TravelnLass.com

Age:  Uh, somewhere breathtakingly near the tender age of 7-oh!

Hometown: Seattle, but haven’t lived in the U.S. for several years

Quote:  “This ain’t a dress rehearsal, folks!”  (I also favor “I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.”)

How did you find out about Vagabonding, and how did you find it useful before and during the trip?
To be honest, I believe that I likely was born with a wanderlust gene – with precisely the curiosity and the intrepid spirit that Rolf’s definition of “vagabonding” champions.  I agree that sadly, many today seem inhibited from such a free-spirited approach, but for me, it was always natural to travel with a completely open spirit and welcome the unpredictable serendipity that can only come when one strays off the well-trod path (simple to do, even in the most otherwise highly touristed places like Bali), drop one’s arbitrary fear of “different” (i.e. in strangers, new foods, foreign customs, etc.), and eagerly embrace the unknown.  Indeed, I was pretty much living the vagabonding life 30 years before I read the book. But I did enjoy commiserating with a kindred spirit through its pages, and found it most useful in reaffirming my bull-headed belief that dragging a 5 yr. old and an 8 yr. old to ride chicken buses and camp on Mexican beaches in ’76 wasn’t utterly nuts, but rather “educational” and indeed simply “good parenting”. 😉 ?

How long were you on the road?
Uh, I’ve pretty much been more or less “on the road” for the past near 40 years. Lived in France and Italy for a spell, then based in Seattle, I flitted to and fro Central America as a tour operator for 20+ years. More recently, homeless in Asia for 3 years, s-l-o-w traveling through a near dozen countries on that side of the globe.

Where did you go?
Though I honestly think it’s silly to “count countries”, I believe my tally hovers somewhere near 40 now, and have lived in 5 (France, Italy, Vietnam, Thailand, and presently in Ecuador).

What was your job or source of travel funding for this journey?
Ever on a shoestring (I honestly think such is a blessing for it requires one to travel low to the ground and invites far more authentic mingling with locals), I turned my back on a promising climb up the corporate career ladder, in favor of starting my own international tour company. Didn’t get rich, but supported myself quite comfortably with it for 20+ years. More recently, upon “retirement” with a pitifully small U.S. pension, I sold everything and bought a one way ticket to Vietnam to teach EFL. And though I don’t “need” to teach financially, I find that part-time teaching plugs me into the local community and gives me a focus in my travels.Though there’s of course trade-offs and sacrifices to most any life style one chooses (e.g. in exchange for a boatload of air tickets, I’ve always lived frugally, driven 15+ yr. old cars, talked on pre-paid phones, and rarely step foot in a Starbucks), the truth is – you can actually travel more cheaply than you can live in the U.S. of A. Depends on how and where you choose to travel of course (i.e. your budget will stretch much further the slower you travel, and opting to explore Asia, Africa, South and Central America vs. Australia, the U.S. or Europe). But… that said, there’s surely no need to wallow in $4 a night hostels, nor are most countries in the world out of reach of a shoestring traveler.In short – if a life of travel is your dream – there are a bazillion ways to do it no matter your age, your circumstance, nor your bank account. It’s just a matter of A. accepting the trade-offs/sacrifices, and B. “MIH” (Making it happen).

Did you work or volunteer on the road?
While I’ve done a bit of free-lance volunteer teaching in Asia, I honestly find that most organized volunteer options are a bit suspect (not to mention often have breathtaking price tags that you just KNOW isn’t reaching the folks most in need). Rather, I find that there’s plenty of opportunity to simply help folks ad hoc along the way when I see where I can contribute.

Of all the places you visited, which was your favorite?
I’ve honestly found much to like about every country I’ve been lucky enough to visit (and find that each is utterly unique). Vietnam is probably my favorite (and where I lived for 2 years) mainly because it’s still so blessedly untainted by tourism, and the people have a unique dignity and a friendliness that is truly genuine.  Another favorite is Morocco – perhaps surprisingly as a solo lass. It seems I often hear backpackers (of both genders) bemoan the “pestering” and harassment there, but I found nothing but kindly people and a most extraordinary diversity (the flavor of the Mediterranean, the windswept shores of the Atlantic, the Atlas mountains, the vast red sands of the Sahara) all sprinkled about a most singularly exotic country. And oh that luscious haven of Chefchaouen, “The City of Blue” – perhaps my favorite corner of the globe!

