BootsnAll member Joey Tafuro has been “traveling confused and unprepared through Africa and Asia,” or so his blog tagline states. As I write this, Joey is in Cambodia and is in the process of wrapping up his trip - he has chosen to listen to the inner voice telling him it is time to go home, rather than push on because he thinks he “should” and potentially end up being unhappy. Listening to that inner voice when it tells you to stop traveling might be just as important as listening to it when it tells you to begin.

Joey has been on the road since mid-January, and he spent about a month in Africa before heading to SE Asia. While in Asia he even attended the wedding of another BootsnAll member who got married in Thailand! He has had some great experiences, and he is just ready to come home. He even said at the outset that while his initial plan was to be gone for at least six months, he was prepared to do whatever he wanted, whether that meant extending the trip or coming home early. After all, he said, “I have the freedom to do what I want, when I want” - and we could all use a little of that kind of freedom, I think.

But before we say let Joey say goodbye to his trip, I wanted to highlight another thing that I think is important - the idea of giving back. Joey met up with some kids in Laos not long ago, and after watching them attempting to make farting noises with their hands, he thoughtfully taught them the proper way to do it. Talk about teaching a man to fish. The best part is that he thoroughly entertained not only the kids who became his disciples, but also the small group of adults across the street who watched the whole thing take place. There is nothing like humor about bodily functions to bring cultures together.

To read more travel adventures like Joey’s, just browse the BootsnAll blogs.