All Photos by Trey Ratcliff

Over the last two years Craig Martin has spent countless hours on European trains: he knows his way around. If you’re exploring a sizable chunk of Europe, then a Eurail pass can help ease your organisational hassles and save you a bit of cash.

In this podcast Craig outlines ten tips for Eurail journeys encompassing choosing and buying a pass (visit: railpass.com), plus utilizing it and being aware of discounts and extra charges.

Click below to play.

As you listen, read up on Craig’s companion guide to the 10 European Cities to Stretch Your Dollar this Summer.

Enjoy more travel photography episodes and other podcasts by checking out the traveler’s notebook on iTunes.

But wait; let’s make that $600 count with trips and/or purchases that we’ll have for years or remember forever.

Below are the coolest things we could possibly think of with a $600 price tag.

1. Fly to NYC for the weekend in July!

Flight into JFK: $319 (From SFO, on Virgin America via Kayak.com as of 7/1/08). Don’t waste $80/night on a hotel– couchsurf or stay with friends.

Spending Cash: $245

2. Get a D-SLR Camera

Canon EOS Digital Rebel:

The EOS Digital Rebel XT camera takes its place alongside the original 6.3-megapixel EOS Digital Rebel camera that first placed an affordable, high-resolution digital SLR into the hands of Canon consumers.

The EOS Digital Rebel XT model is offered in two kit configurations: with Canon’s high-quality EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-f5.6 zoom lens (in matte black and in brushed silver) and as a body only.

$449.95 BUY

The Zoom pack includes a case for your new D-SLR, two extra batteries and all the cleaning accessories you need to take care of your baby.

Cannon Zoom Pack: $45

3. Weekend in Playa del Carmen (Couples)

Flight to Cancun: $319 per person (from JFK, on JetBlue as of 7/1/08)

Hotel: Shangri-la al Caribe (3 nights for about $600 for a private palapa on the beach, including dinner and breakfast) Check www.shangrilacaribe.net/.

4. Party People Start Planning: You’re Going to Burning Man 2008!

Photo by Lucia Stewart

The dates are from Monday, August 25th - Monday, September 1.Tickets are $295. That leaves you $305 for gas to get to Black Rock City, UT and supplies.

To survive, participate, and generally have a blast at Burning Man 2008, check out our guide, here.

5. Guided Fly Fishing Trip in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Epic snowpack has kept rivers juiced all spring and summer. Now water levels are settling into optimal conditions for fishing. If you haven’t been to Jackson yet, now is a great time to go.

Check: http://reeldealanglers.com/

6. Marin Alpine 29er Hardtail Trail Bike

This is a pretty badass mountain bike for under $600. Rock Shox Dart 3 suspension fork, with preload, rebound and turnkey lockout gives you 100mm of travel to meet the demands of your ride. 6061 aluminum frame features organically shaped, custom butted E3 tubesets to provide maximum rigidity while maintaining lightweight responsiveness.

$533 BUY

7. Amazon Kindle

The new Amazon Kindle is the iPod of books. Thanks to electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology, reading Kindle’s screen is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen. Kindle is also easy on the fingertips.

It never becomes hot and is designed for ambidextrous use so both “lefties” and “righties” can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time.

Kindle’s paperback size and expandable memory let you travel light with your library. With the freedom to download what you want, when you want, this is a pretty powerful travel companion.

$399 BUY

8. Arc’teryx Beta AR Jacket - Men’s

Arc’teryx created the Men’s Beta AR Jacket for mountaineers, skiers, and adventurers who want the performance of Gore-Tex Pro and top-notch durability without a laundry list of unneeded features. I own this jacket and I can tell you it’s the single best piece of outdoor clothing I have. From islands to rivers to alpine environments, it will keep you and anything attached to you bone dry, yet it’s super lightweight and durable.

$399 BUY

9. Canon Vixia HF100 Digital Camcorder

With the super-lightweight and compact Canon VIXIA HF100, you can have AVCHD (Advanced Video Codec High Definition) format recording with the ease and numerous benefits of Flash Memory.

The VIXIA HF100 Canon has exclusive features such as a 3.3 Megapixel Full HD CMOS sensor and advanced DIGIC DV II Image Processor, SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization, Instant Auto Focus, our 2.7-inch Widescreen Multi-Angle Vivid LCD and the Genuine Canon 12x HD video zoom lens plus you have a Flash Memory camcorder that’s hard to beat.

$689 BUY

10. Volunteer Abroad!

Finally, consider using your stimulus package to help you get to another country where you can volunteer at one of the dozens of programs you’ll find here at Matador.

Many of these programs will help you travel for free (i.e. pay for food, lodging, and local transport) once you arrive. Check our guide to traveling for free through several outstanding volunteer programs.

Photo by guldfisken

Even though I complain about flight delays and outdated guidebooks, I feel that travel is too easy in our time. It used to be much harder, and I am fascinated by old stories of travelers and explorers.

Every book here was written over one hundred years ago. For travelers looking for inspiration, the following stories are a glimpse into experiences that changed history.

10. Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia Petraea, and the Holy Land by John Lloyd Stephens (1837)

Stephens recounts a journey through the Middle East – including Petra, the pyramids, and Jerusalem. This is the first of many well-received travel books written by Stephens. It provides everything armchair travel should – humor, candor, and adventure. His writing paints a brilliant portrait of the lives of the Arabs he encountered.

9. Travels in the Interior of Africa by Mungo Park (1799)

When he was 24 years old, Park decided to trace the Niger river. He spent 18 months in the interior – losing nearly all his supplies along the way (but keeping his notes in his hat). Emerging after believed to be dead, his story created huge headlines and fanfare.

This book is a fantastic account of one of the early African explorations.

8. Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum (1900)

In his 50s, Slocum spent three years sailing around the world – encountering storms, pirates, and incredible loneliness along the way. He was the first person to do it alone. The book he later published has become a sailing classic.

7. The Travels of Ibn Battuta (around 1355)

A Moroccan Berber, often summarized as the Arabic Marco Polo, Battuta’s account covers 30 years of travels through Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. He was on the move for half his life, with all the ups and downs that accompany that kind of existence. This book also reminds us that not all explorers were European.

Photo by linnybinnypix

6. Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons by John Wesley Powell (1874)

With raw dedication, Powell led the first descent of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. It was a dangerous journey into a sublime landscape.

His expedition encountered numerous difficulties that led some of his men to abandon the party.

Those that left were killed by Native Americans. Those that stayed continued through and survived. Read it here.

5. Farthest North by Dr. Fridtjof Nansen (1897)

In 1893, Nansen set sail with the goal of getting his ship frozen in ice.

He planned to drift with the ice and allow it to carry him to the North Pole. After being trapped in the ice for a year, he set out on foot and went far enough north to set a new record.

Continuing on foot, he returned to civilization in 1896. The ship’s crew, having freed themselves from the ice, returned shortly after Nansen.

4. Two Years Before The Mast - Richard Henry Dana, Jr. (1840)

Leaving Harvard in his junior year, Dana signed up as a common seaman on a merchant ship - setting the standard for the young person throwing off society’s expectations and seeking adventure. He learned the ways of the sea as the ship left Boston, rounded Cape Horn, and sailed to California.

After returning, Dana wrote this book - the best account of life at sea in this time period.

3. The Travels of Marco Polo(1299)

One of the earliest travel narratives available to modern readers, this is the story of a Venetian merchant who traveled through Asia.

With a curious magical realism, Polo describes India, China, Tibet, Persia, and other lands that he traveled through. His travels would later guide and inspire other explorers, including Christopher Columbus. Polo is the great grandfather of modern adventure literature.

2. The Journals of Lewis & Clark (1814)

Lewis and Clark are the most famous American explorers.

When they traveled the breadth of America, they wrote it all down for us. The mountains, the rivers, the wildlife, the Native Americans, and everything else they saw.

This is the kind of story that makes modern travelers think they were born in the wrong time.

1. Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al Madinah and Mecca by Sir Richard F Burton(1855)

Legendary in his own time, this British secret agent was the first European to travel into the forbidden cities of Mecca and Medina. He was also the first European to lead an expedition seeking the source of the Nile, and the man who brought the Kama Sutra and the Arabian Nights to the West.

