WELCOME TO THE TRAVELING TATTOO
Travel, Technology & Design by Juan Grey ✈🌎
Welcome to The Traveling Tattoo, my personal travel blog! Traveling and being an IT Professional has added such value to my life...and I love having the opportunity to share my passion for travel, writing, photography, technology all in one place! Here you will be able to see many of the places I've traveled to over the years, get travel tips, ideas, and also reach out to me for advice or help booking travel...Enjoy!
HOW I GOT STARTED TRAVELING
For years I went without having traveled outside of the Continental U.S...then in 2017, while working for an international company, I went through a team-building exercise where they had us line up in order of how many countries we had been in. At that point, I had only been outside of the country twice, and that was when I was a kid not even having gone through puberty yet! Although I was not standing alone in the 3 countries or less group, it was humbling and eye-opening to see how many people had been to 10 or more countries, and hear them speak about all the places they had been. It was then I realized I had not seen the world at all and was stuck in this self-imposed bubble, and I was determined to change that.
It all started with a trip to the Dominican Republic, a place I had often heard about and that was highly recommended. Although at the time I did not consider myself much of a beach person, I did take the time to soak in some rays and walk along the shore. I also ventured outside the confines of the resort to take in the local culture and even scheduled a few excursions such as riding 4x4s as well as ziplining for the 1st time!
From that point forward, I caught what most people refer to as the "Travel Bug!" Since starting my journey, I am proud to say I have now been to 45+ countries to date! I have gained a great zest for exploring new places, meeting new people, and seeing the world from a different perspective. I was on a rapid pace taking 3-4 trips out of the country a year, plus exploring cities right here in the USA in between. Then of course, COVID-19 hit and brought life and travel as we know it to a halt. It was during that time of solace and reflection, that I decided to create this website to share my experiences, photos, as well as my vast knowledge of travel. Now that the world has since reopened, I am back to doing what I love! My passion for travel has gone beyond collecting passport stamps, mementos, and magnets for my refrigerator. My goal now is to serve as an inspiration for those who have the desire to travel but feel they cannot due to a lack of finances, know-how, or just plain fear. Whether it's local travel or traveling to far-off destinations overseas, I can show you that travel is certainly possible even on a modest budget!
I created The Traveling Tattoo to give others a peek at how I view the world. And if that inspires even one person to get out of their comfort zone, get out there, and see the world for themselves...I will have accomplished my goal! ✈
Countries Visited.
1. United States* (43 States)
2. Canada (Toronto, Montreal)
3. Panama (Panama City, Colon)
4. Bahamas (Nassau)
5. Jamaica (Montego Bay)
6. Dom. Republic (Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata)
7. Colombia (Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, Cali)
8. Spain (Barcelona)
9. France (Paris)
10. Italy (Rome, Venice, Florence, Pisa)
11. Argentina (Buenos Aries)
12. Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
13. Mexico (Cancun, Tulum)
14. Arab Emirates (Dubai)
15. Greece (Athens)
16. Egypt (Cairo)
17. Peru (Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu)
18. Ecuador (Quito)
19. England (London)
20. Netherlands (Amsterdam)
21. Germany (Berlin)
22. Czech Republic (Prague)
23. Hungary (Budapest)
24. Belgium (Brussels)
25. Turkey (Istanbul, Cappadocia)
41. Anguilla (Shoal Bay)
42. South Korea (Seoul)
43. North Korea (DMZ)
44. China (Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong)
45. Scotland (Edinburgh)
46. Ireland (Dublin)
47. San Salvador (El Salvador)
26. Israel (Tel-Aviv, Jerusalem)
27. State of Palestine (Bethlehem, Jericho)
28. Jordan (Amman, Wadi Rum, Petra)
29. Republic of Singapore (Singapore)
30. Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)
31. Thailand (Phuket, Bangkok)
32. Vietnam (Danang)
33. Taiwan (Taipei)
34. Guatemala (Guatemala City, Antigua)
35. Costa Rica (San José, Alajuela)
36. Nicaragua (Managua)
37. Cuba (Havana)
38. Belize (San Pedro)
39. Saint Martin (French side)
40. Sint Maarten (Dutch side)
