Until he asked, I had forgotten. Last week, I flew to Mexico. I didn’t tell you about that, but I did. And I’m traveling solo. In a whirlwind of events in the preceding weeks, everything changed. There was the house my father in law owns in Vermont. There were tenants that had to go. There was my husband, feeling every bit the responsible son, and determined to help out. And there was me, travel plans ready, husband insistent I don’t waste the opportunities I have.

Truth be told, I didn’t want to waste them either.

And I had forgotten all about Thanksgiving. Perhaps I was distracted. Or perhaps it was the lack of constant reminders—the commercials, the traditional foods conveniently placed forefront in every store, your friends, family, and strangers all asking: So, what are you doing for Thanksgiving. This year the answer was spending a week in Puerto Vallarta and trying to figure out my new plan. And on Thanksgiving day, I caught a 20 hour bus to Acapulco.

I’ll be spending Christmas with a family in Guatemala. Not my family, but a family associated with the language school in Quetzaltenango. And after I’ll be heading further south. My husband will meet up with me at some point, or I’ll fly home to visit.

I am so thankful that I still get to do this trip, even if it’s not to plan. But when someone on the street asked me about Thanksgiving, it startled me a little. It reminded me of the reality… I was really in Mexico, and everyone else was far away doing something else. Do the first few days back on the road always feel slightly like a dream? You leave chilly New England, with snow already falling, and 6 hours later you wake up in 85 degree humidity and sunshine. All that Spanish you were sure you forgot, comes flooding back. You’re lost, trying to figure out what bus to take. You’re dehydrated, sitting on the beach, enjoying the view. You’re meeting up with people at the hostel who talk about coming from Australia or Japan or Canada. They want to drink Tequila. Ok, just a little.

The last night in Puerto Vallarta, I was sitting on the porch with my laptop and a dozen Mexican kids come running over. It’s 8 PM and they’re noisily playing some version of tag. They are using me and my table as cover. We talk in Spanish. I try to teach them some English words, and they proudly inform me they already know Good Morning and Thank You. One of the hostel staff asks me, “Are the kids playing with you?” I laugh and nod and the kids screech and run away.

While everyone I know back home is prepping turkeys and baking apple pies or visiting with friends on the night before Thanksgiving, I’m entertaining some kids with my limited Spanish. It’s not traditional, but I’ll take it.

Well, four ladies in Seattle think we can.  I happen to agree.

This December, I’m participating in Passports with Purpose- a travel blogging driven initiative to raise funds for Heifer International.  The best part?  We’re giving stuff away.

I’ve ponied up two of my favorite things:  a vagabonding backpack from REI and an XL travel towel (the kind the folds up to pocket sized, is anti-bacterial and is probably the best piece of gear you’ll own).  If you win, I’ll ship these out direct from REI to you.  Yup, you get them both.  But first you have to make a donation (see below).

Here’s the deal.  Go to the Passports with Purpose page to see all the available prizes.  Then go to the First Giving page to make your donation (we’re asking for $10).  In the comments reference the prize you want (the vagabonding backpack and travel towel) or just the prize code E02.

I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to the organizers of Passports with Purpose and to Viking River Cruises who kindly sponsored me for this event.

So what are you waiting for!  Go!

I’m definitely not in Vermont anymore.  More to come…

The same cliches are true about both:  no one will understand “what you do”, no one wants to hear the long version about it, and you’ll feel like you changed but the people back home haven’t.  It doesn’t matter if you left for college or to live abroad, it’s the classic fish out of water experience, that we all have at some point.

But when you travel, you don’t have somewhere to return to.  After the holidays, college students go back to college, family go back to their jobs, long lost relatives get lost.

Is it possible to be estranged from the entire world?  Or is that just the schizophrenic nature of bouncing from one group to the next?

For example:  You make friends in Spain, and they don’t understand Americans.  They think of Spain first, then Europe, then the world.  They see the world through this prism and imagine that Americans are very different– not just culturally and socially, but fundamentally.

You fly across an ocean back home into a new bubble.  They see the world as their town, their country, and vaguely the rest of the world.  The view is narrower, but the same.  They don’t understand how people in the next town think.  You’re like an anthropologist in your own backyard.  Acutely aware of the strange and unusual behaviors of the natives.

You are a member of two groups with conflicting views, and you have begun to think like both of them.  For instance:  can I actually think Parisian cheeses and Velveeta are both good?  And can I get either group to switch cheese for a day (not likely)?

