You won’t believe what Michael’s eating. Copyright TimeTravelTurtle.com

In this week’s ¨Who’s Out There Now¨ feature, we bring to you Michael, solo Aussie traveler on his break. In part because of his last name, but also because of his preferred travel style his blog has the clever name Time Travel Turtle. Slow and off the beaten path for the most part, I first started discovering Michael’s posts on some remote places I had been in South America, which made them stand out in my mind. I finally met Michael in Italy in April and would be happy to travel around with him. But, as a self-described ¨garbage truck collecting trash¨ snorer at night, I would be seeking out the hostel’s private room.

1. So, where in the world are you answering these questions?

I’m in Luxembourg at the moment, in the middle of a mission to walk across the whole country. You can tell I don’t like my missions to be too hard – Luxembourg is not that big. But it’s still going to end up being a six day hike that will cover about 130 kilometres, so that should be a nice little achievement.

2. So let’s get right to it: Eating animal penis in China. Walk me through the process of deciding that this is something you have to try once in your life.

Ha ha. I’d heard about this restaurant in Beijing that served only penis and I thought it sounded like something that had to be seen (and tasted) to be believed. I’m a fairly adventurous guy when it comes to weird things like that and, at the very least, I thought it would make a good story. I had a couple of friends in the city who were happy to come along so we gave each other enough moral support to actually go. It was pretty revolting, for the record.

Need for Speed? Copyright TimeTravelTurtle.com

3. I really enjoyed reading about your time in North Korea, especially your color commentary about what you were seeing and being shown. Is it possible to have a connection with the country or the people given how much the tour is controlled?

The short answer is no. The long answer is nooooooo. Everything is really tightly controlled – in Pyongyang, foreigners are only allowed to stay in a hotel on an island so they can restrict your movements, for example. There are quite a few opportunities to be around locals, though, so you may not get a chance to have in-depth conversations (not that they speak English) but can see a slice of their lives. Overall, you learn as much from the efforts of the guides to control what you see as you do from the sites you’re allowed to go to. Driving through rural areas you can see the simple houses people live in, when you stop in the countryside you can hear propaganda messages blaring on loudspeakers, and when you’re in the city at night you can see how little electricity is being used.

4. You’ve had some unique experiences like crashing funerals in Chile, obviously your animal penis meal, and getting caught in the matrix in Poland. Do you seek out quirk or does it come naturally to your quirky self?

Probably a mixture of both. I’m definitely always on the lookout for experiences and places that are off the usual tourist paths – but there are a lot of things you just can’t plan. I think if you’re open to different experiences and are prepared to take the time to go a bit deeper into a location, these things happen naturally. You’ve then got to be prepared to make the most of them!

5. You have a fascination with UNESCO Heritage sites. Has there been one that you’ve visited that disappointed or, if not, was completely different than you expected?

There haven’t been any that have been disappointing so far but I must admit I got a bit bored of the Italian ones. Sure, there’s a lot of history in that country but by the time you’ve seen a dozen old cities with old churches, you wonder whether Italy really deserves to have the most World Heritage Sites of any country. The one that was the most surprising was in Chile. It’s a small places called the Sewell Mining Town that is in the middle of nowhere in the Andes and you have to access on an authorised tour that only runs a few times a week. I didn’t really know what to expect so I was blown away when I discovered this abandoned town with colourful buildings, a theatre, and a maze of staircases – all set against the striking background of the mountains.

As they say, Texas is like a whole other country. Copyright TimeTravelTurtle.com

6. Career break, nomadic adventure, backpacking, how do you characterize your trips?

If I said ‘career break’, I might seem too optimistic that I have a career to go back to. ‘Nomadic adventure’ is probably the best way to put it. I left Australia about 13 months ago and have no plans to settle down anywhere in the foreseeable future. The world is changing at such a rate, though, that there’s no reason why an endless global journey can’t become a career if things pan out well.

7. What are some of the secrets to travel that you’ve discovered that you think more people who aren’t traveling should know?

I think the biggest misconception people have is that there’s an ‘us versus them’ mentality out in the world. You hear people say ‘oh, the <insert race> are going to try to rip you off’ or ‘you’ll never get anything done because the <insert another race> are too lazy to help’. Ultimately people are nice and there will always be someone to help you if you’re lost, bored or hungry. If you travel the world for long enough you’ll discover the goodness in humanity and realise that no culture has a monopoly on generosity.

8. What was your first ¨We’re not in Kansas anymore¨ moment on this trip?

The first time I really felt out of my depth on this trip was when I went into Paraguay on my own. It’s a country that doesn’t really have any decent guidebooks written about it, has no tourist trail, no easy places to stay, and no English. I would go days without having a conversation in English, without knowing if I was on the right bus (or where I should get off), and without seeing another foreigner. But it was one of the best experiences of my time in South America because the challenge made the trip much more worthwhile.

At Iguazu Falls, Argentina. Copyright TimeTravelTurtle.com

9. What’s been your most ¨local¨ experience so far?

Probably the time I spent in Buenos Aires when I was trying to learn Spanish (I say ‘trying’ because all I could do after three weeks was buy a beer and a bus ticket. And even then I’m sure I once asked for a beer to Mendoza). During the stay I was living in university accommodation with a bunch of Argentinian students. They knew that city inside out and we spent a lot of time in cafes, bars, nooks and crannies that I would never have found otherwise.

10. What has been your most embarrassing moment?

Well, if you don’t include every time I tried to speak Spanish in South America, the most embarrassing moment was probably in the US. I was hanging with some Aussie friends and some Americans we’d met and were having a couple of pretty wild days and nights (it was Halloween and the city knows how to party!). To cut a long story short, I woke up one morning and walked out to the hostel common room where my friends all started laughing at me. It turns out I’d thought it would be a good idea to get a tattoo on my face! Thankfully the woman in the tattoo parlour had been sensible enough to make it a fake one. Thankfully!

In North Korea. Copyright TimeTravelTurtle.com

11. What’s your secret for getting the most out of your journey?

Being flexible and not having any boundaries. I never book my onward transport until the last moment so I can change my mind if something better comes along. I always say yes to offers of something different (ok, not always, but y’know what I mean). And I always try to find the pleasure in any situation.

