Ten Reasons Why You Should Travel Solo
Four of my favorite places from the past eight years of traveling (clockwise from left): Ladakh, India; Northern Thailand; Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto, Japan; Torres del Paine, Chile
After traveling nonstop for over eight years, I prefer traveling solo, an idea that frightens many people. When the economy tanked in 2008, I quit my jobs and spent a year globetrotting. (Recessions aren’t good for freelance photographers.) It was my first long-term solo adventure—eight countries in 13 months. I booked the flight and never looked back.
If you have never traveled solo, here are a few reasons to pack your bags:
1. Expand Your Comfort Zone
The only way to overcome fear is to do the things you fear. Almost everything I do scares me. I hate heights so I went bungee jumping in New Zealand. I find the idea of being alone in a foreign city where I don’t speak the language to be exhilarating. The courage and confidence gained from traveling alone can transform every aspect of your life including your career.
2. Be Master of Your Own Schedule
Traveling solo is the ultimate freedom. Eat pancakes for breakfast everyday. Get up at sunrise to go hiking or spending your afternoons reading in a hammock. No dragging your night owl friends out of bed to catch an early flight. And, most importantly, no fighting over what to eat for dinner! You do what you want when you want. No waiting. No silly fights. No questions.
3. Learn about Yourself
I consider travel to be an education – an in-depth look at world history and yourself. I had a Master’s degree by age 25 and lived on four continents by the time I was 27. There is a clarity that comes from being 5,000 miles away from everything familiar and all the things that influence your decisions. It cleared my head of society’s expectations and allowed me to simplify my goals and priorities to build the life I wanted, which involved traveling for a living.
4. Make New Friends
The easiest way to meet people is to travel alone. It forces you to be more outgoing than normal, and it makes you more approachable. Conversations with strangers are easier and more natural because they revolve around simple questions like “Where are you going?” and “Where are you from?” Plus, other travelers are the best resource for recommendations for food, transport and accommodation. You will never run out of conversation topics!
I met the majority of my closest friends while traveling. Each one started as a chance meeting in an unlikely place – a pub in chilly Northern England and the humid streets of Luang Prabang. I couldn’t imagine my life without these people.
5. Easier to Plan
The stress of planning is significantly reduced when you only have to plan for one. It’s easier to find a single spare seat on a last minute flight or a sold-out bus. Plus, you don’t have to coordinate multiple work and vacation schedules. I usually book a one-way flight to leave my options open.
6. Save Money
It’s easier to stay within your budget when you are traveling solo. Everyone has different comfort levels, which can lead to drastic price differences for accommodation, food and transport. I usually prefer to walk or take public transport for both the experience and to save money. I’ve traveled with friends who insist on taking taxis everywhere because they can’t take the crowds and heat. (For travel funding tips, check out my guide to eliminating bills, travel banking 101 and savings tips.)
7. No Regrets
The best way to live the life you daydream about is to travel alone. People often tell me, “I live vicariously through your travels.” Well, I prefer to live vicariously through myself. If I want to do something, I find a way to make it happen. Sometimes it can take weeks, months or years. I refuse to spend my life waiting on other people. If friends can join me for an adventure, then great. If not, then I go alone. When I’m 80-years-old, I will never say, “Man, I regret that year I spent living in Australia and those two months I spent hiking in Patagonia.”
8. Minimalism
I was THAT girl. The one dragging two suitcases twice her size through the airport. Thankfully, that girl has learned to carry-on her luggage. Nothing teaches you about minimalism better than a long-term solo trip. When you are alone, there’s no one to watch your luggage while you run to the bathroom or grab a coffee. An overload of luggage makes any traveler an easy target for thieves and unwanted attention. Plus, giant bags will kill your back, energy level and mood.
9. Singing in the Car
The best part of road trips is singing horribly loud to your favorite ‘90s mix with no one to judge you or roll their eyes. Nothing makes the miles pass as quickly as singing and dancing in the car.
10. Inspire Others
My courage to travel solo across five continents has inspired my friends to take advantage of gaps of time to join me for a small part of a trip or take their own journey. I am the excuse people use to travel and face their fears. Be the inspiration for your friends to take that trip to Cuba or hike Kilimanjaro!
(This is a post I wrote for Afar.com a few months ago. For more tips on how to travel solo, check out the solo travel guide on Afar.com which includes my top 10 list of ways to prepare for a solo trip and my top picks for solo travelers in Southeast Asia, Vancouver and Sydney!)
The Myth About Travel & Luck
Kerala, India
“You’re so lucky that you get to travel so much!”
“I’m jealous of your life!”
“I’m living vicariously through you!”
Let me let you in on a big secret: Travel has nothing to do with luck. Luck is finding a $10 bill on the sidewalk.
All I have wanted to do is travel. I didn’t grow up traveling, but I found a way to make it happen. The first time I stepped on a plane, I was 19. The next year I moved to England to study abroad. Fast forward a little over a decade, I’ve been to 44 countries on five continents; I lived in five states and five countries. Eight-year-old Anna would be so proud of 34-year-old me.