Burton spoke 29 languages and dialects and often passed himself off as an Afghan or a wandering Arab holy man. He wrote around 50 books about his travels and experiences. Read as many of them as you can.

Photo by Ryan Libre.

Enjoy more travel photography episodes and other podcasts by checking out the traveler’s notebook on iTunes.

Photo by Mike Jones

Depending on what you’re looking for in a job, Asia boasts some of the best opportunities there are. Buckle down and haul in some serious cash or find that perfect beachside town and make enough to get by.

Factor in the fantastic sights, foods, people and cultures that the continent is known for and whatever your reason for seeking work in Asia may be, you’ll soon find yourself leading the good life.

1. Jobs in Japan

– http://www.jobsinjapan.com

Billing itself as “the mother lode of Japan job info”, this busy site focuses on everything from ESL jobs to modelling and IT work.

Classified ads in which employable candidates can show off their qualities can be placed free of charge, providing they stick to the following guidelines: http://www.jobsinjapan.com/site/guidelines.html.

2. Gaijin Pot

– http://www.gaijinpot.com

The godfather of online job listings in Japan, Gaijin Pot not only offers a huge database of jobs but also provides job seekers the opportunity to place their resume online for potential employers to browse.

A daily job listing is emailed to registered user’s inboxes and the site is a very popular resource for employers and employees alike.

3. Korea Job Link

– http://www.koreajoblink.com

Though it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing site on the Internet, Korea Job Link lists jobs in numerous categories and does a good job of passing on up to date specifics on jobs offered.

There’s an advice and resources section for information on living and working in Korea, as well as message boards and a handy on site currency converter for figuring out what those wages really amount to.

4. Naukri

– http://www.naukri.com

Naukri is an excellent place to benefit from India’s title as the world’s fastest growing economy.

More than 20,000 recruiters access the database, and matches to your employment specifications can be regularly sent to your inbox. Jobs are also listed by location, so if you want to focus your search on one particular Indian city, it’s no problem.

Photo by Mike Jones

5. Job Maldives

– http://www.job-maldives.com

Looking for something different? How about a job in the Maldives?

This little site keeps ongoing, regularly updated listings of jobs, complete with job descriptions and tips for finding work in the truly idyllic paradise that is the Maldives.

6. Hong Kong Recruit

– http://hongkong.recruit.net

With 139,841 Hong Kong jobs posted from across the Internet into one easy to use and handy place, typing your career choice into the site’s search engine will yield a wealth of immediate results. Search jobs posted within the past 24 hours or jobs as old as 15 days.

7. Pacific Bridge

– http://www.pacificbridge.com

Whether you’re undecided about where exactly in Asia you want to work or you simply want to find the best paying job in your field, Pacific Bridge has got the continent covered.

Browse their lengthy list of jobs, read the monthly newsletter on job happenings across Asia, bone up on resume tips and find the answers to your questions in their FAQ’s.

8. Ajarn

– http://www.ajarn.com

Ajarn helps make a job search in Thailand that much easier with their practical and simple site. Post your resume and view the latest jobs.

Got a question regarding working in Thailand or obtaining a visa? The Visa Guru page will set you straight. If that’s not enough information for you, read the visa and work permit FAQ’s. It’s all here.

9. Malaysia Job Street

– http://my.jobstreet.com

Malaysia’s job street offers a search engine capable of narrowing down searches to specialization and location among 16,000 offered forms of employment.

Links to a list of major employers like petroleum juggernaut Petronas are only a click away, as are a list of updated work related programmes and courses. Submit your resume and join the Malaysian work force!

10. Singapore Jobs Online

– http://www.singaporejobsonline.com

This site maintains a strong focus on careers in at least twenty categories in Singapore. Aside from current reports on the job scene, the provided links to thirty different sites on life in Singapore can really help get you familiar with the city. Tips and help, including a cover letter template complete the package.

Wherever your career takes you, remember to learn and respect local customs. It’s also a great idea to make the effort to study your adopted homeland’s language or at least gain a basic working knowledge of several key words and phrases.

Lastly, work hard but don’t forget to get out once and a while and mingle with the greatest benefit of working abroad, the people.

Community Connection

Check out Matador’s destination page ASIA for hundreds of direct contacts to travelers, locals, organizations, blogs, and more, covering life, place, and travels on the continent.

Photo by Matthew Kepnes

Ever since Ford first rolled out the Model T, America has had a love affair with the automobile.

The country grew up around cars. They allowed us to travel the vast distance of America, move quicker, and further our sense of freedom and adventure.

With the rise of the automobile, the great American adventure was born - The Road Trip. Be it two days, two months, or two years, all Americans have done a road trip.

This article will explain why a road trip is still the best way to tour America and include some tips for novice travelers and highway veterans alike.

1. America is not “travel” friendly

America is large and its size makes can make it hard to get around. The bus and train systems aren’t as extensive as in other parts of the world.

Want to see the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone National Park? No buses or trains go there. You will get dropped off in cities at least an hour away.

Along the coasts, where many of the major cities are, it’s much easier to navigate, but if you decide to cross the United States to see much of its parks and the vast middle, you need to rent a car.

Without a car, there is no door to door service to the small areas that hold America’s culture.
The beauty of the car is that you can stop and go wherever you like.

Greyhound buses won’t give you any flexibility to meander in that little town or go stop and see the world’s biggest ant farm or elastic ball.

Photo by Matthew Kepnes

2. Stop and take in the culture!

Because of its size and history, each part of America seems, in many ways, like its own little country. Make sure you travel to a variety of areas to get a real feel for cultural diversity.

Americans aren’t the generic stereotype the world media perpetuates.

Travel to New England and get a glimpse at the Yankee frugality and small town charm, travel to the South for southern comfort food, country living, and a slower pace. Travel out west for the cowboy spirit or go to the Pacific Northwest for a laid-back approach to life.

Wherever you go, you will find something different, and lingering in those little sleepy towns is only really possible by going overland from one end to the other. A bus can take you some places but a car will take you almost anywhere.

3. Hostels are rare.

There’s usually a hostel around National Parks and in major cities, but for the most part hostels are hard to find. Don’t always count on finding a hostel. Washington D.C., for instance, only has two hostels!

America is a more hotel oriented country. However, there are camp sites and rest stops if you don’t mind roughing it!

A good option to look into is Couchsurfing, a community of people who let you stay with them for free. Or, do a geographic search of travelers and locals where you are going and connect with them through matador.

Photo by Matthew Kepnes

4. You will eat fast food.

I know, I know- fast food is junk food. Normally, I would never recommend fast food to anyone, but traveling on a budget in the States is tough and food can eat up a lot of cash if you’re not careful.

On the road, you don’t have a lot of options with food. Maybe Jim’s Diner or Paul’s Sandwich stop isn’t that good. I mean how long has that salad been sitting there?!

American highways are really only lined with junk, and at least you know what to expect from McDonalds or KFC. (Though, Carl’s Jr. is REALLY good, as is In N Out.)

However, don’t always eat fast food to save a buck! Splurge once in awhile to taste the local flavor- the Cajun gumbo in New Orleans, southern fried chicken in Georgia, lobster in Maine, or a hearty steak dinner in Iowa!

Food is an essential part of any culture and while McDonald’s can help you out during your ten hour drive across South Dakota, once in town, grab something unique.

[Editor’s note: A camp stove and groceries–ideally purchased at a local market–work pretty well too.]

Photo by Matthew Kepnes

5. Leave the interstates for the smaller roads.

America is such a diverse place that getting lost in it, like getting lost anywhere, can yield exciting results.

Stay in an old western farm town in Wyoming, drive an extra 50 miles to see the Hopi Indians in New Mexico or stop in a quiet Vermont town and taste some maple syrup.

Every exit off the highway opens up a new possibility to explore a tiny American sub-culture you’ll never find in a big city.

Taking the long way to Arizona, I encountered old deserted oil towns and western towns in the hills that I would have never seen if I had stayed on the interstate.

In South Dakota, I came across an amazing little diner and, in Louisiana, nice little pub.

