Book Review

One of the best reads ever about travel is "Adventures of a Continental Drifter" by Elliott Hester. It's a re-account of his travels around the world and in his words "An around-the-world excursion into weirdness, danger, lust, and the perils of street food." This is one of the funniest books on travel out there.

This book is more about the crazy tales that traveling gives you. It will inspire you to explore areas of the world you never had considered before, like Addis Ababa in Africa or Mysore, India. This book was one of the reasons I was so excited when I visited Tallinn. I highly recommend this read, full of laughs and thought.

Christmas Gifts to Inspire Travel

We all have those friends who needs a little... push to help them embrace their inner-vagabond. If you're searching for a great gift to inspire them to get out and go, here are some fun ones.

Regional Wine Samplers: I'm actually doing this for two friends this Christmas. They are just a wonderful gift and if you're willing to splurge you can also add a gift membership on for your friend. There are two options for memberships and both have some pretty sweet perks.

Scratch Off Map: A friend bought this as a graduation gift for me. I find myself constantly want to go somewhere new when I look at my progress so far. It also helps you pinpoint those areas of the globe which you've completely ignored!

Gift Basket: This is my favorite shop! I can spend hours getting lost in here and usually walk out with over $100 in products afterwards. During the Holiday Seasons you can design gift baskets which can feature a single location or a whole region of the world!

An Experience: This one is more for if you know your friend is going somewhere. Make them reservations at a restaurant they've never tried or book an excursion they might think about, but never follow through with! I've done with not only at Christmas, but weddings too. If you know the Couple are going to Fiji, then look into fun outings for their trip!

A Book or Film: Inspire your friends through the gift of Words, both written and spoken.

So go and inspire someone this Holiday Season. We need more Vagabonds in the world!

What kind of Traveler are you?

I'm thick into my plans for my Euro-trip next summer. The plan lies as Tuscany, Italy for around a week and then hop over to another destination for a week or so. At first I was thinking about Morocco, but I feel like a week is no where near enough time to begin my explorations of Africa. Then I was leaning towards Greece, but it seems a bit too romantic to rock alone. So then I was at a loss, where do I go if I go alone or with "Just Friends".
Thankfully I own just the book to help me with this! A few Christmases ago, I was gifted a fantastic book from a fellow traveler. Fly Solo by Teresa Rodriguez Williamson is an amazing book that outlines the 50 best places on earth for a girl to travel alone. The introduction provides readers with a quiz to help define the type of Traveler you are. Below I am going to post the quiz, but you'll have to buy the book to discover where your adventures should lie!
Long story not so short, I'm now considering Budapest as my 2nd destination!

1. When you think museum, you think...

• The best way to aviod those long lines is to buy your tickets ahead of time. (5)
• Great! If there's a huge storm and you can't do any of the things you wanted to do. (2)
• You should. You really should. After the latte and before hitting the shops. (3)
• Which way to the Cubists? (4)
• Blah. Melatonin is cheaper if you're having trouble sleeping. (1)

2. Your idea of a night of entertainment is...

• An opera followed by a symphony followed by a ballet. Oh, if only time would allow it! (5)
• A play, which is good foreplay to dinner and dancing. (4)
• Brad Pitt in... anything! (2)
• A pub crawl. (3)
• A curtain call. As in the ones in your hotel room. As in good night. (1)

3. In your guidebook, the history section is...

• Dog-eared and worn to the bone with highlighting. (4)
• In mint condition. (1)
• A place you've perused. (3)
• Committed to memory. (5)
• Next on your list. (2)

4. At the crack of dawn you...

• Have already been jogging. (5)
• Are asleep and will be until 10:50a.m., giving you 10minutes before the hotel kitchen stops serving breakfast. (2)
• Are groggy and puling on yoga pants. (4)
• Were told to catch the area's famous sunrises, so here you are. Just this once. (3)
• Are stumbling home. (1)

5. There's a health club in your hotel. You...

• Love the sauna. (2)
• Had no idea. (1)
• Work it into your daily schedule, so you can squeeze into that new outfit you bought. (4)
• Glare at the man on the stair climber. He's hogging it on your only gym day! (3)
• Spend more time here than in your "other" room. (5)

6. You are packing your luggage for your big trip.You make sure to include...

• A travel guide and your journal. (2)
• A few pairs of sweats, your Nikes, and your heart rate monitor. (5)
• Your camera, sunscreen, and a bathing suit. (3)
• Your running shorts and a water bottle. (4)
• Your Gucci heels, cutest cocktail dress, and a French translation book. (1)

7. London fog is legendary. You...

• Barely have time for the British Museum after all that shopping and eel pie. (1)
• Might agree to meet a friend there, but only if Barcelona were part of the bargain. (4)
• Head to St. Tropez. (5)
• Deal with it. After all, most of what's fun in London is indoors, including tweed-wearing Englishmen. (3)
• Enjoy the vividness of what feels like a Sherlock Holmes mystery around every corner. (2)

8. Pina coladas and getting caught in the rain are...

• What they are. After all, rain is great for your hair. (1)
• Romantic. The soft fingers of rain caressing your window make poetry of the night. (2)
• Irrelevant! A mere umbrella is all that stands between you and the world. (3)
• Devastating. Before you unpack, you plan to file suit again the Weather Channel. (5)
• Threatening. You brought mostly suede. (4)

9. It's high noon and it's hot! The sand sparkles, the water beckons, and...

• You wished someone had engineered a way to air-condition the tropics. (5)
• High school physics helps you angle two umbrellas against the sun over your deck chair. (4)
• You SPF is 50 so you can romp in the waves without losing ten years off your face. (3)
• So does Antoine, the lifeguard on duty with the chiseled pectorals and abs that don't quit! (1)
• Your body glistens with baby oil. Against dark paneling, you's be totally camouflaged! (2)

10. Happy hour? What would make you devilishly happy is...

• The Australian national rugby team, a magnum of champagne, and kissing and telling. (5)
• To have a glass of wine in your hotel's bar with the locals you met while shopping. (4)
• A sidewalk seat in a cafe overlooking the bustling square where you might connect with someone. (2)
• If the oversized reading chair in the lobby by the fireplace were finally vacant. (1)
• An evening epicurean tour where you'll share a meal with new friends. (3)

11. Want to share your table?

• That's the whole idea: dinner (and hopefully breakfast!) for two... (4)
• As if you have a choice with that mad bunch of Brazilians you just befriended! (5)
• Yes, if you count the room service guy and the eight o'clock movie. (2)
• No, thank you, you say confidently. I'll take the prix fixe menu and a carafe of your house red. (1)
• Perhaps. If you meet some jet-settling cuties. (3)

12. If your best friend had to describe you, she would say...

• Our friendship is one-on-one, she likes her space. (1)
• Great friend, but she can get shy around strangers. (2)
• We have so much fun going out and meeting up with our friends. (3)
• I can't keep track of her, she's always socializing with others. (5)
• If there were a contest for having the most friends, she would win. (4)

Alright now 1,2,3 are for Culture, 4,5,6 are your activity level, 7,8,9 total your reaction to weather, and the last 3 score your Socialization levels.
Now you have to buy the book!!!!