Travels in the Riel World

Actually, for less than $14,000 per year. That’s what Nora Dunn promises you can do. The self-styled professional hobo, she recently wrote an article on how to travel full time for a whole lot less money than you’d think it would cost. This is how she introduces herself:

I “retired” from the rat race at the tender age of 30 to embrace my life-long dream of traveling the world, before life had a chance to get in the way.

So far, I have frolicked in the Rocky Mountains, fallen off the grid in Hawaii, managed tropical hostels, survived Australia’s worst-ever natural disaster, led eco-treks on Llamas, and nearly froze to death in a camper van. (The traveling life is rarely a dull one.)

I am not rich. I am not a trust child, nor do I have rich parents, a sugar daddy, or a stream of income that allows me to live the high life on the road. Full time travel doesn’t have to be expensive, and after two years on the road, I’ve learned plenty of tricks to travel the world without breaking the bank, and without an end in sight.

In the article, she provides tips on cheap airfare, free accommodations, working while traveling, rethinking travel expenses, and more. It’s chock full of good information. If you have any desire at all to engage in long-term travel, you need to read her story and take notes.

You’ve done it. Planned a trip to India. Now, what should you know about the country and its customs before you go? Shreya Sanghani has written a guide for you, which was published by Matador Travel and provides an overview of 10 Indian customs that you should know about before your trip. An excerpt:

Questions and eyes - What might be considered intrusive in many Western cultures is only a matter of course in India. Also, people will generally be very curious about foreign visitors, and this can take the form of unabashed staring.

There’s a lack of privacy among the teeming millions of India, and the concept of personal space as you know it might not exist. Try not to take it too personally if people on the street seem to be staring at you all the time, and if Indian acquaintances and friends ask you questions that you think are none of their business. Most of the time, it’s just friendly curiosity, and if you smile at a staring stranger, many times you will get an amicable smile back.

You’ll be hounded - You might be seen as a rich foreigner thanks to the exchange rate, and many times you’ll be followed around by beggars, beckoned into shops by over-eager store keepers, and hailed by expectant taxi drivers. Make sure your local friends tell you what the standard rates are, because if you’re looking to do some great shopping or have a comfortable public transport experience, you need to be in the know.

Indian festivals- With so many religions and cultures, you will come across fairs, celebrations and merrymaking of all kinds. Whether it is the shimmering lights of Diwali, the colors of Holi, the extravaganza of Durga Puja, Navaratri, Onam, Dusshera, Id Ul Fitr and Christmas, you’ll encounter indigenous customs, amazing Indian cuisine and total festive abandonment.

Read the entire article for the other seven Indian tips and customs.

Americans love road trips, and Memorial Day is the traditional kickoff to the summer travel season. So many of the trips we take, though, are to visit national parks or beaches. These are classic journeys and there’s nothing at all wrong with them. But why confine yourself to a traditional road trip? With so many amazing sights and so many miles of roads meandering across the continent, the possibilities are endless for crafting journeys to fit almost any imaginable interest.

To that end, I created my own version of a literary road trip through New England. It brings you to the towns of ten authors, from Mark Twain and Henry David Thoreau to Jack Kerouac and Robert Frost, among others. Along the way, you’ll also encounter some of the prettiest landscapes in the region.

You can read my description of the journey here, and use this Google map to follow along or to plot your own version of this trip.

View Literary New England road trip in a larger map

Happy traveling!

Halong Bay, Vietnam

The stunning limestone islands of Halong Bay, off the northern coast of Vietnam, just before sunset.

Impossible you say? You need income, you need a home? Actually, there are a surprising number of people who live without the anchor of homes or jobs. They’ve found a way to essentially live on the road. Yes, to be a permanent tourist. Christopher Elliott, in his MSNBC travel column, recently profiled some of these individuals and provided a few tips on how anyone could become “a modern-day nomad.”

If the thought of living on the road seems appealing, you’ve got company. Who wouldn’t want to spend a few weeks in an exotic place, discovering a new culture, seeing the sights, living like a native, and then moving on to the next destination? …

So what’s the secret to becoming a modern-day nomad? I asked people who were already doing it, and here’s what they said:

1.  Find a reason. Most transients have a portable career that allows them to travel freely. They’re consultants, freelancers or teachers, for example. But there are other ways to make money when you’re nomadic. In 2006, Tiffany Owens and her husband became full-time property caretakers. Both had been frustrated with their former careers — she was a magazine editor and he was a cable installer — and needed a break. “Now, I garden instead of sitting in boardroom meetings,” she says. “I couldn’t be happier.” Check out the newsletter Caretaker Gazettefor caretaking opportunities.

2. Travel extra light.That’s the advice of Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia.org. He became what he calls “unstuck” about two years ago, spending a month in Tokyo, San Francisco, New York, and Buenos Aires. “Pack less, and become unattached to possessions,” he says. “And then … pack less.” You’ll be living out of a suitcase for months — literally.

