Rolf Potts's Blog, page 120

Man holds up a passport. Photo: motograf / Flickr

Have you ever wished you had another country's passport? For some nationals, they have the right to get working holiday visas all over the world.  They can pick up and move to a country, and have the right to live there.   Your passport has a big effect on how well received you'll be in another country, in the eyes of their immigration officials.

The Economist had a chart called The Wanderers.  A law firm named Henley & Partners compiled a list of twenty countries, ranking them according to easily their nationals could enter foreign nations without needing a visa.  Makes you realize how much of that is beyond an individual's control. If your government happens to be oppressive or unfriendly to immigrants, it's the humble citizens who get punished with paperwork and exorbitant visa fees when they go abroad.

The first time I experienced this was when I taught English in China.  My boss, who was from Iceland, observed that Europeans paid much lower China visa fees than Americans.  That was when I learned about "reciprocity," which basically translates as tit-for-tat.  If America charges high visa fees on foreigners, than those countries will return the favor when Americans visit.  Have any of you dealt with this?

The most extraordinary story I heard was from a Hong Kong girl.  She has passports for Hong Kong, China, the United Kingdom, and Canada!  That's ultimate mobility, right there.

What are your experiences of dealing with passports and visas?  Please share your stories in the comments.

"Homesickness is a feeling that many know and suffer from; I on the other hand feel a pain less known, and its name is "Outsickness." When the snow melts, the stork arrives, and the first steamships race off, then I feel the painful travel unrest."

–Hans Christian Andersen, 1856 letter, quoted in Jens Andersen's 2005 biography

Nora Dunn

www.theprofessionalhobo.com

Age: 35

Hometown: Toronto, Canada

Quote: "We all have ideas. But until we do something with the idea, it remains lifeless. It's all about the execution."



How did you find out about Vagabonding, and how did you find it useful before and during the trip?

Having loved the travel section of any bookstore, I had been familiar with Vagabonding for a while. I finally had a chance to read it once I'd sold everything and had just begun my full-time traveling life (in 2007). Although I found it to be an inspirational read and insightful as to what life on the road could be like, I also found it left me with more questions than answers in terms of the logistics of traveling long-term. That was when I realized travel is very different for everybody, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution (as much as we might like one).

How long were you on the road?

I sold everything I owned (including a financial planning business) in late 2006, and I've been traveling full-time since April 2007.

Where all did you go?

You can find a blow-by-blow of the first four years of my travels here, but here's a basic breakdown:

I took the train across Canada and spent seven months in the Rocky Mountains; I lived in Hawaii for six months; then traveled for two months through Thailand/Malaysia/Singapore (with more than a few mis-adventures in Thailand), before using Australia as a base for a year and a half. (Australia also entailed a mis-adventure or two).

Filming a travel/adventure tv show in New Zealand shook things up a bit, and after a few months there I spent four months in Europe (namely Spain, Germany, France, England, Scotland, and Ireland). I also breezed back through Paris and spent a few weeks in Nepal to film the pilot episode of a (different) travel tv show.

I returned to Australia to tie up some loose ends and ride over 16,000kms on the train, before heading back over to New Zealand to catch my breath at while volunteering at Mana Retreat for six months.

I'm writing this from Toronto, where I'm visiting family and friends, getting a new passport, and plotting the next stage of my travels.

What was your job or source of travel funding for this journey?

I travel full-time in a financially sustainable manner; due in part to a location independent income I've developed from writing (about travel, personal finance, and lifestyle design), and tempered by a reduced cost of living with various gigs that involve volunteering in trade for accommodation (which can involve caretaking, house-sitting, pet-sitting, and hospitality exchanges).

Managing work/life balance while traveling is not easy, but it's a nice problem to have.

Of all the places you visited, which was your favorite?

Ah yes, that million dollar question. I have a thousand dollar answer here.

Was there a place that was your least favorite, or most disappointing, or most challenging?

I was caught in or near two devastating natural disasters in less than two years. The first was a close brush with Cyclone Nargis (which obliterated Burma) while I was in Thailand, and the second was being trapped on all sides by fire for a month during the Victorian Bushfires in Australia.

In both cases I made the best of the situation by volunteering or fundraising. But all in all those experiences (in relatively close succession, with a few challenges like dengue fever in between) were exhausting.

Did any of your pre-trip worries or concerns come true?  Did you run into any problems or obstacles that you hadn't anticipated?

For the life of me I can't recall having any significant pre-trip concerns; at least nothing that continues to stand out for me over four years later! As for problems or obstacles, breaking up with my partner after the first few years of traveling together wasn't easy or predictable, but I survived – and thrived – nonetheless.

