How I Spent the Last Year As a Homeless Nomadic Hobo:

TL;DR: Got laid off, packed up all my things, spent the last year becoming a nomad, goting my heart broke, traveling the world (8 countries), and now traveling the US via motorcycle on a cross country road trip.

PREVIOUSLY ON IMGUR. About a year ago, my life changed very drastically. I posted this image on Imgur, what I think is the beginning of my adventure. I was living in Oakland, working in 50+ hours a week in an office, commuting 2 hours a day, for a company in SF. Working my butt off post college, trying to adult. Out of nowhere, I was let go (really, they brought in my replacement, had me train them, and then let me know. But thats neither here nor there). 

I didn't know what to do. It just so happen I was let go a month before my lease was up, and I was left with a decision: Get a new job and start again somewhere else in the Bay Area, or live out a lifelong dream of traveling.

This was the turning point for me in my life. I sold and got rid of +90% of my stuff, the things I just couldn't part with got loaded up into my car, and I head out for who knew what.

Everything that follows is all OC.

First thing i did was to go see my best friend (In blue)

With a shakeup like that, I thought it best to reconnect with my best friend who had been living in Oregon. I've known him since we were 8 or 9, and he has been my best friend since then. His family has taken me in as one of their own, put a roof over my head, fed me, clothed me on many occasions over the years. I owe them so very much

Turns out he was getting a new puppers at the time!

Look at that little rascal, it thinks it can drive. 
In actuality she wouldn't stop bawling unless you held her.

He taught me how to flyfish.

Crooked River, OR

I loved it. Wish I had some gear so I could do it more.

Look at that derpy little thing.

Didn't end up catching too much, mostly myself...

Good thing my friend is a firefighter with medical experience. Took a while to get the hook out...

After that, I went out to finally sort things out with my long term, long distance college love.

We met a few months before we graduated college, and fell for each other. She left for her post-college career, I stayed in the Bay Area. We had kept in contact and occasionally visited each other. 

Now was finally the time we could give it a real shot. Only one thing stopping us, I was in California and she was in...

LOUISIANA

The Bayou

As my first time being in the South, it was quite the experience. Say what you want, but Louisiana is pretty amazing, and a completely unique world all to itself.

We did the normal couple things

Went to local shows at night

Did Halloween in New Orleans, LA

This place is incredible. If you ever go, obviously eat everything. But be sure to get off Bourbon St. and see all this place has to offer.

She had a thing for skeletons

So we dressed up as skeletons. Made the costume myself (besides the vest). As you could imagine, lots of shenanigans followed.

Took a road trip to Nashville, TN

The music city. Long time country music lover, was raised on it. Always wanted to see the city, never thought I would.

Did the honkey-tonk thing.

Music... Music EVERYWHERE.

Ended the road trip by taking the long way back via Pensacola, FL

Unfortunately, seemed like time got the better of us, and we had each evolved into different people. It didn't end up working out. Still care for her immensely for all she helped me with, but sometimes it just doesn't work out...

So heart broke, I packed a bag, and bought a one way ticket.

Put all my stuff into storage. Grabbed a backpack and my camera, and hopped a plane with no return ticket to see what the world had in store for me.

(FYI, if anyone is looking for a good traveling back, the Osprey Fairpoint is amazing. Been living out of it for a year now, healed up like a damn champ. shoutout to Osprey for amazing work)

First Stop, THAILAND

Khaosan Road, the "backpackers" area of Bangkok.

Had been to southeast asian once before for school, and loved it. Heard Thailand was good for backpackers: cheap (always necessary), amazing food, easy to get around, nice and friendly people, beautiful diverse scenery, more culture and history than you can shake a stick at.

Its all true.

Ayutthaya: City build on the ruins of a once bustling capitol.

"Ayutthaya is a city in Thailand, about 80 kilometers north of Bangkok. It was capital of the Kingdom of Siam, and a prosperous international trading port, from 1350 until razed by the Burmese in 1767. The ruins of the old city now form the Ayutthaya Historical Park, an archaeological site that contains palaces, Buddhist temples, monasteries and statues."

Saw amazingly beautiful ruins.

