A resource for independent travelers
Developing a plan to bike to work certainly sounds simple enough in the beginning. And the fuel-saving potential is tempting indeed, particularly in this economy. Then there are the health benefits, which are significant. So why don’t more people try it? Well, the reasons vary but typically include logistical hurdles such as carrying a change [...]
To enjoy as much time as possible traveling in the Middle East, I opted for an international teaching position in Kuwait. With paid utilities, complimentary housing, tax-free compensation and annual roundtrip airfare, it was a job that allowed for regional travel opportunities and additional freelance tutoring gigs for extra cash. It’s possible to make money [...]
Travel photography isn’t just big business in its own right, it’s a great way to collect free souvenirs, embrace the travel decorating scheme at home and begin to attract even more visitors to your travel blog. It’s also true that travel pictures can help you sell quite a bit more of your work if you’re [...]
With the holidays over, vacationers are looking for active getaways to burn off those extra pounds. For those who want to bring their furry family members along, options do exist. Here are a handful of Fido-friendly ways to enjoy a winter getaway with the entire family. Cross-Country Skiing: While following you on a downhill run [...]
When Nora Dunn sold her financial planning practice, along with everything else she owned in 2007 to follow her dream of full-time travel, she knew she wanted to share her adventure. Theprofessionalhobo.com, Dunn’s web site, chronicles how she’s managed to travel full time in a financially-sustainable manner for over four years. In addition to freelance [...]
Golf’s lush greens and scenic courses lure wealthy celebrities and world leaders to some of the most expensive vacation destinations in the world. So it isn’t surprising that typical households find the prices prohibitive when it comes to finding the family travel funds. Follow these tips for an affordable golf getaway. Packages: A pretty penny [...]
Birding requires minimal equipment and suits a variety of travel budgets. From back yard viewing to international excursions, here are several tips for birding on a budget. Destinations: Choose a place that’s rich in bird life with affordable day-to-day expenses to maximize your money. For example, Uganda is home to half the bird species in [...]
Looking good on the road is no small feat. Traffic jams, flight delays and extreme weather patterns can all wreak havoc on a road warrior’s appearance. Lost hair bling, broken nails and spilled sauces bring additional appearance stress, and take you from dreamy to dumpy in a hurry. So how do you look your best [...]
With excess baggage fees spiraling out of control, learning how to pack light is becoming a serious survival skill for perpetual road warriors. Here are several one-bag travel tips to help you keep costs under control. Use them for short excursions, international vacations, train travel and road trips when you want to reduce luggage weight [...]
After departing the California coast for a several-month stint in East Asia and the Middle East, we were confident our cold weather gear would no longer be needed. Shivering temperatures and shin-deep slush in Amman, Jordan proved us wrong. Fortunately, Amman offers my favorite Middle East problem solving solution – the souk. A quick shopping [...]
On a free tour of Florence by foot, I marveled at the bronze- relief doors of the city’s historic baptistry, gazed in awe at the architecture of the duomo and leisurely strolled along the Ponte Vecchio. While traveling, your love of antiquity doesn’t have to bust your vacation budget. Here are four fun tips for [...]
Between security hurdles and checked baggage fees, limiting luggage has become less of an extreme travel choice and more of a survival strategy. After living for six months out of one small backpack, I learned a thing or two about traveling light. Here are my top tips for traveling with less luggage. Storage: Choose luggage [...]
Few devices have gotten as much buzz lately as Amazon’s new tablet, the Kindle Fire. With full-color access to digital magazine subscriptions, streaming video, Android apps and more for just less than $200, the price point seems poised for a huge presence in this year’s holiday sales figures. What finally convinced us to dish out [...]
With all of the time most people spend on the road these days, having a great money app or two in your smart phone repertoire is practically considered personal finance 101. New to the mobile banking and shopping playing field? Check out these four free resources and see if there’s a money app that works [...]
Ah, the dreaded expense report. You have the best intentions with every business trip. You really do. But then reality sets in. Missed flight delays, grabbing a cab in a developing nation where receipts are only a suggestion, solving an unexpected client crisis during the only available receipt scanning time you’ve had all week . [...]
Once you’ve done the travel circuit for a while, you’ll notice that it isn’t all kitschy crap at some of those street stalls and tourist shops. We’ve found elegant pieces of Czech crystal, fun Polish pottery, unique Middle Eastern carpets and hand-blown Egyptian glass holiday ornaments to name just a few items. We’ve also been [...]
Are you tired of the conventional wisdom that says that you have to spend a lot of money to travel the world?
Portable Tripod Sometimes you just want to be in front of the camera, instead of never in a pic because you’re the one behind the camera. If only you had a tripod. A traditional tripod just is not practical for most people. It’s large, cumbersome, and not always convenient to have on hand. This is [...]