Which travel gear proved most useful?  Least useful?

I love my headlamp through and through. It's so useful, I keep it in my purse at all times!

As for least useful, anything that adds unnecessary weight and/or isn't multi-functional or frequently used has been culled. I started out with no concept of how much the weight of your pack directly correlates to misery on the road, so I've culled items like a solar charging panel, climbing rope and gear, and a good chunk of the clothes I started out with.

What are the rewards of the vagabonding lifestyle?

Believe it or not, the cost of traveling full-time can be cheaper than staying in one place! This ultimate freedom of being on the road all the time has been incredible and led to rewarding relationships, growth experiences, and cultural exchanges I could never have experienced if I were still relegated to two-week vacations each year.

What are the challenges and sacrifices of the vagabonding lifestyle?

Returning home for a visit after over four years has left me feeling somewhat disconnected. It goes beyond reverse culture shock; after so long on the road, I've experienced a fair degree of travel fatigue and a certain sacrifice of personal space with the volunteer gigs and hospitality exchanges I've done.

And somehow, emotionally, I associated my home town with being grounding and a relief from these stresses. In actual fact, I've found it to be quite the opposite, which is unsettling – literally and figuratively. It challenges my definition of "home" and ultimately what I'm doing. (But I appreciate these sorts of challenges for the insight they ultimately reveal).

What lessons did you learn on the road?

I learned that long-term travel (for more than a few months) can be exhausting, and that I value my personal space and now try to design my travels accordingly. I expect to do more long-term house-sitting or even taking advantage of short-term rentals going forward to satisfy these needs for a sense of "home" along the way.

I've also become somewhat apathetic about traveling for the sheer sake of traveling or seeing a specific destination without having a really good reason; so now it's usually an opportunity (to volunteer, house-sit, visit somebody, or explore a specific type of adventure) that dictates where I go.

How did your personal definition of "vagabonding" develop over the course of the trip?

I think the act of long-term travel in and of itself can be considered "vagabonding" – and that will incarnate in many different forms depending on the traveler. That's what my popular week-in-the-life series is all about; celebrating how each traveler chooses to live on the road.

If there was one thing you could have told yourself before the trip, what would it be?

How about five things?

Pack light ; the weight of your pack is directly attributable to your happiness (or lack thereof) on the road.
Plan loosely and keep your eyes and ears open ; this can exponentially deepen the travel experience. My original first destination was Latin America, and I still haven't made it there for all the opportunities I just couldn't turn down that took me elsewhere.
Have the flexibility to take people up on their offers to stay with them ; it has been invaluable in helping me to experience a slice of local life in so many of the places I've visited.
Have the courage to approach people and step outside your comfort zone ; I never would have met Sheralee in Australia, or Toro Bravo in Spain if I had kept walking.
Lastly, give yourself permission to change your destiny ; nothing about travel should be set in stone; escaping one rat race for a different attempt at keeping up with the Joneses – or rather, travelers – is not what it's all about. There is no roadmap, so have the courage to create your own path.

Any advice or tips for someone hoping to embark on a similar adventure?

As with so many things in life, we all have ideas. But until we do something with the idea, it remains lifeless. It's all about the execution. So get out there and just do it. You'll figure out how to swim along the way, with the help of other travelers and your own ingenuity. There is no right or wrong answer; just doing and not doing. Taking that first step and making the commitment is the most important part.

A little more logistically, make sure you have your financial house in order. Hitting the road with a pile of debt is a recipe for disaster unless you have a steady income to service the debt along the way. So many people return home from trips with debt which is bad enough; don't start out that way.

When and where do you think you'll take your next long-term journey?

I'm still planning out the next stages of where I'll go – which will be sooner than later. Among other things, I'm contemplating a (very long) train journey from Portugal to Vietnam, hacking my way into a Bollywood movie dance scene, checking out a few opportunities in Scandanavia, and house-sitting in Latin America. We'll see which opportunity sings to me first. Stay tuned!

Twitter: hobonora
Website: www.theprofessionalhobo.com

Are you a Vagabonding reader planning, in the middle of, or returning from a journey? Would you like your travel blog or website to be featured on Vagabonding Case Studies? If so, drop us a line at [email protected] and tell us a little about yourself.

A few nights ago, I sat in the audience at the Book Passage Travel and Food Writing & Photography Conference, listening to Andrew McCarthy talk about his transition from actor to travel writer. One of his comments about travel stood out in particular: "I love that feeling of going, it makes me feel a much better version of myself."