Was there a place that was your least favorite, or most disappointing, or most challenging?
Not sure I can think of a country that proved “disappointing” – mainly because I try hard to enter a new foreign land with few, if any expectations. Which… actually reminds me of one of my pet peeves when travelers “compare” countries. Often after only but a few days in a new country, they’re already comparing the food, the people, et al of country X to country Y. So silly (not to mention arrogant) – much like comparing apples and… eggplants for heaven’s sake (not to mention lumping entire ancient cultures into a single soundbite).That and… I honestly feel strongly that I am utterly BLESSED to even be able to visit any given country, so.. why would I go to the trouble to single out a string of negatives when I could instead just be grateful to see and experience the sights and unique culture of that country at all?That said… I did find Mongolia somewhat more challenging than most – but only because I chose a particularly physically challenging way to explore it, including 2 weeks hoofing and trekking among the Khasak Eagle Hunters in the remote mountains of western Mongolia – sleeping in unheated gers, with no electricity nor even an outhouse for weeks on end. In short, even for a gap year youngster the going would be considered a tad rough. For a solo lass near 7-oh? Definitely challenging (though quick to add, among my most memorable travel experiences to date).

Which travel gear proved most useful?  Least useful?
Well for starters, in the early days of my travels (back in the 70?s and 80?s) we of course didn’t have ANY of the technos that travelers enjoy today. No email, nor Facebook nor Twitter nor Skype to keep in touch with family and friends back home. And cameras were f.i.l.m. so you had to carry a boatload of film canisters and could only hope you captured a decent shot of that sloth in the crook of that tree at Monteverde – until you got back home to have the film developed.

That said, I do think that travel in those days was more organic and truly adventuresome. Being out of touch for weeks on end (with no TripAdvisor to steer you to the best – and thus likely heavily gringoized – restaurant, nor smartphone to pre-book your hostel reservation, etc.) made travel a good deal more unpredictable. And quite honestly, I find that it is precisely the “unpredictable” that often leads to my most memorable travel experiences. Then again, quick to add – I’m now just as much a “flashpacker” as the youngsters. I can’t even imagine being an expat without Skype to be able to keep in touch w/ family and friends. And books? As a voracious reader, don’t even get me started on my beloved Kindle. Seriously. I doubt I could have adapted to perpetual foreign travel for years on end without the digitals we have today. Least useful? Well first of all as I travel strictly “carry-on only”, rarely do I tuck ANYTHING into my backpack unless it’s proven essential. In my early days of backpacking through Africa, I once toted around a lightweight sleep sack (rumored to be essential in many hostels and recommended in the more dodgy guesthouses). But it turned out that I never needed it, else I guess I’m just not that fussy about my sleeps.  So I tossed it out in Morocco (along with most all my clothes) in favor of filling my backpack instead with not one but TWO fabulous wool rugs.

What are the rewards of the vagabonding lifestyle?
Surprisingly, the best rewards of bouncing around the globe aren’t so much the thrills of gawking at the World’s icons (the Great Wall, Uluru in Australia, the temples at Angkor Wat, etc.) but rather…For me, as a solo female vagabond, it’s the confidence that my travels have instilled in me. Starting with baby-steps on my first solo international forays to “tame” regions like Western Europe and English-speaking countries like Belize, I’ve gradually embraced ever more challenging destinations until… Honestly, I now feel that you could drop me on another PLANET, and I would simply hit the ground running – find myself a place to stay, some grub, and swiftly make myself comfy no matter how exotic the land. Indeed, there’s a most precious feeling of confidence gained from repeatedly managing such challenges – that spills over into most any challenge that life may hand you. I’m also extremely grateful for the expanded world-view that traveling and especially living, in developing countries has instilled in me. First hand in-depth experience with other cultures, governments, education and health care systems, etc. can’t help but temper your views of those same entities in your own native land. And especially – witnessing how much less the vast majority of the Planet’s billions manage to live with. And even more remarkably, how they do it with stoic dignity and true joy. In short, my travels have blessed me with boundless personal growth and confidence, and molded me into a far more patient and compassionate citizen of the World.

What are the challenges and sacrifices of the vagabonding lifestyle?
Ah yes, “sacrifices” – I’m glad you brought that up. It seems so many pine to travel the world, yet… they often don’t realize that choosing a life of travel is just a matter of making hard “choices”. Few of us have a trust fund, and many are presently in circumstances that (allegedly) pose obstacles (such as kids, debt, etc.) to popping on a backpack and bouncing ’round the globe. Often, even without these (did I mention “alleged”?) obstacles, many folks don’t seem to understand that a life of travel, takes trade-offs in the instant gratification of $6 caramel macchiatos, the smartest clothes, latest techno-toys, newest car, weekly pedicures, etc. All “choices”. The point is – I firmly believe that if traveling is what you want, there’s absolutely nothing stopping you from doing it – except yourself. That said, I also well understand that a vagabonding lifestyle isn’t necessarily everybody’s cup of tea. Yes, there are drawbacks – mainly, the obvious unavoidable separation from loved ones and friends back home. Yes, it’s tough to miss your best friend’s wedding, or the birth of a new niece or nephew. But again, with the marvels of today’s technology, I honestly feel that in some ways I’m closer to my friends and family now, than when I was living in Seattle. Plus – I’ve met so many fine new friends on the trail – I now have a whole host of chums scattered all over the globe.

