Rolf Potts's Blog, page 5

Vagabonding Case Study: Sebastian Cuevas

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Sebastián Cuevas of Between Distances

Age: 31

Hometown: Born in San Diego, raised in Guadalajara.

Quote: “En aquel tiempo yo tenía veinte años y estaba loco. Había perdido un país pero había ganado un sueño. Y si tenía ese sueño lo demás no importaba.” Roberto Bolaño (“Back then I was 20 and was mad. I had lost a country but won a dream. And if I had that dream nothing else mattered.” Roberto Bolaño)

How did you find out about Vagabonding, and how did you find it useful before and during the trip?

I found out about it while exploring the world of travel blogging. I identify with the ethos of the project and hope I can contribute to encouraging others to take a risk and give this lifestyle a try.

How long were you on the road?

I like to think that in a way I still am on the road, even though I live a largely sedentary life at the moment. The reason for that is that I’ve been living abroad for the past 11 years. A month ago I relocated to Berlin. I do go on the road pretty often, though. After all, one of the benefits of living in Europe is that international borders are usually but a short drive away, so I try to take advantage of that whenever I can.

Where did you go?

Ever since I left Mexico back in 2004 I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy long-term living experiences in California, Oregon, and, since 2009, Germany. During that time I traveled as much as possible. I still dearly remember the hitchhiking trip I made back in 2009 from Frankfurt to Istanbul and back.

What was your job or source of travel funding for this journey?

During my time living abroad I’ve done all sorts of things. I translate and proofread texts every so often. In Heidelberg I was a research assistant at my faculty all through my grad studies. Now I work at a museum here in Berlin. I didn’t manage to save any money while studying in Heidelberg but still went traveling often, however on an extremely low budget.

Did you work or volunteer on the road?

I haven’t but ideally blogging would be my job and the road my office. I usually just try to get by with whatever little money I have, and luckily usually succeed.

Of all the places you visited, which was your favorite?

I have been to a number of really interesting countries that have earned a spot in my heart, but I’m going to have to go with Bosnia on this one. The warmth and generosity of the people I met there was incredibly moving, especially after hearing what a lot of them went through during the war. People who have experienced being in need are the first to give. People opened up and shared their stories with me minutes after first meeting. It is also one of the best countries for hitchhiking!

Was there a place that was your least favorite, or most disappointing, or most challenging?

There are countries that have impressed me more than others but I think you take away something positive from everywhere regardless, even if you had a bad experience. I luckily have never had a truly bad experience, and not because I don’t take risks, but rather because I am a lucky dog! Germany still challenges me, not because I’m unfamiliar with it but because it’s here that I’m building my life, and elements of that such as entering the job market and dealing with its infamous bureaucracy are not easy for anyone (including Germans).

Which travel gear proved most useful? Least useful?

I usually don’t take anything with me other than the old backpack I took on my first trip to Europe back in 2004. I reckon I should buy a new one. I usually just go on websites such as hitchwiki to find my way from city to city and rely on what I’ve read and a few websites to plan my trips. For the most part I just improvise, really. Guess taking a smart phone with internet next time wouldn’t be a bad idea but I don’t see it as entirely necessary.

What are the rewards of the vagabonding lifestyle?

There are many, but to keep it short I would say the experiences you collect along the way, be it seeing a place that was long on your list or having an unexpected conversation with maybe one of the most interesting persons you’ve ever met. They are all in a way and to different extents life-changing, and they all contribute to giving you a very unique perspective on life—and on where you come from.

What are the challenges and sacrifices of the vagabonding lifestyle?

Being new anywhere is not easy at first but it’s at the same time incredibly refreshing and exciting. My idea when I moved “back” to the US and when I moved to Germany was integrating, which was particularly difficult in Germany because of the language. It was daunting and even frustrating at times, but in due time it happened.

I also haven’t been home in three and a half years because I just simply couldn’t afford it as a student in Germany. I hope to be able to go see my friends and family back in both Mexico and the US in the near future.

What lessons did you learn on the road?

I learned the value of perseverance and patience. I have experienced the satisfaction of helping and being helped without expecting anything in return. Most importantly, I learned that nothing is as valuable as the freedom to decide where to go and what to do.

How did your personal definition of “vagabonding” develop over the course of the trip?

While it at first defined how I travel, it came to define my world view and attitude toward life. I now see it as a permanent state regardless of whether I am physically on the move at any given time or not, for I am still on a journey.

If there was one thing you could have told yourself before the trip, what would it be?

Go with the flow and enjoy the ride. When I went back to the States in late 2004 I was so fixated with coming back to Germany that I couldn’t fully appreciate what I had at the moment. I eventually shook it off, and ended up coming back in the end anyway.

Any advice or tips for someone hoping to embark on a similar adventure?

Don’t throw the towel and be stubborn as hell! Moving to a foreign country with no contacts is difficult and at times even frustrating, but the rewards of sticking to the project are enormous. Just let the good times roll.

When and where do you think you’ll take your next long-term journey?

I can’t wait to go to back to the Baltic when it gets warm again next year. I want to spend more time in Estonia and go to Latvia and Lithuania. Thinking about turning that into a trip from the Baltic to the Black Sea and visit every former western Soviet republic. At some point I will also cross Russia, but I am now also immensely interested in traveling across the US and around Latin America.

Read more about Sebastian on his website, Between Distances.

Are you a Vagabonding reader planning, in the middle of, or returning from a journey? Would you like your travel blog or website to be featured on Vagabonding Case Studies? If so, drop us a line at casestudies@vagabonding.net and tell us a little about yourself.

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Image: Thomas Milne (flickr)

Original article can be found here: Vagabonding Case Study: Sebastian Cuevas

The dark side of travel romance

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When it comes to the ways of love and romance, no aphrodisiac is quite so potent as travel. On the road — freed from the dull routines and restrictions of home — you become more open, more daring, more willing to seize the moment. Away from home, the people you meet (be they locals or fellow travelers) seem sexier, more exotic, less repressed — and this makes you feel sexy, exotic, liberated. Freed from your past, happily anonymous, and filled with a sense of possibility, you are never more willing (or able) to fall headlong into a love affair.

