Chris Guillebeau's Blog, page 66

Watch This Pam Am 747 Take to the Skies (Or At Least the Ground) in the Ultimate 1970s Recreation

Air travel has changed a bit over the past few decades—and mostly for the better. Back in the day, an average transcontinental airfare would run you at least $1,500 in today’s dollars, compared to $400 or so now. Yikes.

There were no budget airlines, and—shocking—there were no Frequent Flyer programs where average people could earn large amounts of miles and effectively travel for free.

Still, a little nostalgia never hurt anyone (or does it?).

In another example of people who devote an incred...

Walking the Te Araroa Trail : Kylie Lang’s Quest

This is a quest case study. ( Read others or nominate yourself . )

I love New Zealand, and when I heard the story of someone who set out to walk the length of both main islands, I had to hear more.

Introduce yourself.

I am a New Zealander who until recently led a pretty standard life as a coordinator of an online sports mentoring program. A few years ago, I got it into my head to walk the length of New Zealand—all 3058 kilometers of it, following the Te Araroa Trail. When I told my husband, he was c...

The Insane World of Underground Bike Messenger Racing

File under: I had no idea this was a thing.

This mini-doc on the world of “underground bike messenger racing” might seem a little slow in the beginning, but if you stick with it you’ll be like, “Holy @!*%! I can’t believe they did that!”

Even if you don’t like the concept, think about the below quote, taken from about nine minutes into the video. It can apply to a lot more than illegal bike racing:

“There are totally different ways to think about these kinds of situations, in this traffic, all...

There’s a Good Reason Why We Keep Repeating the Same Mediocre Experiences

I loved this story from a reader in response to why I enjoy the routine of visiting a hotel that’s consistently bad:

“Years ago my in-laws would drive me crazy by complaining about the food at a (now defunct) restaurant chain that they would unfailingly stop at numerous times when traveling from Pennsylvania to Florida each year. It was a major topic of discussion; how not-good the food was, service was terrible, etc. But the food wasn’t bad enough to stop them from going back to the chain (an...

Traveler 1, Jet Lag 0 (For Once)

You, traveler, know very well what jet lag is like. For a period of several years, you were essentially jet-lagged two weeks every month. “Jet lag is my favorite drug,” you said, repeating the great line by Jacques Cousteau.

But you knew then, just as all travelers come to know, that real jet lag is a bitch. Contrary to the suggestions of well-meaning people who took a trip once and thus claim to know all about the world, jet lag is unpredictable. When it arrives, there’s no magic bullet to s...

The Modern Day Swiss Family Robinson : On the Road with Sheralyn Guilleminot

This is a traveler case study. ( Read others or nominate yourself . )

Sheralyn Guilleminot didn’t want to run the risk of never getting around to traveling the world. She and her husband Paul took to the road as a young family, home-schooling their sons while experiencing life in Southeast Asia. Here’s their story.

Tell us about yourself.

I’ve lived most of my life in Manitoba, Canada. It’s where I grew up, got married, and worked.My husband Paul and I wanted to travel the world, but it seemed impr...

6 Discoveries from Near and Far: Volume XXIX

I. Around the World

Things I found on long walks in foreign cities, or perhaps when someone posted them on Twitter.

“Someone stole naked pictures of me. This is what I did about it” — A Danish Journalist speaks out about consent
Reading a James Patterson Book Before It Self-Destructs — As part of an unconventional marketing plan, a man attempts to read James Patterson’s latest novel-of-the-week
It’s Time to Forgive Yourself — Nicole revisits an experience from long ago
1,000 Cups of Latte Art Tell...

7 Alternative Ways to Evaluate Your Life Every Day

As regular readers know, I’m all about setting goals and working toward big projects over time. When you have a big goal, especially one with a clear end point, it’s easy to know when you’ve achieved it. But most big goals take time, and—as I’ve been learning—our lives consist of more than just a series of work-oriented projects that occupy our time.

No, to truly define success, we need to think of both these long-term goals and the actions we take every day. We also need to ensure our lives...

Why I Keep Returning to My Least Favorite Hotel in London

Many years back, I checked into the Sheraton Heathrow after winning a bid on Priceline. It was incredibly cheap—something like $30-40 for the night, as I recall.

At the time I was still new to the world of branded hotels. A few times a year, I might stay in a Starwood or Hilton property. I spent the rest of the nights in hostels, guesthouses, or on the couches of kind hosts. Arriving at the Sheraton Heathrow for the first time, I remember thinking, huh, this hotel is a little weird—but hey, i...

A Reader’s Suggestions for Adderall Alternatives: CILTEP & Bromantane

I’m still getting a ton of emails about my decision to try the prescription drug Adderall to help with focus. I’m currently more than a month into the experiment, and so far I’m still pretty happy with it.

After I posted some comments from a reader’s long-term experience with it, I heard of a couple alternatives that I thought I’d pass along for those who are interested.

Here are some more anonymous comments from a different reader:

Recommendations for Non-Prescription Substances



I especially n...