Chris Backe's Blog, page 89
February 22, 2016
Is South America the next Southeast Asia for digital nomads?
We spent 2years living in Southeast Asia. We’ve spent almost 8months in South America. It’s time to compare the two. A quick disclaimer here: your mileage will vary, obviously. Think of this as the 10,000 meter, very general overview based on personal experiences.
To say I love getting off the tourist trail is an understatement. Whether we’re exploring hell temples or local animal markets, there’s almost always something weird around town.When we’re not exploring, however, we’re in an apartm...
February 16, 2016
Destination: The Otavalo Animal and Craft Markets (Otavalo, Ecuador)
Held only once a week on early Saturday mornings, Otavalo’s Animal Market is not what you would describe as the easiest thing to see for yourself. If you are sensitive to the treatment of animals, this might be a post you’ll want to pass on.
I’ve been to the Majang Livestock Market in Seouland the Moran meat market just outside of Seoul, but this market offers an all-live selection. No signs that we saw marked the path, and while it’s techni...
February 12, 2016
Looking for love as an expat – my personal success story
The first date started… awkwardly. Despite having chatted back and forth on OKCupid for several weeks beforehand, it was clearthis was going to work differently than other first dates. We ordered some Korean barbecue and tried to see where things went.
Rewind the time machine toSeoul, South Korea. December 20th,2011…By this point I had all but given up on OKCupid’s compatibility score, which had produced some interestingfirst dates but no lasting sparks…. OKCupid noted Laurawas “7% Enemy, 7...
February 10, 2016
The comprehensive guide to European city cards (early 2016 edition)
Whether you’re taking in one country or the whole continent, most European cities have a special card that offers some special benefits to tourists. Which ones are worth your money, though? Which ones should you pass on? Plan your trip through Europe the smart way!
If this title sounds familiar, that’s because I put together the mid-2015 edition not too long ago. This one is published in February 2016, and I’ll likely be organizing another one in July 2016. Reviews that are more than one year...
February 8, 2016
Fun Things to do Around the World While Naked (SFW)
If you’re of the adventurous type, Valentine’s Day is a great chance to try something a little daring with your partner / lover / spouse. While there’s always a place to go skinny-dipping, I thought I’d look at some of the weirderthings you can do around the world while in your birthday suit. Some fellow travel bloggers had some ideas as well…
Korean jimjilbang – steam and hot water, anyone?
These are not for the faint of heart. On one level, everyone around you seems to know what to do, how...
February 2, 2016
Top 5 Best Airport Restaurants in the World
Image credit: heathrow.com
From the outside, airports are these majestic facilities that share the ear-piercing sound of aircrafts taking-off and the contrasting emotions of people at the departure and the arrival areas. As time went by, a new feature of these institutions has sprung up from the depths of one’s taste buds into the hearts of millions around the world. That facet revolves around the vast and intriguing world of food.
Across the board, airports have slowly but surely made the l...
January 29, 2016
Guest post: the costs and awesomeness of full-time RV travel
One Weird Globe note: I first came across Kate’s story while reviewing her book.It was so fascinating (and something I might be trying myself!) that i invited her to put together a guest post.
At some point almost everyone dreams about quitting their job and heading off into the sunset. Those days when your boss is being a jerk or your client calls you at 6.30am before you’ve even got in the shower might just force you to lose your mind. Those are the days you fantasize about packing it all...
January 25, 2016
10 Mistakes Even Experienced Travelers Can Make
Travel bloggers are an odd sort. Some are quite transparent in their efforts to conquer the world (or our corner of it), while others would prefer to hide the rookie mistakes we’ve all made. While I’m sure there areplenty of mistakes travelers can make, these are ones travel bloggers have ‘fessed up to.Nonames given to protect the guilty out for obvious reasons.
The solution to most of theseisknowing ahead of time –and it ain’t always in the guidebooks.
Not converting money before leaving the...January 22, 2016
Review: Nomadic Matt’s ‘The Business of Travel Blogging’ Course
If you’re in the travel blogging world, there are a couple of respected bloggers you’ve probably heard of. One is Gary Arndt, the guy behind Everything Everywhere and one of the few to receive quite abit of mainstream coverage from his trips to every country around the world. The other is Matt Kepnes, the guy behind Nomadic Matt.
In the past, Matt’soffered up plenty of tips and resources to upping your blogging game – now, he’s offering a course he calls The Business of Travel Blogging. I g...
January 20, 2016
January 2016 book reviews: France according to locals, how to afford paradise, Korean slang, and more
Once a month, I put together the books I’ve readinto a single review post. Alternatively, see plenty of previous book reviews over here, or see how I rate books.
Also, a quick disclaimer: review copies were provided or downloaded for free, and links may be affiliate links. These reviews cover the version of the book Ireceived, not necessarily the version that’s currently available. A newer or updated version may be available – check for yourself using the links below.
France – 100 Locals – Gi...
