“Tall tales and tasty tidbits served with a dash of sarcasm…” is how Raymond Walsh describes his site. The tales may be tall but also true. The tasty tidbits are tantalizing (to say the least) and extremely useful. Having traveled the world over under his previous employment positions, he now travels on top of it for his own satisfaction.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2011. | Man On The Lam | No comment |
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Post tags: Africa, Asia, budget travel, cultural experiences, New Zealand, North America, solo travel, South America

Geri and her husband consider themselves vagabonds who are traveling around the world on a shoestring budget. Oh, let’s not forget – with their three young children right there with them. The website is a mix of home life and travel experiences rolled into one big package with little peanut butter fingerprints all over the outside.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2011. | Snaps & Blabs | One comment |
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Post tags: Asia, budget travel, cultural experiences, family travel, photography, Round the world, saving money, travel with kids

Thom lives by one very simple motto: “Go Play Outside!” and this he does for most of each year. You’ll find him driving the back roads to destinations unknown in search of adventure and inspiration. He continues to find both as he heads down the blacktop to somewhere new. Come along for a ride – the scenery is awesome.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2011. | The Dusty Vagabond | One comment |
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Post tags: budget travel, Canada, Mexico, North America, photography, road trip, solo travel, USA

Their grandfather called them the ‘Gold Dust Twins’ when they were younger. Unclear of the meaning then, Evan and Mike (first cousins, by the way) discovered later on that it meant “two people working together productively”. With that definition in mind, both have quit their jobs and are now curing their wanderlust side by side.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2011. | curing wanderlust… | 3 comments |
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Post tags: Asia, budget travel, cultural experiences, photography

To quote: “Just in case you stumbled here by accident and dont have the first clue what a khaleria is….”, then let me explain. It is one part Sabeena Khan mixed with one part Ryan Galeria. Throw in a couple of backpacks, a camera (or two), give a quick stir and you have a photojournalistic adventure in the making.

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Though some may argue the point, “travel” does not revolve solely around backpacking. On the contrary, and Matt Long has proof. He enjoys hotels, resorts, not making his own bed, lounging by the pool and a few other “cushy” amenities. He also does it on a budget. LandLopers is a great place for “how it’s done” information along with many great stories.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2010. | LandLopers: Experiencing the World On a Budget | One comment |
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Post tags: Africa, Asia, Australia, budget travel, Europe, North America, saving money, South America, tips & tricks

Splash, Photo by JOSE_MARIA

Men went on adventures. Women just kept dreaming about them. Thankfully, the tides have changed…

I’m not quite sure why, but the title of this book has reminded me of “She’s Leaving Home” by The Beatles. Perhaps it struck a chord. Harkening back to my more youthful days when women dreamed about leaving home on some “wild” adventure but settled for the alternative – a domicile existence and the few days on vacation. Packing it all in to follow the dream was something few of us dared to attempt. Men went on adventures. Women just kept dreaming about them. Thankfully, the tides have changed…

Daily, I see questions from women of all ages asking if traveling solo is safe. The uncertainty in their written words is overwhelming at times. They not only feel a bit lost but also stuck in the darkness. Because of this, Stephanie Lee’s e-book is a ray of sunshine, shedding a bright light full of answers down on those planning their “escape”.

Stephanie Lee

About The Author:

(Comment taken from interview with Indie Travel Podcast.)
“I was always an independent person, leaving home at a young age and managing daily life on my own. It was hard to find other similarly motivated friends who had the same travel vision as I did. Also, it was a personal challenge to prove to myself that I could travel as long as I did alone.”

“I was always an independent person, leaving home at a young age and managing daily life on my own.”

The Review:

The Art of Solo Travel: A Girls’ Guide is an excellent short course in solo travel. It does cover information that can be found in most any other travel-related book. That was to be expected. But, few are designed to include information specifically tailored to women and when they do, they tend to skirt certain issues. Stephanie has done just the opposite, which is a breath of fresh air. In her words: “I just felt like sharing all the things I had
learnt, some of which I wish I knew before I started.” Mission accomplished.

Though I do disagree with a recommendation here and there (Google Maps as an example), the amount of information is sound and extensive. From telling family/friends to dealing with your significant other to “packing it all in” and quitting your job – The Art of Solo Travel will guide anyone (even men) in the right direction.

Last, but definitely not least of all… I found the book layout well organized and easy to navigate. The accompanying photographs also compliment the pages rather than act as a distraction. All in all, I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to strike out on their own.