The only downside is this: Rekindling things when you get home almost never works. Regardless of how great you and your lover felt in Rio; regardless of how seamlessly the two of you bonded in Paris; regardless of the memories you cherish from Koh Samui, you are risking heartbreak if you try to resume the romance in Hackensack or Burbank or Minnetonka.

I used to wonder why this was the case — why, after sharing intense travel experiences, my relationships with the intriguing women I met in Cuzco or Tel Aviv would sour into a series of uninspired emails, awkward phone calls and (on occasion) anticlimactic reunions. Why would everything change once we’d stopped traveling?

I finally got a clue to the problem several winters ago in Thailand, when I met a Belgian lass I’ll call Katia. Willowy and doe-eyed, with a sexy pout and effortless European grace, Katia would have been out of my league back home — but in the colorful madness of Bangkok, we somehow fell into an easy love affair. Together, we took a train down to Khao Sok National Park in southern Thailand, where we stayed in a tree-house hotel, swam the jungle-rivers, drank Mekhong whiskey, and shared the stories of our lives. After a week, when it came time for Katia to fly back to Brussels, I felt like we had really connected — that our time together had amounted to something special.

Katia must have felt the same way, since — over the course of the next several weeks — she told me how much she missed me, how much she cared for me, and how much our time together had meant to her. When she eventually invited me to join her in Brussels for Christmas, I didn’t hesitate: I bought a plane ticket and flew out as soon as I could.

Once I arrived in Brussels, things fell apart almost immediately. When I tried to put my arm around her as we walked to meet her friends at a bar, Katia curtly warned me not to touch her in front of her friends (“They know I’m not sentimental like that,” she told me). Once in the bar, Katia continually scolded me: for eating too much; for not sitting up straight; for not asking her friends the right kind of questions. For some reason, I’d suddenly become an embarrassment to Katia — an uncultured American fool who couldn’t do anything right.

The disappointment went both ways: Back in Thailand, Katia was laid-back and affectionate, and she’d talked about her passionate calling to design jewelry; in Brussels, I’d quickly discovered that she was a shrill busybody who used her art studio mainly to play computer games. When we visited Belgian museums, Katia sneered at my ignorance of art history; when I read a book on the train to Louven, she scolded me for not looking out at the scenery; when we ate dinner with her parents, she lost her temper when I didn’t pay enough attention to the conversation (which, I reminded her, was mostly in Dutch). In Thailand, Katia had found pleasure in the simplest moments; in Brussels, the only times she seemed remotely satisfied were when we were arguing.

After a week of being trapped in a small Brussels apartment with Katia, I had a realization: despite everything that had happened between us in Thailand, she was still complete stranger to me. I had fallen for Thailand as much as I’d fallen for Katia, and she had done the same. The world we’d experienced together as travelers was, in many ways, a transient fantasy world — and the mountaintop experiences we’d shared in Asia amounted to a sandcastle by the time I’d arrived in Europe.

Indeed, if the anonymity and renewal of travel makes love bloom easier, returning to the noise of your home-life makes road-romance reunions that much harder. Despite all the memories you’ve shared on the road, you can’t pick up the relationship where it left off, because that place is now thousands of miles away.

Last summer, after having not communicated for four years, Katia sent me an email suggesting we meet up and talk. We met — as friends — in Paris, and I felt like I got to know my old Belgian lover for the first time.





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[This Rolf Potts article originally appeared in Yahoo! News on Apr. 10, 2006. All rights reserved.]

Photo Credit: Nathan Fertig

Original article can be found here: The dark side of travel romance

The 5 lessons that travel taught me

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I bolted through the airport, dodging slow moving people dragging rolling suitcases.

My flight left in thirty minutes. Plenty of time to get my boarding pass and navigate airport security in the quiet of an early Friday morning.

The lines to the flight check-in counters were empty. I ducked under each fabric line divider and arrived at the counter, flushed and breathless.

“I’m sorry, miss, but I can’t print your boarding pass.”

“Why not? You have my ID and credit card right there. And I’m here.” I checked my watch again. Twenty-eight minutes until boarding time — still enough time to make it through security.

The check-in agent handed my documents back and smiled slowly. Why was she taking so long? If she just printed my boarding pass, I could be half-way to security by now. “Our policy is for you to arrive at least two hours before take off. That allows plenty of time for check in and check your bags –”

“I have a carry on. Can you please just print my boarding pass?”

Again, the slow smile. “No, miss, it’s company policy. Two hours before flight takeoff. And right now –” she checked her watch “– it’s twenty minutes before. I can’t get your boarding pass. Policy.”

I looked at her compressed lips, arms folded tight over her chest, and I headed off for Frontier’s check-in counter to buy a new ticket. This was just another lesson given to me by travel.

Over the years, travel has taught me many lessons in how to navigate life. Looking back over my decade of travel on my own terms (i.e. not with my family), I’m grateful for how those lessons have shaped my life.

Here are five things I’m thankful for that travel has taught me. 

Self-Reliance

We ran up to the entrance to the DC metro and stared at the iron gate barricading our way. The metro shut down for the wee hours of the night?

My husband and I traded a shocked glance. The metro was our ride to Baltimore airport to catch our pre-dawn flight to Boston. Around us, DC slumbered quietly. Even the dark streets were deserted.

We trudged back towards our hotel and did the next best thing: we called a cab.

This is what self-reliance feels like: an ability to see and conquer any obstacle in my path and keep chugging.

Problems are mini anthills in the scheme of life. They don’t derail or ruin a trip. I’m grateful for this lesson that travel has taught me.

Now when I encounter a setback in life or on my trips, I can point to my past successes and say, I survived those things and figured out solutions just fine. I can do this, too.

Breaking free of introvertism

Talking in a group of more than three scares me. Approaching new people makes me break out in a cold sweat.

I’m an introvert. Travel frequently head-butts up against my introvertism.

Over the years, my trips have worn down the sharp edges of my introvert tendencies: paralyzing fear to ask someone for directions, ordering dinner in fumbling French, pushing through a packed crowd on a Venice dock to catch my boat to the airport.

From traveling and putting myself in awkward situations when I can’t let my shyness rule my world and ruin my trip, now I can take a deep breath and do what I must, even if my hands are slick with sweat.

