So, you’ve got a trip to Europe on the horizon, eh? Wondering what size backpack for Europe is best?
I’ve been there. A week before my trip, three backpacks were laid before me. I’m sitting on a chair in front of them like it’s a group interview.
So, what are your qualifications? And why do you feel you’re a fit for my back on an eight-week European trip?
I’ve been in your shoes before.
I stepped out of the airport after landing in Arequipa in Peru. I breathed in; the cool air filled my nostrils like standing in front of an air conditioner.
The air was thin and noticeably so. With each breath, my lungs only filled to about 80%. I gasped like Spongebob in Sandy’s Dome.
With COVID shutting down any hopes of travel in 2021, it was the perfect opportunity to get into a routine with my reading. So much so that I read more books in a single year than any other year in my life.
These books entertained, taught me soft skills, and filled me with loads of inspiration. This translated to every corner of my life, as I had one of my most productive years ever (I did start this blog, after all!).
So, as the weather gets so cold that your lips chap instantly upon leaving your house, there’s no better time to put on a hoodie (or three) and curl up to listen to or read a good book. So, here are my favorite books from 2021:
And there it is. The first “official” year of The Travel Runner has come and gone. Although The Travel Runner’s one-year anniversary won’t come until May, I wanted to take the time to show some of the most popular posts from the past year.
Cities are great, but there isn’t much like getting out of the tall buildings and chaos to see the natural side of a country. It’s these lesser-known parts that offer the most authentic side, in my opinion. You learn what the area was like before this massive grid of buildings was placed here and expanded upon, destroying everything in its path.
And, okay, I may have lied about my true feelings in the first sentence. I think cities are boring and mundane most of the time. There are exceptions, of course, but most cities I’ve visited are simply a faceless facade that covers a more beautiful interior of a country.
It sounds ridiculous, right? Travel fatigue? I can already hear many people groaning and saying, “Oh, cry me a river. I’d love to travel as much as you get to!”
And, I don’t necessarily disagree. Full-time travelers are fortunate.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t negative aspects to this lifestyle. There are pros and cons to everything in life, and travel is no different.
Vietnam is my favorite country on this planet. I’ve mentioned this repeatedly in past posts. That’s why I was so shocked when I read Nomadic Matt’s post about why he’d never return to Vietnam. The swindling, overcharging, and mistreatment left a bad taste in his mouth.
Admittedly, he’s since adjusted and strongly encourages people to visit Vietnam. It’s always great to keep an open mind to things, even if you had a bad experience the first time.
Yet, his post was still an intriguing read to me. As I read, I tried to square the Vietnam he experienced with the one I experienced when I visited in 2017—a full 10 years after him.
I’ll never forget how nervous I was on January 7th, 2012. My stomach was doing more flips than the pancakes I had eaten that morning. My mind wouldn’t stop racing.
And there was no chance I was getting any sleep.
The next day, I would be heading to Barcelona, where I’d stay with a host family for the next few months while I spent a college term studying abroad.
It’d also be the first time I’d live somewhere that wasn’t within 15 minutes of a family member.
Fast forward almost 10 years, and I’m living in Thailand. And I can’t wait to travel more.
World travel has become as regular to me as ridiculous basketball moves are to the Harlem Globetrotters. During this time, I’ve had the opportunity to pick up some tricks of the trade. In particular, I’ve learned very valuable lessons when it comes to what to pack for travel. Packing your bag is one of the most important parts pre-trip, in my opinion. I know my bag has changed a lot since I started, let’s see if yours will as well.