So go and explore off the highway and see the real America!

6. It’s all about oil.

If you’re driving, learn to scout out the cheapest gas. Gas prices vary greatly across the country. They can be as high as $4.50 in California or as low as $3.20 in Oklahoma.

In general, the coasts, major cities, and the north have higher gas prices. If sky high gas prices don’t exactly fit your budget, try visiting more places in the south, southwest, and western mountain states. Things may be further apart but at least the gas is cheaper!

A good alternative is to mix it up. Use buses and trains along the coasts where stops are more frequent, and rental cars in the middle. That way you can still see those little sleepy towns without giving Exxon Mobil all of your money.

A second alternative is to go in with your friends on a veggie-oil powered rig.

Community Connection!

Here are a couple of road trips recommended by locals at matador. We ran these as a series last year, here at the Traveler’s Notebook, calling them “Green” road trips for their “maximum activity options with a minimum amount of driving.”

Vermont

Nova Scotia

What are your best road trips?

Photo by Rhys Stacker

Motorbikes and freedom are synonymous. In films like Easy Rider and The Motorcycle Diaries, they’re not just two wheels taking the characters from point A to B, but vehicles propelling them on a journey of self-discovery.

Which is why they make such an attractive option for travelers. After all, independence, getting off the beaten track and self-discovery are much of why we’re traveling in the first place.

Motorbikes give you access to places that may not be on bus routes. They allow you to sidestep the chore of negotiating with tuk tuk drivers for every little trip.

You can take them far away from the usual tourist bus routes and therefore far away from the tourists. Best of all, there’s nothing quite like blatting down a deserted road with the wind in your hair.

Obtaining a bike

For most travelers, renting is the easiest option. Depending on the country it could be as simple as showing your passport details and handing over a fistful of US dollars (Vietnam or Cambodia) or a more thorough process of proving you have both an international drivers license and, in the case of a proper motorbike, the relevant license from back home for the class of bike you’re renting.

In most cases renting a clutchless scooter will only require a regular car license. Check over the bike thoroughly and record, in writing, any damage already on the bike.

Photo by Rhys Stacker

At the controls

Never ridden a motorbike before? If you can ride a bicycle you can probably handle a scooter. These 50cc or 100cc machines are light, relatively low powered, stable and easy to learn on. Automatic models are the simplest as you only need twist the throttle and go.

If you’re learning, avoid the big cities and instead try the smaller towns in rural and coastal areas as there’ll be less traffic to worry about.

For first-timers interested in riding a traditional motorcycle, a pre-trip motorcycle safety course is a wise investment. In the US, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation offers intensive courses that take you from never having ridden a bike to mastering the maneuvers you need for passing the state license test, and beyond.

Rules of the road

You’ll probably be familiar with the rules of most Western countries (apart from perhaps getting used to driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road) but its the developing world that can be tricky.

In brief: small gives way to big. On the pecking order motorbikes are just above bicycles and pedestrians but below cars, trucks and buses.

Anticipation is also essential. In many places (yes I’m looking at you, Indonesia) you may have to give way to traffic pulling off on a side road. Don’t be afraid to use your horn.

Rather than an act of aggression, its seen as a friendly warning in Asia. It feels a bit weird at first, but it soon becomes reflexive.

Photo by Rhys Stacker

Safety first

Just because you’re away from home it doesn’t mean the rules of physics, fate or just plain bad luck don’t apply. Riding a motorbike can be dangerous. But it’s also a lot of fun.

To ensure it’s the latter take it slow, anticipate the traffic and always wear a helmet. If you are going to be doing lots of highway riding then consider bringing your own helmet from home.

If you’re riding long distances in the tropics it may be too hot to wear full leathers, but consider wearing some sort of body armour.

When things go wrong

Flat tires were the most common problem I encountered in four months of riding in Asia, but that was mostly my fault for going off road on a 100cc scooter. It was simple enough to get it fixed by a roadside mechanic.

Anything more serious enters a bit of a grey area. If you’ve rented the bike, you shouldn’t have to pay for major mechanical repairs, but if you get stuck in the middle of nowhere it may be better to pay a local mechanic to get you going again rather than leave the bike.

The best advice is to have the contact details of the bike owner handy and agree in advance what to do if the bike breaks down.

Hitting the open road

An extended motorbike tour is the ultimate if you really want to escape the crowds.

An extended motorbike tour is the ultimate if you really want to escape the crowds. Renting a bike is still the easiest solution for short to medium term tours and with a reputable hire shop you’ll benefit from their experience and recommended routes.

Weight is the biggest enemy of the touring motorcyclist but in many countries with an established bike culture, such as Italy or Thailand (or even Laos), both accommodation and repair shops are available on the main touring routes.

It’s only if you’re getting off the beaten track that you’ll need to pack a tent, spare tubes, tires, spare parts and more. And if you’re not confident enough to go it alone, there are plenty of options to take a guided tour or even ride pillion.

The Easy Rider motorbike guides in Vietnam’s central highlands are one of the best, taking travelers on multi-day trips north from Dalat along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Great motorbike touring routes in Asia

Koh Lanta, Thailand

Who said motorcycle touring has to be a hardcore, pan-American Highway deal? Short can be sometimes sweet and riding the length of Koh Lanta’s western coastline is certainly great fun.

The newly cemented road is wide and relatively free of traffic. From the port town of Saladan in the north the road takes you past the white sand beaches and then into swooping turns up and down the forested cliffs that cover the southern part of the island.

The only difficult part if deciding which beach bar to stop at for lunch and fruit smoothies.

Photo by Rhys Stacker

Hoi An to Hue, Vietnam

Separating these two historic, picturesque Vietnamese towns is the legendary Hai Van Pass, a steep, forested mountain range that, geographically, divides tropical southern Vietnam from the slightly cooler north.

At just 120 kms its an easy day’s ride. Be sure to stop in at the Marble Mountains south of Da Nang (you can’t miss them) to check out the temple caves and the panoramic view of the area. Da Nang itself isn’t the most picturesque city so keep moving until you reach the beginning of the Hai Van Pass.

The recent construction of of the Hai Van Tunnel through the mountain means the mountain road is mostly free from trucks and buses, leaving you to enjoy the scenery and the sweeping turns on the downhill run into Lang Co.

While not essential, the bike will be handy for sightseeing in Hue as the city is quite spread out on both sides of the Perfume River.

Community Connection

Various members of the Matador community travel by motorcycle. Check out Salcar’s blog about a Che Guevara-inspired tour of Latin America combining motorcycle access to super remote areas with a broad investigation of healthcare (or lack thereof) available to local peoples.

One of the best resources for those interested in touring is the forum at advrider.

Finally please stay tuned to MatadorTrips.com for an upcoming offering of the best motorcycle tours through Asia.

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Photo by Erin Granat

If you’re like me, you think there is no better job in the world than getting paid to travel. If you’re also as outgoing and over the top as I am (foreign friends have referred to me as “The American Show Pony”), you also think the best best best job in the world is being a travel show host.

We’ve all watched the Travel Channel or Globe Trekkers and thought, shoot, I could do that. Stand in front of the camera and go to the world’s most exotic and exciting places and basically get paid to have fun. Yeah, no sweat.

Problem is, our dream is shared by…well, everyone. I recently sent in my stuff to host a travel series put on by Student Traveler magazine and was told my resume was one of no less than 2,000 submitted. Ouch. The competition is undoubtedly fierce.

Q: So what’s an aspiring Samantha Brown to do?

A: Start your own show about your own town.

A Brief history of ERIN 411!

After graduating with a degree in journalism, I realized that if I wanted to make my travel host dream a reality, I’d first need to log some serious hours in front of the camera to see 1: if I was any good, and 2: if being an on-camera host was something I’d still want to do beyond the fantasy glamor of it all.

Photo by Erin Granat

I chose to go the internet video blog route for a few reasons. In my opinion, video blogging is more innovative and fresh than buying time on the local access channel.

Also, coincidentally, I had an interview to blog for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) website, a sort of tourism bureau for our area.

In my interview, I managed to convince the forward-thinking internet marketing manager to let me do a video blog rather than a traditional written blog, and even to find me a bit of money to pay a video production team so it wasn’t just me and my shaky digital camera.

