It’s been a while since I’ve posted on here. As you know, the past year has had me questioning the next step in my life—with my career, my travels, and Just Visiting. After some serious soul searching, drinking, and location scouting, I finally uncovered the only “before I turn 30” path that felt right. So I began putting a plan in motion to become a location-independent freelance writer. But I also decided to continue to pursue the current plan of living in NYC and working in advertising. I figured whichever one just “works out” on its own is the route I will follow.
But before I dive into my future, let me talk a bit about the past.
This past spring I could sense things were shifting at my job. There were tense conversations, layoffs, rumors, and team shifts that gave me the distinct feeling that I was on my way out. Not only that, but my workload had changed tremendously and I was no longer doing anything that I was proud of. It was depressing to spend so much time and energy working on projects that seemed so trivial. I began to despise work.
Over the summer, things remained weird. And I remained miserable. So I updated my portfolio and LinkedIn. I responded to recruiters. I didn’t turn down a single opportunity that came my way—and oddly enough they were pouring in. I had conversations with about 15 ad agencies in New York and California. I got offers, some offering $10,000 more than my current income, and perks like regular trips to Los Angeles. But none of them felt right, or like I’d be any happier than where I was currently working. I didn’t want to leave my job for the sake of leaving, I wanted to leave to make the right move forward.
At the same time I also began searching for freelance projects and planning this adventure into travel writing by kicking off with a big trip. But three major freelance projects fell through, leaving me a bit hopeless.
So far both routes were a dead end, but I kept moving forward with both.
I spent August tying up loose ends and paying off old bills so that I could save every penny towards my adventure. I continued to interview for shitty jobs and continued to long more and more for pursuing my passion. I pushed my lease from Aug 31 to Oct so that I could have two more months to save before moving in with my parents during the holidays, and leaving on a one-way ticket at the first of the year.
Then two weeks ago I finally landed a freelance gig to last through the end of the year. To me it was a sign that freelance just might be the right direction. So I knew it was time to kick my ass into high gear and start acting on my plans of leaving New York. I spent Sunday taking pictures of the things I wanted to sell and getting moving quotes from NYC to Ohio on October 31st. Then I started questioning whether or not this was the right decision—to give it all up after eight years of busting my ass to get it. My apartment truly felt like home. I’d finally developed some close friendships and local neighborhood hangouts that I love. I realized maybe it wasn’t New York that sucked, it was just my job. Life was good aside from work.
I started second guessing my decision. For the first time in my life I was actually scared of going after what I wanted. I was up until 4am on Sunday, mind racing, confused as hell, and hoping and wishing for some sort of sign to point me in the right direction and make this easy.
Then on Monday, I lost my job. Me and a handful of others were laid off without notice.
Sure it caught me a little off guard, but my first concern was that I would no longer be able to afford my dream plan. But I quickly realized that I’m only 46 short days shy of my planned move-out date anyway, and I’ve already begun doing small things to prepare for this. I was actually ahead of the game.
In true problem-solving manner, I immediately started to think about different ways I could save money, and the first thing that I thought of was breaking my lease a month early. I emailed my landlord and within an hour of being laid off, my apartment was on the market. I was taking pictures and sending over for the listing, and scheduling viewing times for the next day.
So here I sit, after roughly 30 hours of being unemployed. As of 645pm my apartment has been rented for October 1st, and I’m moving out of my beloved city in a week and a half. It’s crazy soon, and crazy fast, but this is exactly what I needed. I needed things to just happen so that I could react and get things done without thinking. Gone are the sentimental feelings of leaving this city and selling off all of my belongings. Instead they’re replaced by the excitement of refocusing my life, my attitude, and my direction. I feel more free than I’ve ever felt in my life, and everything just feels right. I couldn’t be happier.
I don’t know where I will end up in the next year, but I can tell you that the journey is going to be amazing. I’m not going to reveal too many details about what’s next until I book a flight, but I’ve taken this as the biggest kick in the ass sign I could have received, and definitely the ultimate ending to my summer-long quest.
I’ve left it to fate and it’s never been more clear: go pursue what you truly love; you can always come back.
“You’re so lucky.” “Do you ever work?” “You must be rich.” “How do you have so much time off work?”
These are just a few of the questions I hear every time I jump on a plane, so please, allow me to answer.
Yes, I’m fortunate to have been given certain opportunities, but I also work my ass off and make plenty of sacrifices to put myself in those positions. Yes I work, all the time actually. And when I’m not at work, I’m likely at home working on my blog. I’m far from rich, but I am single and child-free, which means all of my money goes to me (and my least favorite uncle, Sam). And lastly, I guess I’m lucky enough to work for an employer that gives me a decent amount of vacation time, and I take full advantage of those days.
Basically, I’m not making a ton of money that allows me to live lavishly in New York and jet-set around the world every chance I get. It all comes down to the simple fact that I’m selective, decisive, and strategic about how and what I spend money on. And as a result I’ve reached a happy medium where I’m able to pay my bills, work full-time, and travel the world whenever I can.
