Millenium Development Goals painting by roadside (Zambia) by Maaret Virtanen

As many of us know, the initial phase of the 2011 Passports with Purpose fundraiser has begun. This year’s goal is to raise $80,000 and build two libraries in Zambia. Recently, I had the privilege of conducting a Q&A session with Pam Mandel and the founders of Passports with Purpose. So, without further ado, shall we begin?

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If you don’t mind, I’d like to start with a little bit of history, then move on to the 2011 project.

What brought all four of you together in the beginning, as a group, outside of Passports with Purpose?

We all live in Seattle. We’d been showing up at the same meetups, sharing ideas, talking about the blogging conferences… so I suppose it was geography and common interests – we’re all travelers, wired ones at that. We added Meg Paynor in our second year to help us with our PR — she’s another one we just kept meeting at travel events and we really wanted to work with her, she just got us.

If the answer to #1 is Passports with Purpose, which one of you proposed the original idea for creating such a project and how did you choose who to recruit to aid in said project?

Debbie’s idea was, “Hey, let’s do something good… I’m not sure what that means.”

It was initially Debbie Dubrow’s idea. She’s the blogger behind Delicious Baby. But the creation of PwP was totally organic. Debbie’s idea was, “Hey, let’s do something good… I’m not sure what that means.” And together, we developed the idea of PwP.

How long did it take to put the concept together and launch the 2008 project for Heifer International?

Oh, an afternoon? A week? Really, it seems like we just didn’t spend that much time on it. See, we were using things we all knew how to use. Blogging. Twitter. Web enabled stuff. We probably worked together for three weeks or so, it was all very last minute, but it just sort of came together.

How does PwP decide which organizations are good candidates? (I know from your website, PwP believes all people are equal and avoids religious and/or politically motivated projects.)

We look for projects that are sustainable over the long term without our help – they should have local partnerships that support the project after our engagement. We really don’t want, for example, to fund the construction of a clinic and then find that there are no doctors to staff it – the project needs to live on its own, we’re just jump-starting it. We like projects that benefit women and children or have an educational focus.

In 2009, PwP asked for $14,000 to build a school in Cambodia and actually received $30,000. Last year, PwP set a goal of $50,000 and gained $64,128 to build a complete village in India. How do you explain this type of success?

People like being able to make a meaningful contribution, and this gives them a way to do it using the skills and resources they have. Sometimes blogging is like talking into an echo chamber. Is anyone reading? Are you making a difference to anyone? It’s hard to know. Participating in Passports with purpose lets you point to something – a school, or a house, or a library and say “I helped build that. My blog helped build that.”

This year (2011), PwP is asking for $80,000 to build and fill two libraries full of real (hand-held) books in Zambia in cooperation with the Room to Read organization. Do you think PwP will reach its goal?

I’ll confess that every year, we wonder if we’ll make it. Every year we blow past our goal. Right now, I’m still in the doubt phase. Ask me again in January.

Pam, I have read your blog post about  ’short-changing yourself on reading material’ during a recent trip. Like your self, my husband and I grew up with books and our house is overflowing with them. (I pity the person who will have to dispense of our library when we’re viewing the world from the dirt side up.) But, you also comment on downloading several books to your phone. With today’s technology, why choose building libraries rather than computer centers when so many books are available as downloads/online?

Photo Courtesy of Room to Read

This year I traveled in Tanzania, we had water sometimes, power sometimes… I wish I had a picture of that young man at the Internet café when he told me, with a blinding smile (really, he was just so amused) “Maybe Monday! Maybe we’ll have Internet on Monday!” And I was in a campground where the manager said to me, exasperated, “No Internet in ALL of Tanzania!” I could wait. It was no big deal to me to let it slide for a week or two, I just wanted to check my email. But we’re talking about teaching kids to read. I don’t know how you can measure the potential damage to delaying a child’s education because the infrastructure is down, and I’d just rather not.

I also know how to do it and will write about it in an article (soon to be posted), but anything you want bloggers to know about working with PwP until then? (Hint: PwP accolade time.)

No blogger is too small to help. After all, we built a school and a village ten dollars at a time. We are here to help answer questions, just get in touch and we’re happy to hold your hand through the entire process. We’re successful because of the participation of individual bloggers, and we don’t want anyone to feel like they can’t do it or their efforts are too small. They’re not. Every bit of participation matters.

The bloggers who have been most successful at bringing in donations have been the ones who get creative about getting the word out in lots of different ways – face book, their blogs, Twitter, their personal and professional networks.  It’s really amazing how many people we reach when we each tap into our networks.

Any hints on 2012′s agenda?

But for now, we have some libraries to fund, and that’s what we’re focused on.

We don’t have a cause picked out, we’ll do that after this year’s efforts are wrapped. But we’re just about done filing for non-profit status. This will give us a lot more autonomy over the way our funds are handled and give us the ability to run smaller initiatives throughout the course of the year. But for now, we have some libraries to fund, and that’s what we’re focused on.

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Please meet the women behind Passports with Purpose:

Pam Mandel
Debbie Dubrow
Beth Whitman
Michelle Duffy
Meg Paynor

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2011. | Cover to Cover: A Passports with Purpose Interview | One comment |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: activism, Africa, Charity, fund-raising, Libraries, Zambia

Big snowball 3 by Karen Huang-Windhager

The Road of Life: Interviews with Lainie & Miro – Part One ended with a discussion about their favorite places (so far) and how they go about choosing their next destination.

Part Two delves into their expectations of each other, their commitment to activism, creative endeavors and snowballs – the white frozen rain kind. Again, there are Miro’s remaining “Bonus Questions”. He even comments to something about his Mother’s quirky remarks… Enjoy the read!

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Miro: Thus far your travels have been to relatively warm countries. Are you looking forward to seeing cold and snow? (More than that found in the mountains of California, that is.)

Yeah. Can’t wait to hit my mom with a snowball!

Yeah. Can’t wait to hit my mom with a snowball!

Lainie: Same question – cold and snow?

I’m not so much a cold weather kind of person, but Miro wants to hit me with a snowball, so…. gotta do it!

Miro: All parents can be a little difficult at times – have there been occasions when you really had to motivate your mom to do something you thought was important?

Everything I think she needs to do is not important. So ,to answer that question, “no”. Things I’d like for her to do are: 1.) Play monopoly with me, because she always refuses. 2.) Play video games (RPG’s) with me. 3.) Stop cheating at fooseball.

Lainie: All children can be a little difficult at times – have there been occasions when you really had to motivate Miro to do something you thought was important?

I know that’s a revolutionary thing for parent to say, but I have so much respect for this human being called my “son”.

We have had our moments, but my greatest teacher has always been Miro since the moment he came into my life. He is an extraordinary human being, and all those that have met him, will tell you so. I do not know of other children so much, I know of this child, and even though I have been blessed with the honor of being his guardian and protector during his childhood, he is my equal. I know that’s a revolutionary thing for parent to say, but I have so much respect for this human being called my “son”.

Those that have known us before our travels often commented on the extraordinary bond we seem to have and it’s true. We have spent almost every single day of the last year and a half together and the strategy we use is complete transparency on every level. We talk about our feelings, frustrations, fears and joys. We also make sure we laugh a lot and have a lot of fun. This is the biggest gift a parent could have, cherishing the moments we have together, because I know sometime soon, he’ll be out in the world on his own, as an adult. For now, the greatest joy in all of this, is the knowing that Miro experiences the world as a safe place and that is my gift to him.

Human Rights Courtesy of Miro & Lainie

Miro: As the two of you have traveled, you’ve been activists on both the environmental and human rights levels. What have you gained from these involvements?

I see the world for what it is. I don’t like to see people or animals suffering and I know I can do things to help out and when I can, I do. I don’t like watching the news because I recognize all they show is negative stuff which is usually highlighting people suffering and that doesn’t make me feel good.

Lainie: Same question. (Activism, environmentalism and human rights.)

I have always been moved to act on the issues of peace, human rights, equality, and the environment. (My parents were hippies, after all.) Therefore, these passions have become a natural part of my parenting. Teaching Miro to be active and use his voice for the things he believes in, teaches accountability as well as compassion . I have seen Miro develop into a compassionate person who is ripe with empathy for other people and their “life situations”, and for that, I could not be more proud.

Miro: I hear you’re learning to play guitar – any favorite style of music so far? (Permission to be Creative article reference.)

Our friend, Julia, was visiting Guatemala, who had the guitar. She gave me a few lessons, but when she left, the guitar went with her. That’s ok, it was really a lot of work and my fingers hurt after my lesson. I do other creative things though, like draw, write stories, design virtual worlds and stories for RPGs (role playing games).

Lainie Sketches Courtesy of Miro & Lainie

Lainie: How is the artwork coming along? (Permission to be Creative article reference.)

I wish it was so romantic or mysterious or technologically smart. Our locations are determined by a few simple things – where we physically are at the point of the decision, how much money we have, and if I have work.

My artwork has been put on the back burner, once again.. for a little while at least. I work large, and with messy, messy charcoals, which is difficult while we are traveling. I am toting around a sketch book with me though, and have doodled on a few occasions since Guatemala. On a totally unrelated subject, I learned how to surf, tried for the first time at 44!

Bonus Q&As from Miro:

Bonus 5. What place are you really dying to see?

