Travel is like adultery

“Wanderlust is not a passion for travel exactly, it’s something more animal and more fickle—more like lust. We don’t lust after very many things in life. We don’t need words like ‘worklust’ or ‘homemakinglust.’ But travel? The essayist Anatole Broyard put it perfectly: ‘Travel is like adultery: one is always tempted to be unfaithful to one’s own country. To have imagination is inevitably to be dissatisfied with where you live … in our wanderlust, we … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (2)  | February 7, 2011
Category: Travel Quote of the Day

Special February 2011 fares for multi-stop tickets on BootsnAll

February is, to many, the dreariest month of the year. Couple that with more-brutal-than-normal weather in January and it’s like the perfect storm of reasons to start planning your next trip.

Of course, there are plenty of places that aren’t in the depths of winter in February. Heading south at this time of year isn’t just about lying on the beach (although there’s nothing wrong with that) – it’s just a question of taking advantage … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (2)  | February 5, 2011
Category: Notes from the collective travel mind

Does travel make you more creative?

Can seeing new places, meeting new people, and living new lifestyles spark your imagination?  SpyreStudios, an online magazine for web designers, thinks so: 5 reasons travel can improve your design work.

Here’s an excerpt:

Traveling rocks. Practically everyone likes to travel, whether by land, sea or air. And why not? You get excited to see new environments and people, try new things, and be surrounded by fresh and inspiring surroundings. But did you know … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (5)  | February 4, 2011
Category: Notes from the collective travel mind

Does comfort stifle motivation?

Getting out of your comfort zone on your travels not only opens you up to new experiences, but also teaches you a lot about yourself. It’s advocated by a wide variety of travelers—from Rick Steves to Nicholas Kristof. And when you’ve done it once, it can change the way you travel for the rest of your life.

What about at home? Certainly comfort is … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (1)  | February 3, 2011
Category: General, Lifestyle Design, Notes from the collective travel mind

Travel Writing Scholarship from World Nomads

Looking to break into the elusive world of travel writing? Rough Guide is offering a travel writing scholarship through WorldNomads.com.

The scholarship allows the winner to go on assignment as a travel writer to Turkey this summer. The lucky applicant will spend a few days learning travel writing essentials with Rough Guide writer Terry Richardson before … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Travel Writing Scholarship from World Nomads  | February 2, 2011
Category: Travel Writing

‘We need better places in America’

Like most travelers I have a complicated relationship with my native country. When you’re traveling it’s sometimes hard to escape the feeling that everything is somehow much better everywhere else. This in turn means that, of course, everything at home must suck.

For many travelers this translates into a kind of national self-hatred or at least a tendency to be overly-critical of one’s own country. I try to temper that feeling as much as possible, … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (7)  | February 1, 2011
Category: Vagabonding Life

Unbrave girl is not an inspiration

I’ve only recently been introduced to Unbrave Girl, a snarky personal commentary on long-term world meandering, and this post actually rang a few bells for me.

People keep asking me, “Where do you live?” and I’m not really sure why, since if I’ve been in a place for a year or so, doesn’t that mean I live THERE?  But here in Perth, Australians are always asking me that, and I guess there’s some kind … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (1)  | February 1, 2011
Category: Female Travelers, General, Vagabonding Life