While ordering dinner in French is becoming easier, hopefully travel wears down my tendency to avoid marching up to a hotel desk to complain about the hairs in my bathtub. Baby steps.

Confidence

On my first solo trip, my plans had me disembarking a four-hour long flight, catching a cab to the train station, and making a tight connection to catch that train up the East Coast.

After my train got into Boston, I had to navigate an unknown city to find my friend’s apartment in Back Bay. As someone who struggles with directions in her own city, this segment of the journey was the most daunting.

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. Do the thing you think you cannot do.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

But all those pieces fell together perfectly. At my adventure’s end, I found myself in my friend’s kitchen making homemade pizzas with her friends.

Over the following days, I explored Boston on foot, wandering to its many historic sights and occasionally getting lost. That notion of getting lost and never finding my way home again didn’t scare me.

Thanks to travel, I’m more confident as I wade through each unknown situation and emerge unscathed.

People actually want to help you

“Do you see your husband yet?” The gate agent held the door open with his foot.

“Any moment, I promise. He just had to go to the bathroom real quick. I promise.” I stood next to the gate agent. “Please, he’ll be here any second.”

Once those doors closed, they sure weren’t opening again and we’d miss our flight.

I used all my charms learned from years of waitressing and working in the legal field to convince recalcitrant witnesses to testify in court.

But it wasn’t my charms that made him keep those doors open. It was my friendly demeanor and appeal for his help.

Sometimes it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking everyone is out to get you — that when you ask for help, a person will turn aside and let you get on the wrong train headed the wrong direction to a very unsavory neighborhood where you’ll wander for hours.

Travel has showed me that this isn’t true.

When you make a clear ask of someone and are friendly, they will do as much as they can to help you accomplish that goal.

People want to be helpful. The trick is you have to set the conversation off on the right foot with a friendly tone or smile.

I’ve used this lesson over and over again — both in my travels and in my life at home. It’s amazing how often you can start a conversation to a company or customer service with a question and you get a quick, friendly answer.

Curiosity about your world

I travel for a variety of reasons: wanderlust, a need to break free from routine, and an itching curiosity to see how the rest of the world lives. It’s this latter reason that travel has taught me and I’m most grateful for.

Have you ever sat at an outdoor cafe, sipping espresso, and watching life in your destination city pass by on their private missions? Have you ever wandered through quiet Venetian alleys under the neighbors’ clothes hanging out to dry and wondered at the lives occurring behind closed shutters?

Have you ever watched a German family at dinner and imagined their bedtime routines and if they differed from yours?

Curiosity about the world is the biggest lesson travel has taught me. For that lesson I’m thankful, for it means I’m constantly learning more about this world and the people that inhabit it.

What lessons has travel taught you that you’re grateful for? 





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Laura Lopuch is a copywriter, incurable traveler, and blogs at Waiting To Be Read where she helps you find your next great book to read because life’s too short to read crummy books. 

Photo Credit: Milada Vigerova

Original article can be found here: The 5 lessons that travel taught me

Vagabonding Case Study: Keith Savage

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Keith Savage of Traveling Savage

Age: 35

Hometown: Madison, WI

Quote: “The most important lesson for us was the power of a budget.”

How did you find out about Vagabonding, and how did you find it useful?

I read Rolf’s book a long time ago – I think I found it after browsing through recommended reading on Amazon. The title just jumped out at me and I was pleasantly surprised to read a book about travel that spoke to my situation at the time: a corporate office worker seeking to travel but having limited time to do it.

After I read the book, I naturally investigated the website and I’ve found it to be full of useful tips and inspiring stories. I think it might have planted the seed for my current journey.

How long were you on the road?

I am still in the midst of my travels. For most of the year I live at home in Wisconsin, but I get out to Scotland between one and three times every year for research purposes.

Where did you go?

After visiting Argentina, I adjusted the focus of Traveling Savage to focus solely on Scotland. Since then I have taken 1-3 trips to Scotland each year. 

What is your job or source of travel funding for this journey?

Over the past five years I’ve been traveling off and on to Scotland. I write weekly articles for my site, Traveling Savage, and provide Scotland trip-planning consultation services to prospective travelers. I’ve also been working on a novel for the past three and a half years.

Do you plan to work on the road?

Being on the road is my work. I spend every day researching the cultural, natural, and historic sites of Scotland, collecting ideas to allow me to write for a full year after I return home to Wisconsin.

Which destinations do you hope to visit?

Early on in the Traveling Savage venture I had a list of eight places around the world that I planned to visit. I shifted my vision early on and chose to focus solely on Scotland. It has turned out to be a good decision.

Of all the places you visited, which was your favorite?

Scotland. It’s near to my heart and the focus of my Web site.

My wife continues to work at her corporate job. We still have mortgage payments, bills, and all the miscellaneous expenses of owning a home.

Was there a place that was your least favorite, or most disappointing, or most challenging?

Argentina was challenging. I had intended to get close to the culture and share the stories that arose during my travels, but not speaking the language fluently proved to be an insurmountable obstacle. I couldn’t get as close as I wanted, and it was this trying experience that forced me to reconsider the plan I’d had to visit eight very different countries around the world. After all, Spanish was the language I learned in school!

What are you packing for the journey?

For me, packing for a week-long, month-long, or year-long trip would probably be pretty similar. I will not be checking any baggage thanks to a couple of Tom Bihn bags I picked up, the Aeronaut and the Smart Alec. The Aeronaut will hold all of my clothing and toiletries and the Smart Alec will contain my laptop, external hard drives, iPhone, cables, books, and other gadgetry.

I pack light: a couple of pairs of convertible pants, a few shirts, etc.

Which travel gear proved most useful? Least useful?

Nothing too surprising, but my iPhone is crucial for being able to flexibly connect to the internet wherever there’s wifi.

What are the rewards of the vagabonding lifestyle?

I don’t think I’m qualified to answer this question as I never truly vagabonded during my venture. Every 3-5 weeks I returned home to my house, wife, cars, and cats.

Do you have any worries or concerns about the journey?

Five years into my Traveling Savage venture, I’ve pretty well ironed out the hiccups. The main issue is earning a consistent living that can help pay the bills. Last year I introduced my consultation services and that has been wildly successful, for more sought after than I could have possibly imagined.

Any tips or lessons learned from the travel-preparation process?