I would LOVE to see Japan. I just can’t wait to see the culture!

Bonus 6. How do you feel about not knowing where you’ll be next? Does that ever bother you?

Not really. Unless we heard about frightening things happening in that country, then I get a little nervous.

Bonus 7. What is the best part about traveling with your mom?

I would say the best part about traveling with my mom would is hearing her quirky remarks and how we interact together.

Bonus 8. How do you and your mom make decisions about where you are going and how long you will stay in a place?

We don’t, we just play it by ear.

Bonus 9. What have you learned about the world so far that you didn’t know before you left on your trip?

I have learned that the world is such a vast place. I have also learned a little Spanish and Central American geography.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2010. | The Road of Life: Interviews with Lainie & Miro – Part Two | No comment |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: activism, Central America, cultural experiences, family travel, Perpetual Travel, travel with kids, Un-schooling, United States, volunteering, working on the road

Burning Man 2008 – night times by Rachel Smith

Being on the ‘Road of Life’ does keep people in a somewhat constant state of flux. There is bad (or non-existent) internet, dead computers, travel time and a host of other issues. I must confess, it also took me a bit of time to compose questions that weren’t in the “So, whatcha up to?” style too. But, between the revolving “I’m sorry.” “No, I’m sorry” e-mails we finally came together on this interview. Actually, it will be posted in two parts as ‘bonus’ Q&As were offered up by Miro and worthy of inclusion. (They will be split into two parts also.)

So, without further ado, let’s see what Miro and Lainie have to say about their adventures in part one!!

Miro: How do you see the difference, if there is one, between a classroom setting with other students taught by many teachers versus the non-classroom setting taught by a few, or just one?

I think regular school sucks, frankly.

I think regular school sucks, frankly. It’s boring and most of the time, too easy. Now, I learn by researching online, watching videos, reading books and talking to others. Learning this way is more fun. I really don’t have a classroom setting now, learning on the road of life is what it’s about.

Lainie: How has the basic education process for Miro, i.e. reading, writing, arithmetic, changed or not changed your thoughts on a formal “classroom setting” for children?

Panama City by Shea Stone

I have always known that every child has their own learning style, and Miro is no exception. He’s brilliant, has a quick mind and stays engaged when he’s interested. He absorbs quickly and in regular classroom settings, the challenge is to keep him engaged. When he was in traditional school in the states, he would finish his school work in class then read a book, or write a story or draw, because he had time to kill. The teachers got wise to this and put him in charge of tutoring the other children in his class. However, he’d often return from school with complaining that he wasn’t learning anything in school and it was a waste of time. As we’ve been traveling, we’ve adapted the approach of “un-schooling”. Rather, I let Miro choose what interests him, from reading, to video games, research, writing and drawing. It’s self-guided, so he’s engaged in whatever he does. The only topic he does not naturally gravitate to is arithmetic, even though he was great at it school. So be it. If at some point he chooses to go to college, he will have to prep himself in the topics required in order to test into whatever system he’s applying for. He’s smart enough to catch up in any topic, since the American school system is about taking and passing tests and necessarily learning, I have no doubts he’ll be able to do just fine.

How has this process changed my thoughts about traditional classroom settings? It’s not for everyone, nor is our lifestyle for that matter.

Miro: Tell me about the Burning Man Festival! What was your favorite part of the experience?

Burning Man was awesome! Everyone referred to me as “Provolone” or “Cheddar”. Why? For I am “Lord of the Cheese”.

Burning Man was awesome! Even though we didn’t go this year, my mom promised me we’ll go next. My favorite part was the giant slide on the playa and the people at kidsville. Everyone came up with a playa name. Everyone referred to me as “Provolone” or “Cheddar”. Why? For I am “Lord of the Cheese”.

Lainie: The experience of many peoples in many cultures is a valuable teaching tool for a growing mind. How has this helped you in raising Miro?

I have always raised Miro with cultural, political, and spiritual sensitivity…. or at least I like to think I have. I have taught him compassion for people and animals. Our travels has allowed him to exercise that compassion, and those opportunities have helped me give to my son, the one thing I dreamt of giving him when he was born, a kinder and gentler world.

Miro: Your mom and you have been podcasting and blogging a lot in the last year. How do the two of you distribute the “work load” for both of these projects? (And, do you have a title like “Grand Podcaster” or “Miro the Magnificent Good At Card Tricks Too”?)

Um, (laughs a little)… my mom really does most of the work. Now, she threatens to make me start writing my own blog column, so I guess that is coming up soon. I do help her by proofing her articles and of course do the podcasts. Don’t forget though, I’m a vital part of this story!

*Editors Note: Miro has begun writing his own blog at Miro Unedited.

Lainie: Silly question, but… You’ve been traveling for over a year now – how have the REI hiking boots held up? (Inquiring hiking minds want to know!)

Both of our hiking boots have held up fine! Our backpacks have too for that matter. Some of the other valuable REI purchases we’ve not been able to live without include our travel towels, our sleeping bags and our Steripen water purifier.

Miro: Do you have a favorite place you’ve visited? If so, where and why?

Guatemala. Everything was so chill-ax. We had a great community of friends. The only bad part is, my mom made me go to school there and I had to wake up at 6:00 to catch the shuttle.

Lainie: It’s a great big world out there, how do you decide where to go next – throw a dart, GPS, use old pirate maps?

Pirate Map Courtesy of Enchanted Images Art

I wish it was so romantic or mysterious or technologically smart. Our locations are determined by a few simple things – where we physically are at the point of decision, how much money we have, and if I have work.

To the first point, we are slow traveling and traveling over land, as much as possible. We are trying to travel as light as possible, with both our carbon footprint, our ownership of stuff and our overall consumption. Our “next” location is usually determined by our last location and so on. However after we complete our travels in South America, we will either need to take a boat to Africa or fly somewhere, but we never know until we know…

…we know our podcasts have been inspiring people to live their own inspiration and let go of the fear preventing many women and single mothers living their life to the fullest.

To the second point, money determines our travels as well. We have exhausted our savings after one year of traveling and to continue to live, not just travel, work is required. I work where I can, sometimes remotely for freelance clients in the United States (my former career as a marketer, brander and designer). Other times I take on small jobs locally. We have been totally penniless on the road twice, but alas, the universe always takes care of us. In both cases, I had either received payment from client who had not paid for months or signed on a new project in just the nick of time. I know it sounds risky and a lot of people are not comfortable living without security, (especially in a foreign country) but frankly, if we were back in the states, the stakes would be a lot higher with today’s economy and we would not be having the adventure we are having. Today, Miro and I try to live on a combined budget of $1,000 a month and without receiving child support of any kind, I simply need to make it work and always seem to be able to. Without fail, we always end up having exactly what we need and have no doubts we will continue to.

Along the same lines, we are actively trying to attract the right sponsors to RaisingMiro.com as a way to support our continued journey. From the feedback we receive on a daily basis, we know our podcasts have been inspiring people to live their own inspiration and let go of the fear preventing many women and single mothers living their life to the fullest. That is one of the greatest achievements thus far.

Thank You Monsters by Miro

Bonus Q&As from Miro:

Bonus 1. When you are not traveling, what do you do most of your time?

I am usually playing video games, researching on the internet, or sleeping…

Bonus 2. Which do you prefer? Traveling or staying in one place for a period of time?

I like both actually, although I would prefer traveling.

Bonus 3. What is the hardest thing about your lifestyle?

Probably getting up from bed!

Bonus 4. On your web site, it says you and your mom will be traveling until you are 18. That seems like an awfully long time. Do you ever get tired of traveling?

I haven’t gotten tired of it yet, but I think it may happen.

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You can follow Lainie and Miro at Raising Miro on the Road of Life. Also, don’t forget there will be a part two of this interview to be published soon.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2010. | The Road of Life: Interviews with Lainie & Miro – Part One | No comment |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: activism, Central America, cultural experiences, family travel, Perpetual Travel, travel with kids, Un-schooling, United States, volunteering, working on the road

At The Berlin Wall: Germany 2007

1. On your blog’s home page, it states: “In 2007, Tony and Thomas decided to quit their jobs, leave the security of sedentary life behind, and travel the globe full time.” The three of us know there is a more important back-story. Was this the main reason why you decided to travel?

…You are right that there is an important back-story that strongly contributed to our decision to go nomadic.

What we say on our blog is true. One day, we simply decided we had had enough of sedentary life with all its complexities, complications and, most importantly, monotony. But you are right that there is an important back-story that strongly contributed to our decision to go nomadic.

Thomas and I are a bi-national gay couple. We have been together for over 17 years and this time has been filled with a series of legal and cultural hurdles, which have strongly contributed to our identity as contemporary nomads. For our first 8 years together, there was no real legal option for us to live together in the same country. We created our own solution by bouncing around between Africa, Europe, the U.S., and Central America.

After the laws in Germany changed, Thomas and I settled in Berlin where we attempted to establish a more grounded, traditional life. We quickly discovered our unconventional history made life in Germany quite a challenge. Imagine going into a job interview and trying to explain, “Well, I have had to bounce around the world to bypass visa restrictions which would have made my relationship with my partner impossible.” Not an easy sell, especially in Germany.

