Introduction

In my view, there are few things more exciting than the rumble of an airplane during take-off. There is something unstable about it, something that disturbs the serenity and consistency of life. Just as I find myself settled in a life back home it is this very rumble which stirs me from my slumber. I smile a sinister grin as I look over at Louis who has the same expression, silent agreement that Round 2 of our international collegial escapades will be, without a doubt, far more intense than the last.

Louis and I have decided to go abroad for a second time. Our first bout of long-term international travel was to the Middle East, beginning in Cairo, Egypt in the dead of summer. It was through our mutual obsession with and disregard for survival that had bonded us. Now, almost two long years later, we turned our sites to South Asia: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, plotting many risky (and possibly moronic) plans along the way.

So why the name Global Cowboys? It’s true, we don’t ride horses often, our belts are normal sizes, we typically stay away from large brim hats, and we rarely wear chaps. One day, a friend of mine termed us as ‘International Cowboys’ due to our demeanor and approach to travel. So I looked up cowboy in the dictionary and I found two semi-relevant definitions: 1. Adventurous hero, 2. A person with a disregard for risk or formalities. So I made a definition of my own.

Global Cowboy: An adventurous third world traveler with no regard for anything beyond novelty, thrill, and basic survival, with an intense desire to seek out the real heroes of our time.

So that’s where the name came from. Enjoy our stories, and buy a ticket while you’re at it. Our favorite is www.kayak.com. See you around.