My plans were to explore and photograph NYC so my day pack was packed with my DSLR, NYC Subway map and book to read. As I was about to walk out the door to start my day my phone rang from an unknown number. I normally never answer unknown numbers, but my gut told me to go ahead and answer, so I did. It was Kristina from NBCLATINO.com and she wanted to speak with me. She let me know she got my contact information from a mutual friend of ours who sent her my blog information and details of what I have been doing. She let me know she was interested in doing a piece on me along with input from me. She asked me to send her information about me, why I did what I did and my top 10 travel destinations. When she mentioned the “Top 10” part a million thoughts crossed my mind because I’m not a huge fan of “Top 10” post, but thought how could I pass this up. She let me know she needed everything ASAP so the post can go out the following day. So I did what I do best work under pressure, because I am one of the biggest procrastinators in life.
What came to fruition is my favorite post about me ever, because it sums up who I am perfectly. If you haven’t checked it out you can check it out here: “After traveling the globe, the “Breakaway Backpacker” tells us his top 10 travel destination“. I know recently my blog & I have been getting a lot of exposure (I was also featured on Mashable “Acrobatic Blogger Puts Your Travel Photos to Shame” and other major publications) and it’s been crazy. I still am trying to wrap my head with everything that has been happening recently and trying to understand how it all happened. For now all I can say is another huge welcome to all the new readers to Breakaway Backpacker. This is my baby, my passion, my outlet to share my story and help others live a happy life.
I just got home from a 2 year backpacking trip around the world and am currently working to save and do it all over again. Even though I am home at the moment I still have a lot of stories to share so will continue to do so. I recently answered some of the most common questions I get in a series of three post: “Random statistics from a 2 year backpacking trip around the world.” – “How much do it cost to travel the world for 2 years?” – “Finally, my answers to all your questions about my RTW trip & random things.“. Be sure to check them out and let me know what you think. If you want to know more about me check my “About Me” page or just browse through the blog, but for now though I thought it’d be best if I re-shared my top 10 travel destinations with the same captions on the NBCLATINO.com post, but include links to related post. Oh & yes I wrote those captions and took the photos as well (except the one I am in). I mention that because I have been asked often. Enjoy…
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Granada, Nicaragua
Colorful colonial houses of Granada, Nicaragua.
“Get lost in one of the best-conserved colonial cities in Latin America. As you explore the amazing architecture and structure of Granada you will encounter bright colors around every corner, along with an opportunity to get lost in conversation with the humble locals,”
The “Traca Traca” in Granada!!!
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Chichicastenango, Guatemala
That’s me haggling over the price of the shawl I bought my mom.
“A crafts lover paradise –Chichicastenango is home to one of the largest markets in Latin America. The market is a colorful affair that runs on Thursday and Sunday of every week and is where locals come from the surrounding villages to sell their handmade goods and crafts,”
Guatemala Highlights & Tips!!!
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Chefchaouen, Morocco
The blue world of Chefchaouen, Morocco.
“Chefchaouen is where your eyes will encounter a million shades of blue. You will get lost as you walk around the ancient Medina surrounded by the Rif Mountains in northwest Morocco. The blue-washed homes make a dramatic backdrop to a village carrying on with life,”
Chefchaouen, a town with a million shades of blue in photos.
How to get from Algeciras, Spain to Chefchaouen, Morocco.
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Barcelona, Spain
Entrance to Park Guell in Barcelona
“The capital of Catalonia, Barcelona is home to many historic sights, but the best part is its cuisine. It has a flavor of living life just right and enjoying the moment,”
What was Antoni Gaudi thinking?
Bye Barcelona… see you in Istanbul!!!
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Cairo, Egypt
One man standing during prayer on the 1st year anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution.
“Welcome to a country that has been making headlines since the dawn of time. Cairo is not for the fainthearted — it is unapologetic as it roars through the chaos of its daily life. With so much history, both ancient and new alike, you can spend a lifetime here and never see it all,”
A Gay date through the streets of Cairo.
Living a childhood dream… visiting the Great Pyramids of Giza!
A side of “Tahrir Square” the media/news do not want you to see in photos.
My thoughts on visiting “Garbage City” in Cairo, Egypt.
Witnessing history first hand in Egypt.
60 images from Tahrir Sq. after the historical announcement of Egypt’s first President.
The night I accidentally stole a night stand in Cairo.
My experience participating Ramadan in Cairo.
A love story with an expiration date.
Saying goodbye to him & Egypt.
It wasn’t the end of the story… I am back in Cairo.
Photos from Cairo on the 2nd anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution.
Why hasn’t “The Revolution Museum” in Tahrir Sq. made the news?
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Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul where East really meets West.
“If Barcelona and Cairo ever had a baby, it would be Istanbul. This is the place where East meets West. This is the place where cultures clash at just the right mix, and it leaves you lost in translation,”
Happy New Years from Istanbul, Turkey!!!
