After I ditched my return ticket in Chile and took out a student loan to finance hitchhiking from South America to Alaska, people said, "You're crazy " I replied, "So was Columbus " They insisted, "This is so financially unsound " I cried, "So were The Pyramids " The traveling world is one of many beautiful, amusing, and terrifying moments. Sometimes, it's raccoon attacks. Other times, it's bandits on a train who want your iPod. Often, it is giving a smile that says, "Sorry, I'm a gringo, and everything confuses me." When life is an extended, nomadic journey, your universe expands in wild, unimaginable ways. Even when you find yourself racing the clock to find a hospital to administer a rabies vaccination, you can't help but fall in love with each new day and the unexpected prospects it brings. Here are forty tales from the winding path of my nomadic travels. I wouldn't trade these moments of wonder, heartbreak, humor, and discovery for anything. Happy trails