The most important lesson for us was the power of a budget. By creating savings goals and monitoring our monthly spending, we were able to accumulate the needed resources much more quickly than we thought possible. Prior to this plan, we didn’t hold ourselves to a budget, and sometimes we think back and lament all of the money we could have saved.

The point is that if you’re anything like me, someone working a good office job but looking for something more in line with passions, don’t let money be an excuse. You can put together a plan that will turn a dream into a reality.

What lessons did you learn on the road?

I learned what was important to me, and for that alone it was all worth it. Family, friends, loved ones — I didn’t want to see the wonders of the world without them. I also learned how to rely on myself, coping mechanisms for bad times, and my personal limitations for all things travel.

If there was one thing you could have told yourself before the trip, what would it be?

Stop basing your plans on the best-case scenario. I was victim of my own rose-tinted glasses. Part of that was due to the excitement of getting out of a job that felt very constraining at the time, and part of it was sheer hoping it would all work out. It has worked out, just differently.

Any advice or tips for someone hoping to embark on a similar adventure?

Have a plan B and remember to be flexible on your journey. Whether you’re trying to start a business or just traveling from country to country. Don’t rigidly adhere to the plan you set down ahead of time. You can’t know what it will be like to be out on the road until you’re there. Adapt.

When and where do you think you’ll take your next long-term journey?

I don’t foresee a long-term journey in my future. The 3-4 weeks jaunts each year work well with my personality type and budget!

Read more about Keith  on his website, Traveling Savage.

Are you a Vagabonding reader planning, in the middle of, or returning from a journey? Would you like your travel blog or website to be featured on Vagabonding Case Studies? If so, drop us a line at casestudies@vagabonding.net and tell us a little about yourself.

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Image: Brian Yap (flickr)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Original article can be found here: Vagabonding Case Study: Keith Savage

How time changes travel and travel changes time

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The past few weeks have seen a lot of talk of the past, the future and travel. Flux capacitor, Delorian and time travel have been posted in You Tube videos, bantered around Facebook and the stars of Back to the Future even turned up on late night television in celebration of the past actually catching up to the future. While I don’t own my own flux, futuristic car or have even the most vague idea of a jigawatt, I do have some experience with both travel changing time and time, most certainly, changing travel.

In my youth, my family rarely left the shores of the United States. New England car rides and Disney extravaganzas were the name of the game. As a teenager, we hit a few Caribbean islands by land and sea but great distance nor adventure travel were ever an interest. Backpacking in Europe had its benefits and perhaps, some drawbacks. The pros of a backpacker’s budget were the interesting people we met and carefree attitude taken. The cons (although I’m not so sure they actually belong in this category anymore), well, rarely did we have our own bathroom and we spent a lot of time on the floors of train stations waiting for the next to arrive. Slight adventure and distance began to extend across the pond.

I realize now that travel attitudes can change throughout life. Perhaps there is some direct relationship to the balance in our bank accounts, but I don’t believe that to be the case for us all. One’s travel attitudes in our twenties might drastically vary from those in the forties. It makes sense, how many of us are truly the same person we were twenty years earlier?

People change, needs change, and without question, both time and travel change people. At one time in my life, all – inclusive destinations provided enjoyment, relaxation and an inviting arena for me. With one set price, no need to carry any cash and with a level of comfort I wanted, it suited my needs at the time.

As I started to break out of my shell a bit, more and more adventure crept into my travel desires. It began to matter less and less if anyone wanted to join those journeys. Travel attitudes were changing; I was changing. Often, it wasn’t posh, high end or filled with luxury of any kind, but it was travel, it worked for me and I loved it. It’s funny to look back and see what was once ‘acceptable’ or ‘necessary’ in your travel landscape and how that has shifted as you’ve grown.

In my circle of friends and colleagues, I was the girl who loved to travel. Any school holiday was booked as soon as I returned from the last one. Sick days were saved to act as travel days in the event of a flight issue or oversight. I never knew I wanted more until I met my (now) husband on a tour in New Zealand. With a four-year overseas courtship, we hit different destinations than I had ever before visited. We went sight seeing in Thailand, chasing castles in the United Kingdom and finding friends in Hong Kong. On a one-year honeymoon, my travel attitude changed and it is unlikely to return to its original state. The hunger grew. Time not only changes people, but travel as well.

Within a year, I found myself getting shots I never before would have, searching out an infectious disease doctor (by choice) for a prescription for anti-malarial meds that petrified me and adding sleep sheets and extra deet-related bug spray to my travel kit. A week on a lounge chair in Club Med, this was not, but both seemed perfect for the wanderlust of the day.

Needs change. After coming face to face with lions in Zambia, nearly jumping to my death in Victoria Falls and being chased by a hippo in the Okavanga Delta, I found myself continuing to yearn for the authentic and less focused on the lounge chair luxuries of earlier days. Interacting with locals, learning through doing, expanding my palate and searching for adventure were terms floated regularly. Often the ‘beach holiday’ found its way worked in as part of the overall adventure in lieu of its before central presence. I longed for longer travel. What on earth was happening?

As we grow, so do our travel attitudes. Perhaps yours shifts from backpacker to five star fanatic or the other way around, or perhaps you grow to really love the way you travel and know that it works for you and that’s what matters. Perhaps you choose one type for one journey, another for the next and a mixture for the third. The travel experiences you’ve had provide insight to ones you crave. Where you are in life, may also offer vision for your next adventure. Delorian or otherwise, travel and time are intertwined.

Today I find myself sourcing out what works. Never has it mattered if my interests were on a top ten, or emerging place to be list above the central fold of a prominent newspaper. A week in the Maldives holds my interest equally alongside road tripping in a Ute around Australia. A French Polynesian overwater bungalow experience is right up there with wandering Brazilian favelas or spending time in an Indian village. After being covered in East African red dirt for a safari filled week it was still nice to be in a London hotel room with easy access to public transport and around the bustle of city life. It’s the experience that matters. It’s the interaction with people who continue to show up in your retold stories. It’s finding the value in that ever-expanding perspective and the willingness to blow open that comfort zone. If you let them, travel and time will continue to have a symbiotic relationship.