So what do you do?  Do you incorporate the two lives together, building a mesh of new life and old?  Or do you blend in and enjoy each groups company on it’s own merits?  For me it’s been more of the latter.  I’ve been immersed in two different cultures, and I let them stay that way– different.   Instead of becoming this whole new person, I’ve just let myself become more diversified.  I’m invested in many different areas.  And in it’s own way, that somehow feels better.

So with our big trip to Mexico, Central America and South America coming up, there was one thing I was going to miss… Europe.  Luckily, I hooked up with the folks at b5 Media, and landed a new writing gig– that focused entirely on traveling Europe.

I thought I’d let you guys know, and if you’re curious you can check my new digs here: EuropeString.com.

I’ll be writing about:

• Traveling Europe on a budget
• Deciding where and when to go
• Sharing all the deals I get emailed every day (seriously my inbox is overflowing with stuff from travel agents)
• And all the stories, ideas, tips and other stuff that I never had time to write about on AlmostFearless.com

I’m still getting settled in, but so far, everyone has been great!  I’m taking over an existing blog, so I’m still getting caught up on what’s been covered, and what we still need to talk about.  Today I wrote my weekly travel deals column called This Just In and talked about deals to Iceland.

Of course, I’ll still be writing here at AF and pursuing other writing gigs as always.  In fact if it wasn’t for the amazing support I get from other bloggers and the readers of this blog, I’m not sure I’d be able to say that I’m officially a paid writer.  So thank you!

(If you follow me on twitter, this is likely old news, but now I have TWO accounts: @almostfearless and @europestring).

Don’t be travel snobs

What’s interesting to me is that the most vocal person, wrote from Boston. Are they out traveling the world? Nope. Sitting at home, using a computer to dictate what “authentic” travel looks like.

Travel is changing

20 years ago, to travel the world, meant quitting your job. For me it did, because I’m also pursuing a new career. For my husband, it did not. He works completely remotely, communicating via conference calls, emails and IM and uploading his work at the end of the day (he’s a graphic artist). He works for a big company that is one of many offering more flexible working situations. With the wide availability of internet, advanced tools for managing work flow and employees’ desire to avoid the daily commute, it’s becoming very practical.

Working remotely will only increase as employers learn to work in this new model and realize that not only does it save them the cost of office space, but often produces more productive employees.

We work so we can travel long term (years and years), not a one time trip

Ditching the car, being on the road, traveling by train/bus/ferry, is great. For us, it’s not practical. On Monday morning, we both get up and start working. Would we like to take a 5 day sailboat from Panama to Colombia? Absolutely. Can we? Probably not. But at the end of the day, I’m thankful to get to do the traveling I have done. To say I’m missing out is to miss the point. I am traveling. I am seeing the world. It might not fit the narrowest definition of world travel, but you know what? I’ll take it.

When seeing more isn’t seeing more

This summer I went to seven countries. I rented an apartment in Madrid and flew out to different places I wanted to see for a week at a time. Could I have taken a train? Yes. Would I have been able to fit in as many places? Nope. Every traveler has to make these decision for themselves. There is no right answer, I respect the person who buses across South America, just as much as the person who flies there, just as much as the guy who drives his RV with all the comforts of home. These people are doing it, which in my book, always counts. 14% of Americans have a passport, and we’re going to slam someone for not traveling the “correct way”?

Fearless or not

The truth is, I’m not fearless at all. This website has always been about my atypical journey. I wanted to show the good and especially the bad. I didn’t want to pretend like all of this was easy—just that it is doable. I have been extremely honest—detailing my feelings about no longer having a title, sharing what people have said privately to me about my decision, and even my second thoughts and temptations.  I have never had all the answers or pretended too, and I certainly don’t envision myself as some gallivanting adventurer.  But I make it work for me.  I want to share that with other non-fearless types and say, just because you don’t want to “backpack” the world, long term travel is possible for anyone who wants it.

What my version of travel looks like

I have a laptop and about $3000 in camera gear. I have about 25 books (which I get at a second hand bookstores and swap out) and my clothes. Everything my husband and I own fits in our two backpacks, a hand bag and small carry on sized suitcase (for the books). We also have a car and two dogs. We rent an apartment with internet as a home base. Often I will travel out, staying in hostels, with my laptop, camera and backpack—then I return to the home base. My husband likes to stay put and get to know the names of his grocer. I like that too, but I also want to see and travel a bit more. We make it work for us and our marriage. The dogs require more planning (you can’t take two large dogs on a train, or in a hostel and flying can be costly), but to us, it’s a priority and worth it.

