Written by Jonathan Look – 

When I seized early retirement in 2011 and began this adventure, I had desires for what I wanted, but no specific expectations about where life would take me. I love being a semi-nomad! So far I have lived roughly a little over a year in Mexico, nine months in Cambodia and at little over a year in Thailand.

This year alone I have spent month long trips in Burma, Bali and Laos, not to mention another dream – three weeks in Bhutan! There have been trips to Vietnam, China, South America and little “mini-adventures” to many other places.

I like the idea of showing people that it is okay to live your dreams and follow your passions even if you don’t know exactly what they are yet. Travel, adventure, photography and writing are my passions.

 

From February 15, 2015 –

I receive many emails from people telling me that they admire the traveling semi-nomadic, minimalist lifestyle that I have chosen for my retirement, but they also say they wouldn’t be able to handle the ‘sacrifices’ I make living on the road less traveled. Yes, sometimes I may try some crazy things, but this morning I sacrificed by enjoying Eggs Benedict at one of my favorite places to eat near the Mekong River in Vientiane, Laos.

When done right, Eggs Benedict is one of those dishes that transcends the simplicity of its ingredients. Savory poached eggs on an english muffin act as the perfect vector for tangy hollandaise sauce and thick crispy pepper bacon. I am not a purist and have no problem with a flaky baguette substituting for an english muffin. Smoked salmon, capers and asparagus can work instead of bacon. What is essential is that the hollandaise be that perfect emulsion of creamy butter and tangy lemon.

One for the pleasures of living in places with different cuisines and cultures is finding anew the joys that you used to take for granted. Just finding things like Eggs Benedict or the perfect hamburger can be part of the adventure. Some expats become obsessed with transferring all of their traditional comforts to new places and are often disappointed. Others become obsessed with totally immersing themselves in the new experience and find themselves burning out too soon. For me it is a balancing act of comfortably blending familiar luxuries and living at the edge of my comfort zones. Today Eggs Benedict was perfect. Tomorrow who knows?

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In 2011, at the age of 50, Jonathan Look decided to change his life and pursue adventures instead of comfort and possessions. His goal is to travel the world; one country at a time. To accomplish this he got rid of most of his possessions, packed up what little he saw as necessities and headed out. His goal is to spend ten years discovering new places, meeting new people and taking the time to learn about them, their values and their place on this tiny planet. He embraces the philosophy that says a person is the sum of their experiences and rejects the fraud of modern consumerism that makes people slaves of their consumption. He doesn’t intend to be modern day ascetic, just more mindful of his place in the world and to make decisions according to that new standard.