Welcome to the first live chat of the new year, we’ll be kicking off 2012 today with my guest, long-term traveler and travel blogger, Wandering Earl.
Click here to jump right into the chat happening for the next 3 hours!
The chat is only open from 1pm-4pm Bucharest; (11am-2pm GMT; 6am-9am US EST; 9pm-12am Sydney)
I’ll also highlight the best comments of the month and open up a lively discussion with Wandering Earl. Here’s a little about him in his own words:
- Addicted to the first-hand education that world travel provides, I aim to prove that a life of constant travel is not some crazy fantasy but a very realistic lifestyle option instead. And whether I’m in Mexico City, Bucharest or the tribal regions of Pakistan, my focus is not on the sights to see, but on the human interactions that take place and the lessons I learn along the way.
I first met Earl in New York during the 2010 TBEX conference and 6 months later we traveled to northern Iraq. You may have missed our June talk in Vancouver about Iraq, have questions about Earl’s 12 years on the road, or simply want to hang out to break up a long day at the office. We’re both in Bucharest, Romania at Simbio Cafe and if you’re around drop by to say hi. I’ll buy the first 5 of you a beer – otherwise, we look forward to chatting with you wherever you are in the world! Click here to jump into the comments and join the chat!
Hi everyone and welcome to January’s live chat. As usual I want to kick things off with some of the best comments on foXnoMad from this past December. Have any others you’d like to add? (Even if they’re your own!) You know where to do it – it’s live chat time!
Vinny left a tip in the comments so good I had to add it to my post about accumulating frequent flyer miles without a credit card immediately.
On that same thread JoAnna brought up another great question about earning miles leading me to write a follow up a week later about the biggest mistake people make with their accounts.
Barbara asks what traveling to Egypt may be like right now for travelers who have it in their plans and I give my take.
Will‘s got a good New Year’s resolution if you ask me!…and Mina‘s not far behind 🙂 Looking forward to hearing what you other plans you’ve got for 2012.
…and that goes for all of you 😉 Alright, ready, let’s talk travel!
Earl, good morning. It’s just after 3:00 am in California, and dark!
Hey Steve! Wow! I can’t believe you got up for this, or maybe you have yet to go to sleep 🙂
Thanks for joining. I was actually just reading your comment on my site and really thinking about the things you said!
And by the way, I hope you had a great NYE Steve! I definitely want to hear more about your plans for 2012 as well…
Yes, I’m always “up” for something new. I’ve never done a chat before and I’m feeling my way along. I did have a nice NYE as I stayed home and watched football games. Can’t do that while your traveling, when in Rome!
Ha! Definitely no football games over here…that is one thing that is strange. I’ve completely lost touch with North American sports. And now I enjoy sports such as cricket 🙂
I still have no clue how that game works…Earl you’ve got me there.
What has been your favorite place you’ve traveled to? And also, have you been to China? When I start traveling that is probably my number one place to go 🙂
Hey Emily – My favorite destination has always been India, simply because it is the only country I’ve been to where I am constantly challenged every minute of every day. As a result, I find that no matter how many times I go there, I learn the most about life and myself whenever I’m in that country.
And apart from Hong Kong and Taiwan, I have not been to China yet. I’ll have to ask your advice about the place once you get out there and explore that massive land!
I haven’t been to China either – but as far as favorites – I’m incredibly biased toward Turkey (*cough, cough* go there) but also loved the Philippines, Bulgaria, and Oman recently.
Phew, some technical details a bit early had me late today but getting settled in at Simbio Cafe. Looks like Earl is started early…I have some catching up to do 🙂
Hi Earl, now that I’m done with the frantic preparations (thanks Simbio for fixing the wireless so quickly!) just wanted to thank you for sharing your time with all of us this afternoon.
As you know, I’m excited to be a part of this chat idea and looking forward to interacting with whoever stops by…
And yes, a big thank you to Simbio for allowing us to host the chat here at their wonderful cafe!
