Posted: 04/18/2011 | April 18th, 2011

I’ve believed about this publish for a long time now. In my head, I’ve written as well as rewritten it numerous times to discover the right words I’ve gone to publish it only to back out at the last minute. I’ve been hesitating, not since I didn’t understand what to state but, since deep down I understood I wasn’t prepared to state it.

But now, as I lastly type this publish in this form, I understand it’s time to hit publish.

In July, I’ll celebrate five years on the road. One fateful day in 2006, I hugged my parents goodbye as well as started on a journey that has taken me around the world two as well as a half times as well as enabled me to teach in two different countries, play poker professionally in Amsterdam, online in new York City, produce this fantastic site, as well as satisfy a few of the world’s most fantastic people.

But I have frequently wondered if a person can travel for as well long. Is there a time when being on the road becomes as well much of a great thing? My general response is that you can never get as well much travel in your life. This is particularly true if you’re with buddies or have somebody to share those special moments with. However, if you are traveling alone, then I believe the response is yes, at a specific point, as well much time on the road can take its toll.

Five years after I began, travel is still wonderful as well as amazing, however it isn’t the same. a few of the luster is gone. Yes, I satisfy fantastic people every day, however exactly how many times can you have the exact same “where are you from as well as what do you do” conversation with other travelers? exactly how many times can you reinvent the wheel? exactly how frequently can you begin from scratch? It’s one thing to be traveling with friends, a girlfriend, or a spouse, however it’s one more to be constantly surrounded by strangers daily of your life.

At some point, you long for a bit of consistency. somebody who gets you. somebody who understands your story a bit.

Solo travel is a wonderful thing, as well as I still firmly believe everybody should do it at least when in their life since it fosters fantastic personal growth. I’ve discovered so much about myself by traveling alone. however after so many years, it’s lastly used on me. I’ve reached the point where solo travel has ended up being a lonely existence that I am no longer fit for.

Last year, I composed about exactly how I had lost my sense of question for travel as well as I needed a break. Living in new York City last summertime provided me a much-needed break however it likewise made me recognize that I am missing out on a great deal when it comes to leading a settled lifestyle. I missed having a gym, a kitchen, regional watering holes, preferred restaurants, as well as a group of great buddies to spend time with. I missed the act of just living somewhere.

But whenever I believed about stopping, I started to believe about all the trips I might take as well as the road inevitably ended up calling me back.

However, when I was leaving central America, I realized that my days were numbered when at the end of the trip, I was excited — not to go someplace new however to go house to new York City. It’s a feeling I haven’t had in a long time, and, as I believed of a location as house for the very first time in many years, I realized my time had lastly come.

My one slogan in life is to online without any regrets, as well as in spite of the pull of a new life calling me, I understand I’ll always have regrets unless I do two last things: travel Southeast Asia one last time as well as do one last grand tour of Europe that lastly includes the Eastern Bloc. In my mind, these trips requirement to be done as a whole, not as little trips to this or that country.

So today I leave house for my final trip around the world that will take me to Europe, east Asia, as well as Southeast Asia before heading back sometime around March or April 2012. will I settle in new York then? I don’t know. Paris likewise seems nice. who can state what the future holds?

But I do understand today marks the beginning of the end. This will be my last long-lasting trip. When this is done, I’ll have been on the road for close to six years. That’s six years of constant movement. six years of fresh starts. I regret nothing, however I’m prepared to move on to something new. I’m prepared to ended up being semi-nomadic. I’m prepared to make a location home.

I don’t understand what next year holds however I do understand it now holds more possibility than the last few years ever did. One thing I envy about many space year travelers is that with a set “end date” to their trip, they have an enjoyment about them I’ve just recently lacked. They requirement to “get everything in” there before it’s as well late. Me? I do this every day. travel is my daily life. as well as just like my buddies in Boston who never walked the flexibility Trail, or my buddies in nyc who have never visited the Statue of Liberty, I’ve put things off since “I can always do it later.” Hence, I don’t pack my days with as much stuff as I utilized to. I’ve gotten a bit lazy.

But now there’s no genuine “later” for me.

This is it.

Now, I have a new sense of seriousness in my travels. It’s like I’m retaking my very first trip around again. since with the end in sight, I have to get everything in before it’s as well late. There’s no more time to waste, no days to spend behind the computer, no more “I’ll get back to it.” Nope, these nomadic methods are ending. travel will always be a part of my life, however life’s wishes modification as well as I must modification with it. It’s a take on new world around again.
 

How to travel the world on $50 a Day

My new York Times very popular paperback guide to world travel will teach you exactly how to master the art of travel to ensure that you’ll get off the beaten path, save money, as well as have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget plan travelers.”

Click right here to discover more as well as begin reading it today!

Book Your Trip: Logistical tips as well as Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a inexpensive flight by utilizing Skyscanner. It’s my preferred browse engine since it searches websites as well as airlines around the globe so you always understand no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, utilize Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses as well as hotels.

