Category: Travel inspiration

If you’ve ever set out on a long term adventure then returned home, you know the feeling. The feeling of nostalgia, for familiar faces but also for the foreign friends you’ve left behind. Where is home when your mind is elsewhere?

For me, I’ve done this before. I’ve left, returned and repeated. This time it’s different. This time, I know whole heartily that I can’t be in Boston for long. 

I can’t sit still. 

I don’t want my own cubicle with 10 vacation days a year, I don’t want to serve you brunch.

Australia chewed me up and spit me back out.  I’m even more confused than when I left in some ways and, 100x more resolute in others.

 I can’t but feel this little part of me screaming when I tell someone where I’ve been, knowing I’m back in the same place doing the same thing. “ BUT I’M NOT HERE FOR LONG, I’M GUNNA GO SOMEWHERE, I’M GUNNA BE SOMEONE.” I don’t have the next step in place yet. 

My current bank account makes me feel like I’m lying to myself. Even though I’ve gotten past so many harder times than this. Mentally and financially. I rocked up to Melbourne with 80 dollars in my pocket. You make it work, I guess.  The new job I found myself in isn’t too bad actually and I think the money thing will turn around quickly. 

Today I thought, fuck it I’ll just go to New Zealand. Keep things moving that way, but I’m unsure. Other days I’m moving to New York, or heading back to Europe (just for the week, I tell myself..) I can make it work… The problem now is that I sold my car back home before my Outback road trip. So I’ve just purchased one that I’ll need to pay off.  I’m lucky my parents let me freeload every time I come home from another “trip of a lifetime”.  

My other problem is, I genuinely  don’t know what I fucking want. Trying to balance my goals and dreams with everyone else’ expectations of my reality is, exhausting. What I’ve been trying to figure out myself is, what do I want? And then it hit me. I want, to travel the world, full time. I want to see it all. And then, (I tell myself), I’ll be able to settle down a bit. Right now, I’m not running away from my responsibilities, I’m running full speed ahead towards the goals I’ve set for myself. The type of goals you can’t always articulate to your loved ones. I’m not “back”, I’m back for now. I’m rebuilding and headed back on the road. That is what I want right now. I’ll stop when I’m ready to stop. Or maybe I won’t. Someday I’d like to trade my backpack for a Rollie suitcase. Or my hostel dorm bed for a hotel room all my own. I’m not there yet. But, someday I’ll figure it out. 

For now, I’ll be figuring it out in Boston. Come January, maybe I’ll be making it work in Southeast Asia. I’ll keep you posted. 

There’s more to traveling long term than just packing a bag! Don’t Forget the details. Here are 10 things you can’t forget.

1. It should go with out saying BUT you better have your passport and any visas you may need.
2. All the proper chargers for your electronics. How bad would it suck to lug your kindle or laptop around without anyway to charge it?
3. Saline Solution and Glasses … This doesn’t go for everyone but it definitely is a big concern of mine while traveling. I have terrible eyesight and it would be a HUGE problem if I forgot one or the other. I can’t always expect that there will be a place to buy contact solution so I always make sure I have a good amount when I leave.
4. Depending on how long you’re thinking about traveling for… be sure to check in with your doctor, dentist, eye doctor, counselor ( or whoever else ). It’s better to be safe than sorry, and you cannot let your health take a backseat. God forbid something go wrong while you’re away. Make the appointments, get that cavity filled, do whatever you need to do so you’re healthy and happy on the road.
5. On that note, ladies and gentleman, BIRTH CONTROL! This is important and should not be considered a faux pas topic. Traveling long term leads to many beautiful and wild experiences. If you’re idea of beautiful and wild doesn’t involve babies or a good dose of antibiotics then you need to consider your method of birth control before you leave. *POSSIBLE TMI ALERT* For me I chose to have an IUD in place because I’m not ready to become a mom and other forms of birth control are difficult to keep up with when I’m on the road. Condoms need to be in your arsenal regardless.
6. Check out some cultural norms for where your headed. Even places that may seem similar to your home country will have their own idiosyncrasies. I love winging it when I get to a place but researching a bit a head of time might save you from feeling like an idiot at dinner. For instance, if your headed to the States it’s important you tip your servers and bartenders. You may not understand the reason for it, or like it at all but as they say, “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
7. Leave your flight and accommodation information with someone at home. They’ll probably never need it or look at it at all, but it can give you and your loved ones a little peace of mind by knowing your plans and where you’re staying.
8. Consider looking into adding some extra memory to your phone/ iCloud/ computer. I have a feeling you’ll be taking a lot more pictures than you would in your everyday life. Trust me, from experience, it is not fun to get a “sorry not enough room to take a photo” message instead of capturing that beautiful once and a lifetime moment. I upgraded my iCloud memory for 99 cents a month. Even on a travelers budget, I don’t notice it missing.
9. Do not think packing for this journey of yours the night before will cut it. Pack your bag and repack it, again and again. Seriously, be thoughtful and strategic with what you’re bringing. It’s true, you’ll be able to survive with much less than you think. My method is to start pile with everything I *think* I’m going to bring on the floor of my bedroom. Then, I try to pack it all it my backpack. That entire pile never fits into my 50L backpack. Cut it in half. Try on all the clothes you want to take and make all the outfits you possibly can with that. Hey, maybe this method doesn’t work for you! But it forces me to frequently look at all the stuff I’ll be living with for a long time. It makes me realize I can’t fit all my cute outfits in my pack. When living a minimalist life, on the go, you need to be as thoughtful as possible. That means taking your time to pack.
10. Throw yourself a little bon voyage party. Unless you can’t stand anyone and it’s ASTA LA VISTA for you… Have one last get together with your friends, neighbors, family…whoever. It will be a nice memory for you and everyone else to draw from when you’re missing home.