So maybe some of these tips I use will help you get on the road or in the air a bit more while still working full-time.
Maximize paid time off. That means utilize long weekends, summer Fridays, holiday breaks, personal days, whatever your company gives you. Fly overnight, leave right after work, land two hours before going into the office, do what you’ve got to do. And don’t think that you can’t go some place awesome over a two or three-day weekend. I spent three months taking weekend getaways all over Europe—flying out at 6pm on Friday, and coming back at 8am on Monday morning—and saw so many amazing cities. Just be realistic with how far you can go, and go for it!
Negotiate vacation time. I’ve heard stories of people negotiating extra paid time off upon hiring into a new job, or even when they couldn’t get a raise yet at their current job. And seriously, to hell with employers who don’t give their employees proper paid time off.
Stop taking your job so seriously. I’m not by any means trying to belittle anyone’s career, but sometimes people simply think that their company will crumble or their employer will look down on them if they take a week off of work. If you have vacation time, USE IT. And use it wisely.
In 2013 my company paid for me to fly from New York to London, so I booked through IcelandAir because they were offering the option to add a multi-day stopover in Iceland for FREE on any flights from the US to Europe.
Cut out unnecessary expenses. My travel lifestyle certainly has its sacrifices, but I still live comfortably in Manhattan of all places. I spend more time at home, I grocery shop and pack lunch whenever possible, and I’ve really scaled back on how much money I throw away when I do go out. Save money wherever you can and it will all add up. Bike to work to alleviate the cost of transportation AND double as a workout rather than joining a gym. Choose an appetizer rather than a huge entrée. Don’t buy another round of drinks. Stay home once in a while. Don’t buy a bunch of useless shit just because it’s on sale. Stop shopping for clothes every week. Claim 0 on your taxes and spend that hefty tax return on a big trip. Cut down your cell phone plan or join a family share plan. Ditch the TV/cable/Netflix and watch your shows online. Stop being such a lush. Stop smoking. Basically, anything you can cut down on, you should. And it doesn’t mean you have to stop living your day-to-day life, just see where you can cut back a little.
Set up a bank account strictly for travel. If you’re anything like me and have a high rent/mortgage plus several student loans and bills to pay each month, finding spare cash to travel with can seem impossible. That’s why I set up a separate bank account so that $100 from each paycheck automatically gets deposited. Before you know it you’ve got some spare cash to put towards a flight, hotels, or spending money. (Bonus points for an account with a feature like the Bank of America Keep The Change program, that rounds up every purchase you make and puts the change into your account.)
Find a good rewards card and pay for everything you can with it. I’ve got the Capital One Venture Rewards card which gives me 2 points for every dollar I spend. I put most of my purchases on it each month, then I only touch my checking account when it’s time to pay the balance. Put all of your big purchases on there too, especially flights and hotels. Plus when you travel abroad, having a good travel card can keep you from paying foreign transaction fees. Check out thepointsguy.com to compare cards and see which is best for you.
Pay off your credit cards. While we’re on the topic, keep your credit card balance in check. Based on your income and free spending money, develop a plan to rack up points with it while paying it off immediately. That means DON’T CARRY A BALANCE. That also means spending within your means—if you don’t have the cash, don’t do it. You don’t want to be paying down $2,000 on your card and spending $700 on a flight.
A trip across the world might make for an expensive flight, but the points/miles help cushion the blow. Plus once you figure out how cheap it is to actually travel in places like Southeast Asia, you realize the bulk of your trip has already been paid for.
Go with your gut. What I mean is don’t go crazy with the planning. I’ve had some pretty great experiences by just booking a random getaway on a whim. Last week I booked a random flight to Istanbul in March knowing nothing about it because my gut was telling me to go for it. So if you see a deal, you can afford it, and you’ve got an inkling to travel there, just go for it. Book it and then figure everything else out later.
Never fly without getting frequent flyer miles. If possible, stick to one airline and their partner airlines just to keep racking up the points. But sometimes plans won’t allow you to do that, so make sure you sign up for whatever new program just in case. For example, my round trip flight to Thailand on Cathay Pacific in 2012 almost gave me enough points to fly NYC to Brazil one-way for free because I signed up for Asia Miles. A year later my flight from London to NYC on Aer Lingus (a partner in the Asia Miles program) gave me enough points to get me to that one-way ticket for free.
Sign up for hotel rewards programs as well. If your rewards program doesn’t let you redeem for hotels, consider joining a hotel rewards program as well. This might not be the best option for everyone, especially considering how often you can find much better deals by booking directly through a hotel, hostel, or Airbnb. But I signed up for hotels.com when I was traveling around Europe a lot because I got one free night for every 10 nights booked. Over the course of the year I managed to get two free nights which I just redeemed for that random trip to Istanbul. And I’m only two nights away from my third free night.
