A recent Swiss study of 59,000 respondents found that women and men travelers are prone to different diseases while on the road.  The study found that female travelers are more prone to gastrointestinal ailments, particularly traveler’s diarrhea (bring your rehydration kits, ladies!), colds, and reactions to medications taken for traveling, such as anti-malarials.  Women are also more prone to urinary tract infections, as is actually true in the greater, non-traveling population as well.

Male voyagers … Read more »

Sometimes travelers feel like they can only be instrumental while on the road, or that their services as a volunteer only fall within the spontaneity of their on-the-road lifestyle. Don’t let yourself fall into this trap. If you have experience in service related volunteer work, you know just how instrumental one person can be. If you’re wondering if it’s really worth it, chances are the answer … Read more »

“Travel writing isn’t really an exploration of where you’ve been, so much as an explanation of where you’ve come from. All journeys end up at the same address. Back home. Travelers don’t write for the people they visit, but for the people they’ve left behind.” –A.A. Gill, AA Gill is Away (2002)

BootsnAll, the company which hosts Vagablogging, has been in business for 12 years and been a regular contributor on this site for many of them. Which is why we’re pleased to have this space in which to spread the word about our latest adventure – the BootsnAll Travel Writers Platform.

This program will give us an opportunity to partner with passionate travel writers who are eager … Read more »

Generally speaking, questions about how much money someone makes or what they spend on a trip might seem like they’re a tad too personal – but when you let on that you’re planning a RTW trip, for some reason decorum goes out the window. People are so fascinated by the notion of traveling long-term, especially if they’ve even remotely considered it themselves, that they want to know – how do you do it?

So it’s … Read more »

After the 8.8-magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck central Chile on the morning of February 27, the country is focusing on cleaning up, getting aid to affected regions and attempting to return to functionality. What do you do if you’re traveling or scheduled to travel in the country?

Citizens of the United States are encouraged by the U.S. State Department to register with … Read more »

The Chinese language is notoriously complex. There are the tones, the accents, and not to mention the writing! China and Singapore use simplified Chinese characters, while Hong Kong and Taiwan still use traditional Chinese characters.

Then there are the different dialects. Mandarin is spoken in China, Taiwan, and Singapore.  Hong Kong and China’s southern Guangdong Province mainly speak Cantonese.

That being said, there’s few sadder sights than an expat who’s lived in Asia for years … Read more »

Masaya National Park, Nicaragua

Some things in life frustrate me. Take, for instance, how small the travel sections of most bookstores are, and how narrowly the genre is defined.

I’m aware that narrow definitions are helpful and even necessary, not least when organizing a bookstore. But there’s a danger in this … Read more »

While it is certainly a key component, vagabonding isn’t just about long-term travel. It’s also about getting outside of your comfort zone, roughing it, careful planning, connecting with cultures, and jumping into the unknown with both feet. All of which I’m about to do.

By this time tomorrow, I will be on my way to Port-au-Prince to help in the relief effort. While last weekend’s terrible earthquake in … Read more »

Spring festivals are getting underway, bringing the promise of prime walking weather. Although it’ll be a little while before Norway warms up, St. Olav’s Way is a trek (and bonafide pilgrimage) to check out.

The route stretches about 400 miles (643 km) northwest from Oslo to St. Olav’s grave in Trondheim. It traces lakes, rolls over hills, cuts into and out of forests “Read more »