12. Finally, our lightening round. (Just a quick short answer for each please)

• Best dish you’ve found so far: Argentinian steak. I don’t know what they do to those cows, but yum!
• Most exotic food eaten: I think we’ve already covered this one
• Most breathtaking moment: Standing at Iguaza Falls on the Brazilian and Argentinian border
• Biggest disappointment: Rio de Janeiro. But it did rain for pretty much the whole week I was there
• Most memorable place: North Korea
• Most memorable person: The oldest backpacker in the world, John Waite, who was 89 years old and had been travelling with two changes of clothes for 30 years
• Best thing to have on a long bus ride: War and Peace
• Worst thing to have on a long bus ride: The runs
• Best thing you packed: My hoodie. It keeps me dry, keeps me warm, and keeps me comfortable. You can dress it up or dress it down. The perfect bit of clothing.
• Dumbest thing you packed: All my other sweaters!
• Funniest travel habit you have: I like to walk a lot so when everyone else will get a bus or a taxi, I’ll walk.
• Place you wish you could’ve stayed longer: Chile – it has been one of my favourite countries and a real surprise.

You can follow Michael online at TimeTravelTurtle.com. on Facebook and on Twitter @MichaelTurtle

Every week, Career Break Secrets profiles a different traveler or traveling couple who are embracing the ¨Because Life Is Out There ^TM¨ travel spirit.  These are people who have taken the plunge to embark on a career break and are currently traveling the world.  

If you like this post, sign up for our newsletter or subscribe to our RSS feed to keep up with Career Break Secrets’ career break and travel advice.

Who’s Out There Now: Michael is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Taking a break in El Chalten, Argentina. Copyright LandingStanding.com

In this week’s ¨Who’s Out There Now¨ feature, we bring to you Meg and Tony, who left the corporate world to see the real world. I had the chance to meet them in Italy in April at the Travel Bloggers Unite conference. Their site, Landing Standing, has a lot of personality (no surprise having met them). So, follow their trip. You will be entertained.

1.  So, where in the world are you answering these questions?

Thanks for the kind words, Jeff! We just arrived in Berlin and are crashing with some friends that we have met on the road. Mooching is the key to any successful long-term travel plan!

2.  What’s the story behind your site’s name? How does it reflect your travel style? Who’s landing and who’s standing anyway?

Ohhhh, boy. As with most origin stories, it’s a bit convoluted. After we graduated college, we had the idea to start a blog about financial planning for recent grads. The name Landing Standing was hit upon as the perfect way to describe the transition from college to adult life (as in, landing on your feet). A little too cutesy and ridiculous perhaps? Definitely… but so are we! Plus, we thought the rhyming was catchy. Even though we are passionate and knowledgeable about personal finance (came in handy when planning a trip around the world), that blog lasted just 7 posts. But the name stuck.

Overtime, the name Landing Standing came to mean how we could face any challenge and always come out ok. Our travel style is to plan just enough to survive and then to face the chaos that life throws at us. Lost in the middle of a foreign city? No worries. Money running tight with so much more to see? Not a problem. Why? Because we always end up on our two feet… landing standing!

Relaxing! Copyright LandingStanding.com

3.  Before you left, Tony wrote a post, The Silly Things That I Will Miss When We Travel (and Why It Will All Be OK). In it, you included that you thought you’d miss your job. So, be honest, how much are you really missing your careers?

The careers… maybe not so much. But the people we worked with? Definitely! There is also that nagging feeling of being “unanchored” because we had to hit the eject button on the traditional life plan… but that also feels kind of great. Life is always better when you are outside your comfort zone and we truly believe it is the key to success. We have a few projects in the works to turn this career break into a permanent lifestyle, so we’ll see how it goes!

4.  Meg, you wrote about 15 things we need to know about you. You mentioned your penchant for getting hotel and flight upgrades. How was the adjustment to budget travel and do you have any tricks for adding a bit of luxe on your trip?

As a business management consultant back home, I accumulated a ton of airline miles and hotel points and got upgraded A LOT.  However, adjusting to budget travel was a lot easier than I expected.  Tony and I are incredibly grateful to be travelling the world so our expectations and needs are very basic.  As long as a hostel or hotel has a bug-free bed for us to sleep in, we consider it a win!  As far as tricks for adding a bit of luxe to our trips, we do occasionally leverage my hotel points to stay at a nice hotel on the road when we need a break from the hostel lifestyle. Also, if you tell people you are on your honeymoon, the free stuff and upgrades come flying in!

Meg befriending a street dog in Santiago. Copyright LandingStanding.com

5.  You started your trip in Santiago, Chile. I think it’s a good choice for easing your way into long-term travel. What was your strategy to putting together your itinerary and picking where you’d go and where you’d skip?

With our penchant for planning “just enough,” we didn’t make too big a deal out of it. We knew we wanted to start in South America because neither of us had been. Meg did a few hours of research online that said Santiago was a super easy city to visit. Once we had that info, it only took us a day of looking up cheap dates for flights before pulling the trigger. We decided against an around-the-world ticket as Meg’s points helped reduce some of the more expensive flights we’ve taken. Plus, we really love the freedom of having no places to visit picked out beyond a general area. The key was we bought the first ticket. Sometimes people get so hung up on the planning that they never actually do the traveling. You can always plan more later, so once you make the decision to travel, just make it happen!

6.  Career break, nomadic adventure, backpacking, how do you characterize your trips?

People have so many different definitions of these, but probably a bit of everything. We travel on a budget, but have access to a decent amount of hotel points and airline miles to splurge on occasion. We took a break from our careers, but are looking to turn this into a lifelong nomadic adventure. We always default to calling it “vagabonding”, but that is more for the romance of the journey than any specific way we travel.

Tony trying cuy (guinea pig) in Peru. Copyright LandingStanding.com

7.  What are some of the secrets to travel that you’ve discovered that you think more people who aren’t traveling should know? 