There are a total of nine tips in Elliott’s article. Read the whole thing for the full scoop on being a world nomad.

It’s difficult to shake the popular image of the desert as a barren, lifeless place, coated in sand and scorched by an unrelenting sun. Well, perhaps the part about the sun is true, at least during the summer months, but the desert of the American Southwest actually abounds with a surprising variety of plant life. If you’d like to explore some of this flora, and perhaps explode your vision of what a typical botanical garden should look like, check out the story I wrote over at Examiner.com about desert botanical gardens in Arizona and California.

Wildflowers framed by an agave plant at Tohono Chul Park in Tucson.

So you’re planning a trip to Japan and nervous about what it is that you don’t know about the country. You know about the sights, the trains and the hotels, but what about the customs? Turner Wright just penned a piece for Matador Travel about 10 Japanese customs to know about before your trip. An excerpt:

Addressing Someone, Respect- Bowing is nothing less than an art form in Japan, respect pounded into children’s heads from the moment they enter school. For tourists, a simple inclination of the head or an attempt at a bow at the waist will usually suffice…In addition to bowing, addressing someone properly is key. Just as a “Dr. Smith” might feel a little insulted if you were to refer to him as “Smith”, so would a Japanese if you do not attach the suffix “san” to their last name, or “sama” if you are trying to be particularly respectful.

No Tipping - There is no tipping in any situation in Japan – cabs, restaurants, personal care. To tip someone is actually a little insulting; the services you’ve asked for are covered by the price given, so why pay more?

Bathing- Public bathhouses are alive and well in Japan…Unlike in western cultures, the Japanese bath is used after you have washed and rinsed, and feel like soaking in extra-hot water for 10, 20, 30 minutes. It’s an acquired taste to be sure, but can be very relaxing…Take the time to visit a sento if you have the opportunity. These are places without barriers, without regard to skin color, age, or language… well, they are separated by sex with the exception of some mixed-bathing areas.

Check out the entire article for the author’s seven other Japanese customs to know about.

A planned town in Germany is doing just that. Going carless. All the streets, except for a few, belong solely to pedestrians and bicycles. People are not barred from owning a car, but none of the homes have garages or parking spaces, so homeowners must buy a parking spot in a town garage. The goal is not only to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions from tailpipes, but also to create a different quality of life in a walkable community.

As a result, 70 percent of Vauban’s families do not own cars, and 57 percent sold a car to move here. “When I had a car I was always tense. I’m much happier this way,” said Heidrun Walter, a media trainer and mother of two, as she walked verdant streets where the swish of bicycles and the chatter of wandering children drown out the occasional distant motor.

Vauban, completed in 2006, is an example of a growing trend in Europe, the United States and elsewhere to separate suburban life from auto use, as a component of a movement called “smart planning.” …

While there have been efforts in the past two decades to make cities denser, and better for walking, planners are now taking the concept to the suburbs and focusing specifically on environmental benefits like reducing emissions. Vauban, home to 5,500 residents within a rectangular square mile, may be the most advanced experiment in low-car suburban life. But its basic precepts are being adopted around the world in attempts to make suburbs more compact and more accessible to public transportation, with less space for parking. In this new approach, stores are placed a walk away, on a main street, rather than in malls along some distant highway.

I’m as guilty of anyone of living in a place where I need to drive my car for most errands, but I do love the thought of living somewhere more walkable and not being chained to an automobile. However, for an entire community to go without cars is certainly a big step. What do you think about it?

I’ve always been more of a fan of independent travel. I’m not one for tour groups, except for the occasional day tour when you can get a lot out of being with a local guide. That said, a lot of people do enjoy traveling as part of a group and there are benefits to having the logistical details handled by someone else.

National Geographic Traveler just came out with its annual “Tours of a Lifetime” feature, in which they highlight wonderful tours that are run by travel companies. They divide the tours into three groups - cultural, active, and classic. For a sampling, here is one tour from each category:

Digging Syria - Largely untouched by tourism, Syria is a feast for archaeology buffs. This tour follows its history from the earliest cities to the Crusades. You’ll visit Mari—founded around 3,000 B.C. on the banks of the Euphrates—and explore Krak des Chevaliers, one of the best examples of Crusader castles. Along the way, you’ll tour ancient Palmyra, known as the Bride of the Desert, and take a ride by steam engine on the antique Hejaz Railway (famously attacked by Lawrence of Arabia) through the desert to the basalt city of Bosra.

Bike Mendoza- Surrounded by vineyards in the foothills of the Argentinian Andes, Mendoza is prime biking country. On dirt roads and pavement, you’ll pedal four hours a day along rural trails, city parks, and high-altitude growing regions, leaving plenty of time for Malbec tasting, gourmet meals, and a traditional asado—guilt-free.

Secret Life of Bhutan- Under the guiding principle of achieving a high Gross National Happiness quotient, the kingdom of Bhutan has managed to balance creeping modernity with the preservation of its national heritage and environment. Find out its secret as you travel from village to village, staying in the homes of locals, hiking in the backcountry, and perhaps taking part in a festival.