Plan wisely and look for money-saving alternatives. Okay stay with me on this one, because explaining my logic is not my strong point. The Galapagos have always been on my “I wish” list because I’d always heard they were so expensive. And yes, they’re a few thousand dollars if you do the traditional week-long island hopping cruise experience. If you actually stay on the islands, however, you can stay in a private room at a hostel for like $15 a night. Then you can barter with the park guides there and go on day trips to the other islands for like $70-$100. So here, the only real expensive part is the flight. And as mentioned above, I’ve been planning a trip to Brazil using my Asia Miles to get me there for free. So I looked up flight prices and realized that what I’d pay to travel ROUND TRIP to the Galapagos was only slightly more than what I’d pay for that ONE WAY flight back from Brazil. On top of that, if I booked a flight to the Galapagos through American Airlines, it’d give me enough AAdvantage points for a one way flight BACK from Brazil to NYC. Since American doesn’t fly to the Galapagos, but LAN, their partner airline in South America does, that’s who I booked through. So once I complete the trip I’ll have enough points to get me to and from Brazil for nearly free.
Choose cheaper places to sleep. Often times hotels are damn expensive. Look into bed and breakfasts, hostels (you can get private room hostels too if you’re beyond that stage in your life), or even couchsurfing. There are tons of people all over the world who love to travel and love to welcome people into their home and country. I’ve stayed in a few Airbnb apartments and met some pretty amazing people who included me in their dinner parties, homemade brunch celebrations, and nights out.
The view of the light from the Eiffel Tower from my Airbnb digs in Paris
Follow travel deal sites. I’m going to do a proper post on these soon because I’ve been hearing of so many new sites lately, and some that I’ve grown to love have recently started to suck, but The Flight Deal is a good one, as is Airfare Watchdog. I hear Skyscanner is as well, though I’ve never used it.
By following TripAlertz, I nabbed this 5-night getaway to the British Virgin Islands for only $300, flight and hotel included.
Search flexible dates. We all know that searching for flights over a couple of days, or even hours can give way to some serious savings. So try out various flight combinations before booking the best deal, and use a site like Kayak and their price trend predictor to get a feel for normal prices. Don’t be afraid of the overnight flights, the early morning flights, the (reasonable) layovers, or shifting your vacation by a few days. So what if you’re tired at work the day you get back? It’s one day of being a bit sleepy in exchange for a great vacation.
Don’t be afraid to go alone. If I passed up every trip that I didn’t have anyone to go with, I’d still be sitting on my ass in Ohio, having never left the States. Traveling alone is truly great, and though some people do prefer to travel with someone, I’ve never met someone who’s regretted traveling alone. If you’ve never done it, you might be surprised at just how enjoyable your experience will be. (And no, it’s not a big deal to eat alone in public, seriously.)
Think local. Don’t have the time or money to take off across the globe just yet? Hit a few places that are close to home to tidy you over, but keep saving for your big adventure.
While living in London I set off on a super cheap flight from London City Airport to Schiphol Airport, and stayed with a friend for free. I basically spent the same amount of money that weekend as I would’ve just staying in London.
Just book it. Making the decision to go somewhere can sometimes be the most difficult part. But once you book that flight, you’re going.
I could easily double or triple the size of this list, but the most important thing I can tell you to do is just do research. Don’t assume a place is too expensive and out of reach until you actually look into it for yourself. Travel isn’t nearly as expensive as many people think it is. And more often than not, it’s only as expensive as you make it. You’d be surprised how far your money can go in most places, especially where the exchange rate is favorable. Plus, walking around a new city or town on your own two feet is always free.
What other advice do you have for making travel affordable and doable outside of your 9-5?
Travel is a weird thing. Everyone knows what it means, yet it still means something different to everyone.
There’s the overworked people who travel for relaxing getaways, saving money and vacation days all year to splurge at a five-star resort. There’s the fanny-packing, camera-toting, big city tourists who plan every detail of their trip with a guidebook in hand.
There’s the thrifty backpacker who wings it on the cheap, throwing some stuff in a bag, hitting the road, and playing it by ear. There’s those who travel with a mission, whether that’s to volunteer, climb Everest, or just pursue a passion like surfing in a new spot. There’s people who spend years traveling with no physical address to call home, working remotely while jumping from one place to the next.
Then there’s people who, personally I’ll never understand, have zero desire to explore the world outside of their zip code. But those people are irrelevant because I’m convinced they aren’t really people at all.
Kanchanaburi, Thailand
And those are just a few “stereotypes.” Point is, there are tons of reasons to travel and it’s personal to everyone.
For me, I travel to expand my knowledge about this amazing planet, from the people and the cultures to the natural beauty. I know that sounds vague but it’s true in so many ways. I travel to learn more about myself. To wake up in the morning and wander outside of my comfort zone. I travel to remind myself that there’s way more to life than spending every day in an office, and that people all over the world are fascinating beyond comprehension. And I can only hope to one day answer that I also travel to help people in other parts of the world, however that may be.