How I spent New Years in Istanbul, Turkey!
A 9 day layover in Istanbul in photos.
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Kerala, India
House boat in the backwaters of Kerala, India.
“Tranquil waters surrounded by endless rows of palm trees as life in villages near by go on undisturbed — all while you are lounging around on a floating home. The Kerala Backwaters is where you will be disconnected from the life you know and thrown into pure bliss,”
The Kerala Backwaters by Houseboat (an experience no one should miss).
Oh India I hate you… I hate you not!
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El Nido, Philippines
One of the many amazing views of El Nido, Philippines.
“Named ‘El Nido,’ because from above it looks like a birds nest, this slice of paradise is quite remote from the rest of the Philippines, and is just now becoming more accessible. Visiting El Nido is like finding yourself in a place so unimaginable, you are in awe your entire stay, and I am quite certain dinosaurs still live around here,”
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Siem Reap, Cambodia
Beautiful sunrise over Angkor Wat.
“Siem Reap is home to Angkor Wat — the largest religious structure ever built on Earth. The thing about visiting Cambodia is you can’t just visit for its ancient history, you must also visit to learn and be educated about its tragic recent genocidal history,”
Exploring the temples of Angkor Wat in Black & White.
What if the walls of Tuol Sleng Genocidal Museum could speak?
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Sahara Desert, Morocco & Egypt
Sunrise in the Sahara Desert, Morocco.
“As you stand on the edge of the Sahara Desert, and billions upon billions of grains of sand lie ahead of you, and the wind dances with them; shapes them into a million patterns on the dunes, you will never feel this tiny in life. Tiny in a way that makes you realize we all play a small role on Earth’s journey through life,”
An open letter to the Sahara Desert.
A Sahara Desert expedition in photos.
A visit to the Sahara Desert again (this time in Egypt) in photos.
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I would love to hear your thoughts if you have any. I must admit it was no easy task picking my top 10 travel destinations after visiting over 100 cities. I am not saying these are the best places on Earth, these are just my top 10 destinations from my 2 year backpacking trip around the world. I would also like to apologize for not posting as often. The last few weeks have been very crazy for me. I went from being home working 12 hour days at work to being crazy busy in Toronto for TBEX and now busy on vacation in NYC. Don’t worry though I have more stories coming out soon along with even having some published on NBCLATINO.com. EEEEeeee yes it’s not set in stone yet, but working on it. I will of course keep all of you in the loop and be sure to share anything that is not published here, but by me with all of you. Thanks again for reading my blog and sharing it with others and as always if you need anything please let me know.
P.S. I finally joined Instagram & Vine !!! Be sure to click the links to see my profiles & follow along there too (if you want of course).
Great post and photos, Jamie! Nice of you to share your life and travel experience to the world. As a new blogger, I find your website / blog very insightful and inspiring.
Sergey Wain-Fellowes recently posted..DEQ at The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto
Thank you so much Sergey!
Congratulations on being featured on NBC Latino Jamie, that’s so exciting! You’ve got a great list of places here. I would absolutely love to go to the Philippines and that photo above looks beautiful.
Monica recently posted..I’m doing the London Triathlon!
Thank you Monica, I hope you make it to the Philippines one day. It’s for sure an amazing country with so much to do and see and I know I didn’t do much…lol. You need way more than 3 weeks.
i wish there were more colourful houses in Toronto
Hogga recently posted..Donnie Does Full Moon Party
Hogga I wish for more colorful house all over the world. It makes people smile and makes us feel amazing. Well at least I think so.
Great, diverse list Jaime! So happy you have had some much-deserved exposure recently 🙂
Thank you so much Julia!
More lovely photos! Angkor Wat is so photogenic, and you have a great eye! I love your description. I’ve been to many South East Asian countries but never Cambodia, however, it’s definitely on my bucket list!
Jacob Marlfoyle recently posted..Journey in Mekong Delta
Thank you Jacob, I hope you make it to Cambodia one day. I only spent a few days there, but know one day I will be back to see more. It’s an amazing country with so much history.
first of all CONGRATULATIONS for your blog success! i really enjoyed your post, especially how well you describe every place, but most of all: AMAZING PICTURES!! well done!
kle recently posted..4 months into my trip and still so many adventures ahead!
Thank you so much Kle!!! Glad you enjoyed the description and photos.
OMG, I love the photos Jaime and thanks for favoriting El Nido. 🙂 Loved it!
Thanks Wends & oh man El Nido is out of this world… I mean so out of this world I thought Dinosaurs would come out of somewhere.
I literally don’t know what to say hun other than ‘goddam your photos are unbelievably awesome!’ 🙂 xx
Toni recently posted..Reasons NOT to travel the world
Thank you so much Toni!!!