Don’t fail to remember travel Insurance
Travel insurance coverage will protect you against illness, injury, theft, as well as cancellations. It’s comprehensive security in situation anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to utilize it many times in the past. My preferred business that offer the very best service as well as value are:

SafetyWing (best for everyone)

Insure My trip (for those over 70)

Medjet (for extra evacuation coverage)

Ready to book Your Trip?
Check out my resource page for the very best business to utilize when you travel. I listing all the ones I utilize when I travel. They are the very best in class as well as you can’t go wrong utilizing them on your trip.

Are you a travel blogger, or believing about discovering exactly how to begin a travel blog? When we very first started our blog back in 2012, we had lots of concerns floating around in our heads. however at that time, there wasn’t truly an outlet or a location to ask blogging associated questions.

Maybe you’re wondering exactly how you can get a lot more web traffic to your website? Are you not sure about exactly how to work with brands to get complimentary travel? Do you concern exactly how blog writers are earning an income? perhaps you don’t comprehend SEO, or aren’t sure exactly how to select a travel blog name?

Whatever element of travel blogging you’re not sure of, we’d like to hear about it!

We’re always trying to enhance our blogging material on our web site as well as in buy to do so, we’d like to ask you ONE question. If you have 2 minutes to spare, might you please fill out this survey? It’s actually just one basic concern as well as it would truly assist us a great deal – as well as our readers, that’s you! ?

(Note: there’s a scroll bar on the survey)

Loading…

We have some interesting things organized in the extremely near future so make sure to stay tuned to our website! say thanks to you once again for taking the time to response this question. have a excellent day ?

Dariece & Nick

Disclaimer:Goats On The road is an Amazon partner as well as likewise an affiliate for some other retailers. This indicates we make commissions if you click links on our blog as well as purchase from those retailers.

Last Updated: 3/12/2022 | March 12th, 2022

Time. There just never seems to be enough of it. It always seems to move too fast (and, every year, it seems to just move faster).

Time is something people always tell me they don’t have enough of and is one of the main reasons why they don’t travel as much as they would like. (Money is also an issue, which I’ve talked about here.)

While there are more digital nomads and remote workers now that COVID has changed the concept of the office, not everyone is able to work remotely these days.

But, even if they don’t want to be nomadic, most people I know with office jobs (specifically Americans) want to travel more than they do. They just feel like they don’t have the time.

They are wrong.

Here’s why.

Let’s say you work 50 weeks a year and get two weeks of vacation. (Not American? then you probably get a lot more and that’s wonderful.) Counting your vacation time and every weekend brings the total number of days per year you can travel to 110 (104 weekend days plus the 10 days in your two-week vacation). That’s a lot of time to travel. throw in three-day weekends and holidays, and we can add even more days to our total. It may not be all continuous, but you can do a lot with that much time.

Let’s think about that for a second: 110+ days of free time per year. That’s close to four months of potential travel time per year! Four months! The world is your oyster with that much time.

When looking at it this way, our busy schedule becomes a lot more open. What are you doing with that time?

Everything is about priorities. Yes, there are certain obligations we have in our day-to-day lives that take up time but if you really want something, you find a way to make it happen. It’s like when I say I don’t have the time to go to the gym. I have plenty of time to go to the gym; I’m just spending that time elsewhere.

Because the gym just isn’t a priority for me (though it probably should be).

Moreover, most people associate “travel” with a long-term, big, expensive trip and thus discount all the short-term methods of travel. When people think “I want to travel” they envision a two-week vacation, a cruise, or some long, multi-month journey. It’s a big trip to a faraway land.

That’s not really their fault. It’s just how the travel industry tells us we need to travel because long and big trips mean people will spend more money. We internalize that concept and never consider other options.

And if you hear something enough, you believe it. I used to. It’s why Jessica is never going to Ireland and Bob will always be a hater.

However, if COVID has taught us anything it’s that there are tons of things to see and do close to home. even when you don’t have months to travel, as we’ve seen, you still have 110 days of potential travel per year. If you make it a priority, you can certainly travel more.

But what do you do? What kind of trips can you take on a smaller time scale that still have a big impact? here are some trip ideas to help you plan to travel when you have limited time:

1. Take a weekend getaway

Spend a weekend away somewhere. two days isn’t a lot of time, but it’s still enough to explore a city, town, or camp in a national park close to you. I used to spend a lot of time in new York City. From there, weekends away would include trips to Atlantic City, fire Island, the Hamptons, the Berkshires, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington DC — and those are just the ones a few hours away!

Try to incorporate more weekend trips away. It can help break up your routine and keep your wanderlust in check until your next big trip. even a couple of days somewhere are better than no days anywhere!

2. Go somewhere close

Only have a week? Don’t travel halfway around the world, wasting tons of time getting to your destination. Go somewhere a short distance away.

Living in Miami and Fiji is too far? Head to central America!

In Sydney and Los Angeles is too far? Go halfway and stop in Hawaii, visit new Zealand, or pop over to a Pacific island nation!

In Europe? Well, 90% of the continent is a three-hour flight away so you’re set!

Stay close and you’ll need less time to do what you want. Additionally, the best flight deals you can find are often for destinations close to you. So be flexible.

Anywhere you haven’t been is a good place to visit.

And, when you travel, less is always more.