Yes, I’ve got to try this assortment of wines. It’s 1:30pm, never too late 😉
Earl, I’m sure many are wondering, how did you get involved with cruise ships are traveling around the world that way?
I was in Chiang Mai, Thailand, just a few months after my first solo backpacking trip began and I was looking for ways to extend my travels. It just so happened that I met another traveler who recommended that I try to get into the cruise industry as a way to save money, network with people from around the world and get a little traveling in as well.
This person luckily had a contact at Carnival Cruise Lines and so I was able to get an interview and then I was hired as an Assistant Shore Excursion Manager…and that was the beginning of a long addiction with what crew members commonly refer to as the wonderful world of ‘ship life’.
Hi Earl / Anil,
What did you learn most about India? Any tips for a first time traveller to the country? I’m heading there in a few weeks time. Thanks.
Hi Amer, India tends to hit you intensely at first depending on how much you’ve traveled before; it still hits you 🙂 Don’t be scared of the food – street food – or otherwise. India is a great place to eat. Which part of the country will you be visiting?
That’s quite an interesting tip. I was told to stay away from street food but felt wrong about not eating them. Well maybe I should look at the crowds and where they eat? Am gonna start off with Mumbai heading towards New Delhi. It’ll be a short trip – just 2 weeks, but will definitely go there again! Want to cover bits and pieces of the country especially the ones relating to architecture.
That’s exactly the way to do it and in all honesty, chances are you’ll have stomach problems at some point in India (where the term “Delhi belly” comes from). That said, once your system adjusts you’ll be good to go and enjoy the incredible variety of food you’ll find.
As for architecture, you won’t be disappointed!
Amer – I think you have it right. If there are crowds eating from a particular street stall, you’ll have no problems. One recommendation is going to Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai one night after sunset. Such a great atmosphere with lots of people hanging around eating street food that is safe and yummy!
Hey Amer – I’m jealous that you’ll be in India! The best tip I can give you is to make sure that you take some time to adjust and to realize that life there is going to be quite different than what you are used to. It’s going to be a challenge but if you keep an open-mind and take the time to talk to people and really learn about their culture, your experience will be infinitely more rewarding.
Also, I’m not sure of your plans but I do often recommend going straight to a smaller city or town for the first few days. Sometimes travelers get quite overwhelmed when they begin their trip in a place such as Delhi or Mumbai! It’s a good idea to go straight to am more laid back place and then return to the big cities after when you are more comfortable.
Well, maybe I should start from a small city. Am not really keen to see big cities anyway. Mumbai seems too big and overwhelming. Any recommendation on nice smaller towns between Mumbai and Delhi? Am keeping an open mind about things. Too bad am there for too short of a time. Need to make frequent revisits.
Mumbai is massive…I have an excellent recommendation….I would say that Udaipur is well worth a visit up in Rajasthan. You can get there with an overnight bus or train from Mumbai. And another place is a town called Bundi, which is about 3 hours south of Agra by train. This is a beautiful laid-back town that has an interesting mix of Hindus, Muslims and Jains as well as an impressive palace and fort on top of the hill. It’s actually my favorite place in all of India 🙂
You just take a train to the city of Kota and then a short 45 minute bus from there to reach Bundi.
wow..that sounds amazing. Will definitely look into it! Massive thanks for sharing your favourite spots!
No problem Amer! I really love India (I’ve spent over 2 years there) so if you ever have any more questions before you head out there, just let me know!
Earl, Anil, are you still having “Technical Details” or am I missing something? I’m not seeing any reply’s yet
Hi Steve, I’ll look into it, you should be seeing replies now…
Steve, things should be working nicely now, but let me know if they aren’t 😉
We just had our first page crash! Record time everyone 🙂 I’m working to keep things humming smoothly but let me know if you have any issues…I’m on it, promise!
