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 you learn 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 $75 a Day

My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, 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!

The post Cubicle Nation: You Have More Travel Time Than You Think appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Life can be stressful.

Work, bills, relationships, the economy, love, family… the list goes on!

There are lots of things we can do to do to relax, like changing our diet, exercising more often, sleeping more, and improving our work-life balance.

But sometimes we need to do more than just make changes at home.

Sometimes we need a break.

And one of the best ways to do that?

You guessed it: travel!

Travel can refresh us.

It is like a time-out from life — like the ones you got in grade school, but this time more fun. It slows us down, makes us stop and smell the roses, and creates a little change in the normal patterns of our lives.

It’s not so much “running away from your responsibilities” as it is taking the time to refresh yourself and give yourself a mental and physical break.

Travel is a tried and true way to reset when you are feeling low or just need a new perspective. It’s an amazing tool for personal development and a wonderful vehicle for self-reflection and growth.

Whether you take a weekend, a week, a month, or a year, just getting out and doing something different can recharge your batteries. The excitement, the fun, and the new places you’ll see can give you more energy and bring you back into focus. You’ll get a chance to meet some great people and even get offline and disconnect if you need to.

Think about it: when you travel, you’re away from all the stress in your life. You are in a new environment. There are a lot of things to see and do, people to meet, places to go, and fun challenges to overcome. You can let go, relax, and embrace new habits or perspectives. In short, you can be a new you.

And you have ultimate freedom when you travel — and freedom is the most liberating, stress-free experience there is.

By focusing on your mental health when you travel you can return to work and your responsibilities with new focus and commitment, because you have cleared your head.

But isn’t travel expensive? Doesn’t it require a ton of planning and savings?

If you believe the advertisements on TV for fancy vacations, then sure. A vacation can cost a fortune.

Fortunately, only a small fraction of travel is like that.

Travel can be super affordable — you can even do it for less than $50 USD a day.

With the rise of points and miles, credit cards that offer points/miles, cheap flight deals, and the sharing economy, it has never been cheaper to travel the world on a budget.

Plus, you may find a new passion or opportunity that would never have presented itself otherwise. There are tons of job opportunities overseas, too, so you can even work while traveling if you want.

In his book The Four Hour Workweek, Tim Ferriss talks about the idea of mini-retirements.

Most of us work toward retirement — that time when we can sit back, relax, and do what we want instead of what we have to do. But by the time many of us get there, we might not have the money — or health — to do that. After all, there are no guarantees in life.

We may never even make it to retirement.

That’s why I say: don’t put off your dreams for a future that may never come.

That’s why I say: now is the best time to travel — because you don’t know what the future holds.

I’ve seen friends die, get sick and become bedridden, and businesses collapse. The past is not prologue and if COVID has taught us anything it’s that life and society can change at the drop of a hat.

Don’t be reckless and rack up debt to travel. But if you need a change, look to the open road. The blank slate travel gives you allows you to work on yourself and enjoy life. No one looks back and says, “If only I had worked more.”

We all want to make the most of our time here. Stop delaying all those things you really want to do and just do them. Don’t let your travel dreams remain just dreams — make them your goals.

So, the next time you have visions of white-sand beaches or climbing Mt. Everest, start making them happen.

Don’t let yourself wonder what might have been. Life is too short.

How to Travel the World on $75 a Day

My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, 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!

The post Now is the Best Time to Travel appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Serendipitous adventure, carefree nights with newfound friends in foreign lands, delicious foods for bargain prices, and the luxury of time to enjoy it all.

Welcome to the world of long-term travel.

When it comes to this kind of travel, I get a lot of emails asking for my “secret.”

How do you travel so often and for so long? How did you quit your job and escape the grind? You must have a trust fund to afford all that, right?

Wrong.

I’ve written about how I manage to travel in the past (over and over again), but people still wonder if I am holding something back.

What am I leaving out? What, they ask, is my secret to escaping the cubicle and being a nomad? Did I win the lottery? Do my parents pay for everything?

There must be something that makes me so special.

Well, here it is! The big secret to traveling long-term is…

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing!

There is no special secret.

Vagabonds, nomads, and long-term travelers are nothing special. We have no superpowers or secret Swiss bank accounts. We don’t have a money tree or the ability to teleport everywhere.

Of course, privilege will inevitably play its part, but we’re not unique or doing anything special. This kind of travel has been done for decades, by people from all parts of the world, with a variety of backgrounds.

Long-term travelers are just like you.

When I first discovered long-term travel, I thought the backpackers I had met in Chiang Mai had found some secret to life I didn’t know existed.

But once I got on the road myself, I saw that there was no secret. I wasn’t unique or special. Millions of people every year did this. Even people with virtually no money were making it work.

I had left home thinking I was going on an exciting adventure few people go on — then I went to Khao San Road and hung out in Amsterdam during the summer. In those places, I met travelers young and old doing exactly the same thing as me — and none of them were trust fund babies.