Thus, ERIN 411! was born, a video blog about the hottest events and coolest nightspots in Reno-Tahoe, my hometown.

The first episode I shot, with the help of talented local filmmaker Timothy Gaer, was at the Reno Rodeo, a big event here in Northern Nevada. The episode wasn’t exactly as adventuresome as, say, exploring the markets of Mumbai, but it was conveying the vibe of a destination all the same. Which is what travel hosting is all about.

It was also good timing. We’ve been having a sort of “Reno Renaissance” the last few years, with dozens of cool new restaurants, lounges, and shops opening downtown, as well as many new construction projects. We’ve been getting awesome concerts and building a reputation as a center for the arts.

There has also been an influx of young professionals moving to the area, all meaning that I started ERIN 411! at a time when there was an audience and there was local support.

The RSCVA wanted to keep marketing to the younger local and visitor alike, and so I was signed on for a full season of the show. My little vBlog project is currently seven episodes in, is featured on several Reno-Tahoe websites, has been mentioned on national travel websites, and has its own kick-ass intro with amazing graphics (courtesy of Orangetree Productions).

I’m currently planning episodes for season two, with subjects ranging from our women’s roller derby league to following the progress of favorite local bands.

Photo by Erin Granat

During this foray into being a vBlog host, I’ve learned several lessons. Here are three of the most important things you might want to consider:

1. Do you truly want to be on camera?

First and foremost, I’ve learned that thinking I’d be good on-camera is really different than actually being on-camera. I had done some commercial and film work prior to hosting my show, but the first time I saw myself on screen interviewing and improvising, I just about died (Whoa nervous eyes! Whoa camera adding the infamous ten pounds!).

The reason travel hosts like Brown and Bourdain are so good is because they seem perfectly natural in front of the camera. But then the reason so many of us think we too could be travel hosts is because they make it look so easy.

The irony is that it takes a lot of practice and training to seem off the cuff and unrehearsed.

My advice? If you’re interested in starting your own vBlog or pursuing hosting gigs, take a class or hire someone to work with you first and foremost to see if you’ve even got natural ability.

But if you can’t afford to hire someone to work with you (which I couldn’t) or don’t have any classes in your area (which I didn’t), you can still learn some basic on-camera skills on your own. Here are a few tricks:

Spend a lot of time in front of the mirror. We all have facial ticks and hand gesturing habits that we aren’t even aware of. And when you get nervous (like when someone points a camera in your face), these gestures tend to become more pronounced.

Get used to what you look like to other people. Start recording yourself doing practice intros and have friends stand in as interview subjects. Rewind the film and do it over and over until you see yourself improving. You’ll only need to do this a few times, becoming more aware of yourself, before you notice the difference.

Like everything else, practice makes perfect. Also, a hit of vodka before showing up at the set works every time, at least for me.

Photo by Erin Granat

2. Expect to work your ass off.

I’ve also learned a whole heap not just about being on-camera, but also about producing, writing scripts, coordinating locations, getting access and legal rights, and promoting promoting promoting. I basically do everything but hold the camera and edit.

And if you’re going to start a vBlog from scratch, you’ll probably encounter the same challenges unless you have a team of people willing to work with you. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have production companies help me for a fraction of what they would normally charge, because holding that camera and logging those hours of editing would have been what kept me from my goal.

So I would say when it comes to vBlogging, expect to do all the work. But don’t be afraid to ask production professionals for help. If they’re like the people I’ve worked with, they will be stoked by your enthusiasm and dedication.

3. Embrace shameless self-promotion.

If you want to start your own vBlog, you’re going to have to become a shameless self-promoter.

Yet this is also the beauty of hosting a vBlog over hosting a television show; we live in an era of marketing with the click of a mouse. It’s really very easy to get links of your show out there in forums and on blogs. I’ve put ERIN 411! on MySpace, YouTube, and even made business cards with my face plastered on it.

It’s a bit awkward at first, but if you want to get into the industry, eventually you’re going to have to get comfortable talking about yourself and your projects.

Conclusion?

So did I discover the answers to my original questions? Sure did.

1.) Yeah, I am pretty good on-camera. I have a knack for coming up with quirky comments and interview questions on the spot and I seem more natural and personable every time we do a shoot.

2.) And the zinger: I’ve learned hosting (and producing, writing, promoting…) is about 95% hard work and about 5% glamour and fun. But that 5% is absolutely worth it. I’ve become completely hooked on the challenge of communicating through the camera what it’s like to experience a destination or event.

I’m going to keep on doing ERIN 411! as long as they will let me, and hopefully someday soon all that experience and (shameless self-promoting, of course) will pay off and you’ll see me on the Travel Channel, taking you through the museums of Europe.

In the meantime, you can reach me at watch_erin411@yahoo.com if you have any questions about starting a vBlog of your own. I’d love to help and tell you more about what I’ve learned!

Community Connection

You can watch episodes of ERIN 411! at: blog.visitrenotahoe.com or myspace.com/watch_erin_411 .

Brazilian boys dancing Capoeira in Norway. Photo: Children At Risk Foundation – CARF. Great podcasts opens windows to people’s lives through audio. What if you could hear these children’s voices, the music they are dancing to?

Successful podcasts are personal, entertaining, informative and engaging. Are yours? Here are some things to think about:

Overall Tone

A personal, and sometimes informal tone differentiates most podcasts from commercial radio. As with any publication, it’s important to know your audience, and some of the most commonly-heard pieces of feedback Linda and I receive on the Indie Travel Podcast is that people appreciate our laid-back, informal style.

Music

Many podcasters use music to good effect. It adds lift and energy to your show. However it can be a annoyance if it’s too loud in comparison with your speech: make sure you balance it well.

Too much or poorly mixed music (common mistake: the music is mixed too loudly) can be a serious deterrent to people listening to your show: people are more likely to skip the track rather than fast-forward through it. When using music during the show think about how it helps you communicate: linking, expanding, adding emotional value.

Theme

Creating a theme for your show gives a professional touch and a familiar point of entry for listeners. This can either be taken from an existing song or, like the Amateur Traveler, custom made.

A common added-value touch is introducing your audience to a new song or new band each episode. A popular marketplace for this is the Podshow Podsafe music network where, after registering your feed and details, you can listen to and download music with creative commons copyright licenses.

Stock sound effects are available for download and use from numerous websites. When choosing them you may have to pay a download fee, but ensure that the sound is “royalty free”. This means you don’t need to pay each time you use it.

When adding music to your show, think about the extra time it will take to produce the show and always respect copyright.

Matador Podcasts: A style guide

The following style guide is aimed as a help for producing podcasts for the Matador Travel network. These are just the basics, however. Many points are worth considering when creating podcasts for other markets.

1. Length

Matador podcasts should be between two to five minutes in length. If you feel you need more time to treat a subject, please check with your editor beforehand.

2. Intros and Outros

Thanks to syndication technologies, media portals and content theft you never know where your podcast is going to end up. Because of this we recommend beginning and ending each episode with your name, the episode title and a mention of the website you’re producing for.

An example introduction:

“Hello and welcome to my third travel photography podcast here on the traveler’s notebook. I’m Ryan Libre.”

An example outro:

“This has been Craig Martin with how to drink wine like a pro for the Traveler’s Notebook dot com.”

2. Informative

Whether you are creating an audio tour, a profile or a how-to, the Matador network aims to connect listeners to people, places, organizations, information, and opportunities that will affect positive change around the world. Make sure your podcast invites the listener to explore new places or communities and gives him or her the resources to do so.

3. Green

Matador is dedicated to promoting and protecting local communities and to drawing attention to issues threatening the health of their watersheds, ecosystems, and overall sustainability. Whenever appropriate, please give green and/or local options for transport, lodging, restaurants, activities, etc., and, if possible, celebrate positive changes taking place in the areas your are covering. Help us protect and preserve the places we visit.

4. Personal

Above all, Matador is a community of travelers. Make sure you engage with us! Ryan Libre does a great job of this in his photography series by making us jealous of where he is whilst giving some background on the places he’s recording from.

