Go Backpacking is your online guide to independent travel.
Here you'll find:
- Practical, budget-oriented travel advice for planning your own adventures.
- Original destination and how-to instructional stories.
- Beautiful photos from around the world to keep you inspired between trips.
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Editor in Chief, Founder
David is a founding member of the Professional Travel Bloggers Association, and an active member of the Society of American Travel Writers. He's traveled to over 60 countries across 6 continents.
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Regular Contributors
Jason Batansky is a 27-year old entrepreneur, online publisher and freelance writer born in Philadelphia. He has been in constant motion living and traveling in over 40 countries since his first solo trip abroad in 2007 at age 19. He is the owner and publisher of Aspiring Gentleman, Ms. Career Girl, Male-Mode, and other blogs.
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Please subscribe to the bi-weekly newsletter below to receive personal travel updates from Dave, as well as the most popular articles and photos we publish.
You'll also get a free copy of Dave's Dare Me! eBook chronicling over a dozen odd, unsavory, and embarrassing bets he won (and lost) on his trip around the world.
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Previous Contributors
LC Haughey, Ryan Hiraki, Mark Wiens, Danielle Alvarez, Leslie Brand, Lindsay Clark, Matthew Falk, Hansen Hunt, Troy Floyd, Andi Perullo, Laura Silver
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Guest Posts
Interested in writing for Go Backpacking? Read our submission guidelines.
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Please visit the Advertising & PR page.
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Blog History
Dave's ‘Round the World Trip
On November 29, 2007, I left the comforts of my home and a well-paying job in the United States for the wide open road with nothing but a 20-pound backpack, an ATM card, and an insatiable wanderlust for discovering new cultures and sharing those experiences in writing, photos, and videos.
I traveled around the world, visiting 22 countries over 20 months. I was robbed. I got sick. I met amazing people. I felt lonely. I felt inspired. I felt frustrated. I felt free. It was perfect.
This blog is dedicated to inspiring and motivating others to make their travel dreams come true, whether it be a one week vacation or a 5-year vagabonding odyssey.
Where is Dave Now?
I completed my trip around the world with a 6-month stay in beautiful Medellin, Colombia, where I began a blog about my experiences in the city of the eternal Spring called Medellin Living.
I returned home to Virginia in July 2009 where I continued blogging, and launched Travel Blog Success to teach other show to build a high quality travel blog.
Since then, I've continued to split my time between living in Medellin and exploring more of our world.
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Disclaimer
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In the interest of transparency, we disclose sponsored content and business partnerships in the related articles themselves.
Hello, I love your blog and your passion in backpacking!
If you drop by Malaysia, I may bring you around Malaysian Big City-Kuala Lumpur. ^^
Hey,
I think you posted on Bootsnall a while ago your google “to do” list. I’ve been checking it out every once in a while to help me come up with my own to do list (I leave in 4 months!). I noticed that you are going to make an interactive packing list on flickr. Is this something that you just know how to do or is it something that flickr helps you to make? If so, where did you find it?
Thanks!
Kathryn
Kathryn –
I learned about the interactive photo list through Justin at http://www.corporatewhorenomore.com and promptly stole his idea!
Here’s a direct link to his interactive packing list on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/82664030@N00/1343347294/
Basically, I think you just take advantage of a Flickr feature which lets you add notes to segments of photos that you outline. I haven’t tried it out yet, however I thought it was a cool idea.
4 months to go? You’re golden! :)
I envy you for doing this more than you know.
Great idea, outstanding blog – best wishes for continued fun in your travels!
Hey Dave,
Great web, thanks for the tips as I am starting to save for my big adventure.
Which countries in eastern europe you planing to visit? If you go to Lithuania and Latvia, poland i can guide you!
Good Luck!
Hi. I have no idea at this point. Whether I even go to Europe or head straight for South America won’t be decided till much later in the year. I do know I want to spend some time in Africa, and am now thinking about a multi-week overland trip along the eastern coast. :)
I am so glad to discover your blog. In some years I too wish to do what you are doing :)
All the best traveler!
Stick to that goal – it’s so worth it!
Well said, stick to goal and make it happens, all the best! Thx for sharing Dave.
Somehow I feel touch cause you are so brave to make your dreams happens, dreams never too far ya!
dave – great site. I’m undertaking a year long trip that will begin with walking the camino de santiago across spain. I came across your site and decided I wanted to do something similar to what you set up. You can check it out . Good traveling!
hi Dave…
really admire what you are doing now, too bad that i cant host you while you are in singapore, would really like to listen to your experience and share your tips to travel around the world! keep in touch, good trip!
Dear Yihmay: Agreed with what Dave said, stick to goal u ‘ll be there! I just back from Vietnam short backpacking trip, hws bout u yo? I am Malaysian who working in Sin. This blog really impressed me,hope it’s still not too late to discover it!My goal, to backpack round the world at least a year, and i will make it happens next following 5 years,Cheers!
Hi Dave,
I really like your blog – especially the ToDo before leaving list and of course your regular blog entries!
I’m leaving in 7 Months to go on the road for a year – myabe we meet each other somewhere on this planet – the world can be so small ;)
Good luck and great adventures
Mark
Thanks Mark – I’ve enjoyed meeting other bloggers so who knows! I hope to be in Europe or South America by the time you leave. :)
Hehhe — that could work – I’ll start in South America… just need to decide exactly where to go and how to get around ;)
I have a feeling we might just bump into each other – oh well we’ll see :cool:
Dave!!!!!!
thanks for the comment! We had a great stay in Knysna althought the beaches here in Cape Town are much nicer! Its so hot here and we got terribly sunburned. I quit my internship and now I am unemployed thats life :smile:
lots of love k&k
Hi Dave,
Your blog is an incredible wealth of information! Thank you so much for posting all that you do, my husband and I leave for a similar RTW March 1, 2009 and reading your blog has me anxious to get on the road! We’re starting in central america, so maybe we’ll see you somewhere along the way. Good luck with your journey!
Hi Jillian – thanks for reading about my trip – you’re in for an amazing time!!!! I’ve only been in Bogota for 2 nights, but I just have a great feeling about Colombia, and can’t wait to see Medillin and unwind on the empty beaches of the Caribbean coast. Cartegena will be my last stop of the trip. :)
Sure takes commitment and courage – good for you.
Thanks Lester. Even after 15 months away, the encouragement is appreciated.
Dave,
Just got let go from my job – thinking about taking a trip as far around the world as 4-6 weeks will allow me.
I am inspired by your website and will read through it for ideas.
Thanks!!!
Hey Roger, sorry to hear about the job loss, but if you have the means to take an extended trip as a result, I say go for it!
I wish I had been in that position when I lost my first corporate job back in 2002.
If you have 4-6 weeks, I’d recommend picking a particular region and visiting multiple countries within it. Central or South America, or Southeast Asia would work well.