These travelers just did what they wanted — a revolutionary idea for me at the time. But now, after years of travel, I realize that it’s not so revolutionary. If people really want something, they do it. If you want a big-screen TV or a new computer, you find a way to make it happen. If you really want to eat sushi for dinner, you are going to have sushi for dinner.

If you really want to travel, you will do that, too.

Because, just like you find a way to pay for that TV or your new car, these travelers simply arranged their life so that they could afford to travel.

The only thing these people had that I didn’t have before was the desire to do what they wanted to do, free from the expectations of society, just because they enjoyed it.

They simply said, “I want to travel” and then worked to make it happen.

They saved more, they took second jobs, they stayed home instead of going out to eat or drink, they found work overseas. They did whatever it took.

As the saying goes, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

It is that simple.

People ask me about whether I worry about bills, retirement, and my future. To be honest, not really.

When you travel long-term, all those things disappear. You have no bills because you have no home. You just spend what you spend from day to day (which is usually less than $50 a day).

My mother told me I should start saving more for my retirement so I could…wait for it…travel more.

Then she stopped herself and said, “Well, I guess you do that already, so never mind!”

I’m a big believer in the idea that we shouldn’t work our lives away and that we should take short breaks to pursue our passions. Why should I spend my best years in an office, saving money for an age I may not even see, or if I do see it, might be too sick to enjoy?

Yeah, we long-term travelers save a bit for a rainy day, but we don’t worry about the future. We enjoy now. Take care of your present, and your future works itself out. When I stop traveling, I’ll figure out what is next.

So, when you ask travelers how they do it, they aren’t lying when they say there is no secret. We simply made a conscious decision to do it and, after that, just worked toward our goal, saving money and making plans just like what you would do for any other goal or venture in your life.

That’s the secret. So, now that you know it, go start making your travel dreams come true!
 

How to Travel the World on $75 a Day

My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, 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!

The post The Secret to Long Term Traveling appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

One of the best souvenirs I have from my first trip around the world is the journal I kept over those 18 months. Having captured my thoughts and feelings as I traveled has allowed me to relive that trip over and over again in the years since.

Memories fade, so being able to relive events as they happened is priceless. To be reminded of the people I met, places I saw, and things I felt? To see my journeys through the eyes of my younger self makes me glad I kept a journal. Younger me was wise!

While we memorialize our travels on social media, journals let you get more personal and honest. After all, unlike social media, you’re (probably) the only one that is going to read it. Long-form writing also allows you to go a lot more in-depth and is a lot easier to look through in the future (you don’t have to endlessly scroll).

That’s why I created My Travel Journal — because I think more travelers should spend time journaling as they explore.

I released this journal last year and it sold out!

But I found 96 copies in my apartment so I am putting the journal back on sale!

This journal features guided prompts to help you remember everything you experience on the road, as well as quotes to keep you inspired along the way. It also includes pre- and post-trip sections, so you can set your intentions before you actually record your experiences, and then reflect on everything.

It has everything you need to record your trip:

• It has guided prompts so you remember to write down all your important memories.
• There is free space too so you can just let your thoughts run wild.
• It has inspirational travel quotes to keep you inspired.
• It’s only as thick as a Moleskine, so it’s perfect to travel around with.

I’ve designed the journal to be as straightforward and streamlined as possible so that you can remember all those incredible moments. It will help you get into the habit of journaling every day too.

This journal is only $15 USD and includes free shipping. It is 168 pages thick and weighs .75 lbs and comes in four colors:

• Beige
• Black
• Navy
• Pink

You can click here to order the journal.

Come get one of the last copies of these journals. They were much loved by the community and I am sure you or whoever you give this to will love it!

NOTE: This journal is available to US customers only at the moment. If you are in another country, email me and I will see how much it costs to ship the journal to you!

If you have any questions, email me at matt@nomadicmatt.com.

The post Get Our Travel Journal to Record Your Travels! appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

For the last five years, I’ve concluded the year with a list of my favorite reads. As a writer, reading comes with the territory. Writers just tend to read a lot. Then again, I’ve always been into reading ever since I was a little kid. I devour books. In a good year, I’ll read close to 80.

This year was not one of those years. I only read about 50 books.

As I compiled this list, I couldn’t help but notice that I gravitated a lot more to history, literature, and self-improvement than I had in the past. Though this is a travel website and I like to read a lot of travel books, I’ve found that so many fall into the same narrative arc that I just needed a break from another book on someone quitting their job to travel.

Instead, I’ve gotten a lot more into destination-specific travelogues rather than personal travelogues. That got me down a history rabbit hole and it’s where I’ve stayed most of the year.

I wonder if that will change in the new year. What will next year bring? Who knows!