Technology in 2012 has made missing events back home almost non-existent. We have Facebook, Twitter, and email to stay connected to our friends lives. Skype lets us see our families face-to-face every week. Missing out on your current life is no longer a reason to not travel (not that it ever was, really). Plus, technology like Facebook and Twitter lets you be open to so many new opportunities on the road  Let people know what you are doing and get ready to be surprised at how many cool people you will meet.

8.  What was your first ¨We’re not in Kansas anymore¨ moment on this trip?

It is definitely not the craziest thing we have seen on this trip, but the stray dogs in Santiago was definitely the first time where we felt “outside” of the US. Santiago was incredibly modern feeling, so the stray dogs everywhere were fairly surreal. But they were well taken care of, for the most part, by the local shop owners. As dog people though… it was really hard to not adopt a new dog everyday. Meg was having the internal battle of a lifetime just trying not to pet them!

9.  What’s been your most ¨local¨ experience so far?

While in La Paz, Bolivia, we decided to take a local bus to the city of El Alto, which is the largest city in the world built and inhabited by Native Americans.  Here we went to their famous market where we were the ONLY tourists there.  The entire experience was incredibly eye opening and we later discovered that El Alto was also famous for local kidnappings of American tourists… Yikes!

10.  What has been your most embarrassing moment?

Tony: I’ll take this one… as Meg has yet to top it. But about 2 weeks into our journey we were asked to partake in a full day hike in the Andes for our first sponsored tour. Beyond giddy that this little blog of ours was worthy of a sponsored tour, we set off on a day that I have still not lived down…

Extremely long and embarrassing story short: Whether due to drinking the night before or a slight stomach bug, I had a battle with my body all the way up (and down) the mountain that I did not ultimately win. I wrote about it in graphic, yet cathartic, detail here if you really to know. But the day culminated with me actually saying the words (unthinkable only a day before) “Meg, I pooped myself.” So professional.

Hiking the Andes in South America. Copyright LandingStanding.com

11. What’s your secret for getting the most out of your journey?

Plan as little as you can to survive. Overplanning can turn your journey into a chore and suck all of the adventure out of your career break. The best parts of our trip have come from the detours along the way based on advice from friends we have met on the road. You only need to book hostels online a few days ahead and buses are never sold out more than a day or two in advance. Revel in your freedom!

12. Finally, our lightning round. 

• Best dish you’ve found so far: Baklava in Turkey
• Most exotic food eaten: Cuy (Guinea Pig) in Cusco, Peru
• Most breathtaking moment: Finally reaching Machu Pichu after 4 days on the Inca Trail
• Biggest disappointment: La Paz, Bolivia… Not fans!
• Most memorable place: As cliche as it sounds, it was Paris for our two-year wedding anniversary
• Most memorable person: Our conspiracy loving, anti-semitic (with dashes of racism) cab driver in Croatia who loved to “share.” If you can’t laugh, you’ll cry.
• Best thing to have on a long bus ride: Toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and earplugs
• Worst thing to have on a long bus ride: Meg’s baby-sized bladder
• Best thing you packed: Tony: My Kindle, Meg: My jeggings really helped with my Italy weight gain!
• Dumbest thing you packed: Tony: An outdoor survival guide in paperback / Meg: A “stylish” fanny pack
• Funniest travel habit the other has: Tony: Meg has to nest upon getting a new place. That means clothes in drawers and bag in a closet… immediately! Meg: Tony is a complete germaphobe (although, he prefers the term “germ-aware”), which was funny to witness in many places in South America
• Place you wish you could’ve stayed longer: A friend’s home and guesthouse on the bank of Lago Maggiore in Switzerland. Heaven on earth

You can follow Meg and Tony online at LandingStanding.com on Facebook and on Twitter @LandingStanding.
Every week, Career Break Secrets profiles a different traveler or traveling couple who are embracing the ¨Because Life Is Out There TM¨ travel spirit.  These are people who have taken the plunge to embark on a career break and are currently traveling the world.

If you like this post, sign up for our newsletter or subscribe to our RSS feed to keep up with Career Break Secrets’ career break and travel advice.

Who’s Out There Now? Meg and Tony is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Gerard and Kieu at the Taj Mahal. Copyright GQTrippin.com

In this week’s ¨Who’s Out There Now¨ feature, we bring to you Gerard and Kieu. While the name of their travel blog, GQ trippin, may be a play on their first names, The GQ may actually reflect them being the cutest and most fashionable damn travel couple out there: Gerard is a self-described health nut and Kieu has a background in the cosmetics industry. As they travel around, they’re paying special attention to the food of the world.

1. So, where in the world are you answering these questions?

We just checked into our cozy homestay in Ubud on the beautiful island of Bali.

2. You each had different experiences leaving your jobs. Gerard was forced into a career break (even though you were already thinking about taking one) and Kieu, you left a job you say you loved. How did the difference in your employment status affect your planning, budgeting and even your attitudes towards your break.

Well, we were supposed to quit our jobs together. Gerard’s job quitting him just meant he’d be doing most of the planning and preparation – where to go, stay, do and of course eat – that sort of stuff. And because he was laid-off, his severance package added a wee bit more into our travel budget (but not much). In a way, Gerard getting laid off three months prior was actually a blessing and relief.

3. You started in New Zealand jumping right into the game by zorbing in Rotorua and you haven’t really stopped since. Is there any sort of action activity that you ultimately decided not to do? (please include a link to your zorbing video and I’ll put it in the post)

Gerard really wanted to go river boarding in New Zealand, but he’s not exactly good in the water – not unless you consider doggy paddling swimming. I was terrified myself so I made every excuse, mostly riding on the fact that he couldn’t swim, to get ourselves out of going. It worked. Gerard agreed it may not be the safest of sports. So we went bungy jumping instead!

4. This trip got personal on your trip to Vietnam where both got to visit family. How was your visits and what do they think about your world tour?

It’s always nice to be with family especially after being away for so long. This trip was extra special because Gerard got to meet his dad’s side of the family for the first time in Hue and found out he is a descendant of royalty.

