Marcello Arrambide

https://www.wanderingtrader.com

Age: 26

Hometown: Merida, Venezuela

Quote: “ It’s always going to cost more than you are planning on spending so make sure you have some wiggle room in your budget.”

How did you find out about Vagabonding, and how did you find it useful before and during the trip? Through a friend who follows Tim Ferris and Rolf Potts

How long were you on the road? I’ve been traveling most of my life, my current trip around the world has me on the road for roughly 5 months

Where all did you go? Throughout East Canada, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil

What was your job or source of travel funding for this journey? Day Trading in the stock market, all I need is high speed internet

Did you work or volunteer on the road? I generally day trade in the mornings from about 9.30-11 or 12 (EST). In Canada I was able to be extremely mobile with a 3.5g mobile broadband connection.

Of all the places you visited, which was your favorite? There isn’t one specific place, but a combination of places. For example: the diversity of Toronto, the people of Paraguay, the steak and passion of Argentina, etc. I don’t know if there is one place that is my absolute favorite, although I am planning on retiring in Europe; Barcelona or Italy.

Was there a place that was your least favorite, or most disappointing, or most challenging? So far I haven’t been too disappointed although I can remember a trip to Venezuela which was a complete disaster. All the flights were over 6 hours late and it took me over a day to get a city that should only take about 4/5hours. It’s a shame to say because I was born there but everything is backwards and crime has become a real issue.

Did any of your pre-trip worries or concerns come true? Did you run into any problems or obstacles that you hadn’t anticipated? When I moved to Toronto I didn’t have high speed internet in the apartment that I was staying at. This is a huge problem because I wasn’t able to work for a few days. I tried to contact the landlord and find other apts with no luck. I was seriously considering coming back to the states because I couldn’t find an apt right away with internet. Luckily I found out they have 3.5g mobile broadband and I got unlimited data usage for the time I was there. Life saver! (3.5g is much faster than 3g in the states)

Which travel gear proved most useful?  Least useful? Most useful is the camera I bought and the laptop case. The camera has a huge zoom and takes HD Video. I have been able to get some incredible shots and video. The laptop case has been a real life saver. I have to travel with 2 laptops (1 for a backup) and a 19 inch monitor for work. That’s over 50 lbs in a carryon bag! I did make the mistake of buying 2 18.5 inch laptops that are powerful enough to power Nasa, next time I won’t buy laptops that are so large.

What are the rewards of the vagabonding lifestyle? Not getting bored with life in the same monotonous lifestyle; 9-5, then the gym, weekends at the mall. I can pick up and go when I please and I’m able to really have the freedom to choose where I want to go. I’m able to meet new friends and experience new cultures that I always have been curious about. It’s definitely not a challenge finding something to do since you are always in a new city.

What are the challenges and sacrifices of the vagabonding lifestyle? Making long term relationships, when you’re in places for such a short period of time you start to make new friends you have to leave. It’s hard keeping up with old friends as well since I’m always on the move.

What lessons did you learn on the road? It’s always good to plan ahead but at the same time you have to realize that things may not go exactly as planned. You have to be able to “go with the flow” at times and change your plans accordingly. It’s always good to double check and triple check to make sure you have completed everything, a check list would be best. And I would recommend everyone to bring passport pictures of themselves. I can’t count how many times I have needed them for visas and things.

How did your personal definition of “vagabonding” develop over the course of the trip? I always thought that vagabonding meant really not having a home. I call myself a homepacker rather than a backpacker because I usually set up a base in a city like Toronto and Buenos Aires. I find an apt and consider that my home for the region. Then I backpack throughout the area.

If there was one thing you could have told yourself before the trip, what would it be? It’s always going to cost more than you are planning on spending so make sure you have some wiggle room in your budget

Any advice or tips for someone hoping to embark on a similar adventure? Be sure to get all the details and plan well in advance. You should know that you need a visa or a vaccination before going to a country. You have to plan for emergencies and any contingencies that may occur. There is no such thing as over-planning. Who would have thought you needed passport pictures for visas or the fact that actually need a visa to go to a country? A great example for me is Paraguay, I thought you just needed to pay for a visa at the border like Argentina and Chile. Instead you have to turn in your passport to get the visa, no one would have thought that about Paraguay.

When and where do you think you’ll take your next long-term journey? I have been very lucky to be able to say I have lived in 3 different continents and 5 different countries (and counting). Even though I have lived in all these places I always have planned to come back at some point. On this trip I don’t plan on coming back, I carry everything with me that I need and I reload along the way. After South America is Kenya where I will see all of the area of South Africa then head to Asia. Haven’t decided on whether I want to go to Thailand or India, India would take a minimum of 6 months. Still figuring out the internet situation there.

Are you a Vagabonding reader planning, in the middle of, or returning from a journey? Would you like your travel blog or website to be featured on Vagabonding Case Studies? If so, drop us a line at casestudies@vagabonding.net and tell us a little about yourself.