Here’s what I loved this year though:

1. Sahara Unveiled, by William Langewiesche

Written by journalist William Langewiesche in the 1990s, this book is beautifully detailed and wonderfully written. I was hooked by the punchy prose from page one. Langewiesche travels from Algeria through Niger and Mali before finishing in Dakar. Along the way, he offers deep insight into the culture and history of the region at a time when there was a lot of change happening. A fascinating snapshot in time.

2. Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage, by Alfred Lansing

This iconic book is about Ernest Shackleton’s epic journey to cross Antarctica in 1914. While trying to reach the South Pole, his boat got stuck in the ice and he and his crew were forced to abandon ship and walk north in hope of being rescued by a passing whaling boat. This book highlights their journey and survival as they spend over a year on the ice. It was absolutely riveting to read and a testament to the strong will and skill of the men involved.

3. The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi, by Richard Grant

Richard Grant is a UK writer who moved to Missisppi and has been writing some great stuff about the state for years (check out his last book, which is one of my all time favorites). This book is about the beautiful town of Natchez, a place I visited about six years back and really loved. In it, he talks about this weird quirky town and how it’s grappling with its past. He interviews all sorts of unique people and dives into the city’s history and customs. It’s travel writing at its best.

4. The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific, by Brandon Presser

This book recaps the famous Mutiny on the Bounty from the 1700s. The Royal navy mutineers ended up on the modern-day island of Pitcairn and the book traces the mutiny. I never really knew much about this incident and it was really interesting to see what happened to the crew who made it home and what happened to those who mutinied (and the island culture they created).

5. Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, by Oliver Burkeman

I liked this book so much that I read it twice. It utterly changed my life and how I view time. The gist is this: there will never be enough time to do everything, so don’t try. Get used to the fact that some things just won’t get done, and that when you do “master email” all you do is add more emails to your list. It is an anti-time-management book and has profoundly influenced the way I now look at time and what I do with it. I can’t recommend it enough. It was my favorite book of the year.

6. Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving, by Celeste Headlee

This book was recommended to me by a friend who also read my new favorite book, Four Thousand Weeks (see above). Do Nothing, rather than being a book on the nature of time, is more about how we need to separate work and play and have more room to be “bored.” We view busyness as a good thing but this book says creating holes in our calendar allows us to process our thoughts and be creative. It’s a lot more focused on work/life balance and very much a good second read after Four Thousand Weeks.

7. Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life, by Luke Burgis

This book is about how, whether we realize it or not, we mimic all behavior we see and how there’s really no such thing as independent thought. We are all influenced, consciously and subconsciously, by models in our lives (think about how you didn’t feel like pizza until you saw someone else eating it) and we then mimic that behavior. It was a fascinating look at how we all make decisions.

8. From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home, by Tembi Locke

Set in the lush Sicilian countryside, Tembi discovers the healing powers of food, family, and unexpected grace after her husband dies. From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home is a captivating story of love lost and found (it was a New York Times bestseller too). I absolutely loved the powerful imagery and emotion of this book. I teared up so many times. It’s an incredible read.

9. How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States, by Daniel Immerwahr

This book chronicles the history of the United States empire. It covers how the country grew, acquired overseas expansions, how “mainland” Americans felt about it, and how US dominance after World War II influenced the world map. Even today, the US has lots of territories and overseas possessions that we never really think about (see Doug Mack’s The Not-Quite States of America for a travel version of this). While dense, the book illuminates a lot of history that we don’t really talk about.

10. Northland: A 4,000-Mile Journey Along America’s Forgotten Border, by Porter Fox

Porter Fox grew up in Maine and, after a life of travel, decides to learn more about the US/Canada border. So, starting in Maine, he heads west tracing the border, learning about its history and meeting interesting people all the way to Washington. With a lot of vivid descriptions and historical background, Fox weaves together a really wonderful travel book.

11. The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller

Last year, I read Circe by Madeline Miller and many of you recommended picking up her first book, The Song of Achilles, which tells the tale of Achilles from the perspective of his love, Patroclus. While I didn’t like this as much as Circe (mostly because she advanced so much as a writer in her second book), this book was still phenomenally written. It’s an amazing first book. If you haven’t read anything by Miller, definitely pick up both because you won’t be disappointed.

12. How to Be a Family: The Year I Dragged My Kids Around the World to Find a New Way to Be Together, by Dan Kois

Dan Kois and his family are in a rut in their suburban life. So, he and his wife decide to take their two daughters on a trip around the world in hopes of finding ways to be closer as a family. I found this book to be really insightful with hilarious prose and astute observations. In certain parts, you get to hear from his kids too on their version of the stories he tells.

13. The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey, by Candice Millard

This book traces Theodore Roosevelt’s journey through the River of Doubt. After he lost the Presidential election in 1912, he had the opportunity to go down to Brazil. Originally supposed to be an easy trip, he opts to map the River of Doubt with Cândido Rondon, a Brazilian Colonel put in charge of him. Along the way, they get sick, have frightening encounters with natives, have to deal with murder, and experience a lack of provisions as they map this never-before-mapped river. It was an eye-opening read.