5. ID3 Tags

As a minimum requirement, please fill in the following fields:

Name: The track title
Artist: Your name
Year: Year of production
Album: Name of the site you’re producing for. E.g. The Traveler’s Notebook
Comments: Notes on the show. At least:

Produced by [your name] for [site URL].

Genre: “Podcast”
Artwork: Save the icon below and use it as your art (400×400px please):

This is part three in a series on beginning travel podcasting. Part one deals with hardware and software options, whilst part two gives tips for improving the quality of your recording.

To hear some of Matador’s Podcasting talent, check out the Traveler’s Notebook podcast archive. Got something to add? Check out the submission guidelines then get in touch.

Photo by Mark Shea

Being paid to travel the world with your camera, filming exotic locales and meeting interesting people sounds great. But what is the reality of travel film making?

We talk to Mark Shea of overlander.tv, one of the new breed of filmmakers exploring the internet as a medium for displaying work.

Can you tell us about your own videos Mark, what you like making?

I’ve always enjoyed documentaries, real life, knowing how things work.

I was sick of seeing celebrity driven travel programs that were nothing more than ads for the hotels etc featured in them. I wanted to get under the surface of a location, so I devised the ‘Meet a Local’ concept, whereby I interview a local person.

I think the media portray certain regions of the world with unfortunate stereotypes. “Poor, war-torn” Africa. The Middle East, “full of terrorists.” What I want to do with my ‘Meet a Local’ concept is show viewers the wonderful diversity of the world’s cultures, but also how we are all still the same, and travelers can find hospitality anywhere.

You call your style ‘backpack filmmaking’, a one-man crew who does it all. How do you go about finding your stories?

I arrive in a location, and usually set myself a challenge of finding a story within 3-4 days. Sometimes I might have a theme related to the location, but other times I have no idea what I am going to do a story about. I really love this aspect of my work, leaving it up to chance, just seeing what eventuates.

But your work is based so much on meeting locals, how do you go about meeting people in locations where you don’t know anybody?

I get out there, in the bars and on the streets. I talk to as many people as I can, trying to get a feel for what story would best represent the location I am in. I also use the internet, sites like couchsurfing.com and hospitalityclub that encourage friendships between locals and visitors.

This is particularly handy in countries where I don’t have a good grasp on the local language. Because people on these sites list the languages they speak, so I can seek out bi-lingual locals, to help me in my search for great stories.

Photo by Mark Shea

Your concept is quite unique. Do you think there are opportunities for wannabe travel filmmakers to do their own shows?

There is probably no better time to try your hand at travel video or any video endeavors for that matter. Technological advances have made it easy, all you need is a laptop and a video camera, an internet connection, and you can upload your work to YouTube or other online video sites, and you have an instant worldwide audience.

Be creative, follow your passion, if fishing is your thing, try your hand at doing stories about fishing; if it’s food, do stories on local cuisine.

The hard question, how do people make money from their films?

Remember online video is all fairly new, a developing market. YouTube is the king of online video with the biggest audience. They like serial content providers, and are willing to support them by featuring their work.

If you take a holiday and film hours of footage, and then edit it into short 3-5 minute films, uploading a video once a week. It won’t take long until people notice you.

Once you have a bit of a following, you can join the partner program where you share in advertising revenue from the ads featured on your video channel.

As an independent, it is then really up to you to take it further, sponsorship deals, free trips, providing your content to other websites or mediums (e.g. television).

And the best thing about Youtube, is that straight away you will know whether people like your work or not, by their comments, ratings etc.

So you use Youtube as a litmus test for your videos, to work out what people like?

Certainly, I usually know within 24 hours whether a video sinks or swims. And sometimes the comments people make about a video, will lead to me making subtle changes.

As a filmmaker I have always been envious of musicians, who can perform live, and really interact with their audience. The Youtube community now provides this for filmmakers, feedback on your work.

I love watching creative user generated content on Youtube. At first the technology lead to people doing webcam vlog style content in their bedrooms. But thankfully people are leaving their bedrooms and doing stories on their neighbourhoods, and the natural progression of this, on their holidays.

What about video gear? Can you give us any recommendations?

Basically, you get what you pay for. For me, I try to get the smallest, lightest broadcast quality kit available.

I don’t want to recommend any particular brands but my current kit includes a Canon XH- A1 High Definition camcorder, a MacBook Pro laptop using the Final Cut Pro editing suite software.

I’ve used a Sennheiser ME66 XLR professional shotgun microphone for sound, a lightweight Velbon CX-586 tripod and a small on camera light kit, the paglight C6.

Photo by Mark Shea

Work out what you want to do, and get a kit to suit your needs. My kit isn’t the be all and end all, but it currently suits what I am doing.

Biggest tip I can give up and comers is to not forget that filmmaking is an audio-visual medium. Don’t forget the sound, even if you have a small video camera, if you are doing interviews, it might be wise to invest in a hardwired lapel microphone.

I imagine filming around the world, you have found yourself in some hairy situations. How do you keep out of trouble?

I think it is important to be aware of local customs before pulling your camera out and filming. In some countries you can get in trouble for filming government buildings, for example.

I try to be discreet. If I’m filming street scenes I want them to look at natural as possible, so generally I don’t want people knowing I am filming them.

To do this I use the tripod and my camera’s long zoom lens, and if I see something interesting, I’m ready to put the camera to the shoulder quickly, and record, and sometimes, just as quickly move on.

Have there been any times you have had difficulties filming a story?

On numerous occasions, I remember when I did my Nimbin Story, Australia’s Alternative Capital, a current affair program had just done a story on the town, looking at it’s drug problems. There was one part of the street where dealers sold drugs. I was informed in no uncertain way, that if I filmed anything, my camera would be smashed.

I approached the biggest, meanest looking guy–who had his shirt off and was covered in tattoos–and told him what I was doing, that I wasn’t interested in filming any drug deals. He appreciated my honesty, and agreed to act as my body guard while I filmed, stipulating I don’t film the laneway where the drug dealers congregated.

So I got my shots, but I couldn’t use the audio, there were a few choice words being thrown my way, by the dealers in the laneway!

Video on Nimbin

Are there any legal requirements filmmakers should consider when doing travel videos?

If you interview someone, get them to sign a release form. A release form states that an interviewee has given you permission to use their interview how you see fit. There are some standard release forms floating around the internet, so just do a search and make any changes depending on what you need.

Also, if you use any music in your videos, you should have permission from the artist to do this. It is also handy to get a release form if you are filming in a special location, like a museum, or at least ask whether they have restrictions on you using your footage.

Programs like Garageband allow one to make their own music. It is great fun to use, and sometimes a video segment may only need 30 seconds of music, so worth playing around with. (For an indepth tutorial on working with Garageband to polish audio clips, check here.)

Photo by Mark Shea

Any final words Mark, advice for budding travel filmmakers.

Like anything, the more time you put into your films, the better they will become. But if you are going on a holiday, be aware, your travel videos may become all encompassing, taking up all your time and energy. This is not always the best formula for a happy holiday, especially if you are traveling with your partner or spouse!

Travel filmmaking sounds quite glamorous, but it is a bit like those who work in hospitality: you are working, when everyone else is having fun. When I’m traveling, I don’t really get much time to just relax, I am constantly working.

The best part is returning home and having a video reminder of my trips, the people I met, and the places I saw. Because of my work, I have to learn and the culture of the country I am filming in, so it pushes me to meet locals, which is really what the true essence of travel should be, to understand the other, the tribe over the hill.

Thanks for your time Mark.

You can view Mark’s video’s on his website www.overlander.tv or see his youtube channel by searching his username, overlander.

Feature photo by martyn Photo by glynnis

The Internet is a medium that seems custom made for travel writers. It puts our work before an unlimited audience, provides free exposure through RSS and other subscription services, and serves as an electronic archive of published work and feedback. Consider the following strategies to maximize all this potential.

Pitching stories

Explore “cross-over” platforms for publication.

Travel writers are often interested in publishing in publications, whether print or electronic, with a direct thematic connection to travel.

While good and important, limiting your interest strictly to travel publications will prevent your work from gaining the audience of readers who might love your writing but who would never stumble upon it in a travel magazine or site.

