Thailand to Queenstown: No Baggage Challenge Update

Rolf’s latest travel project is the No Baggage Challenge — a journey that will take him around the world without using a single piece of luggage. Every few days, we’ll be updating Vagabonding with a recap of the latest to keep you up to date on the adventure.

Rolf ended up staying three nights in Bangkok before heading south to Malaysia on an overnight train. After a quick visit to Singapore (and the … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (1)  | September 30, 2010
Category: Asia, General, Oceania, Rolf's News and Updates

Saving money by using local services

In researching how to prepare for an around the world trip, one will surely find any number of useful checklists that mention everything from booking air travel and lodging to what to pack, registering your trip with the state department, and setting up a Skype account so that you can call home cheaply.

Two of the classic “must-dos” are to consult a travel clinic about what immunizations one might need and to bring along a … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (3)  | September 30, 2010
Category: Travel Health, Vagabonding Advice

Hell’s Angels and RTW travelers: Something in common?

LIFE.com recently put up a set of never-before published photos of the Hell’s Angels from 1965. Check out these quotes from the photo captions — there’s something shared between the mid-60’s Hell’s Angels and the RTW travelers of today. Of course, the list of things NOT in common is plenty long — independent travelers aren’t known as a particularly violent, felonious bunch — but hey, here goes:

-The work/life relationship as central … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (2)  | September 29, 2010
Category: Images from the road, North America, On The Road, Vagabonding Styles

Taking stock of our lives

Qadisha Valley, Lebanon

There are places in this world that urge you to pause, and Lebanon’s Qadisha Valley is one. As the day ends over this historic landscape, you look around and sense that the sun has set here for thousands of years, well before you were born, and will continue … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Taking stock of our lives  | September 28, 2010
Category: Ethical Travel, Images from the road, Notes from the collective travel mind, Volunteering Abroad, Working Abroad

Traveling blind

For those of us who don’t have a permanent physical disability, it can sometimes be difficult to imagine what the world is like for those who do. Buildings that are pretty easy to navigate with two working legs become impossible in a wheelchair: my university, which prides itself on being wheelchair friendly and accessible, once left a classmate with cerebral palsy stranded on the fourth floor of a building when they decided to service the … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (3)  | September 28, 2010
Category: General, Solo Travel, Travel Health, Vagabonding Advice

Public universities in Europe

More and more it is becoming popular to forgo the pricy North American continuing education degree and opt for the cheaper alternative by enrolling directly in one of the public universities in Europe. Some students limp out of their 4-year degree, swearing to never undergo the same financial atrocity in graduate school and begin searching for cheaper options. Other students skip the traditional route all together and go abroad straight away.

There are … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (6)  | September 27, 2010
Category: Europe, Working Abroad

There is a certain power in wanting little

“As Alexander the Great was passing through Corinth, he sought our Diogenes and finally found him sitting under a tree, dressed in rags, with not a drachma to his name. When the most powerful man in the world asked the philosopher if he could do anything to help him, Diogenes replied, ‘Yes, if you could step out of the way. You’re blocking the sun.’ Alexander’s soldiers were horrified and steeled themselves for the inevitable outburst … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (1)  | September 27, 2010
Category: Travel Quote of the Day

Celebrating Day of the Dead in Mexico

The beginning of autumn always reminds me that Day of the Dead is right around the corner. And if you’re contemplating a trip to Mexico, it’s one of the best times to go. Festivities start on October 31 and last through November 2.

Some say the Day of the Dead has its origins in ancient Aztec feasts honoring the deceased. After death, warriors and innocents became … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Celebrating Day of the Dead in Mexico  | September 24, 2010
Category: Languages and Culture, North America

The gap year: when time off is time well spent

“Travel is an education” is something many vagabonders would agree with. Who hasn’t come back from a trip filled with new knowledge, new friends, and great stories to tell?

The personal finance website Mint.com dedicated a blog post to the venerable gap year:

The Gap Year: why taking time off to travel is good

The article makes a strong case for students to do some traveling before going to college. Students sometimes switch majors … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (2)  | September 24, 2010
Category: Backpacking, Notes from the collective travel mind, Volunteering Abroad, Working Abroad