Rather than begging for acceptance and understanding, Thomas and I began to yearn for the freedom and sense of liberation that travel provides. We began to realize that we needed to return to our nomadic roots and, once again, we decided to create our own solutions. Our solution was to free ourselves from the limitations of any one country.

2. Dr. Lisa M. Nunn (University of San Diego; San Diego, California) has been documenting your lives over the past 8 years in her “Excluded: Immigration Struggles of a Gay Bi-National Couple” video. Do you feel this venue has been helpful in getting the word out about the disparity in the U.S. immigration regulations?

Absolutely. The documentary follows us from the U.S. to Germany to Cambodia and details how our struggle evolved along the way. We discuss unjust immigration policies in the U.S., the pain of leaving my family in California behind, cultural challenges in Germany, and ultimately why we chose to go nomadic. We hope the documentary will help educate people on bi-national same-sex couples and, perhaps, challenge assumptions about controversial issues such as gay marriage and immigration policy.

You can view the documentary online at: www.excludedthemovie.com

3. What advice do you have for others in your situation?

I would say, for the immediate future, don’t sit around waiting for people to save you, save yourself.

I would say, for the immediate future, don’t sit around waiting for people to save you, save yourself. Once you and your partner are in a stable place, speak out and work to change unfair policies. However, always remember that this is your life, so make it as good as possible while you are working for change.

Gokyo Valley: Nepal 2007

Starting ContemporaryNomad.com was our way of bounding over the hurdles in one great leap. Actually, we don’t really discuss our immigration issues on ContemporaryNomad.com. Our web site and blog are about adventure, culture, travel, wildlife and the environment. It’s a space where we can define ourselves with exciting topics rather than dwell on the injustice we have experienced. It is our escape from all the garbage that we left behind. We are discovering it provides an escape for many other people as well.

4. Is this your first long-term trip or have you traveled through other parts of the world together?

I have always loved to travel. As a student, I studied and traveled in France, the Soviet Union, China, Morocco, and Taiwan. Thomas also did the classic InterRail trip through Western Europe as well as studying in the U.S.

When Thomas and I first met in 1993, we took off on an extraordinary 18-month overland journey from Germany to South Africa via Eastern Europe and the Middle East. It was this trip that really cemented our love for travel and defined us as serious adventurers. We crossed the Sudan in mid-summer, explored post-communist Eritrea and Ethiopia, witnessed the atrocities in Rwanda from the neighboring countries of Uganda and Zaire, and saw the final remnants of apartheid crumble in a newly independent South Africa. It was an amazing and life-altering journey.

With the Himba Tribe: Namibia 1995

In 2001, we spent five months in Central America traveling between Belize and Nicaragua. In 2003, we spent three months in Madagascar, a country we had desperately wanted to visit during our trans-Africa trip. In addition to these longer trips, Thomas and I have traveled extensively in the U.S. and Europe.

I have traveled to 78 countries and Thomas has traveled to 57 countries. But these numbers are rather meaningless to us. What we are truly proud of is the depth of our travels. We have spent large amounts of time in many of the countries we have visited and have had the opportunity to explore some of the world’s most remote regions. For example, we spent 15 months in India criss-crossing the country detailing its diversity on our blog. Moreover, we have visited many countries several times taking in new regions on each visit.

5. Having traveled through several countries, has the bi-national gay couple relationship created additional problems for either of you?

We have experienced the most obvious anti-gay sentiment in the U.S. One of our worst experiences took place in Wyoming. We were stopped by police in a speed-trap for going two miles an hour over the speed limit. The police realized we were a couple when they discovered the car was registered in both our names. The police became quite threatening and we were seriously worried for our safety. It’s a long story, but we made it out of there in one piece.

Interestingly, in the Islamic world and conservative India, we experienced very few problems because men traveling together and sharing rooms is such a normal part of the cultures.

On a couple of occasions in Central America, we were denied hotel rooms, but that wasn’t a huge problem. Interestingly, in the Islamic world and conservative India, we experienced very few problems because men traveling together and sharing rooms is such a normal part of the cultures.

And we experienced an interesting bi-national problem organizing a trip to Tibet, which had nothing to do with being gay. While we were in Kathmandu, we wanted to make a quick return trip to Lhasa. At that time, the Chinese government was requiring people to join escorted tours, but bizarrely they would not allow people with different nationalities to join the same tour. They wanted us to hire two separate jeeps, two separate drivers, and two official Chinese “guides.” In a weird twist of irony, heterosexual bi-national couples were having the same problem.

6. Changing “horses” – what has been the highlight of your travels thus far?

Wow, that’s hard to answer because we have had so many incredible experiences. We were exceptionally lucky to be able to explore the Omo region in southwestern Ethiopia right after the country opened up for independent travel. We are both very into wildlife so the mountain gorillas in Zaire, tigers in India, and whale sharks here in the Philippines are all major highlights. In 2007, we managed to travel to Mount Kailash in western Tibet, which was the realization of a twenty- year dream for me. All of our Himalayan treks qualify as highlights: trans-Zanskar, the Annapurna Circuit and the Everest region. I think we have a hundred highlights.

7. Where do your journeys lead you from here?

Good question, we have no idea where we are going to be next month.

Wreck Dive in Puerto Galera: Philippines 2010

8. Thomas: Which one of you is the better diver? (LOL! Trick question.)

I want to say I am, but I have recently been called an air-sucking pig during a forum discussion about the pros and cons of a certain dive shop. I have to agree that Tony uses less air, but does that make him a better diver?

9. Tony: Same (trick) question.

Clearly I am Although Thomas has an amazing ability to spot perfectly camouflaged scorpion fish. And he found an amazing black frogfish the other day that I NEVER would have seen!

You can follow Tony & Thomas (or Thomas & Tony, take your pick) at ContemporaryNomad.

Editor’s notes: All photographs courtesy of ContemporaryNomad.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2010. | Dart Strikes Map: An Interview with Tony and Thomas | 10 comments |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: activism, Africa, Asia, bi-national couples, Central America, cultural experiences, Europe, living abroad, long-term travel, Middle East, United States

Taking a junk around Halong Bay, Vietnam.

Recently, I conducted interviews with Theodora Sutcliffe (Travels with a Nine Year Old) and her 9-year old son, Zac (The 9-year-old strikes back). Though Mom calls him Z, I asked his preference – it’s Zac. (Guess Moms get to call you by whatever name they choose. Comes with being a Mom.) Each was given a similar set of questions to answer. I hope you enjoy their replies.

Zac: In the blog (Travels with a Nine Year Old), your Mom has written: “…since he was small we’ve talked about taking a year out to travel the world when he is nine. Now we’re finally doing it.” Why did the two of you choose age nine for this journey?

Well, for starters, it was a 24-karat golden opportunity since Mum had the time.

Well, for starters, it was a 24-karat golden opportunity since Mum had the time. We always talked about it. We first started debating on it when I was seven. However, I didn’t want to do it then. I felt like I wasn’t ready to spend a year travelling round the world. So Mom said, “Alright then, maybe when you’re nine.”

A brand new backpack!

Theodora: From a mother’s perspective, why was this odyssey important at this time in Z’s life?

I think as a parent considering long-term travel with a child, or children, you are caught between two stools. You want them to be old enough to remember it and participate in it, and I certainly wanted Z to be able to actively participate in activities such as diving and trekking. So that gives you a minimum age. And I think for a teenager, or a child approaching that age, intense travel as a family might be absolute hell. At that age you really want to be finding your own space, forming your own relationships, and shaping yourself as a person removed from your family. So there’s a maximum. More immediately, the time was right in my life in January 2010. And he personally felt ready to do it, which he didn’t a couple of years ago.

Zac: If I’ve paid attention correctly, you’ve been traveling since mid-January (2010). Have you felt homesick for anything or just enjoying the adventure?

Indeed I have been feeling homesick at times. Most of the time it comes up when I’m bored or something just gets me thinking about home. I haven’t been bored that many times. But when Mom took a dive course and left me out of it I was a bit bored. I feel homesick for my best friend, Fred, and for England, because I do miss being back in England for some awkward reason, which I don’t even know.

Theodora: You write very lovingly about traveling with Z and the assorted adventures, mishaps, and such. Has anything been a true test of patience yet?

LOL! I’m surprised you didn’t ask him this!

In terms of travel per se there has been no unpleasantness which hasn’t been counter-balanced by the benefits, or actually quite funny at the time. Neither of us has been significantly ill. We haven’t been robbed. We haven’t been stranded anywhere hideous. So I’ve never had the “OMG what am I doing? I want to go hoooome!” moment, and nor, I think, has he.

The exchange that is seared into my memory is me saying, “Look. What exactly is your problem here?!” He took a deep breath and said, “The problem, Mom, is YOU,” and launched into a recital of everything I had done wrong EVER. Going back about five years…

We’ve also always got on very well. Since Z was a baby, he’s had a very chilled, calm temperament, a high pain threshold and low requirements for sleep. He’s always traveled well, been very articulate and found it easy to talk about his feelings. So as a travel companion, I knew it was going to work.