On the topic of their thoughts on our world tour: My grandmother says I should go home and get a job. Others ask why so long? or my personally favorite, why you no marry yet? It’s an Asian thing I guess – to focus on career and marriage – but despite all this, they do think the world (pun intended) of our decision to travel long-term. Most could only dream a life of travel and world experiences, so the fact that we’re actually doing it, is a good thing. So long as we’re happy and healthy.

5. You’ve got a great list of 30 Before 30, essentially your bucket list. Is this the main way to organize your trip or are you just checking stuff off as you come across it?

Both. We didn’t organize the trip based on our bucket list, but we knew we had the opportunity to check off quite a bit so we modified our itinerary to make that happen, like making sure we were in Thailand in time for Songkran or in India for Holi. As for the rest, we check stuff off one by one, slowly as it comes to us. Honestly, that list far extends 30 before 30 and is constantly changing.

Getting ready to bungy jump in New Zealand. Copyright GQTrippin.com

6. Career break, nomadic adventure, backpacking, how do you characterize your trips?

Our current resume probably screams career breakers more than anything. I don’t think we stay in one place long enough to be considered nomads, and while we do physically carry backpacks, we’ve been living on a flashpacker’s budget. So maybe we’re a blend of all of the above.

7. What are some of the secrets to travel that you’ve discovered that you think more people who aren’t traveling should know?

Learn to be sneaky, manipulative and always stay one step ahead. That is, when you’re trying to pass your backpack as a carry-on luggage at the airport so you don’t have to ever check them in of course. I may lug around a carry-on size backpack but it by no mean meets the weight limit for most airlines in Asia (a ridiculous 7kg!). We typically hand-carry our backpacks and wear our daypacks on our back so it appears as if we’re not carrying much at all. Then when we approach the counter, we place our bags in front of us hidden by the counter.

We also found that if you spend some time and check in online beforehand, the whole counter process at the airport is much quicker. A quick passport check followed by a simple, do you have any luggage to check in? which we politely answer no and we’re on our way. And just in case they decide to weigh our backpacks, we’ve already shifted all our heavy weight items – camera, electric cords, toiletry, etc. – to our day packs beforehand.

As for accommodation: Just because you’re a backpacker doesn’t mean your only option for accommodation is a hostel. We find using Airbnb as a couple is more beneficial than hosteling especially for countries like New Zealand and Australia. The cost can be the same if not better.

Plus you get additional amenities you wouldn’t otherwise get with staying in a hostel like unlimited internet which is practically non-existent in those countries. In Australia, we stayed in an apartment complex where we had access to a gym and pool. In New Zealand, we had a private room with double bed, access to the laundry machine and a pet dog Milly for the week. But probably the greatest benefit from using Airbnb is that it feels like home.

Celebrating Songkran in Thailand. Copyright GQTrippin.com

8. What was your first ¨We’re not in Kansas anymore¨ moment on this trip?

India. On our first day, we were told there was a look of fear in our eyes. From the moment we exited the taxi, trying to maneuver through the dirt and trash filled streets, dodging beggars, tuk tuks, motorbikes, cows and cow poo – I’d say fear was an understatement.

9. What’s been your most ¨local¨ experience so far?

Attending a traditional Indian wedding in Jaisalmer, India. Gerard has never danced with so many guys in his life!

10. What has been your most embarrassing moment?

Bathing in the nude with total strangers. Or as the Japanese like to call it, a typical evening at the onsen (hot spring). I was fine, but Gerard was originally going to wear his towel around like a skirt. Haha.

11. What’s your secret for getting the most out of your journey?

Getting in with the locals. We’ve been fortunate enough to be part of the Couchsurfing community and met incredible people. Through this, we got to do things we wouldn’t otherwise on our own. The onsen experience along with the Indian wedding would’ve never happened had it not been for Couchsurfing.

We also live in the digital age whereby if I tweet a question like, where can I find the best coffee in Hanoi?, and I’ll get a recommendation or two in return. As much as our daily lives are inundated with social media, we’ve found it most helpful in getting tips from friends, family and complete strangers.

Living the Digital Nomad Dream. Copyright GQTrippin.com

12. Finally, our lightening round.

• Best dish you’ve found so far: Shanghai dumplings
• Most exotic food eaten: Balut (duck embryo)
• Most breathtaking moment: Bungy jumping in New Zealand
• Biggest disappointment: China
• Most memorable place: Pushkar, India
• Most memorable person: Jay, our first Couchsurfing host in Queenstown, NZ
• Best thing to have on a long bus ride: headphones
• Worst thing to have on a long bus ride: a loud snorer next to you
• Best thing you packed: Gerard’s Android smartphone.
• Dumbest thing you packed: Gerard’s hat and my extra swim suit
• Funniest travel habit the other one has:
  G: Kieu says cheese and smiles even when I’m taking a picture of her from behind. Q: Gerard throws up the peace sign every time I try and take a photo of him
• Place you wish you could’ve stayed longer: Japan

You can follow Gerard & Kieu online at GQtrippin.com, on Facebook and on Twitter @GQtrippin

Every week, Career Break Secrets profiles a different traveler or traveling couple who are embracing the ¨Because Life Is Out There ^TM¨ travel spirit.  These are people who have taken the plunge to embark on a career break and are currently traveling the world.  

If you like this post, sign up for our newsletter or subscribe to our RSS feed to keep up with Career Break Secrets’ career break and travel advice.

Who’s Out There Now: GQ Trippin is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Ant and Elise biking around Vietnam. Copyright PositiveWorldTravel.com

I always love a good story about how someone gets off the path and finds a unique way to get around a country to see it in a way most of us never will. Motorbiking in Vietnam is one of those great trips. I will never do it myself. I can’t manage a Vespa, much less a motorbike. But, when Ant and Elise from Positive World Travel asked me to review their book, I said yes. Plus, they were really fun to follow during their round the world trip, I couldn’t say no.

Motorbiking up and down Vietnam is gaining in popularity with many travelers. So Two Wheels and Rice Fields is timely. And, it helps that Ant and Elise did it themselves. As they correctly state, there isn’t much information out there on how to do it. So based on their experience and, as they say, their mistakes, they’ve written this book.