For as many long term travelers that read this, I bet there are as many different ways to travel. What does travel look like to you?

The other day I talked about our itinerary up to Panama. I stopped there. Dead. That’s because there’s an interesting thing about Panama when heading south. You can’t go any further. Not by car anyway. Can you pay a fee to cross? Nope. Bribe an official? You can try, but no. So how are we going to get our car, two adults, and two large, slobbery dogs from Panama to South America? To find out, I did a little research.

First of all, it’s called the Darien Gap. It’s a 100 mile long swath of land between Panama and Colombia and because of the rough terrain, there are no roads connecting the two. The Pan-American Highway stops at the gap and restarts just after. If that wasn’t enough of a deterrent (and for some it’s not, someone famously crossed it in 1975 and wrote a book about it), there are also reports that some Colombian rebel groups live in the area.

Instead, most people hire a shipping company to transport their car to Cartagena, Colombia and fly into the city to meet their vehicle. Average price? About $1000 for the cargo ship. Each way. The flight? Around $100 for us, around $200 for each dog. Total cost round trip: $3200. This is probably why more people don’t attempt this sort of trip.

So now, the big question: is the straight path to South America really the best one? Here are our options:

1. Leave the car in Panama, fly to Colombia, buy a car there (that we later sell) and travel around until we reunite with our vehicle in Panama.

2. Rent an apartment in Panama. Kiss the husband and puppies good by for a few weeks at a time and do the South American piece solo.

3. Find some travel partners that have a vehicle big enough for all of us, travel the South America leg of the trip together and split costs.

4. Bite the bullet and pay for the cargo ship.

I don’t have an answer yet on what we will do. My instinct is telling me to not worry about it now, go to Mexico, and start driving. When we get near Panama, many things could change. We might fall in love with a place and want to stay. We might meet really cool people we want to travel with. Or we might find some alternative method from other travelers or locals.

Six months ago, I would of had a spreadsheet with exact shipping times, vendors and costs.  I would have worried a few nights in a row about the dogs, the weather, the car or any number of things out of my control.  Today?  I’m going to Panama.  And I don’t have a plan for what happens next.  Could this be progress?

I bring this up, because I caught myself daydreaming about how cool it would be to really sit down and teach these boys. I could download some lessons, we could watch Finding Nemo dubbed in Spanish, and they could memorize the lyrics to Feliz Navidad. Then I remembered.  Right.  I’m leaving in a week.  Oops.  Well there’s always public schools.   Good luck boys!   (Just kidding, they will definitely get some Spanish themed Christmas gifts from Auntie this year).

So where the heck are we going? Well as I announced in last week’s post, ultimately our goal over the next 6 months is to find our way through South America.  On the way, we’re are planning to stop for a few weeks in different countries, renting apartments as we go.  Here is Part 1 of our itinerary:

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

I need some sun, beach and warm weather.  We’ll be renting an apartment for a bit, while I shake off this New England chill I’ve recently acquired.

It’s a tourist town, but I’m hoping to settle in off the beaten path.  Then we’ll definitely check out the fish tacos and ceviche.  I look forward to reintroducing the dogs to the ocean.  Last time, they were very shocked to discover that gulping sea water was a bad idea.

Belize City, Belize.

If I could find a beach hut with wifi, we’d be all set.  Belize has great snorkeling, which I haven’t done in quite a while.

Belize City is the largest in Belize with a mere 70K population.  I imagine this will be the beginning of the transition from the bustling cities of Mexico, to smaller fishing villages and less dense development.  We’ll likely take a few trips to the rainforest, cave systems and Maya ruins.

Then a nap.

Antigua, Guatemala

The entire city of Antigua is a World Hertitage site, and I hope it lives up to what I’ve read.  We’ll be taking classes here for a few weeks and I plan to fill up my camera’s memory card.

It’s a large tourist destination (because it’s gorgeous) but we’ll be spending a little extra time here because of all the cheap language schools.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

To be honest, we weren’t sure where to go in Honduras.  It’s one of those things where we aren’t sure what to expect.

Tegucigalpa is the educational center, with several universities, so it seemed like a good bet.