Hello Anil and Earl! Happy new year, hope you saw the Transylvanian Dracula! Or would you rather travel from Romania to India by land, via BG, TR, IQ, IR, AF and Pk?
Happy New Year Priyank and welcome to the chat!! How was your New Years??
I would LOVE to make that overland trip. If only I could get into Iran with my US passport 🙂
Given a chance of dual citizenship, which passport would you like to get? And besides Iran or Cuba, did you ever feel that the US passport was a liability? (e.g. when i went to Gaza, i was told not to worry because my passport wasn’t valuable..lol)
A New Zealand passport would be ideal! And the only times my passport was a liability was when I was in Pakistan/Afghanistan. I didn’t exactly want to flash it around too muuch. I never had any direct issues, even when I did show it to check into hotels, but I did keep it hidden at times just to be on the safe side.
When were you in Gaza?
2007, but only for 2 days since missiles started flying after that.
I think I lucked out with the two passports I have in terms of visa and political considerations 😉 Priyank, did you get a Canadian passport? I recall you writing about that sometime not too long ago…
Earl,
It was great to chat with you. The website stopped and then I had to leave for my 9-5 job, do you recall what that’s like? LOL!
Anil, sorry for the server crash, while it’s technically challenging, I must congratulate you for the optimistic side of the cause that led to the crash! I won’t get my CA passport until 2013 after which I lose Indian, so until then I should make trips to Bhutan, Nepal and Afghanistan, haha. 😉
Thank you Priyank 🙂 It’s a good reason to have technical problems and I’m getting better each time I think 😉 Thanks again for dropping by the chat and look forward to those very interesting travels!
Talk soon,
-Anil
Haha…actually, I don’t recall because I started traveling before I ever landed a 9-5 job 🙂 But at least you’re able to get some traveling in as well!
Take care and keep in touch…and I wish you all the best in 2012!
Hi Priyank, Happy New Year to you too and thanks for getting up this early your time 😉 Land would be great – but maybe in the summer. I’d be frozen otherwise. I can see that headline now – “Moron Blogger Dies Because He Doesn’t Wear A Proper Jacket” 😛
Hey Guys,
Do you have any tips on picking up Hindi basics quickly? I have been surprised at the lack of English in India, well Bihar to be exact, which I have heard is the most illiterate state in India so it probably isn’t representative of India as a whole.
Thanks,
Royce
Hey Royce – I think you are in the part of India with the least amount of English being spoken by far! It’s a tough language to learn but it is a language where, if you can just learn the vocabulary, you can generally place the words in any order, mess up the grammar and still be understood. So I would just try and learn as much simple vocab as you can and blurt it out.
That has worked for me in the past over there. Or else you guys should back to Delhi!!
Hope you had a great (probably was interesting) NYE over there!!
I’m not too concerned with grammar at all, just enough to get around and get by. Of course I know all languages require quite a bit of effort, I just want to get a quickstart.
NYE was OK over here. There really is not much of any nightlife to speak of in Putna, but we saw a bit of a Bollywood dance show and then went to a rooftop party. I hope it was great in Bucharest, definitely plenty of options there.
I would imagine nightlife being slow over there. Although, the Old City of Bucharest was quite dead on NYE, which was somewhat surprising. A Bollywood dance show would have been most welcome!
Yeah, we should have done one of those package deal places…maybe…
I love Pimsleur audio, check them out. Excellent for learning conversational language basics quickly.
Thanks Anil, I have used Pimsleur for German and I like it a lot as well. I will check and see if there is a Hindi version. I hope you are enjoying Bucharest.
Good luck and hope you find it!
Thanks too, enjoying Bucharest!
Hey guys! i don’t really have any questions as such as I just stumbled onto this via twitter, but I just wanted to share my admiration for your life of travel. As someone who is a bit entwined in the corporate grind right now, the life of a nomad seems like heaven. I have plans to move overseas soon (from Sydney, planning to go to Canada or the US if I can find a way to get a working visa) but also tossing up the idea of throwing in the career and being a bit more nomadic. Such a big decision though.