Does your story involve food? Study food magazines like Saveur, Bon Appetit, and Gourmet, all of which include place-based articles in every issue.

Maybe your tale is about transportation. If that’s the case, liven up the pages of Boating or Car and Driver with your writing.

Regardless of the topic, know the publication and its submission guidelines prior to sending off your story.

Photo by real00

Mine the expert knowledge in your travel writing network.

I recently prepared a pitch for a respected travel publication that received a short, ambivalent reply from the editor. I contacted a friend in my travel writing network who had more experience with the editor and asked for advice.

The second round of communication with the editor ended with the encouraging message: “Sold! Go for it!” I then passed the advice along to another writer who’d hit the same wall with that editor. Ask for advice when you need it, and share advice generously, too.

Be tight, be specific, be proactive.

Editors are busy. Do some of their work for them.

When you’re sure you’ve got a solid pitch, take a good look at the publication and make an assessment about where you think your piece would fit in best with respect to content and format. When you pitch to the editor, offer the story idea and a brief statement that articulates where you see your piece fitting into the publication and why.

If you have high-quality photos or other related content (audio, video) to offer the editor, make that information known in your pitch. Editors want to fill space, and the more content you can offer them that adds visual appeal to the publication, the more likely you are to get your story placed.

Writing

Produce a piece that has value.

This tip seems obvious, but “value” doesn’t simply refer to the idea or the content of the article. If you’re writing about a person, a place, or an event, provide the reader with hyperlinks to appropriate resources that add value to your own work.

If you refer to another article you’ve written, direct the reader to it. If you’re writing about a concert, a meal, or a store, provide a “practical advice” section that leads your reader to more information without distracting from your own story.

Photo by kahunna

Publishing

Viral market your own work.

The idea of viral marketing is simple: Generate buzz that gets your reader passing your story throughout his or her network, creating widening circles of readers for you.

How do you do this?

First: send a link or clip in a personalized message to every person mentioned in or related to the article. In a recent piece I wrote about disabled travelers, I sent a personalized thank you note to the interviewees, along with a link to the article. I encouraged them to forward the link to their own friends and family.

Second: send a link or clip in a personalized message to groups of people who are likely to find the article interesting. For the same article, I forwarded a brief message to the director of an international disabled travelers’ organization and encouraged her to share the story with her colleagues and clients.

I also posted the link in the disabled travelers’ forum on Lonely Planet. These three actions pushed readers who might not otherwise have read my work or visited Brave New Traveler to visit the BNT site.

One word of caution about viral marketing: do not abuse this strategy by sending your work over and over to the same group of people—even (and especially!) close friends or family. Direct your viral marketing campaign deliberately and respectfully, not simply with the intention of expanding your readership, but also of giving content of value to a potential new reader.

Know your rights.

Publications, whether print or electronic, have wildly different policies when it comes to your rights as a writer. Do you retain the rights to your work? Are you permitted to republish excerpts, the entire piece, or a variation on the piece in other publications in the future? The answers to these questions should play a part in the decisions you make about what to write and for which publications.

Be a good reader.

Good writers are good readers. Good readers offer feedback on others’ writing. Just as you wish for others to respond to your work, offer responses to others’ work. This is a great way to network, to get a better feeling for particular publications, and to develop a more astute awareness of what editors are seeking.

It seems as simple as plugging in your microphone, hitting record and letting fly with your insight. That can be the case and, if you’re lucky, will work first time.

But if you’re like most mortals the recording will sound flat or muddy, be filled with loud pops and snaps and have a soothing background hiss. Not the best.

These annoyances can be minimised by using some of the following tricks. Please remember that we’re not talking about setting up a full home studio here; this is travel podcasting right? (For software and hardware needs, reference part one of this series.)

When everything you own is in a backpack you can’t afford to carry several kilos of pro-am studio equipment. However, you can still make your podcasts’ sound quality almost as good.

Removing hiss

Words like gain, reverb and echo don’t mean a lot unless you’re an audiophile. Fortunately, basic knowledge and good software go a long way in helping us use them. Let’s look at creating a “podcast voice” profile using Apple’s Garageband which aims to minimise hiss and avoid vocal flatness.

After some fine-tuning this will ensure that all your recordings sound similar. Unfortunately it’s impossible to achieve true consistency when you’re changing location all the time.

Open Garageband and create a new project. Get rid of the piano floating in the middle of the screen and create a new track by clicking “Track > New Track…” or using the keyboard shortcut ⌥⌘N. Choose “real instrument” and “vocals > no effects”; this gives us a clean palette to work from.

Make sure you click the “Details” drop-down arrow and you can see several options for changing all sorts of technical things. Drag the sliders to approximate the screenshot below and “Save instrument.” I called mine “podcastvoice.”

Now it’s time to record something. Have a listen and play around with these settings until you have something you’re happy with. You can edit and save your new “instrument” at any time by double clicking the head-shaped icon.

Still got hiss? As far as this software goes the only thing you can do is nudge the “gate” higher and higher: beware of raising it too high and cutting out your voice!

Audacity provides an effective method for tackling intensive hiss which is well covered by Deepak Morris.

I’ve used both of the above methods to minimise hiss over the last year, but the best way to deal with hiss is in the “studio” itself, even if it is a hostel laundry at three in the morning. A room that sounds deathly quiet to us has background noise and (obviously) inbuilt microphones will pick up the sound and vibrations from a recorder.

Sound deadening must be done with some kind of sound insulation foam, but I’ve also used a couple of books to good effect in creating a “cave” for my microphone. Your mileage may vary.

Popping

Another shock in early recordings are the pops and splutters that appear in the recording. These are caused by “plosives” — sounds made by certain letters such as P and T.

In order to avoid plosive pops, professional broadcasters use a mesh-like filter between their lips and the microphone. I can’t imagine any traveller wanting to carry that!

Experiments with a t-shirt have proven unsuccessful so far. Moving the microphone a little further from your mouth, however, can produce the desired effect without you resorting to talking to your clothing. It certainly doesn’t hurt to practise saying the target sounds without that sharp breath which comes with them.

After recording

Now that the recording is done I have two more tricks to polish your recording to perfection. Export your sound file from the programme you’re working with as a .wav or a .aiff (.aiff and .aif are the same). Now drag and drop that file into the Levelator.

This baby can work magic on an audio file, especially where there are different people speaking. It attempts to make the entire audio file the same level and is remarkably successful.

After the programme’s finished you’ll have two files: podcast.aiff and podcast.aiff.output - listen to them both and choose your favourite, for me it’s normally the Levelated output file.

Mp3 is the industry standard, so convert your .wav or .aiff using iTunes> or lame. Now it’s time to adjust the volume of your track. I prefer to use mp3Gain to do this (windows, mac).

The programme allows me to set a standard volume for all of my audio files ensuring I don’t blow people’s ears out or people’s speakers up (sorry Chris!). The settings I use are shown in the following screenshot.

ID3 tags

Now your voice is ready to be broadcast around the world, but before we go there, let’s tidy up the packaging.

I hate downloading audio files, chucking them into iTunes and losing them. To make sure your listeners don’t have the same problem it’s important to set the correct ID3 tag for each one. This can be done easily in iTunes, but other software options include Multi ID3 Tag Editor (Windows) and ID3 Editor (Mac).

To change ID3 information in iTunes, locate the file and open the information panel by clicking File > Get Info or ⌘I. Click on the “Info” tab and enter as much information as is helpful. Work your way through the different tabs: many podcasters add show notes into the “Lyrics” field.

It’s increasingly important to include an image as this is what shows when using iTunes’s Coverflow or list view, as well as on iPods and other mp3 players.

This is part two of a three part series in travel podcasting. Part one talks about recording software and hardware options, whilst part three will cover content hints and tips plus a style guide for Matador podcasts.

To hear some of Matador’s Podcasting talent, check out the Traveler’s Notebook podcast archive. Got something to add? Check out the submission guidelines, then get in touch.

Photo by Ryan Libre

Click on the Play button to listen along and learn more.