3. Be a local tourist

I don’t think people are tourists in their own city often enough. how often do you visit the museums, explore new areas in your town, or visit the major attractions of your city? I know new Yorkers who have never been to the Met, Bostonians who have never walked the freedom Trail, and Amsterdammers who have never wandered through the red-light district.

Take the weekend, move out of the house and into a cheap place to stay, and be a tourist. I love playing tourist in my own city because it helps youlearn and understand where you come from.

There’s so much around you that you probably don’t take advantage of when you’re busy leading your regular life that, when you stop and look for a second, you can find plenty of exciting activities to fill your time.

After all, travel is about seeing and learning about new things – and that can take place right in your own backyard!

Important: If you are going to do this, stay somewhere that’s not your house so it feels more like a vacation. Otherwise, it will be too tempting to wake up, run some errands, and then “run out of time.” For this to really work, you need to break your routine — and not staying in your house is important to do that.

4. Maximize your time

Don’t try to see everything under the sun. You’ll run around too much. I field a lot of emails from people who want to see half of Europe in two weeks or want to conquer all of South America in a month.

When you think that is how you have to travel and try to cram everything in, it’s easy to get burdened by your itinerary. You look at all those destinations, get overwhelmed, realize there is not enough time, give up, and hold off until you do “have” the time.

I get that you don’t have a lot of vacation and want to see a lot, but don’t! sticking to just one or two places suddenly opens up a lot of time and opportunity! You’ll never be able to see it all. even with my open schedule, I still can’t see everything I want. I stopped trying long ago. In travel, less is more. quality over quantity.

****
You may not have months to travel, but that doesn’t mean you can’t travel at all. There are a plethora of ways to get out and travel the world on a budget without having to be a nomad like me. telling yourself you don’t have time is just an excuse.

You do have the time and you can learn the skills to travel better. The problem is you probably aren’t thinking of how to spend that time beyond the typical “two-week vacation.”

So the next time you think “I don’t have the time,” think of all the places nearby you could explore. Yes, you’ll have errands to run and things that require your attention. but by using your time productively, prioritizing travel, and thinking outside the box, you’ll find you do have time to explore the world.

Travel is about exploration, and that exploration can happen anywhere for any length of time.
 

How to travel the world on $50 a Day

My new York Times best-selling paperback guide to world travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off the beaten path, save money, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”

Click here to learn more and start reading it today!

Book Your Trip: Logistical suggestions and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches sites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the most affordable rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t forget travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

SafetyWing (best for everyone)

Insure My trip (for those over 70)

Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Ready to book Your Trip?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

London’s West end is typically referred to simply as “Theatreland”, and as the home to over 40 playhouses it’s easy to get an idea why. but more than just a reference to the sheer number of venues, the nickname is also a nod to the terrific tradition of stage acting that’s been practiced here for hundreds of years.

Many famous faces continue to be drawn to tread the boards, and at any given time you’ll find some of Hollywood’s biggest names performing in plays and musicals throughout the West End. catching a show is one of the most popular activities for visitors to do in England’s historic capital, but it can be an overwhelming experience trying to choose which one will be right for you. So to help with your decision, here’s a list of the top 9 shows in London.

The Lion King

Adapted from the Disney film of the same name, The Lion King is something of an institution in the West End. You can’t help but fall in love with Simba and his gang, who will have you feeling every emotion under the blazing African sun of this extraordinary tale’s setting.

The characters are brought to life through the ground breaking use of puppetry, and imaginative staging that turns the act into a riot of colour and fun. The story follows Simba as he is deceived by his own uncle who kills his father Mustafa and takes over the kingdom that should rightfully be his.

Simba is exiled into the wilderness where his exciting adventures change him from naïve cub into a wise young adult, before returning to defeat his uncle and take back his rightful place as king.

Running continuously since 1999, this award-winning, record-breaking musical is rightly one of the most popular shows ever produced. Prepare to be wowed by the dazzling costumes, creative storytelling and Elton John’s splendid original music. This emotional sing along is unquestionably the number one “must-see” show in the West End.

For budget-friendly tickets to the Lion King, check out From the box Office.

Les Miserables

Officially the West End’s longest running musical having been going for over 30 years, “Les Mis” as it’s affectionately known, is also one of the best-loved musical shows. The plot follows lead character Jean Valjean through a turbulent transformation from prisoner to businessman with many emotional ups and down along the way. This is an epic tale of mercy, love and redemption that may well have you shedding a tear or two.

The book of Mormon

From the minds of the guys who created South Park, The book of Mormon is perhaps not quite what you’d expect if you’re a fan of the show. It’s a fun, lighthearted look at the Mormon religion, and even though it lampoons some of their practices and beliefs, at no point is it dismissive or disrespectful. despite being a genuine comedy, the songs are good enough to stand alongside any West end musical.

Matilda the Musical

Based on the legendary English author Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book, Matilda has been one of the recent smash hits of the West End. The songs were co written by piano playing funny man Tim Minchin, lending the show an element of comedy, though the deep and serious themes present in the original book remain. The subjects of bullying, isolation and overcoming adversity make it an inspirational and uplifting watch.