But without getting too sappy, I also travel to visit friends, eat and drink delicious things, take pictures of pretty places, and blab all about it here in hopes that I inspire others to do the same.
La Boqueria, Barcelona
The funny thing is that growing up in small-town Ohio, my family was actually considered well traveled because we vacationed in Florida every spring and Las Vegas every summer. Hell, when I moved to New York at 21 I thought I had an impressive travel resume even though I had no stamps in my passport. But it quickly became obvious I was nothing more than a sheltered suburban girl whose idea of traveling was limited to domestic hot spots. I met kids whose parents took them on African safaris instead of the local zoo, or whose families had a second vacation home in Paris or Italy. People who studied abroad more than once, or took a gap year in Australia. And here I was, with travel still a privilege and luxury in my mind, and certainly something I couldn’t afford while attending a college that was more than my family’s total combined income.
Somewhere along the line after I graduated that began to change, and I decided to make travel a priority. I’ve started figuring out how to make it work with my life and my income, so that I get the absolute most out of each trip. Yes, I’m still shelling out a few roundtrip flights each month towards student loans and rent, and no, I’m not quite living my dream of getting a paycheck while trekking around the globe with a computer and a backpack. But a girl can dream!
Those three months I spent living in London earlier this year helped me feel like I’d finally caught up. Or have at least come close to catching up. I finally got to visit all of those European cities my classmates went to after high school, and now I’m free to set out for those lesser-known places that REALLY excite me. And if I had the chance to do Thailand all over again, believe me I would. But that was my first big solo international jaunt, booked as a last minute trip during Monsoon season. Of course I missed out on a lot. But you can bet I’ll be going back to Southeast Asia soon enough.
Bristol, England
Anyone can be more than one type of traveler because we all visit new places for different reasons. But, at least in my experience, you’ll always find that some of those trips are more fulfilling than others. While I still enjoy visiting big cities, I no longer find nearly as much satisfaction in skyscrapers as I do visiting remote areas of natural beauty. Plus I’m getting to the point where I don’t necessarily want to travel just for the sake of traveling if I have the opportunity to accomplish something or make an impact there. Unfortunately that’s still a bit difficult to do when you can only get a week or two off work.
So, why do you travel, or what do you find fulfilling when you visit a new place? And what trips are you looking forward to next?
I have so many European tales, photos, and videos to share, yet I’ve been procrastinating. Big time. Mostly because of the bullshit “I’m too busy” excuse. When you’re slammed at work writing well over eight hours a day, the last thing you want to do when you get home is write some more. Also my lease was up September 1st so I had to deal with a bit of an unplanned move. If you’ve ever moved in NYC you know just how overwhelming, time consuming, and stressful that can be.
But it all worked out for the best and I’ve since moved from my three-roommate share to my very own studio apartment. Finally, my own place, a good job, a pretty active social life, and the ability to travel a decent amount. I’ve officially got everything I ever wanted since I set out to New York City seven years ago.
My new teeny tiny studio apartment in New York City
Despite all of this, I’ve never felt more unfulfilled, and therefore uninspired to write. So I’m in the long and confusing process of trying to figure out what’s next.
A little backstory; I set my sights on New York when I was only 16. It took me five years of saving and busting my ass with work and school, and when I moved here I was hardly living the New York life I’d always dreamed of. I was struggling in every sense of the word, but I was making progress on my dreams and that was the best feeling in the world. Throughout several ups and downs, wins and losses, I continued to struggle. But I was always optimistic that some day it would all pay off.
Then in February 2011 I landed the job that I have now and everything started to get better. I was working at a great place with great people, doing work I’d always wanted to do, and I had the opportunity of working abroad from our London office on the horizon. In a sense, my professional life was flourishing—finally. And as a result, I was financially able to leave the crumbling relationship I’d been trapped in and move into a luxury building on Wall Street. Sure my friends made fun of me for living amongst “the suits,” but at the end of the day I was 26 and living in a fancy building on Wall Street. For a girl from Ohio, I was doing pretty damn good on paper.
Being able to say I lived on Wall Street was a great conversation piece as I traveled around the world. It made me feel like maybe I had finally made it, though I still cringed when I had to admit that I was 26 or 27 and had two roommates. Plus I didn’t like the prejudice associated with living on the same street as some of the most corrupt, money-hungry assholes in America. After all, I’m a t-shirt and jeans kinda gal.
Lower Manhattan, my old neighborhood when I lived on Wall Street
So when I moved into my own place it was a very proud moment. A milestone some would say. This is all I’ve ever wanted in New York City, to be financially stable enough to sign my own lease—just me, no roommates, no guarantors or cosigners— and just have my own little slice of one of the greatest cities in the world.