Honduras also borders the Caribbean sea, so don’t be surprised if we ditch school and head down to the beach for a few days.

San Salvador, El Salvador

More Spanish classes, plus a bustling city life.  San Salvador has 6 lane highways– it’s big.  Plus it’s located at the base of a volcano, how cool is that?  When you think of San Salvador, do you imagine cosmopolitans?

When the smog gets to be too much, well head to the western coast and explore the Playa Los Cobanos.

Managua, Nicaragua

A friend of mine went to Nicaragua several years ago, and I’ve been dying to go there ever since.  He told me about this lake with two volcanoes and fresh water sharks.  At the time I google earthed it to comfirm he wasn’t making this stuff up.

During this trip, we’ll likely be stopping in Managua, then heading out for a week completely offline.  A side trip to the Spanish city of Granada is in the works too.

San José, Costa Rica

Everyone loves Costa Rica.  We’re starting out in San Jose, and then moving out to see a little of everything.  Hot springs, Volcanoes, Beach, Nature Reserves and so on…

Oh and the coffee.  Is that reason enough to visit a place?  I’m voting yes.  But actually, what I’d really like to do?  Learn how to surf.

Panamá, Panama

By the time we make it here, I predict we’ll be a little tired.  It’s a huge milestone in our trip, the last destination in Central America before we make the leap to South America.  Of course we’ll enjoy the city, get settled in, but I’m sure we’ll have one thing in mind– what waits for us in South America!

Sounds a little ambitious now that I laid it all out, but the one thing I found as I researched this trip, is that Central America is not nearly as scary as everyone makes it out to be.  The next question:  How to get from Panama to South America.  Hint:  You can’t drive there.

If you were going to Central America, where would you want to visit?

In two weeks we’re on the road again.  So long Vermont, hello open road.  I’ve given some hints about our next destinations, but here’s a sneak preview.

We’re driving to South America.

We will be taking the dogs, whatever we can fit in the trunk, and heading south.  Why?  Well much as my travel plans have shaped the way I travel, this trip is the perfect solution for what we want right now.

1.  We want to become fluent in Spanish. I am seriously not leaving until I can communicate effectively in Spanish.  I thought 3 months in Madrid would do it, but not even close.  This time?  Spanish classes in each country as we go and absolutely no speaking in English (except to our families back home).

2.  It’s cheap. Europe was pretty expensive, given our reduced means.  We lived as cheaply as possible, avoided dipping into savings, but we’re not adding anything either.  Six months in Mexico, Central America and South America should fix that.

3.  We want to go slower. Traveling for a week to Paris is great, but it’s not enough time.  By driving down, stopping to rent a place for a few weeks or a month, we get to experience the places we like for longer and skip those that don’t offer what we want.

4.  We really like Spanish culture. This trip will let us see more of it than if we just flew from country to country. 

5.  The dogs get to come with me everywhere! Instead of waiting for me in the apartment, they get to travel down with us.  Will this be a headache during border crossings?  Probably.  Will having Jack and Molly wake me up with licks in Argentina be worth it?  Absolutely.

More to come this week, like “How the heck are you going to get your car past Panama ?” and “Are you going to drive the WHOLE time?  Where will you be staying?”  and my favorite, “Won’t you get robbed/stabbed/killed/kidnapped?  Did I mention stabbed?”

If you are watching the economy it is very easy to get depressed and not plan any vacations. However, now is actually the time to travel, it is the time to see the world, to discover your inner college backpacker. Although, it would help to make your traveling as cheap as possible.

One of the first things visitors notice is that Mexico is not as cheap as they expected it to be. Prices in Mexico can easily be as expensive as any high-class resort or city in the US.  Is it possible to travel in Mexico for cheap?

The answer: Yes!

In fact you can travel in Mexico for $45 a day (including accommodations) without sacrificing comfort or fun. With the exchange rate in Mexico being very favorable to the US dollar at the moment, prices may be as much as 30% cheaper than what we estimate in this article. The focus is on Mexico, but the principles will apply anywhere you go in the world.

When to go

When you go largely dictates how much you will be spending. Tourist high season in many parts is from October-April. This is when all the snow birds and cruise ships come in. Prices can easily double during this time in most touristy areas of Mexico.