Image by: From the box Office
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past twenty years, it’s impossible that you’ll have escaped Harry Potter’s all conquering rise from the page to the screen. the latest adventure takes place on the stage and sees Harry and the rest of the crew reunited as adults to once again battle the dark forces at play in the wizarding world. like most additions to the Harry Potter series, this play is truly magical and spellbinding.

Phantom of the Opera

Andrew Lloyd Webber is musical theatre royalty and Phantom of the Opera is perhaps his best-loved work, having been watched by a staggering 140 million West end visitors! So what’s behind its incredible pulling power? terrific music, stunning costumes, brilliant writing and consistently excellent casting means it never fails to impress audiences, even after thirty years.

Motown the Musical

If you’re a fan of soul music, then this will unquestionably be right up your alley. Charting the rise of Berry Gordy’s legendary Detroit based Motown record label, the show is a journey through the peerless collection of tunes by some of pop music’s greats. Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, and of course Michael Jackson are just some of the singers depicted, but the 50 classic songs that provide the backdrop to the Motownstory are unquestionably the stars.

Image by: From the box Office
Wicked

Set in the enchanting world of The Wizard of Oz, Wicked tells the story of how the green-skinned Elphaba went on to become The Wicked Witch of the West. It’s an inspired reimagining of the timeless tale we’re so familiar with, and sheds a completely different light on the central characters. Wicked is quickly becoming a modern West end classic.

Aladdin

Though it’s based on the 1992 Disney smash hit film, Aladdin on the West end stage conjures up an entirely unique charm. There have been new songs added, but the crowd pleasing sing along belters such as “A whole new World” and “Prince Ali” are still included. It’s a funny, fast paced and heartwarming interpretation where the over the top baddies steal the show.

Don’t miss out on enjoying a show while you’re visiting London, there’s definitely something here to suit all tastes and it’s a terrific evening out, even if going to the theatre isn’t your usual hobby. For more on travelling around England, check out our blogs here.

Like it? Pin it! ?

Disclaimer:Goats On The road is an Amazon associate and also an affiliate for some other retailers. This means we earn commissions if you click links on our blog and purchase from those retailers.

Day 4 as well as 5 in the Quirimbas Archipelago were even more of an experience than the previous days. We had hired ourselves a captain, a team as well as a boat as well as were setting off to check out two of the close-by islands of Matemo as well as Rolas.

We boarded our dhow (traditional Mozambican boat) as well as headed off with the totally remove turquoise waters. When we rounded the large sand bar jetting out into the sea, we were in awe of what we saw. A extremely long stretch of totally white sand as well as remove as can be waters lay before us. There was one special (and extremely expensive) resort on one end of the island as well as on the far other side there was a village.

arriving at stunning Matemo Island, Mozambique

Nick & Henrik on the boat to Matemo Island, Mozambique
We decided to set up camp in between the two. Camp included us setting up a rope between two palm trees as well as hooking our 3 mosquito nets to the rope. We made the sandy area our own as well as rebuilt a damaged down wood shack for some shade as well as shelter. Nick as well as Henrik made a bottle shower, Alice as well as I made a garbage area as well as swept away all the excess clean as well as pulled up any type of uncomfortable weeds as well as rocks.

And there you have it, camp!

As the sun was setting all of us went in for a swim as well as showed on exactly how lucky we are to be in such an fantastic place…and to have it basically to ourselves. That night after a tasty dinner of freshly caught fish as well as rice, we developed a large bonfire on the beach as well as enjoyed the stars as well as Henrik’s ukulele playing before calling it a night. We slept directly under the stars in our breezy mosquito nets with a sheet on the ground as well as a blanket over us, it was perfection.

camp for the night on Matemo Island, Mozambique

The next morning we were up early to beat the tides as well as made our method to the close-by island of Rolas. Again, stunning, stunning island. this time around it was totally unoccupied except for a extremely little fishing village. We set up our camp as well as relaxed in the shade in between swimming in the crystal clear, perfect waters.

These two islands are blessed with the most lovely beaches as well as waters we’ve ever seen on our travels, as well as that’s stating a great deal thinking about the locations we’ve seen! We swam, read, napped as well as ate throughout the day as well as were in total relaxation mode. That evening after a amazing sunset, we had one more tasty meal of grouper stew with rice as well as the 4 of us went out onto the enormous, white sandbar as well as developed a bonfire.

We enjoyed the terminate up until we might barely keep our eyes open. It’s an fantastic feeling to find somewhere so remote as well as to be the only tourists on the island, as well as for miles in every direction. Yet one more excellent day in paradise.