While at home, I may at times get caught up in work, or even bend to certain expectations others have of me. But when traveling, I feel that I have time to be more truly myself.

The goal, I suppose, is to try to get those two worlds to merge—to be as open to new possibilities at home as you are when you are away, and to embrace things as they come as lessons whether on the road or not. One women I ran into later in the evening said that until recently, she believed that the was a better version of herself when she traveled, but now, she's working on being that optimal version at home as well.

How about you? Are you more yourself when traveling?

Since I've written quite a bit about how electronic technology is transforming travel, I enjoyed reading "GPS and the End of the Road," Ari N. Schulman's essay in the Spring 2011 issue of The New Atlantis. In the essay, Schulman posits that GPS devices, along with "location awareness" apps like HearPlanet and Layar, are diminishing the sense of freewheeling travel discovery and possibility portrayed by writers like Jack Kerouac.

"How would new technology of location affect an On the Road today?" Schulman writes. "Can we imagine its characters, and by extension ourselves, escaping into the Western night, navigating by GPS and choosing where to go with Yelp, supplied with surrounding-relevant multimedia by GeoTour, encountering city streets with their iPhones held up and overlaying the view, and still having the same adventure? Something about this image is absurd."

Schulman illustrates how Mark Twain's Huck Finn uses the river as a metaphor for adventure and discovery and escape. As technology constrained the possibilities of river travel in the 20th century, this symbol gave way to the metaphoric "road" of Kerouac's novel. "Seen in the right way," Schulman writes, "what the two novels show us is not the virtue of quitting civilization, but the freedom that comes from finding our own way through a world that is not of our own making — and with it, a glimpse of the possibility of reaching out beyond our everyday selves into something greater." By contrast, the hypothetical "GPS-enabled, location-aware adventures of Sal and Dean or Huck and Jim somehow sound dreary before they have begun, filled with anticlimax, boredom, and restlessness."

Schulman continues:

GPS navigation, in its present form, …dulls our receptivity to our surroundings by granting us the supposed luxury of not having to pay attention to them at all. In travel facilitated by "location awareness," we begin to encounter places not by attending to what they present to us, but by bringing our expectations to them, and demanding that they perform for us as advertised. In traveling through "augmented reality," even the need for places to perform begins to fade, as our openness to the world gives way to the desire to paper over it entirely. It is an admission of our seeming distrust in places to be sufficiently interesting on their own. But in attempting to find the most valuable places and secure the greatest value from them, the places themselves become increasingly irrelevant to our experiences, which become less and less experiences of those places we go.

The argument that the experience of a place is something that "must be worked for, achieved in stages and through struggles" isn't new (it's been around since at least the advent of trains and steamships), but Schulman points out how 21st century technologies are transforming our lexicon for engaging with the world:

If feeling "connected" for us means inhabiting the virtual realm, then what we most long to connect to is not what is in front of our eyes. When we speak of feeling "disconnected," then, we are confessing that we have become displaced: we are losing interest in and forgetting how to inhabit real places on their own. This displacement produces restlessness — but of a very different sort than the restlessness that motivates the traveler to go forward into the world. In fact, this restlessness is opposed to the traveler's impulse: it seeks its relief not in the real world but the virtual.

Schulman's full essay is online here. For an inverse perspective — one that explores how digital technology could be broadening the lives of normal folks in Africa — check out J.M. Ledgard's essay "Digital Africa" in the Spring 2011 issue of Intelligent Life magazine.

"I've been to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It's a tower, and it's leaning. You look at it, but nothing happens, so then you look for someplace to have a sandwich."

–Danny DeVito, "What I've Learned," Esquire, Jan. 2011

Rick Griffith

www.livingbueno.com

Age: 25

Hometown: Seattle, WA

Quote: "I feel like in the US we don't have the opportunity to go to foreign lands as easily as say Europeans and we get caught up in only what is happening in our neighborhood. Seeing the world will blow your mind and completely shift your perspective."



How did you find out about Vagabonding, and how did you find it useful before and during the trip?

I actually was initially turned on to Vagabonding by The 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris. I then went on to read both Vagabonding and Marco Polo didn't go there. The useful tips really made me plan out my journey much more thoroughly than I otherwise would have and made me consider traveling for a longer period of time than I had initially thought. Marco polo didn't go there was a huge inspiration for me. As a writer seeing how these great stories came together and having a glimpse into the writing process was priceless.

How long were you on the road?

For the first trip in South America, I was on the road for 3 months. I am currently on a second journey through Europe for 3-5 months.

Where all did you go?