How do I travel so much? First of all, I don’t have a trust fund. I found jobs that paid me to travel. I taught English in Thailand, freelanced for travel/lifestyle magazines and ran photo trips in Asia. (Many of these gigs paid for my travel and living expenses.) Sometimes I worked three jobs to save money to travel on my own – I worked as a freelance photographer but also waited tables/bartended, worked retail and taught university photo classes. I cut all unnecessary expenses. Every decision I made was for my next adventure. I even rented out a friend’s living room for $230 a month when I first moved to Austin and slept on an air mattress to save money for my South America trip. (Vagabonds like me don’t sign leases.) I have quit countless jobs—even jobs that I loved—to travel. Do you have to work three jobs to be able to afford to travel? Do you have to quit your job and sleep on an air mattress in your friend’s living room? Do you have to do exactly what I did to travel? Absolutely not.
If I want to do something, I do it. It’s that simple. Sometimes it takes weeks, sometimes it takes months or even years. Regardless, I MAKE it happen. I travel because it makes me feel alive and believe everyone should do the things that make them feel alive.
The secret to traveling and living your daydreams comes down to three things: priorities, relentless persistence and courage.
1. Priorities
The great paradox of life is the relationship between money and time. You either have an abundance of one or a shortage of the other. Write down a list of your top three priorities. Find ways to make time or funding for them. Eliminate anything that gets in the way. Sometimes that means eliminating things you want to do – saying no to a dinner with a friend in order to work on a personal project or to save money. Follow the 80/20 rule: Invest your time in 20% of your actions that provide 80% of the results in your life.
2. Relentless Persistence
I refuse to be ignored. That’s how I got hired to shoot for countless magazines. I cold called and emailed until I got a meeting. After the meeting, I stayed on their radar and got access to events I knew they were covering. My persistence got me the job almost every time.
When something I’ve been working hard for falls through, I also accept that the timing isn’t right. My schedule is simply clearing up so I can focus my time on something else. Regardless, my goal remains the same even though my methods and direction may change.
3. Courage
I admit it – I hate to fly. But, I love to travel more than I hate to fly so I do it anyways. I refuse to let fear control my actions or regrets to control my life. When I’m 80, I’d rather talk about my globetrotting adventures instead of the time I was too scared to get on the plane.
What is stopping you? Write down the obstacles in your way and find a solution for each. Everything I do scares me and that’s exactly why I do it. The secret is to break big challenges into small manageable steps. The idea of moving to England alone to study abroad was overwhelming at first. (It was my third time flying and first trip overseas.) I broke it down into smaller pieces. All I had to do was get on the plane. That was my first goal. Once I was on the plane, I focused on the next goal, etc.
Now, I challenge you to go do the things you want to do! The minute you do, the world will start to notice.
My Top 10 Travel Photographs (and Adventures) of 2015
2015 was a big year of travel for me! I kicked the year off in Panama City, Panama trying to figure out the best (and cheapest) way to get to Cartagena. It has been one amazing adventure full of new places, faces and reunions with old friends. I spent the first five months in South America and traveled by bus from Ushuaia (the southern most city in the world) at the bottom of Argentina all the way north to Cusco, Peru. Here are my top 10 favorite photographs from my adventures in 2015:
1. Torres del Paine
I spent two months in Patagonia at the beginning of the year and spent five days hiking the “W” circuit at Torres del Paine in Southern Chile. It was the biggest hike I did in South America and one of the most challenging for me. (It was the first time I’ve backpacked carrying both camera and camping gear.) The last hour of the hike to the three towers was brutal, but the view was incredible.
2. Cartagena
The party never stops in colorful Cartagena. I spent a few weeks here in January exploring the colonial town and meeting up with some old friends. My visit coincided with the Cartagena International Music Festival. There’s nothing quite like listening to classical music in an old colonial square.
3. Machu Picchu
Meet Alfred – the globetrotting gnome. Clearly, this hat was made for a gnome. I’ve photographed Alfred on five continents over the past six years. He’s an Australian gnome. It was love at first sight at the garden section of K-mart in Sydney. I started making funny gnome cards for my friends and later began to sell them on Etsy because people loved them so much. If a tiny green gnome can travel the world, why can’t you?
4. Havana
It is nearly impossible not to fall victim to the charms of Havana. The drive from the airport to the city center felt as if the clock was rewinding back 60 years. It will always be one of my favorite cities.
5. Arequipa, Peru
The Santa Catalina Monastery is a photographer’s dream. Built in 1580, the maze-like fortress covers an entire block and is filled with colorful courtyards and cobblestone streets. I spent hours walking the alleys until the light vanished.
6. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
My friend Manon took this great photo of me on the salt flats in Bolivia. We woke up at 4 a.m. to reach the flats by sunrise. I will never forget the moment the jeep drove onto the flats – an endless sea of white stretched out to greet the pink horizon. I was on a jeep tour with five other travelers—an amazing group of people I’d met on the road. I met three girls (from Switzerland, Belgium and Holland) on a bus crossing the Andes a few days before. They joined me and an Australian couple I met in Argentina on the jeep tour. The best part of traveling is the amazing people you meet!