It’s great to hear that you loved India, it’s always been on my list of places to visit, though the thought of getting sick scares me a little! A colleague went there for work and ended up with a parasite…
Hey Emily – Welcome! It seems like you have a little travel bug as well and I think a change to somewhere new would be a great start and help you determine if moving towards a nomadic life is what you really want. But there’s no rush, take it a step at a time and always remember that no decision is permanent! Even if you chose to go nomadic now, chances are the worst that would happen if it didn’t work out is that you would return home, find a job and have some amazing travel adventures to talk about 🙂
Thanks – it is definitely one of those things though where I have to remember that my material possessions aren’t really worth all that much in the scheme of things, experiences are what matters 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to reply and I’ll be reading your adventures to keep the dream going until I can manage the reality 😀
Seems like you’ll get there soon enough. And you’re right, the more you keep reading about others’ adventures, the more you’ll be motivated to have some of your own!
Great to have you here! Nomadic life is very difficult – I wouldn’t call it quite heaven but a lot of fun if you’ve got the drive to make it all come together 🙂 Sounds like you’re on the right path though and feel free to let us know if you have any specific questions or just need the occasional nudge 😉
Btw, glad to hear you’re in Sydney, I had so many Aussies complaining about the previous chat times! Now I can say I didn’t forget about that part of the world 😛
I think that anything other than my current job seems like heaven to me at the moment. I have no doubt that nomadic life would be difficult though.
I do have a question – I haven’t done much travel (5 weeks in Vietnam & Cambodia and just got back from 2 weeks in Japan) so it’s possibly a bit daft but does the feeling of culture shock go away?
And after 10+ years on the road do you get homesick at all?
Just curious as I am quite independent so I don’t feel homesick for friends or relatives as such but more for familiarity such as speaking in person to someone with that familiar aussie accent…
It does, you begin to see how much more similar people are in the world the more you travel so the similarities, not the differences, begin to stick out. That helps ease any shock 🙂
As for missing family, I do but you’ll find places in the world that make you as comfortable as even home. You’ll be amazed at how small Earth can feel once you find a place and group of people that click with you.
And yes the time is great for a night owl like me 😀
I just want to thank you guys for living the dream. It’s inspiring- I love to read of your adventures- and someday hope to live my own adventures!
Thanks for that Laura and I have no doubt that if you are determined to achieve your goals as well, you will do so. That first step is always the most difficult as they say!! Thanks for joining the chat 🙂
Cheers to that Laura, if there’s anything we can do to help don’t hesitate to ask. Happy travels and glad to have you here on the chat!
Good morning from the US East Coast, guys! Earl, I’ve been reading your blog for a year now (aside from about 2 months last year when I had to stop because it made me too crazy not being able to be out there traveling) And nice to meet you, Anil 🙂
Hi Julie, nice to meet you too! Earl, sounds like your blog could be classified a travel drug. Travel gateway drug. Guess I’m the hard stuff? 😛
Well, if there’s any drug that should be legalized, it surely should be a travel drug, hard stuff or not!
Agreed. Cheers to that – speaking of, wait, where’s our wine…I’m on it!
Hey Julie! Haha…I’m not sure I’ve heard that reason yet for someone not reading my blog 🙂
But I’m glad you came back and started reading again…now what can we do to get you out there on the road as well??
I think I’ve been subconsciously planning to travel long term since I was about 8 and this year I’m planning to start a business and move to different regions of the world for 2-5 months at a time (rent a room/apt in 1 place and then make smaller side trips from there). I have some technical questions (like: in places like Guatemala or Indonesia is it difficult to find an internet connection that’s reliable enough to have video chat, which I’ll need for one on one counseling for my clients. Related, is it common to get internet in your own apartment). Then there’s other more general questions like, I want this so much, how can I believe in myself enough to make the leap?