What lessons did you learn on the road?
See “rewards” above. Mostly lessons about myself. That I’m a lot tougher than I thought. Indeed, the ups and downs of my travels have proven that there is little that can shake me. That many of the “problems” we allege in our comfy lives back home, are but “1st world problems” and really quite silly. That there are far more truly challenging problems that hundreds of thousands cope with each and every day their entire lives. In short, traveling long-term has taught me to keep it all in perspective, and to be ever grateful for the privilege of the (utterly fluke) circumstance of my U.S. of A. birth.

How did your personal definition of “vagabonding” develop over the course of the trip?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my near four decades of travel, is that my preferred travel “style” is ever evolving. Though I’ve never really had the proverbial “bucket list” seemingly so popular with young travelers today, when I first began traveling of course, I was just happy to be going ANYWHERE, and was far more prone to racing around to all the “gottado” sights and ticking off multiple countries in a single foray from home. With more experience traveling the globe however, I became more discerning (crossing whole countries off my list and paring down (and loosening) my itineraries in favor of spending more time in fewer select corners of a given destination. And while I still enjoy moving from place to place for a few weeks within say Myanmar, my preferred travel pace now favors “slow” travel, settling into a given country for weeks or months on end, and using a single location as a base to further explore that country in depth, with month-long forays into neighboring lands.

If there was one thing you could have told yourself before the trip, what would it be?
That’s easy, I only wish I’d taken the leap to permanent vagabonding years sooner! While I’m grateful for the many amazing foreign lands that I’ve been able to visit, this Big Blue Dot that we all call “home” is just sooo vast, and so lusciously diverse, I only wish I had a couple more lifetimes to explore every last corner – nice and slowly.

Any advice or tips for someone hoping to embark on a similar adventure?
Advice? Let’s see…

1. LESS IS MORE. Both as a life philosophy and packing. Seriously. You would be amazed at how much joy you’ll find in the freedom of having less “stuff”. Not to mention, how little you can comfortably get by with for months on end traipsing about with but a single backpack.
2. SOLO ROCKS!   Indeed, for all my fellow “single” comrades out there (male, but especially female): Jump on in, the water’s fine!Whatever you do, don’t put off your travels just because you don’t have someone to travel with. Though some may well favor traveling with a chum or better yet, a beloved main squeeze, personally, I passionately believe that traveling solo offers benefits that duos and groups can never know. When you travel with a partner (let alone a group), you tend to be perpetually engrossed in yammering to each other, and thus – the locals will view you as closed off, with no need of their help nor friendship. You will be just another tourist, to be fleeced at worst, or ignored at best.Ah but as a solo – if you’re the least bit open and smiling, local folks will break their necks to offer assistance and kindness. You’ll be offered countless precious opportunities for sharing a mint tea in Morocco, dinner with a local family in Indonesia, or a place to lay your head in a ger in Mongolia.Rest assured too that “solo” doesn’t at all equate with “lonely”. Personally I’m an introvert, so have little need of constant socializing. But even extroverts will find plenty of company along the solo travelin’ trail. Hostels are hotbeds for connecting with a new pal or three to share expenses for a tour or some such. And I often meet fellow solos on buses, etc. that I hook up with for a few days to see the sights of a new locale. In short, I have never lacked for companionship no matter where I’ve roamed. And I much prefer solo, rather than having to continually compromise on itinerary, budget, pace, etc. for a longer term trip.
3. And lastly, among my favorite pearls of wisdom: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”Which nicely sums up my own mantra for following your dreams (be they travel or otherwise): “This surely ain’t a dress rehearsal, folks”. Along with: You’re never too old to pop on a backpack and skip ’round the globe, you’ll never have all the answers you need to take the leap, and you’ll never have a better time to do it than today. And indeed – none of us knows for sure if we even HAVE a “tomorrow”, so what are you waiting for???

When and where do you think you’ll take your next long-term journey?
Presently I’m catching my breath (literally, at 8,000 feet!) here in my new “home” in Cuenca, Ecuador. I traveled pretty hard and loose in Asia for the past three years, and I’m enjoying settling in here amid the cobbled streets and majestic cathedrals. But of course, I know myself all too well. It won’t be long (3 months? 6 months, tops) til I get the “itch” again. For there’s surely wanderlust running through my veins. And I look forward to slowly exploring this whole new (for me) continent – first the Galapagos of course, and now that I’m so close, I’ve got Cuba on my radar. Then there’s Machu Picchu , Columbia, Brazil, Chili, Argentina, shoot – maybe even Patagonia and Antarctica!