Two Wheels and Rice Fields Book

What you get

• Safety information
• What gear you need
• How to maintain your bike
• Top places to visit along the way
• Etiquette tips for the Vietnam
• Tips on accomodation, food, festivals, weather, visa, language, border crossings
• How to handle your driver’s license and other permits
• How to select your bike, and considerations for renting or buying, and then how to sell it once you’re done
• Checklists
• Additional resources list
• Guide to common phrases a traveler needs
• $1000 in coupons and discounts for tours and accomodations throughout the country

The book has lots of photos of Ant and Elise riding around the country, giving me confidence that they really have been there and done that. It’s the kind of in-depth guide that can only be written by people with first-hand experience.

The first part of the book is chock full of tips. I was impressed at how detailed they were and the amount of topics they covered. Then the book turns into a guide for traveling around Vietnam. They include lots of little towns that you might have missed otherwise. But, if you’re on a motorbike, they are all clearly accessible. I particularly liked the ¨Unforgettable Rides¨ section. It’s a handpick selection of some of Ant and Elise’s favorite rides. Some are perhaps expected like Hanoi to Halong Bay. But, there are several others that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

The authors: Ant and Elise. Copyright PositiveWorldTravel.com

Finally, knowing Ant and Elise, I can only assume that if you have questions after you buy the book, they will respond and help you out. They are very passionate about travel and very approachable.

If you are heading to Vietnam and want a different, independent experience, then you should definitely buy this book. It will save you a lot of time and hassle.

If you like this post, sign up for our newsletter or subscribe to our RSS feed to keep up with Career Break Secrets’ career break and travel advice.

Motorcycling in Vietnam: A Review of Two Wheels and Rice Fields is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

It’s here!

This week is the culmination of months of behind-the-scenes work. My book, The Career Break Traveler’s Handbook, is finally here. Since I started my trip back in 2007, I had dreams of writing my own travel book. Then when I started Career Break Secrets, I had dreams of writing my own book. And all along the way, my aunt kept encouraging me to write a book. But, the management of the site and working to get The Career Break Travel Show (coming soon!) launched precluded me spending any time on trying to figure out the publishing world.

The Power of the Network

Late last year Janice Waugh, author of The Solo Traveler’s Handbook, told me that she wanted to expand her book into a series. As you can see from the review of the Solo Traveler’s Handbook (1st edition), I was a fan. She offered me the chance to be a part of the first wave of travel style books under her label, Full Flight Press, and I accepted without hesitation. At the same time, the other authors came on board: Jodi Ettenberg to focus on food travel, Sarah & Terry Lee to focus on luxury travel and Shannon O’Donnell to focus on volunteer travel. Janice took the opportunity to produce the 2^nd edition of her book on solo travel. It’s always great to work with smart people who are experts in their field. The Traveler’s Handbooks series was born.

Why a Career Break Book?

Frankly, I wanted to have a resource that made it easy for anyone with a dream of a career break to get started quickly. There’s a lot of information out there about taking a career break and blogs filled with stories and adventures of people who are out there doing it right now. That’s great for amplifying the amount of information that’s available for the people planning their trip right now. But, it also adds to the time you need to comb through it all to find what they need. And, you still have to piece together your own plan.

My goal was to take the information and put it together in a way that helps you get going and get planning. Not only that, I want you to be able to have a process to follow so you don’t forget any important details.

Finally, there are so many people that I’ve met during and after my career break who have stories worth telling. I try to cover as many as I can on the site. And, the book has many more. Some are stories I’ve told on the site already while others I haven’t. I could have included so many more and I felt bad that I couldn’t include more. I tried to focus on one aspect of their story to help illustrate the various themes of the book. Having those stories also highlights that there are a lot more people than known taking breaks, they come all walks of life and do it for a variety of reasons.

What’s Inside

• The book is only about 110 pages. So, you can get through it quickly
• There are over 20 photos from around that world that I took that will hopefully fuel your wanderlust
• 13 stories from current and former career breakers
• 4 sections covering the career break lifecycle
  • Deciding puts the career break in perspective of your overall life and career, explains why it’s not selfish to take a break, highlights the scientific benefits of taking a break and ends with a pep talk
  • Peace of Mind Planning takes you step by step on how to prepare so you can fully relax once you leave knowing you are ready for anything that comes your way. I cover what you need to do before you quit, how to come out of the career break closet, the art of career break budgeting, planning where to go, dealing with your health, packing and tech tips and more
  • Making the Most of Your Trip gives you ideas for how to maximize the time you have whether you have have one month or one year. I start by highlighting the 3 types of activities that career breakers do, how to adjust to a ¨free¨ life, how to deal with loneliness, how to stay safe physically, digitally and protect your belongings, my list of budget stretchers and discuss whether you should work or not
  • Re-entry helps you get going again once you’re back from adjusting to life back home, how to restart your networking and how to position your career break to prospective employers
• Resource lists (over a dozen) that cover the following:
  • accommodation
  • career break and related books for further reading
  • career break TV and films
  • other career break resources
  • budgeting and money management
  • connecting with locals and other travelers
  • finding great dining experiences
  • flights
  • health and health insurance resources
  • re-entry resources
  • registering your trip
  • free blogging and communication options
  • volunteering resources
  • naturally a list of the other books in the series

And finally, you can check out the Table of Contents and read a sample chapter.

Reviews of the Career Break Traveler’s Handboook

I’m trying to capture the reviews as they come out. Here are the latest of what I’ve seen so far.