Our comfort zone is a built in flux capacitor. Like Doc Brown, it took me awhile to figure out the application of this invention. In the early years, it flickered a bit and got a few shocks with optional excursions of sorts, but wasn’t fulfilling its potential. Merge it with a desire to experience the unknown, determination to plow ahead through the uncomfortable and the willingness to ask for help when feeling a bit wobbly…and you just might find yourself trying to build up speed to reach the pinnacle of jiggawatts in your own life. Full speed ahead…you might even build your own roads. Happy travels.

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 Keep up with Stacey’s adventures on her blog.

Photo credit: denniz

Original article can be found here: How time changes travel and travel changes time

10 reasons I would never go back to regular life

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Traveling long-term for the last three years has changed me in many ways. When I take a minute and reflect on who I was before I started traveling, I can only see faint glimmers of that person. As I have wandered the world, experienced other cultures, and tested my limits I have become an independent, free, and well-rounded person.

Travel has opened my heart and expanded my mind. I feel infinitely grateful that it has played such a huge role in my life.  Here are ten small taste of what life on the road has to offer and ten reasons I would never go back to regular life.

Because I choose freedom.

This is a massive part of why I do what I do. I’ll never forget that sense of freedom I felt on my first trip, and how that feeling has not diminished one bit over the years.

Being able to choose where you go and what you do is indescribable.

I could never go back to working a 9-5 in suffocating office walls or being tied down to one spot. I am aware of how lucky I am to have this much choice in my life and it is not something I take for granted. The freedom and possibilities of the road are endless and something I could never give up.

Because I cherish my time.

Time moves slowly while traveling and you cherish every moment of it. While I have been living on the road for a few years, I have a lifetime worth of memories.

When you remove the distraction of tv’s and break away from the things that consume our time throughout our everyday lives.

You realize how much free time you have and what you can accomplish with it. You simply have more time when you are traveling, and learn how to cherish the small moments.

Because I choose happiness.

As I have traveled to third world countries, tiny villages, and ventured to forgotten places I have learned an important lessons traveling the world.

Travel has taught me that material things do not buy happiness. Some of the happiest people I had the honor of meeting have been the poorest. People who would offer me what little they had with a smile on their face.

Before I traveled, all I wanted was to collect things.

I was wrong, lost, and I honestly believed that material objects would make me happy.

Now everything I own fits on my back.

I find happiness in the warmth of the people I meet, and in the adventures life throws my way. I could never go back to a regular life of chasing objects to find my happiness in them.

Because I am an adventure junkie.

I am an adventures junkie. I find pushing myself to face my fears is one of the best ways to grow as a traveler. The road offers daily adventure. Before I started traveling adventures were few and far between.

Now I don’t just crave the thrills found on the road, but I need them.

My regular life was just not exciting enough, and it didn’t make me feel alive.

Because the road lets me start fresh.

The road is forgiving. Each day it  is a new and fresh start. At each new place you get to start over.

If you make mistakes, you get to start over at the next place.

In my regular life, there were many times I wished  I could start a certain situation over. Traveling gives you this chance almost daily.

Because the road is my home.

Each time I left for a trip it was easier to go and harder to come back.

Soon I realized the city in which I was born was no longer my home.

As I started transitioning into a full-time traveler the place I once called home became a layover between my trips. Soon I felt more at home in foreign lands, and different cultures.

I could never return to regular life because it is not my home anymore. When I am sitting around with locals, exploring temple ruins, or wandering through a new city with my backpack is when I am truly at home.

Because the road teaches me new lessons everyday.

They say travel is one of the best educators, and I couldn’t agree more. It seems I learn new life lessons every day. More importantly they are through first-hand experiences.

I learn more about the world, myself, and other people in a week on the road than I would in a year of living at home.

I am addicted to these life lessons and thrive of these teachings. I look forward to everything travel has to teach about the world around me as well as myself.

Because I want to experience life outside of my comfort zone

In my regular life, I was in my comfortable. My life was predictable, safe, and certain. When I started traveling, there were a lot of times I was forced out of what was convenient and comfortable.

At first I hated this, but soon I discovered that this is a wonderful part of traveling.

Even now, after years of being on the road, I am still pushed out of my comfort zone.

It is funny to say, but I love having to adapt to my surroundings. When you are out of your comfort zone is when you make random and wonderful memories, and rare opportunities present themselves.

Because I crave experiences.

I am now hard wired for the road. Everything I do revolves around traveling or helping inspire others to travel.

I couldn’t go back to a regular life because I couldn’t accept the grind. For me spending money on rent, or car insurance is not important.

I want experiences over comfort and memories over money.

Because moving is living.

The biggest reason I could not go back to a normal life is because travel is who I am. I am a person that constantly needs new and exciting adventures to feel alive.

For me moving is living, and while I have nothing against people that choose a settled life I am just built that way.  Moving is living and if I stop moving then I am slowly fading away.

Many people need the comforts and security that a regular life provides and nothing is wrong living that way.

However, for some of us it is different. We have fallen in love with life on the road. Even though sometimes this life is hard, and full of uncertainty I love every moment of it.

The more time I spend living on the road, the more I never want to stop traveling. I could never give traveling full-time and return to a regular life. For me the road is life, and life is good.





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Stephen Schreck runs A Backpackers Tale Travel Blog and is a passionate wanderer. You can also follow his adventures on Instagram.

Photo Credit: Martin M303

Original article can be found here: 10 reasons I would never go back to regular life

Join the indie travel challenge

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This month our friends over at Bootsnall are running a month long Indie Travel Challenge.

Based on the tenets of the popular Indie Manifesto, participants will be asked a question, or given a challenge (or both!) every day for the 30 days of November. Responses will be shared on blogs, and across social media, but especially on Twitter, with the hashtag: #doyouindie



Want to come out and play?



The ITC is for seasoned travelers and arm chair dreamers alike. We want to build community, build connections, and inspire you to live your dreams!

Every Friday there’ll be a huge round up on Bootsnall in which the highlights from the week are shared widely! You could see your name in lights! If we quote you, we’ll link to your blog or social media. It’s going to be the travel community event of the season. Don’t miss out!

Join us!

Join ITC 2015





Sign up here! >

Photo credit: Antonio Guillem

Original article can be found here: Join the indie travel challenge

Vagabonding Case Study: Becky Ances

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Becky Ances of Writer. Traveler. Tea Drinker.