To get the best prices and deals, try visiting in September and early October. Most hotels and businesses are hurting for customers at this time and offer some great deals to attract business. Temperature and humidity can be very high during these months. If this is too hot for you, prices also start to drop off again in May and the weather is much more agreeable. Be cheap, but be comfortable

Hotels in Mexico will range from $25/night to $350+/night. So you can stay as cheaply or as expensively as you like. You could even camp on the beach for free, but that is not generally recommended and is wayyy less romantic than it sounds. If you want to travel cheap, come with a friend so the cost of accommodations can be shared between the two of you.

However, staying at the cheapest hotel in Mexico can ruin your vacation if it is not clean and comfortable. We recommend a balanced approach. For about $50 a night you can usually get a decent, air-conditioned, comfortable room in a nice hotel. Look for one that is centrally located, if they have free wifi too then you are in business! If you are trying to travel cheap you do not need a pool, spa, or other luxuries. Gorgeous and relaxing beaches are just minutes away if you are on the coast, and there is so much exploring to do. Who would want to waste time in a pool anyway?

Eat where the locals do

Restaurants in Mexico can be quite expensive to the budget traveler. If you want a Burger King meal, Starbucks, or KFC you will be paying exactly what you do in the US or more. However, you didn’t come to Mexico to eat the same stuff you can find anywhere. You came for the authentic flavor that is world famous. To do this you have to eat where the locals do.

Taco stands on the streets offer great cheap eats in Mexico. You can easily get a taco and cup of hot consome (a local broth soup) for under a dollar. This is probably your best bet for eating cheaply in Mexico. You can usually tell the quality of the food by the popularity of the taco stand. Do a lot of locals eat there? Then, the food is probably fresh, cheap, and good. Also check the cleanliness of the stand. Many owners meticulously clean every utensil until it shines every day. If it looks clean and popular, then you have a go.

If you want something a little nicer you can look in the neighborhoods off the tourist strips for the small family owned restaurants. These places can be diamonds in the rough, offering you an unforgettable experience and authentic local flavor. Usually you can eat for less than five dollars a meal.

Shop the markets

If you are staying for an extended period of time, or just want some fresh produce the local markets, fruit stands, and convenience stores (abbarotes in Spanish) are always going to be cheaper than the larger grocery stores like Walmart, Soriana, and Comercial. Shop at the local markets and abbarotes to get great deals on fruit and vegetables, as well as local arts and crafts.

Be sure to try out the local fruits. You can usually get a cup of mangos or a mix of fruit with chili, salt, and lemon on it for 10 pesos. This is a uniquely Mexican way to eat fruit, and is an acquired taste for many. Be adventurous, give it a try! A life saver when eating local produce is Microdyn, it cleans and purifies anything with just a few drops.

Prices for goods (not food) are usually not set in stone, there is usually some amount of bargaining you can do. Again, however, there is a balance to be had. Be aware that the locals don’t make much money off most of their items. They try to keep their product as cheap as possible to bring in the business, so they probably need the few extra pesos more than you.

Take the bus

Getting around in most parts of Mexico couldn’t be easier. Usually they have a great and easy to use bus system. It costs about 5 pesos (.50 cents) per trip. Take note of what buses stop where you are so if you ever want to get back you can catch it. If you see the bus you want, the direction and general area they are going is plastered on the front windshield, just wave your hands and they will probably pull over. You can jump off at any time by tucking and rolling, or we recommend hailing the driver and he will stop kindly for you.

Also if you want to go on a day trip to a nearby city or attraction you can easily get a cheap ticket on a bus at the bus station to take you wherever you want.

Have fun!

If you brought your own gear, snorkeling is a cheap and fun activity. There is plenty to see in the oceans down here. World class scuba and snorkeling is pretty easy to come by in many regions.

If you are into playing in the surf then you can usually rent a body board or surf board very cheaply for the day. An umbella, chairs, and table on the beach will cost you about $10. If you bargain you might be able to get them down a bit. A great trick is to check the markets, many times they offer a personal beach umbrella for under $10 that you can use again and again.

Other cheap attractions are the local circuses. If you are fortunate enough to have one in town while you are visiting the price is 20 pesos for admission. Never thought you would see lions and tigers on your Mexican vacation did you?

Sample budget breakdown:

Comfortable Rooming-$40-$50/day (traveling with friend cuts expense in half)
Food- $10-$15/day
Transportation- $2-$10/day
Activities and other expenses- $10/day

Grand total: $62-$85 a day.
With a friend: $42-$60 a day