Congratulations! You did it… Quit your job, bought the ticket and boarded the plane. Apart from dealing with the inevitable jet lag, you’re thinking, what the hell do I do next? Here is your go to guide about what to do once you’ve landed and are fully doing the stuff you’ve been dreaming about.

1. Book at least one night of accommodation for when you arrive on new turf.
    My reasoning for this is that I just do NOT, what to deal with not having a place to lay my head after god knows, how long of a journey. I’ve read plenty of other advice stating that you can just figure it out. Which I’m sure is true, in at least some parts of the world. But when you’re first starting out, give yourself the peace of mind at least to know you can arrive wherever you are . Plus, I’m not always the type of person okay with winging it. Leave your self some space for spontaneity. But plan enough so that you don’t have to figure out every single detail on a whim- it gets exhausting.
2. Make a friend – or several
    Whether your solo or in a group, you’re going to need to branch out of your comfort zone and mingle a little. You’ll thank yourself later. After all, why travel in the first place if your not open to new people and environments? Most of the best places and things I’ve seen while traveling have a lot to do with the people I met beforehand. I’ll say it again, it is important to try to connect with people when you’re on the road. Not everyone will matter enough to become your next best friend on social media. However, they might have great insight, tips, and horror stories for you to listen to. You better believe I met a ton of people when word got out I had a link to the new Game of Thrones episodes. Or, maybe your new friends are amazing temporary drinking buddies who’ll makes you completely forget that you were lonely that day.
3. Take a deep breath, and get ready for an adventure- because at this point it’s inevitable.
    The first days are the most magical. You will be completely anxious, excited but don’t burn out too fast. The places and things you want to see in the chosen area will be there on your day 2, 3, 4… With each new place you visit, find a happy balance between finding your way around your new environment and checking things off your travel bucket list. What I mean by this is don’t over schedule your trip so much that you can’t grab a beer with your new hostel friends because the tour you scheduled three months prior to your trip is leaving at 6 AM the next morning. Personally, I like to arrive to a destination with a couple things I’d like to do but other than that I like to figure it out as I go. That’s just me.
4. Take a free walking tour !!
   I recommend taking a free walking tour within the first couple days of arriving to a new location.( *Pro Tip: they say free… don’t forget to tip your tour guide!)  I absolutely love walking tours not only are they informative, they’re a great way to get a grasp for the culture and history of the area you’ve chosen to travel. Plus, you could make a friend. Most of the tour guides are young people themselves and are an excellent source of information. Hostels sometimes have their own walking tour or could provide you with info about where to meet up with companies who organize tours.
5. Where to next?
   Okay you’ve got a feel for your first location… but you didn’t make this life changing decision to travel the world so that you can stay in the first location you landed, did you? Once you’ve arrived, taken the free walking tours, made a few friends, partied, laughed, thought at least 4 times “is this real life?”  you’ll eventually be ready to head on to your next location. Don’t forget to take this post advice with you there too. Traveling should be whatever you want it to be.. so if this approach to your first few days on a new planet was far too loose goosey for you.. then by all means Plan ! Plan! Plan! But getting out of your comfort zone is the first step, once you’ve done that the rest is easy-ish.

