Most countries are rife with official houses of worship, and you can find churches, mosques, synagogues, and even Wiccan communities in a lot of unlikely locations if you look.  Remember not to assume that just because you are of a particular faith, that the faith is accepted or widespread in a particular country; if your faith is important to you, actually, I strongly suggest reconsidering the places you decide to settle down.  As a Vagabonder, … Read more »

“Culture is the sea we swim in — so pervasive, so all-consuming, that we fail to notice its existence until we stop out of it. It matters more than we think.” –Eric Weiner, The Geography of Bliss (2008)

I know we keep going on about how the economic downturn – while bad for lots of people – is great for travelers. And that’s still true. If you can afford to travel right now, you’ll find airfare and hotel deals pretty much everywhere, at prices you wouldn’t have imagined possible (especially when we’re heading into the peak season in places like Europe). But there’s another group who benefits from your ability to travel, too, … Read more »

You’ve come back from the trip of a lifetime, but now it’s time to start job-hunting again. If the economy wasn’t bad enough, there’s also a big gap in your resume from while you were abroad. What to do?

Rolf has recommended putting your trip on your resume. Travelers Notebook did an article on this topic, How to Make Travel Look Good on a Resume.  The most … Read more »

Learning a new language can be an enriching experience. Unfortunately, not everyone has the time or patience to sit through foreign language classes. I remember having little success with my one semester of French in college. My professor was such a terror that I was afraid to sign up for a second semester.

What really worked for me was self-studying. I’ve successfully … Read more »

Most vagabonds are no strangers to long trips and living frugally on the road to make that carefully hoarded cash last as long as possible.

But there’s also a new breed of traveler, not exactly vagabonds in the traditional sense, whose existence is almost entirely enabled by the internet. Terms vary, but the one that I keep running across is “location independent,” more or … Read more »

Most of us don’t think of travel as a political act. And sadly, those that do — at least from what I’ve observed traveling — seem to think that means taking your politics with you on the road.

If ever there was something you should absolutely leave at home… But travel can be a politically broadening act, that is, travel can be a way … Read more »

National Trails Day is the first Saturday in June (this coming Saturday), and it’s designed for celebrating the hundreds and thousands of walking and hiking trails available in our national parks, here in the United States.  Some parks will have events (races and raffles) and others are just available for you to enjoy wherever and whenever you are.

Try some of these trail activities:

Hudson Trail Society — want to hang out in … Read more »

Recent weeks have seen me travel out to Bermuda for World Hum, across Kansas for The Believer, and off to Russia for Afar; articles about these experiences will debut in coming months. Here’s what else has been going on for me in the travel-publishing world:

My Italian publisher, Ponte alle Grazie, recently sent me the cover art for Marco Polo non ci e … Read more »