Slower travel is cheaper and much better when you’ve got to work along the way 🙂 Many, many countries, (seemingly unexpected or poorer ones) tend to have excellent Internet connections.
Internet with an apartment is a pretty common combination to find. As for believing in yourself, this recent post I wrote might help:
http://foxnomad.com/2011/12/29/how-to-stick-to-your-2012-travel-resolutions/
As for internet, pretty much you can find a decent connection in almost every part of the world. You might have to pay a good amount for it but it’s almost always available. I’ve been to both Guatemala and Bali and whenever I was in developed areas, not necessarily main cities, but towns as well, I’ve always had decent connections. But keep in mind it can be spotty in these regions at times as that’s just something you have deal with when living in the developing world.
How can you believe in yourself enough? You just need to keep reading about others who have made the change and who are now living the life they truly want. It’s tough to start, but as the common saying goes, “you never meet a person who regrets having traveled”! That alone should give you the extra push you need 🙂
haha… yes Earl, your blog is definitely a drug- these days it mostly make me euphoric, though. reading travel blogs helps keep me focused on how i believe the world is rather than what the news tells me.
That’s good news, but I guess you have to keep reading in order to avoid the withdrawal! Or at least to continue hearing about the world in ways that the media doesn’t choose to do…
Both of those are true statements 🙂 Thank you for your help today!
Thanks, Anil. That’s a relief. Also, any tips on finding an apartment/ room to rent in country for that period of time? I hear internet prices are typically higher, if you can find a place at all that way. Annnnd…. any words about health insurance?
I like Earl’s method of staying at a hostel/hotel for a week and then looking in person. You’ll typically get lower rates and have a better idea of the room than in online photos. Otherwise, expat groups and real estate agency sites can help you narrow down your options.
As for health insurance long term, check out:
http://www.imglobal.com/index.aspx
and more recommendations for various types of travels and travelers:
http://foxnomad.com/2011/01/25/should-you-get-travel-insurance/
Excellent; thank you!
Thanks so much for that link (sorry to hijack). Despite copious googling it’s not super easy to find long term global health insurance!!
Not hijacking at all! Enjoy 🙂
Also, depending on how much electronics you’re carry with you (if it’s over $500-1000) I can make a recommendation for that as well.
Yes please. When I go next time it will be $2500 combined value minimum.
Sure thing 🙂 Check out Clements.
Thanks so much 😀
Anytime, you’re very welcome!
Thank you 😀
Good morning guys! My question for you Earl: how feasible is travel to Afghanistan these days? Where would you go? Any special precautions?
I’ve heard amazing things about the country, and really want to visit in the future.
Hey Matt! Travel to Afghanistan is possible these days, especially for someone with the travel experience that you have. The country is really trying to promote tourism by pointing out the several regions that are quite safe for foreigners to move around.
In general, the areas around Kabul, Bamiyan and Mazar-i-Sharif are usually fine to visit, with the proper precautions of course, which would include wearing local dress and ensuring that you don’t stand out too much. And this is actually easier to accomplish than most might imagine considering the range of ethnicities found in this country.
The point is, with a little research traveling to Afghanistan is definitely doable these days.
Hello and welcome! Earl, what about budgeting for Afghanistan – flights, hotel, food; would you say cheaper or more expensive in general compared to other countries regionally.
Also, most people ask me (more so women) about hiring a personal security guard while there. What are your thoughts on those inquiries?
It’s quite a cheap country to visit, although, like anywhere, it depends on the comfort you prefer. Hotels can be had in the center of Kabul for as little as $10 USD per night (somewhat grubby hotels) for a private room but if you can go with $40 USD per night, you’ll get a proper hotel room at a nicer place. Food is very inexpensive, as is travel by taxis and buses.
Flights aren’t terrible if you fly in or out of a place such as Dubai or Delhi. I went over land from Pakistan through the Khyber Pass which is another option although definitely a much riskier one.
