During my time backpacking, the typical ways (I used to think) have altered. My ‘backpacker paradigm shift’ has been a complex and ongoing process. Where do I begin? Lets start with coffee. During my last 14 months living in the United States, before beginning a nomadic lifestyle as a backpacker, I worked at Starbucks. As [...] [...more]
In October, before we left Italy, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. Don’t worry though, he was diagnosed early and, after radiation, chemo, and surgery he is in recovery. Living and working half a world away while my dad was fighting cancer was difficult. Although both my parents agreed that the situation was not serious [...] [...more]
Happy World Water Day!!! In case you did not know, International World Water Day is on March 22nd each year. This is a day to bring awareness on the importance of freshwater as well as sustainable management of freshwater resources. Currently, I am cruising on the Coral Sea towards the Great Barrier Reef. I am [...] [...more]
I am attracted to the idea of utilizing alternative transport methods (or at least alternative for me) to move Natalie and I from one place to another. So far, we have used traditional or standard methods of transport such as planes, trains, cars, buses and ferries. Although effective, these forms of transport are more comfortably [...] [...more]
I’ve never known if I should trust a top ten lists. When it comes to travel, there seems to be a top 10 list for just about everything. Top 10 places to golf, top 10 shopping destinations, top 10 places to gamble, top 10 places to rock climb, top ten nude beaches, etc. A few [...] [...more]
Believe it or not, daily life as a nomad is not that different than our previous lifestyle. Whether confined to a cubicle or living out of a backpack their are good days, and not as good days. Their are also, just plain awful days. However, it is not everyday I have the opportunity to wake [...] [...more]
How can I travel and find the best experience possible? It’s not about the sights, monuments, landscapes, and museums. Travel is about people. Meet the right people and you will have the right experiences. After spending a day in Nelson, it was clear to us that we had discovered our favorite place in the South [...] [...more]
During 2008 Justin and I have experienced a lot of life change and adventure. Although, we have only been backpacking for three months, most of our Top 10 list is from our travels. If you are interested in the planning process and/or are considering some global travel of your own in 2009/2010, feel free to [...] [...more]
Wealth, in my experience, appears to breed a narrowing of perspective by its possessor. The more wealth an individual accumulates is often directly proportional to the decrease in their understanding of non wealthy lifestyles. Over the past 3 weeks I have worked for a service based hospitality/tourism lodge that caters to a wealthy clientele. (For [...] [...more]
One of the worst items a backpacker could bring, is a pair of denim jeans. They are heavy, bulky, they do not pack well into a backpack or dry quickly after hand washing in a sink. Therefore, I had to say farewell to my jeans. And not pack a single pair. We are backpacking and [...] [...more]
