People travel for different reasons. For us, it’s not only about the destination, but the culture and people as well. We’ve been to all 7 continents and over 50 countries in the past 10 years. And there’s still a lot more to go. We’re barely a quarter of the way there.
Sulawesi, Indonesia
Some people pick a destination and that’s it. They spend all of the time they’ve allotted for their holiday or vacation in one place. We do that from time to time. You have to. You need to get away and make sure your vacation doesn’t wear you out more than your day to day life. But, for us, that’s the exception and not the “norm”. Life is short. Too short sometimes. You have to be able to enjoy it. And, not only that, but share it, too. There’s a lot of things to see and people to meet. Travel for us is an adventure. New places, new faces, new experiences. It’s a chance to see things that many others will never get to see, because they can’t or because they won’t. Sometimes it’s stressful, challenging, frustrating, and tedious, but that’s part of the fun.
One lesson we’ve learned is that you can’t plan for everything. Sometimes, “no plan” is the “best plan”. Some of the best things we’ve experienced in our travels are the things we’ve chosen to do at the spur of the moment. Or, came across unexpectedly. One of the most amazing things are the people. You can’t let the fear of different cultures or countries keep you from going places. We’ve been a lot of places where we haven’t spoken the language and we’ve always been able to figure out what to do and communicate. The people you meet along the way, create some of the best memories about your vacations.
Patience is key. Ours has been tested from time to time, but when calmness prevails, so will you. When you travel, you have a lot of external forces at play. From airline issues, weather, time, health and many more things that you have no control over. Our advice. Roll with it. You really can do it with just a little perseverance.
Here’s how we roll:
- We live on the edge.
We travel to at least 1 or 2 destinations each year that are “off the grid”, maybe considered “extreme” or a once in a lifetime opportunity. Our thinking is life situations can change in an instant. Go where you can, while you can. - We follow the deals.
Travel can be expensive. With a little planning and flexibility, you’ll be amazed at the places you can go without spending a ton of money. It can be done and we have the proof. Three years ago we stayed in a 2 story suite at the Burj al Arab in Dubai. Rack rate:$8000 a night. We paid, $1600, split among 4 people. - We go to lands far, far away.
It’s always easy for us to go places close by. Now, close by for us is somewhere within 8 hours of flight time. Those places that are really far away are always the most difficult to get back to just because the time it takes to get there. If you have a desire to go somewhere far away, do it now or whenever you have the ability to take time off for more than a week. - We travel without the “herd”.
Sure we could go to every major tourist destination and attraction there is. While we do go to popular spots, we don’t fixate on them. We’d rather spend time “off the beaten track” and visit those places and areas in a destination where other’s don’t tend to go. - We research. We plan.
You can never do too much. That doesn’t mean you have to go overboard and have everything planned out to the minute detail. But, if you do some research, you’ll spend more time enjoying your trip, instead of trying to resolve problems. Once you get it down, you’ll be amazed at how much you can plan for in such a small period of time. - Active vs. Passive Vacations.
Yin and Yang. You have to have both. We take at least one “passive” vacation a year where we go to a destination and that’s it. It may be laying on the beach, sitting in the desert, sailing the islands, skiing, or staying in a large metropolitan city for a week. The key is to relax. You shouldn’t need a vacation from your vacation. For our other trips throughout the year, we take the “active” route. Pick an area or a destination and try to see and experience everything you can. That doesn’t mean it’s “run, run, run”, but we may pick an area of a country and stay in 3-4 different places in a week or two. - We challenge our “comfort zone”.
Sure, it’s simple to go with what you know. That’s not much fun for us. We’re always up for something unique. It could be visiting a Bedouin encampment in the middle of the desert. Maybe it’s visiting a family that herds reindeer above the Arctic circle or climbing peaks in Patagonia. - Go when others don’t.
Why travel to a destination when everyone else is there? Avoid the crowds. Avoid tourist fatigue. We like to go places during off-season or “shoulder” season. The residents are a lot friendlier and the prices are a lot cheaper. Plus, with two hemispheres on this earth, it’s always “off-season” somewhere. - Stay local.
We avoid the major hotel chains like the plague. Now, sometimes you can’t and we have no choice, but it’s the exception, not the rule. Many times we try to rent a house, villa or flat at our destination. It’s a great way to be part of the community and really see things from a local point of view. Some of the best places we’ve stayed are at local boutique hotels or small regional chains. - Eat local.
We almost always eat local. Whether it’s the nice restaurant tucked away in a remote village on the Amalfi Coast, a street cart in Thailand or a roadside stand in Vietnam, you’ll find food that’s almost always phenomenal. You can’t beat stopping into a village butcher in Greece or for an empanada at a remote outpost in the Patagonian wilderness. We do confess that sometimes when we’re away for a couple of weeks, we do need a taste of home from something familiar like an airport outlet of KFC, McDonalds, etc. - We travel in “packs”.
Think, pack of wolves, gaggle of geese, etc. There’s a large advantage to traveling with multiple people. You can split costs for places to stay, guides, private excursions and more. Of course, you have to get along with those you plan to travel with so your trip doesn’t turn into a disaster.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
We’re very fortunate that our group travels well together. All six of us may not necessarily go on every trip, but when we do, savings can be substantial. We can rent a nice house instead of small hotel rooms. We can hire a private guide to take us “off the beaten path” at rates less than a taxi or tour. Those are just a few of the perks.
The key is finding people who’s company you enjoy and that you can live with for the duration. Our rule is that even though we travel together, that doesn’t mean we have to be together 24/.7. Anyone can do what they want when they want, without worrying about others in the group. That really has been key to keeping our group together and making trips enjoyable.
That’s just a thumbnail sketch of how we roll. We think travel is addictive. I guess that’s why we take 4 major trips a year (other continents) and travel domestically almost every month. So much to see, so little time. We’ve created this site to help all kinds of travelers. Whether you’ve never been more than 50 miles from home before, or you travel all the time, we’ve got a lot of great things here for you.