However…. We had a real humdinger of a row in Luang Prabang, Laos, which has been sitting in my drafts file for a while. I was trying to get him to write some postcards. When he wants to, he can be absolutely stubborn as a mule. He’ll change the subject, stonewall, ignore, ignore, ignore, ignore… He said writing postcards made him homesick. I said he was making up excuses because he didn’t like handwriting. We ended up sitting on a wall by the Mekong bickering, with passers-by looking pityingly at him and disapprovingly at me. The exchange that is seared into my memory is me saying, “Look. What exactly is your problem here?!” He took a deep breath and said, “The problem, Mom, is YOU,” and launched into a recital of everything I had done wrong EVER. Going back about five years…

Zac: I can’t help but ask – how is the “home schooling” coming along? (I read you were writing stories now. Bravo!) Is it easier or harder than sitting in a classroom?

Well… It’s harder than sitting in a classroom but it’s a hell of a lot more fun! You see, sitting in a classroom, you just have to sit down, do your learning and for me sometimes watch the clock awaiting a science lesson, an art lesson or any lesson you prefer over the one you’re currently doing. However, when you’re home schooling, you’ve got to seek cover from loud music, find a desk, a chair and a decent place where you can easily concentrate on whatever you’re doing.

Unschooling artwork: a scene from Artemis Fowl.

In normal school the lessons have a set order, a completely set order. The compass has motionless points. In home schooling you get to choose what you want to do and the order in which you do them. In unschooling you get to run your finger across pebbledash instead of being told how it feels. You get to take apart a phone and see how it works instead of being told about the mechanics of a Nokia.

You probably wouldn’t get a short lesson about gunboats and just go snorkeling to look at one when you’re at an average school! Plus, Mom downloaded some particle physics for me and I’ve hatched a new theory about the universe, that it’s just a computer programme designed by big, powerful, super-intelligent aliens.

However, when you’re doing home schooling, it’s just you, whoever’s teaching you and possibly a friend, cousin, brother or sister, and there’s no annoying classmate flicking Blu-tac at you or doing some idiotic stunt like sticking a clothes peg to their eyelash. Believe it or not our class clown Emre has done that.

Theodora: I asked Z for his opinion of the home-schooling thing. I’d like to hear your side as his teacher.

Obviously, world travel is a phenomenal context in which to discover history, RE, geography, the natural world… You learn things by exploring Angkor Wat, walking the Ho Chi Minh Trail, meeting Khmer Rouge survivors, snorkeling a World War II gunboat or diving a coral reef that would take aeons to learn in a classroom. I think the permutation of home-schooling we’re now trying works extremely well. We’re using a version of unschooling (I wrote about it here: Unschooling Rocks!), which means you allow children to learn what and when they want, rather than working with syllabuses and schedules.

No, Please, Not Maths Again.

Z was a year or two ahead of the grade point average when we left the UK, so I can afford to be relaxed and experimental. He used to hate writing. He is now creating blog posts and chapter books, writing stories, planning stories, and doing a lot of art work to go with them. He reads well and is now discovering Dickens, which is brilliant.

But there are challenges. He’s quite technically minded and scientific. I did a single science subject to sixteen, twenty years ago. So responding to his learning desires involves a lot of learning on my side. He wants to do animating, and has played around with his Dad’s Flash animation software. So we’re getting a copy of that, which means I’ll have to learn with him on it. He has been talking about the Theory of Relativity a lot, and his objections to the Big Bang theory, and we’ve been learning about particle physics because he wanted to know what a positron was and how the Large Hadron Collider worked. We’ve been lucky enough to meet a lot of scientists as we travel, so that’s really helped.

Recently, he sat through my Open Water dive course and absorbed a lot of stuff about gases and pressures and percentages and decimals and fractions. So he learnt a lot there, too. Now he’s plotting the anatomy of a dragon and has been asking about the properties of gases so he can work out how their insides operate, the relationship between inertness and toxicity, and so on. So, I guess that’s my next challenge.

He’s also been teaching himself some French off Google Translate, coming out with random phrases from time to time. I’m trying to build on that when it comes up.

He is really into art, which presents another challenge. I can’t really draw, fold or sculpt, and, while you can do amazing things with found materials, like seashells, as we’re backpacking, it’s pretty much pencil, pen, crayon and paper.

Physically, it’s amazing how fluent he is compared to when we left. He was clowning around on a diveboat and someone said, “Well, he’ll either be a sailor or a particle physicist…” And I like learning myself, which is good. The downside is the amount I’m having to learn. Because I could walk the fourth and fifth grade syllabus’, and go a lot higher in the arts… But particle physics? On a beach?!

Zac: Of the places you’ve visited so far, do you have a favorite? If so, why?

Yes, I do have a favorite. Finland! I prefer skiing down a mountain to tropical cities. It helps that I’m capable of overheating before you could wave a ten-gallon hat and shout Yeehaw! Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Of course, if you’re talking about all the places on our holiday, so far my favourite would have to be the Philippines. As well as having Manila, which is a very nice city, there is the island of Marinduque, which boasts some hot springs, which have been converted into swimming pools and it also boasts a tamarind orchard. In the tamarind orchard you can find sweet tamarind trees, sour tamarind trees and one ridiculously sour tamarind tree. There is also a very nice hotel in Puerto Princesa City, which has its own kitchen, free room wifi, a little snackshop and hugely cheap fan rooms with well-maintained shared bathrooms. And of course there is the island-hopping and last of all some very good dive resorts.

Zac: Of the places you will be visiting, is there one you want to see the most? Again, if so, why?

…my cousins Eliza and Monique have their own pet chicken, which once laid a blue egg! We have also kept an egg secret in the hope that it will be brooded for long enough to hatch. Perhaps now it has hatched!

Australia! You see, I have cousins, grandparents and the like all living happily in Australia. I even have an uncle there. What’s more, my dad is Australian, which is why he’s coming out to meet us there. Also I am looking forward to Halloween, Christmas and my birthday, which are all conveniently close together, also my cousins Eliza and Monique have their own pet chicken, which once laid a blue egg! We have also kept an egg secret in the hope that it will be brooded for long enough to hatch. Perhaps now it has hatched!

Zac: What have you learned from this trip so far (life lessons, new feelings, discovering new things, eating bugs, etc.)?

Well, for starters, I have learnt divers’ sign language and emergency diving procedures. I have also learnt that due to the recent modernization televisions have become all the rage and now even the Lao minority tribes have them. In some countries, mainly Buddhist countries, it is considered hugely rude to put your foot up at someone.

I have learned that even if it freaks you out sometimes you can eat it because, as you asked, yes, I have eaten bugs, fried crickets, to be precise, and the other night I ate a delectable dish called sisig which consists of sizzling pig cheeks, ears and – yes, I know it’s kind of disgusting but it does taste nice – pig brains! You see, Asian cuisine has a 60 km difference between European or American cuisine.

Not the Most Drinkable…

The problem is that almost everywhere you go you cannot escape from commercial foods and global stereotypes. You see, we went to an island, which had a tribal village in it. These people lived very simply. Their diet consisted mainly of coconut, papaya and clams, and – would you believe it? Packet foods. I even found a sachet of Sunsilk conditioner! True story.

I have had some new feelings. One of the new feelings is the feeling where you feel like you’re a complete idiot. I first discovered this feeling when we were in a posh hotel in Thailand where each hotel room had a combination safe, four digit, and I cheekily locked my mom’s cigarettes in it.;-) I then attempted to write down the combination, realized I didn’t have a pen and started looking for one. While I was looking for one, however, I completely forgot the code!

The number one stereotype I hate is the stereotype that if you’re a kid your favourite sweet flavour is strawberry. Complete tripe. (Speaking of tripe, did you know tripe is Britain’s most hated food in the modern era?) Actually, I prefer sucking the juice out of lemons to eating that trash they call strawberry flavoured sweets.

Theodora: I also asked Z what he has learned from the trip so far. To date, what have you learned? Anything unexpected?

First and foremost, mooching… The joys of just wandering around, appreciating somewhere, sitting on the dock of the bay, and so on… It’s not something I’ve been good at historically, and I’ve learnt that through travel and my son. That’s a big discovery for me.

A close second? The wonders of diving. I don’t think I have a particular talent for it, but I do love it, and I’m contemplating qualifying as a scuba instructor.

Thirdly. How great are people?! I’ve never really doubted that the vast majority of people are good and kind. But our experiences on this trip, running from megalopolises to tribal villages and tiny islands, have really reinforced my belief in human nature.

Theodora: Now that you are 4+ months into this adventure, what advice do you have for parents (single or not) considering a similar travel experience?

Zac does not approve of his mother’s taste in shorts.

1: First and foremost: go for it. You will regret it if you don’t, because your kids are only children once.
2: When things go wrong, which they will, see the funny side.
3: Try not to fly too much. You get a lot more sense of a place by travelling slowly than you do by whizzing between airports. Plus it’s kinder to the environment.
4: Don’t over-schedule. If you’re planning an itinerary, leave plenty of days spare in it for just hanging out, enjoying stuff, staying a few extra days somewhere nice, going somewhere you’d never have heard of, etc. Adding a week to each month you plot off a map is a good rule of thumb.
5: Teach your kids to manage risk and strategies for dealing with environmental dangers.
6: Plan by the seasons but don’t plan exclusively for dry. Wet and cold can be interesting too.
7: Get decent backpacks for your kids. They are few and far between in the West and impossible to source in Asia.
8: Take more than one laptop to avoid turf wars. And stash movies on the children’s.
9: Sarongs are a godsend. They’re beach towels, bath towels, cover-ups, sheets, kiddie sleeping bags, and they weigh nothing and take up no space.
10: Zip-off trousers are two outfits for the weight of one.