Age: 39

Hometown: Peterborough, NH, America

Quote: “Most of our problems arose from our connections to our hometown. On the traveling side we had problems every now and then, but it is just easier to roll with it.”



How did you find out about Vagabonding, and how did you find it useful before and during the trip?



I originally heard about it from Tim Ferriss’ book, The Four-Hour Workweek. It is very inspiring for anyone dreaming and planning to take the travel plunge!

How long were you on the road?



In the original interview, I was excited about being gone for a year and still going. I’ve now been outside of America for six years and now have no expectations of going back to America. For the first few years I deluded myself by saying “just one more year.” I no longer say that and when people ask when I’m going back to America I just kinda shrug my shoulders. I never expected to feel so at home here.

Where did you go?

Since 2009 I’ve lived in Hanzhou and Xiamen, (both in China) though over the years I have traveled to all corners of the country. (I just returned from a month in Gansu and Xinjiang Province where I was a stone’s throw away from the Pakistani border.) I’ve also traveled around South-east Asia and places like Taiwan and Macau.

What was your job or source of travel funding for this journey?

Teaching English. I still teach at a university which is in session for 32 weeks (which means I get 20 paid weeks off a year). I’m not going to get rich teaching English but it provides enough money to fuel my travels. Originally I worked in America and saved enough money to fund a year. Now, I rely solely on my teaching salary which does come with some limitations. Chinese RMB doesn’t go far in the world so I tend to avoid the expensive countries like Europe, America and Japan where the RMB doesn’t go far. Luckily, Asia is vast and varied and I’ve barely scratched the surface so I have lots of places still to explore.

Did you work or volunteer on the road?

Not in general, no.

Of all the places you visited, which was your favorite?

I don’t quite have a favorite place per say (all places have their good and bad qualities) but I will say going to Thailand in the winter is a pleasant memory. I got to shed the bulky jackets, hats and gloves and eat fresh fruit and walk in the jungle. Going back after a month was tough to deal with the bitter cold winter again.

Was there a place that was your least favorite, or most disappointing, or most challenging?

I was surprised at how challenging my recent trip to Xinjiang was. I have traveled extensively in China, and can speak Chinese fluently. But out in Xinjiang, despite it being China, the people are Uighur which is culturally more akin to Turkey than China. Tensions between the Uigher’s and Han Chinese are high, and there is huge amount of security and guards all over. I found that sometimes it was better to speak English than Chinese just to avoid offending them. But despite the difficulties, and the big language barriers, it was an amazing place and worth the trouble. The people are very friendly and there is some stunning scenery out there. I was just surprised out how different it was to travel in a different part of a country I know so well.

Which travel gear proved most useful? Least useful?

I’m pretty minimalist, just a small 40 liter backpack so I don’t have to deal with checked luggage on the plane. Although I guess I can’t state the importance of my unlocked iphone. Whenever I enter a new country, the first thing I do is buy a SIM card so I can have data wherever I go. I think of all the apps, the map has truly revolutionized travel for me. No more wandering around confused as hell looking for an English speaker to help me! Because of my iphone I found my laptop just wasn’t necessary and too heavy and worrisome to travel with. I now leave it at home.

What are the rewards of the vagabonding lifestyle?

This might sound cliché and trite, but through the vagabond lifestyle I was able to finally become the person I was meant to be. When you travel you don’t have the baggage of other people’s expectations keeping you back. You aren’t held back by your past successes or failures and every new interaction is a new opportunity. Because of this lack of pressure, I have been able to open myself quicker and forge deeper relationships. You never know how long you will be around a friend when you travel, so I stopped being coy, shy or judging others and just enjoy being around them. It doesn’t always work, I get frustrated and annoyed with people, but I find so much more joy in interactions with people.

Also, 4 years ago my husband and I broke up. While I had done a lot of traveling in my life it was always with another person, either a friend or my ex. As I began to travel as a single woman I really had to stretch myself, break out of my shell and I learn to deal with everything by myself without support. This has been one of the most important changes in my life and I’m proud how this formerly shy girl has not only risen to the challenges but has conquered them.

What are the challenges and sacrifices of the vagabonding lifestyle?

Now that I have crossed over to the realm of permanent long-term traveler, of course relationships back home suffer. I’m on facebook and other social media so I keep up with who is getting married/divorced/having children, but I rarely get to meet these spouses or new children. I only go back to America every 2 years or so just for a short visit so I don’t get to see a lot of people. Also, I have two cool nephews who I’ve missed most of their childhood (they’ll be entering the teen years soon). Sadly, there have also been a few deaths and all I can do is offer my long-distance condolences which can feel a bit cheap at times.

Also, when I go “home” I feel a bit of a stranger. After living outside my native culture for so long I don’t feel like I belong when I go back. I feel more comfortable in new places and different cultures than I do in the one I should consider my own. It’s a bit of a weird disconnect.

What lessons did you learn on the road?

I’ve been able to shed the culture of busyness it seems the world is so obsessed with. My job is quite light, only 14 hours a week of work. Many other foreign teachers find part-time work to make more money and I am offered jobs on a weekly basis. But I always turn them down. While my friends call me lazy, I would rather spend my time doing what I love now. I used to try to defend myself by talking about all the things I did, but then I realized it was stupid. Now I just nod and say I’m lazy while packing my bag for my next trip, or spending time in cafes writing (my other passion). I don’t need to defend myself to others, or get caught up in this “if I’m busier than I must be more important” mentality. I don’t want to be important if it means giving up myself and my time.

How did your personal definition of “vagabonding” develop over the course of the trip?

I think it changed from a “phase” to a lifestyle. I’m caught in a weird position as I’m not a full-time traveler always on the move. I have a home base in Xiamen, China, though I take it year by year and I could be gone at anytime and I travel to new places/country regularly. I still consider myself a traveler but a long-term one. Thinking of what country I want to travel/live/work in, isn’t a metaphorical dream, but the realities of my situation. So it’s just my life now, now a phase or “trip.”

If there was one thing you could have told yourself before the trip, what would it be?