The one thing I’m confident about myself is that- I’m good at making friends. Even if you don’t feel the same- solo travel can be incredibly rewarding. My confidence was obviously put to the test when I decided I was going to study in France, backpack around Europe and soon(!) take off on a working holiday visa to Australia- all solo. I realize that this isn’t always as easy for everyone else so, here are some of my favorite tricks to meeting people on the road…

So, you decided to take on this huge adventure and book a couple nights in whichever hostel. The first thing to remember when you’re alone in this big new city… so did everyone else in your room! Connecting with strangers can be hard and really intimidating. But it’s important to remember the common thread you have together right off the bat. Smile, say hello and introduce yourself to your new temporary room mates. Even if you don’t vibe, you break the ice.

Often you’ll have the chance to book in rooms based on your gender. Most of the time I go for the cheapest because I’ve lived with tons of people at this point and living with boys doesn’t phase me. The first time I opted for a all female dorm I was in Prague. What I found myself in was a 12 person tripled bunk-bed set up. Every, single, one of the 12 girls was a solo traveler, talk about badass. Be confident! That wonderful room in Prague was filled with awesome chicks who were all looking to make new friends, just like me.

On the opposite side of the coin, booking co-ed rooms offers different experiences for socializing. I’m sensing that you’ll be out of your comfort zone a lot in this trip so talking to that cute German dude in your dorm should be nothing for you at this point, right?  You never know where he was before this. In Galway, I met a 19 year old Australian who had been traveling by himself for a better part of the year. He’d been everywhere, and like most Australians he was a complete character who I hope is still vagabonding safety around the globe.

If you haven’t caught on to a theme.. your hostel will be a Mecca for friend making. Travelers love talking about traveling. And the people you meet along the way WILL be best source of information out there. When I got to Scotland everyone I was meeting was stressing about how they would be able to tour the Highlands. But for me, without realizing it I’d already received awesome advice from a new friend in Ireland about the perfect, affordable tour to take( Mac Backpackers). It’s not an exact science but being confident enough to introduce yourself will get you further than expected. Talk about where you’ve been and where you’re headed, you never know what you could learn. One of the best friends I’ve made traveling was because we realized we had plans for a very similar path.. we met up in three different countries and still keep in touch about our travels to this day (Hey Dayna!!).

I don’t mean to sound like a broken record and repeat once again to say hello to people, but it’s true. I always use the rule of thumb that the other person may not say hi first. For me, I assume the other person is just more shy than I am ( this is the extrovert’s guide after all).  Hang out in the common area and just say a small hello to the people who walk in the room. Or, at the very least make eye contact and smile. I promise that little bit will go a long way. Once while hanging in a hostel in Budapest a new friend of mine started laughing at the way I was saying hi to everyone who entered the basement common area. We started making a game of it. Who could say hi first, how many more people could we collect. Sometimes you just have to be the one to break the ice. If they aren’t interested in your kind regards, well it’s their loss. Even if you want some alone time to write home, watch Netflix, post on your blog.. try doing it in the common area. I met several people in multiple places just because I was watching Game of Thrones on my laptop. People were interested in talking about our similarities, even if I had headphones in.

Being bold enough to say hi or start a conversation absolutely goes for outside the hostel too. For the love of God, don’t just bop around from tourist trap to tourist trap and call it living. Lonely Planet has nothing on the Greek bartender who can tell you the REAL best spot on the island for a sunset cocktail. If you’re in Mykonos, it’s 180 Degree Sunset bar 😉 . This was insight my friend and I received after just simply talking to the staff at a bar about how much we loved Greece and it’s amazing views.

After a while, making friends along the way of your solo adventure will just seem normal. Honestly, if anyone out there has a story about your solo travels and how you made absolutely no friends, I’d love to hear about it so I can ask how ?! Traveling solo will surprise you, often I found myself wondering when I was actually going to fit in some alone time. Even for a self described extrovert, I was amazed how quickly others were interested in exploring this new world we’d found ourselves in together. Always remember: smile, be yourself, and never let anyone break your spirit.

