You might be asking who I am. My name is Eshaan Sombhatta. I live in a suburb of Washington D.C., and have been fortunate enough to visit more than fifty countries, thanks to my parents. I’ve gotten interested in travel through my interest in geography. When I was five, I got a puzzle of the globe. As I slowly put the pieces together, my creation turned alive. I scrutinized the maps my parents gave me, looking at the capitals and cities and oceans of nations. There wasn’t a country in the world that I didn’t recognize.
Five was also when I began to travel seriously. Every holiday, whether it was Labor Day or spring break, the summer holidays or Christmas time, we traveled. Our first travels were within the United States, mostly. But one trip to Iceland changed our perception of worldwide travel. The otherworldly ice and snow made for a paradise only accessible through international trips. So the next year, we visited Europe. It was a short trip, only a few select cities: Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Bratislava, Budapest, and Szczecin, but we would follow up the next year with a massive trip to everywhere from Barcelona to Cologne, to even Split, Croatia. We’ve had two more long trips in the summer, while we visit the Caribbean in the fall. Recently, my family and I have branched out to South America, Africa, and Asia.
Throughout my travels, we’ve embarked on unique and interesting experiences.
I have travelled in a….
- Ten Euro flixbus
- Cruise
- Seaplane
- Tram
- Cable Car
- Ferry
- Water Taxi
- SUV on a Train
- Tuk Tuk/Auto Rickshaw (in two countries!)
- Boat crossing the Panama Canal
- Metro system in 10+ countries
- Inter-country train/high speed train
- Hop-on Hop-off buses
- Chauffeur driven car
- The 3rd fastest elevator on earth
Other cool experiences of mine include:
- Visiting the Summer Solstice Festival in the Baltics
- Playing at midnight in the Nordic nations
- Experiencing a sunrise and sunset at the same time
- Seeing a sunset twice in a day
- Bumping into Al Gore in CERN
- Visited an active volcano
- Seeing a plane land over my head while relaxing in a beach (Maho Beach, St. Maarten)
- Watching Romeo and Juliet on top of the Alps.
- Seeing an missile in Ukraine
- Seeing the Pope in person
- Hiking on a glacier
- Traveled with a National Geographic approved guide
I’ve also lived in a …
- Farm
- Hostel
- 7-star Hotel
- Boat
- All-inclusive resort
- Shared Airbnb
- Ayurvedic House
- Hotels right next to the CN tower and Times Square
I’ve eaten:
- Moroccan Tajine
- Turkish Ice Cream
- Baklava
- Chocolates from both Switzerland and Belgium
- Macaroons
- Lego themed food
- Truffle (on a pizza)
- Indian pizza
- French Baguettes, Croissants and Yule Logs
But that’s not to say that travel is all sunshine and daisies. We’ve:
- Had our car broken into (we lost computers, iPads, phones, and much more)
- Had our camera stolen
- Had our tire punctured (on purpose)
- Lost my dad’s shoes when he fell into a bog
- My dad was spat on when I accidentally stepped on someone in the German metro
- I’ve gotten asthma during a cruise
- Went to the hospital because I was sick in India
- Met unfriendly immigration officers
However, on this site, you’ll also find other things I do. For example: debate articles, and tips on how to write and publish a book.