Buy now: The Art of Solo Travel: A Girls’ Guide
Purchase price: $12.95 USD

Editor’s notes: This article contains affiliate links. The e-book was also received compliments of the author and Indie Travel Podcast for review. Audio Interview with Stephanie Lee.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2010. | The Art of Solo Travel: A Girls’ Guide (e-book review) | 2 comments |
Post categories: Book Reviews
Post tags: budget travel, female travellers, long-term travel, Round the world, saving money, solo travel

The Art of Backpacking is the creation of Michael Tieso. His site is a blend of tips/tricks, how to cut costs, find exciting destinations and a whole lot more. Guest entries by like-minded backpackers just adds to the reading experience.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2010. | Art of Backpacking | No comment |
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Charco Verde Lagoon, Photo by Marlis Seelos

EDITOR’S NOTE: On February 1, 2011, “Nomadic Matt’s Secrets to Successful World Travel” e-book was discontinued and no longer available for purchase. It has been replaced with a new release: How to Travel the World on $50 a Day” and can be purchased here.

Every second of every day, one of us makes a decision to spread our proverbial wings and travel. Usually a fair number of questions accompany that decision. Whether one is a seasoned traveler or a first-timer, sorting out the many details can be a daunting task.

Whether one is a seasoned traveler or a first-timer, sorting out the many details can be a daunting task.

Venturing out into unknown territory can throw up several roadblocks when we aren’t sure where to find the information we want and/or need. Enter Nomadic Matt and his latest e-book: Nomadic Matt’s World Travel Tips. Weighing in at 140 pages, it may appear to be a hefty read. In reality, it is well worth the time and the $19.99USD purchase price.

About The Author:

Matt has been on the road for over three years while blogging about his travels for two (and counting). His blog earns enough to keep him in perpetual motion. His first e-book, How to Monetize Your Blog, has also aided in keeping Matt on the move. Now he’s back with his newest release.

The Review:

Nomadic Matt’s World Travel Tips is divided into four chapters: Pre-Trip Planning, On the Road, Coming Home and Frequently Asked Questions. Each section is packed full of useful information and links to important websites. Matt has included commentary on his own travel experiences, which makes this book a very cohesive piece of work. He has addressed issues from packing lists to regional daily costs to banking to airline reservations.

Throw in the unexpected things of motivation, travel behavior and the “readjustment blues” and very few questions will be left unanswered.

Throw in the unexpected things of motivation, travel behavior and the “readjustment blues” and very few questions will be left unanswered. I think I only came up with one though can’t remember it now…

This e-book is designed for everyone – not only the “newbie” stepping out of the front door for the first time. Need a recommendation for a backpack, it’s in there. Looking to volunteer, it’s covered. Regardless of your wants/needs – you’re sure to find what you’re looking for somewhere within it’s depths. Oops, almost forgot to mention – the design work is as awesome as the information.

Buy now: Nomadic Matt’s World Travel Tips
Purchase price: $19.99USD

Editor’s notes: This article contains affiliate links. The e-book was also received compliments of the author for review.

© Gretchen for TravelBlogs, 2010. | Nomadic Matt’s Secrets to Successful World Travel (e-book review) | No comment |
Post categories: Book Reviews
Post tags: budget travel, coming home, Perpetual Travel, saving money, tips and tricks, trip preparation, world travel

Riga at night. Photo by Jon Andrasz.

Dumpster Diving: The act of throwing the body into a dumpster in hopes of finding edible food; picking usable goods out of the trash; a good travel strategy.

I concurrently came upon the art of dumpster diving with the first steps I took off the family farm when I was 18. Before leaving on my first journey, my grandfather took me aside and bestowed some fine words of advice up me:

“If you ever don’t have enough money to get food, find a donut shop, go in back of it, and there you will find more free food than you can eat.”

I then set off with a pack upon my back to see what the USA had in store for me. I found it behind bagel and donut shops, surplus grocery stores, in the rear of pizza restaurants — I found my keep in dumpsters.

I then set off with a pack upon my back to see what the USA had in store for me. I found it behind bagel and donut shops, surplus grocery stores, in the rear of pizza restaurants — I found my keep in dumpsters.

This was a little over ten years ago, but the words of my grandfather I still carry with me: when leery about dropping money on food, I look for dumpsters. This may sound a little gross, a touch disgusting perhaps, but any traveler who has caught a glimpse of his food being prepared in the various restaurants of this planet knows that there is no such thing as a sterile meal.