Dariece on the boat from Matemo Island to Rolas Island, Mozambique

arriving at lovely Rolas Island, Mozambique
Unloading the boat on Rolas Island, Mozambique

Nick making us lunch over a fire, Rolas Island, Mozambique
Our camp for the night on Rolas Island, Mozambique

a gorgeous sunset – Rolas Island, Mozambique
the 4 of us enjoying a nighttime bonfire on the sandbar – Matemo Island, Mozambique

After 3 days on these fantastic islands, we packed up camp as well as needed to leave Rolas Island early so we might beat the tides. We decided to make a pit stop back on Matemo Island for some morning swimming, photos as well as relaxing before making the journey back to Ibo Island.

walking towards the stunning sandbar – Matemo Island, Mozambique

blindingly white sand as well as crystal remove waters on Matemo Island, Mozambique
This is the life! Matemo Island, Mozambique

Our dhow boat for sailing the stunning Quirimbas Archipelago. Matemo Island, Mozambique
Beautiful beach at Matemo Island, Mozambique

Whoooo Hoooo! Goats On The road loving life on Matemo Island, Mozambique
We shown up back at The African Pot in the late afternoon as well as were happy to see Stephane (and his cooking) again. The trip was fabulous, something that the four of us will never forget. That evening we had to state our goodbyes to our new good friend Henrik. He needed to get moving before his visa expired however Nick, Alice as well as I decided to spend one more day on Ibo Island enjoying the peaceful village life.

It was an emotional goodbye as we had ended up being rather close with Henrik as well as we will miss travelling with him extremely much. That’s the method backpacking goes, you produce special bonds with people with these fantastic experiences as well as ended up being immediate friends. We hope to keep in get in touch with with him as well as perhaps someday satisfy up again, either on the road or in Germany.

The next day on Ibo Island was perfect. We enjoyed Stephane’s cooking as well as Nick as well as I walked all around the island satisfying regional people as well as taking some pictures of the villagers as well as their day to day life. Being on Ibo Island was like stepping into a time warp. There are no cars, the people utilize wells for their water supply, chickens as well as goats roam the streets, the power shuts off in the evening as well as meals are enjoyed by candle light.

The people were so friendly as well as extremely happy to see us, it’s a extremely untouristed place as well as we were extremely fortunate to have seen it in this state. I’m sure it will ended up being extremely prominent on the tourist radar in the years to come.

a villager’s home, Ibo Island, Mozambique

Dariece trying out the regional method of bring things! Ibo Island, Mozambique
Mozambican boy. Ibo Island

A cemetery on Ibo Island, Mozambique
Dariece with regional women – Ibo Island, Mozambique

Cute Mozambican youngsters waving to the camera. Ibo Island
Getting a quick shave on the streets of Ibo Island, Mozambique

Dariece with some village kids, Ibo Island, Mozambique
We stated our goodbyes to Stephane as well as the three of us boarded a extremely small, extremely congested boat back to the mainland where we caught a bus back to Pemba. The trip was much better (barely) than the trip there in the back of Urik’s jeep. However, we have never been so dirty in our lives! The road was a extremely bumpy, extremely dirty road as well as we needed to have the windows open in order to not sweat ourselves into total dehydration. By the time we reached our destination, we were covered head to toe in the fine, red tinged African dirt as well as our faces looked as if they were painted in it.

the extremely full boat trip back to the mainland, Quirimbas Archipelago, Mozambique
Goats On The road on the bumpy, dirty bus trip back to Pemba

Mozambican lady with her infant on her side – on the method back to Pemba, Mozambique
local youngsters excited to see us on the bus, Pemba, Mozambique

After the ride, we stated our goodbyes to our new good friend Alice. She was catching a flight out of Pemba as well as Nick as well as I were making our method a bit further South to Mozambique Island. We will likewise miss travelling with Alice extremely much as well as had ended up being truly close good friends with her as well. It was nice travelling with one more lady as well as being able to have woman talk for once! Besides a few other couples we’ve met, it’s usually solo male travellers that we seem to link up with. I’m sure we’ll keep in get in touch with with her as well as will never fail to remember the only person from Luxembourg that we’ve ever met.

 Like this Post? Pin it!

Disclaimer:Goats On The road is an Amazon partner as well as likewise an affiliate for some other retailers. This means we make commissions if you click links on our blog as well as purchase from those retailers.

Back in 2009, on our first trip, we embarked on one of the most remarkable journeys in all of our travels. We based ourselves in the city of Alleppey and from there we went house boating through the sensational Alappuzhan backwaters. arriving in Alleppey we had absolutely no idea where to start planning our trip.

Alleppey:

We had been on the beach for quite a while at this point and we were really enjoying our time in Alleppey. a lot of cities in India aren’t that easy to enjoy, but Alleppey was a great change. considered the oldest planned town in the region Alleppey is the administrative headquarters of the Alappuzha District.

We strolled the narrow lanes, ate in small roadside eateries and wandered around the shore of the backwaters in anticipation of the epic trip we were about to take.

We were in Alleppey for the same reason that a lot of tourists come here. For the chance to house boat through the sensational Keralan backwaters, which connect Kumarakom and Cochin to the North and Quilon to the South.

Kerala is one of the most beautiful states in India and we were looking forward to exploring more. 

Planning:

Like I said, we had absolutely no idea where to start planning. thankfully the city of Alleppey is well prepared for uninformed tourists such as ourselves. We popped into one of the lots of travel agencies that lined the main street and they pretty much sorted us out from there.

We made a decision to opt for Ananda house Boats. After asking about 2 dozen questions, the friendly agent called us a taxi which took us to the boat to have a look. ideal from the moment we stepped foot on the boat, we knew we had made a good choice.

