 Apr 2009

  53. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Girl Power - Trekking in the Philippines

    My lunch was packed, my sunscreen was on, my backpack was prepared, and my chariot tricycle pulled up outside my hotel. When the trike pulled up, it appeared to be already full making me slightly confused."

  54. 13 Apr 2009

  55. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Rice Culture - Travel in the Philippines

    I love rice. Rice pudding, fried rice, red beans and rice, rice krispies, wild rice, sticky rice, and even young rice ice cream (there really is such a flavor in Saigon!)."

  56. 08 Apr 2009

  57. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Philippine Travel Destinations: My Itinerary

    I had been hearing about the amazing beaches in the Philippines for years now, so I always had it on my list as a ‘must see’. I had the perfect opportunity to travel to the Philippines for my niece’s softball tournament so I thought this would be my chanc"

  58. 03 Apr 2009

  59. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Getting To Your Destination

    I’m out of practice. I forgot what it was like to have a long travel day; planes, buses, taxis, negotiating the unknown on your own. Getting to your desired travel destination can be like running in a travel obstacle course!"

  60. 27 Mar 2009

  61. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - Vol. 6

    It’s the weekend and that means that it’s time to get on my motorbike again and join the sea of 2 wheels. I’d like to say that it was easier this time, but I don’t know that it was."

  62. 24 Mar 2009

  63. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - Vol. 5

    The motorbike has been rather stationary lately. Very stationary. Okay – I haven’t moved it for 5 days. How did a whole week go by and I haven’t touched the bike? Fear, laziness, excuses, tired; all of the above."

  64. 19 Mar 2009

  65. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - Vol. 4

    Sunday…today is the day it has to happen. No rain, no motorbikes in my way, just the hot sun beating down on the pavement and the open road beckoning me for adventure."

  66. 16 Mar 2009

  67. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - Vol. 3

    Obstacles. Today was the day, the day I was supposed to take the motorbike out and practice. Yet from the moment I stepped outside today I had obstacles in my way."

  68. 12 Mar 2009

  69. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - Vol. 2

    There is a motorbike in my living room. Don’t worry, I put it there on purpose, I didn’t drive through a wall or anything. It’s just sitting there, paid for, looking at me as if it were a piece of furniture."

  70. 10 Mar 2009

  71. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The Motorbike Diaries - Vol. 1

    Yes, you have all heard about the movie Motorcycle Diaries; Che Guevara and his epic motorcycle journey through South America. No, the title of this post wasn’t a typo."

  72. 05 Mar 2009

  73. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post The ‘D’ Word

    I started my morning screaming at people today. Granted I’m not a morning person, that’s no secret, but I don’t normally scream at people. Sure, I think it – but it seldom comes out."

  74. 27 Feb 2009

  75. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post My Lucky Recession

    I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the recession lately. I’m in a very fortunate position here in Vietnam in that I’m not as bombarded by the recession news 24/7 as people in the States are."

  76. 05 Feb 2009

  77. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Finding My Inner Flute - Mui Ne

    I’m laying with on my back on the floor, and aloe vera gel packets on every section of my face except for two openings for my nostrils; it’s a good thing I’m not claustrophobic. I’m in another world, I’m relaxed, I’m happy, I’m lucid, and I realize that I"

  78. 02 Feb 2009

  79. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Get Your Motor Runnin’ - Easy Riders

    I’ve been in Vietnam now for 4 months and I keep hearing about a city in the south that is supposedly not like Vietnam; the weather is cool, the air is fresh, and it’s reminiscint of a French village. The name is Oz…"

  80. 30 Jan 2009

  81. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Year of the Ox - Tet!

    Regardless of what you call it - there’s a big celebration going on over here in this half of the world. Technically its Lunar New Year however it’s referred to as Chinese New Year unless of course you are in Vietnam where it’s called Tet. I guess the Vie"

  82. 01 Jan 2009

  83. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post ChristmAsia

    I must admit that Ho Chi Minh City has surprised me with their Christmas spirit – in fact, it has actually ‘floored me’. In a country where Budhism is the main religion, I was surprised to find so many Christmas festivities and decorations."

  84. 11 Dec 2008

  85. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Running Among Gods

    There are a few places in the world that everyone should see, Angkor Wat is one of them.As most of you know, I am someone who hates to do what everyone else it doing; so I took it a step further last weekend.I didn’t just see Angkor Wat, I ran through it."

  86. 06 Dec 2008

  87. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Superhero or Mere Mortal?

    HCMC is a motorbike mecca. If you’ve ever been here, you know what I mean; if you haven’t then you can’t even begin to imagine what a motorbike commuting mess it is. There are 8 million people in HCMC and 6 million motorbikes."

  88. 25 Nov 2008

  89. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Construction 24/7

    For $18 a night I didn’t expect to have a penthouse view, so when I arrived in my room and pulled back the curtains to see what my view was, I wasn’t surprised to find out I looked out on a huge mud pit which was masquerading as a construction site."

  90. 31 Aug 2008

  91. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Learning How to Remove Leaches

    Today I arrived at the village of Puma where I will be staying for 2 weeks. It’s pretty much what I thought it would be in my ‘prepare for the worst’ expectations. Yet I don’t know that one can ever be prepared to pull big leaches off their body."

  92. 27 Jan 2008

  93. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Pee Pee Island - A girl’s guide to the Asian Squatty Potty

    All of the guide books make reference to it…the Asian toilet a.k.a. Squatty Potty. Sure the guide books refer to it - but no one from Lonely Planet is telling you how to use it. There is no diagram…they just let you figure it out yourself. So for all of t"

  94. 01 Jan 2008

  95. Sherry Ott wrote a blog post Kilimanjaro

    WARNING: Just a friendly warning before you start reading this post…if you have any issues regarding reading about bodily functions…I suggest you look at the pictures and don’t read this post! The mountain was CHALLENGING…"

Subscribe to newsletter Add an experience Share