Making a life changing career move takes guts; it also takes a willingness to plunge off the cliff of the unknown. There are many that will discourage you, yet if you’re certain it’s the right choice nothing will hold you back. You’ll stand firm, unswayed by disbelief, criticism or the fears of those around you. [...]
Taking The Plunge Gives You Courage Adapting to a foreign culture, working out of your comfort zone and moving around the world where you don’t know a single soul gives you a confidence that allows you to repeatedly plunge into the unknown without the fears of “what if..” Once you try international living it’s likely [...]
Discovering what we love, pursuing what we love and creating an opportunity to do what we feel is our life’s work is a gift. For many these discoveries take time and evolve through opportunities, hobbies, travel and every day life experiences. Sometimes it’s a chance meeting, a conversation with a friend or a significant [...]
Sunset Retreat As a writer I dream of quiet, uninterrupted places where I can write for hours without be disturbed by a slobbering dog or a cat meowing for food. If you’re a writer with children I imagine you muliply that desire x 20. So what’s a writer to do to get away and just simply write? [...]
This is one in a series of articles that will include tips for living and working overseas. After spending nearly a decade traveling and living overseas I realize that I can use the insight and knowledge I gained through my experiences to inspire others to transform their lives with travel.
This is one of a two part series on driving in Turkey. Traveling to Turkey is fantastic. Visitors have the opportunity for many cultural and historic experiences. One adventure I wasn’t expecting in Turkey was my time behind the wheel of our rental car. Turkish drivers live on the edge with their death defying driving maneuvers. I will [...]
I grew up in Ashtabula, Ohio, next to a town park right on Lake Erie. On a recent visit home, my sister and I took several walks through this park, as one of its entrances is only a couple hundred feet from our mother’s front door. With the help of the Army Corps of Engineers, [...]
On a recent business trip with lots going on, we ended up taking our lovable Labrador with us. There were many reasons behind this decision, not the least of which was a scheduling conflict with her usual care provider. For all but one of the five days we were there, we managed to meet her [...]
I’ve recently been giving the house files a thorough purging and taking a serious look at just how low I can go when it comes to the number of hard copy documents we’ll need to have on hand.
While travel skills in general are likely too numerous to list efficiently, these ten are the ones Trek Hound consider to be universally helpful. What are they?
Flickr Photo Credit: Steven Witherden Just when we thought we’d streamlined packing and minimalized travel items and chaos as much as possible, we were slapped with the following reality:
Flickr Photo Credit: Marcin Wichary I found this great article today listing and linking to 10 different free online word processing resources tailor made for road warriors on the move.
Flickr Photo Credit: Ejhogbin I’m lea-ea-ving, on a jet plane. Don’t know when I’ll be back again . . . so kiss me and cry for me . . . tell me that you’ll wait for me . . . hold me like you’ll never let me go. Cuz I’m leaving on a jet [...]
Flickr Photo Credit: Rolu Dsgn Another popular entry from our frugality blog. I’ve pasted it below for those of you interested in the use of nomadic housing to extend your world travels.
Flickr Photo Credit: TSC Traveler Here’s another carry over article from our family living and frugality blog.
This view was photographed from a castle wall near Bolzano, Italy. There are many castles in the area, as well as wineries, farm stays, ecological experiences and cultural performances. The area is also a popular destination for ski holidays in the winter.
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This Andean woman takes a break from selling her wares to socialize with tourists in Peru's Sacred Valley.
The ancient Nabatean city of Petra, Jordan provides a peek into ancient civilization and also into the local Bedouin culture, which values the social experience of drinking tea highly.
This stand of palm trees against a blue sky is located in Florida's Longboat Key, one of the islands of Sarasota. It's a popular getaway with tourists and Florida residents alike, when one wants a taste of forgotten Florida.
Exploring the world-famous archeological site of Machu Picchu takes some time. In order to make the most of your visit, it's best to arrive at Aguas Calientes an afternoon ahead of schedule and head up the mountain first thing the next morning.
This command module is part of the Saturn V rocket display at the Kennedy Space Center, which is a must-see exhibit if you only have one day at the KSC. The entire venue is right down the road from the Astronaut Hall of Fame, another fun family attraction on Florida's space coast.
This abandoned mosque in Israel lies along the shores of Lake Tiberius, otherwise known as the sea of Galilea. The view of the ancient stones and overgrown plants struck me as sort of an Indiana Jones image with a bit of Middle Eastern flair.
This resort cottage photograph was taken at the thermal hot springs resort of Papallacta, located in the mountains of Ecuador. The mist rising off of the thermal pools brings a bit of a mystical quality to the image.
Tenba Messenger Bag Review
At roughly $110, Tenba’s large engravable messenger bag might seem a bit steep. Until you compare it to other pro gear bags on the market. There are a number of reasons why I dished out the dough for this particular Tenba bag. What follows is my complete Tenba messenger bag review, along with the several [...]