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Live and LearnI have long believed that one of the best ways to learn is by travel. You open yourself up to new experiences, new cultures, new food and more. If you think about it, this shouldn't be a huge surprise as one of the best ways to learn anything is to immerse yourself in it and get hands on.
However traveling the globe is not an easy task (especially now during a pandemic). You need time off work, passports, visas, and of course, plenty of money. But thanks for a friend of ours you can now learn all about the countries and the cultures from our show each week. Ramblin' Randy (known on-air as R-Dub) is a fellow on-air personality at Magic 92.5 in San Diego as well as the host of the internationally syndicated Sunday Night Slow Jams, and he has made it his goal to visit all 193 countries (he is currently 74% of the way there). I had the pleasure of working with him at 93.7 KRQ in Tucson, Arizona when he was the night host and I was in promotions. |
Check this page each week after our show to read about his experience in the country we are counting down the hits in! His posts and photos provide you a first-hand account of the country, its people and its culture in a way you can usually only experience by being their yourself. Special thanks to Ramblin' Randy for allowing us to share his content here. Read all about his adventures on his site RamblinRandy.com, including the post about his trip to North Korea! We have no plans of counting down the hits playing on the radio in Pyongyang, so just go ahead and read his post now. It's crazy cool!)
While I haven't been as many places as Randy has (he's at 74% of the world, I'm sitting at 6%), when we come to a country I've been too I'll share my experiences as well!
While I haven't been as many places as Randy has (he's at 74% of the world, I'm sitting at 6%), when we come to a country I've been too I'll share my experiences as well!
Denmark
First a disclaimer: I was cranky when I was in Copenhagen, so this report may be a little bit biased. I hadn’t achieved a full night’s sleep in almost a week, since arriving in Europe; my body clock was refusing to adjust and day number six was just about my breaking point.
I had an eleven-hour layover in Copenhagen–which would normally be glorious–but my body and mind were both in the process of shutting down, and since this was just a layover, I had nowhere to lay my head and recharge. It was a tough day.
Click here to read his entire blog and see more photos from the Denmark!
I had an eleven-hour layover in Copenhagen–which would normally be glorious–but my body and mind were both in the process of shutting down, and since this was just a layover, I had nowhere to lay my head and recharge. It was a tough day.
Click here to read his entire blog and see more photos from the Denmark!
United Arab Emirates
The UAE was actually the first country that really intrigued me, way back when. I remember clearly: eighth grade, social studies, lights off, as we watched a VHS tape on the big box TV strapped to a cart. The documentary highlighted the country; mysterious back then, certainly not today.
I don’t know what it was about the images flashing across the screen that caught the attention of a 14-year-old Ramblin’ Randy, but it did. Yup, I loved the UAE before loving the UAE was cool. Now, it’s a super popular tourist destination and stands for everything that is glitz, glamour and money
Click here to read his entire blog and see more photos from the UAE!
I don’t know what it was about the images flashing across the screen that caught the attention of a 14-year-old Ramblin’ Randy, but it did. Yup, I loved the UAE before loving the UAE was cool. Now, it’s a super popular tourist destination and stands for everything that is glitz, glamour and money
Click here to read his entire blog and see more photos from the UAE!
Canada
Canada was only my sixth country–a long, long time ago, and over a decade before I started keeping this online journal of my travels…nonetheless, an absolutely epic trip; a trip with a purpose. As crazy as this sounds, I traveled all the way to Canada with the sole purpose of visiting the filming locations from my favorite movie of all time. If there was ever any question, I guess it’s now official…I am indeed a huge nerd.
Click here to read his entire blog and see more photos from Canada!
Click here to read his entire blog and see more photos from Canada!
United Kingdom
My trip to the UK in 2010 was nice, but too quick: it was at the end of a cruise and well before my real passion for travel was conceived, hence the reason I don’t have much of a “story.” I did take a few photographs though, so I hope you enjoy.
Click here to read his entire blog and see more photos from the UK!
Click here to read his entire blog and see more photos from the UK!
Costa Rica
Two trips here. My first 2014 visit to Costa Rica was part of my challenge to visit all of the Americas before turning 40. Since this was during the days before my serious traveling–and before my travel writing–the details will be few: I didn’t take a ton of notes, but luckily snapped some photos to help me remember.
My 2016 to San José could not have been more different than the first. The way I got the time off from work was probably the best part of the whole thing.
Click here to read his entire blog (and see some cool photos)!