As for a personal security guard, it can be a good idea. I never had one but if you are heading there without much travel experience or for a job or volunteer opportunity, then a guard would make sense until you are comfortable with the area and learn where you should or should not go.
Hi guys, first of all congratulations on the awesome idea of live chatting 🙂 I’ve been following your adventures from some time. I’m from Romania, from Targu Mures to be exact, smack in the heart of Transylvania. I do have the travel bug, unfortunately the budget won’t allow me to travel as much as I would like to, or maybe I’m just too chicken to take a chance 🙂 However, I’m scraping funds to head over to the US this summer (a place I’ve worked for 3 summers and dying to return to)…so my question is – have you tried housesitting? I heard that it’s a great opportunity to blend in with the locals while not paying rent and taking care of the host’s house and such. I find the idea really appealing. What words of wisdom do you have for me?
J
Hey Joseph – Welcome to the chat! I actually know of several bloggers who spend most of their time housesitting around the world and they always recommend it as an excellent way to travel and save money. A couple of those bloggers are: Globetrottergirls.com and OttsWorld.com.
They each have posts that they’ve written where they recommend specific housesitting sites that they have been using all over the world. I would definitely check out their sites!
Joseph, it’s a great way to save money and get local 🙂 Get in touch with Sherry Ott Ottsworld whose got experience with house sitting and is an overall awesome person and traveler.
Glad you like that chat idea, I have fun doing it every month and getting to talk live with you 🙂
Hey guys — Just wanted to say that I’m a big fan of both of your blogs. Thanks for the inspiring stories and awesome travel tips. Happy new year and looking forward to seeing what you guys are up to in 2012.
Jason
Hey Jason! I hope you have a great 2012 and I’m looking forward to using your Istanbul itinerary next week 🙂
Thanks very much for the kind words Jason and dropping by the chat. I appreciate your support and hope we’ll be meeting up in 2012!
Ok, one for you Anil. Earl tells me you are the man to talk to when it comes to WiFi antennas. Any recommendations for one that will work with Mac OS Lion? Is it worth having one?
Speaking of lions, having any recurring nightmares lately Earl? 😀
Anil will answer that in a second…as for the lions, I actually find myself staring at the lion photos in disbelief for about an hour each day 🙂
Go with the Alfa Model AWUS036EH (or the Alfa AWUS036 depending on the range you want); Rokland.com make OS X Lion drivers for both and are updated regularly 🙂
Cool, thanks!
Hi Earl! I’ve been a fan of your blog for some time now. I love your writing style and your sense of humor!
I’ve also read your e-book about working on cruise ships, and am considering cruise ship work as an option to help pay off my student loans and finance travel. I’m concerned, though, that it might not be for me because I’m a rather introverted person. It seems like working on a cruise ship requires a LOT of socializing and being around people 24-7. I do like people and love the idea of making friends from around the world, but I *really* need to have some time to myself once in a while or I get tired and irritated with people. So I guess my question is, did you ever get any privacy at all while working on cruise ships? How often were you able to steal an hour or two all to yourself?
Curious to hear the response to this as well as I’m incredibly introverted. Jana, I would guess though you’d find a way like a social person would find someone to hang out with 😉
Hey Jana! It’s great to have you hear in the chat!
As for cruise ship life, while socializing is a big part of working on ships, not every position is constantly interacting with people. There are plenty of back office positions in which you would rarely have to speak with passengers 🙂
Also, when you do have free time, you are free to spend it as you wish. Believe me, everyone working on cruise ships wants and needs some time to themselves, which is why when a ship pulls into port, those crew members with some free time often run off the ship and just head off somewhere on their own.
I rarely went out with other people in port as I much preferred to go to a beach by myself for a couple of hours and get a bite to eat at some local eatery. This gave me time to myself and allowed me to maintain my sanity 🙂
So you’ll have plenty of opportunities for such ‘escapes’ as well….and there are also plenty of places on the ship where you can get away from it all such as the crew gym, crew lounges and even the dining halls, where you can get a table in a corner and enjoy some quiet time. This was another favorite activity of mine!
