After a month filled with trekking through the Annapurna mountains and riding the rapids of the Kali Gandaki river, Jay finds himself back in Kathmandu, impatiently waiting for the approval of his Indian visa application. His care-free, easy-going attitude begins to disappear as he realizes his schedule and budget are not aligning with his dreams. Things turn around after meeting a couple of fellow travelers, with whom he would not only create some amazing Nepali memories but also drag on to his podcast twenty years later.

Places: Nepal (Pokhara, Kathmandu, Kali Gandaki, Annapurna Mountains)

Email Subject(s): Letters from Nepal

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Check out Jay's Song!: Dal Bhat Ditty

Riding on the roof of a bus through the windy mountain roads of Nepal was a thrilling way to reach his two-week volunteer work camp, but all these years later, Jay discovers the traditional Nepali dish of Dal Bhat made more of a life-changing impact than he could have predicted.

Special thanks to Chord Savvy (www.chordsavvy.com) for musical support.

Places: Nepal

Email Subject: Jack is Back!

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Check out Jay's Song!: Dal Bhat Ditty

Do you have your copy of "Dal Bhat Ditty"? Download or stream now from iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your music!

Amazon Music - Dal Bhat Ditty

iTunes/Apple Music - Dal Bhat Ditty

Once again, it's another email double-header episode as Jay recounts the night he fell in love with Kathmandu, as well as the less-than-magical morning after. After spending a day fending off much-unwanted attention, the magic returns when he is pleasantly surprised by a familiar voice in a chance encounter.

Places: Nepal (Kathmandu)

Email Subject(s): Call me Jack.../You don't know Jack!

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Check out Jay's Song!: Dal Bhat Ditty

In this email double-header episode, Jay compares his 13 hours in Bangladesh to Heinrich Harrer's book "7 Years in Tibet." Finding no significant similarities, he decides to read some flattering comments he received from his biggest mailing list fan.

Places: Thailand (Bangkok), Bangladesh (Dhaka), Nepal (Kathmandu)

Email Subject(s): 7 Years in Tibet/Jay's Mailing List

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Check out Jay's Song!: Dal Bhat Ditty

Back in Thailand, Jay meets up with a British friend from Japan and heads to Koh Chang, a beautiful island on which he invents a new sport--Motorcycle Mud Wrestling. Returning to Khao San road to make plans for the next leg of his journey, Jay is not only surprised to find a great deal on a plane ticket at a barbershop, but also to bumps into one of his former roommates from the Cambodian pickup truck crew.

Places: Thailand (Bangkok, Koh Chang)

Email Subject: Jay the Game Show Host?

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Check out Jay's Song!: Dal Bhat Ditty

Jay decides it's time to leave Cambodia, in part because he feels nothing else could top the amazing experiences he's already had in the country, but also because his visa will expire the next day. After a couple of nights enjoying a lazy beach town, Jay believes his Cambodian adventures are behind him only to have another thrilling ride on his way to the border--this time by boat.

Places: Cambodia (Sre Ampil, Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Koh Kong)

Email Subject: Where in the World is...?

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Check out Jay's Song!: Dal Bhat Ditty

After an incredible few days exploring Angkor Wat and the temples around Siem Reap, it's time for Jay to catch a boat South to Phnom Penh. Choosing to ride on top of the boat to enjoy the sunny day and the gorgeous views of the Tonle Sap River, Jay realizes two things: (1) Cambodia is a beautiful country, and (2) he really should have used sunscreen on his very white and very exposed legs. The pain of his sunburned legs is soon forgotten as Jay spends three amazing weeks working on a volunteer project at the Peaceful Children's Home at Sre Ampil. Warning: in this episode, Jay begins to question the purpose of travel and why we do it--or why we do anything at all. The first of many "purpose" rants.

Places: Cambodia (Tonle Sap, Sre Ampil, Phnom Penh)

Email subject: Still in Cambodia...(but not for long).

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Check out Jay's Song!: Dal Bhat Ditty

In this second episode, Jay remembers leaving Bangkok and catching a bus to the Cambodian border. After a hot, dusty, and very sweaty border crossing, he hops into the back of a pickup truck heading for Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. Throughout the several-hour journey on the war-torn roads of the Cambodian countryside, Jay hangs on for dear life and has a key realization: this was exactly the kind of trip he was hoping for!!

Email subject: Update from Jay. Places:  Cambodia (Poipet, Angkor Wat, Siem Reap)

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Check out Jay's Song!: Dal Bhat Ditty

The plan: Travel till the money runs out.

In this first episode of The Jay Luck Club Podcast, Jay remembers how it felt to leave Japan, his home of three years, with an overstuffed backpack and a plan to travel until the money ran out. In re-reading emails and journal entries, Jay talks about the importance of acknowledging life transitions, the value of writing down his experiences, and how it's the unexpected--good or bad--that makes travel so special. Email subject: What's up with Jay? Places: Seoul, South Korea; Bangkok, Thailand.

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Souvenirs: Shop Here!

Check out Jay's Song!: Dal Bhat Ditty