I flew from Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale and then onto Lima, Peru. After experiencing Lima, I took a bus down the coast to Arica, Chile, before continuing onto Santiago. I then hopped a bus over the Andes into Mendoza, Argentina which I loved! From there it was onto Buenos Aires, Argentina where I lived in a flat for 2 months before retracing my journey back to Peru via an 85 hour bus ride this time (not recommended).

What was your job or source of travel funding for this journey?

I have been working as a freelance writer after starting on elance.com. I started writing my own blog as well documenting my journeys and experiences in living the nomadic lifestyle. I have found that if you can find a few very good clients whom you do freelance work for and take care of them well, it can be a terrific profession and give you the freedom of location independence. I kept my blog going and it has become much more popular to the point where it now generates income through sponsorship and advertising arrangements.

Did you work or volunteer on the road?

Not usually. I am not against the idea, I just really enjoy being on the road and volunteer opportunities will many times require large time commitments. With freelance work coming in I usually need to have quite a bit of time to myself and a good internet connection in order to continue funding my trips.

Of all the places you visited, which was your favorite?

South America is gorgeous. So much to see and learn and it is so interesting to see the different cultures and cities and the way they function in contrast to what we see in the US. I would say that Buenos Aires is unlike anything I have seen. Truly a city that has its own vibe and personality and it is something I found so endearing. I often say that wherever I go, my heart is in Buenos Aires. These passionate people that are so laid back, in this gorgeous city that is so flawed and so perfect at the same time. It is indescribable to anyone who has not been there.

Was there a place that was your least favorite, or most disappointing, or most challenging?

I loved all the cities I visited and though some may have been more challenging than others, it is all what makes seeing the different places so fun. If there was one thing I disliked, it was the bus ride for 85 hour from Buenos Aires to Lima in which among other things I took up and quit smoking, we got a flat tire and were stalled 10 hours and I ended up salsa dancing with an elderly Peruvian women in the aisles with some other travelers needing to stretch their legs. Like I said, sometimes the headaches can be a bit painful in travel, but in retrospect you look back and just laugh at these wild experiences.

Did any of your pre-trip worries or concerns come true?  Did you run into any problems or obstacles that you hadn't anticipated?

Not speaking Spanish wore on me a bit after a few months. Though I spoke enough to get by and improved dramatically, I met so many good people that I couldn't talk as in depth with as I would have liked.

Which travel gear proved most useful?  Least useful?

By far my Datsusara backpack, there is nothing like it. It is made of Hemp and comes with strong zippers. I picked up some clothes along the way and I have no idea how the backpack made it through the trip and onto my next one. Least useful would be have to be the 2nd laptop I brought that I never once used. I got used to using my netbook and found my big clunky Laptop useless and a pain to lug around.

What are the rewards of the vagabonding lifestyle?

I think the biggest reward is the education it provides. Talking with so many intelligent people from around the world who are also traveling has given me an insight into so many different cultures. When you live the backpacker's life you meet amazing new friends that you feel an immediate connection with. The live a similar lifestyle and share similar beliefs many times and it seems easier for me to make friends on the road than at home. Also becoming more knowledgeable about the many places you visit and simple changing your perspective from what you have seen growing up in one city, it is an amazing thing.

What are the challenges and sacrifices of the vagabonding lifestyle?

You will smell, be sore and tired from walking with heavy bags and you will never get enough sleep. Getting your laundry done is an annoyance at home and a celebration on the road.

What lessons did you learn on the road?

You can be exactly who you want to be when you are no longer the person that your friends or acquaintances have conditioned you to be. I learned that saying yes to invitations to go experience things with other travelers will often times be the best experiences of your trip. You can go from a controlled, structured lifestyle to a week of pure spontaneity and it is quite the welcome change to life at home.

How did your personal definition of "vagabonding" develop over the course of the trip?

I think that Vagabonding is a lifestyle choice for many. For Americans in particular getting out and seeing the world is something that will completely change your perspective. I feel like in the US we don't have the opportunity to go to foreign lands as easily as say Europeans and we get caught up in only what is happening in our neighborhood. Seeing the world will blow your mind and completely shift your perspective. Everyone must at least once head off to an unknown land. You will learn more about yourself than anything else and create memories you will never forget.

If there was one thing you could have told yourself before the trip, what would it be?

Tranquillo as the Argentines say. Just take it easy and let things come to you. I would stress out so much about the minor details like buying bus tickets and getting around before hand and then when in person you realize that these things are quite simple in any language. In future journeys I now know to take it easy and it will all work itself out.