Congrats again on the NBCLatino article, you’re awesome! I’m glad you used that photo from Cairo, it’s one of my favorite photos of yours. I hope you’re doing good!
Ali recently posted..Weekly Photo – Mini Europe Paris
Thank you so much Ali & yes I had to use that photo of Cairo. It’s hands down my favorite photo of my whole 2 year RTW trip. It just leave me in awe every time I see it. I’m doing great, we should catch up soon!!!
Oh my gosh! This is AMAZING! I am so happy for you! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your blogs and am so pleased that this exposure will allow you to reach and inspire so many more people! Congratulations and God bless you!
Thank you so much Susana. Means a lot to hear from a friend from home!!!
Your blog very insightful and inspiring!!! I really envy you. Thanks about article. This is amazing 🙂
Thanks Dany, glad you find my blog insightful and inspiring. I wish you didn’t envy me though, anyone can do what I am doing. If you have ever dreamed of doing what I did let me know and I will help you make it happen.
I loved Guatemala!! Chichi was by far my favorite part of my trip. My friend haggled over a handmade blanket that took the woman 9 months to make! She spent $500 USD but it was worth every single penny. That market and zip lining through Tikal were by far the highlights of that trip.
Glad you loved Guatemala as much as I did Kimberly. Chichi really is an amazing place to find so many amazing things along with well all of Guatemala.
El Nido <3
El Nido… one of the best in the world!
ISTANBUL! I love it! I’m there right now, and it’s just so beautiful, lively, and it’s pretty much impossible to be bored here. I adore it. It’s Ramadan here right now, and I thought everyone would be in a sour mood, but it’s like being in a city at Christmas! So magical 🙂
Granada looks gorgeous, as do Chefchaouen, El Nido and Kerala. Do you get a lot of hassle in Kerala, though? As I’ve heard extremely unfavourable things about the rest of India, makes me wonder if you’re getting pestered to buy things, lied to, and cheated 24/7!
Tom @ Waegook Tom recently posted..Czech Food: Prague’s Must-Eat Treats
Oh Istanbul is hands down my #1 it’s just so amazing and I am jealous that you are there during Ramadan. I remember how magical Cairo was during Ramadan that I can only imagine what Istanbul is like.
As for getting hassled in Kerala it’s a pain to get the right house boat but once you have it you really have 2 days of PEACE just living life on a boat with home cooked meals and endless rows of palm trees. India is a fucking mess but one that you grow to love after you leave.
Wow, your top 10 list just made me realize that I haven’t even been to 5 of them. Thanks for sharing and giving all of us new inspirations of where to go next. Actually Morocco has been on my personal to-go list for quite a while and now that you are even listing it twice, I am seriously debating to move it to the top. There are just so many amazing places to see in the world… : )
Dennis @ SeeTheWorldInMyEyes recently posted..Arrival at Kopan Monastery in Nepal
Oh man Dennis, it was so damn hard to make a top 10 list. I look at it now and love all them but feel like I left out so many other places too. Morocco was not my favorite countries, but I won’t like it is one of the most beatuiful I have visited. You should move it to the top and enjoy it. WHen you do just email me and I will help you if you need any help with anything. The world is just so big and vast that it’s impossible to see it all.
Great choices, some of them I have visited myself but some are still on my list!
Marysia @ My Travel Affairs recently posted..Friday Lens Affair #28
Thank you so much Marysia!
Jaime of course except Egypt! I had a terrible time there and decide not to give it another try so far!
Marysia @ My Travel Affairs recently posted..Lucerne Lovely Light
You are not alone Marysia, many people don’t understand why I love Egypt so much when them themselves had a horrible experience there.
Great post! Very inspiring, haven’t been to most of these destinations but they’re definitely all on my list. Thanks!
Thanks so much!
Love your list, I was researching Morocco and ended up here. We are planning 4 weeks there, trying to see if that was good or bad… Great to see you also loved Granada & Siem! We head to El Nido in 2 weeks!
Ah Morocco, is freaking crazy yet so amazing. You must do Essaoria, Chefchaouen and the Sahara for sure!!! Oh & I can’t wait to see what you think of El Nido. So curious to know if it has an ATM now or not!
I am so happy to see Nicaragua in this list. I didn’t give the country two cents before going, then I fell in love with it – so much so that I have been 3 times and I plan to go again.
Oh yes Claudia… I think Nica will always be in my top 10 list. Even as I visit more place Nica still has a special place in my heart. I am glad you loved it too and that you keep going back. I so wanna go back one day.
Some excellent pictures, love the one in Cairo! And El Nido is so beautiful!
Great list. I’ve been to 50+ countries and have now idea how I’m going to choose just 10 !
El Nido Palawan is high on my list to visit! Morocco too
For Nica – loved! Did you go volcano boarding?
https://www.visit50.com/volcano-boarding/