Check out the whole article for many other tour recommendations.

Now, here is a topic to get you thinking. We all have our list of dream travel destinations, of course. But those destinations all exist today, in the 21st century. What if you could time travel? That would open up a whole slew of other travel options, now wouldn’t it? Turner Wright came up with a list of his 10 favorite time traveling destinations and wrote about them for Brave New Traveler. Some of my own favorites on his list include:

Rome, Height of the Empire - No one in living memory has ever really seen the Colosseum. Whatever your religious beliefs, there used to be gods in that city; watching over the empire from their marbled countenance, and ensuring trade on one of the first greatest centers of business in the western world: the Roman Forum. Imagine being able to walk down the epitome of civilization.

Ancient Egypt, c. 2500 BC- Watch the building of the pyramids and learn more about archaeoastronomy - skylights in the pyramids were carved so that certain constellations could be viewed at a set time of year. Even the great structures themselves were arranged on the sand corresponding to the placement of three stars overhead. Discover the meaning of the Great Sphinx - who knows why it was built?

India, c. 600 BC- The Buddha had about forty-five good years of teaching from the time of his reaching enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree to his death. Don’t waste them. Meeting the Awakened One and learning the dhamma firsthand would be an experience for which almost anyone in Asia would trade his or her life. Try and eliminate the suffering in your heart before your departure.

Check out the article to see his entire list, which includes the Old West in the United States, the Mayan city of Chichen Itza in the 5th century, ancient Babylon in the 6th century B.C., and four other places. What destinations would be on your list?

Romance is universal. But the road to romance? Well, that’s a different story. Terry Ward of World Hum took a look at the dating cultures of five other countries in a fun story called Around the World in Five Dates. A sampling:

Japan: The Japanese place great importance on saving face. In the nebulous world of dating, this can make it all the more difficult to know when someone is no longer interested in your affections. Younger Japanese are open to meeting potential love interests anywhere, from a cafe or club to a bookstore. But they often favor group situations—meeting together with a group of friends—as the best setting for a first date.

India: In India, an overwhelming majority of marriages are still arranged by parents. In big cities, Western-style dating occurs, but overall, it’s far from the norm. And when it does occur, the intention for a serious commitment is usually there from the start.

Iran: Since the Revolution in 1979, all rules in Iran are based in Sharia law. Dating is strictly forbidden by the central government—ditto for drinking and dancing. But in Tehran and other big cities, underground parties bring men and women together. The sexes are separated in the Iranian education system until university, so that’s often where couples first meet. Later, the workplace is a typical place for a relationship to start.

As we talk about differences in cultures around the world, it’s easy to forget that there are also many cultures and worldviews residing all around us. Among the various racial and ethnic groups in the United States, there are of course different foods, music and traditions, but there are also different ways in which people perceive the world and their place in it. An example of this can be seen in a recent Arizona Daily Star article, which profiles an Hispanic man who struggled with the question of whether or not to place his Alzheimer’s-afflicted mother in an assisted living facility because it went against his cultural beliefs and values.

Two days before he was to visit his mother, Guillermo Goodman cried at the thought of her in the care of strangers. Raised in a traditional Hispanic family, where his grandmother’s every need was tended to by his father at home, Goodman, 59, never imagined making a different choice for his own mother.

But the effects of Herminia’s Alzheimer’s disease and Guillermo’s own failing health took a toll. Earlier this month, Goodman placed his mother in a private assisted-living home — an option that few Hispanic families pursue, sometimes to the detriment of the elder and the caretaker.

“I remember my grandmother living with us and the love that my father had for her,” said Guillermo, a native of Nogales, Ariz. “I thought I, too, would take care of my mother her whole life and that’s one of the reasons I didn’t want to make this choice.”…

Lupe Salas, an outreach coordinator with the council who works with the Hispanic community, said there’s a lack of information about resources for elder care. She said many Hispanics frown upon government programs such as the Arizona Long Term Care System because of a long-held reluctance to place loved ones in the care of the government.

Or, if not the Garden of Eden, then at least the origin of modern human beings? That’s the intriguing suggestion of a recent genetic survey, as reported in the NY Times.

Locations for the Garden of Eden have been offered many times before, but seldom in the somewhat inhospitable borderland where Angola and Namibia meet.

A new genetic survey of people in Africa, the largest of its kind, suggests, however, that the region in southwest Africa seems, on the present evidence, to be the origin of modern humans…The new data goes far toward equalizing the genetic picture of the world, given that most genetic information has come from European and Asian populations. But because it comes from Africa, the continent on which the human lineage evolved, it also sheds light on the origins of human life.

Just as interesting, I think, is this other result of the same research:

Dr. Tishkoff’s team has also calculated the exit point from which a small human group — maybe a single tribal band of 150 people — left Africa some 50,000 years ago and populated the rest of the world. The region is near the midpoint of the African coast of the Red Sea.

Gets you thinking about the origins of humanity.