And now here I sit in my studio knowing that “I’ve made it,” but feeling completely detached from everything here. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret any decision I’ve ever made and I’m very grateful and proud that I’ve come this far. But I keep wondering what’s next now that I’ve accomplished everything I’ve been working towards for the last 12 years. Clearly I’ve grown a lot over the past twelve years, and this older, supposedly wiser me doesn’t want the same things that a younger me of even just a few years ago wanted.
Especially since I’ve gotten back from London in May, I’ve found myself regularly questioning things like:
— Why am I still in New York? The whole “I live in New York” novelty has lost its appeal. I could care less about parties, celebrities, or fashion. I don’t have money to eat at any of the world-class restaurants or buy designer clothes, and I absolutely despise the 4AM nightlife and clubs. Not to mention I’ve been here for seven years and while I have made many acquaintances, I definitely don’t feel like I’ve acquired many lasting relationships.
— Is it New York that’s pissing me off, or is it my career choice? Sure there’s never a dull moment in advertising which certainly fits my easily-bored ADD-like personality, but is this really what I should be doing with my writing talents? Or should I be using my creativity to solve real problems and help people in need, or at the very least write about something a bit more meaningful?
— Why do I keep convincing myself that it’s okay to fork over this much money each month to rent a studio apartment, just because it’s in New York City? I could fly to the other side of the world once a month for the price I pay in rent here.
— Why do I own a couch? Okay this is a weird one because sure I need it to fill the space, but it’s just a random clunky thing that’s going to be a pain in the ass when it comes time to move again. I guess I don’t like the idea of owning anything other than a computer and a camera because then things feel more permanent, and well, I don’t want that.
— Am I going to be like this forever, constantly pushing myself to find “what’s next?” Or will I eventually grow out of this and find myself happy and content with what I’ve got? Because if not, I could see this shit being really exhausting.
While these questions keep racing through my mind, I can be grateful that the “I want to settle down and start a family” bug hasn’t hit me like it has most of my friends (and hopefully it never will). But in recent years I have started to notice the lack of meaningful relationships I have in my life. I know that’s partially my fault, but it also has to do with the fact that I feel like I’m not meeting very many people with similar upbringings, values, interests, or goals, so it’s hard to relate or get too close to anyone. I guess it’s a good thing because that makes it even easier to pack up and go, but I’m still convinced it’s a bad sign when you’ve lived in a place for seven years and still haven’t developed (m)any meaningful relationships.
The bottom line is that I’ve spent a lot of time and hard work to get to where I am and as a result I think I’m burnt out. It’s making me lazy and I’m losing some of my ambition. I wish that I could postpone my student loan payments, pay off my credit card debts, sell everything I own, and travel the globe for like a year. Maybe that would lead me to somewhere else with an actual purpose for being there. And if not I’d come back and settle down on the West Coast like I’ve always dreamed of doing “once I got older.” I know that if I did it’d be a huge risk, and while I definitely wouldn’t look back and regret my decision, would it ruin my credit, put me further in debt, and make me worse off upon my return to the US? Probably.
So here I am, lost in New York City. As far as I’m concerned I’ve made it here, so now I can make it anywhere, right? But where? And more importantly, why there? The world is mine to choose from, I guess it’s just a matter of finding a place that’ll give me what I want next. Now I’ve just got to figure that out.
Have you ever been in a situation like this? What did you do? I’ve always been the type to plan things out and work towards them, but now it just seems like a waste of time. I just want to go somewhere and deal with things as they happen. But I’ve signed this lease until September 2014, so I’ve got some time to figure it out.
I’d like to start my year with a confession: It’s been a while since Just Visiting has been at the top of its game. Okay that’s a lie, it’s never been at the top of its game. I let my day job easily defeat my dedication to this site. But a new year means a new start, and over the past six months I’ve put a lot of hard work into getting Just Visiting back up and running better than ever before.
First thing’s first: a MAJOR site redesign! I’ve worked long hours with friends and colleagues to design and build something that I feel fits Just Visiting. Of course it’ll forever be a work in progress, but I think it’s well on its way to a much more user friendly experience, and more importantly, MUCH better content.
Secondly, I’ve begun investing in better camera equipment so hopefully I’ll be able to take (and share) even better photos. And I CAN’T WAIT to start playing around with video using my new GoPro Hero 3!
Also, I’ve recently enrolled in a travel writing class that I’m fairly certain will help me craft my stories so that they’re much more interesting and informative to read.
And last but not least, what would a travel blog be without any traveling? So I’m kicking off the brand new Just Visiting with a BIG trip! Check back tomorrow for the official announcement (hint: I’ll be packing enough stuff to live off of for three months)!
I can’t thank those of you enough who’ve followed my journeys over the years. And for those of you who may be seeing this site for the first time, I promise to do my best not to disappoint! Here’s to kicking off 2013 the right way—traveling new places, meeting new people, and going on all kinds of adventures!
The other day I was lucky enough to get a decent amount of money for referring a friend who was hired at our company. I should’ve put it directly towards my credit card bills, but I just did that with my entire tax return. So screw it, I’m going somewhere. Somewhere far, unlike any place I’ve ever been before so that I can experience true culture shock. I want to feel uncomfortable, lost, and far away from anything I’ve ever known.