10 Tips to Get You Started as a Dumpster Diver

The food that goes out the backdoor of a restaurant is often not much dirtier than the food that goes out the front — if you know what to look for.

Though there is a standard operating procedure that I abide by when eating out of the trash.

1. Choose your location wisely. Chinese restaurants are not usually the best places to go eating out of the trash. The same goes for many other restaurants that do not make and discard single varieties of food in bulk — eating half eaten table scraps is not the best occupation for the traveler who wants to travel another day. The best places to dumpster dive at are those that make food in bulk at certain times of the day. Bakeries are good, donut and bagel shops often better. Pizza restaurants can often provide a traveler with a feast, and grocery stores with dumpsters, rather than compactors, provide the rudiments for a full three course meal.

2. Look for food that is boxed, packaged, or in garbage bags that only contain food. Bagel and donut shops often discard their food that did not sell in plastic bags that only contain edible materials — the day old bagels go in one bag, the real trash in another. Pizza restaurants often dispose of their uneaten slices and unclaimed pizzas in regular pizza boxes or in plastic bags that mostly only contain food. Grocery stores tend to distribute good, free food in mass at their back doors. Discarded boxed goods that are beyond their expiration date or whose packaging had been damaged, over ripe – though still edible – fruits and vegetables, and an entire host of snacks and treats often find their way into grocery store dumpsters in enormous quantities. It is interesting what a traveler can find to do with 200 twinkies.

3. Once you have found a suitable location, be as discrete as possible when digging through the trash. I have been arrested for dumpster diving before. In court, the judge just sort of laughed at me and told me to get out. “Why were you in the dumpster?” he asked. “I was looking for food,” could be my only reply. Though that fiasco did begin with me getting the shit kicked out of me by the police and hauled off to a jail cell for the night. So my advice is: get in, fill up, get out.

4. Approach potential dumpster diving locations after working hours or at night. Dumpster divers tend to be a nocturnal breed by nature. Usually, you do not want the business to know that you are taking their discarded food, and the dumpsters are generally filled up with “fresh trash” only after the closed sign is hung on the front door.

5. Put a red filter on your flashlight. A flashlight is often necessary equipment for dumpster diving, but an unfiltered light may attract unwanted attention. Use a red filter lens or cut out a translucent piece of red plastic (like the kind in 3-D glasses) and pop it over the glass on the torch end of your flashlight.

6. Be neat, don’t make a mess, or it will spoil the graft for future travelers. It is not uncommon for donut shops to pour bleach or another harsh solvent over their discard food if they fear that “bums” are going to make a mess out of it.

7. Food to look for when dumpster diving: Bagels, donuts, pizzas, boxed goods, over ripe vegetables that can be washed, canned goods, food in packages.

8. Food to avoid: Table scraps, anything that smells bad, food that is mixed with too much true garbage, food that is not in a container.

9. Good locations for dumpster diving:

1. Bagel or donut shops
2. Pizza shops
3. Supermarkets
4. Factories that either make or package boxed or wrapped food
5. Bottling plants

10. Not good locations for dumpster diving for food:

1. Restaurants – It is oftentimes just not worth it. Believe me.
2. Trash cans – In most circumstances, I try to avoid trashcans full of table scraps.
3. In home garages – Stay away from table scraps. Well, unless an old half eaten chicken wing sounds appetizing to you.

Dumpster diving around the world

I have found the industrialized countries more game for dumpster diving. The obvious reason being is that more edible food is discard in these countries. The USA is the best country I have found for pigging out in dumpsters, followed by the “suburbanized” areas of European cities. But dumpster diving can be done readily in some form in nearly every country within the first world fringe: Japan is good if you know where to look, Eastern Europe is decent as well. But dumpster diving in poorer countries is often too much of a competitive sport to recommend indulging in, and the fact that you can get an entire meal for under $2 in most countries in the world often makes digging food from the trash a mute point of sorts.

More than anything else, dumpster diving can be fun. It simply feels good to have to do a little work for your daily bread when on the road, and always being on the lookout for a potential free meal keeps your wits toned and your senses sharp. Dumpster diving is also a prime occupation for those calculating their carbon footprints:

By not consuming the excess, you are contributing to the waste.

Dumpster dive as a travel strategy for free food.

© Gretchen Wilson-Kalav for TravelBlogs, 2010. | Dumpster Diving: A Travel Strategy for Free Food | 24 comments |
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Post tags: budget travel, Dumpster Diving