“I found the taking of sabbaticals the single most successful strategy in helping me to look at my work as a calling, rather than just as a job. Jeff Jung tells you how to go about it.”
Stefan Sagmeister
Grammy Award winning Art Director and Graphic Designer
Author and TED Speaker
___________________________________________________________________________________
“Jeff Jung helps us realize that Career Breaks are important aspects of our work lives. As a 5-time career changer, talent and career take time to play, study, explore and really live. We are so much more productive, imaginative and interesting when we do these things, and that leads to innovation and a competitive advantage for our careers and the organizations we work for. Taking a Career Break is a “must-do” and this book is a “must-read.”
Ginny Clarke
CEO of Talent Optimization Partners, LLC
Author of Career Mapping: Charting Your Course in the New World of Work
___________________________________________________________________________________
“This book covers everything. From how to quit your job to how to pack your bags, it’s all in there. If you’re ready to turn that secret travel dream you’ve been ignoring all these years into reality, this is your starting point.”
Dan Clements
Author of Escape 101
___________________________________________________________________________________
“Perhaps you have been dreaming about taking a career break. After reading the career break travelers handbook, you will move from dream to action. With inspiring stories, practical advice and an overall can-do, should-do, will-do spirit, this book will have you asking yourself why you’ve waited so long. Even if your career break is not possible today, you will get step by step strategies to ensure your career will not slip away without one.”
Julie Bauke
CEO, The Bauke Group
Author of Stop Peeing on Your Shoes: Avoiding the 7 Mistakes That Screw Up Your Job Search

Where to Buy The Career Break Traveler’s Handbook

The book is in both paperback and electronic versions. It is currently rolling out around the world. Here are the places where you can buy them

• US
  • Amazon.com (paperback and Kindle)
  • BarnesandNoble.com (paperback. Nook Coming Soon)
  • Sony Coming Soon!
  • Kobo
  • iBook Store Coming Soon!
  • Copia
• UK
  • Waterstones (paperback)
  • W.H. Smith (paperback and Kobo)
  • Amazon.co.uk (paperback and Kindle)
  • iBook Store Coming Soon!
  • Copia
  • Hammicks Legal
  • The Book Depository (paperback)
  • Eddington Hook
• Canada
  • Amazon.ca (paperback and Kindle)
  • iBook Store Coming Soon!
  • Kobo
  • Copia
• Australia
  • BetterRead
• Croatia
  • Superbookshop
• Estonia
  • Kristosomus
• India
  • BookAdda
• Japan
  • Amazon
  • Junkudo
• Italy
  • Bol
  • IBS
• Latvia
  • Kristosomus
• New Zealand Coming Soon!
• Norway
  • Bokklubben
  • Studia
• Romania
  • Books Express
• Sweden
  • Bokus
• Wholesalers
  • Baker & Taylor Coming Soon!
  • Alibris (UK) 
  • Gardner’s (UK)
  • Lehmann’s (Germany)

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Book ‘Em Jeffo is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

At a protest in Buenos Aires. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

How to stay safe while traveling around the world on your career break is something we all think about. For some, it can cause paralytic fear, but for most dealing with safety issues is a matter of preparation, making smart decisions, becoming more comfortable with the world as you find it and learning as you go, from your own travel experiences and from other travelers. Smarter travel is possible in this case to help avoid getting into nasty situations.

In January at the Year Out Expo, I met fellow speaker Charlie McGrath. He runs Objective Travel Safety, an organization that helps train all types of people and organizations on how to be safe while abroad and how to respond in case there is a crisis. I had the chance recently to talk to Charlie about staying safe while traveling on a career break.

1. Do you have an overall philosophy about how travelers should approach safety to plan properly?

Researching their destinations is the key, the need to understand enough about the culture, environmental issues( earthquakes etc) crime rate etc so they can ‘aim off’ and so avoid trouble.

2. What’s the scariest safety situation you’ve been in or been called to help with?

I was hijacked at gunpoint in Iraq which wasn’t too good! But cooperated and therefore survived.

3. For people thinking about taking a career break to travel the world, what are the biggest safety or security issues that are most likely to face?

Crime and road traffic accidents are the big 2 with disease/illness some way behind.

4. What are the concerns that people typically have about traveling the world that are least likely to happen?

Getting blown up or kidnapped. Its inevitable that the threat of terrorism dominates the media but the reality is very different. India is a good example, remember the Nov 2009 Mumbai bombing- huge headlines, 180 odd people killed but on average 250 die on India roads every day!

5. What are the biggest safety mistakes that career breakers tend to make while traveling?

Difficult question! I suppose being too worried about safety and not exploring enough, in general terms the further off the beaten track you go often the safer you are,

6. Are there some steps you can take before you leave that are either preventative or can help you in case something does happen while you’re traveling?

Yes many. Acknowledge that crime and road traffic accidents will be greatest threat and prepare. Know where the crime areas are, travel with a mixture of money- casdh, cards, possibly travelers cheques and expected to be mugged at some stage. There only go out with what you need, some cash perhaps one card and leave rest behind in hotle safety deposit box or with host. If you get mugged you just hand over enough to satisfy aggressor (having a reserve in a shoe or bra is also handy. Wear a seat belt at every opportunity.

7. When I was traveling around, I noticed that as my confidence as a traveler grew, my fears of something bad happening dropped. Is that normal or had I lulled myself into a false sense of security?

No I would say this is normal and looking confidence is good (but not over confident). To avoid crime there are 3 key things; lower your profile (rings/watches off), Be aware( know where the dodgy parts of town are)  & look confident.

8. There are any number of products being sold out claiming to help you keep yourself and your things safe. To me many of them seem unnecessary and a waste of money. Are there any that you recommend that really are worth buying?

I agree. A couple of padlocks are useful to hotel/hostel lockers, a door guard/wedge can be handy to stop unwanted visitors in the night- amazing how many female report the hotel heating engineer needing to check their radiator at 2 am.

9. Given the role that the internet plays in helping the traveler do research, stay in touch with friends and family, bank, etc., what tips do you have for people to help keep their personal information safe and secure while traveling?

If possible get money transfers done by a friend or relation at home rather than internet café. Travel money credit cards such as Caxton FX (separate from you bank accounts) are good.

10. Staying healthy and not getting sick on the road is a concern for all travelers. Is there a basic first aid kit you recommend for travelers? What types of medicines should travelers just buy on the road?

A simple travel pack is good but do take some antiseptic cream, oral rehydration salts if you get the runs. Ciprofloxacin is a good broad based antibiotic. Be very careful buying anti malaria tablets abroad, especially if they seem too cheap, too many counterfeit drugs around. ,

11. What is your take on the US, UK and other governmental safety warnings?

Are they really useful to travelers? I ask because in my opinion, they seem to cast countries in very black and white terms – safe or not safe – with no room for nuance. Or, am I just cynical? I do think they are a good starting point as many travelers will do very little research. Yes they may over stress risks but I find the Brit FCO always has some useful advise.