This house boat was absolutely stunning. It was two levels. The top level had a beautiful, open sun deck with a comfortable bed overlooking the water, while the lower level had two rooms, a bathroom, a living room, a dining room and a tv! We never thought that we’d be sailing in such style!

What really sold us on our house boat was the crew, which consisted of three smiley, friendly and enthusiastic Indian men named Vikram, Baboo and Kumar. They’re smiles were so contagious that we knew that they were exactly who we wanted to sail with.

If you need a lot more help planning other tours, trips and excursions around Kerala, check out the Kerala tourism Website.

Setting Out:

We awoke the morning of our planned trip, packed our bags and went outside where our ride was meant to meet us. sure enough there was a tuk-tuk ideal there waiting and we were on our way back to the beautiful house boat that we taken a look at a couple of days before.

When we pulled up at the docks, Vikram, Baboo and Kumar were happily waving from the deck of the boat. We boarded the floating home and put our backpacks in our room. The room itself was literally one of the best rooms we had ever had in India. Vikram, our cook, started us off with a couple of coconut drinks which we carried with us as we excitedly toured the boat that we’d be living on for three days.

The house Boat:

Our house boat was the normal rice barge style boat that you see all over the Keralan backwaters. I need to say that ours was one of the classier boats on the water. Our room was gorgeous! A dark wood headboard and wall mounted end tables centered the room with a massive bay window that spanned one entire wall. The shower room was great too and it even came with hot water! We cheaped out a bit and selected no A/C which indicated that the fuse for the unit was turned off, but we figured that being ideal on the water the nights would be blissfully cool.

The hallway between our bedroom and the living/dining area was also finished in dark mahogany and the a sink and washing area was on one side, all with beautiful finishings.

The living room / dining room was perfect. There was a table big enough to easily seat six people, a couch and coffee table and a small LCD TV (which was rare to see in India in those days).

Upstairs was the most beautiful part of the boat and it is where we spent a lot of of our time. An exquisitely decorated relaxation area complete with a couple of lounge chairs and a massive sun bed which had perfect, near 360 degree views of the passing backwaters. We were living in complete luxury and all on a backpackers budget!

The Journey:

The backwaters of India are a huge network of brackish lagoons, lakes and canals lying parallel to the Malabar coast of the Arabian Sea. The area is fed by 38 rivers and consists of a half-natural, half-manmade network of waterways that span half the length of the Kerala State. The backwaters consist of 205 kms of sensational rivers that were generally navigated for cargo shipments and passenger transport.

On our journey we would travel from northbound from Allepey for 3 days and 2 nights. We passed beautiful, water-side villages where generally dressed locals harvested rice, washed their laundry and prayed on the jungle fringed shores.

We stopped in a few of the towns and checked out some temples, churches and markets along the way, but a lot of of our time was spent enjoying the views from our boat’s sun deck, lazily enjoying the peaceful Indian backwaters slowly pass us by.

On one night we asked Vikram (our cook) if he knew of somewhere to get a bottle of wine. Without hesitation, he hollered back to our motorist Baboo and within seconds the boat was steered ashore.

“Come” Vikram said as he signalled us with the strange, backward hand motion that we’ve learned to desipher in India.

We followed him through the jungle overgrowth and up to a bridge road where we waved down a Tuk Tuk (again with an Indian hand motion that I can’t explain). We hopped in our rattling ride and it took us into the nearest village about 5 minutes away. The rickshaw pertained to a screeching halt ideal outside of a liquor store. We hopped out swiftly but Vikram was way ahead of us. He bought us our white wine and by the time we reached the Caged window, all we had to do was pay the price that was on the tag!

We made our way back to the boat and that night we cracked our bottle of “wine” which actually tasted like warm grape juice. We laid on our backs on our sunbed and gazed up at the billion or so stars that graffitied the dark night sky. just as we were finishing our last drops of the now delicious red wine, the sky became ablaze with fireworks. The village that we had just gotten the white wine from was celebrating a festival and we were able to take pleasure in the sound and light show from our floating home. The sound of crickets, frogs and leaves rustling in the bushes were accompanied by the odd flash of light and dazzling display in the sky. The backwaters of India, genuinely an remarkable (and relaxing) adventure.

Returning Back To Allepey:

After 3 remarkable days on our houseboat we pertained to realize that the best part was our crew. Vikram, Baboo and Kumar were the friendliest, happiest, a lot of considerate Indian men we had ever met in our travels. Vikram was an extraordinary chef. He cooked us 3 meals a day, all of which were amongst our best meals in the country. how he managed to conquer such culinary feats from the cramped kitchen space on that boat is beyond me. Baboo was a great captain and we’re not sure what our “engine man” Kumar did, but he was absolutely a happiness to be around. We awoke every day with tea, and ended the day in the same fashion and we couldn’t have asked for better people to sail with for 3 days.

India is known for its hectic, chaotic, busy cities but the Keralan backwaters are a slice of prestine, peaceful paradise. Our trip was one of the most memorable adventures of all of our travels and we would love to go back and do it again one day. There’s nothing quite like house boating in the Keralan backwaters and everyone who travels to India must plan this experience at the top of their itinerary. It was genuinely sublime…

Have you ever been in a house boat? Where was it? Please tell us in the comments below…

Like it? Pin it! ?