7. Iquitos, Peru
I choose Iquitos for my Amazon adventure due to it’s remoteness. Despite being the largest city in the Peruvian Amazon, it is only accessible to the world by plane or boat. The wildlife was incredible. Woolly monkeys like the one above were everywhere in the jungle.
8. Uruguay
The crumbling colonial town of Colonia del Sacramento was a charming surprise. The former Portuguese settlement and UNESCO World Heritage site is 50 km from Buenos Aires by ferry. The main purpose of my trip to Uruguay from Argentina was to get US dollars to exchange on the black market for a higher rate in Argentina. (ATMs in Uruguay allow you to withdraw both USD and the local currency.) The town ended up being a great place to photograph. I can’t wait to go back and explore more of the country!
9. Northern California Redwoods
At the end of every big trip, I tack on a smaller trip to visit friends in the States. I flew to San Francisco and road tripped up to the Avenue of the Giants in Northern California with my friend Miles. I try to divide my time between exploring the world and my own country. (My travel digits are currently at 43 countries and 37 states.)
10. Marfa
I love Marfa – a quirky, artsy small town in West Texas. There is an art installation of a mini fake Prada store about 36 miles west of the town. On my first visit in 2014, the store had been vandalized so I wasn’t able to get the photographs I wanted. In October, I drove the six hours back to Marfa and finally got the perfect shot!
COMING UP
I am starting off 2016 with a quick trip to Nicaragua! I’ve got some exciting stories lined up to help you live up to your travel potential in 2016! Let me know what travel questions or topics you want to hear about on the blog. Email me suggestions or leave them in the comments below. Feel free to sign up for the email list to have every post delivered to your inbox! Happy New Year and safe travels!
Five Ways to Travel Better in 2016
When I’m back in Texas, I spend my time exploring the state and cool towns like Marfa.
As the year wraps up, I encourage you to start thinking about your travel resolutions for 2016. I wanted to share a post I wrote for Afar.com a few weeks ago about how to travel smarter, longer and lighter next year!
Here are five ways to make make travel a priority in 2016 and maximize your vacation time:
1. Maximize Weekends. When I studied abroad in England, I spent every weekend exploring and saw more of the country than my local friends who had lived there for decades. I did the same when I moved to Austin, Texas. I took road trips to Marfa, Houston, Big Bend National Park and every quirky, photogenic town people recommended.
Write down a list of places you’ve always wanted to visit but take for granted due to their proximity. Once a month, plan a trip to explore areas closer to home – nearby towns, national parks and attractions within your state. Take friends or family along for a fun day or quick overnight trip.
2. Travel Lighter. Learn to pack smarter and carry on all luggage. I always start packing a few days before a big trip. (It’s way too easy to over pack when I am rushed!) Then, I spend a few minutes each day eliminating items down to only the bare essentials. Packing lighter saves time at the airport because I skip the baggage check line and get to sleep in a few extra minutes!
Pack complimentary colors to maximize outfit options. Limit your shoes to two pairs. Roll clothing to make more space in your bag. No matter where you go, there will be laundry services!
3. Workout. Travel isn’t an excuse to abandon your exercise routine. Instead, use your workout as a reason to explore a new city. (My favorite thing to do on my first morning in a new place is to go for a sunrise run while the tourists are still asleep.) Bike the local neighborhoods, climb a volcano or go sandboarding! Join a tour or do it solo! Either way, you’ll get a more authentic look at the culture.
Consider planning your trip around activities are that are both physically challenging and rewarding. Hike the Inca Trail or the W circuit at Torres del Paine. Climb Kilimanjaro or trek to Everest Base Camp! Push your limits and comfort zone. The stories will be priceless!
4. Take Longer Trips. It’s cheaper to travel for longer periods of time than to take multiple trips. Flights are usually the most expensive part of travel. Once you arrive in a destination, it’s much easier and cheaper to country hop than to take additional trips. Spending a month or three in Southeast Asia is always cheaper than multiple visits.
How do you find the time? For me, it was simple. I took advantage of gaps of time between jobs and after graduation from both college and graduate school. I also quit multiple jobs to travel. Each time I was honest about my reasons for leaving and even got rehired when I returned!
Glance at your work schedule for the year. Devise a detailed plan that allows you to take an extended trip without affecting your productivity. Meet with your boss face-to-face to outline your plan and/or discuss options to work remotely. Be honest and direct. And, offer to bring him back a nice bottle of Argentinean malbec!
5. Start Collecting Miles. I wrapped up a seven-month trip in Central/South America earlier this year. I flew fifteen times and only paid for four flights. The rest were paid for with miles that I collected from traveling (for both work and personal trips) and rewards credit cards.
What’s my secret? Sign up for a rewards credit card and frequent flyer mile accounts at each of the major airlines in your country. The initial sign-up bonus offered by most rewards cards is enough for one free flight! Take advantage of online shopping malls offered by rewards credit cards. Simply click on their customized link to popular retailers (Sephora, Apple, Target, etc.) to earn miles. (This isn’t an excuse to spend frivolously but to collect points of your normal purchases and holiday shopping!)