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary

Got to spend the day feeding, playing, and bathing with elephants. Don't worry, no riding here.

Amazing beaches.

The Thai longboat

They're the main means of water transport in Southern coastal Thailand.

The Beaches...

Could you ask for more??? Jungle covered limestone spires.

Fire dancers on the beach at night.

Ko Phi Phi, Thailand.

These guys did this every night on the beach. They don't mess around.

Don't forget about the mountains.

The beaches are where most people go when the visit Thailand, but don't forget about the mountainous northern Thailand! It was my favorite, much more my speed, just as beautiful, less tourists. Eat the food. Northern Thai food is uniquely different from its southern cousins. If you can find green curry pork in any of the amazing street food vendors, DO NOT pass it up.

On of the 7 Erawan Falls in the Erawan National Park, Thailand

My favorite means of transportation: TRAINS

This the the infamous "Bridge over the River Kwai" in Kanchanaburi. The river is behind me in this picture.

All the trains are run by the government and are very easy to use. Highly suggest them over buses.

The Burma Railway, aka the Death Railway

Built during WWII during Japanese occupation of Thailand, using over 240,000 POWs for forced labor. Very sad, but a beautiful and moving reminder of history.

Met lots of amazing people along the way.

This old man didn't speak any english, we still had a wonderful day together. He showed me lots of local food, such as rose apples, and how to properly coat pineapple in the chili-sugar that is a common tasty snack.

Frank, and old smooth talking jazz man from, none other than, New Orleans, LA. We sat, had tea together, and talked about life for a bit. He had traveled the world on his bicycle, finally settled in Pai, Thailand (a beautiful tiny mountain town in the North of Thailand, near the boarder of Myanmar and Laos.

Some of the accommodations were unique

Thom Lot, Northern Thailand.

Just a mat on the bamboo floor with a few blankets and a mosquito net.

Buddhist monks of Wat Pho, Bangkok

The night markets are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

Everything you could ever think of, fresh from the field/stream/ocean/garden. All for a few $$$.

Got to cross something off the bucket list: Sleeper train.

Sorry for the legs...

But I've always wanted to travel by sleep train, James Bond style. What I was lacking in martinis, I made up with in Star Wars.

I spent a long longer than I wish to admit photographing the monkeys.

A LOT longer than I wish to admit...

Put the lime in the coconut and drank it all up

Spent about a month traveling from about as far north as Thailand goes to about as far south as you can go, and was blown away. But unfortunately my tourist visa was up, so I grabbed my next plane.

Bali, Indonesia

Had heard nothing but good things about Bali. It was the wet season there when I visited, but it didn't get in the way.

Did a sunrise hike up a volcano

Mt. Batur looking out to the Bali Sea.

Had to wake up at 3 in the morning for it, but damn was it worth it.

UNESCO approved terraced rice fields

Preparing for a funeral pyre

The Balinese have an amazing culture. The only Hindu haven in Indonesia (most populous muslim country in the world), they blend a wonderful appreciation for family, the environment, and self.

Religions is huge in everyday life.

The architecture of their religious items are second to none.

A very unique geometric style can be found everywhere.

Water. Water is life.

Water for the Balinese in second to none. It is the most important thing. They bless themselves with it over their heads, and then drink the holy water a few times.

They even had sacred water temples.

Tirta Empul, Bali, Indonesia.

I got to bath here. I have no words for how special it was.

Of course had to take in the infamous Balinese Dance show.

Lastly, snorkeling in the reefs.

The water was clear and aquatic life was plentiful.

Much needed as I was dying of the heat, so in my infinite wisdom, I decided a good next stop would be AUSTRALIA

The Wonderful Land of Oz

Australia, the land of Kangaroos. Good old Down-under. I took the Ghan, the worlds only north-south trans continental railways through the heart of the Outback.

Crocodiles the sizes of cars.

(These people paid money to swim with one. ARE YOU MAD???)

Did I mention they have GIGANTIC crocodiles

My new favorite color. The red sands of the Australian outback are so beautiful.

Learned about "Bush Tucker" (native food in the outback) and the amazing Aboriginal culture

You have to be some serious BAMFs to live your life out in the outback.