Disclaimer:Goats On The road is an Amazon associate and also an affiliate for some other retailers. This indicates we earn commissions if you click links on our blog and purchase from those retailers.

We’ve been advocates of creating a freedom filled lifestyle for a long time. Living abroad, being our own boss, travelling full-time, and having the option to work from anywhere in the world is what our website, and us personally, are all about.

We hope to inspire you to live the lifestyle of your dreams, and want to help you make that happen. and with that, I’m thrilled to announce that the Paradise pack is back…and this year, it includes products from us Goats!

This is the fifth year that this incredible bundle of educational resources has been available and, like a fine wine, it got better with age ?

What is The Paradise Pack?

The Paradise pack is a bundle of products from expert travel and business gurus. The pack is available for one week, once a year, at 90% off and then it’s gone…

These resources truly are life changing and if you’ve ever considered quitting your current job, moving abroad, working from your laptop, being your own boss, or hitting the road to travel, this pack is for you.

Jason and Travis are the legends behind this fantastic idea, and they themselves live the location independent lifestyle. From travellers to business owners, they’re living their dream lifestyle and want to help you do more of what you love, with those you love.

The Paradise pack is a paid bundle of resources, but there are two free products that the Paradise pack team are giving away, and they’re available right now:

Top 11 digital Nomad Hotspots – The ultimate Guide

In this free guide you’ll discover the absolute best places to be a digital nomad or work remotely.

Whether you have a thriving business already or you’re someone who is looking to start out, these are the best places to go to surround yourself with like-minded people who are living the laptop lifestyle – and to have a ton of fun while you’re at it. 

2. Behind The Laptop: 10 ways to earn money While travelling The World

We’ve written numerous articles to show you how to earn money on the road so that you can travel for as long as you want. learn how to start a travel blog, teach English online, teach English in China, get the ultimate house sitting gig, become a dive master… these remote jobs are all possible.

In “Behind the Laptop”, you’ll learn about 10 online entrepreneurs and how they are earning money on the road, while loving every minute of it!

What products are in The Paradise Pack?

The Paradise pack bundle features over 20 professional educational offerings from the world’s foremost experts in online business, location independence and travel. It’s available for one week only at over 90% off and contains everything you need to build a life of total freedom!

Here are a few of the things you’ll learn from the courses, tutorials, books and guides that you’ll find in the pack (for a full list, click here):

Beginner blogger bundle (this is our product!) – a quick and easy video course to help you to start a blog and get your new website off the ground in no time, plus our SEO checklist, and an ebook with our best blogging tips.

Frequent Flyer Bootcamp – the world’s best-selling course on travel hacking, learn to use FF miles to fly worldwide for under $100

How to learn another Language, Quickly

Six-Figure Coaching business bundle – you’ll receive financial and goals action planner tools, pricing and packaging training, access to the how to handle Objections training, the Objections Slayer worksheet with word-for-word responses to the most common sales objections, and a private session with Emily’s team!

Products to profit class – really live the 4 hour work week

Irresistable Podcasting – launch and grow your podcast like a boss

Productivity Power for Writers – learn how to be productive in your writing, without working more

7 Days to Be Seen – create a YouTube channel that gets seen, get organic views & subs in no time

Hobby Hacking – build a brand around something you love, and make money doing so

Master Your Mind – learn to overcome fear, manage overwhelm, deal with people, handle rejection, cope with failure, maximize your time, and more

WTF should I do with My Life?!! – 34 interviews with top thinkers offering wisdom on navigating a life-course with integrity, authenticity, and a deep sense of purpose

Branding Your Masterclass – build and expand a business across Kindle, podcast, Udemy, email, & more

The virtual assistant Starter kit – this kit will equip you with all the tools and skills necessary to set strong foundations for success in a VA or freelance career

Wantrepreneur to entrepreneur Bootcamp – this bootcamp is designed to get you to take massive action, giving you all the step-by-steps and ready-made templates for you to take your business from idea to reality with your first paying customers or clients.

There are many more products available in the pack. For a full list of what you can expect, plus more details on what each resource offers you, click here.

How much Does The Paradise pack Cost?

The value of all the products in the pack is almost $8,000USD.

But, if you purchase this bundle between may 29th from 3am PST to June 4th at 11:59pm PST, you’ll receive more than 90% off, with the pack costing $497. All of this education available for a fraction of what it would cost to go to college or university – not to mention, you can learn while wearing your pyjamas!

Because the discount is so huge, this special rate is only available for one week in order to make it fair for the creators of the expert content in this Pack.

Bonus!

Not only will you learn how to change your life and live and work from anywhere in the world, but your purchase will contribute to the education of numerous children around the world. Jason and Travis give back 10% of their earnings to Pencils Of Promise. This incredible organization helps to build schools in numerous countries around the world.

Last year, they made enough money from the Paradise pack to build an entire school in Guatemala, and this year they’re hoping to be able to build four!

Change your life, and that of a child. It’s a win-win.

How Do You get The Pack?