12. What are some of the things you personally do or pack to help you be better prepared while traveling?

I always take a head torch – vital, hand gel to keep hands clean/reduce disease threat & know what the local passionate sport so I can chat to taxi drivers & hotel staff.

12. Finally, what are your favorite places to travel that are a bit off the beaten track?

Romania, was N Pakistan but probably too dangerous now, Chile.

About Charlie:

Charlie McGrath

Charlie McGrath spent 15 years as an Army Officer. He spent five years on operations in Northern Ireland but also saw service in Central America, Southern Africa and during the First Gulf War. He was awarded the MBE for his work in South Africa during the country’s first democratic elections in 1994.  Prior to joining the army he spent a year traveling in South America and has traveled widely thereafter. His company, Objective Travel Safety, provides safety training to a range of clients including journalists and NGOs operating in hostile environments, business professionals and young students travelers embarking on their Gap Year. Objective also provided the training to Ewan McGregor & Charlie Boorman prior to their ‘Long Way Round’ and ‘Long Way Down’ motorbike adventure.  When possible he continues to travel whenever possible. During his time in the army led an expedition across the Sahara desert, spent his honey moon in Papua New Guinea. His second gap year was in India, Pakistan, Burma & Thailand and more recently has travelled in Malawi, Zambia, Romania, Laos, Thailand, the Lebanon and Israel.

How Safe Is It to Travel While on Your Career Break? is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Six Steps Toward Freedom: A personal story

Six Steps Toward Freedom: A personal story is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Where will your travel take you? Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Travel the world for $30 a day, $50 a day, $20 a day. It’s so hard to know how much you really need until you get out there. But, that’s little consolation while you’re still at home, at work, trying to make sure you have enough put aside.

My goal in this post isn’t to tell you how much you need. For all I know, you ¨need¨ a 4-star hotel every night and you will refuse to take a local bus. So, I will attempt to give you a laundry list of the things you might spend money on while you travel. Also, don’t forget that I wrote a review about Budget Your Trip and their budgeting tool can give you some real traveler data. Also, my friends Warren and Betsy from Married With Luggage have been tracking and reporting on what they’ve actually spent from their worldwide travels. Also soon I’ll be reviewing the new e-book, Dream. Save. Do.

In creating this part of your budget, you need two expense categories: the first captures on-the-road expenses and the second captures your at-home expenses. At home expenses? Yup! Are you keeping your house/apartment? Are you going to be storing your stuff while you’re away? While your goal should be to minimize your financial responsibilities back home, you will likely still have a few. So, plan and budget accordingly.

Factors Influencing Your Career Break Travel Budget

As you try to figure out how much to budget per day while you’re on the road, here are a few factors to take into consideration.

• How much of a budget traveler are you, really? Everyone is on a budget when they travel. And, most people I’ve met think they are a budget traveler. But, there’s budget travel and then there’s real budget travel. For some, staying at a 2 start hotel is what they are willing to do while others are going to couchsurf the whole way. Whatever kind of traveler you are, be honest and budget accordingly.
• How much financial responsibility at home can you leave behind? Your goal is to minimize as much of your responsibility back home as possible. It will minimize your worry and what you have to budget for. Don’t leave a lot of financial obligations behind.
• Your dining habits: You’ll no doubt be eating out while you’re traveling. It’s unavoidable and one of the great pleasures of travel. But, if you can cook a few meals for yourself, you’ll save on the road.
• What type of accommodation will you be using? As a good friend of mine who had taken a career break told me before I left, ¨Jeff, sometimes you’re going to want a hotel.¨ But, for the vast majority of the time, will you be in a hostel, renting an apartment, couchsurfing, camping?
• Once you get on the road, how will you get from place to place? Will you tend to rely on overland transportation or flying? Tip: the more overland transport you can take, the cheaper it will be. The biggest problem here is that bus and train prices can be harder to research ahead of time than flights. A couple of tips about foreign airlines
• Not all foreign airlines have pricing structures that cause the price to go up closer to the departure date. You can sometimes still get a good deal at the last minute.
• Beware budget airlines. The cheapest ticket isn’t always the cheapest flight if there are a lot of ancillary fees. I flew RyanAir once. It cost me a fortune when it was all said and done.
• What kind of bank fees will you incur? Have you selected a bank that will minimize your ATM fees? What about foreign transaction fees? These will add up over time. So, choose wisely.
• How will you plan to get around in the cities and towns you’re in? Maximizing the use of local transportation and minimizing taxi use will stretch your budget. And, walking, when possible, costs nothing.

Travel Budget While You’re Traveling

Here is your tickler list of budget items that you should be thinking about. What did I leave out?

One-the-Road Budget Items

• Accommodation
• Meals
• Tips
• Tours
• In-country/cross-country transport
• Daily transport
• Medicine, Dr visits
• Internet cafes
• SIM cards: Phone and/or internet
• Visa fees (yes some countries still charge)
• Baggage fees
• ATM fees
• Money exchange fees
• Credit card foreign transaction fees
• Books, magazines, newspapers
• Gifts
• Market Shopping
• Splurges
• Travel guides
• Music, movies
• Replacement clothes
• Emergency finds
• Monthly banking fees
• Health Insurance – if not already accounted for in your Pre-Takeoff Budget.

Back At-Home Travel Budget Items

• Storage
• Mortgage
• Insurance: home, car
• Debt, loans
• Utilities
• Credit card and other banking fees

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Career Break Budgeting Part 3: Travel Budget is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

On my recent trip back to the US, I was determined to read the book. It’s been 4 years since its release. And, since then, the world economy has been on quite a roller coaster. When Dan and I took our career breaks, people were still leaving voluntarily. The economy was good and no one gave much thought about the possibility or likelihood of significant economic chaos that would hit in 2008.

In 2009, I met a lot of people on forced career breaks. By and large, these were people that had decided to wait out the downturn and take the trip that they always wanted to take. Some had been planning a sabbatical. Others had not.

