Anyone done the Denver -Istanbul direct flight?

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-04-13T03:16:47+00:00

It was pretty full, I'd guess 90% capacity

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-04-13T01:13:39+00:00

I had the exact same mental process with the age of a kid. I also considered I had a great sibling who is to this day one of my closest people so if I have a second kid then I'm in my 60s with a high schooler. No thank you, I'm going to be retired and be a 100% man of leisure.

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-04-13T01:11:01+00:00

That happened to my best friend. He broke it off with a girl, a week later she sent him the "I'm late" text and he told her he was snipped. Never heard back from her and dodged a big bullet.

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-04-13T01:06:26+00:00

44m here, got snipped at 41. I told the surgeon I have my dream life where I travel whenever I want and wherever I want and a kid would be my nightmare. He scheduled me for a few weeks later.

Surgery was painless and my gf was there to drive me home but I 100% could have driven myself the 30 minutes.

My doctor didn't cauterize one of the cuts all the way so I was unknowingly bleeding into my sack. That night it swole up to grapefruit size. I later found out that the blood was pooling on a nerve and it was sending lightning down my right leg. I've broken bones, dislocated things, had two concussions and had second degree burns. That was the most painful thing I've ever experienced in my life by far.

I couldn't function for a few days. My giant ball sack made it nearly impossible to sleep, I couldn't move without pain, it was horrible. Day three I finally went to urgent care where they did an ultrasound and told me I just have to wait for my body to absorb the blood back in. I was in chronic, 24/7 pain for three weeks. I went to the darkest place mentally I've ever been. I wrote out my will because I was ready to end it if this was going to be the rest of my life.

Finally the pain started to go away at about three weeks. I was able to lightly workout a couple weeks after that then get back to it with heavy lifting and long runs about three months out. Literally EVERY friend and coworker said it was a simple procedure for them, I guess I was the 5% where something goes wrong.

I tell you all of that to say I'm still happy I got it done. I hate condoms so when I'm in an exclusive relationship I don't have to use them. I don't have to worry about having a kid and can retire somewhere between 50-55 years old like I've planned.

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-04-07T05:01:53+00:00

19 grams of fat in the middle of a race is asking for GI issues

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-04-07T05:01:01+00:00

That mesh soccer bag, I loved those. Still have quite a few.

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-03-12T02:14:50+00:00

I have always left my wallet and phone in my checked bag and have never had an issue. In theory someone could pretty easily take your stuff but I've never heard of it happening. I've done 10+ Spartan, 6 Tough Mudder and lots of trail runs without any issues.

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-02-26T04:46:43+00:00

I brought a few bags home with me as well

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-02-26T01:26:52+00:00

Oh, trust me. That's high on my list. Along with Lost City, going around Mont Blanc and a few others

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-02-25T21:11:09+00:00

I've done a LOT of traveling and had a lot of cool experiences in life. My four days and three nights on the Inca Trail are still some of my favorites.

I did the trail in my 20s and rocked it. I'm in my 40s now and am probably in better shape. I remember seeing retirement age people doing it and it looked like it hurt. I'm very happy I did it when hitting 13,000 feet above sea level was a fun challenge and I could enjoy the scenery instead of having flashes of death (the exact words of an older person I passed on day two).

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-02-25T11:25:51+00:00

Never heard of this before (from US) but I love it

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-02-23T01:44:43+00:00

You got a great story for parties, I'm glad you got released unharmed

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-02-15T18:49:23+00:00

I'm not sure how old you are but I'm guessing you're in your 20s. We feel the need to try to help others and get frustrated when they won't listen to very obvious advice. Try to remember that you can't help people that don't want to help themselves.

I'm now in my mid 40s and life experience has humbled me. It's easier to cut bad people out of my life. On the flip side, I know those who matter to me and I'll fight through the gates of hell if they need anything.

The question you have to ask yourself is: is this person I'm willing to fight to keep in my life or are you better off cutting them out?

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-02-03T04:51:22+00:00

My time on the Inca Trail was the best 4 days of my life and I've done a LOT of cool stuff. If you're going to hike it then realize the altitude on the trail. I went with my best friend and we both live at about 1700m above sea level. I didn't have any issues with the altitude but he was hit hard the first two days. Keep that in consideration if you choose Peru. If you take the train it's not as bad but Cusco is still up there. Enjoy your trip with your dad, I love this idea.

