Tuesday, December 20, 2011

International Travel Goals Jan 4th - August 13th, 2011



I shared this list with my friends on Facebook before I left on my globe-trotting internship tour at the beginning of 2011. Considering the feedback I got there, I decided to share a summary of what I achieved, (and will have to go back for the next time around) here on this blog; I hope you enjoy: [x] = objective accomplished [ ] = yet to be accomplished Descriptions and/or pictures accompany the some of the more exciting achievements. Below is my itinerary and trip goals. Let me know what you think and if I should add anything onto the list! I consider everything under main and secondary goals achieveable. Bonus goals are things that have come up unexpctedly and/or have been suggested to me and piqued my interest enough to consider making plans for them.

Trip Dates

4th Jan to April 9th – Australia: Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns April 2nd to April 7th – New Zealand 10th April to 8th June – India 9th June to 2nd July – U.S. 3rd July to 13th August – Hong Kong/Macau/China Lots of weekend trips

Main Objectives

[x] Get to Australia (Jan 4th) First Time Abroad; So Far From Friends [x] Get to India (Apr 9th) [x] Get to Hong Kong (July 3rd) [x] Work for a Private Equity company (Equity Partners) [x] Work for one of the big four (Ernst & Young - April 12th) Last Day At Work in India! [x] Work for a financial consulting firm (FactSet Research Systems)

Secondary Objectives

Australia

[x] Scuba-dive SCUBA-mask Close-up
--[x] See marine life ----[2x] Manly, NSW - Shark (2 dusky whalers (3m), 1 wobby gong(1m)), manta ray, big fish (variety), conch slug (huge) ----[5x] Tweed Head, NSW - Manta Ray (3m wide), Sea turtles (one 1.5m wide), massive lobster (1m long), school of squid, puffer fish, clown fish, "Dory" fish ----[11x] Great Barrier Reef - Too many to list!! SCUBA with an Eastern Green Groper [13 jumps - done!] Finish skydiving AFF program --[ ] Sky dive in New Zealand [x] Go to the Gold Coast [x] Get advanced openwater scuba diving license [x] Skydive, ride a motorcycle, and scuba-dive respectively within 24 hours of each other!!!

India

[ ] Visit the Taj Mahal [x] Drive a car and/or motorcycle in India (and survive) Riding a Harley in Bangalore, India [3/3] Visit the three major cities of India: [x] Bombay, [x] Bangalore, [x] Delhi

Hong Kong/Macau SARs

[4x] Bungy jump AJ Hacket Macau Tower 233m (764ft) - tallest in the world AJ Hackett Macau Tower Bungy

China

[x] Beijing --[x] The Great Wall Great Wall of China --[x] Tianamen Square --[x] Forbidden City --[ ] The Bird's Nest (2008 Olympic Stadium) [x] Shanghai --[x] Shanghai World Financial Center (World tallest *observator* tower) [x] Visit Chinese factories, wholesalers, supplier fairs in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Fo Shan, Zhong Shan Pretending to be an interested buyer

Other

[x] Go to New Zealand Overlooking Queenstown [ ] Go to Thailand --[ ] Scuba-dive in Thailand [ ] Go whale watching [ ] Cliff dive over 60 feet North America [x] Attend Ramsey’s Cal High graduation [x] Go on a vacation with the family (Canada) Canada with Family [ ] Cross-country road trip (Cali to Boston)

Bonus Objectives and/or Accomplishments

[4/4] Do a backflip at a bar/night out in each country [6x] Australia, [2x] New Zealand, [3x] India, [x] Hong Kong

Australia

[x] Visit the Blue Mountains [x] Have a big Australia Day BBQ [ ] Learn to surf in Manly --[ ] Surf in Bondi [ ] Stand on Ayers rock

New Zealand

[x] River raft River-rafting the Shotover Canyon (Queenstown, NZ) [x] Ride Jet Boat [x] Canyon Swing Canyon Swing at Shotover Canyon (Queenstown, NZ) [x] 4x4 off-road (as a passenger) [x] Ice climb a glacier Ice Climbing Franz Josef Glacier [x] Climb in Mt. Cook Valley [x] Kayak on Lake Tepako [ ] Ride in a zorb ball

India

[x] Visit the "Tiger of Mysore" Palace Tiger of Mysore Palace [x] Visit the Brindavan Gardens [x] Play cricket (x2!!) [ ] Drive a rickshaw

Hong Kong/Macau

[ ] Visit Hong Kong Geopark [x] Hike under the Ngong Ping Cable Cars [x] Hike Lantau Island (including largest copper Buddha statue in the world)

China

[x] Picture of the Shanghai skyline Shanghai Skyline [x] Ride in the Tienjian Eye

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