I still wouldn’t tell myself anything. The excitement of life is not knowing what’s ahead. I’ve learned to trust myself that I always will try to do what is best for me. If I mess up, and something goes bad, then I know I will work towards fixing it, or getting myself in a better position. I feel like I have done my younger self proud, and I trust that my future self will continue to do the right thing for me, even if that means I have to fight convention and the expectations of others.

Any advice or tips for someone hoping to embark on a similar adventure?

I want to especially encourage single female travelers. I know that we get a lot of pressure to not travel alone, or to not go places by ourselves because of the “dangers.” But as long as you are smart about it, you’ll find people are kind all over the world, and many of the fears are overblown.

When and where do you think you’ll take your next long-term journey?

Since I have no plans to end this one, I don’t need to plan the next.

Read more about Becky on her website, Writer. Traveler. Tea Drinker.

Are you a Vagabonding reader planning, in the middle of, or returning from a journey? Would you like your travel blog or website to be featured on Vagabonding Case Studies? If so, drop us a line at casestudies@vagabonding.net and tell us a little about yourself.





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Image: Bernd Thaller (flickr)

Original article can be found here: Vagabonding Case Study: Becky Ances

How to become a SCUBA diving instructor

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Working from a beach paradise, daiquiri in hand, can make living abroad as a permanent beach bum seem easy. In reality, finding a way to create income from abroad can be tortuous. Travel sites post lists of the top 10 jobs that can make working from abroad a reality. While these jobs exist and are possible to get, sipping a cocktail on the beach everyday is not always part of the equation.

A year ago I fell in love with diving and wanted to spend all day, everyday, in the ocean. Rather than setting out to be a dive instructor, I set out to make my dream of diving everyday come true. If you come at it the other way around you are likely going to be broke, exhausted, and disappointed.

Professional ratings

Becoming a dive professional is a lot of work and the process isn’t always clear. If you love diving and want to go pro there is a very clear path you must take. If you’re already a certified diver you must reach the highest level of recreational diver: Rescue Diver. Many people don’t bother to do this course unless they’re planning on going pro. Once you’re a Rescue Diver with 40 dives you can begin the process of becoming a Divemaster. The Divemaster course is probably the longest and most intense program there is. It’s also arguably the most fun. Lasting a couple of months depending on your schedule, it’s a flexible program where you learn the basics of teaching, assisting, guiding, and the ins and outs of working in a dive shop. Many stop here and look for work as a DM however there are only a few countries where making enough money to live off of is possible as a DM. The next step would be to become an instructor.

The instructor course is a shorter but no less intense process. After completing the two-week long Instructor Development Course you spend two days in exams (theory and practical) with professional examiners. The course covers the physics and physiology of diving, practical pool sessions that train you to work with students and solve common problems, and training in open water.

Choosing a diving organization: PADI vs SSI

Depending on your location, there are typically two major diving organizations to choose between. The differences in philosophy are minor but the name and job opportunities vary. Scuba Schools International (SSI) is a popular choice for new divers because their prices are cheaper. PADI is probably the most famous name in diving and has become synonymous with learning to dive. Popular diving spots like Thailand or Honduras will often offer both to choose between. I chose to go with PADI for the flexibility of teaching later on (SSI requires you work out of a dive shop) and for its brand. Many will start with PADI and do a crossover to SSI and have the flexibility of being able to certify under either organization.

Choosing a location

Dive shop

You can do your divemaster and instructor course almost anywhere in the world so choosing a location can be as simple as picking a country you’d like to spend some time in. There are however some other considerations to bear in mind. Do your research. Scope out dive shops before making a decision. Go into a few and fun dive with them. Do their instructors and divematsters seem friendly and helpful? Do they look like they love their life? Is there equipment in good condition? Do they have lots of customers? Check out their Trip Advisor rating and reviews. What do they charge? Have people written about doing their courses there and have good things to say? I chose a shop based on all these factors. I felt welcome right away and everyone in the shop had a great attitude. The shop was busy with customers which meant I would be getting lots of real experience working with students and fun divers.

Dive sites

You’re going to want to also choose a location that has good diving. You’re going to dive the same dive sites over and over again. Somewhere with decent visibility, a lot of variety in sites (wrecks, reefs, deep), and somewhere with lots of marine life will make diving the same sites repeatedly enjoyable.

Cost

Cost can also be a powerful decision maker. The Divemaster course and the Instructor course can be very expensive, even in the cheapest countries. On top of the fees to the shop you’re diving with, each organization will have its own certification fees. You’ll need to be prepared to shell out cash in the thousands. Also consider you cost of living. Will renting a room or house for a few months be in your budget? Can you cook for yourself to save money?

Social atmosphere

Be sure to check out the location as well. Is there a night life? Do you want a quiet deserted island or a raucous party scene? Choose somewhere you’re going to want to spend a few months. If you have a weakness for local spirits it may be hard to get anything done if you’re hungover every morning.

Starting to work

After completing your courses it can be beneficial to have a relationship with a dive shop so you can potentially begin teaching as a freelancer. Dive instructors don’t have a lot of days off and can have long days. This is where your love of diving makes it worth it. You have to enjoy it otherwise you may be sorely disappointed. There won’t be a lot of time to relax on the beach or even dive for fun anymore. You can make decent money but it won’t get you rich. The look on your student’s face when they come up from their first dive with you can be priceless.

If you love diving everyday, teaching people an exciting skill, and living abroad then becoming a dive instructor may be for you. Take your time and make a plan and you can end up with the ocean as your home office!





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Photo Credit: Rich Carey

Original article can be found here: How to become a SCUBA diving instructor

How Not To Travel the World

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Lauren had never eaten rice.

Yet she had just purchased a one-way flight ticket to Eastern Europe.

Maybe you’ve dreamed about traveling the world. Ideas of where you’d go, what you’d see, how you’d pack, and those pristine white beaches fill your quiet moments.

But the thought of leaving your comfortable life and its solid routines scares you. It’s an huge world and despite those jaw-dropping beach photos, you’d be tackling this vast unknown-ness by yourself.

That thought makes your bones tremble.

That was Lauren in 2011. Striking out on her own to travel the world — and figuring out how to make money while traveling — was her pipe dream and one she decided was worth following.

Well-written and hilarious, How Not To Travel the World is the story of how Lauren Juliff faced her overwhelming anxiety and dared to accomplish her dream of travel, despite being a fantastically unlucky traveler.