14. 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans, by Karl Pillemer

This book focuses on 30 lessons learned from people at the end of their life. Pillemer interviews hundreds of seniors to find out what their biggest lessons in life were and then distills it down to 30 that cut across work, life, relationships, marriage, money, success, friendship, and more. At 41, I have learned a lot of these lessons already but it was a good reminder of what is important and what is worth spending my time and energy on. It’s definitely a book anyone, especially those who are young, should read.

15. The Vagabond’s Way: 366 Meditations on Wanderlust, Discovery, and the Art of Travel, by Rolf Potts

Rolf is one of the original budget travel experts and his first book Vagabonding is a travel classic. His newest book is all about bringing your adventurous, curious, and open-minded travel mindset home with you. With insightful quotes and reflections, the book showcases just how much travel is a way of life and not just the act of “going somewhere.” After years of limited travel due to COVID, this book is the perfect reminder that travel is a mindset that should be embraced anywhere and everywhere you go.

The post The 15 Best Books I Read in 2022 appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

People always ask how travel has changed me. If I look back at who I was before I began traveling and compare that to who I am now, I would have to say that travel has made me a better, more well-rounded person. I’m way cooler now than I was at 25 when I first left to explore the world. I am more confident and sure of myself.

And that’s because I went traveling and pushed myself out of my comfort zone. This allowed me to find out who I was as a person, because I kept getting to try new versions of myself without the worry about what people at home might think.

Simply put, I’m a lot more awesome than I used to be.

In fact, I think travel makes everybody more awesome. We end our journeys way better off than when we started. We grow, we learn, we gain perspective. It’s a powerful personal development tool.

I’m not saying this to be conceited or egotistical; I’m saying it because I genuinely believe that travel is something that makes you not only a better human being but a way cooler one too. The kind of person people gravitate toward and want to be around.

You become like the Dos Equis guy.

How and why does travel make you more awesome? Let me count the ways:

1. Travel makes you more social – It’s sink or swim on the road. You either get better at making friends or you end up alone, crying each night into a hostel dorm pillow. You have learn how to make friends out of strangers and get more comfortable talking to new people. When I first started traveling, I was kind of an introvert and uncomfortable talking to people I didn’t know. Now, I’ll happily talk to strangers like we’ve been best friends for years.

And that’s because, after a while, you just want to talk to people, so you turn to the person next to you in the hostel bar and say “hi.” Then you realize it’s not so scary and keep doing it until you’re a natural.

2. Travel makes you better at conversation – Travel not only makes you comfortable talking to strangers, it makes you better at it too. After talking to people all the time, the same questions get boring. You start to even bore yourself. After a while, you don’t care about where people are from, where they are going, how long they’ve been traveling, and yada yada yada. Those kinds of questions don’t actually tell you anything about the person. Sure, you’ll get better at small talk, but more importantly, you’ll discover how to ask interesting questions — the ones that matter and can kick-start meaningful conversations.

3. Travel makes you more confident – You’ve been all over the world. You’ve hiked Mt. Everest, went diving at the Great Barrier Reef, wined and dined that beautiful French girl in Paris, navigated unknown cities, and conquered your fear of heights. In short, you did awesome things. How can you not be more confident? How can you not be sure about your abilities? After accomplishing so much, you’re going to feel a lot more confident in your ability to achieve anything you set your mind to.

4. Travel makes you more adaptable – You’ve dealt with missed flights, slow buses, wrong turns, annoying delays, bad street food, and much, much more. After a while, you learn how to adapt your plans to changing situations. You don’t get mad, you don’t get angry; you just alter what you are doing and move on. Life throws you curve balls, and you hit them out of the park. Why? Because you’re awesome like that.

5. Travel makes you more adventurous – When you become confident in your ability to do anything, you’ll do anything. Years ago in Austin, despite not liking spicy food, I ate the world’s hottest pepper and some pure capsicum extract. Why? Because I wanted to! What’s the purpose of life if not to break out of your comfort zone? My mouth was on fire for ages, but I’d do it again.

6. Travel makes you more easy-going – All those mistakes? They did something else for you, too. They made you more easy-going and relaxed. Why? Because you’ve dealt with countless errors, and you learned to not be bothered by them. You go with the flow now, because if travel taught you anything, it’s that it all works out in the end and that there’s no need to stress.

7. Travel makes you sexier – Stress causes aging. Those carefree, relaxing days on the road are going to make you more confident and radiant, and you’ll age slower. You’ll look young and sexy. Unless you are George Clooney, who definitely got better with age. (I have no proof this is true, but I like to think I’m sexy, so I’m adding this for me!)

8. Travel makes you smarter – Unless you sit at a resort drowning your brain in frozen drinks, travel will teach you about the world. You’ll learn about people, history, culture, and arcane facts about bucket-list destinations most people only dream about. You’ll have a better understanding of how the world works and how people behave because of all the walking tours you do, people you meet, and sights you see. You can read all the books you want but, until you see the world, you’ll never really “get it.”