Everything inside the Paradise pack is sent electronically, so don’t worry about having to wait for packages to arrive in the mail, or not having a fixed address. All you need to do is purchase the pack when it becomes available on May 29th at 3am PST.

To learn more about the Paradise Pack, who’s involved in it, what you’ll get for your buck, and to be notified of when it’s available to purchase, click here.

Happy Entrepreneurship ?

Dariece & Nick

Disclaimer:Goats On The road is an Amazon associate and also an affiliate for some other retailers. This means we earn commissions if you click links on our blog and purchase from those retailers.

flight cancellations and rescheduling are typical parts of airline and airport operations around the world. They occur because of one or a range of aspects ranging from security to economic to operational reasons.

I have my share of canceled and rescheduled flights. just a few months ago, I was meant to fly with Cebu Pacific to Seoul, but there were modifications in the flight routine that were not positive for us, so we had to just cancel our trip. It’s absolutely fine because we were notified of the rescheduling months in advancement and we were yet to book tours, so we still had lots of time to rework our travel plans. We were provided choices on exactly how to step forward, and I selected to request a full refund.

Then last month, our AirAsia flights from Taiwan to Manila were canceled because of the coronavirus-related travel ban that the government imposed at the time.

Both times, I documented my experience so I might show you the refund process. In this post, we’ll focus on Cebu Pacific. (If your canceled flight is with AirAsia, checked out this instead: exactly how TO get A REFUND FROM AIRASIA!)

If your flight with Cebu Pacific gets canceled or rescheduled and you desire to request a refund, this publish may help.

WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?

Who can get a refund?
How to request a refund online
How to refund airport tax or terminal fee
More ideas on YouTube ⬇️⬇️⬇️Related Posts:

Who can get a refund?

Before we go over that, let us highlight that NOT all flight bookings are refundable. If you got your ticket from a piso sale or another seat sale, there is a big chance that your fare is not refundable unless it is the airline itself that canceled or rescheduled the flight.

Here are the instances wherein you can data a refund request.

Flight cancellation, when Cebu Pacific cancels your flight

Flight rescheduling, when Cebu Pacific moves your flight with at least a 1-hour difference. If the difference is less than 1 hour, you will noy be entitled to a refund.

Double payment, when you are charged twice for the exact same booking (with the exact same booking number)

Duplicate booking, when you booked twice the exact same flight (with the exact same flight number, guests, and travel dates)

Death of passengers

Some medical cases, but a valid medical certificate and other relevant papers requirement to be submitted

Cases where refunds are mandated by regional laws

In this post, we’ll focus on the very first two products above, flight cancellation and rescheduling.

If your Cebu Pacific flight is canceled or rescheduled (with at least an hour difference), you will be provided three options:

Rebook or reroute to an alternating airport as much as 30 days from original flight routine without charges

step to travel fund which can be utilized as much as 90 days from the date of creation.

request for a full refund. What I like about this is I can get what I paid in full. The drawback is, it can take a long time to get it or show on your account.

If you choose to data a refund request, checked out on!

How to request a refund online

You can do so by calling the hotline, but the simplest method is to do it online. Here’s exactly how to do it.

Visit the Cebu Pacific website: www.cebupacificair.com. click on handle BOOKING.

Enter your flight details: booking code and last name of any passenger. If you have a GetGo account, you can also just indication in.

On the dashboard, discover the flight that you want a refund for. Click the handle button next to it.

On the next page, you will discover four icons. choose the one label request REFUND / inspect REFUND STATUS.

Choose the passengers for whom you want a refund. You may be asked to go into some details for confirmation.

Confirm the refund request.

Once done, you will see the condition of your refund on the dashboard. Initially, it will screen RECEIVED. but it can change over time.

If you paid utilizing a credit score card, the refunded amount will be credited back to your account.

If you paid by means of an offline channel (7 Eleven, Cebuana Lhuillier, etc), you may requirement to go to a Cebu Pacific ticketing office to get the refund. You will be informed about it when you complete the request. Here’s the listing of CEB’s ticket offices.

How long before you get it depends upon a great deal of factors, a few of which may depend upon the bank or your card’s billing cycle. I got mine in less than 3 weeks.

How to refund airport tax or terminal fee

For refunds because of flight cancelation or rescheduling by Cebu Pacific, double repayment or duplicate booking, the terminal charge or airport tax will be refunded to you together with the fare and other charges.

But if you missed your flight or you don’t mean to utilize your booking anymore (no show), you can also request a refund for the terminal charge or airport tax only.

We have a separate publish for it here: exactly how TO get A terminal charge REFUND

2020 • 3 • 6

More ideas on YouTube ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Related Posts:

HOW TO get A REFUND ON terminal charges & TAXES: Cebu Pacific, AirAsia, Philippine Airlines

AIRASIA: exactly how to get a REFUND for canceled or Rescheduled Flights

How to quickly REBOOK your CEBU PACIFIC flight on the internet

CEBU PACIFIC: exactly how to convert Your Ticket to a travel FUND

How to assist Fund Your travels

10 functional ideas I desire I complied with before I started traveling

SHOPEE: exactly how to Pay cash ON shipment (COD)

HOW TO utilize SHOPEE VOUCHERS: A step-by-step Guide