My 2016 to San José could not have been more different than the first. The way I got the time off from work was probably the best part of the whole thing.
Click here to read his entire blog (and see some cool photos)!
Belgium
Anyway, my trip to Belgium in 2008 was one of those “hop off the cruise ship and take a tour” visits.
I had a lovely time because I was with my dear mother, and I certainly didn’t dislike my stop here…but this was well before my real passion for travel was conceived, hence the reason I don’t have much of a “story.”
Click here to read his entire blog (and see some cool photos)!
I had a lovely time because I was with my dear mother, and I certainly didn’t dislike my stop here…but this was well before my real passion for travel was conceived, hence the reason I don’t have much of a “story.”
Click here to read his entire blog (and see some cool photos)!
Fiji
Fiji was part of a three-nation, Thanksgiving vacation for me, and was the flight hub for me to see both Tonga and Tuvalu as well: a total of three new countries and I was so ready to clock-in on island time as 2017 wrapped up.
I knew I was going to enjoy the overnight business class flight on Fiji Airways as soon as I was served their signature cocktail: a sweet and tangy concoction made of banana run, cherries and lime slices. I’m not a big drinker, but a couple of these were a nice way to get me relaxed and settled in for the twelve-hour flight across the Pacific.
Click here to read his entire blog (and see some cool photos)!
I knew I was going to enjoy the overnight business class flight on Fiji Airways as soon as I was served their signature cocktail: a sweet and tangy concoction made of banana run, cherries and lime slices. I’m not a big drinker, but a couple of these were a nice way to get me relaxed and settled in for the twelve-hour flight across the Pacific.
Click here to read his entire blog (and see some cool photos)!
Guatemala
My 2014 visit to Guatemala was part of challenge to visit all of the Americas before turning 40. Since this was during the days before my serious traveling–and before my travel writing–the details will be sparse. I wish I would’ve kept a journal back then, because my quick, two-night stop into the small town of a Antigua was a treat! Getting there, however, not so much.
I couldn’t believe they weren’t letting me board the plane in Mexico City. “This has got to be a mistake,” I thought, as the lady told stopped me, telling me I needed to present my “exit visa” for Mexico. This was crazy!
Click here to read his entire blog (and see some cool photos)!
I couldn’t believe they weren’t letting me board the plane in Mexico City. “This has got to be a mistake,” I thought, as the lady told stopped me, telling me I needed to present my “exit visa” for Mexico. This was crazy!
Click here to read his entire blog (and see some cool photos)!
South Africa
I only had one night in Johannesburg. The locals call it Joburg. I checked into my hotel, had dinner with some radio peeps and went to bed. The next morning I had breakfast in the hotel and then headed over to give a speech at a radio conference.
Click here to read his entire blog (and see some cool photos)!
Click here to read his entire blog (and see some cool photos)!
Japan
Japan was so dope. Everything I heard about Japan was true…times ten. One of the cleanest countries I’ve ever visited, and the people were some of the most respectful and polite folks I’ve ever come in contact with. I could definitely live here.
Here are a few pics and notes from the highlights of my trip. Nothing crazy eventful happened on this trip, but lots of nice scenery, great food, and lovely peeps.
Click here to read his entire blog (and see tons of cool photos)!
Here are a few pics and notes from the highlights of my trip. Nothing crazy eventful happened on this trip, but lots of nice scenery, great food, and lovely peeps.
Click here to read his entire blog (and see tons of cool photos)!
Mexico
What can I say about Mexico? I know her well. Mexico was the first country, outside of my own of course, that I’d ever traveled to, and it’s the country that I’ve visited the most: easily over 100 times, probably closer to 200. From my first trip to San Felipe as a kid, with my father; to crossing the border every Saturday night, for years, as host of a wild nightclub in Nogales, Sonora; Mexico is the country I have the most memories and stories of, which is one reason I’ve put off this Mexico page for so long: I simply didn’t know where to start.
Well, consider this my start: my recent weekend trip to Guadalajara. Later, I’ll add articles for Nogales, Tijuana, Mexico City, Puerto Peñasco, San Felipe, Guaymas, San Carlos and Hermosillo.
Click here to read the complete blog on RamblinRandy.com
Well, consider this my start: my recent weekend trip to Guadalajara. Later, I’ll add articles for Nogales, Tijuana, Mexico City, Puerto Peñasco, San Felipe, Guaymas, San Carlos and Hermosillo.
Click here to read the complete blog on RamblinRandy.com