On the loneliness of travel

Posted by Peter Cresswell on May 13, 2013 | 0 comments

I recently watched the beautiful work of Commander Hadfield singing the legendary David Bowie song, “Space Oddity”. It was an appropriate send off piece for Hadfield who has been stationed above earth for the past few months as commander of the international space station.

The piece is beautiful. Hadfield takes advantage of his unique position and does a great job of shooting himself in his surroundings. The lyrics fit wonderfully with the music. When I watched it, I felt an stronger emotional reaction to the song than I normally have (I love the song). I felt the loneliness of the lyrics more deeply and profoundly than I had before.

Want Less, Get More

Posted by Peter Cresswell on Apr 5, 2013 | 0 comments

If you set out on a “around the world” trip, you’ll come across a million blogs that will list out their suggested packing list. We’re no different here of course. No matter what you pack, you’ll adjust on the road. But road life has a way of forcing you into the embrace of minimalism and simplicity. Carry everything you own on your back most days and you’ll quickly learn what you need and what you don’t.

Stop Fitting In

Posted by Peter Cresswell on Feb 23, 2013 | 2 comments

It goes without saying that there are a number of reasons people don’t take trips around the world for extended lengths of time. Most people imagine money as being a big reason and to be sure, that’s one of them (although you don’t need anything like the amount of money that you imagine! Just see our budget section for an idea of costs). But another reason I believe people don’t pursue this goal is that to do so would, in no small way, make them different. And in general, people don’t like to be different.

How To Make All-Star Destinations Affordable

Posted by Susana on Feb 16, 2013 | 0 comments

Paris, London, New York, Venice!  You’ve seen the pictures, you’ve dreamt of the delights, but now that you’re planning your round-the-world trip your budget is not cooperating.  Some of the most coveted destinations come with shocking price tags.

While the usual advice of cooking your own meals, using of public transport, and travelling at off-peak season can help you save plenty, without affordable lodgins, your all-star destination may still be out of the bounds of you typical round-the-world budget.  Staying outside the city core is, of course, a well known strategy for major travel savings but it has to be done right or the travel frustrations may end up being worth more than the savings.

A traveller’s spending patterns when compared to the average American

Posted by Peter Cresswell on Feb 16, 2013 | 0 comments

I’m always curious to know where people – myself included – spend our time and money. We spend it effortlessly and rarely take a look at the big picture. I was curious to know how most people spend their money and how it might compare to a traveller’s spending. So I decided to write down a few things I found.

I use Mint to track my spending and used it extensively while traveling. Our travel numbers are as good as I think you’ll find anywhere in terms of completeness. As for comparisons with the average person, thanks to the US Department of Labor, I can do a bit of that as well.  Here’s how the average american likely spend their money.