Tag Archives: Advice

Why Don’t Worry About Money and Just Travel is the Worst Article of All Time

Caye Caulker Belize

Nothing to see here. These chairs are not for you.

There’s one travel article that really needs to be written. It’s a column we’ve had on the back burner for quite some time and it’s titled “Why ‘Don’t Worry About Money and Just Travel’ is the Worst Advice of All Time.” Unfortunately, the piece recently published by Time.com under that same headline is not at all what we had in mind.

If only its author, Chelsea Fagan, had attempted to address the title question her story may have stood as a useful tonic against some of the more irresponsible financial advice that sometimes passes for lifestyle wisdom these days. Instead, she chose to use most of her 1,100 words to rail against a single rich blogger’s privilege. Entertaining, perhaps, in the way that watching a temper tantrum can sometimes be but about as illuminating.

Worse is that rather than tearing down the travel finance myth her title promises, the article instead enthusiastically perpetuates another, more common, myth: that only the very rich can travel. Reading Ms. Fagan you’re left with the impression that there are only two economic classes in America. On one end of the financial divide are wildly wealthy trust fund kids represented by travel bloggers who want for nothing but self-awareness. On the other end are huddled masses living lives of complete immiseration. That’s it. 

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Preparing for an Extended Backpacking Excursion (Part II)

Last week we discussed travel bags, vaccination requirements and communication options for extended overseas travel. This week, we dive into money issues, travel insurance and more.

Money Matters

Managing your finances while traveling for months at a time requires far more preparation than for a typical vacation; especially when you can’t guarantee secure internet connections or uncompromised ATM machines. Here’s how we prepared:

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How to Drive a Motor Home

The fear of driving a motor home prevents many people from even attempting a life on the road. Motor homes are big, and tall, and long and sluggish. Stepping into the driver’s seat for the first time can be a terrifying experience. Believe me, I know. It doesn’t have to be.

Of all the reasons people give us for not RVing, fear of driving one is the easiest to overcome. If you know how to drive an automobile then you already have all the skills needed to drive a modern motor home. Making the transition only requires a few adjustments, most of which you can practice in the car you drive now.

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How to Travel as a Couple Without Killing Each Other

Happily traveling together fulltime for 20 months and counting

 “And you’re still married?”

It’s by far the most common reaction we get after telling people we’ve been traveling together for nearly two years. More interesting, apparently, than our favorite destination or even how we’re able to travel for so long is how we’ve refrained from murdering each other.

The frequency of this question reveals a lot about the state of our relationships; which is also where the answers begin.

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How to Become Fearless

In youth, the world is wide open. Life is about trying new things, pushing boundaries, discovering limits, and exploring a planet that is ripe with possibility. As time passes we surround ourselves increasingly with comforts and lose interest in discovery. Our propensity for boldness atrophies. Our longing to see around the next corner gradually succumbs to fear of the unknown. Our world shrinks.

It doesn’t have to.

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