9. Travel makes you less materialistic – On the road, you learn just how little stuff you actually need. You’ll realize that all that crap they sell at the mall is pretty useless in leading a truly happy life. Once home, you’ll find yourself a minimalist, simply because you realize what you need to live and what you don’t. As they say, the more you own, the more it owns you.

10. Travel makes you happier – Travel reminds us how to be happy. You’ll become more relaxed, more confident, and see the world as a brighter place. How can you not be happy about life after enjoying a beautiful sunset in French Polynesia or spotting wildlife on safari in South Africa?

Think about all the famous, successful people in the world. How many of these qualities do those people exhibit? A lot. Why? Because being outgoing, funny, social, happy, confident, and smart are all qualities that make people more successful in everyday life.

Travel makes people better versions of themselves. When you learn more about the world and the people in it, push your boundaries, and try new things, you become a more open, outgoing, and awesome person. All the people I’ve known who have traveled are better because of it.

With all the ways a trip can make you more of an awesome person, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be planning your next adventure now — whether it’s around the world or just a two-week vacation close to home. Because even if you have no money, you can still travel.

It all comes down to choice. Of course, privilege plays its part, but travel has never been easier or more accessible than it is today.

So, do you want to sit at home wishing you were somewhere exotic and living life to the fullest?

Or do you want to listen to Kid President, stop being boring, and actually do something awesome?

The choice is yours — but I think you should go out and travel and become the awesome person you are meant to be.
 

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My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, 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!

The post Why Travel Makes You Awesome appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

With so many people working remotely these days, my inbox is flooded with one question:

What’s the best place to work from as a digital nomad?

Now that more and more bosses are okay with you working from anywhere (as long as you have reliable Wi-Fi and are online during normal business hours), people are picking up and moving. Why stick around high-priced areas when you can escape to more affordable locales around the world?

Here at Nomadic Matt, our entire team is fully remote. I have team members across the US, as well as in Sweden and Australia. And most of them spend at least a few weeks working on the road. We are nomads, after all.

If you now have the freedom to work anywhere, you’re probably wondering what the best cities for digital nomads are. To help you pick the ideal destination, I thought I would list my favorites, as well as five things you should consider before picking a place.

5 Things to Consider When Picking a Destination

When evaluating a place to live and work from, there are numerous factors that will determine if it is right for you. After over 15 years of being a digital nomad, I know what matters — and what doesn’t. Here are the five most important things you’ll want to consider:

1. Wi-Fi connectivity
If you’re working online, reliable Wi-Fi is vital. You don’t want to be wasting your day trying to find Wi-Fi. I always check the reviews of the places I stay for comments specifically about the Wi-Fi. When in doubt, email the Airbnb host/hostel/hotel directly and ask them about their internet speeds — because nothing is more frustrating than slow Wi-Fi — no Wi-Fi is better than slow Wi-Fi if you ask me!

Moreover, Google the destinations you are thinking about. If they have a lot of coworking spaces, they usually also have reliable Wi-Fi.

2. Cost of living
If you’re going to be staying somewhere for months at a time, you need to make sure the cost of living fits your budget. While I’m sure working in a cool city like Reykjavik would be amazing, Iceland’s high cost of living would likely consume a hefty chunk of your earnings. Accommodation, food, and transportation are going to be your largest expenses as a traveler and digital nomad, so you need to make sure the destinations you stay in long-term are affordable in those respects.

3. Community
Traveling the world solo is an amazing experience…but it can also get lonely. If you’re going to be spending months somewhere, finding a community is a must. Use Facebook groups, platforms like Meetup.com, and coworking spaces to connect with like-minded people. Having a community will deepen your experience and help you better adjust to life in your new home. You’ll also get to network with other creators and remote workers, and learn insider tips and advice from locals and travelers alike, which should also help you get out from behind the laptop now and then.

4. Activities
All work and no play is a recipe for burnout (trust me, I’ve learned that lesson the hard way). You didn’t travel halfway around the world just to spend every day looking at your laptop, so make sure you get out there and actually enjoy the place you’re staying in. That means you’ll want to pick a base that has lots to see and do. Museums, nature trails, extreme sports, nightclubs — whatever you’re interested in, make sure your destination has plenty of that on offer. That will help you develop a better (and healthier) work/life balance.

5. Transportation hub
Working from the beaches of some remote tropical island sounds relaxing…but if you have to buy an expensive flight each and every time you want to travel or go home to visit family, you’re going to break the bank sooner rather than later.
 

The Best Cities for Digital Nomads

Ok, so now that that is out of the way, what are some awesome places to be a digital nomad in? While everyone is going to have their ideal place from which to work remotely, there are a handful of top digital nomad destinations that remote workers tend to flock to, since they check all of the above requirements. Here are ten of the best:

1. Oaxaca, Mexico

I loved my time in Oaxaca. So does pretty much everyone else who spends time in this pretty city of colorful buildings, scenic rooftop restaurants and bars, plentiful street art, and historic colonial churches.

