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Karol Gajda of karol.gajda.com 
Age: 34
Hometown: I was born in Wroc?aw, Poland, but I grew up in Michigan.
Quote: This changes often so I’ll choose one of my favorites that can be used along the vagabonding theme. “There is no tomorrow! There is no tomorrow! There is no tomorrow!” – Apollo Creed, Rocky III
I was reminded recently of an odd quirk in our human nature. When most of us travel, our senses are hyper-attuned to our surroundings. This is 
partially a conscious decision; the adventure of discovery is exhilarating. But part of it is an unconscious function. When we are in a new and unfamiliar environment, seldom-used neural pathways light … Read more »
American anthropologist Ralph Linton wrote the following essay, which appeared in the American Mercury in 1937. Published half a decade before “globalization” became a buzz-word, it humorously illustrates how everyday routine in modern America is the sum of years of global human ingenuity.
“One Hundred Percent American”
There can be no question about the average American’s Americanism or his desire to preserve this precious heritage at all costs. Nevertheless, some insidious foreign ideas have already … Read more »
A stop in Hoi An should be at the top of everyone’s list when traveling through Vietnam. It’s halfway between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, two major destinations in Vietnam, but has a quieter more laid back feel. Hoi An is famous for their tailors, food, and silk lanterns. Many come here to have a custom suit or dress made. Sitting on a river delta and a short ride to the beach, it’s surrounded … Read more »
The Candy family of Get In The Hot Spot 
Age: I celebrated my 40th while we were away. My husband is 6 years older than me and when we left our kids were 2, 5 and 8 years old
Hometown: I’m from the UK but we lived in New Zealand for 10 years … Read more »
Imagine a team full of change-makers led by a former University professor and consisting of others with a multitude of careers in higher education and educational, political, and media non-profit organizations.
Imagine them collaborating to create an alternative college that addresses a big problem in higher education: too many young people getting to college and not knowing why they are there, spending numerous years there accumulating massive debt, and arriving at graduation without knowing … Read more »
I struggled down the narrow aisle of the rattletrap bus to my seat near the back, where the stench of gasoline permeated the air. Concerned that other passengers would not be able to get by, I stuffed my backpack on the floor behind my feet and my suitcase in the aisle next to me. I needn’t have worried. As the bus filled up, both were quickly buried beneath satchels, giant plastic shopping bags, and sacks … Read more »
For independent travelers just now beginning to travel in Asia, the legendary overland “Hippie Trail” of the ’60s and ’70s is a natural source of fascination and envy. Unlike today’s Lonely Planet-toting backpackers, the counterculture wanderers of the hippie era pioneered their Asian routes by word-of-mouth and trial-and-error. Hence, in indie travel terms, Hippie Trail travelers are … Read more »
Our flat-bottomed boat hit another large ocean swell. I was hung onto the seats in front of me, my knees cushioning each bone-shattering impact.
The boat was air-borne for a split second. I was flying, anchored only by my white-knuckled hands gripping the seats.
The boat hit the bottom of the next swell flat-on and rocked. Overhead waves splashed the boat’s clear plastic roof.
A second later, the boat was air-borne again, face-planted into the … Read more »