I couldn’t put this book down. It was filled with rollicking stories — for Lauren really does have horrible luck — interspersed with intense self-evaluation and a desire to improve.

How Not To Travel The World is crafted around Lauren’s quest to overcome her often-crippling anxiety. In the process of reading her journey, your fears are revealed for what they really are: mental challenges that you can overcome.

Your imagined worst day on the road is something you can get through. In every page, Lauren is the walking example of this idea.

I had the chance to interview Lauren on her thoughts about traveling with anxiety, how to juggle work and life on the road, and how travel can change you in ways you wouldn’t expect.

So many people say they want to travel the world, even if they’ve only done a little like you did before your book started. How did you take that goal and put it into action? What kind of fears or mental barriers did you have to tackle?

I had so many fears and barriers! There were the huge things, like debilitating anxiety that had me battling panic attacks on a daily basis, an eating disorder that I was still fighting to get under control, and the lack of life experience – I’d never eaten rice before or been on a bus!

Then there were the smaller fears that I think most new travellers face: worrying that I’d get sick, panicking about getting lost, wondering if I’d make friends or be lonely, feeling like I was forgetting to pack something important, and scariest of all: what if I didn’t like travel?

With so many fears to overcome, it was surprising how easy leaving was. I chose a date, bought a one-way ticket, told everyone I was going to do it, bought everything I’d need, sorted out vaccinations and insurance, and then stepped on the plane.

In a way, my anxiety made it easier to go. I knew that I was miserable at home and struggling to cope, and it made me ready to try something new. Whenever I felt like I wouldn’t be able to leave, I’d remind myself that I’d much rather have a panic attack on a beach in Thailand than at home.

In what ways have your expectations about travel changed? Or how have you changed the way you approach travel now as opposed to when you first started traveling?

When I left to travel, I expected that travel would change my life. It did, but not in the way I expected.

I used to spend every spare minute at home devouring travel blogs and ended up convincing myself that my life would be just like those bloggers when I left. I was going to party around Southeast Asia and go skydiving in New Zealand and speak to every stranger I cam across.

It was a bit of a shock when I stepped off the plane in my first destination and realised I was still the same person. I was never going to be much of a party-er and the thought of adventurous activities was always going to make me want to throw up.

Fortunately, travel changed my life in so many positive ways. It led to me conquering my anxiety, helped me form a normal relationship with food, and it showed me that leaving my comfort zone is the best thing you can possibly do for yourself.

I had no idea that travel was transforming me until I was several months in.

Now, I try not to have any expectations. I keep doing my thing and going to the places I want to visit, and if something amazing happens then that’s wonderful. If it doesn’t, that’s fine, too.

How do you juggle traveling and working to earn an income? For example, do you block off certain days to focus on only working at a destination then you’re “free” to go play. Or do you juggle working and playing in the same day at a destination — like “I’ll work for 3 hours then I can go explore.”

Badly! Finding a work-life balance is something I constantly struggle with, because I find it tough to remember to switch off my laptop and step outside – there’s always something I could be working on.

Recently, I’ve made a few changes to how I work in order to fix this.

I’ve found that I enjoy the work and the travel so much more if I only do one of them a time, so I’m allocating one month at a time to each. One month of work and preparing to go offline, then one month of disconnecting and travelling through a new country. So far, so good!

You faced some crippling fears and anxieties before you started traveling… and even during your travels. Sometimes the worst that could happen did happen! What has travel taught you about yourself? How has travel helped you overcome those fears and anxieties?

Travel taught me that I was far more capable than I ever believed.

When you travel solo, you often have nobody to rely on but yourself, so you have to take control of the situation. When I was lost, it was down to me to find my way. If I got sick, I had to find a pharmacy; and if I was scammed, I had to deal with the aftermath.

Travel helped me overcome a lot of my fears because it showed me that the thing you’re worrying about sometimes happens. But when it does, it’s never as bad as you think.

After getting myself into many scary situations and surviving, I stopped worrying about what might happen because I knew I was well equipped to deal with it.

Do you have any tips or tricks to help people struggling with anxiety, fears, or food aversions on the road?

Remembering that you can go home is always a big one for me. I felt like once I planned out a trip and left, I had to stick it out for the entire time.

You don’t have to: if you feel terrible, you can book a plane ticket home and it doesn’t mean you’re a failure.

Forming a routine on the road can help a lot. It keeps you in control of your life, and a lack of control is definitely one of the sources of my anxiety. Wake up at the same time every day, spend your afternoons in coffee shops, and set aside one day of the week as a treat day, where you spoil yourself rotten.

Against the typical advice you read on travel blogs and in articles, I’d recommend ignoring your intuition.

When you suffer from anxiety, your intuition tricks you into thinking that everything you do is going to result in your death. If I’d have paid attention to mine, I don’t think I would have ever been able to leave the UK!

Finally, I’d suggest leaving your comfort zone as often as possible, even if it feels like the last thing you want to do.

Taking on new challenges is what shows you that you’re capable. It introduces you to new things and helps build your confidence. I believe it was leaving my comfort zone on a daily basis that helped me overcome anxiety.

Tell me what you’d say to someone who dreams of traveling the world as a lifestyle (aka vagabonding) rather than a vacation crammed into two weeks.

I’d recommend not letting your expectations get too high.

This lifestyle isn’t perfect and there are many downsides: loneliness, no constant set of friends in your life, financial worries, and, for me, working far more than you’d ever expect. The pros definitely outweigh the cons, but it’s also not all about lying on a beach all day long.

I’d also recommend travelling far slower than you think you need to. Travel can be exhausting and visiting a new city every two or three days will leave you miserable. Instead, spend a minimum of a week in each place, so you can get to know it, explore at a more relaxed pace, and not feel like you’re missing out on the main attractions due to a lack of time.

Finally, pack light! Take about half of the things you think you’re going to need. You’ll be able to pick up anything you’ve forgotten in most places around the world.

All photos are courtesy of Lauren Juliff and NeverEndingFootsteps.com

Laura Lopuch is a copywriter, incurable traveler, and blogs at Waiting To Be Read where she helps you find your next great book to read because life’s too short to read crummy books.

Original article can be found here: How Not To Travel the World