While not as popular as Tulum or Playa Del Carmen for digital nomads, I think Oaxaca outshines them. It’s safe, has a world-class mezcal scene, and boasts plenty of opportunities for day trips and weekend getaways. Many remote workers come here, and there are a few coworking spaces as well as lots of activities that will help you meet people. Plus, it’s very affordable and has direct connections throughout the region (and to the US).

READ MORE:

• Oaxaca Travel Guide
• The Best Hostels in Oaxaca
• The 15 Best Things to Do in Oaxaca
• The Best Hotels in Oaxaca

2. Medellín, Colombia

Medellín is a hip, tech-forward city with excellent public transportation that offers incredible value for long-term travelers and digital nomads. It’s one of the “go-to” spots for remote workers these days and the most popular hub in South America (especially if you love to party).

There is a well-established community of expats and digital nomads (it’s super easy to meet people here) as well as lots of coworking spaces, fast Wi-Fi, friendly locals, delicious food, and a plethora of events to keep you busy. There’s also just a really good all-around energy. I felt like optimism and excitement were in the air, with a palpable sense of possibility here. I spent close to a total of three weeks in Medellín and really loved my time in the city.

READ MORE:

• 14 Things to Do in Medellín (And One Thing Not To Do!)
• Where to Stay in Medellín: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit
• The Best Hostels in Medellín

3. Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is one of my favorite cities in the world. While many people don’t love it on their first visit (I certainly didn’t), once you peel back some of the layers, you’ll find a lively (though chaotic) metropolis where anything is possible. A huge city of 10 million inhabitants, you could spend months here and you’d still only scratch the surface.

With its cheap cost of living, huge expat community, incredible food and nightlife scenes, great weather, and robust transportation links to other parts of the region and the world, Bangkok checks all the boxes. I absolutely loved my time living there.

READ MORE:

• The 22 Best Things to Do in Bangkok
• The Best Hostels in Bangkok
• Where to Stay in Bangkok: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit
• Is Bangkok Safe to Visit?

4. Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon is a city I fell in love with from day one. Having become popular over the last few years as one of the warmest and cheapest destinations in Western Europe, Lisbon is one of the best cities for digital nomads who want to stay in Europe during the winter but don’t want to embrace the continent’s colder climates.

It’s a beautiful, colorful city where you’ll find marvelous food, music, dance, lots of co-working spaces, and tons of creatives and entrepreneurs. And, while it’s gotten more expensive in recent years, it’s still one of the more affordable capital cities in Europe.

READ MORE:

• Lisbon Travel Guide
• The Best Hostels in Lisbon
• Where to Stay in Lisbon: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit
• The Best Walking Tours in Lisbon

5. Berlin, Germany

For years, Berlin has been one of Europe’s top digital nomad destinations, as the country has a freelancer visa that easily allows self-employed people to live there. The entire city has an “anything-goes” spirit thanks to the plethora of students, artists, writers, and creatives here. It’s a diverse city with a ton of things to see and do.

Providing easy access to the rest of Europe, it’s a great choice for those looking to bounce around the continent but who also want to stay in a safe destination. Multicultural Berlin has it all: efficient transportation, rambunctious nightlife, deep history, great art, and fast and affordable Wi-Fi. If you’re looking for a big city to be a digital nomad in, this is the best one in Europe. (It’s one of my favorite cities on the continent!)

READ MORE:

• The 18 Best Things to Do in Berlin
• Where to Stay in Berlin: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit
• The Best Hostels in Berlin
• The Best Walking Tours in Berlin

6. Santiago, Chile

As one of the safest cities in South America, Santiago is an excellent choice for remote workers looking to extend their stay on the continent. Surrounded by towering, snow-capped mountains, it’s perfect for those who enjoy urban living but want the option of heading out into nature.

I found the people awesome, the food incredible, and the scenery mind-blowing. You’ll also find fast internet, plenty of coworking spaces, a legendary nightlife, great restaurants, tasty locally-produced wine, and a generally high quality of life. The country has really put an effort on attracting entrepreneurs over the years and it definitely shows!

READ MORE:

• How to Spend 24 Hours in Santiago
• Chile Travel Guide
• Is Chile Safe to Visit?

7. Mexico City, Mexico

I was late to the party with visiting Mexico City, but when I finally visited, I fell in love with the city. Known to locals as CDMX, this metropolis is another popular hub for nomads in the country. Considered “the New York City of Mexico,” it balances quality of life with affordability.

I just love this city. There’s so much to do here, tons of museums, art galleries, food markets, and one of the best food scenes in the world. You’ll find a robust expat and digital nomad scene, lots of networking events, coworking spaces, and connections to anywhere in the world.