Along with Ryan Libre, the Matador community is filled with talented and passionate photographers. Delacouri has amazing shots from her time working with endangered monkeys in Vietnam. Veronica has incredible images of Patagonia. Rob has taken hundreds of priceless shots from all over the world.

Phishtopher has some amazing images from his life in Western China. And both Beija-flor and AsianInsights are experts at photographing people. Grady, MST and Reed Lindsay can give you tips on digital video production and goodman is without a doubt, one of the most gifted photographers on the Web.

Join them. Matador is blossoming…

Feature photo by ccgd. Photo above by ronnie44052

Sailboats conjure up the most romantic visions. Seeing their silhouettes at dusk makes it easy to think of chucking it all and heading off into the wild reaches of foreign seas. There will be extreme adventures, new discoveries and no one to answer to ever again.

The reality, though, is that a sailboat is a few tons worth of fiberglass and steel and you must have some skills to operate it. Thousands of questions have to be answered before you set out, but the bottom line with boating is—just make the decision.

Here are the top five pointers about boating that I’ve picked up from my own never-ending quest for the perfect lifestyle.

1. Knowing how to sail is not mandatory

My unforeseen dive into the boating world began when I stumbled upon a colorful painted picture on a piece of notebook paper. The picture, posted on a phone pole in Santa Monica, was of a small sailboat, much like a child would create in grade school. It was just the hull, painted bright red, and a simple dark blue sail. Underneath were the words “FOR SALE.”

A long lost fire was reignited with that one chance encounter and before I knew it, I’d bought a 25’ sailboat on eBay (2k) and was driving into the remotest corners of Baja, Mexico to learn how to sail it—just me, a tiny boat and a salty captain.

Photo by gupana

Essentially, I put the cart before the horse and let my overwhelming thirst for adventure get the best of me. Boat first. Lessons later. Who cares? I simply did some online research and found a five-day course that offered a US Sailing Certified program, one where the entire week was spent on the water, not in some stuffy classroom looking at pictures of tying knots.

I figured by the end of the week I’d be able to sail, with a crew, quite efficiently. Instead, by the end of Day 1, I was already single-handing the thing–tacking, jibing, running the sails, steering in and out of the harbor, and living and breathing the points of sail to the tune of sheer exhaustion.

I went into the bowels of Baja a complete novice and came back tearing up Highway 1 certain that when the time was right: here I come tropical waters.

2. Eventually, the bells and whistles do matter.

When you are looking at your first boat, it’s common to get wrapped into “What sort of vessel can I procure for nothing?” That was my MO for my first boat (which I sold due to relocation), but for my second boat, I wanted upgrades. So, after I came into a small windfall of money from a TV show I’d just worked on, I bought a 30 ft. C & C on a whim and outta nowhere, I was back in business.

The basics were already in place: refrigeration, USB radio, roller furling sail, single-handing setup, but for me, it became about vanity and comfort. I spent the summer working on the boat, installing a top-notch stereo system with kickin’ cockpit speakers and main cabin built-ins; replacing crummy dock lines and cleaning up my slimy fenders.

I had a pal recover all the interior cushions and make tropical themed curtains; I ordered new cockpit cushions; and I set up a top-of-the-line GPS system with full high-res satellite imagery, a handy fishfinder and my favorite, a g2 Vision card (imagine aerial color photos of unfamiliar marinas and a 3D perspective of maps).

In the end, all these bumps helped out when I wanted to sell the boat in the dead of winter. I actually made my money back and then some…plus it sold almost the second it went on the market.

Photo by thomaspurves

3. The water can be a real scary place, or not

I can’t actually swim. Sure, I can doggy paddle and I can crank it underwater with the best of them, but as far as over-handed swimming, I’m no champ.

One reason I bought a boat was to overcome my fear of the water. What I slowly learned over the Chicago boating season was that the more you are in the water, the more comfortable you become.

Before long, I was diving off my bow, donning snorkel gear and navigating my way around the bottom of the boat (while in the middle of Lake Michigan, mind you) just to feel her smooth lines and search for imperfections. I became friendly with all the little creatures that called my boat home (hungry birds and trillions of spiders mostly), and come summers end, I was the master of my own little water domain.

4. Expect deep envy from everyone you know

Share with anyone that you own a sailboat and the same thing will happen: wide-eyes, open mouth, insane jealousy. People think that you have to be loaded or a master captain, but not so. It’s all about gathering up a big pile of courage.

Boating turns to fun on the water once you learn how to read the wind and situate the sails based on that reading. A couple of classes with an instructor (on your own boat) are the key to becoming at ease with what you’ve just done (dropped 10k on a piece of fiberglass) and once you get the hang of sailing, it’s easy to get a party started.

Everyone wants to learn to sail and I’ve had pals who are complete novices head out into choppy waters and once I gave them a short tutorial, they practically owned the helm. When you show confidence, they gain experience and in the end, everyone feels like a badass.

Photo by Fordy

I also tapped my eco-friendly vein and bought an electric motor for my dinghy. Me and pals would load up the Cuba Libres and silently troll around the marina spying on other folks’ set-ups.

It’s almost a guarantee that anyone you take out sailing (or trolling) will end the day fueled up on stout drinks and proclaim, “I’m buying a boat!” See, sometimes you don’t have to even take the boat out of the slip to ignite the passion.

5. Money becomes liquid in the boating world

Rare is the boat that is purchased and then just ready to go. And, even if you do happen upon one, it’s beyond easy to get drop into Westmarine for a small $2 bolt and walk out two hours later with $500 worth of goodies.

The costs add up quickly when there are mechanics to pay, slip fee’s to rent, sailing lessons to take (private lessons $75/hr), gadgets to keep up with, oil changes to be maintained, gas tanks to fill up, provisions to keep stocked, solar panels to install, subscriptions to pay for and a litany of other things you want to do once you own a boat.

But that’s the beauty of it all…you don’t have to do anything. In fact, to sail, all you need is a sturdy vessel and the wind. The rest is just heart-thumping joy. The stuff that makes you feel alive and in touch with the world.

Note: If you want to get some hands on experience before spending a dime, check out the crew wanted section at Floatplan.com. You could wrangle your way into crewing in the South Pacific for some other fool who dropped his life savings on a boat—for FREE!

Community Connection

Along with Misty, several members of the Matador community sail, some just for fun and some professionally. Ross has a cool blog about sailing in San Francisco Bay with Doug, who, like Misty just bought a boat without prior sailing knowledge and went for it! Cody, a professional sailor, helped them ramp up their learning curves.

Finally, Darcey Maher is a professional sailor / boat captain, and author of the Traveler’s Notebook article How to Become a Boat Captain, which has some great additional resources for people interested in getting water time.

——

Editor’s note: The author is currently “this close” to upgrading to a 32 ft. beauty (yachtworld.com) tucked into a small bay in Central America. Expect to find her there soon.

Feature photo by angela7 Photo by wili

Common scams / scam-artists and how to recognize them

Unofficial “Moneychangers”

Changing money is an activity that should be confined to banks and licensed establishments, or ATMs, which will dispense cash in local currency. Avoid moneychangers who approach you on the street or in terminals promising you a better rate; these guys are skilled at counting out money and then palming some of it back as you conclude the exchange.

Finally, if you must transact business with these people, do it at a table or other surface where the money can be counted out into visible piles. Be prepared for them to balk at this suggestion.

Shortchanging

The most common scam is shortchanging, because it takes advantage of foreigners’ inferior knowledge of the language, abetted by lack of familiarity with the local currency. It works on every level, from cheating backpackers to fleecing the rich.

I knew one French traveler who financed his trips by routinely shortchanging drivers from the UK when collecting tolls in Calais. Take your tine and count your change carefully before walking away from the cash register.

The Bus Ticket Switch

A bit more sophisticated than the wrong change con is the bus ticket switch: you pay for a round-trip ticket but are given a one-way ticket. The first way to avoid this is to get to the station in plenty of time so you’re not rushing to buy a ticket and running to catch a departing bus. Secondly, as above, get into the habit of counting your change slowly and out loud after this (and every) transaction.

If you are victimized, don’t be shy about approaching the police, especially if the country has a Tourism Police Force (as Honduras does). Just be aware that following through could cut into your travel time.