So I’m going to Thailand.
Yes, I’ll probably stay close to the tourist hotspots like Bangkok and Phuket, but it will still be completely foreign to me since I know nothing about Thailand other than they had a huge Tsunami in 04, and it’s a place where both horny expats and honeymooning lovers go. I’ve only tried Thai food once, and to be embarrassingly honest I really don’t know much about Asia at all.
I’ll be traveling from May 18th – May 29th, spending over 55 hours in airports and airplanes. And sure it’s rainy season, but that just translates to affordable for me. It’s all about the silver lining people. My glass is always half full!
It’s rather unlike me to book such a huge trip just a month in advance, but this is an experiment at becoming a more adventurous on-the-go traveler. And I don’t plan on doing much research or planning because I don’t want to know what to expect. But I did jot down a few thoughts running through my mind in my notebook last night*.
It’s going to be an exciting journey. Stay tuned!
*See scanned image above. Apologies for my dreadful handwriting
Whether we’re ready for it or not, the holidays are here. Yes, already. And if you’re anything like the rest of us, you’ve probably got quite a few stragglers on your list that you have yet to shop for. Whether it’s your sister, friend, roommate, or the coworker who is on vacation more than he’s actually in the office, here are 16 gift ideas for the on-the-go guys and gals on your list, no matter what your budget.
1. For the friend who’s always planning their next trip: 1000 Places To See Before You Die. This book is full of must-see destinations and practical information to help plan. Whether the jet-setter on your list likes history, outdoor activities, shopping, or cuisines, this book is sure to offer valuable suggestions. Pick it up at your local book store or Amazon.com, starting at less than $10. Pair it with a journal and a nice pen to make the ultimate travel planning companion.
2. Maybe your friend isn’t a frequent flyer at all, but the thought of going on that spring vacation with her is enough for you to “accidentally forget” to pick adjacent seats. Anin-flight organizerwill help her keep everything handy instead of disturbing the people next to her while digging for lip balm, headphones, or Advil every 10 minutes.
3. Everyone likes to protect their electronics, so why not give them a stylish, water resistant case for their new eReader? Just make sure it’s sturdy enough to shove into a bag while on the go.
4. A quality carry on bag is always a good idea, but don’t overlook a “personal bag” to suit his/her style. I pack an overhead carry on with clothes, shoes, and any other large items I may need. But the bag that I use as my personal item has to fit my laptop, power cords, hair straightener, makeup, liquids, DSLR, keys, wallet, iPod, snacks, books, and then some. It’s nice to have a trendy, high-quality, organized bag that can double as a purse once I arrive at my destination. For men it might be better to go with a traditional overnight bag, but for women, check out their favorite designer or accessories store and look for an oversized bag with compartments. Go with their natural style- do they often carry boho-chic bags? Or how about a messenger bag, backpack, or simply a duffel bag? ebags.com also has an excellent selection of bags for every guy or gal on the go. Some suggested features:
Strong zippers
Water repellant material
No more than 12″ high so that it fits under the seat
Heavy duty, padded handles and a removable/adjustable strap
The ability to zip shut or remain open comfortably
Separate pockets on the outside for quick access to cell phone, ID, ticket
5. What about the coworker you picked in the office gift exchange? Whether he’s an avid traveler or just a guy who doesn’t like to get wet when running out for lunch on a rainy day, a nice travel umbrella should do the trick. The smaller, the better. A flat handle fits into a bag much easier than a clunky round one. Or better yet, the Shortstuff Portable Umbrella is only 5.5″ folded so it can fit comfortably in his pocket. This is the type of gift that may not seem like much, but it’s one that he’ll use just as much, if not more, than any gift on this list.
6. I’ve found myself packing cheap and easy foods like instant oatmeal and macaroni & cheese in an attempt to save money while traveling. But sometimes it can be difficult to find dishes to prepare these low budget meals in. How about a collapsible bowl & plate for the extremely frugal traveler on your list?
7. Got a wine lover on your list that stocks up in every new place they visit? Give them Bottle Armor XXL—the perfect gift to prevent a suitcase of wine-stained clothes and shards of glass.
8. While on the road, clean drinking water isn’t always easy to come by. And we all know bottled water can get quite expensive. Here’s a cheap way to give your friend filtered water all the time, with the Waterbobble Filtered Water Bottle.
9. Has your friend been dying to visit a place year after year, but it always falls through? Ever wonder how you can help them get there without paying for a plane ticket that costs more than your first car? Why not get them a gift card through their favorite airline? It’s like starting a rainy day fund that they can’t accidentally spend on anything else.
