Welcome to a photo gallery filled with an intimate look into the life of a solo traveler on a journey around the world. In his quest to find the meaning of life, Tom takes you through over 50 countries across 5 continents as he grows and morphs from backpacker to give backer.
Early Years
Tom’s carefree childhood was filled with adventure. Whether on the farm, camping in Mexico or working with his gearhead bro Mike on a hotrod makeover, there was always fun and fresh experiences.
Early Travels
A serious case of wanderlust developed from Tom’s cultural exposure during his formative years. Having parents that traveled internationally, as well as house guests from around the world, helped him appreciate other cultures, languages and lifestyles.
Tom’s early international travels were trips to Russia, working a summer in Sweden, and a two-week tour of China.
The Awakening
It was his motorcycle trip through India that awakened his passion for adventure and planted the seed for his five year journey around the world. To satisfy his growing wanderlust, he ventured to the Middle East, South America and throughout Europe while working as a process engineer at Motorola.
A Ride to the Olympics
Having quit his job to begin his around the world adventures of biking and hiking, the first leg of his journey took him by bike across the Britain, Ireland, N. Ireland, & France to Spain, Portugal and Morocco. His goal was to experience the Summer Games of the XXV Olympiad in Barcelona, in 1992.
Cycling the Mediterranean Coast
Continuing on by bike through Italy, Tunisia, Albania and Greece, it was in Tunisia he met Peace Corps volunteers at play, who encouraged him to pursue a life of freedom and give back. In Albania, Tom met with the Peace Corps director and picked up an application for PC, as he mulled over his options.
Sailing the Surly Sea
Ready to rest his bike legs for a while, Tom begins his sailing adventures in the Mediterranean Sea around Greece and Turkey.
Backpacking the Middle East
Travel to Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Israel, would not have been complete without a day in Iraq. He finds adventure amist bullets, a refugee camp and a kibbutz. Tom makes the commitment to join the Peace Corps and submits his application while traveling in Israel.
South of the Border
While Tom awaits his Peace Corps processing and subsequent assignment, he travels to learn spanish and begins his volunteerism. His touring by bike and hike includes Mexico, and an extended stay in Guatamala, where he works on health care issues and reforestation. Before and after his Guatamala volunteerism, Tom makes time to tour several Central American ( and Caribbean) countries: Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, Belize. One of his last stops, as a gesture of kindness, was hand delivering letters from Cuban refugees he met in a hostel in Mexico, to their families in Cuba.
Peace Corps – Malawi, Africa
Tom spends two years with the Peace Corps helping improve education and health for some of the most impoverished children in the world. These photos highlight his home, village, projects and the Malawian people who stole his heart.
Post Peace Corps Travels and Chaing Mai Thailand
Not yet ready to re-enter mainstream life, Tom travels across the USA, this time by car. It was a Lonely Planet book he found in New Orleans, that led him to his next adventure, Thailand. There he pursued Thai massage school and a meditation retreat. His spiritual practice readied him for his return to a “normal” life and his decision to redirect his career, in pursuit of teaching the underserved in Chicago, IL.