Welcome to the Travel Blog

Going outside and facing a fear of the world and people was not as difficult as I thought it would be, when you add learning new cultures into the equation. Whenever I try something now that used to elicit a panic attack or freeze response, I give myself a little fist bump on the cheek like Julia Childs. All you have to do is try. 

When doing my research on travel destinations, I had one parameter - Culture. I recently had my first visit to Europe and wanted to be immersed in vibrant color, emotion, cuisine, and smell. I wanted my senses to be lit on fire with anew. Naturally one would think to visit the spas in Mykonos, but my heart wanted a true awakening. I opened Expedia and Google, looking for the largest city I could find, and bingo….  São Paulo, Brazil with a population of twenty-two million people. My goal was simple, new experiences, and if I was lucky - romance.    

All you have to do is pack a bag, add your passport, grab your phone, and Uber to the airport. When life calls and you can no longer ignore the signs, I have found the best iPhone apps for travel and lodging after traveling for three months. All you must do is decide where you want to go. The app community is growing like crazy and there are a lot of them, so how do you choose? I have tried almost all of them and certain ones do have benefits and show true pricing.

There are many different forms of ground travel, and you might be thinking “Why a bus?” Well, I will admit, the first time I stepped into a foreign bus terminal, I was rethinking my own decision. My goal was to see with my own eyes the countryside, rural communities, and suburbs of Brazil. In simplest of forms, bus travel does permit a view, has local stops, and caries local commuters of all types. I chose to take a bus from São Paulo, Brazil to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, so I could marvel at the native hillsides of this beautiful country.

Really, what would you do? As an American citizen, I had no idea that this type of assistance was available. If you find yourself stranded in another country, you might not be alone. The US has an Embassy in almost every country and all you have to do is look for the website. This assistance can literally save your butt in an emergency. 

United Kingdom, London was my first trip to another continent. My goal was to have new experiences and try things that I normally would be reluctant to try in the States. I was on my way to see Adele in concert and wanted to preserve my emotional state and bring a slight smile. To say that I was a nervous sweaty wreck would not give the depth to my emotional delusion that safety did not exist in the gay realm. Prior to landing in London, I had asked the Fellow Gay from "The First Friendly Marry-Go-Round" to accompany me in exploring the gay nightlife and was surprised when the offer was rescinded on the first night. I was determined to not allow this to damper my time. In the words of Joseph Francis Tribbiani Jr."It's London Baby!" 

In Germany I found myself wanting to put on foot outside of the hotel door and explore, but where? I was in town to see Adele in concert and wanted to make lasting memories. I found myself roaming the streets from dawn to dusk with a lust to soak in all of the sights. I also had a wonderment to find safe gay spaces. Being new to travel abroad, I did not want to push myself to the limits, but had a desire to explore the nightlife. 

The culture of Brazil is unlike anything I have ever seen. The people, graffiti, art, shopping, food… It is a totally different world, filled with culture shock around every corner. The Brazilian culture is composed of love, happiness, sex, and cuisine. It is the most vibrant country that I have explored, and I love it.

Foreign Gay Culture; Nightlife in the city; to spending time with connections. 

In Italy I found myself a bit love-struck, so there was a switch in the type of nightlife I experienced. I walked into a different feeling of a safe gay space, and it felt better than walking into any dive diner, or nightclub. It was in the presence of a Brazilian Man. It was the feeling of safety that only another person can offer, a sense of knowing that your emotions and inner-self are permitted the ability to shine through for a short period. However, this is not a full sense of safety from the world, events, or of being kept. It’s these brief moments in life that we get with people who enter the scene for a reason or a season. I indeed allowed my messy walls to crumble, a brick at a time, with this man. This is my wanderlust account of my Roman escapade, with a Brazilian.