Don’t forget to collect miles for work travel for flights, hotels and rental cars. (Despite who pays, the person who flies gets the miles!) Double dipping is also key. Hotel loyalty programs like Hilton HHonors let you earn a combination of hotel points and airline miles for every dollar spent on a hotel stay.
COMING UP: Next week, I’ll be posting my favorite travel photos from my 2015 adventures!
Havana Daydreaming: A Photo Guide to Cuba’s Capital
A visit to Cuba is like stepping out of a time machine to the 1950s – streets filled with crumbling colonial buildings, vintage cars and cigar smoke. Every night salsa music leaks into alleys filled with card table domino games.
It is nearly impossible not to fall in love with Havana. It quickly became one of my favorite cities. I spent the majority of my time roaming the streets with my camera or going for long runs along the Malecón, the city’s iconic eight-kilometer long seawall.
I stumbled upon a mural of Che Guvera, the infamous revolutionary, on a run near the ferry terminal. Che is everywhere I go – his face is on t-shirts in Burma, stickers on the back of tuk- tuks in Laos, graffiti in Panama and jeeps in India.
My quest to go to Cuba started on the opposite side of the world in the most unlikely place – Burma. The Asian country was untouched by McDonalds, Starbucks and many influences of the Western world. ATMs weren’t an option. As I stared out the taxi window at the streets of the Yangon, I thought, “This must be what Cuba is like.” I am always fascinated by remote places and life on the fringes of society. I find beauty in the crumbling buildings and weathered streets. It is my favorite thing to photograph along with the street vendors.
Despite the poverty and challenges of life in Cuba, the locals possess an unrelenting warmth and resilience. It is the same resilience I saw in Burma and the remote corners of the Himalayas. They are survivors. As rumors of change sweep through the streets of Havana, my hope is that Cuba can retain its charm during and the quality of life improves dramatically for the locals.
Tips for Traveling in Havana
Where to Stay:
- For the most authentic experience, stay at one of the many casas particulares, bed and breakfasts run by locals out of their homes. The best in Havana is Casa Deysi. She was recommended to me by a Brazilian guy I met traveling. Deysi was amazing and made my trip!
- Prices for casas particulares usually range between $20-30 USD per night for a room. They all have a small white rectangle sign outside with a blue symbol that resembles an upside down anchor.
Where to eat and drink:
- Starbien Restaurante might just be the best meal in Havana. Other great dinner spots include Ivan Justo and La Terraza. All three require reservations.
- Francesca’s Bakery across from Parque Central is a great budget-friendly breakfast spot with amazing ham and cheese croissants.
- The Cuban sandwich at Hotel Nacional on the Malecón is also a must.
- Grab a table at one of Hemingway’s favorite spots – the Floridita. Be sure to order a daiquiri, stay for a few songs by the talented house band and pose for an obligatory photo with Hemingway’s statue.
Money:
- Cuba has a dual currency system – Cuban convertible peso (CUC) and Cuban peso (CUP.) The standard currency is the CUC, which is used for most accommodation, transport and state-owned restaurants. The exchange rate is usually a consistent $1 USD = $1 CUC. Smaller privately-owned restaurants and produce markets will only accept CUP.
- Euros currently get the best exchange rate. ATMS are still limited and very few cards currently work. Currency exchange is available at airport and banks in the city.
- A taxi to central Havana from the airport is a set rate at $25 CUC.
For further information on traveling to Cuba, these articles from the The New York Times and The Guardian are a great resource.
Ten Ways to Maximize Your Frequent Flyer Miles
I traded in a few Delta FF miles for a one-way flight to Ushuaia, Argentina – the gateway to Antartica in January.
I recently wrapped up a seven-month bucket list trip in Central and South America. During the entire trip, I flew about fifteen times but only paid for four flights. The rest were booked with frequent flyer miles.
Whether you’re planning a trip to the Himalayas or Kauai, follow these ten simple ways to maximize your mileage.
1. Sign Up
The first step is to sign up for a frequent flyer mile account with the airline you fly the most often in each of the three major airline alliances: Star Alliance, oneworld and SkyTeam. Otherwise, choose the most logical national/regional airline near your home in each alliance. (For most Americans, the best options are usually Delta, American Airlines, and United.) For family travel, make sure everyone has their own account including children.
2. Airline Alliances
Airline alliances provide more options to both earn and redeem miles. When I lived in Australia for a year, I usually flew Qantas but always earned miles on American Airlines. Even if you book the cheapest flight, the odds are good your airline is part of an alliance. Simply add the frequent flyer number of the corresponding national/regional airline from your country to every reservation.
3. Redeem Wisely
There is an art to redeeming miles. International flights are almost always the best deal. Plus, airline alliances open up a wider range of route options. One-way domestic or international flights are great options for planning multi-city trips.
For U.S. domestic routes, fares under $300 are usually not a great value for award travel. (A mileage award for a domestic flight can be almost as much as a more expensive international flight so choose carefully!) For domestic routes in foreign countries, reward mileage levels can be as low as 6,000 miles one-way!
