As 2012 winds down, I thought I would take a look back at some of the most memorable places I visited over the last year. From ancient castles and ruined churches to mountain villages and charming cities, my favorite destinations had a little of everything – and were each unique in their own way. Some …
How much does it cost to travel around the world for 13 months? Obviously, this answer will differ for everyone. Costs vary based on where you go, what you do and the level of comfort you seek on the road, so everyone’s travel budget will be different. I chose to spend most of …
13 Months in the Former Soviet Union: The Final Budget Breakdown Read More »
Early on in my career break, I came up with a list of “must-do” activities or experiences for my travels through the former Soviet Union. These were some of the things that had been floating around in my mind for months, even years – the things that I wanted to do no matter what. Here …
I recently wrote a post for BootsnAll.com about why a “gap year” should come to America. I explained how, as I traveled around the world during my recent career break, I often encountered travelers from other countries who have traveled a lot more than I have. Whether they hailed from Australia, New Zealand, the United …
5 Reasons Why You Should Take a Career Break to Travel Read More »
While I wouldn’t necessarily call it homesickness, there have definitely been things I have been missing while traveling. I started a list several months ago of things I was missing while on the road and kept adding to it whenever things came to mind. As I get ready to finally touch down on American soil …
17 Things I Miss About the USA & 2 Things I Don’t Read More »
Sally: “And, I’m gonna be forty.” Harry: “When?” Sally: “Someday.” This scene from When Harry Met Sally has been playing on repeat in my head the last few days. As I turn 36 today, I am suddenly closer to 40 than ever (and if you’re over 40 and reading this, go ahead and laugh – …
Thoughts on Another Birthday and 1 Year of Travel Read More »
In my past ten monthly update posts, I have covered a variety of things – things I have done a lot of, my favorite photos, a state of this blog and, most recently, my best memories. Now that I have reached 11 months on the road – a point I never originally intended to reach …
I am way over budget and I’m okay with that. My budget for 10 months of travel was only $18,000. I just surpassed $20,000 and I have about two months to go. But with a nice tax refund, some additional income sources and partnerships with companies like Hostelworld.com to secure complimentary accommodations, I …
Stretching My Travel Budget: Making the Most of $20K Read More »
The current contents of my backpack barely resemble those when I left Chicago on August 30, 2011. They don’t even look that similar to what I was carrying back in January when I revisited my original packing list. I have ditched some things, sent some things home and have acquired quite a bit of new …
If all goes well, you will actually be reading this on or around my 10 month anniversary of traveling. I say that because I am writing it from the village of Shing, which is located in the Zerafshan Valley in western Tajikistan. While I have a so-called 3G mini-modem here, the coverage has been anything …