But if you can survive, the desert rewards you with some amazingly beautiful sights.

Uluru, aka Ayers Rock, at Sunrise.

"Uluru, or Ayers Rock, is a massive sandstone monolith in the heart of the Northern Territory’s Red Centre desert... It’s sacred to indigenous Australians and believed to be about 700 million years old."

The desert can be brutal

But I was utterly blown away by how pretty it is.

I ended up camping for 3 nights in the outback. Knowing how dangerous Australia is, I was scared shitless of being eaten by a spider or waking up with a snake. But I didn't die, and just proved to be an overly worried pansy foreigner.

It not all desert in the Red Center of Australia

But half the "logs" i saw ended up being crocs...

Kata Tjuta at sunrise

Theres more than just Uluru to visit too! The landscape here is in a class of its own.

Kings Canyon

Like small rock igloos as far as the eye can see carved from the wind.

Ochre of the Outback

This is ochre, the pigments where the Aboriginals dug out of the ground for their paints. They painted caves to pass on knowledge, teach the younger generations, and as art. They also painted themselves with the left over paint for ceremonies.

Oh yeah, closer...

I expected to die in the outback, but ended up coming out of it even more alive than I entered.

Dinner by the campfire.

Ever get the chance to see the outback, do not pass it up. 

All y'all Aussies have to be the craziest bunch of cunts out there, but you're alright in my book.

Next Stop: New Zealand

The land of the long white cloud. As far as I'm concerned, one of the most beautiful and geographically diverse places in the entire world.

Sheep. Sheep forever.

More sheep than people. By a lot. A LOT.

Windy Wellington

NZ's capitol city, Wellington. Windy. Almost all the time. One of really the only 3 big cities they have.

Home to one of the most intense warrior cultures: The Maori

Ended up staying the night in a Maori village to learn about the culture. Found out the word "Tattoo" originates from the Maori. Eye bulging a common sight.

Cared myself some NZ Greenstone

Nephrite Jade. One of my favorite possessions right now.

Also home to some of the most picturesque, undeveloped, natural landscapes anyone can ever lay an eye on.

Wanaka, South Island NZ. Sunrise.

Kaikoura, East coast of the South Island NZ.

Took my first ever helicopter ride.

Got to climb all over a glacier too!

Frans Joseph Glacier, Frans Joseph, South Island NZ.

And I had a birthday!

This is how I spent my 24th birthday, eating cake on the hood of a car with some friends from high school who were working the wine harvest in NZ.

In honor of living for 24 years, I did something stupid.

134m (440 feet for us freedom unit using folk) bungie jump into a canyon.

And the world largest swing. 120m rope (394 freedom units) suspended 160m high (525 freedom units) over the valley.

Upside down. In my skivvies. Again, apologies for the less than appealing view.

I made my way north.

Tropical. Warm water. White sand beaches.

And spent some time working on a dairy farm.

Mangonui, North Island NZ

Late night milk run with mom

I WWOOFing on a dairy fam. A family a Kiwis took me in and treated me as one of their own.

If you don't know what WWOOFing is, check it out here (www.wwoof.net). For those willing to work, its an amazing opportunity!

They had a few adorable kids

A couple piggies

Very happy piggies

An old doggo named Ogg

A lazy field cat

And cows. Lots of cows.

The ladies in question.

Spent every morning collecting the cows and doing this.

Wake up at 5, find the cows, bring them to the shed, then milk milk milk.

Learned a lot while I was here

I find its important to never forget where your food comes from. I have worked with cows before, but this was my first dairy experience. It was very eye opening. I highly suggest that everyone takes a little time to learn where our food is coming from. We are too detached from food production these days. I don't care if you eat meat, don't eat meat, or are a level 5 vegan and don't eat anything that casts a shadow. To each his/her own, but know where your food comes from.

Times were tough, but they offered everything they could offer.

Milk prices were at a historic low. Times were tough, but they offered everything they had to us (me and the other WWOOFers). We ate like kings. Some of the best food I've had. Every. Single. Night.

EVERY.

SINGLE.

NIGHT.

