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Everyone has seen them, some of us have even been them — those poor travelers with their noses so buried in a guidebook they hardly seem aware of their surroundings. For most of us, the guidebook is an indispensable travel tool, but over-reliance on the guidebook can be hindrance as much as a help.
While tattered copies of Lonely Planet or Rough Guides may be be omnipresent theses days, over-reliance on guidebooks isn’t a recent development. Even Mark Twain laments guidebooks on his tour of the middle east, writing, “[Guidebook] authors write pictures and frame rhapsodies, and lesser men follow and see with the author’s eyes rather than their own.”
There is however, another way to travel. It might seem quaint to some, but the good old-fashioned map is still one of the best ways to explorer the world.
In this day and age, we need not limit “maps” to simply the cryptically folded paper maps you find in gas stations all over the world. In fact, while many are already lamenting (arguably a bit premature) the demise of the paper map, the truth is, for map nerds, the internet is the greatest thing since the sextant.
Heading out for unknown lands? Fire up Google Earth and do a fly over. Not only is it a fun way to visualize just how far away you’re going, you can get a feel for the terrain in the area. Google Earth is also a great way to find, for example, the perfect spot to spend a lazy sunset — just look for the highest point with good westerly lines of site.
I’ve found Flickr’s map explorer to be another great alternative to the guidebook — just head over to the map, plugin your destination and instantly pull up photographs from all over the area. Not only does it give you a visual tour of the area, it’s a great way to find hidden gems that no guidebook, no matter how thorough, could ever hope to cover.
Another interesting use for Flickr — further filter your map results by adding the dates of your trip from one year previous. Sorting through the results can give a rough idea of what sort of weather to expect.
Flickr also recently introduced Places, which the company calls “page on Flickr for every place in the world.”
Google Maps is another useful trip planner and with the recently added street views, it can be a great way to scope out guesthouses and hotels to see what sort of neighborhood they’re in. Google also has tons of custom maps, like the Tour de France map that offer’s street level views of specific routes.
Of course when you actually leave for a trip, the good old paper map can be your best friend, just don’t bury your nose so deep in the folds that you miss the real world around you.
When deciding to take an extended stay in a country, a ‘working holiday’, it can sometimes become a story of ‘different place, same boredom’. It means going from a weekday job in your home country to probably a more tedious method of employment in your adopted country (on lower pay). There are ways to cure the tedium, in that lull between experiences. Here are some tips:
Create goals
Decide on where you want to be able to visit in the vicinity of your base, and work out how much it is going to cost you. Having a target, both physical and monetary, can give you something to drive towards, and make the work seem all the more worthwhile.
For me, it was making sure I could take a seaplane to Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, and affording flights to San Francisco and Los Angeles. Pick some larger targets, and set about reaching them.
Find time to enjoy yourself
Don’t become a slave to the travelling. Going for a few friendly drinks is just as important as scaling Table Mountain or scuba-diving the Great Barrier Reef. Lasting connections are a massive part of vagabonding, and being social with your new work colleagues can be a great way of experiencing more culture, and discovering some fantastic off-the-beaten-track hot spots.
Try and do something new every week
Working all week can make it easy to sit and relax all weekend. Try and save it for Sunday, and get out on Saturday to see that gallery you heard about, or head to the Cheese Rolling Festival. Even if it is just for a few hours, taking some photos and seeing some human beings helps to give your week some meaning. Just because you are staying in one place a little longer, at the end of the day – you are a tourist!
If you play a sport, take it up
Being an Englishman, I enjoyed plying my (admittedly meagre) rugby skills in French Canada. It found me some great friends and I experienced a different way of looking at my game. Soccer players are everywhere, and most sports have some sort of representation all over the world.
Try and be productive outside of work
I love writing these entries, keeping my own blogs, and pecking away at my novel. It gives me something to enjoy in the evening and, in this case, I’ve connected with other great writers from around the world.
Whatever your interests, don’t put them aside just because you are travelling. Even if it is playing chess, or bird-watching, you can find someone to play, or observe the local wildfowl.
Remember what you are getting out of it
You may be staring at a blank wall right now, possibly the same tomorrow. But what about that plane you jumped out of last month, or that pride of lions that crept up against the jeep as you peered over the window?
While you are taking in African sun, or Japanese technology, a lot of your friends are still treading the streets and shopping malls that they have trod for thirty years. Take the experience as a whole.
Security cameras are everywhere you travel these days — airports, bus stations, subways, inside taxis, street corners, stores; you name it, there’s probably a camera there to record you. However, if you turn around and point a camera back, something interesting happens — authorities get mad and, in some cases, you may well find yourself behind bars.
Knowing when you can and when you can’t take a photo presents an interesting dilemma for the traveler. It seems like every time you turn around there’s another story about some poor tourist being harassed for something seemingly harmless, like photographing their kids in front of a train station.
What’s perhaps more interesting is that here in the U.S. there are in fact very few laws that control what you can photograph. And that remains true even in this new age of heightened “security.” Neither the Patriot Act nor the Homeland Security Act have any provisions that restrict photography.
