or become an accidental expat . This was my springboard of sorts .
How did friends and family respond when you told them about your plans ?
Oddly , they weren ’ t surprised . Everyone was supportive of the concept behind the idea and the actual journey itself .
Where did your first role of the dice take you ?
The first roll took place in 346 Guesthouse in Phuket Town . The options were simple : Myanmar , Laos , Cambodia or Malaysia . Whatever the dice chose , I would hop on the back of the motorcycle that day and head out . At that point , I had no visas and no clear idea of what I needed to do to drive a motorcycle into any of these countries . To say the least , I was vastly unprepared .
Why on a motorbike ?
After a three-week motorcycle trip on a little 125 cc rental bike in Vietnam four years ago , my eyes were opened to exploring the world on two wheels . Without a doubt , traveling with a motorcycle opens up doors and allows you to move at your own pace , as you cruise through off-the-beaten-track locations and catch glimpses of beauty you might otherwise completely miss .
Did choosing this mode of transport present its own set of challenges ?
Yes . Though motorcycles are one of the best ways to get around , it ’ s not the cheapest way . When I set out , I thought it would be — but I was wrong . There is also the challenge of crossing borders with a motorcycle . After years of backpacking around the world , I was accustomed to my U . S . passport being enough documentation to let me into a new country .
In one aspect or another , the dice manipulated every part of my travels .
Unfortunately , a motorcycle brings a whole new level of bureaucratic red tape , for which I hadn ’ t packed the necessary machete . However , the real challenges come with riding conditions and maintenance . Keeping my bikes in good working order was not my forte , which left me pushing a motorcycle down a desolate , empty road more than I ’ d like to remember .
Just how much of your travels were decided upon by the roll of a dice ?
In one aspect or another , the dice manipulated every part of my travels . They chose what countries I went to , where I went in the countries , and often where I stayed the night . Occasionally , I would have a strong opinion about what I wanted to do or see . In those situations , the voice of the dice would be muted . Nonetheless , I don ’ t think more than a couple days went by last year when they weren ’ t rolled at all .
While some rolls were modest , such as selecting between an americano ( 1 or 2 ), a latte ( 3 or 4 ) or an espresso ( 5 or 6 ), others were far more significant . One of my favorite examples was an even-odd roll , where , if it was an even number , I would be facing off against a daunting Mongolian winter and an odd number meant I would be tearing through the bright red dirt of the arid east coast of Africa .
Was the outcome of the dice roll ever something you weren ’ t hoping for ?
When the dice demanded that I ditch my motorcycle and enter Myanmar on foot , I was crestfallen . I had put everything into making my CB500X bike ideal for the trip , but was then being forced to leave it at the border . The one rule for Dice Travels is that once the dice make a decision , there ’ s no turning back . So , I sucked it up and did what the dice told me to do . It ended up being an incredible opportunity where the dice put me in a 10- day Vespasian meditation monastery . Having never meditated , it was something I wouldn ’ t have even tabled as an option , if I wasn ’ t already parted from my bike .
WANDERLUST 29