READ MORE:

• Mexico City Travel Guide
• The 20 Best Things to Do in Mexico City
• Where to Stay in Mexico City: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit
• The 5 Best Hostels in Mexico City

8. Austin, USA

Every year, more and more companies are moving their headquarters to Austin. Austin is full of startups and there is a huge tech and entrepreneur scene here. This is one of the best cities in the US to meet other remote workers, online creatives, digital nomads, and people doing interesting things. For the better part of a decade, I was one of them (I lived here on and off for eight years before moving back to NYC)!

There’s a plethora of events and coworking spaces here, easy access to the outdoors, and a top-notch food scene. It’s a city that has a lot happening, and is probably the number one spot to live in the US if you’re an online creative.

READ MORE:

• The 16 Best Things to Do in Austin
• Where to Stay in Austin: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit
• The Best Hotels in Austin

9. Tbilisi, Georgia

From the moment I arrived in Tbilisi, I loved the city. I felt at home immediately. It just has this young, fresh vibe as it evolves into a progressive, hip city. The wine is plentiful and delicious (Georgia was one of the first countries ever to make wine) and the historic district is beautiful, all cobblestone streets and stunning buildings with ornate balconies. There are also spacious parks, eclectic artist spaces, funky cafés, and modern and sometimes futuristic architecture.

Plus, Tbilisi has a low cost of living, English is widely spoken, there are plenty of coworking spaces, and the Wi-Fi is fast and reliable. And as one of the newer up-and-coming digital nomad hubs, there’s a growing expat community here as well. Plus, Georgians are incredible and awesome people. All in all, it’s a great place to live.

READ MORE:

• Georgia Travel Guide
• My 15 Favorite Things to See and Do in Georgia

10. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Thailand was the country in which I quit my job to travel the world, and I’m not the only one. Originally a backpacker hub, Chiang Mai has evolved into the biggest remote-worker hub in the country (it has even surpassed Bangkok, though I like Bangkok better). The northern Thai city is also a hub for travelers of all sorts looking to go trekking in the jungle or visit the nearby elephant sanctuaries. The surrounding landscapes are absolutely stunning and there are tons of beautiful temples in the city too.

While it’s not as cheap (or as quiet) as it used to be, it’s still very affordable and has everything you need to enjoy a thriving work/life balance. The street food is plentiful and delicious (I think it has one of the best food scenes in the country), the Wi-Fi is fast, and the digital nomad community is huge and welcoming.

READ MORE:

• Chiang Mai Travel Guide
• The Best Hostels in Chiang Mai
• Southeast Asia Itineraries: From 3 Weeks to 2 Months

The pandemic sped up the transition to remote work and encouraged more people than ever to embrace the digital nomad life. That transition is only going to continue to grow — even after the COVID pandemic has ended — as more and more people are seeking a lifestyle and career that gives them the freedom they deserve.

The post The 10 Best Cities to Be a Digital Nomad appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

This year was a phenomenal reading year (one positive outcome of being stuck at home because of COVID). I managed to read a lot of books on a variety of subjects. Not all of them were winners but most were. As we wrap up the year (and start buying books for the holidays), I want to share some of this year’s favorites.

These books transported me to places when borders were shut, taught me history, myself, and made me rethink how I view the world.

And, with winter approaching, nothing beats snuggling inside with a warm cup of tea and a good book!

So, without further ado, here are the best books I read in 2021 (in no particular order):
 

1. Take More Vacations, by Scott Keyes

In this book, travel expert Scott Keyes, the founder of the cheap flight website Scott’s Cheap Flights explains how to score bargain airfare and improve your trips. Scott knows everything there is to know about booking flights. This book is half practical tips and half travel philosophy. Keyes demystifies the entire process of how airfare pricing works, and his strategies for getting cheap flights will apply to you regardless of where you live. If you want to save money on your next flight, this book is a must-read.

2. Circe, by Madeline Miller

This novel follows the fictionalized life of the Greek goddess Circe, the goddess of sorcery. It is a well-written page-turner that spans Greek history, humanizing Circe in a way that makes her an interesting and three-dimensional character (as opposed to the rather flat villain we get in The Odyssey). The author really brings Circe to life and creates a complex tale of becoming who you were always meant to be. I highly, highly recommend it! I couldn’t put it down once I picked it up.

3. The Expanse, by James S. A. Corey

This hit Amazon TV show is actually based on a an awesome book series. This nine part series follow humans (fractured in people living on Earth, Mars, and “The Belt”) in the near future after discovering an alien portal to systems around the universe. If you love sci-fi and are looking for a fun, fast-paced series to pick up, pick this series up. Each book is fantastic, featuring epic world building and excellent writing. The ninth and final book came out last month so you can read it all in one go without having to wait too!

4. Land of Love and Drowning, by Tiphanie Yanique

Set in the US Virgin Islands and taking place over the course of the 20th century, this book uses the author’s own family history as well as island history to tell a story that features a lot of magical realism. It took me a few pages to get into it (it’s not a genre I read often), but it really picks up after the first 20-30 pages (so make sure you give it time to unfold). It’s a vibrant, layered read, and I can see why the author won so many awards for it and why it won such critical acclaim.