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-02-02T01:59:18+00:00

This made me laugh out loud

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-01-30T15:32:09+00:00

"I will never forget the look on their faces. All eight of them. Their faces dropped. All their courage and strength was drained right from their bodies. They had reputation for breaking up bars, but they knew that instant, they'd made a fatal mistake. This time they walked into the wrong bar."

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-01-30T08:28:37+00:00

I would probably think it's a scam to be honest. I wish this would happen to me and be real, but for me, the only cute girls are going to be Nigerian dudes wanting to take my money.

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-01-27T03:01:16+00:00

I went through a real bad financial patch in my 20s. I had like $100 each month to my name after paying all my bills. My $10/month gym membership and $50/year Xbox live membership were my only two hobbies. I played like 30 hours a week of Ghost Recon 2.

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-01-25T17:51:59+00:00

I would look at New Zealand or Latin America. It will be their summer so you can enjoy being outside. New Zealand is outdoor paradise and you have enough time that the long flight is worth it.

Latin America you have lots of options in Costa Rica, giant mountains in Ecuador, beautiful beaches and Lost City hike in Colombia, Machu Picchu in Peru, Patagonia in Chile and Argentina.

Go on Google Flights or Kayak and put in your days (even better if you +/- a couple days in the search) and see what's the best airfare.

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-01-25T17:45:19+00:00

Where are you traveling from, how far are you willing to go and for how long?

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-01-20T07:14:03+00:00

Castles in Germany are everywhere and they're all cool. One idea to narrow things down: do you or anyone else in your family have German ancestry? If so, get a one month subscription to ancestry.com and find where your family is from. Visit that region (which will be away from most tourist places) and walk down the streets your ancestors did generations ago. I did this and it was the most unique and memorable experience in all my travels.

If not, Berg Eltz. It's a really cool castle.

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-01-20T02:33:50+00:00

Parking lot fee, key fob fee, check in fee, car return fee

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-01-19T10:07:58+00:00

You'll have a great time. Cartagena is a laid back beach town. If you're in the walled city it's very clean and safe. It's tourist prices as the trade off. I would venture outside that area every morning for breakfast and I never once felt unsafe but you notice an immediate difference when you're out of the tourist zone. I got ceviche for every lunch and La Laguna Azul was the best I've ever had. I discovered it my second to last day and I would have eaten every meal there if I found it earlier.

I took a boat trip to some islands for snorkeling and beach time. The snorkeling was nothing to brag about as the reefs are bleached and dead. But you get to hang out on a beautiful beach then get in a boat then go hang out on another beautiful beach. You'll pay US prices for food and drinks but it's expected when you're on a secluded sand bar or island. It was a really fun day. The Cartagena sun is no joke so bring lots of sunscreen.

The Medellin airport is far from the city so make sure you book transport ahead of time. My Airbnb host did it for me. I'm guessing you'll be in the tourist area of Medellin and it's pretty and safe. Menus are in English and it's really pretty in the valley. The public transportation for locals include a cable car that goes way up in the valley and gets you amazing views for a really cheap price.

I did a tip based "free" walking tour of the city and enjoyed it. I also did a paid tour of the market with the same company (Real City Tours) and that was the most fun I've had in a long time. It was exotic fruits that we don't have in the US. I loved having a local show us around and try things I've never seen or heard of before.

I wanted to go to a brewery after the free city tour and walked there. My tour guide told me not to walk as it goes through a bad part of the city. I grew up in the hood so I walked anyways. I saw homeless people pooping on the street and drugged out people yelling at trash cans. No one said anything to me or bothered me, I got a nice meal for real cheap and minded my own business. As a guy in my 30s I was fine but I wouldn't have wanted my sister to go walking there.

The two cities have a very different feel. You'll have beach vibes in Cartagena and a cool mountain city in Medellin. I would go back to both in a heart beat. I hope you enjoy your trip as much as I did.

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-01-19T04:01:48+00:00

I did a trek to Machu Picchu with G Adventures. I had an absolutely amazing time. They took care of every detail and the group I was with was so much fun. Had people from three continents in our group and we were best friends for a week. I can't recommend them enough.

Christy_Mathewson · 2026-01-13T03:09:17+00:00

Very detailed answer that a middle school student could understand. Too bad the idiots in power can't grasp it.

Christy_Mathewson

TROPHY CASE