My brother is coming! -- November 6,2 007

I've been traveling on my own now for the past 10 months, and for the most part, I've really enjoyed the freedom and independence of making my own decisions and doing exactly what I want. But there are downsides of traveling alone. Practically, it's just that more expensive when you can't split costs of accommodation and transportation. But more than that, it can get lonely at times when for the fourth day in a row you're eating alone at a restaurant and glance over at a table of friends hooting it up together.

As a single traveler, I have met tons of other people, gone out for dinner and drinks, and even traveled together for weeks at a time. But most of the time, we're really just ships passing through the night; we pause for a bit of company, swap war stories and advice, and even optimistically exchange e-mail addresses. We then go our separate ways, knowing deep down that you'll likely never speak to each other again.

Well, all that is going to change in a few hours. I'm in Ao Nang in Southern Thailand, waiting eagerly and impatiently for my older brother Shannon to arrive. I'm thrilled to not only have a travel companion for the next month, but to be sharing this amazing experience with my beloved brother. I can't wait!