Solbeam on community and defining “home”

This post, written by Sol of Solbeam, a long-time blogger/backpacker (and so much more) resonated deep with me, as her posts often do. I started reading her blog in 2005 and spent hours reading through her archives of adventures and insight.

 

Her travels have been inspired by the Paulo Coehlo book, The Alchemist, in which a shepard goes on a journey to realize … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Solbeam on community and defining “home”  | October 24, 2008
Category: General

Riverside dining in Bangkok

War Arun

Globespotters, the urban travel blog by the International Herald-Tribune, did a 3-part series of posts about riverside dining in Bangkok.  The photos are stunning and make for a great culinary travelogue. It also showcases a unique aspect of the city, as residents still rely on an active system of river ferries for transportation. There’s also that fun juxtaposition of … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Riverside dining in Bangkok  | October 24, 2008
Category: General

Vagabonding through the foreclosure crisis

I was watching the news the other week and there was a segment featuring a family, two parents and two children, who had to give up their home because of foreclosure.  Also, the father was recently laid off from his job and now works as a freelance consultant.  Because of this, they now live in a mobile home.  A horrible situation for a family used to living in a house with three floors and a … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (12)  | October 23, 2008
Category: General

Vagabonding in my own backyard

I’ve been home in Ontario for nearly two months now – it’s the first time since 2007 that I’ve stayed in one place for that long. I expected to be jumping out of my skin with the travel itch by now, but funnily enough, I’m fine. I think I’ve finally figured out what’s keeping my wanderlust under control: I’ve been exploring my own stomping grounds more thoroughly than ever before.

I lived in the Ottawa … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (2)  | October 23, 2008
Category: Notes from the collective travel mind

Tips for keeping your laptop safe and secure on the road

A laptop has become a common must-have travel item for many vagabonds. While the wisdom of carrying a laptop is something worth debating, for many it offers a way to extend your travel time by providing a means of income on the road.

If you’re a freelance, well, anything really, these days you don’t necessarily need to quit your job to travel — just bring a … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Tips for keeping your laptop safe and secure on the road  | October 22, 2008
Category: General

Getting another shot: reuniting with your lost camera

Lose your flashlight, book, or toothbrush and it’s a cinch to pick up a replacement. But lose a camera and the details of your favorite travel memories are all but gone.

But cameras don’t just disappear completely, right? If they haven’t been stolen, they end up being found by someone. I now know where they go: Found Cameras and Orphan Pictures. Traveling Mamas tipped me off to the website that reunites recovered … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (3)  | October 22, 2008
Category: General, Notes from the collective travel mind

Backpacking without the backpack

The Lonely Planet blog has an interesting post musing on whether or not the backpack is the best luggage for, well, backpacking.

Anyone who’s done an extended trip with a backpack has undoubtedly gazed with envy at those rolling their luggage along without a care in the world and probably wondered — why do I have all this weight on my back again?

It’s … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (1)  | October 21, 2008
Category: General

What do I do with all my books?

I’ve decided to wrap-up my 2.5-year living abroad stint. At the end of next month I head back to Dubai where I start working, get a “real” job, and all that stuff. I wonder how long I will last.

While living in Spain and traveling around Europe, I have collected at least 4 dozen books. They’ve either been bought on the road, have been sent to me to be reviewed, have been swapped with … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (9)  | October 21, 2008
Category: General

How to say…

Wandering the world from new friend to new friend means meeting people you’d never imagined, forming bonds and relationships you’d never hoped for…and then having to leave them all behind.  Living anywhere means making connections — finding a coffeeshop where they recognize your order, going camping in the jungle with a group of Australian skydivers, cooking breakfast in a hostel kitchen and sharing the salt.  The more fulfilling and rewarding your traveling, the more likely … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (2)  | October 20, 2008
Category: Notes from the collective travel mind