Theodora: What is one thing you left at home (purposefully or by mistake) that you could really, really use right now?

Hmmmm… I am kicking myself for not buying, bringing and using a bona fide Drybag: they’re great as beach bags, too. I lost a camera to damp on the Mekong, plus two snorkel sets and a pair of Raybans off Koh Chang. Which means I am also missing the other pair of shades I didn’t bring!

Other than that? I would like to have family photos and old photos on my laptop now. Most of them are print, but I’m annoyed not to have transferred the digital ones. But, to be honest, in cities like Manila, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, you can buy almost everything. I’m currently looking for a really robust camera. I’ve been through two in four months and just want something impossible to kill that’s good for scuba too.

Zac & Theodora: Can I check in with you again in a few months to see how it’s going?

Yes! (Zac)
I look forward to it! (Theodora)

You can follow Theodora and Zac at Travels with a Nine Year Old.

You can also follow Zac’s own blog at The 9-year-old strikes back.

Editor’s notes: All photographs courtesy of Theodora and Zac.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2010. | Un-Schooling And Other Neat Stuff: An Interview With Theodora and Zac | One comment |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: cultural experiences, family travel, long-term travel, parenting, Round the world, travel with kids

Lahore, Pakistan

In August, 2008, Dave of The Longest Way Home, was interviewed about his search for that (proverbial) place we all like to call… Well… Home. The place where we set up a permanent camp, decorate the walls, kick off our boots at night, put books on the shelves, have home-cooked meals, and maybe don’t have to close the door when in the bathroom. Okay – a bit graphic but isn’t that part of what “home” really means? A place of comfort, security and belonging?

It’s now 2010. Has Dave found a home or is he still on the hunt? We took time to check back in with him to find out. Some things have changed. Some have not. But no matter what, in traveling that elusive road for these additional two years – life is no longer the same.

In your last interview, you were asked if you thought you were coming close to finding your new home. You replied, “Good question. Yes. I could name places, but in truth it’s a long answer. I am literally out there trying to find a place to call home, I have no alternative.” Are you any closer 2+ years later?

It’s still a good question! And, the answer is yes. However, one must take into account I am not taking this journey’s goal lightly. It is my life.

Living in a different culture for good, is very different to both traveling, and temporarily living overseas.

Over the past two years I have tried living in different environments with social integration a top priority. Living in a different culture for good, is very different to both traveling, and temporarily living overseas. It’s something I have to try, and it’s vitally important for the end game. I’ve also focused more on trying to improve my finances when traveling. This has come through my website, photography, writing and … shall we say “opportune skills” when on the road.

Lastly, and most recently, I’ve also been returning to bureaucracy/politics when trying to find a place to live. Not an easy topic in any part of the world these days. But again, I have to overcome this one way or another.

Ifugao Rice Terrace Worker – Sagada, The Philippines

In the same reply, you stated: “I seriously don’t want to end up a homeless old nomad roaming around on the road.” Do you still feel the same or has the additional time on the road and two more years (proverbially) “under your belt” changed your outlook?

Yes, more so than ever. I will fully admit to feeling tired these days. Traveling without a home base or family over this duration takes its toll. I don’t return to anywhere, I don’t have anywhere or anyone to welcome me home. No battery recharges, no support. That said, I didn’t have much of that growing up either. So the emotional side of things are pretty much fine. It’s the battery recharge I could do with. A place to kick off these travel boots, not worry about putting my passport out on a table, and eating a home cooked meal.

During those middle-of-the-night hours when the mind tends to wander, do you ever think: If I actually choose a place to call home then my travels are over? If so, does that frighten you?

No not at all. The sooner the better. Once there I’ll write about what it is like to finally find it. And, how it’s all working out! Not only that, but I might be able to wear non-travel clothes, print photographs, and write another book. But, most importantly, I can finally say I have a place called home.

I know you admire Wade Shepard and his family (VagbondJourney.com) for being on the road for 10 years. Who else inspires you?

Slight correction if I may. I admire Wade & family for how they are chasing their dreams rather than for being on the road for ten years. Moreover, Wade’s approach to travel writing is honest, practical, and real. There are far too many travel sites out there rehashing the same old stuff over and over again.

When I think back to what I’ve been through, and how far I’ve come, I get a warm feeling. This is a good thing.

Other people who inspire me? Karl Bushby. Another traveler who had nothing, and went for it with everything he had. Show me someone who’s had it rough in life, and or is truly giving it their all to succeed; and they will have my respect.

Finally, in a non-egotistical way, I have in the past few years begun to find myself inspiring. When I think back to what I’ve been through, and how far I’ve come, I get a warm feeling. This is a good thing.

Have your own philosophies (religious or otherwise) changed as you have traveled from country to country?

Okay, this question has me stumped. In truth I’d like to be paid a lot of money to answer this. Why? Because if I told the blunt truth of what I have found, I don’t think many people would like to hear it. Maybe I’ll write an article about it on TravelBlogs soon! (*Editor’s note: Write the article!)

Stilt House Girl – The Philippines

That said, what I have discovered is that although people from every country are basically the same. The facts are, many people with power are getting away with bad things, and those without are loosing everything. This I find is a reflection on society today. Maybe it’s the new hunter/scavenger instinct for the modern age.

Humans are selfish by nature, we know this. But we have intellect too. Sadly, it’s not evolved enough yet to help each other out. There are most certainly good people out there, a lot. But, their voices are being drowned out by something much heavier.

I think history will dictate that we are living in interesting times. Social networks, an interconnected world and information surround us. Yet with this we have shorter attention spans and a lack of motivation to go out of our way to be different.

Have you ever reached that point where you felt your endeavor has become a futile one? (A simple “no” will not suffice.)

Recently the politics in The Philippines and in the U.K. has made me feel this way. I wrote on my site that I think the only way I can get over this is to turn a blind eye. It’s society that makes politics change, not politics. When every country you look to as a potential home is swathed in allegations of corruption it doesn’t motivate you.

It seems with every answer I find, a new question pops up. But those answers are leading me to something few people find.

Currently, you are in the Philippines. Do you have your next destination mapped out or do we have to “stay tuned” for a while longer?

Yes, I do, several. What one I choose, is a different story. I asked my readers about Australia or New Zealand a few months back. I will be answering that very soon. I also think it’s time to return to a few places. This will be the first time I’ve done so on my journey so far. I’m looking forward to it. And, it’s most certainly a big step.

For the curious, there are only one or two places in South East Asia that I think are potentials for home. Malaysia is one place I want to experience that I think has options. Then there’s Cambodia for development work, but I think that’s a road I don’t want to go down again.

Being “a man of mystery”, are you really The Invisible Man, Sherlock Holmes, Austin Powers, James Bond, Irving R. Levine or some other behind-the-scenes-international-suave-and-slightly-rakish aristocrat? Please be specific in case we run into you in a dark alley somewhere – maybe in Morocco…

Ha ha! This reminds me that I really must publish my Morocco page soon! Let me clear the air a little. It’s on my about page, but I’ll be more specific here.

Street Child – Nepal

I am documenting my travels in search of something many people in the world wish to have. There are millions of people from all walks of life scraping and crawling their way to find a better place to live. I am no different. I am, however putting it all online in the form of my journals. Some people get it, others pass by as if it’s just a travel adventure. So long as you take something good, useful or enjoyable from it, then you’re in the right place.

I am, however putting it all online in the form of my journals. Some people get it, others pass by as if it’s just a travel adventure. So long as you take something good, useful or enjoyable from it, then you’re in the right place.

At the end of the day, if I choose to live in a country that is home, I will not leave, period. Bureaucracy, it seems, dictates that I’m of little use to any country. I don’t have a degree, and am over 30. So, no working visas. Does anyone really think that will stop me?

With that answer in mind, I do not particularity want my details splashed all over the likes of Facebook for the good people at immigration to misinterpret and conclude on. It happened in Tibet and Nepal already. I’ve spent a huge amount of time in Mindanao in The Philippines where more journalists have been killed than anywhere else on earth. I stand out a little here as a foreigner. So no thanks, I don’t like the idea of handing my head on a platter to the wrong people here either.

I’ve turned down big opportunities to go public, but the biggest opportunity has not been offered up yet. A place called home. Find me that, and you’ll have my Orwellian credentials. In the meantime, sit back and follow me on my journey. It’s never been done like this before. It’s my life’s work in progress. Whether it ends in tragedy or fulfillment, I am in it until the end.

You can follow the search at The Longest Way Home.

*Editor’s notes: All photographs courtesy of The Longest Way Home.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2010. | Where Will It All End: An Interview | 4 comments |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: cultural experiences, expat life, Finding Home, living abroad, long-term travel, photography, working on the road

Paris In The Spring

In 2008, Lara Dunston was interviewed about her life as a travel writer and her experiences traveling with her husband, Terry Carter, who is also a travel writer, photographer and now – an expert in the art of eggs – culinary-style. (You think I’m kidding…)

Together, they have taken on a new project, Grantourismo!, which has them traveling from their home-base-storage-unit in Dubai to a new destination every two weeks over a twelve month period (February 1, 2010 through February 1, 2011). Not only are they investigating new destinations, Terry has found some new egg recipes and still travels with his trusty cleaver.

