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Special thanks to my Dad for sharing this Zits comic strip with me. Enjoy! Son: Taa-Daah! My life plan in four steps. 1. Play guitar in high school. 2. Play …

Until two years ago, I thought it was rather courageous of me to be planning to backpack around the world as soon as I could muster up the money. I …

Last Summer I faced a tough choice when deciding upon a departure date. I could plan to leave at the end of 2007, thereby missing the busiest period of the …

The golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself. It is not in your environment; it is not in luck or chance, or the help of others; it is in …

As the Countdown Timer to the right indicates, I’m 99 days from expected departure! When I first set the timer up earlier in the year, I believe it was somewhere …

It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of the Couchsurfing concept and website, so I was excited when I had the chance to meet up with Monika (a new couchsurfer …

I know I’m supposed to be in hardcore savings mode with about 3 months until departure, however, I got caught up in the media hype surrounding David Beckham’s arrival in …

Michael: I’ve been thinking about my life lately, and everything feels pretty planned out. There’s no more surprises. Last night I sat down and watched The Last Kiss, a Zach …

I listened to Metallica A LOT in my teens, and the following catchy lyrics still echo in my mind from time to time: Rover wanderer Nomad vagabond Call me what …

Every day it’s a-gettin’ closer, Goin’ faster than a roller coaster — Buddy Holly While Buddy sang those lyrics about love, I hum them as the countdown to my departure …

During the Summer of 2006, I was developing my rough ’round the world itinerary and budget using Microsoft Excel. I posted my spreadsheet on the BootsnAll message boards to get …

I first shared my Top 10 Travel Tips on the World Wide Web in 1999 after having spent the prior Summer in Europe. Some of the advice I had read …

Andre, a structural engineer by trade, and a German by birth, was the first couchsurfer I had the opportunity to host. He contacted me about 6 weeks ago as he …

The fourth season of the Travel Channel’s 5 Takes series began this past Saturday night in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I’ve been a fan of the series, having watched the three …

5 months until I submit my notice at work 6 months until my lease ends 7 months until I leave The numbers continue to get smaller in the multitude of …

“I’m going to forever associate your apartment with hangovers,” I half joked to my brother. Indeed, while I only had 5-6 drinks Friday night, I’ve cut back on my alcohol …

It was another awesome weekend in New York City! Allow me to rewind and review for your reading pleasure. I caught the 11:30 am Washington Deluxe (aka Chinatown) bus from …

The famed cherry blossoms surrounding the tidal basin in Washington, DC were in full bloom this weekend. The Festival kicked off Saturday, March 30, with tens of thousands of locals …

Passport Renewal Yesterday, I had a new passport photo taken at my local FedEx Kinko’s. The cost was $5 per set, where a set equaled two photos. I ordered a …

Arlington, VA – I was a young 21 when I first walked into Casual Adventure. I was on the prowl for a backpack to accompany me around Europe for the …