Thanks for the reply! I feel a little more encouraged to give it a try now. =D So what cruise ship positions do you think would be best suited to introverts?
I would say your best bet would be the Crew Office because this office naturally deals with crew issues and has nothing to do with the passengers. Such positions include Crew Purser, HR department (Onboard the ship), Crew Activities Coordinator…and keep in mind, almost all of these positions also have assistants as well.
In general, you would apply to the Front Office department to get such a job but when you write your CV/resume and cover letter, you would want to specify your desire to work in the Crew Office.
If you have any questions as you put together your resume, just let me know and I’ll be more than happy to give you some advice!!
And if you have a finance background at all, you could also apply to work in the financial office on board which also remains in the back offices and doesn’t interact with many people 🙂
Oh no, I know nothing about finance unfortunately. Ironically I’m much more skilled at languages, the use of which involves interacting with people!
Knowing languages is great for the position of International Hostess, which is a good position with a lot of privileges. But yes, it does involve being around passengers all the time 🙂
Yup, that’s actually what I was thinking of applying for originally. Maybe I could handle it as long as I’m able to steal some alone time once in a while…? I do tend to have a slightly higher tolerance for people if I get to speak to them in another language. =P
You definitely won’t be working every minute of the day…and you’ll always have time off to yourself. And that position actually allows you to interact with only a small group of passengers, those speaking the languages you speak. And that is always much better as you’ll get them to know them on a more personal level.
And again, you’ll be able to sneak away throughout the day for some alone time….
The more you talk about it, the better it sounds. Maybe I should go for it!
Yes!!
The other good thing is that once you get on board, in any position, and you complete one contract, you are generally allowed to switch positions if you want. You just apply on board and that’s it…so just getting your foot in the door is key!
Okay, thanks! I’m currently an au pair in France and will be here until the summer, so I won’t be able to apply for a while yet… But I will definitely contact you if I have any questions later!
Hey Good Morning Earl! My question is this: what did you have for breakfast this morning in Bucharest? (I just woke up). BTW I enjoy your blog immensely! One day a few months ago I was selling my Kelty backpack and when I googled it your blog came up. 🙂
Hey Maureen – Hmmm…I actually didn’t eat breakfast 🙂 I almost never eat breakfast for some reason…I’ve been that way for many years now.
What are you having for breakfast? Whatever it is, you just reminded me that it is now lunch time, which, luckily, is a meal I do eat!
Maureen whereabouts are you?
…and Earl. Eating breakfast is good for you. I mean, look how much not doing so has stunted your height.
Panama.
I still have the Kelty Redwing 2900 for sale! (LIKE NEW and I wish I had brought it instead!)
It is a mighty fine backpack!! If anyone out there is looking for a new pack, I highly recommend the Kelty 2900. I’ve been using the same one for 12 years now…
I’m going to fix a big breakfast:) Hashbrowns, toast and eggs. How long do you tend to stay in one place?
I tend to go in periods of faster travel then slower. Fast is a week in a new place and slow is 4-8 weeks.
Breakfast sounds good though, I’m actually getting hungry for a snack. I hate that time between lunch and dinner although this Simbio Cafe has an excellent menu.
What’s on the menu? 🙂
No idea…so far the only thing we’ve ordered is wine. But I need to have a look and order something soon!
LOL! My stomach is growling and I better get cooking! GREAT chatting with you Earl! Hasta la proxima vez.
Here’s a very small taste of the menu:
Go for one of Simbio’s Sandwiches:o
!! Ok, you’ve convinced me. Tuna it may have to be… 🙂 thanks!
Great chatting with you Anil! Ciaou.
Not a bad idea at all! Enjoy your meal and thank you so much for joining the chat….buen provecho!!
Cheers Maureen!
