How you can travel for a year: What does it cost?

How To Travel For A Year: What does it cost? It depends on what type of travel you're planning. Young, single backpackers can travel around the world for $15,000 while older couples may do it for $115,000. We’re not backpackers so we wouldn’t…
Steve McCurry Afghan Girl photo

Tips from the Afghan Girl cover photographer

The Afghan Girl cover on National Geographic The most iconic National Geographic cover displays an image of a teenage Afghan girl with luminescent green eyes peering out at the reader. We recently attended a travel bloggers conference…
what to pack for a trip

A woman’s guide to cosmetics while traveling

I had one concern about what to pack for a trip that would be a year long, (no, not getting along with Michael), I was worried about having enough stuff.  I wasn’t too concerned about clothing---that could be washed…
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To travel cheaply, go where it’s cheap

Cheap travel is often a challenge, but how would you like to live in a land of 35 cent hoagies, $25 gourmet meals for two and beers for a buck? A place where the dollar stretches so far it could cover the entire country. That’s daily life…
Singapore skyline
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Rooms with a view

We've generally rented apartments with some hotels thrown in. A few of them have had incredible views of either city scenes or country landscapes. The picture above is the view from our flat of the Sky Tower in Auckland. This being New…

What to pack for a year

One of the questions we often get is: how do you pack for a year? Packing for long-term travel is not as daunting as it sounds. We basically packed for a week-long vacation that will happen to be repeated many times. After our first four months…

When Christmas isn’t ho ho ho

Christmas 2011 ~ We’re halfway around the world for Christmas this year, the first time we’ve ever spent the holidays away from home and family. On the surface, it appears that our year-long around-the-world journey is a grand lark taken…
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Digging a hole to China

When we were kids and dug around in our backyards our parents would ask if we were digging a hole to China, so we always assumed China was directly opposite our little patch of Earth. As we got older we finally realized that China and the…
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Last minute gifts for the world traveler

Some people are difficult to shop for; you know the type, the proverbial man or woman who already has everything. However, if you are shopping for a traveler the job just got easier. There are many nifty travel gifts and thought-provoking books…
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Our favorite travel accessories and gadgets

Travel Tips: Since we'll be in the road for a year choosing our travel accessories is important. To make it into our suitcase the top gadgets have to be light, functional and add to the enjoyment of the trip. Here are some tips for…
rickshaw driver
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Are you happier than a rickshaw driver?

In Sydney last night we had the opportunity to attend a worldwide movie phenomenon known as the "Happy movie", directed by American filmmaker Roko Belic. He was previously nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary for the film, Genghis…
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Our 13 favorite international travel tips

We've been full-time global nomads since 2011 and have made our fair share of mistakes. Here are our favorite international travel tips that we'e learned along the way. 1) Get a day rate at an airport hotel upon arrival --- We’re not talking…
Travel long term vacation rental PAris apartment
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Guide to vacation apartment rentals: Skip the hotel and rent a place

Part of planning a long trip is considering where to stay. For long-term travel, hotels can be too expensive or impractical while finding a vacation apartment rental by owner is often a better choice. A vacation apartment rental is usually cheaper…
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How can I convince my wife to visit Chernobyl for our 25th anniversary?

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident. The amount of radiation has been reduced to somewhat manageable levels at the site---allowing intrepid visitors to make a strictly timed visit to the 30-km radiation zone that…
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Book Reviews: North Korea

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives In North Korea by Barbara Demick is a valuable peek behind the curtain of North Korea, a gray land whose monochrome pallor is broken up only by the bright colors in propaganda posters lauding their Great…
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Book Reviews: Lost on Planet China and China Road

Lost On Planet China: One Man's Attempt to Understand the World's Most Mystifying Nation By J. Maartin Troost   Lost On Planet China by J. Maartin Troost is one Westerner's take on the riddle of modern China. The…
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What about the language?

A question we are frequently asked by friends and family is how we will handle the language barrier in other countries, particularly in places like China where we won’t even be able to read the street signs. Will we try to learn the language…
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From the Rocky Steps to the world

As the most historic city in America, Philadelphia has nurtured accomplished citizens in all walks of life. But its most famous resident is a fictional movie character: boxer Rocky Balboa. Rocky represents the city’s hardscrabble image.…