Now at the end of 2011, I was curious to see if what Dan had to say was still relevant. Would his words still be inspirational? Would the advice still be relevant? Could Dan still speak to working professionals credibly?  I was rooting for him. But, I was skeptical.

The answers are Yes, Yes and Yes.

Review of Escape 101

¨Leaving was actually easy. It was thinking about leaving that was hard.¨ This point still rings true. And, as Dan points out, there are a couple of meanings behind it. First, while many of us dream of taking time off to travel and see the world, we get stuck in our day-to-day lives. It traps us and mentally, it’s hard to make the decision to go. But, this statement also recognizes that there is work and effort involved in the planning so you can do it right. It’s worth taking the time to think through all the issues.

Dan states that taking a career break is about ¨living deliberately.¨ And, I couldn’t agree more. We only get one life on this merry go round. So, take the time to live it as you want to. Escape 101 is about taking the break without losing the parts of your current life that you enjoy. As he says, it’s about ¨taking the break you need, without losing ground.¨

The first part of the book explores why you should get away and focusing on your commitment to live deliberately. He then tackles all the big things that scares people about leaving: money, your job, your business, and kids. Finally, he goes through to talk about how to get the most out of your experience and how to re-enter.

He challenges you to think about why you want to go. I often find with many career breakers that there is a catalytic event that finally spurs someone into action. Dan calls these triggers. And, he argues that it’s important to know why you want to go: work, health, a desire to volunteer, a good old-fashioned desire to travel? Or something else?
From there, Dan provides concrete advice on how to start planning your time and away. But, most importantly, he stresses the need to figure out how to get the most out of your time off.

Are you traveling with kids? So did Dan and his wife. So, if a family trip is in the card for you, Dan has some great advice for setting out with them.

If you are looking for a great read on how to plan for your career break that goes beyond a tactical approach and gives you the philosophical underpinnings of why you should go, then check out Escape 101.

Disclosure: I was provided with a review copy of Escape 101. All comments and opinions are my own.

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Does Escape 101 Stand the Test of Time? is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Gondolas resting until the snow comes again. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

In October while back in the US, I had the chance to spend some quality time with mom and dad. As I’ve made my home as an expat in Colombia, that time is becoming ever more precious. Colorado is a favorite of us all. So, we made the road trip from Texas to Colorado in one…long…day trip.

It wasn’t ski season yet, so I didn’t expect in terms of crowds. And, I always preferred to go to the mountains in the summertime, low season when I lived in Denver. We headed off to the Vail Valley, my favorite. I typically go to Avon. It’s not the most charming town compared to some of the others around it. But, it’s central to many of the little towns in the area and I’ve made a couple of friends there. While I was prepared for few travelers, I wasn’t prepared for this.

It was desolate!

CLOSED!

Everywhere we went, shops were closed, restaurants were empty, streets were quiet. It was as close to a ghost town as I had ever seen the area. Normally, I wouldn’t mind. But, this was eerie.

A Reality Check While Exploring Edwards

I went out a couple of days with mom to walk around Edwards, Vail and Beaver Creek. Nothing was open. We often couldn’t escape from the seasonal biting wind because the shops were closed. And, what was open, wasn’t that interesting.

This was worth going out for - Larkburger's truffle fries

The one ray of hope was finding Larkburger in Edwards. I usually prefer to go to the Gore Range Brewery. But, on the tip of a local, we went for burgers for lunch one day. I think we were only the second customers all day. The burger was great, but the truffle and parmesan fries were to die for. They are a buck more than the traditional fries, but worth it. I may have to divide my loyalties on my next trip to the area.

I’ve also decided that I don’t like Edwards very much. There’s not a lot of charm to it. I guess I never noticed before. Barren streets. No hustle. No Bustle. And, the architecture seemed soulless. There are exactly two reasons to go to Edwards: Larkburger and the Gore Range Brewery.

Where are the people in Edwards?

What About Beaver Creek?

The park made for a great lunch setting

Mom and I decided to head out to Beaver Creek for lunch. Fearing that nothing would be open, we stopped off at the Avon Bakery and Deli to pick up sandwiches for a picnic in the park. This bakery is the bomb. Homemade, artisan breads, rolls, breakfast sandwiches, sweets. You can’t go wrong here. The only thing that left a bad taste in my mouth was the service: slow and unfriendly. Having said that, the food was so good we continued to go back. And, not once did we get good friendly service. Don’t miss this place, but don’t stick around once you have your goodies.

Once we got up to Beaver Creek (free parking, yes!) we encountered an equally deserted town. But, it’s friggin’ Beaver Creek. We headed to a little park in the sun, listened to the babbling brooks and hear what few aspen leaves were left fluttering in the light, crisp breeze. By the way, mom’s BLT from the Avon Bakery was awesome! Here it was actually nice to have the whole place to ourselves. When you have this kind of natural beauty around, you don’t want a lot of people nearby.

The town center was vacated mostly. It was weird. I didn’t like that.

Surely Vail Can’t Disappoint

Eerily beautiful Vail

Yes it can. Sigh. Trust me, it pains me to write this. Mom and I headed off to explore Vail, maybe do a little shopping and grab a bite to eat. The weather conspired against us. Cold drizzle followed us all morning. Normally, that wouldn’t be a big deal. I’ve been to Vail plenty of times when the weather wasn’t perfect. But, with other things going on in town, it was part of the ambience. This time, with the town closed down (practically), there weren’t many places for us to spend our time. After grabbing a hot chocolate to go at the local Starbucks, we headed back to the hotel.

Lesson Learned?

Statue from Beaver Creek

I learned that as much as I like getting off the beaten path or going to places in their off-season, you can go when it is too off. Part of the charm of the Vail Valley, or any small town area, is that you can escape the crowds and have the place more to yourself. But, I also learned that I need more stimuli. I will certainly go back. I’ve been going up for most of the past 10 years and I won’t stop. And, it was great to have the time with my parents. But, lesson learned, there is a difference between off season and no season.

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The Difference Between Off Season Travel and No Season is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures