I met up my friend Haki at Bangkok's airport, to catch a flight to Siem Reap. I'd just arrived from Tokyo, while Haki arrived a couple of days earlier from Singapore. We became friends in the most random way, in a Kyoto train station when he asked for directions.

I spent April and May of this year traveling Europe on my own and loving it. It's June and I've arrived into Venice's Marco Polo airport to meet up with my brother and his fiance. We've planned to spend 2 weeks together traveling through Italy and Croatia. This is the first visit to Venice for all of us and we're excited to see whether the city matches its reputation.

From Alilaguna ferry we catch our first glimpse of Venice by sea and it's magnificent. It's exactly as seen in the movies, gorgeous Venetian buildings jutting against the blue waters of the Adriatic. Sitting in the back of the ferry, I can feel the goosebumps rise on my arms.

The ferry finally arrived into Ko Phi Phi. As we neared the main island we pass smaller islets that are stunningly beautiful. Their tall rocky cliffs tower over the sea and are covered with green canopied forests. I stare out of the boat window mesmerized. I feel like I'm at the pearly gates of heaven and I'm about to step into paradise.

I have deadly fear of heights. It's an irrational fear that I've struggled with all my life. I've frequently tried to face it head on, hoping to cure myself of this neurosis (like my paragliding experience in Bavaria). Nothing really helps.

Traveling through Thailand, one of my goals was to try ziplining. Probably the single most famous zipline in Thailand is the "Flying Gibbon" in Chiang Mai. For whatever reason, while in Chiang Mai, I wasn't able to schedule a time to try it. So after landing in Phuket and googling for activities, I came across the website for the "Flying Hanuman". I was intrigued. I knew I had to do it.

It's autumn and the trees in Japan are colored with a stunning rainbow of deeps reds, yellows and greens. If you're ever in Japan during the fall then you must visit Nikko. This town is a popular day trip with locals and tourists alike. It's known for its elaborately decorated shrines and temples, beautiful parks, hiking trails and waterfalls.

Nikko is a nature lovers dreamland.

I never intended to visit Meoto Iwa, but I was conned into going by the Japanese Tourism office. I like to think that I'm a sophisticated traveler who's not easily scammed. It never occurred to me that I'd be played for a fool by the Japanese, since I consider them to be one of the most honest cultures in the world.

It's like being tricked by the Pope, never saw it coming!

I couldn't breathe. I felt like the walls were closing in on me. This is not normal. This is not natural. How can people live like this. How can they sustain their spirits and sanity living in such tight quarters.

This capsule had no ventilation and it was hot. I could feel my body burn up as I started to sweat profusely. The lamp inside the capsule was barely emitting any light and only illuminated a small corner of the box. I was sitting in almost complete darkness.

This box isn't like a coffin -- IT IS A COFFIN.

Last year I happened to be in Japan during Halloween. The Japanese are notorious for their love of cosplay and dressing up as their favorite characters. Halloween is a relatively new celebration in Japan, but from the crazy day and night that I spent in Shibuya it's safe to say that they have fully embraced this event.

This is a mistake ... a terrible terrible mistake.

I'd just checked into my hostel in Airlie Beach and was shocked to find a bar blaring loud music IN the hostel. During my travels I've been like a pendulum swinging between cheap shitty hostels to way-over-my-budget but dammit I need to pamper myself accommodations.

Tonight I managed to find the shittiest hostel in Airlie Beach filled with drunk young backpackers.

Australia is one of the world's top wine producers and (while in Melbourne) you must make time to visit Yarra Valley. There's over 80 wineries in Yarra, 50 of which have an open cellar door for tastings. Since I was traveling solo, and didn't want to drive home drunk, I booked a Yara wine tour.