Any advice or tips for someone hoping to embark on a similar adventure?

Spirit airlines to South America is amazingly cheap. Friends are always blown away after searching airfare and then hearing my tips and I know many that have saved hundreds of dollars this way. I would also say choose one place to spend a longer period of time to become a part of a city. I chose to live in Buenos Aires for 2 of the 3 months I was on the road and it is something I will never forget. Take the time to really get to know at least one place well.

When and where do you think you'll take your next long-term journey?

I am currently writing this from an apartment overlooking the main street, Via Roma, in Palermo, Sicily. I will be on the road 3-5 months and have no real set plans other than, I must see Berlin and I'm currently renting a room in a flat in Palermo. Next year I plan to take on South East Asia as well, so we will see where the road takes me.

Twitter: Rickchise23
Website: livingbueno.com

Are you a Vagabonding reader planning, in the middle of, or returning from a journey? Would you like your travel blog or website to be featured on Vagabonding Case Studies? If so, drop us a line at [email protected] and tell us a little about yourself.

About 110 years ago an Englishman named Ewart Grogan made the journey across Africa from south to north. He was the first person to do so, and it took him two years.

In Crossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure, author Julian Smith recounts some of Grogan's story, following much the same route. The title refers to the fact that Grogan journeyed with the knowledge that when he finished – assuming, of course, that he survived the dangerous trek – there was a particular woman he planned to marry. Smith also departs for Africa with a woman he loves, and to whom he is engaged, waiting back home.

The book deserves a place in a well-rounded travel library because it introduces us to one of the last great explorers, and such a young one at that (Grogan was in his mid-twenties when he set out). The reader is given a glimpse of Africa circa 1900 and a glimpse of Africa today. I particularly appreciate how Smith weaves in excerpts from Grogan's journal, passages such as:

How many people have ever caught the exquisite flavour of bread-and-butter? the restful luxury of clean linen? the hiss of Schweppe's? One must munch hippo-meat alone, save one's sole shirt from contact with water as from a pestilence lest it fall to pieces, and drink brackish mud for days, to realize all this.

One disappointment with Crossing the Heart of Africa is that unlike Grogan, Smith didn't make it all the way to Egypt; he made it as far as Juba, Sudan. He had good reason to go no further. The back cover blurb, however, gives the impression that both men covered the whole distance, and I felt slightly deceived once I reached the end of the story. Also, at times the narrative feels rushed and even forced, which may be in part because Smith had only two months to cover a vast amount of territory — too short a time, I think, but it was what he had to work with if he was to be back in time for his wedding.

Crossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure is available in many bookstores and on Amazon.

Many travelers have a lengthy list of places they want to go. Alternatively, the list of places they'd prefer to stay away from can seem small in comparison. There are a variety of reasons to want to skip a place: war, security issues, disease outbreaks, a recent disaster, or even lack of interest in the destination.

What about when you want to avoid seeing a person so much that you choose to scratch the city they live in off your travel list?

I know a man who refuses to return to a small town in Central America because a former love interest lives there. He enjoyed visiting the place during the time they dated. But now that they're "just friends," he doesn't want to risk running into her while walking down the street.

Sure, he'll probably get over it and be able to determine whether he liked the town for its own merits or if it seemed wonderful because his mind was in a different place at the time. And then, he'll chose whether or not to return.

How about you? Have you ever avoided a place entirely because an ex-somebody (girlfriend/boyfriend, spouse, friend, boss) lived there? If so, do you now regret it? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

"To this day, across the developing world, foreigners sacrifice their lives and energies, often heroically, in order to help the locals attain a better life. Yet frequently in the process they try to protect the places they visit from the very technology, freedom of movement, and material plenty that they have enjoyed in getting there. They want the local to honor the spiritual purity and postcard ancientness that they have gone to find — not Britney Spears, McDonald's, and MTV. The travel writing of the American Empire may sometimes be possessed by feminist concerns or anti-capitalist impulses, seeking nature more than art, the jungle more than museums, the raw above the cooked, but that is still colonialism by a different name. However self-lacerating and respectful, its approach can be as hostile to real exchange as overweening arrogance and imperial condescension are. If the old form of travel writing said, 'Look at these laughable people different from ourselves,' the new one advises, 'We should listen to and learn from the greatness of these people so other than ourselves.' In both cases the final emphasis is on 'ourselves.' The idea that the traveler is always right is simply replaced by the idea that the traveler is always wrong. The song remains the same."

–Pico Iyer, Travel Writing: Nowhere Need Be Foreign, Lapham's Quarterly, Summer 2009