No matter which continent they're on, fort cities will pour a cauldron of boiling wonder over your head. Fort cities are built on prime real estate--land that someone really, really wanted to hold onto. Whether the city proper is surrounded by walls or huddled at the foot of a fortress, there's likely to be winding...

The NY Times Practical Traveler blog had an interesting article called For Americans, Plastic Buys Less Abroad . It brings back a lot of memories of having trouble paying for stuff abroad that we've all had: broken ATMs, credit cards that didn't work, etc. The readers' comments are well worth a read for the anecdotes...

There are two common dilemmas when it comes to vagabonding: A) The person who's traveled for a long time, but worries about becoming unemployable. B) The person who's worked for a long time in their field, but worries about missing out on travel. One possible solution is to get an international MBA. You'd improve your...

What to do after that grand adventure abroad? Back to the land of work? Matador Life has an article about this topic called How to Get Back to Work After Traveling . I have to disagree with one tip in the article, "swear yourself off travel for a year." For me, planning my next trip...

Historically speaking, the word "vagabond" does not conjure up the best images. You might think it's cool to describe yourself as a vagabond, but how about having a V branded on your hand? Not so cool, but in fact that's just one of the many punishments meted out to vagabonds over the years. While no...

A house in Bali. Photo from MatadorLife.com. Matador Life had an article a while back called What Can $150K Buy in Real Estate Around the World ? The photos were a real eye-opener about the great values available around the world. It's mainly pictures and figures, but the comments were instructive. There was also a...

There's nothing like travel to lose a few pounds. Especially if you do budget traveling. Unless you're being chauffeured around in an air-conditioned tour bus the whole time, you'll spend quite a bit of time walking. It could be pounding the pavement in a big city or trekking up to the mountains. Brave New Traveler...

Matt Gross, who does the "Frugal Traveler" column for the New York Times, chatted with his physician, Dr. Morledge, to get advice for travelers . Gross does a good job of capturing the dilemma of staying safe while still trying to stick to the adventurous spririt of vagabonding: "Hungry and adventurous, we put things in...

In a recent post , Jessica Spiegel talked about the reactions that our loved ones may have about our long term travel plans. While I've never been ridiculed (to my face), I know that most reactions are less than positive. The good news is that through the years I've become better at telling friends and...

A reader named Tracy recently wrote with concerns about making a living on the road. "I have become addicted to traveling, meeting new people and all the exciting adventures," she wrote. "I don't think I can go back to a 'regular job.' I have thought about teaching English overseas, but I'm not sure if that's...

Last summer the Italian newspaper La Repubblica asked me to spell out five travel tips, as well as five travel "don'ts" for the coming year. This is what I told them: Five tips for going on vacation Travel to cheaper parts of the world, like Southeast Asia or the Middle East. Your money will go...

A reader named Jon recently wrote with some questions about traveling in winter. "What advice would you give for vagabonding during the winter in the Middle East and Europe?" he wrote. "Is it even advisable to travel during the winter months? Are there advantages to vagabonding during the "off-peak" tourist/travel season compared to the more...

Apart from time, some money, and an open mind, the act of traveling doesn't really require much from the traveler. Still, there's always an incident where I find myself saying "I wish I knew how to do that". Here are some skills I wish I learned before I started traveling: Tying knots. I used to...

While many intrepid backpackers talk up the joys of traveling to "dangerous" countries, it still pays to be exercise some good sense. New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristoff assembled an excellent list of safety tips . Some of the humor is very tongue-in-cheek, such as his advice on dealing with terrorists. One tip I...

Southeast Asia is one of the most popular regions in the world for vagabonds. The low cost of living, exotic cultures and fantastic food make it a permanent fixture on most itineraries. But how much money do you need? On the New York Times travel blog In Transit , a writer attempts to map out...

An LA-based reader named Jon recently emailed me with a question about access to money on the road. "I plan to vagabond around the world for an undetermined length of time," he wrote. "I want to avoid ATM fees, charges on currency exchanges, and inflated exchange rates. Are there institutions that offer sensible banking solutions...

Souvenirs tend to be a big money trap for the traveler. Even if you're staying away from the tourist gift shops, buying souvenirs can be hard on your budget especially if you're traveling for a long period of time. You also have to consider the space they take up in your luggage. Also, note how...

If you're not second-guessing yourself about making that trip, plenty of relatives and friends are ready to remind you just how dangerous it is to travel abroad. This article on Brave New Traveler about Why Bad Things Happen to Good Travelers discusses the issue in detail. The author shares his personal perspective, in that he...

A reader named Christina recently emailed me about jobs in travel writing and television. "I am absolutely fascinated by your work and your bio," she wrote. "I recently graduated from college and after a year of being in TV news reporting I would love to write and travel for a magazine such as National Geographic...

I love drawing when I'm on the road. Even when I'm lugging around a decent digital camera, nothing beats recreating impressions, scenes, objects, and people with your hand. For me, drawing feels more intimate because you get to notice details that are often overlooked when taking a photograph. But carrying around a full set of...