I came home from backpacking through Europe and quickly realized traveling was the only thing I really wanted to do at this time in my life. But I found myself back in the 40 hr/ week working grind. I don’t regret it, mostly because paying rent and being stationary made me realize what I really wanted to be doing. I tried to become a digital nomad, I tried to believe I wanted to settle in the states for a bit, work on a cruise ship, go back to school. The fact of the matter is I don’t! Sorry, not sorry ! I’ve gotten the taste for the good life. And that, for me, isn’t a great apartment in a wonderful city… my happy place is the perfect capsule wardrobe worn in an unfamiliar city, stuffed into one  40 L backpack.  Dana the Explorer here telling you that you too, can travel the world.  Believe me,the problem I’ve been facing is that traveling Europe was easier than I expected. I’m not saying it wasn’t challenging. I can’t say I didn’t cry on public transportation in at least three countries. But I can tell you that I did it, and the fact that I lived to tell the tales has been a driving factor for the next chapter in my life and why it is that I’m embarking on this next trip.

So here goes, here are five reasons why you need to buck up and buy that ticket you’ve been contemplating about buying.

1. It doesn’t take a million dollars to see million dollar views.
   Probably one of the biggest reasons I love traveling is because I cannot get enough of the incredible vistas I’ve seen.  Hey, maybe you don’t own a Chalet in Swiss Alps… But I bet you could pay for a train ride in and a couple nights in a shared dorm room hostel. The views you will see in your time will be just as magnificent from 15 dollar a night hostel than they would be from an expensive hotel. Splurge for once in a life time moments… save when you can.
2. Yes, money talks… but not always the loudest.
   You should absolutely, 100%, save as much money for your trip as you possibly can. But that’s not to say you should scrap the whole idea if you haven’t saved as much as you thought you should have.  I backpacked around Europe solo for three months with less than $5,000. I could have been WAY, WAY,( one more time for the cheap seats in the back) WAY, more frugal than I was. I could have found a Workaway and worked for room and board to spread my time out, found a house sitting gig, opted out of the all the pub crawls. I’m currently planning a trip to Oceania/ SouthEast Asia/  everywhere and I have 2,000 to my name. No travel insurance, no plane ticket.(disclaimer: this probably isn’t my smartest idea but I’m following my heart on this one) But I’ve come to the realization that I can challenge myself more and stretch my budget. It’s possible to see the amazing places the world has to offer with you having a disposable income. This blog will be your evidence.
3. Shock and Awe- Real Life Experience comes in many forms.

I’ve been working on somewhat of an internal struggle. Concerning whether or not I’m on the right path, doing the correct things that will get me to where I want to be in life.  Traveling the world has been the only thing that makes me feel like I am.  I know my well meaning relatives are concerned that I’m not paying enough attention to my career, and life path etc. But, honestly, find me an employer not interested in a candidate who could turn over their resume and list every foreign country they’ve been to. Real life experience is impressive, no matter how you slice it.  The person reading your resume probably wishes they took the time to do the things that they wanted to when they had the chance. Not everyone’s white whale is seeing the world. But if yours is, it will never go away and I’m telling you, you need to at least try.

4) Maybe the love of your live is currently living 3,000 miles away.

Who knows? I’ve never fallen head over heels in love while I’m on the road. I have, however met people that I plan on keeping in my life forever. I never would have found them if I hadn’t left my comfort zone. The people I’m thinking about while writing this are the ones who I’ve reconnected with on different continents, several different countries, and stay connected with daily thanks to WhatsApp. If you’re willing to open your heart to those who you meet on the road, I guarantee you’ll fall in like, love, lust with incredible people along the way. Many aren’t worth keeping in touch with but most are. I can honestly say that the friends I have met while traveling are ones I plan to keep with me for many years to come. Thanks to technology, it doesn’t matter if our GPS coordinates are close to each other or not.

5) Regret is a bitch.

A personal driving factor for me is that I want to live a life I’m proud to tell my young nieces, and possible future children and grand children about. “YOU DID WHAT?!?”-  They’ll say. Maybe you don’t feel the same way but I know that If I can’t get something out of my head ,I at least need to try. So if you can’t stop thinking about quitting your desk job to travel the world – DO IT, buy the ticket. You’ll never regret an incredible vacation but you will always regret taking that soul sucking promotion. I say if I fail, if I can’t hack it, if can’t afford it anymore.. at least I tried. And along with that comes an incredible amount of life experience, stories and something to be proud of in and of itself.