I was spoiled rotten. If Stu and Melisa are reading this:

THANK YOU. You were so amazing to me. If there is anything I can do to repay you, let me know.

When we didn't work, they treated us to some amazingness that is NZ.

Spent the day swimming at the beach, fishing, and collecting tui tui (shellfish) that we ate that night.

But sadly my time there had to end to, and I head out to see what the rest of NZ had to offer.

Golden sand beaches of Able Tasman

Sky blue lake of Tekapo

The Fjordlands

Very LOTRs

Not pictured here, the freshwater eels the size of my ARM.

Of course, no trip to NZ is complete without visiting the SHIRE.

I was a giddy schoolgirl all day. Big shit eating grin the whole time.

You even get a complimentary beer at THE GREEN DRAGON.

"Oh you can search far and wide,
You can drink the whole town dry,
But you'll never find a beer so brown,

Oh you'll never find a beer so brown,

As the one we drink in our hometown,
As the one we drink in our hometown.
You can drink your fancy ales,
You can drink them by the flagon,
But the only brew for the brave and true...
...Comes from the Green Dragon!!"

Volcanic hot water at Hot Water Beach

You can dig holes in the sand and out comes bubbling hot water. Unfortunately can only be done at low tide, and since I missed the one in the morning, had to go at 11 at night in the rain. Totally worth it.

Needless to say, New Zealand is incredible

Kiwi's got it good. For sure.

This is also where I met this wonderful Lass.

We met at the end of my trip in NZ, and hit it off rather well. Spent a few weeks traveling NZ together. Unfortunately I had already bought a ticket back home, as I was out of money and couldn't stay any longer. But she invited me to visit her in her home country of Sweden! I figured, how many times in your life does a beautiful woman want you to come visit them in a foreign country? Not often... So i jumped at the chance life presented to me.

So I came home, picked up a gig remodeling a house, and scraped together enough cash to get a plane To Sweden.

See that wall and windows? They didn't exist 12 hours before. So after a month or so of swinging a hammer, I jumped on the next flight to Sweden

SWEDEN

The land of water. 

I had no idea there was so much water. Typical ignorant American, not afraid to admit it.

Midsummer

The land of Midsummer, A pagan harvest festival. The one time of year the rather reserved and quite natured Swedes cut loose and celebrate. It was a hoot for sure.

Midsummer Flower Crowns

Its traditional that you go out and collect wildflowers, and then painstakingly weave them into a crown. Both males and females wear them. I think I did pretty good for greenhorn.

Raising the Maypole

Leksand, Sweden. Sweden's largest maypole. After its raised, everyone gets up and dances around it. 1000s of people dancing around a pole together, it was quite the sight.

Lets not forget about famous Swedish Meatballs.

Omg. SO good...

Look how happy she was.

She didn't let me take pictures of her often, but I occasionally snuck one in.

Learned about the traditional Swedish houses.

Cant imagine living through their winters without modern insulation. Tough people.

For a heavily atheist country, they have beautiful churches.

And hidden treasures such as this, if you know where to look.

Found out where trolls are born.

Vasa Ship, Stockholm.

Looked at some diversity (https://imgur.com/21I6n5E)

Got out arts on.

And looked at Castle

Aka Slotts.

Slotts. Slotts for days.

In the infamous words of Lil' Jon, " Slotts, slotts, slotts, slotts, slotts, slotts!"

Doesn't really matter which town you go to, theres some water, its all immaculate, and beautiful.

And then as soon as you go out to the countryside, you're treated to views like this. Its beautiful.

Even the ruins are beautiful. Its not fair.

Just a walk through the Swedish countryside.

I stayed mostly in central Sweden. But I was lucky, and we took a quick road trip to the neighbor to the west, Norway.

Norway

The land of Stave churches.

Just an old wooden building from the 1200's, NBD they say...

Giant Mountains.

Lakes. Lakes forever.

If I though Sweden had a lot of water. Norway had 5 times as much.

And being an American where you can't drink from streams and rivers due to giardia, YOU CAN DRINK ALL OF IT! Its amazing. See a stream on the side of the road? Fill up your water bottle and drink some of the freshest water ever.