Most attempts at restricting photography come from low-level security and law enforcement officials who are generally acting way beyond their authority and knowledge of the law. Of course there’s a lot of misinformation about photography and the law making the internet rounds, and it’s not really surprising that many of us, authorities included, are unsure about what’s legal and what isn’t.
So what’s a vagabond do when the cops come for your camera? If you’re planning a trip in or to the U.S., it’s worth downloading and printing out this handy flyer which explains your rights when someone tries to stop you from taking a picture (it’s also a good way to learn when your assumptions are right and when they aren’t — you might be surprised).
However, it’s also worth bearing in mind that a good deal of tact needs to involved when confronted by authorities. You are after all essentially telling someone else how to do their job, and no one likes to be told they’re wrong, even if they are. Be polite and avoid coming off as self-righteous or condescending.
When you’re abroad the situation gets far more complex. The legalities surrounding photography vary radically around the world and it certainly won’t help you to arrogantly proclaim that you have a right to photograph whatever you want when in fact the local laws may not be on your side. [If you know of any similar photographer's rights sheets for other countries, link to them in the comments and I'll update this post.] A good rule of thumb is when someone of authority tells you not to take a picture, don’t.
I’ve found that a bit of discretion goes a long way when taking photos both at home and abroad. When it comes to people, always ask. Not only is it the polite, respectful thing to do, you just might make some new friends.
When it comes to buildings, landmarks, museums and other objects, prudence is key — consider shooting from the hip or at least be quick about it if you think someone might raise an eyebrow.
Then of course there are the private property “no photos allowed” areas. When you’re on private property the owners have the right to do nearly anything they want and if they don’t want photos, you’re out of luck. However, if you’re standing across the street, all’s fair (in the U.S. anyway).
Pointing a camera at something or someone has much more far-reaching consequences than it used to and people are understandably leery of the lens. But of course you want, and should be able to, record your travels. Finding the balance between law, common sense and acting appropriately when taking photos may be more complex than it used to be, but just try to think of it as yet another vagabonding skill to perfect.
[Disclaimer: I'm not an attorney and nothing in this piece should be considered legal advice.]
Also known as “vacations with heart”, philanthropic tours became popular post tsunami. I was in Thailand post disaster in 2004. I went on holiday with no specific goal in mind. Most of my stay was at Phi-Phi island where much work was being done to restore the island. It was easy to lend a hand; while my friend went scuba-diving for missing items post tsunami, I stayed ashore and helped paint some houses. It was one of the best parts of my trip.
The point here: You don’t have to dedicate an entire vacation to a cause, but while you are traveling it’s worth every effort to see what little bit you can do to contribute. It’s also a great way to meet people and locals alike as it gives you opportunities to bond on a different level.
So if you’ve always wanted to be part of some outreach program, why not investigate such opportunities in the place where you plan to take your next trip?
Here are some links that might inspire you and get you started:
The other week, I managed to fix a flat tire with the aid of a little duct tape (okay, an air compressor was involved too and technically it was a tire valve and not the actual tire…). And just the other day a coworker regaled me with tales of a flight he traveled on where an air marshal restrained an unruly passenger with duct tape.
Everyone has duct tape stories. And it seems to be essential to most travel kits. Whether toting an enormous roll, a sprite-sized travel roll, or a few wraps of the precious substance around a Nalgene or Sharpie (my personal favorite), few doubt its usefulness.
The Duct Tape Guys spread the evangelism of duct tape though a newsletter, numerous books, and You Tube clips. There are entire websites devoted to tales of duct tape survival, from securing an injured child to a backboard or temporarily patching up a chainsaw injury before getting to a hospital- duct tape saves lives.
The Delicious Baby Journal has a list of ways duct tape can come in handy on the road including closing pesky window drapes that won’t stay shut, marking luggage with distinctive patterns (think of colored or even glow-in-the-dark duct tape), sealing a drain, or even making a hopscotch course for kids. Go Budget Travel also has a handy list of travel uses for duct tape, including as an insulator in cold weather as well as a way to make luggage look less attractive to thieves.
The ultimate travelers- astronauts- don’t leave Earth without their duct tape. Duct tape has been used extensively on space missions including helping to fashion a square filter into a round hole on the infamous Apollo 13 flight. More recently, NASA wrote an official procedure in 2001 for using duct tape in case an astronaut suffered from “acute psychosis”. Basically, this meant duct taping the person and injecting them with tranquilizers if they became a danger to themselves or others in outer space.
So what are your duct tape stories?
With soaring gas prices and a crashing economy, “staycations” are a new reality (and addition to the lexicon). A “staycation” is a vacation minus the vacating part.
How can a restless vagabonder feel adventurous when chained between the cubicle and soaring expenses without a trip in sight? There are plenty of ways to find culture and excitement in your hometown without spending much money.
NewsWeek has an article with some helpful links when planning your “staycation”. What tips do you have to share with readers?