10. Do you have a roommate who works nonstop on the road, but is constantly calling to have you to email a file from their desktop? Why not get them a subscription to MobileMe? At $99, you’ll help your hard-working roomie get a bit more organized by automatically syncing their desktop, laptop, iPad, and iPhone. No more docking and syncing before every trip. Added bonus: there’s even a feature to help your “organized” roomie find their iPhone or iPad the next time should they happen to misplace it.
11. Know a shutterbug that insists on showing you every single photo after every mini-adventure? Give them a Flickr Pro subscription so they can upload and share their photos with the entire world. At only $24.95 for one year, it’s also a great way to store high quality photos online, just in case anything happens to their memory card or computer while on the go.
12. What do you get a world traveler who’s not planning a trip any time soon? Let them explore different cultures while staying local by giving them a certificate for a class. Maybe a wine and cheese class, or a language class that will help them when they finally make that trip to Germany. If their schedule is too unpredictable, maybe a membership for a cheese, wine, or beer of the month club. I can’t recommend or speak on behalf of any company in particular, but a quick search will pull up several options to suit your price range.
13. What about the clutter-free friend whose apartment looks like a page from a West Elm catalog? Perhaps a digital picture frame would be the perfect decoration for their place. Most of the nice ones can run you close to $100, but look for a combo pack with a memory card included for that price. Load up the card with some pictures of their journeys for a more personalized gift.
14. An essential for any traveler, especially those who frequently fly long distances: noise canceling headphones. I’ve personally had great experiences with Bose, but do some shopping around to find the best ones in your price range.
15.Turn their digital camera into an underwater one with a water resistant cover. Many travelers have great cameras but miss out on quality underwater photos when they settle for a $15 Kodak disposable. These can cost a couple hundred dollars, so make sure you know the camera’s exact model before purchasing.
16. Can’t decide on just one gift to give the wanderer in your life? Why not make your own travel gift basket? Get items that will come in handy when they’re on the go, and stuff them inside of a new carry on bag instead of a basket. An emergency charger, a sleeping mask, snacks, travel games, a passport folder—anything goes.
2. In the Pacific Northwest, it’s believed that Portland has the most strip clubs per capita over any US city. The city has just over a half million residents, and more than 50 strip clubs throughout the city. I’ve read online that Springfield, Oregon passed Portland as the most clubs per capita in 2009, but either way, Portland is still up there. More than Vegas. Apparently these strip clubs also serve up some excellent food.
3. I love eating Handi Snacks Breadsticks ‘n Cheez, but I hate eating them in public. See, I’m kind of a “no cheese left behind” kinda gal, and I fully support licking the plate (or plastic container) clean. It’s pretty embarrassing to do while sitting on an airplane or in an airport. But with a little creativity, it can be done discreetly.
4. The Travel Channel may have played a part in making Voodoo Doughnuts famous, but their end of day deal should be a must for any doughnut lover on a budget in Portland (if you’re willing to gain a few pounds). They sell 5 gallon buckets of day old doughnuts for $5. That’s fresher than packaged doughnuts from the grocery store; and more unique flavors too!
5. The iPhone 4 doesn’t just suck in New York. It sucks all over America. I don’t know if it’s AT&T or the iPhone itself, but mine didn’t work in about 60% of the places I visited- big and small cities alike. Mostly dropped calls, and no internet/data service (even though it had full bars and a 3G signal). Oh, and the “extremely tough gorilla glass” on the LCD screen is not so durable either. The prong side of my power cord hit the screen from 2ft in the air and shattered it. Of course, AppleCare doesn’t cover cosmetic damage. They actually told me to call my renters insurance and file a claim, or go in to Apple and pay $200 to have the screen fixed (on a phone I paid $300 for). I’ve had this phone just under 3 months and it has already cracked twice. Pretty bad considering I had my 3G for two years and it never saw a single scratch.
6. I will no longer take New York tap water for granted. Of the 12 cities I visited, none of their tap water comes close to New York’s. I think it tastes better than most bottled water. San Diego was probably the worst I tasted over the 37 days. I heard Chicago’s is great, but I didn’t try it.
8. Los Angeles has a subway system. Who knew? I’ve always heard about how bad their traffic is, but I’ve never once heard anything about a subway system. It doesn’t look like it connects much of LA, but when I took it four stops it was much quicker than driving or taking a bus. Their public buses are a joke. Yes they have televisions on board for maximum [looping] entertainment, but you’d better leave four hours early. Or plan on being late.
10. This one may seem like a no brainer, but if you plan on visiting another country, check out the conversion rate BEFORE you get there. I figured since Jamaica accepts US dollars and I was staying in a prepaid all-inclusive hotel, I’d be okay with a $20 bill and my ATM card. Well the cab to the hotel was $30, so I immediately had to stop at a Jamaican ATM. I didn’t have cell phone service to check the conversion rate, so I had to trust what the cab driver told me to withdrawal (which was a pretty scary feeling, especially since I didn’t have more than a few hundred dollars in the bank to begin with). The Jamaican conversion rate is 86.855 Jamaican dollars for every 1 USD. $30 USD ended up being something like 2600 Jamaican dollars. I’ve never in my life felt more uncomfortable than when I stepped into the private locked ATM machine, and typed in a $2600 withdrawal with a line of people standing behind me.