The “Friendly” Local

Be slightly wary of friendly people who offer to be your guide. This is a tricky situation, because some of your best travel experiences can be spending time with local people.

If they suggest going to a restaurant, be prepared either to pay for them or explain that you can not afford a restaurant but you’d like to buy them a cup of coffee, or a beer, etc. If they offer to take you somewhere in a taxi, use your best judgment in deciding how far it is and if it is worth your time and money to go there (and back). If they’re genuine, you can always beg off and say you’ll meet them there the next day.

One of the best ways to prepare for these eventualities is to carry small souvenirs of your home city or country that you can dispense as little thank-you gifts to all sorts of people who show you kindnesses.

Taxis

Watch out when taking taxis. If there is a meter, insist on using it. If not, or if it is “broken,” negotiate an agreed fare in advance. It is inevitable that once in a while you will fall victim to an unscrupulous driver who takes the long way or pulls something else.

Border crossings call for extra caution: buses are preferable to taking taxis; some taxi drivers have been known to rip foreigners off by taking them to fake checkpoints, or to lie about border crossing hours of operation in order to snag an extra fare late in the day.

Photo by -just-jen-

How to avoid getting scammed, or at least deal with it

1. Nothing takes the place of preparation.

I learned this from legendary basketball coach John Wooden, and it applies to every stage of life: school, work, marriage and of course, travel.

In the context of travel, preparation includes studying maps, routes, guidebooks and all other materials that give you as clear a picture as possible about traveling from Point A to Point B, as well as stopovers in between.

Remember that maps can be deceiving if you fail to factor in topography: what looks like a short city walk can take forever if it involves climbing a steep hill; differences in altitude between cities can mean tremendous variations in temperature. I remember a long, freezing night in a bus because I failed to take altitude change into account.

And remember that while maps indicate roads, they generally won’t tell you the bus routes that travel those roads, or give you information about border crossing points. If using public transportation, it is important to check and coordinate schedules as well. Getting stuck somewhere with few options makes you more vulnerable to rip-off artists.

It is always helpful to learn in advance a few words and phrases in the language of the country you are going to. This is especially the case when it comes to numbers and currency; if you have a total mental block in this regard, do what many merchants do when conducting transactions: carry a small calculator (most cellphones are equipped with them).

Finally, no matter how prepared you are, once in a while things are going to go wrong. This leads us to #2.

2. Go with the flow.

Your mental health is connected to your physical health and general well-being. One of the biggest energy drainers is ranting and fuming about things that are not under your control.

As trite as this sentiment may seem, try to make the best of a bad situation. If you are unexpectedly stuck in the same city a night longer than you’d planned and you liked the vibes in the hotel you stayed in the night before, go back and find the people you enjoyed talking to, or take the opportunity to make new friends.

Try a restaurant you didn’t have time for earlier. Or, make it a really early night and catch up on some probably much-needed extra sleep.

Meditation is a great coping mechanism when things do not go as planned. If there is anything I would do differently from when I started traveling 30 years ago, it would be to have learned to meditate much earlier than I did.

Photo by fabbio

3. Carry proper identification, backup I.D. and supporting documentation.

Make sure your passport is not only valid and legible but has at least six months left before it expires, as well as enough empty pages left to accommodate several large visa stamps. Be aware of your destination countries’ visa requirements and any other rules for entry.

Some countries have the ridiculous requirement that you must have two facing empty visa pages; I have seen people denied boarding on their flight for not having their empty pages opposite one another — even though upon arrival and departure, the immigration agents paid no attention to this detail!

Make several photocopies of your passport’s front pages, your driver’s license(s) and your credit/ATM cards. Keep one copy with you or your traveling companion (separate from the originals) and one with reliable relatives or friends at home. Scanned digital copies stored online or on a thumb drive should work just as well.

This Backup Principle applies to all sorts of situations, not just data. For example, if you need to wake up at a certain time, try to arrange a wake-up call as well as setting your alarm clock. If you’re traveling in a non-English-speaking country and you have a medical condition, carry a translation of your condition and know the generic names of any medications.

In a previous article, I wrote about the advisability of carrying a letter from your congressman or senator to present to authorities in times of need. This is less important if you are not traveling in third world countries or crossing land borders.

Still, if you are planning on spending more than a month in one particular country, it is a good idea to register with the embassy or consulate of your home country.

4. Practice money vigilance.

Just about everyone knows by now that travelers’ checks are a thing of the past; with ATMs in every country now, the new money is plastic. I am in the habit of carrying three cards: two ATM cards (stored separately on my person, with precautions taken against pickpockets) and one credit card. (One does not need two bank accounts to have two ATM cards; you can get prepaid ones these days.)

Overkill, you say? Perhaps, but consider this: aside from the threat of one being stolen, my bank once temporarily suspended my card, “for my own protection.” While I was furiously running around India trying to get a machine to cough up enough money to buy a bottle of water, a letter was sitting in my mailbox at home saying that the bank had frozen my account because it had detected “suspicious activity.”

What had set off alarm bells at the bank? Sudden ATM withdrawals (my own, needless to say) from different cities in India!

The credit card is handy for larger or unexpected purchases, like plane tickets. It is useful not only in emergencies, but if you buy a ticket from a discount operation, you can later dispute the charge if the ticket turns out to be bogus in some way.

5. Know when to travel alone, and when not to.

This rule applies to couples traveling as a single unit as much as it does to those traveling solo. There are times when even those who prefer to travel alone are well advised to seek company, especially when walking at night in an unfamiliar city.

Whenever you’re crossing borders, a busload of people is a safer bet than going alone, since there will be locals traveling as well. Moreover, it is good to have someone who might be able to carry a message for you in case your crossing is delayed for some reason or other.

On the flip side, there are occasions when you will want to experience certain things alone, or shared only with a special someone. For example, you may want to rush through a museum in order to move on to other things, while others would choose to linger.

One experience I had would never have been the same had I been even with one other person. When visiting Tikal, a gentle rainshower began to fall. The lone group of tourists there ran for shelter. Suddenly, I was left all alone in the main plaza. As the rain abated to a fine drizzle, the silent place enveloped me in a magical way.

Don’t miss: for more on travel scams, check out BNT’s Top 10 Travel Scams (And How To Avoid Them).

Feature photo by wtlphotos Photo above by Panoramas

I hightailed it to Europe and found a job that was willing to sponsor my work permit. The first few months however, I was working “black,” which meant that I could not get paid because my work and residency in the country had not yet been approved.

I was approaching the end of my legal stay in Europe (wherein citizens of the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK are allowed to travel for six-months within the continent and three-months in one of the Schengen states. It was unnerving.

Getting a work permit was the constant topic of conversion amongst the expatriate crowd in Berlin. From exchanging visa horror stories to grand schemes of getting away with overstaying, we all shared the nightmare of being escorted to the Polish border by the immigration authorities.

Some contemplated proposing marriage to random Europeans, others gave up and returned to their home country, and then there were those who simply buckled down and dealt with the paperwork.

Acquiring a work permit in Europe is a challenge. It will make you feel like you’re perpetually banging your head against a wall, as you’ll often find that you can’t be granted a work permit without a job, but at the same time, most companies won’t hire you without this document.

Therefore, it’s important that you do your research and find the best kind of job for you. Check the companion piece to this article, last week’s How To Find Paying Work While Traveling in Europe.

You can also find out about the specific work and visa options and requirements by checking out the website Anywork, Anywhere and the Do it Yourself Expat site.

Photo by papalars

Key Aspects of a Work Permit

1) A work permit is a non-transferable legal document that allows a non-citizen to work in the country for a specific company.

2) Technically, it is illegal to enter the country to look for work without a permit. To get a permit, you must have a valid job offer.

3) The company that hires you must be able to prove that it has made an earnest effort to fill the position with an EU citizen. This is often the reason why foreigners have many opportunities in the TEFL field, but very few legal options within the service industry.

Applying from Home

You can save yourself a lot of stress and anxiety by applying for a permit before you leave for Europe. This document is country specific and not applicable for the entire continent. The first step is to find a job that is willing to sponsor your application for a work permit.