A reader named Brian recently weighed in with the following question:
This September I will be making my way from the U.S. to London to Munich for Oktoberfest. After that I want to venture around Europe for several weeks. My main concern is where to go and which hostels to sleep in. I’d rather not make reservations everyplace, but I want to make sure I’ll have cheap places to stay as I travel.
This is what I told him:
My first advice would be to get a good guidebook(s), which will give you plenty of advice on where to go, where to stay, etc. Though you’ll want to be independent of guidebook info from time to time, a good guidebook can make a big difference in your trip!
A couple other things will be helpful as you journey across Europe. One is word-of-mouth, as other travelers you meet in these hostels will have good ideas for other destinations, hostels, bargains, etc. The other option is the Internet, as message boards at places like Bootsnall.com or LonelyPlanet.com will give you plenty of ideas for travel (you can post your own questions there as well). As for hostels, online bookers like Hostels.com can help you plan in advance — though September is not high season, so you should be able to easily find hostel beds as you go. The big exception to this is Oktoberfest in Munich, which is always jam-packed — so be sure to plan your lodging as far in advance as possible. You might also want to make advance plans for London, since that is your first destination, and advance planning may help you save money in that notoriously expensive city.
Of course, you should also look into hospitality exchanges, like Servas, Couchsurfing, or Hospitality Club, which allow you to stay for free with engaged local hosts across Europe.
Not long ago, a fellow travel blogger emailed me with the following query about pitching story ideas to travel magazines:
There are several travel magazines that I’m interested in sending a query to, but I’m having a hard time translating what I know into something that’s “pitchable.” I feel like I’m usually on the cutting-edge as far as travel news, gadgets, tools, and websites go, but I’m not quite sure the best way to use this to my advantage.
What’s the best way to “look ahead” and pitch story ideas to travel magazines? How much lead-time should I give?
This is what I told him:
The fact that you have expertise in travel news, gadgets, tools, and websites is a huge plus. Magazines love that stuff, because they need to fill the front of the magazine with short items. That’s a great way to break in anywhere and establish editorial relationships (i.e. an editor who will assign you again and again) that will be your bread and butter in the long run.
One problem is that magazine lead-time is pretty big — often as much as six months — so you have to be predictive with your “hooks”. If you already do a lot of research regarding travel and travel issues, you should get into the habit of cross-referencing research on future media events. For instance, check IMDb.com or Variety to see which movies are coming up in the next 6-8 months — especially the ones with name stars. Where are they being shot? What is their subject matter? How might there be a travel angle? Look for any excuse to roll movie releases and related “pseudo-events” (a wonderful phrase coined by Daniel Boorstin in the 1960s) into a practical travel hook.
The same can be said with anniversaries of all sorts. I didn’t sell my Allen Ginsberg “Wichita Vortex Sutra” essay to The Believer entirely on its objective merit, but because it was the 50th anniversary of “Howl” (and in fact I pitched that idea fruitlessly for three years before finding a home for it). So just be creative with those tie-ins — sometimes you will think of an angle that never occurred to the editor, and that will make the editor feel smart when he pitches it to his superior.
But whatever you do, just get started pitching. It’s a trial and error process, and you’ll learn a lot by just doing it. A lot of pitches will be turned down (or, more likely, unanswered), but eventually this will begin to bear fruit. Good luck!
A reader named Ty recently sent me an email with a sentiment that is pretty common among people who love long-term travel. He writes:
I am in the middle of trying to accept that my itchy feet will never be cured, and that “vagabonding” as you coin it, runs ripe in my blood. At the age of 28 I have recently returned from 4 years abroad, and have been suppressing my urges to be elsewhere, trying to convince myself that responsibility entails a career, a car, and a mortgage…
I thought that after all of my travels and experiences settling into this “9-5″ existence would be easier, and that I could take comfort in knowing that I had seen and done some incredible things. However, it has had the reverse effect; I have been taking the drug too long to quit! So here I am wondering if by wanting to go off to travel again I am taking the easy way out by avoiding the pressures of “growing up”. Or am I just being honest with myself by wanting to do what I know makes me truly happy?
I told Ty that I know how he feels, because I’ve been in that situation. Granted, transitioning back into the 9-5 life can be tough — and one should give it an honest try upon returning home — but sometimes you have to go with your gut. There’s no reason why you need to suddenly settle down at age 28; I didn’t start vagabonding in earnest until I was 28, and now eight years later I feel like I have as many life options as ever.
So to anyone who feels that their calling lies in an itinerant life (or at least a few more years of travel than they’d initially planned), I can only say to just live smart, approach your travels mindfully, and don’t let anyone pressure you into “acting your age” until you’re ready to do so!
Travel trouble-shooter Chris Elliot recently spoke to people who, although not vagabonders, travel a helluva lot for their work, and asked them what they have learnt from being on the road so frequently.
The reason I like the article is because it is practical advice. Some of it you might find pessimistic; I like to call it ‘keeping low expectations’. The article tells you what to watch out for and gives you some pointers on how to avoid certain issues, or how to make best of a problematic situation.
Here are a list of the tips (be sure to read the article full of anecdotes that explain the tips):
There is one I’d like to add:
Travel is full of surprises, go with the flow.