Did the world famous Besseggen hike in Jotunheimen National Park.

14 Kms (8.7 miles) with 900 m (2950 ft) elevation gain. Took me 8 hours has I stopped often for food and pictures.

But with views like these, who could blame me for taking all day?

Mindblowing.

Drove Trollstigen

This picture, or any other I've ever seen, does NOT do this justice.I drove it 3 times just to be sure I got the most out of it.

And of course, the Fjords.

Geiranger Fjord, Norway.

Norway is so famous for it Fjords that the word itself, Fjord, a Norwegian word has entered the english lexicon.

The road trip ended here, but the traveling did not. Drove 12 straight hours back to Sweden to hop on the plan and off to the next destination.

Budpest, Hungary.

I had zero knowledge of Budapest before I arrived. Could not of been most pleasantly surprised by the culture, history, people, bathhouses, and just all around wonderful city. Only had a brief stay here of 4 days, but I will want to see it again in the future.

Spent a few days just walking Budapest.

St. Stephen's Basilica.

Szent István szobra outside Matthias Church

Matthias Church inside. Again, beautiful churches everywhere I went.

Of course had to stop at a beer or two at a ruin bar.

But my trip there was cut short as I hopped on my next plane.

Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The land of art, canals, cannabis, and windmills.

The architecture of the canal houses were spectacular.

I loved them all and their unique idiosyncrasies. No house the same, no house perfect.

The Red Light District at Night.

Toured the Red Light District. Rather interesting experience to be around. The liberation offered within the city was interesting to say they least. I loved it, just a little over populated for my taste.

But I loved the canals

And all the bicycles too.

Had a life changing experience visiting the Van Gogh Museum

Had the Funky Monkey coffee shop and their space cake to thank for that...

Had a wonderful picnic in the Vondelpark, Amsterdamn.

The sun was shining, there was music playing, everyone just enjoying the day.

But unfortunately again, things came to an end yet again.

By the end of the trip, this poor, wonderful woman was just about done with me. I mean, who can blame her? Im quite a handful. Things again didn't end up working out too well. But I do wish her all the best, and thank her for such an amazing time together. So I hopped on the next plane back to California...

So, here I am again...

Right back where I started. 

Homeless, unemployed, no real prospects, unsure about life, don't know what to do with myself, except this time no life savings anymore.  

Thats been the last year of my life. I have officially been an unemployed nomadic hobo for a full year, something I never saw coming, but also something I wouldn't change in any way. Every day of the last year has been filled with more beautiful people, more gorgeous sights, and more fulfilling adventures than the entirety of the life before it. 
So, where does that leave me? What to do now?

A rolling stone collects no moss.

I took the very last of my money, and bought a motorcycle. I am going to be taking a cross country road trip to try and find the place I call home. Just me, my bike (name to follow soon), and my camera.

Heres the route I have planned (roughly)

Starting from my hometown in California, head up to Montana, meander down to Texas, then over to Tennessee. Will be camping a majority of the time and living off peanut butter sandwiches and what little food I can cook on a backpacking stove.

All to try and find a place to call home. To find my place, my spot.

Know of any places along this route that I should see? Sights worth visiting? 
Let me know! 

See an awesome town or city I'm missing?
Tell me about it!

Any other gypsy souls out there who will be along this route? 
Lets get together! 

Got a spare couch and willing to offer it to this strange bearded hobo for the night? (http://s3.amazonaws.com/images.hitfix.com/assets/3101/dirt.gif) Willing to exchange chores or pictures for the hospitality!!

Thanks for making it this far! Rove, ramble, and roam, my friends.

"I’m just a traveller on this earth
Sure as my heart’s behind the pocket of my shirt
I’ll just keep rolling till I’m in the dirt
‘Cause I’m a traveller, oh, I’m a traveller
I couldn’t tell you honey, I don’t know
Where I’m going but I’ve got to go
‘Cause every turn reveals some other road
And I’m a traveller, oh, I’m a traveller"

Seductive cake tax.

My friend Liz, a kook.

This is only a handful of the over 20k photos I've taken. One day I'll be able to work through them all...