Book award travel online to avoid fees. If that’s not possible, most airlines will automatically waive the agent fee for booking by phone. If they don’t, be sure ask for a fee wavier.
4. Book Early & Avoid Peak Season
The early bird gets the best deal. During holiday and peak seasons, moving your travel dates back a few weeks or even days can save you up to 75%! Award travel for the holidays should be booked months in advance to snatch the best deals. If you wait, you still might get award flights, but you’ll have a higher chance of ending up with multiple layovers.
Start racking up FF miles so you can photograph seals in Beagle Channel, Ushuaia, Argentina!
5. Double Dip
Many hotel and other loyalty programs allow you to earn airline miles in conjunction with their points. Hilton HHonors allows you to earn one airline mile per dollar spent. You can even exchange their hotel points for miles! Most airlines also have deals with rental car companies for discounts and bonus miles.
6. Work Travel
There’s nothing better than getting paid to travel. Many people forget to collect miles on work travel for airlines, hotels and rental cars. Regardless of who pays for the flight, the person who flies gets the miles. But, make sure all hotel and car reservations are in your name to ensure you get mileage credit!
7. Rewards Credit Cards
Almost every reward credit card includes a signup bonus offer – spend a certain amount (usually $1,000) in the first 90 days and receive up to a 40,000-mile bonus. That’s more than enough for a round-trip flight from the U.S. to Central/South America or a one-way flight to Europe!
Airline-based cards often give you double points for flight purchases and either a discount or percentage back for redeemed miles. You also get free checked bags for you and companions; plus, priority boarding! (Keep in mind award cards usually have an annual fee that is waived the first year.)
Some non-airline cards allow you to redeem miles for the partial cost of the flight. The best part is that you can still earn miles on those flights!
8. Dining Programs
Earn miles while you eat! Most major airlines have dining programs that allow you to register all of your bank cards. You earn points when you dine at a participating restaurant with any of the cards linked to your account!
9. Mileage Shopping Malls
Online shoppers should check out airline mileage shopping malls. Many offer extra points when purchasing online through their mall, which links to websites of popular retailers like Apple, Target and Home Depot. Simply click on your airline or credit card’s link to the retailer’s website and all purchases made will earn bonus miles.
Bonus mileage varies per retailer and ranges dramatically with regular promotions. Maximize your points by using your rewards credit card for purchases. There’s no better place to do your holiday shopping!
10. Social Media
Many airlines offer free miles on social media for watching videos or participating in online promotions. Plus, it’s also a great way to keep up to date about their current sales, new routes and mileage promotions.
(This is a post I originally wrote for AFAR.com.)
ROAD TRIP: Top 5 Things to Do in Charleston
Take a stroll down the Battery. The iconic defensive seawall turned promenade is lined with antebellum homes.
I always find an excuse for a road trip to Charleston when I visit my family in South Carolina. There are few places I love more than this seaside city that has a history as savory as the soul food.
Here are five reasons to fall in love with Charleston:
Historic Homes
Bridges and steeples fill the Charleston skyline. The colonial streets are lined with ghost-filled mansions wrapped in layers of porches. If those mansions could talk, they would tell tales of pirates, earthquakes and great battles.
Many of those historic homes are open to the public for tours including the 1772 Heyward-Washington House. It is named after owner Thomas Heyward, Jr., who signed the Declaration of Independence, and George Washington who briefly rented the home in 1791. The house is famous for its collection of Charleston-made furniture including the stunning Holmes Bookcase, which is considered to be the finest example of American-made colonial furniture. Other notable homes to visit include the Nathaniel Russell House Museum and Joseph Manigault House.
My favorite house in Charleston is the 1856 Porcher-Simonds house which is known as the Compromise House. It is not open to the public.
Savory Soul Food
There is a line outside Jestine’s Kitchen for a reason – the fried chicken is legendary. The meat and three restaurant serves up Southern favorites like mac and cheese, banana pudding and collards. Treat yourself to the pumpkin ravioli at Sermet’s Downtown – a delectable Mediterranean bistro, conveniently located in the King Street shopping district. Don’t forget to make dinner reservations at the white-table cloth Peninsula Grill, located across from the City Market, for a juicy steak or oysters. Be sure to save a little room for their famous coconut cake.
The fried chicken plate at Jestine’s Kitchen in Charleston, SC is a must for lunch.
Cooper River Bridge
The icon of the Charleston skyline is the Cooper River Bridge, North America’s longest cable-stayed bridge. It opened in July 2005 to replace the aging bridge. It’s a must for any trip to the city. Be sure to walk the bridge’s 2.7-mile pedestrian and bike trail for great views of the harbor.
The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge (Cooper River Bridge) links Charleston to Mount Pleasant.
Rainbow Row
Stroll over to the most photographed place in Charleston—Rainbow Row, thirteen pastel-colored houses along East Bay Street. Continue walking to the Battery, the iconic defensive seawall turned promenade lined with stately antebellum mansions. The Battery offers a view of Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired in 1861, and the USS Yorktown, a WWII battleship turned museum located at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum.
