Travel : The Art of Non-Conformity

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Travel

The Monster Trip of 2009

Last year at about this time, I took what I called the Monster Trip of 2008.

It involved four continents, driving through Italy in the middle of the night, visiting Iraqi Kurdistan, roaming by train and bus across the Baltics and Moldova, and finally coming home through Asia – where I mistakenly double-booked myself on two non-refundable tickets home from Japan.

What fun that was. Now it's time to repeat the process, although with a completely different itinerary, and hopefully without getting stranded on a faraway continent three days before I'm supposed to come home.

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Travel

Conversations

Wherever I go, I meet a lot of interesting people, but this doesn’t usually happen the way you might assume.

More often than not, I don’t meet anyone through a careful effort to be social (I’m naturally introverted) or through any deliberate attempt at tourism. Instead, it just happens while life is underway.

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Travel

The Outsider’s Guide to the Cook Islands

If you read last week's post, you pretty much know how this trip came out of nowhere the week prior. Air New Zealand phoned me up, offered me a trip, and since it sounded fun, I said yes.

Was it worth it? What happened? Details here, in 1300 words + photos.

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Travel

My Unexpected Trip to the Cook Islands (Courtesy of Air New Zealand)

I've been home from my trip to Haiti and South America for about a week now, and I didn't expect to go anywhere for a while.

Then all of a sudden, I got an email from Air New Zealand... offering to bring me along with a group of journalists going to the South Pacific for a press event. The offer came via Chris Brogan, who recommended me to Air New Zealand – big thanks to Chris for that.

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Travel

French Guiana and the $100 Question

After arriving in Paramaribo, Suriname on a long overland journey from Guyana, I was tired.

The week before I had been in Haiti, relearning humility thanks to missionaries and mosquitoes. The missionaries I liked, the mosquitoes, not so much – but as I tell myself from time to time, it's all part of the adventure.

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Travel

Overland Journey from Guyana to Suriname

Part I: Georgetown to New Amsterdam, Guyana

My sleep schedule is still off from the 3:30 a.m. arrival a couple of nights earlier, but it's an early morning wake-up to get to the Guyana taxi station. I fall asleep at 2:00 a.m., and the alarm goes off at 4:45. Nice. By 5:15 I'm downstairs paying the bill and waiting for my first ride of the day.

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Travel

The Heart of the Matter

Here I am in Haiti, a country I've been reading about for years but have never been to before. My accommodations are as basic as advertised, and that's just fine for a few days. If you ever find yourself in need of humility, come down here and spend the week with nuns and missionaries. That should do the trick.

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Travel

Packing List

A number of people have asked what I take with me for long overseas trips, and how I travel with no backpack or checked baggage. I'm getting ready to head out on the road again in about 10 days, so this is a good opportunity to review how it works for me.

The biggest secret: packing light is actually easier than bringing a ton of stuff.

The overriding philosophy of my packing list is to keep it as simple as possible. That's basic, I know, but very important. At least for me, travel stress is directly proportionate to the amount of stuff I carry around. I don't own a backpack and haven't willingly checked a bag on one of my extended adventures.

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Travel

What Is First Class Travel Really Like?

The flight attendant escorts me to my seat in 2B. She waits as I put my things down, and offers to hang my jacket. I spread out my books, journal, and iPod over the seat next to me, because I already know the front cabin is half-full and they’ve blocked the seat next to me at my request.

Not that I need the room – the seat is huge. It reclines fully flat so that I can go to sleep after the five-course meal.

As I’m getting settled, another flight attendant comes by with a tray of orange juice, champagne, and water. If I hesitate, he’ll ask, “Would you prefer a mimosa, or maybe club soda with lime?”

Travel

Short Notes from Namibia on Ninjas and Frequent Flyer Miles

Hi guys, I’m reporting live from Windhoek, Namibia with two short notes on a couple of ongoing projects today – the regular post arrives tomorrow, of course. For now I want to update you about the Frequent Flyer Challenge and Travel Ninja.

23 Comments

Travel

Homecomings

Despite hearing the question almost everywhere I go, I always shy away from picking a favorite country. Coming back to South Africa, however, I remember how much I love this one. I don’t have a single favorite country, but the Rainbow Nation is definitely one of the best.

Staying in Cape Town for three weeks back in 2005, I did all of the usual Capetonian activities. I climbed Table Mountain, I made the journey to Robbin Island, I headed out to Stellenbosch for wine tasting. All highly recommended, and if you’re making a life list of things to do before you die, spending a couple of weeks in the Republic of South Africa is probably as good as anything else you could put down.

Today I’m in Johannesburg, a city I’ve never really been to before. I’ve spent four months in East London, three weeks in Cape Town, three days in Pretoria, and countless transits through JNB airport – but until now I’d never been to Jo’burg, or Josie as It’s known here.

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Products

Travel Ninja Launch

Friends and readers, my first product in several months is now available. If you’re reading by RSS or email, come over and read all of the details here. The guide will help you become your own Travel Ninja – someone who travels wherever they want at any time. It’s all about Travel Hacking, creative international…

Products

Travel Ninja Preview

On Thursday morning, I’ll release my first new product in several months. The goal of Travel Ninja is to help readers interested in serious international travel. It’s all about travel hacking, Round-the-World flying, low-cost lodging, and overall strategies to help you travel anywhere in the world. If you’d like to go to the next level,…

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Travel

24 Ways to Travel for (Almost) Free

Several times a year I check into a Sheraton hotel that is free to me. Most of the time, the check-in clerk mentions my Gold status. “Thank you for giving us your business,” she says. “No problem,” I reply. “Thanks for giving me free rooms.”

“Thank you for giving us your business,” she says. “No problem,” I reply. “Thanks for giving me free rooms.”

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Travel

Notes from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

In the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel in Dhaka, Bangladesh, I’m having lunch with a couple of West African gangsters. To be precise, I’m eating a cheese sandwich while they are chain-smoking and drinking espresso.

I started off sitting at another table, but then we said hello to each other and I moved over. Because I lived in their region for so long, I always enjoy talking with West Africans whenever I meet up with them while traveling. The encounter with the guys at the Sheraton in Bangladesh, however, is a bit unusual.

They are very friendly. We talk about Obama, about Bangladesh, and so on. I ask them how long they are staying in Dhaka, and they say “We’re not sure.” I ask if they are staying “here,” meaning the Sheraton, and they say, “We’re not staying here, but we keep a room here.”

Whenever they’re not traveling, one of them tells me, they live in Brazil or Columbia. They work throughout Latin America, Africa, and Asia, but never in the U.S. or Europe.

Hmmmm ...

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