Being avid travel writers, you’ve just begun yet another journey around the world. How did you choose which countries to visit considering HomeAway Holiday-Rentals’ numerous available locations?

Lara: We’re two months into a 12-month grand tour of the globe, an experiential-cum-local travel project we’ve called Grantourismo. It’s a ‘contemporary’ grand tour, which means rather than learning to paint or do archery as the original grand tourists did way back we’re doing and learning things with contemporary relevance.

Terence Meets Macarons

As Terry is into cooking, he’s learning how to cook a quintessential dish in each place we visit (in Marrakech a local cook taught him how to make tajine) and I’m learning anything from languages to learning about immigration in Paris from an academic who just finished her thesis on the subject. We’re staying in each destination for two weeks, so we’ve traded hotel rooms for rentals this year and partnered with HomeAway Holiday-Rentals. HomeAway Holiday-Rentals had a long list of destinations they wanted us to cover so our choices were based on a combination of places that are popular where they have a lot of properties, destinations that are not as popular that they want to inspire people to visit, and destinations that show the variety of places they have from sleek apartments in Buenos Aires to rustic trullo in Puglia.

You’ve written about “voluntourism”. What types of volunteer opportunities have you planned for yourselves during this endeavor?

We’re ‘parachuting’ into places and using our skills to quickly learn about the place, meet people, get tips as to what we should do and learn, and then arrange things.

Terence: We haven’t planned anything because for Grantourismo we’re not planning much ahead of time. We’re ‘parachuting’ into places and using our skills to quickly learn about the place, meet people, get tips as to what we should do and learn, and then arrange things. One of our missions is to give something back and promote sustainable travel, so they take in a whole lot of things, not just volunteering. The easiest way for people to give something back is to buy, eat and drink local/regional products, to shop locally in small businesses and direct from producers rather than chains owned by multinationals, and to then spread the word about those products by telling their friends, writing about them on their blogs, Facebook pages etc, so that’s what we’ve been doing. In each place we’ve visited so far, we’ve sought out and have raised awareness about local cultural products, local traditions, green initiatives – everything from an ethical fashion boutique in Paris to some small designers in Ceret using a very traditional Catalan fabric, and we’ve just talked to a sustainable travel agent in Montenegro specializing in local travel who is also a member of the Local Travel Movement.

…finding short-term volunteer experiences has actually been one of our greatest challenges…

Lara: Volunteering is another way to give back and can take many forms but we’re mainly looking for short-term volunteer experiences that we can promote, anything from participating in an environmental clean-up day to volunteering to read books to kids at an orphanage to working for a day in a soup kitchen. But finding short-term volunteer experiences has actually been one of our greatest challenges so far because we’re looking for the things that people on holidays could just do for one or two days, as not every one can commit to a 6-week, 3-month or even one year experience. It’s been a challenge finding experiences we can actually *do* in a day or two but we want to get a taste of these things before we write about them. If anyone has any ideas we’d love to hear about them!

You both are passionate about “local produce, local products” and the globalization of crafts. How does one go about discovering the truth behind the souvenirs they’re buying?

Souq Walk Marrakech Morocco

Lara: The best thing people can do is simply talk to the owners of shops or the people working on stalls at a market. I think it’s fairly easy to tell who is legit and who isn’t, but key questions to ask are “which town/region is this product from”, “who made it”, “what is it made from” etc. From the answers you can easily tell who is a real producer or who knows the producers as they will come out with the answers straight away and probably speak at great length and passionately and knowledgeably about them, whereas someone who is dodgy and selling things made in China in Paris will probably go “um… well…” Although I will never forget having an argument with a woman in Petra, Jordan, who was selling junk made in Korea and swearing that it was locally made. People should also look for information on tags and labels of course.

You have also written of location independence. What single piece of advice do you have for people wanting to do what you’ve done?

Terence: Take a look at this piece we did for Matador but to be honest we didn’t really think of what we’re doing as location-independent work until a few people started using the term when they asked us about what we do and how we manage what we do. In our opinion there isn’t really any other way to be travel writers except to travel and if you treat your work seriously and you’re a professional and it’s your main source of income you cannot do it any other way than to travel and to travel with all your gear. The best investment anyone can make is to buy a good laptop and use technology they trust. We use Macs and they essentially serve as our offices – we can’t live or work without them.

Do you find it easier to write about your days’ activities the same day, or at a later time?

Lara: It’s not always possible to write up what we’ve experienced on the same day, cause we’re simply so busy sometimes with full schedules from early in the morning right through the day until late at night, so we might have a backlog of work, especially on the Grantourismo trip at the end of a two-week stay when the last few days are really frantic. The key is detailed note-taking and memory-shots. As long as I take detailed notes and take photos, any kind of pics to prod that memory, then I’m fine. Without them though, it can be a challenge.

How easy or difficult has it been to find new external hard drives “on the road”? Or do you pack 10 of them ahead?

…for instance, when Lara’s hard drive in her MacBook (not a portable drive) died when we were in Nicosia, so we searched high and low and eventually found a computer shop that had loads of dust-covered boxes of software we’d never heard of and found a no-name drive, opened and covered in dust, but it was cheap and it worked just fine.

Terence: Our bags are heavy enough as they are, mainly due to the technology, laptops, camera equipment, books and research materials, so we buy hard drives as we go. They’re not always easy to find of course. We had a lot of trouble in Cyprus, for instance, when Lara’s hard drive in her MacBook (not a portable drive) died when we were in Nicosia, so we searched high and low and eventually found a computer shop that had loads of dust-covered boxes of software we’d never heard of and found a no-name drive, opened and covered in dust, but it was cheap and it worked just fine.

Lara in Wadi Rum

In your extensive travels, have you found the world becoming a smaller place, with globalization such as it is, or is there still sufficient variety in countries and cultures to warrant a continued sense of wonder and awe?

Lara: I definitely have a sense that the world is becoming smaller because there is greater connectivity and I’m continually seeing connections, especially cultural, social and economic connections between places and people, and I kind of like that in a way, that I meet people who know other people far far away. But then there are many things about the world that are becoming ‘smaller’ in that they’re becoming the same, such as fast food and the stuff sold at markets. You’ll see the same junk in Jerusalem that you’ll see in Paris that you’ll see in Thailand and Beijing. We found that very depressing, especially as so much of it is being sold as being from that destination, and that’s another reason we embarked on this project. When we travel these days we don’t necessarily have to have that sense of wonder and awe all the time as we did when we were younger. We’re happiest when we learn new things and meet new people and really go away feeling more familiar with a place, its people, and its culture.

On a side note – Terence, how DO you explain carrying a cleaver in your luggage to Customs officials?

Terence: As long as the cleaver goes in the bag under the plane, it’s not a problem – you just can’t take sharp objects on board – but I also carry a couple of grinders of my favourite salt and peppers, and a few other kitchen utensils that not all holiday rentals seem to have, so I think they’d get that I was simply into cooking and not a terrorist!

Editor’s notes: All photos courtesy of Lara Dunston and Terence Carter at Grantourismo. Lara also runs the Cool Travel Guide blog.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2010. | Grantourismo! An Interview with Lara Dunston & Terence Carter | 5 comments |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: cultural experiences, educational experiences, location independence, Round the world, travel writing, volunteering, voluntourism, working on the road

In his 2007 interview, Wade was described as a “modern-day nomad” and “travel was his lifestyle”. Not much has changed since that discussion. He’s still the “modern-day nomad” and “travel is still his lifestyle” but these days… That lifestyle includes a family. Wade met Chaya in 2008. They married and then gave birth to their daughter, Petra, in 2009. If you think parenthood overrides seeing the world – think again!

Wade and Petra

A lot changed in your life last year. You got married. You became a dad. How has this changed your perspective on travel?

Finding myself with wife and child has just strengthened my resolve as a traveler, and that traveling is the best way that I know of to cultivate a family. If I can travel with a family and raise a child on the road it would show that this is a sustainable lifestyle, it is a way of life that can be passed down through generations.

In my experience, the traveling life offers far more to savor, to learn, to figure out, to question, to answer than just about other way of living that I have been exposed to. When traveling, challenges occur daily which force you to use all of the resources at your disposal — this builds character, intelligence, and wisdom. If I had to choose a life for my daughter to lead — if I wanted to prepare her for anything life may toss her way — then I would want to raise her while traveling around the world.

This is what we are doing.

Raising a child while traveling is no longer an ideological rant that I use to have over beers with other travelers, but is something that is now real, raw, in my face, and in my hands.

Raising a child while traveling is no longer an ideological rant that I use to have over beers with other travelers, but is something that is now real, raw, in my face, and in my hands. I am not sure how well this will work further down the road — I do not yet know where to tell you to place your bets — but we have already traveled the USA from end to end as a family and are now in the Dominican Republic. We are living day for day, but if tomorrow is anything like today was, then I am quite sure that we can keep traveling on for at least these first phases of Petra’s development.

Marriage and parenthood aren’t usually considered to be compatible with full-time travel. What are your thoughts on that?