The paint color of historic homes like Rainbow Row must be approved by the Board of Architectural Review.
Morris Island Lighthouse
There’s no shortage of beaches in Charleston. My favorite is laid-back Folly Beach. Walk to the end of the beach for a scenic view of the historic 1876 Morris Island Lighthouse, which now stands several hundred yards offshore due to erosion. To reach the lighthouse, take Center Street until it ends then turn left on the E. Ashley Avenue until it reaches a dead end. Park on the side of the road and walk down the path to the beach.
Other beach options include the swanky Isle of Palms or Sullivan’s Island, which is filled with colorful houses with quirky names.
The Morris Island Lighthouse on Folly Beach is 12 miles from downtown.
This guide is an excerpt from the story I wrote and photographed for Birmingham Magazine.
How to Prepare for Long-term Travel
I started off my bucket list trip in Latin America in Mexico. I fell in love with Playa Zicatela.
Last October, I began the greatest adventure of my life: a solo bucket list trip through Central and South America. I had no set plan or time frame except to check three major places off my bucket list: Patagonia, the salt flats in Bolivia and Cuba.
Since 2008, I have been on the road non-stop working mostly as a freelance photographer. I’ve visited 43 countries and lived in five. Long-term travel seemed overwhelming until I learned how to prepare properly.
Here are a few tips about how to get ready for your own long-term trip:
Do The Research
Cost of Travel
The biggest myth about traveling is that it’s expensive. Asia, aside from Japan and Singapore, is traditionally the cheapest part of the world. Australia isn’t cheap, but Europe is more affordable since the Euro has dropped. Flip through guidebooks on your destination to get an idea about the cost of the three biggest travel expenses: transport, accommodation and food. Gathering a little information will guide you through setting the appropriate trip budget and savings goal.
Health & Safety
Visit a travel doctor about vaccination requirements and stock up on medication for traveler’s diarrhea. Be sure to pack probiotics that don’t require refrigeration.
Read up on the history of your destination. Follow any recent or potential political/military conflicts closely. Avoid traveling during elections as most businesses close and riots are possible. Check the U.S. State Department’s website for travel warnings and sign up for their Safe Traveler Enrollment Program for email updates. Talk with other travelers and review guidebooks for specific travel concerns (solo women travelers, taxi hijackings, etc.).
A Bolivian visa for Americans can vary in price. I paid $60 cash at the border with Chile for a 30-day visa. A five-year visa can set you back $135. Always take cash.
Visas
Visa costs and requirements are listed on the U.S. Department of State’s website. Many visas are available on arrival while others are required in advance. Several places in South America, including Argentina and Bolivia, charge Americans a reciprocity fee to enter.
High/Low Seasons
Be aware that prices can triple during high seasons and holidays. Rates drop in low season, but monsoon rain, sporadic transport and business closures can cause trouble. Shoulder seasons are often best to avoid crowds and high prices.
Plan Ahead
Bucket list activities will likely be a large portion of your travel budget. For example, Inca Trail permits sell out six months or more in advance. The Peruvian government only allows a limited amount of non-transferable permits. Plan accordingly with both your money and time!
Working Abroad
There are endless options to work abroad, but some require a little preparation. Dave’s ESL café is a great resource for teaching English: Eslcafe.com. Check out Wwoof.net and Workaway.info for work exchange opportunities for free room and board. Working Holiday Visas are options in Australia and New Zealand for Americans under 30.
Tell Everyone
The moment you start to talk about your trip, it transforms from a daydream into reality. Once you’ve set the departure date and spread the news, it also boosts your courage levels. Plus, it’s a great way to get your friends involved and make plans to meet up for a portion of your trip!
Find the Time
I quit several jobs over the past eight years to both travel and work abroad. During my adventures, I met people with variety of careers – doctors, lawyers, teachers and bartenders – who did the same. Always be honest about why you are leaving. There’s a good chance your boss will be jealous of your trip!
If you plan to change jobs, take advantage of any large gaps of time to travel. Post-graduation trips are also common. Consider freelancing from overseas. I still continue the majority of my freelance work abroad.
Torres del Paine in Chile was one of the must-see places on my list. I planned ahead to make sure I was there during the best season for hiking, which is December to February.
Prepare
Travel Banking
The easiest way to save money while traveling is to avoid ATM fees and international transaction fees. I have a Charles Schwab Investor Checking Account, which does not charge ATM fees or international transaction fees. ATM fees charged by other banks are refunded monthly. Capital One does not charge international transaction fees on any of their credit cards. Many rewards cards are starting to do the same.
Insurance
Most U.S. health insurance policies offer limited coverage abroad. Invest in a good travel medical insurance plan that covers emergency evacuations, adventure sports, short visits to your home country and end-of-trip home coverage. If you have a serious preexisting condition, research your options thoroughly. Some policies will cover an “unexpected occurrence” of these conditions.
Consider a policy or additional insurance that also includes trip delays, lost luggage and electronics. I insure my camera gear through State Farm’s Personal Articles policy. Be aware that most policies will not cover smart phones.
