Independent travel – not just for twenty-somethings

Not long ago I was asked to write an article about the differences between traveling independently as a senior and a twenty or thirty-something. Admittedly, I bristled. I replied that the essence of travel was the same regardless of our age. We all visit new places to satisfy our curiosity, to experience something different, and to learn about cultures different from our own.

The myth that independent travel is only for the younger crowd needs … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (4)  | December 30, 2014
Category: Female Travelers, Senior Travel, Vagabonding Styles

Travel has a way of reducing the traveler to essentials

“This emphasis upon travel as a test, as a loss that brings a gain of stature and certainty of self, suggests that the changes of character effected by travel are not so much the introduction of something new into the personality of the traveler as a revelation of something ineradicably present — perhaps courage, perdurance, the ability to endure pain, the persistence of skills and abilities even in a context of fatigue and danger. The … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Travel has a way of reducing the traveler to essentials  | December 29, 2014
Category: Travel Quote of the Day

What adults can learn when traveling with their parents

While not everyone grew up in a traditional family structure, this article can apply to anyone who has a loving relationship with a family member who was part of your upbringing. For me, that was my parents, but I recognize that some people were raised by foster families, the parents of your childhood friends, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or siblings. This article still applies no matter who was an integral part of your childhood or who … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (2)  | December 21, 2014
Category: Family Travel, North America

Vagabonding Case Study: Kristin Addis

Kristin Addis

bemytravelmuse.com DSC_5809

Age: 28

Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Quote: “People think it’s an obsession. A compulsion. As if there were an irresistible impulse to act. It’s never been like that. I chose this life. I know what I’m doing. And on any given day, I could stop doing it. Today, however, isn’t that day. And tomorrow … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Vagabonding Case Study: Kristin Addis  | December 20, 2014
Category: Vagabonding Case Studies

Pros and cons of off-peak Europe travel

American Airlines has some great off-peak prices for award tickets to Europe. Rather than the usual price of 60,000 miles, during off-peak a roundtrip ticket would only cost 40,000 miles. And you can get that amount of miles simply by getting the AAdvantage credit card’s 50,000 mile bonus. (Learn more about these off-peak prices here.)

So when is “off-peak” for Europe?

According to American Airlines, off-peak for Europe is anytime between October 15 … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (4)  | December 18, 2014
Category: Europe, Images from the road

“Authenticity” is often a pointless fetish for travelers

“Talking about the authentic is often what we do when we the overfed and privileged are discussing the fetish we cultivate for lives that look unchosen, for lives that are inherited, and thus seem to us unbeset by the anxiety of choosing one thing over something else. We juxtapose the inheritances that structure a traditional society with the sense of total arbitrariness we feel about our own lives, and we long to be relieved of … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (1)  | December 15, 2014
Category: Travel Quote of the Day

Traditional Christmas in Europe

Of the many things Europe does well, it’s the continent’s magnificent Christmas festivities that can charm this cynical traveler every time. From Scotland to Switzerland an extraordinary spirit of festivity, connecting this generations to others long since passed, can be felt in the wintertime air. The traditions of the season are still strong in this thoroughly modern part of the world, where bustling Christmas markets fill the main square of big cities and bucolic, half-timbered … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Traditional Christmas in Europe  | December 14, 2014
Category: Europe, Notes from the collective travel mind, Travel Writing, Vagabonding Field Reports

Being vegetarian on the road

VEGGIE BURGER AT GRILL'D (AUSTRALIA)Always travel with snacks. Eat local. Taste the street food. Try the cuisine specific to this culture. Have you ever had something so delicious? These are all things travelers hear when heading to a new destination. But for me, some places are harder while others make my taste buds soar with delight. I’ve been … Read more »

Posted by | Comments Off on Being vegetarian on the road  | December 13, 2014
Category: General, Notes from the collective travel mind