11. Never make a phone call from a foreign country without a calling card. And make sure you’re using a designated hotel phone that will not charge you a connection fee, or a per minute fee on top of the calling card fee. Even though the credit card rate advertised may only be 50 cents a minute, they have all kinds of hidden connection fees. You’re better off just not making any phone calls. This isn’t the first time I was wrongly informed of how much a phone call to the US would cost.
12.Cool Runnings fans (there’s still some out there, right?) should check out the Jamaican Bobsled Cafe on the Hip Strip in Montego Bay. I didn’t get to see it, thanks to Tropical Storm Nicole, but they have the original Jamaican bobsled from the 1988 Calgary Olympics.
13. Despite how clean the city looked, I’m pretty sure one of the most disease-infested alleys in America is in Seattle. The saliva-filled “bubblegum alley” in Seattle’s Pike Place Market is fairly similar to the Bubblegum Alley in San Luis Obispo, California. Is it weird that I had a strong urge to lick the walls?
14. Sunset is a great time to go up in the Seattle Space Needle. You can see the city in the daylight, sunset, and dark all within about an hour.
15. The 60th floor Sky Lobby at the JP Morgan Chase building in Houston provides a panoramic view of the city for free. It is the tallest building in Houston, and the 50th tallest in the world at 1002ft high. It is also the tallest 5-sided building in the entire world.
16. I-90 ends in Seattle. I’ve taken I-90 from my hometown in Toledo, West to Chicago and East to New York more times than I can count. I had no idea that had I missed the Chicago exit, I would have ended up in Seattle a few days later.
17. A man named Carl Fisher invented the car headlight, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Miami Beach in the early 1900s. He also began developing Montauk in Long Island New York as a “Miami of the north” tourist attraction before being cut short by the Great Depression.
18. The San Diego Zoo is expensive, and definitely not on a budget traveler’s agenda. It’s supposed to be worth every penny, but at $37 for the cheapest 1 day pass, I couldn’t afford to see for myself.
19. If your car breaks down on the Pacific Coast Highway, don’t count on your cell phone to call someone. Well over half of the drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco I was without service.
20. If you’re riding shotgun and hoping to take pictures along the Pacific Coast Highway, drive south. It’s easier to be on the outside than trying to take pictures past the driver’s head. And if you can, make time for a few stops along the way. Just make sure you take better pictures than I do.
21. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is the 2nd busiest airport in the world.
22. The show Most Extreme Airports on the History Channel ranks San Diego’s airport as the 10th most dangerous airport in the world due to its proximity to the mountains and downtown. In order to keep the noise down in the surrounding area, planes are allowed to take off between 630a and 1130p, or else face a fine. Arrivals are allowed 24 hours a day.
23. Apparently it does get hot in San Francisco. And there’s no air conditioning so you just have to suffer.
24. I stayed on Grant street, which was the first constructed street in San Francisco. It was originally named Calle De La Fundacion.
25.Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverly Hills trumps any cupcake I’ve ever had in NYC (yes, even the dry, overrated cupcakes at Magnolia). And they’re opening their first NYC store in Feb 2011, on Lexington between 60th & 61st.
26. Willamette Valley in Oregon produces some of the best and most inexpensive Pinot Noir in the world. I chose one based on the cool label, called The Four Graces, and it was by far the best low price wine I’ve ever had. Willamette Valley also appears as the end destination in The Oregon Trail.
27. Recycling bins on the streets of New York make me happy. But an abundance of compost bins out on the west coast? Incredible.
28. Nineteen of the world’s 25 largest hotels (by room count) are on the Las Vegas Strip.
29. Hostels are a perfectly cheap place to sleep in a new city. I stayed at my first hostel in Seattle, and although it was a huge difference from the hotel rooms I’m used to, a girl on a budget can’t complain. It was only $35, and since I only needed a place to rest from 9p-5a, I couldn’t justify spending much more for a hotel.
30. Traveling is a lot more fun when you don’t have to go back to work afterwards.
30 days. $499. Unlimited flights. Drumroll please- the numbers are in:
24,654 milesflown on the jetBlue AYCJ pass (25,154 including a flight on Spirit Airlines, from DTW to LGA on day 37).
913 miles in a caror by bus (between cities- not including transportation within cities).
60 hours 15 minutes on airplanes.
35 hours in airports.
20.5 hours on buses.
16 hours 15 mins on trains.
15 hours 15 minutes travelingin cars between cities.
13 cities. 12 airports.
2019 photos and videos taken.
Not to mention, brief encounters with 3 tornadoes, 2 tropical storms, and 1 Tommy Lee. I stayed in 10 houses/apartments, 2 hotels, and 1 hostel, and only encountered 1 canceled flight, and 3 flight delays.
