If I had not allowed myself to travel to Costa Rica in May 2005, I may have abandoned my goal of backpacking around the world. Initially, I didn’t intend to …

Saturday, July 25, 1998 I rushed back to the hotel, and we checked out around 12:15 PM. The people there screwed us, but I really didn’t care about that. The …

The 6-part series on saving for a trip around the world will close with this post on the topic of developing a budget. While it may have fit better after …

Card games and chess are ubiquitous with a backpacker’s life on the road. Both options are popular and proven ways to casually get to know fellow travelers, often in hostel …

Spain is on my short list of western European countries to visit on my backpacking trip. Spain also happens to be the home of Chef Ferran Adria of El Bulli …

Three or four years ago, I was taking a shower before work in my apartment when I was suddenly overcome with an intense panic. My heart started to race, my …

Last week’s techniques toward saving BIG money encompassed the broader ideas I adopted toward reaching my financial (and therefore travel) goals. This week, it’s time for a barrage of simpler suggestions …

I made a noteworthy change to the early part of my ’round the world backpacking itinerary. It’s a change in route, rather than countries I intend to visit. Initially, I …

Disclaimer: This post will be the least religious, most basic intellectual deconstruction you’ll find on this topic! A frequent post which appears in BootsnAll’s Around the World and Vagabonding Travel …

To store, or not to store, that is the question! Last Summer I drew up a rough list of how I would handle my material possessions before embarking upon my …

I made yet another trip to the Salvation Army yesterday to donate more unused clothes, books, and my 12-year old 35mm camera. My office has a lounge with a bookcase, …

The following journal entry was written Friday, July 24, 1998: With no air conditioning, and five people in one room, last night was hot and uncomfortable. I slept well, especially …

Now that we’ve reviewed effective strategies for paying off debt, it is time to turn our attention to a much more fun topic, saving money! While my goal has been …

I was sitting in my work cubicle, three years into my my first post-college job, when one of my good friends sent me the email below. I can remember my …

I first became aware of Cambodia through a song by the early 80’s punk band The Dead Kennedys. I was about 13, living in an upper middle class suburb in …

The following journal entry was written on Thursday, July 23, 1998: When we arrived in Venice, I was still feeling ill. It was about 9 AM, and we had a …

Last week, we put our goals on paper as a way to cement our commitment to them. This week, the rubber hits the road as I share some of the …

InfoHub Specialty Travel Guide is a distributor of thousands of free travel brochures. In early 2007, after only a few minutes searching their directory of travel packages, I realized I …

The Panty Ripper, Singapore Sling, and Cuba Libre reflect just a few of the tasty libations which await travelers abroad. As for me, I tend to seek out and enjoy …

If you’ve been on the backpacker trail for a short time, such as while visiting a single country, or even just been perusing travel blogs online, you may have picked …