I would have to say that it is my impression that not much in the sedentary frame of existence seems to be compatible with full time travel. Whether you are talking about a career, health insurance, a retirement fund, a home, loans, mortgages, or having a wife and child, if you have the outlook of being secure and sedentary than none of it will mesh very well with traveling. I am just as free to travel now as I ever have been, because I intentionally set my life up in a way that would allow me to live like this.

I did not become a traveler by accident, I chose to live this way and made sure that my parameters were set up to allow for continuous travel. If I was burdened with many of the above stated responsibilities or values, then having a wife and baby would further nail down my tether. But I don’t. I set up a frame of living for myself a long time ago that took traveling to be at its center. Where many people prepare for a career or buying a home, I worked on cultivating skills that would allow me to live a full life moving from one part of the world to another.

Chaya and Petra

Travel is not an escape from my life, but it is my life. Having a wife and child has so far blended itself in well with this frame of living. If any of you read the Vagabond Journey Travelogue you will see that I do not go hungry, I am seldom cold or without shelter, I think I live like a king on $10 a day. But I am only able to do this because I had to sacrifice other ways of living — other value sets — to enable myself to live like this.

There are sacrifices to any lifestyle. There are tons of parameters, drawbacks, and sacrifices in the typical life of a doctor, a lawyer, a truck driver, a construction worker, and the same goes for being a traveler. Petra may not have all of the amenities of life that a doctor’s child would have, or the wholesome security of that of a skilled trades man, but these people’s children will not have the experiences, the thrills, the knowledge, the education, and exposure that Petra will have. Any lifestyle is a trade off: you trade certain values and parameters for others.

Petra has her mom and dad with her almost 24 hours a day, her days are generally relaxed, we are rarely every stressed out. We wake up in the morning, I publish a travelogue entry, and then we go to the beach and swim, meet people, and check things out. How many children can claim to have this?

There is one thing that babies are, and that is curious. There is no better way to satiate and encourage curiosity than traveling. Long term travelers tend to just be big children anyway, so it would be an easy move to induct a real child amongst our ranks.

It is my impression that most people who would like to travel long term — even those without children — find reasons and excuses to stay home. They say that they can’t travel because they have children — and maybe they can’t, what do I know? — but we have a child, we are traveling, for us, traveling full time and having a family is working out well. I think the challenge was found more in initially structuring my life around traveling than with traveling with a child. I traveled for a little over 10 years before I became a father — I had my plot well set — and my daughter, Petra, and wife, Chaya, have fit in nicely with this plot.

How has having a baby changed your travel habits at a practical level?

It is true that we have had to alter our strategies for traveling with a baby. We now travel more slowly, staying in places for a month or two rather than weeks. We had to get use to having a little person telling us what to do all the time. We now need to spend less money, so we rent apartments rather than hotel rooms or hostel bunks. We now need to make more money, so I find myself sometimes working in archaeology again and staying up late into the night trying to squeeze more money out of our website, VagabondJourney.com.

My wife and baby are two more traveling companions, and their desires must be fully taken into account. I found that if I treat my baby with as much respect as I would another adult traveling companion, then everything seems to works out alright. It is difficult adding another adult companion to your group, so the extra parameters that we give to Petra are similar to what we would need to give any traveling companion. The only difference is that Petra’s needs are baby needs. If Petra wants to stop somewhere, we stop; if she is hungry, we make space for her to eat; if she gets sick of walking around, we go back to our room.

It is challenging traveling with a baby, I admit it, but adding another traveling companion — of any age — to your group is challenging no matter what. In my experience, the frustrations of traveling with a baby are nowhere near the frustrations of trying to maneuver through the streets with a group of adult travelers: “Where do you want to eat? I don’t know, where do you want to eat? I can’t eat there, they don’t have a vegetarian option. Well I can’t eat there because I don’t like how they handled the food. That creepy guy is looking at me creepy. I want to go shopping. I need to go to an ATM. How much money is that it in dollars? Where do you want to eat? I don’t know.” ARRRGGH!

At least Petra just cries when she doesn’t like doing something.

What about being married? Has that had a big impact on how you travel?

Yeah, I no longer need to move about the world chasing tail anymore. It is amazing how much energy a person can save by not searching for romance all the time. I can now sit back read a book, grow a great big beard, smoke my pipe, wear aviator sunglasses and funny hats. Marriage is pretty good.

I say this in sort of a tongue in cheek way, but I am serious: it is also good to have a solid companion when traveling. Where I falter I can depend on my wife to pick up the pieces and where she stumbles she can depend on me to clear a path.

Where I falter I can depend on my wife to pick up the pieces and where she stumbles she can depend on me to clear a path.

We now have a baby together and we run the website as a family business, so we are now on the same team in more ways than one. I have no complaints, but, then again, my wife also plays the game of travel very well.

My wife, Chaya, was traveling for five years through Africa, Central and South America, India, and Asia before we paired up, so this is nothing new for her. She had her own plot in place as well before we made Petra — and our lifestyles blended in smoothly together. She also has a university degree in international education, TEFL certificates, and has a sleek, clean, USA sitcom sort of look to her, so she is fully prepared for working on the road and finds jobs easily.

Petra in the Dominican Republic

Where are you, Chaya and Petra planning to travel to this year?

We are in the Dominican Republic right now. The plan is to stay here for the next month and then move on to El Salvador via Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala, and then at some point go to Colombia. I really want to go to East Africa. Maybe I will try to pick up some archaeology fieldwork over that way and maybe Chaya will find work teaching. But if we boot the cost for the flights to East Africa this year, we are going to have to do a lot of work at something to make up for it.

Editor’s notes: Follow Wade, Chaya and Petra on Vagabond Journey. You can also follow their journey through Travels with Petra. All photos courtesy of Wade Shepard.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2010. | And Baby Makes Three: An Interview with Wade Shepard | 6 comments |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: family travel, living on the road, parenting, Perpetual Travel, travel with kids, working on the road

If you’ve ever dreamed of quitting your job, selling your stuff and setting off to travel the world, it may be comforting to know that others have treaded that path before you.

Take Nora Dunn, for example. In 2006, she set out to travel the world with her boyfriend, Kelly. Three years later, they’re still travelling, and Nora has just published her first book, while also building a loyal following on her blog, The Professional Hobo. In this interview, Nora talks about what inspired her to set out to travel, some of the downsides of long-term travel, and her new book.

Back in 2006 when you decided to sell your business and belongings and head out travelling, why did you do it?

I was running a successful financial planning practice; I had a great income, and a great lifestyle to go with it. But as I was turning 30, my lifelong dream of long-term travel seemed farther and farther off, reserved for my retirement years. I had tried to satiate the travel bug in previous years with vacations, but I never came away feeling satisfied that I fully (or even partially) understood the destination or its people.

I couldn’t accept that my dream might be on hold for so long until retirement, dependent on me being in good health and other circumstances beyond my control, thirty years off. And so was born the idea to sell the lot, stash away proceeds until I come back (heh heh – if I ever go back), and travel slowly, in a financially sustainable manner. I travel with my boyfriend, with whom the idea was hatched.

In order to travel indefinitely (or in a financially sustainable manner), we work as we go. We each earn a modest income with an Internet connection, which in conjunction with working in trade for our accommodation sets us up nicely for months at a time.

Were there particular people who inspired you to set out and travel indefinitely?

When I set out to travel indefinitely, I thought I was the only person – ever – to think of doing something so wacky. (Although this might be a slight exaggeration, you get the idea).

I believe that almost everybody at one time or another has fantasized about throwing caution to the wind and taking the world by storm.

It was not until I hit the road and started mingling online with other travelers and writers that I met so many people who have inspired me to continue on and grow in my traveling and writing style. The list and scope of my sources of inspiration is too wide to specify anybody in particular. I tend to glean small pearls of wisdom from many people.

Did you expect you’d still be travelling now?

I certainly hoped that I would still be traveling now, but I tried not to set such expectations. I learned pretty early on that things don’t usually go according to the plan, so setting expectations can be an exercise in futility and ultimately disappointment.

Case in point: Having originally been headed for Central and South America, we were taken off-course right off the bat by a family wedding and a chance to travel across Canada by train and live in the mountains for a summer. Then, Hawaii took us by surprise where we accepted an opportunity to live on an ecologically sustainable permaculture property on the edge of paradise. Later an opportunity for a free trip in Australia came our way, which gave us a chance to see some of Southeast Asia enroute. We still haven’t seen Central and South America on this trip, and I certainly won’t stop traveling before that happens! So I would say it is safe to assume that we’ll be traveling for a while yet.

You’ve now co-authored a book, 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget. As part of the promotion for that book, you wrote a great article about travelling full-time for less than $14,000 per year. Judging by the response to that article (123 comments and counting), you really struck a nerve with people with that post. Why do you think people responded so much?

I’m not the only person who has wondered if there is life beyond the rat race. In fact, I believe that almost everybody at one time or another has fantasized about throwing caution to the wind and taking the world by storm. By proposing that full-time travel is within many people’s financial grasp, and then by illustrating practical ways to swing it, a need seems to have been filled.

It is also an answer to the hundreds of emails I get from readers saying “I love what you do! How can I do it myself?” Stay tuned for a full-length book on the topic, by yours truly.

