richyoon's VirtualTourist Home Page

Send Photo to a Friend

Gaudi Architecture in Barcelona, Spain

Why I love traveling

Having grown up in Los Angeles, and never having left... I've learned so much by visiting other places, cultures, and peoples. It opened my eyes to so much ... so many different attitudes, thoughts, and languages. However, it showed me how in so many ways, we are the same. Although I love traveling for the mere enjoyment of taking vacation, and being away from your day to day life. Traveling has also been a source of healing and self-awareness for me. Some of my best adventures have been during some of my most "lonely" times of my life. Being on the road with no preconceived notions, and only chance/fate (and a good guide book) to lead the way... isn't traveling grand???

I think to enjoy traveling means that you love to share about our common traveling experiences. I hope to share experiences that we can all make the most of our times on the road.

Send Photo to a Friend

Floating down a river in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Discovering Places and Missed Opportunities

After looking at some of the other members' profiles, I realize how limited my travel experiences have been. Unfortunately, I grew up in an immigrant family that didn't have the time or money to travel extensively. Our family trips (during the summer) were road trips from Los Angeles to the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, San Francisco, San Diego, etc. These road trips were long drives where my brother and I spent hours on end in the back of our station wagon. Yet, these innocent times are forever embedded in my memory. I can still remember listening to the Journey Escape Album in our Malibu Cutlass Stationwagon. Memories of Zion National Park & Lake Tahoe, and Las Vegas were really exciting because we actually went to another state. As a kid, I remember thinking that I've been in 4 states now, and can't wait to see the other 46.

Unfortunately, I did not get to travel much more as a young person. I was always more worried about the cost of traveling than the fact that later in life I will not have the time to travel. Probably a product of my upbringing ... Extra money in college was spent on drinks and clubbing ... My parents did send me back to Korea for one-month during my freshman year summer... but meeting with family and "being sent" limited my ability to fully appreciate the opportunity.

I didn't discover my love for traveling until my mid-20s. Only during grad school did I start to venture off during my vacations. Spring break my three years in law school brought me to Vegas, New York, and Hawaii (Maui). But Graduation brought me my first trip to Europe... I loved all my trips. Seeing things I've only read about or seen in Movies/TV was an amazing experience. However, I was still not very adventuresome... did all the touristy things (which is not necessarily a bad thing) ... Only after the end of my first marriage, did I really hit the road for self discovery and just outright partying. I quit my fulltime job and took a job that let me just roam the earth for about a year (i.e. I worked sporadically just to make ends meet). This is where my love for traveling really blossomed. I loved being anonymous, carefree, and completely living outside my comfort zone. Although now, I've settled down back into "normal" life, my adventures will always be with me till I die.

Anyways, you are never too old for one more adventure. Right?

Send Photo to a Friend

At Deoksugung Palace in Seoul, Korea

My Favorite Places I've Visited

Best Beach Location:
1) Islands in Southern Thailand (e.g. Phuket, Koh Samui, ...)
2) Castaway Cay in the Bahamas
3) Hawaii (Maui, Oahu, Big Island, and Kauai)

Best Party Town:
1) Barcelona
2) Amsterdam
3) Seoul
4) Las Vegas

Most Scenic:
1) Vancouver, BC
2) Hakone, Japan

Best Cultural Experience:
1) Paris, France
2) Madrid, Spain
3) Tokyo, Japan

Most Diverse:
1) New York, New York
2) San Francisco, CA
3) London, England