Get Healthy
Hit the gym and cut the caffeine. Traveling can be physically exhausting. Carrying a 30-plus pound backpack around airports, city streets and hiking trails for months will take a toll on your body. Six-months before my recent trip, I focused mostly on strengthening my upper body since my lower body was fairly strong from being an avid runner.
Before my first big trip in 2008, my caffeine addiction was causing havoc on my health with horrible withdrawal headaches and pain from dehydrated muscles. I didn’t want caffeine to control my mood while traveling so I weaned myself off six-months prior.
Meet Alfred, my globetrotting gnome! I take photos of Alfred around the world and make Christmas cards and postcards for my friends as a fun way to stay in touch.
Keep in Touch
Distance doesn’t have to affect your relationships or love for sports. My closest friends live on three different continents. I talk to them regularly through various apps like Skype and WhatsApp. I share my adventures with friends and family through regular updates on Instagram and posts on this blog. When I’m lucky enough to have fast internet, I stream football and baseball games.
Send postcards. Everyone loves real mail. Set reminders for birthdays. If you can’t find stamps, use the Postagram app to send a postcard with your travel photos! I always send photos of my favorite gnome, Alfred, who is pictured above.
Minimize
Sell Everything
Think like a Buddhist and rid yourself of attachment to your possessions. It’s better to invest in experiences than things. Ebay is always great for selling collectable items like my childhood Hard Rock Café shot glass collection that sat in boxes at my parent’s house for years. It sold instantly and covered the cost of the first week of my trip! Consignment shops are great outlets to sell clothes, housewares and art. Donate everything else to charities.
Set a deadline three months before your trip. After this deadline, you can’t buy anything that isn’t for your trip.
Eliminate Bills
You should have NO bills while you travel. That’s right – none! Cut off your Pandora, Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. Sell, rent or have a friend list your house/apartment on Airbnb.com for a small commission. Sell your car or rent it to Relayrides.com or Flightcar.com. Several cell phone carriers will allow you to suspend your service without billing or for a small fee. For student loans, save enough money to cover payments for the entire duration of your trip plus an additional two months after you return. For more details, check out my post on Eliminating Bills.
Pack Light
The movie, Fight Club, was right. The things you own, own you. Pack one-weeks worth of clothes and do laundry often. It’s that simple. Trust me, your back will thank you.
Here is a short list of my top five essentials to pack from eight years of wandering the globe:
- Quality Rain Gear
Invest in a quality raincoat with zippered underarm vents for hot conditions. It also serves as a top layer for insulation in cold weather and helps with wind. - Headlamp
The headlamp is the single greatest invention after the burrito. - Stainless Steel Water Bottle and Water Filter
Save the environment and your health by investing in a stainless steel water bottle and chemical-free water filter. I use a Klean Kanteen water bottle and a Sawyer Mini Water Filter. Both are great for your bank account and pack easily. - Dr. Bronner’s Soap
Dr. Bronner’s is organic, biodegradable and smells great. Use it as body wash, dish soap and laundry detergent. - Quick Drying Towel or Sarong
A small quick drying hand-towel will dry your entire body. Sarongs are great multipurpose items; they are a towel, dress, skirt, blanket and mop all in one!
(I have no affiliation with these products. I just love them because they’ve been a big help on my travels!)
Additional Packing Tips:
- Consider the cost of renting camping gear versus the burden of carrying your own gear for the duration of your trip.
- Make sure all electronic chargers are dual-voltage. Don’t forget plug adapters.
- To avoid over packing, don’t wait until the last minute. Start a few days before you leave. Then, go back and eliminate items. Make sure the majority of clothing matches to maximize options.
- Pack for one season. I packed mostly for summer on my trip and spent $20 on a llama sweater with matching gloves and socks when I got to colder weather in Bolivia.
- Don’t forget a good paperback travel book for long bus rides. When your Kindle battery dies, you’ll thank me. I recommend anything by Pico Iyer or Paul Theroux.
- Check out my Packing List Top 10
A Five Step Guide to Travel Photography
Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto, Japan
My alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. Determination masked my sleepiness. My goal was simple – to photograph the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, Japan without any people. The early bird gets the photo.
For the past eight years, I have roamed the world with my camera working as a freelance photographer and managing photo trips in Asia. I quickly learned the secret to travel photography is getting up painfully early. The reward is silence, photos with clean backgrounds and a glimpse of the real culture.
Whether you are shooting with an iPhone 6 or a DSLR, these five tips will help polish your photography skills for your next adventure.
1. Strong Composition
The quality of a photograph is directly related to the composition. Focus on filling the frame to only include essential elements and crop out distractions. Create depth, perspective, scale and balance with your camera angle. Use leading lines to guide the eye around the frame. In the photo above, I used the curve of the stairs to grab the viewer’s attention and lead their eye through the image from bottom to top. If the composition isn’t quite right, I wait for something to complete it. In the image below, a surfer walked by completing my image in Bells Beach, Australia.