You’ve been in Australia since June 2008. Most travellers rarely spend more than a few weeks in one of their destinations. What do you see as the positives of staying in one place for so long?

As I recently watched my one year anniversary in Australia come and go, I wondered what happened; my stay in Oz was only supposed to be one year long, but instead our visas have been extended and working rights thrown in no less. (Yet another reason we don’t set expectations, as this is a rare opportunity for us “over-30” travelers who don’t easily get working visas abroad). This was a function of the volunteer work we did during and after the 2009 Victorian bush fires: Australia’s worst natural disaster.

It was a serendipitous gesture; being full-time travelers, it pays to slow down (I mean, to a crawl) sometimes. Actively backpacking (and even staying somewhere for a few months at a time) can take a toll; there comes a time when you simply need to stay longer – be it to hunker down and work on a business (as I have been doing) or make money somehow, or simply to set some roots and enjoy the warmth of good people and growing friendships. Being less transient for a while can be both grounding and fulfilling.

Although it was never my intent to stay in Australia so long, I will leave here with a foreign country in my heart, and I can even say I called it home for a while.

I’m sure many people envy you for being able to travel the world at your leisure, without being constrained by the need to return home to work. Are there drawbacks to your lifestyle though? Are there things you miss about the way life used to be before you set out on this journey?

There is certainly some give and take involved in traveling full-time. I’ve had to make compromises to live the life I do; for example, with my roots as an actor/singer/dancer in theatre and film, I really miss performing on stage. Relationships with friends and family back home also change: some people have an easier time adapting to long-distance communication than others.

I think that the daily grind of long-term or full-time travel is a mystery to many people. Some glamourize the idea, visualizing me lounging on beaches: laptop in one hand and frilly umbrella drink in the other, flitting from one touristy adventure to the next. Other people have a more grim idea of what my life looks like; wondering if they could make the same sacrifices in perceived quality of life that they assume I do. Truly though – the reality of long-term and full-time travel fits neither description. (As an answer to this, stay tuned at www.theprofessionalhobo.com for a week-in-the-life series, where full-time and long-term travelers share what a week in their lives on the road really looks like).

As far as things I miss, there are indeed a few: I miss having sushi whenever I want. I miss family game nights. I miss having a wardrobe that goes beyond what fits in my pack. I miss my loft. My boyfriend misses Canadian beer, and most of his rock climbing and mountaineering gear (which we sold).

But even given the drawbacks and sacrifices, I wouldn’t choose to be doing anything else. Every life choice requires some degree of compromise (whether we realize it or not), and I believe these are small prices to pay for the life I lead. I consider myself to be incredibly lucky, every single day.

OK, so you’re on the move soon. Where are you off to next?

I recently co-authored a book called 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget. Canadian distribution is in the works, and as the only Canadian author I’ll be returning home to Canada in August to do a promotional tour of the book (oh yeah – and hug my mum for the first time in 2.5 years!). Enroute I have some business to take care of in New York City. After, I’ll return to our temporary home base in Australia where my boyfriend will be holding down the fort, then possibly head to India after that. I’m not sure yet; the world has a funny habit of showing me the travel opportunities I need, when I need them. My job is simply to keep my eyes open, and continue to see the world – and its people – with inspired wonder and amazement.

© Gretchen Wilson-Kalav for TravelBlogs, 2009. | Living Large on a Small Budget: Interview with Nora Dunn | 17 comments |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: Australia, long-term travel, Perpetual Travel, travel writing

Megan Lewis is on an 8,000 kilometre horse ride from Beijing to London. After the culmination of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she set out on what is to be a four year trek, arriving in London in time for the 2012 Olympics.

The ride is designed to carry a goodwill message from Beijing to London, as well as raise funds for disadvantaged children through the work of Schoolchildren for Children.

Just before she was about to set out on the second stage of her journey, I exchanged emails with Megan about the inspiration behind this trip, and her experiences so far.

You’ve actually already finished the first leg of the trip, which went from the eastern end of the Great Wall to Badaling. That was last October. How was that experience? 
 
It was a fantastic experience in spite of all the inevitable setbacks. The main downside was the terrible road traffic, as Chinese drivers tend to treat all horses like vehicles – the only reason they ever slowed down was to stare at the crazy foreigners, and more often than not they klaxoned to warn us they were coming!   Luckily the horses were absolutely bombproof, but it could be unnerving at times.   On the other hand we saw parts of China we would never have otherwise had a chance to see, and rode through through some lovely rural backwaters beneath the Great Wall, causing a certain amount of consternation among the local populace. We mainly stayed in local hotels and farmhouses, (as well as a fish restaurant and a chicken farm!),  and ate wonderful Chinese food en route, so experienced the real China.  When not overcome with astonishment, the Chinese were very welcoming.

Had you been to China before then? 
 
I spent a month in autumn 2007 and 2 weeks in spring 2008 in Beijing and Gansu researching feasibilty and building up contacts for the ride, as well as a month preparing before we actually started.

Apart from that I have been to Hong Kong a couple of times – once as a child in the 1950s and then in the 1990s when I also spent a few days travelling on the mainland.

Is this trip something you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? 

Megan Lewis.

I have always dreamed of doing a long ride since I was a teenager and read books such as Tschiffeley’s Ride, and Canada Ride by Mary Bosanquet. I also longed to travel in China, Mongolia and Central Asia, areas which were at that time off limits. My horseback trips were thus confined to Wales, and it is only since my children have left home that I have had the opportunity to fulfil this larger ambition.

Through this trip, you’re raising money for Schoolchildren for Children, a charity that encourages young people in the UK to exercise more and also distributes money to schools in poorer countries. Why did you decide to use your trip to support this charity? 

I suppose the main decider was that it was founded by my husand Iestyn Thomas!   However it also means I know it is a charity that is well worth supporting for several reasons.

Firstly ALL the money that is donated goes directly to the specified projects - unlike a majority of charities, NO money is siphoned off for administration, as that is covered by separate sponsorship.

Secondly I know that all the projects we support have been personally vetted, so we are as sure as we can possibly be that  donations are used properly and no funds go astray.  The charity has built up trustworthy contacts on the ground who ensure the money reaches its intended targets, and this is followed up. I personally inspected a selection of schools for migrant children in Beijing before the charity donated to the chosen Dandelion school. They supplied a detailed budget of how the money would be allocated, and this had to be approved by the charity before any money was donated.

Thirdly, the charity really does make a huge difference to the lives of severely disadvantaged children.   I have seen this for myself, not only in China, but also when I visited Schoolchildrenforchildren projects in the poverty stricken slums of Nairobi. 

Have a look at their website for details of projects it supports.
 
It is also a charity which encourages children (and adults) in the developed world to get out and raise money through physical activity,  a very relevant and worthwhile campaign in our over-indulgent modern world.

Since you’re travelling by horse, do you tend to avoid cities and stick with rural areas? 

As far as we can we intend to avoid industrial and built up areas. On the first leg we were travelling through a fairly densely populated part of China, so this was not always possible.  As the maps which the Chinese authorities make available to the public are pretty poor, it was often difficult to find small back roads, and we relied heavily on word of mouth – mainly our guide Mr Ren asking directions from locals!  Further west it should be easier to keep to rural areas.

As you’re about to start this second stage, what are you feeling? Excitement? Any fear? 

My main worries with China have been bureaucracy and budget, the latter because of the need  to have a Chinese guide, and back up vehicle to carry fodder for the horses. As a result of this I have had a quite a few sleepless nights, but recent developments have eased the situation.   The Chinese Equestrian Association have worked hard to get official endorsement, which should smooth out potential bureaucratic problems. Also I have now also joined forces with Li Jing, a dashing Chinese horseman who has just ridden from western Russia to Beijing and can act as a guide. More good news is that we have just been sponsored a trailer by the Chinese, so I now ‘only’ need to finance a towing vehicle.  As a result  I feel much more confident and am eagerly anticipating the start of  the second stage, and looking forward to meeting up again with my other co-rider Peng Wenchao, who is now an old friend!

For those who are interested in supporting or sponsoring you, how do they do that?
 
We are offering commercial sponsorship packages to companies who would like to support the ride in cash or kind. Depending on the level of sponsorship, this includes the unique chance to participate in this groundbreaking venture as well as the usual promotional advantages. . The costs of running an epic expedition on this scale are considerable, and every bit of support really helps. If you would like to get involved, contact me. I am massively grateful to those whose backing  has already enabled the expedition to get off the ground.
 
For charity sponsorship, there is a Justgiving facility. As I have said before, this is an extremely worthwhile cause which really does make an incredible difference to the lives of severely disadvantaged children worldwide.  We have already raised nearly three and a half thousand pounds even before the start of the main ride, and hope to raise a lot more. 

But please don’t feel you have to donate a large amount.   Although larger donations are of course most welcome, the minimum donation is only £2, and every penny counts!
 
We will also occasionally be making one or two places available to join the ride as a paying participant - the money will go towards both covering ride costs and charity donation. Contact me if interested.

Follow Megan on her horse ride on her blog, or learn more about the trip on the website.

© Gretchen Wilson-Kalav for TravelBlogs, 2009. | The Long Horse Ride: Interview with Megan Lewis | 2 comments |
Post categories: Interviews
Post tags: Asia, China, Europe, horse ride, horse travel, London, Megan Lewis, Olympics