More than likely you’ve heard of the legendary Moleskine notebooks that were revered by artists, writers and travelers alike. Originally they were covered in a woven cotton fabric which was sheared, making it soft on one side. Bruce Chatwin describes this ‘Paris’ notebook in The Song Lines, “The pages were squared and the end-papers held in place with an elastic band. I had numbered them in series. … Read more »

Last week, Lindsey Rue’s post on Vagabonding inspired me to reconsider slowing down to enjoy the music from another perspective: the musician’s.

I have been a punk rock guitarist for the best part of my twenties, and I have started to love travelling because of the long, inspiring van drives linking venue A to venue B across beautiful unfolding scenery. At that time, the goal … Read more »

Have you ever been frustrated with your travel bag? Thought, "hey, you know what? I could do better than this"? Well that’s exactly what Jeremy Cohen and Fred Perrotta were thinking somewhere in the middle of their extended trip through Europe. At the end of the trip they decided to take matters into their own hands and … Read more »

Having lived abroad for several years now, one travel investment that I can honestly say has been worth the expense many times over is my Amazon kindle. Sometimes travelers can get caught up in the myriad travel accessories there are out there on the market. Will these items make your trip better? Easier? Most seasoned backpackers swear by packing their bags with the … Read more »

Vagabonders can be masters of packing methods, as well as knowing which items are absolutely necessary and which can be left behind. Recently, a Lifehacker article (Unusual Items Worth Packing on your Next Vacation) suggests some additional things to consider stashing in your bag before your next big trip.

Some of the items are somewhat old-hat, such as keeping a color copy of your … Read more »

When I was a kid, I used to carry an agate arrowhead with me when I traveled with my family. I found it in an Idaho river, and my dad’s uncle offered me $20 for it. That was a lot of money for me then. I turned him down, thinking that if he was willing to offer me that much, it was surely special. As a … Read more »

Does a roll of duct tape always find its way into your suitcase? Are you a jury-rig master? Unless you travel in a bubble where stores are always nearby, open and have absolutely everything you need, you’ve likely had to figure out how to repurpose something.

A recent Lifehacker article highlights the website’s most popular repurposing tricks of 2010. While some are a little … Read more »

Chrome, probably best known for their bike messenger bags, have released two new bags that are worth considering for your next round-the-world trip. The folks at Chrome were kind enough to send Vagablogging the new Yalta bag to test out and pass along to one lucky reader.

The Yalta’s larger sibling, the Brigadier, is similar though slightly larger. The outer shell of both bags is made of Tarpaulin, a rugged, waterproof material that … Read more »

A couple of weeks ago I offered signed copies of my two books as a holiday gift option; today I want to share a few other gift ideas. Each year publishers and gear companies send me far more books and equipment than I can review here — but a lot of what I get turns out to be quite useful and/or interesting. Here are some examples of recently released travel-themed items that I’ve enjoyed … Read more »

A flower vending machine in Takayama, Japan. Photo: Kat Klay / Flickr Creative Commons

With Black Friday upon us, shoppers are lining up in force to take advantage of discounts. What do you buy for a traveler, though?

The New York Times came out with a shopping guide called, Holiday Gifts for a Globetrotter.  The writer made a good point of emphasizing that travelers can be … Read more »