Bells Beach, Australia
2. Clean Backgrounds
Let’s be honest – no one looks good with a tree branch sticking out of the side of their head. Power lines, trees, street lamps are notorious for sabotaging the best of photos. The easiest way to improve your photography is to avoid distracting background elements by changing your position or moving your subject. Shooting from a lower angle and using a wide aperture will also help crop out or blur any distractions. Exclude any overly bright colors from the image that draw attention away from the subject.
3. Chase the Light
When you find a location you want to photograph, go back multiple times during the day to document the changing light. Pay close attention to the quality and direction of both natural and artificial light. Haze, mist and fog act as a filter, which can mute colors and reduce contrast. Hold your hand into the light to determine the direction and type of shadows. This allows you to choose your angle and position your subject appropriately. Avoid portraits in harsh mid-day light because it produces dark, unflattering shadows under the eye.
The best time of day for photography is known as the “Magic Hour” – thirty minutes before and after sunrise/sunset when light is softer and more dynamic. The best sunset photos are usually before or after a storm when haze/clouds add a dramatic effect to the sky. The ideal time for a sunset photo is after a late afternoon storm.
Inle Lake, Burma
4. People & Details
Photographing strangers is easier than you think. Simply start a conversation. People love to talk about themselves. Consider putting away your camera and asking to come back later to take a photograph. In unfamiliar cultures, research local customs and taboos. Learn the basic words for “hello” and “thank you.” If you want to take a photo, point to your camera, smile and give a thumbs up sign. Their reaction will be your answer. Remember if someone says no, they are saying no to the camera and not to you. Do not take it personally.
For portraits, focus on the eyes or interesting features. Avoid fake smiles and anticipate behavior. Include details that reveal insight to the subject. A great example is the photo above from a market in Inle Lake in Burma. I walked by an older man having tea, quickly snapped two frames over his shoulder of his hands and kept walking.
McLeod Ganj, India
5. Shoot from the Hip
My favorite thing to do when I travel is to wander the streets with my camera capturing candid shots of everyday life – children walking to school, the fruit vendor stacking his mangos and the locals chatting with friends. I still shoot the famous spots, but I was trained as a photojournalist and find daily life to be the most fascinating. Street photography is a booming trend in the photo world. It has become a method of understanding and documenting culture. It is based on instinct and preparation. When you see a moment, you must react quickly to capture it before it disappears. French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson referred to this as “the decisive moment” when all the elements align perfectly.
Shooting from the hip is great way to change the perspective of a photo. It’s great for capturing quiet moments with a unique angle like the image I took above of the women eating her lunch at a market in McLeod Ganj, India.
I simply keep my camera at my side with the exposure manually set for the ambient light with a central focal point and a shutter speed of around 1/250. With an iPhone, it’s very simple. I open my camera app, hold my iPhone horizontally at hip level and use my thumb to press the volume up button, which acts as a shutter release on all iPhones. I do pause for a second when I take an image to make sure the camera has time to focus to prevent motion blur.
Above all, the most important rule of travel photography is to be patient and have fun!
(This is a post I originally wrote for AFAR.com.)
Top 5 Things to do in Vancouver
Vancouver knows the key to my heart—seaside running trails, fresh berries and craft beer. The city is one of my favorite in the world. It’s right up there with Buenos Aires, Charleston and Luang Prabang in Laos.
For more on my Vancouver trip, check out my new travel column in The Denver Post today: http://dpo.st/1UaZtK9
Here’s my Vancouver Top 5:
Stanley Park
If you only visit one place in Vancouver, make it Stanley Park. It’s simply amazing. Even though I’m a runner, I loved biking along the stunning seawall and trails that lined the park. I found a shaded bench near the beach to update my travel journal, people watch and contemplate whether or not I should make Vancouver my new home.
The seawall at Stanley Park
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
Lynn Canyon is a great place to spend a morning. The highlight is a 50-meter high suspension bridge, which connects to the park’s scenic hiking trails. The best part is that it’s FREE. (Don’t confuse it with the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which is $ 37.95 CAD.) Go early to avoid the tour buses that arrive at midday.
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
Brewery Biking Tour
I am proud to say I survived a 20-mile brewery biking tour unscathed! (The tour was organized by friends of friends.) Rent a bike and design your own tour! It is a great way to explore the city, exercise and support local breweries. Powell Street’s Old Jalopy Pale Ale, Parallel 49’s Gypsy Tears and Red Truck’s Ale were a few of my favorite brews and venues. Strange Fellows is also a nice, new brewery with a sleek tap room.
Tip: Red Truck serves food so it’s a great place to end your trip! The guys at Powell Street can tell you how to get to a great Chinese bakery (New Town Bakery) where you can get the BEST steamed pork buns.
The beer selection at Powell Street Brewery
Granville Island Market
My two favorite times of year are summer and berry season. My first stop in Vancouver was the Granville Island Market. The aisles of the covered market were filled with fresh local apples, fish and veggies. And, every kind of berry you can imagine. I ate my weight in berries.
Fresh berries at Granville Island Public Market
Beaches
There’s no better place to be at sunset than a beach. Luckily, there’s plenty of options including Kitsilano and Jericho . Each one is filled with giant logs to sit on. Get there early to snag your own log seat!
A paddle boarder at Kitsilano Beach