About

2009 - currently in Mexico or Cuba … travelling Central America

Arrested in Saddam’s Iraq; hitch-hiking the Sahara & Sahel, from Algeria to Nigeria, hitching across the Himalaya mountains from Tibet to Nepal, and overlanding from England to India, via Iran; surviving a cyclone in Bangladesh; riding numerous trains from Beijing to London; visiting Antarctica by ship and swimming with seals in Galapagos Islands, yes, there’s been plenty to talk / blog about … BUT here you will only find a teaser of my experiences. So please, check back as I often upload “fresh” archives from my vast travels.

Hi, I’m from New Zealand - also known as - Aotearoa: The Land Of The Long White Cloud. Anyway, I’m Michael Robert Powell and this is my personal travel site: Welcome to the candy trail …

I am a true global nomad. I am the freest person you may ever encounter; no shit.  Travel is my lifestyle … wandering the world, seeing and experiencing the planet, since 1988. I have no home, no base, just living out of a backpack and alone, traveling without plans, exploring anywhere I choose, mostly steered, by whatever happens.

About me: I enjoy an uncomplicated, simple life. And while I hold a university degree I’ve never had a permanent job or a career, never owned a house or car or motorbike but once had a TV and today I remain ‘on the road’ and single, never married, no children, few assets, no social circle or societal niche. One day I may ‘normalize’ but for now I’m still addicted to the constant fresh experience that is the freedom & excitement of a wandering life.

I have experienced 100 countries and intend enjoying more as I slowly see the world. And although I’m yet to see everything, I hope to experience what I can, while I can [ Travel Résumé ].

Why travel? I’m driven by a fascination of history, world cultures, and an appreciation of stunning scenery and nature. And, I am addicted to the journey, that freedom and unpredictability of being on the road [ FAQ ].

My footprint: Because of budget, the modern world, also because of the way I like to travel - I only fly when I must: usually to get out one-way to then travel onwards overland, unplanned, and making the route as I go by local transportation, staying in simple hotels or family guesthouses, spending at small restaurants or foodstalls and other local businesses so that as little of my money as possible goes to large-foreign-owned enterprises or to brutal, corrupt, host governments - so that mostly my money passes directly to the local, everyday people.

My philosophy: Be a good person and do no harm to others; life should be fun; it’s not what you have, but what you do, that matters.

This blog is real, raw, honest, intense, uncensored … no apologies

This travel blog is not … about destination hot-spots, cheap flights or  what-to-do lists. Nor will you find links to many sites as I exist in cyberspace alone, as I do in the real world … I support my traveling life without connections, sponsors, advertising or social media intercourse and ask nothing of the reader. Simply, this blog is about the crazy adventure and brilliant wonder of world travel … So put on your seat belt, open a beer, sit back and enjoy the journey.

Content is 100% original: the photography, video, art, writing, site design. Featured writing is a mix of  diary, letters, email, published articles and short-stories about crazy travels, sexy adventures, amazing places,  global journeys, and well, stuff about anything that happens … the good, bad, and ugly. The intention is to convey something about the nature of travel and our world - something fresh and interesting that you may not have experienced or thought about …

Related links: Travel Résumé | FAQ | Contact

[ This blog uses these brilliant, reliable, powerful web tools: WordPress with the  Thesis Theme - hosted by BlueHost ]

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Chronology of Travels

2009

Travelling Cuba, Mexico, Central America - Guatemala … Visiting Tokyo, Japan; Travels in South Korea, while living / working in Gwangyang.

2008

Working / living in South Korea; traveling the Philippines & Hong Kong; living in Gwangyang, South Korea; visiting Bangkok - Wellington, New Zealand - Bangkok; traveling Cambodia, Laos, Thailand; Ghana, Togo, Benin, Togo, Ghana.

2007

Travels in West Africa: Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, Morocco; working in Seoul and traveling South Korea; holiday in New Zealand & Bangkok, Thailand.

2006

Working in Seoul, and travelling around South Korea; solo art exhibition in Wellington, NZ; chillin’ while making art in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; visiting Bangkok, Thailand.

2005

Chillin’, living, making art & traveling in Cambodia; travels across Yemen, Oman, UAE; the Trans-Siberian route - overland from Beijing to London by train, stopping and traveling in China, Mongolia, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, and England.

2004

Art-creation lifestyle on the coast of Cambodia in Sihanoukville; also making art whist living in a 400-year-old Portuguese church on the Arabian Sea island of Diu, India; chillin’ on Koh Chang island, Thailand.

2003

Xmas in NZ; travels in South America: Argentina,Peru, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay.

2002

Antarctica; travelling around South America: Argentina, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Chile; Easter Island, Tahiti; NZ; East Timor.

2001

Working for the United Nations Peace-Keeping Forces in East Timor, travelling & living in different districts every 6 weeks for 2 years; trips to Australia, Singapore, visiting Bangkok - Thailand (x6); travels in Burma; Laos; Sri Lanka.

2000

Working in East Timor for UN; trips to Australia & NZ & Philippines; across Indonesia to East Timor by ship to Darwin.

1999

Drifting around outer Indonesia - Papua, Flores, Alor, West Timor, working in Bali & Jakarta; visit to Singapore; travelling from Penang - Malaysia and across Sumatra and Java, Indonesia.

1998

Working & living in Bahrain & southern England (Bournemouth & Folkestone); travels in Wales, Turkey, Greece.

1997

Down and out in Nelson, NZ; hitch-hiking trips around Southern New Zealand.

1996 -95

Reclused; still traveling in my head - writing my 2nd travel MS/book in Wellington, NZ, while on the dole.

1995 - 94

NZ, Thailand, Cambodia overland to Vietnam, China, Tibet, Nepal, India; then travels in Kenya,Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Israel, NZ.

1993 - 92

Writing my 1st travel MS/book while on the dole and/or working in Wellington, NZ.

1991 - 1989

Working & enjoying London in summer - to travel the other months: 1991: Hitching the Sahara - overland from London to Lagos: travelling Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Algeria, Morocco, Spain, France. 1991 - 90: Hitching London to India, via Iran, also travelling in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia (Macedonia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia), Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium. 1990 - 89: Travelling overland around Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Israel, Palestine.

1989

Working in London; visiting France, Belgium, Holland.

1988

Working in Edinburgh; travelling in Scotland & visiting Amsterdam; arriving in London, England -UK, from New Zealand, at age 21.

Related Links ~ Travel Résumé |   FAQ |   Contact