It depends these days…sometimes I’ll pass quickly through but in general, I prefer to travel much more slowly and spend a good amount of time in one place. So I will often alternate between traveling nonstop for a couple of months and then choosing one place to get an apartment and stick around for 3-4 months in order to really get to know the destination and to catch up on work as well.
I find it to be much more rewarding when I spend longer periods of time in one place, even if that means I miss out on seeing some other destinations within a particular country.
Only 10 days! The last 8 weeks we were in Argentina/Chile continually on the go.
Then you definitely deserve a break! After being on the go for a while, the best thing you can do is stop in one place and take it easy….
Right now I am in Boquete, Panama.
Earl, Have you spent any time in Panama? If so, what are some of your impressions?
I have been to Panama a couple of times, although it was a while ago. I really enjoyed the country, but need to return again to spend more time there. I think in total I’ve spent 2 weeks there which is not enough to get a complete impression. How long have you been there?
It’s seems to be much more rewarding to stay awhile in one place. We rented a house for a month. It really is a change from moving from hostel to hostel. But I am already feeling restless!
Here’s another question for both Earl and Anil: Can you guys list all the ways you can think of to make and/or save money while traveling or living abroad? Some I can think of are teaching English, being an au pair, housesitting, starting an online business, and of course working on a cruise ship… But I wonder if there’s anything else I’m missing?
Rather than make the list that way, I’d start by asking you what are your expertise – what are you good at and what skills would others want to pay for?
Hm, well I kind of meant to ask this question for the benefit of others as well as myself (because people are always so surprised that you can actually travel affordably!). But some of the things I’m good at are languages, drawing/painting, and writing.
There are so many good options, but looking at turning your skills into income, there are many, many translation jobs freelance that pay very well depending on the language 🙂 I can refer you to some source if you’re interested and appreciate the question!
Thanks. =) I’ve actually looked into that before, and I know there’s some very good money to be made translating patents and other such documents from Japanese into English (I’m fluent in Japanese). I don’t think I could do it though, because the documents to be translated are just so… boring! I want to enjoy the work I do or it’s not worth the money to me.
Good luck and I’m sure you’ll find the thing that fits perfectly for you! I can’t agree enough though, if you don’t do what you love it won’t be worth any amount of money 🙂
Hey Jana – There are literally thousands of ways to make money while traveling. The key is thinking creatively because we automatically associate earning money with some standard type of job. As an example, I know travelers who have earned money by going to countries and building basic websites for budget hotels that want to have a web presence. There are people who have traveled all over Latin America by working out deals with boat tour operators in which they received a nice commission for every traveler that they convinced to sign up for one of the boat tours.
You can work as a timeshare salesperson in resorts all over the world, you can earn money by correcting English menus and signs in countries where English is not the native language, you can earn money by offering haircuts or massages to other travelers in hostels…the list goes on and on and is really only limited by our creativity!
You’re right! I guess that’s why people are in such disbelief that you can make money by traveling– because they think you can only make money through a traditional job. But there really are endless ways to work your way around the world, and when you put it that way it does seem kind of silly to make a list. ^^
I just wanted to thank everyone for joining the chat today! I’m a little upset at Anil for not telling me that I had red wine stains all around my mouth for the past three hours as I sat here chatting in this crowded cafe, but I still had an excellent time answering questions and communicating with you all!
And if you ever have any questions that weren’t answered here, always feel free to send me an email through my site. I’ll always respond personally and try to help out as best I can…
Those 3 hours went by quickly again this month and sadly I’ve got to bring things to a close. I want to thank all of you very much for participating in the chat and especially Wandering Earl for spending his valuable time with us today. I encourage you all to check out his site and travels; we’ll probably have a trip or two later to tell you about in the coming months.
All the best and hope to see you again on my next live chat, coming up on February 2nd, 2012. Happy New Year and wishing you one that’s loaded with travels!
Thanks again Earl and everyone, until next time,
-Anil
Thanks for having me as the guest Anil!