5. Breath, by James Nestor

Breath is about how we breathe. I know that sounds boring, but it was actually quite fascinating. The book argues that proper breathing can literally solve pretty much all of our health problems. While I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration, there’s still a lot of interesting and detailed information in here on how improving your breathing can reduce allergies (something I have struggled with for years), increase energy, and reduce sleep apnea and snoring. If you have sleep or breathing issues, give this a read.

6. Less, by Andrew Sean Greer

This Pulitzer Prize–winning book follows writer Arthur Less on the eve of his fiftieth birthday. After finding out his lover is getting married, he says yes to number of business trips and workshops that sends him around the world. (So I guess it’s kind of a travel book in that way.) The more I read this book, the more I fell in love with it. It’s a fun love story that offers a satirical look at the American abroad that’s both poignant and subtle. And the twist at the end? Wow! You never see it coming!

7. What Doesn’t Kill You: A Life with Chronic Illness, by Tessa Miller

This book — part personal story, part resource for others with chronic illness — chronicles the author’s battle with IBD and Crohn’s (a disease which affects the bowels). It’s smartly written, informative, and an eye-opening (and frustrating) look at the gaping holes and systemic failures of the for-profit US medical system. Three in five Americans have some kind of chronic illness and this book goes a long way in helping to understand their struggles on both a personal and systemic level.

8. Deep Work, by Cal Newport

This book is about how to avoid distractions and produce deeper work. While repetitive in parts, the book does have a lot of great tips on how to do “deep work” and live a less distracted life — while also highlighting why this kind of work is actually vital for us. Whether you’re looking to improve your workflow, make more time for friends and family, deepen your hobbies, or nip your procrastination in the bud, this book has lots of tips and insights. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in productivity/time management.

9. How I Built This, by Guy Raz

Guy Raz is famous for his podcast How I Built This where he interviews entrepreneurs about how they built their companies. In this book, Raz compiles all the lessons he’s learned from his podcast into a single resource. It book follows the “hero’s journey” arc about stating and succeeding at starting a business. It’s full of tips and insights, both practical and philosophical. While I normally hate business books but found this really enjoyable and full of excellent advice.

10. Born a Crime, by Trevor Noah

When Austin’s Snowpocalypse cut the power, I picked up this book by Trevor Noah (host of The Daily Show) about his life in South Africa and ended up reading the entire thing in one day. I found it eye-opening and educational to read about growing up as apartheid South Africa right as apartheid was ending. His reflections are funny and hard-hitting. The book provided ample perspective what it was like growing up in South Africa and a deeper appreciation for Trevor Noah himself.

11. The White Tiger, by Aravind Adiga

At first, I couldn’t get into this book. I didn’t like the format or how he wrote it and I was thinking of putting it down. Then, suddenly, a day had passed and I was almost done with it. So the book grew on me! The main character, Balram, is an antihero who revels in his self-serving ways as he works to get out of his village in India to become a powerful man. It was a NYT bestseller and won the Man Booker Prize in 2008, so even if the book doesn’t hook you right away stick with it!

12. Scotland Beyond the Bagpipes, by Helen Ochyra

Ochyra is a UK travel writer who realized that, despite many visits to Scotland for work, she had never really seen the country. So, spurred by the loss of her mother, she hops in a car and heads off to explore Scotland in depth to get a better sense of the country. This book is funny, easy to read, and full of insights into Scotland (a place I love immensely). If you’ve been to Scotland, you’ll appreciate her stories and insights. And if you haven’t, this book will spur you to book a trip!

13. The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert

Written by Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love, this book is the epic tale of Alma, a fictional female botanist living in the 1800s. It was so captivating that I couldn’t put it down (which shouldn’t be surprising; it was a NYT bestseller and won the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction). It follows her life from birth to old age, featuring an abundance of complex characters. At its heart, it’s story of finding one’s place in the world. It also has a few plot twists and is super well written.

14. The Queen’s Gambit, by Walter Tevis

After falling in love with the Netflix miniseries (I watched it twice), I decided to pick up the book. It’s a quick, easy read, and fun read. Even if you don’t play chess, you’ll still enjoy the book as it is more about people than it is about the game. The show followed the book pretty closely, so if you watched the show, you know what happens. There’s not a lot of differences. But, again, if you liked it on the small screen, you’re also going to love the book.

15. The Yellow House, by Sarah Broom

This memoir traces Broom’s family history in New Orleans, far from the tourists partying on Bourbon Street, diving into life in the city’s poor areas and what it was like growing up Black in a city defined by race. Broom delves into her upbringing, and how 2005’s Hurricane Katrina changed not only NOLA but her and her family. It gave me a lot of insights into life on the Crescent City that you don’t pick up as a visitor. If you’ve ever been to New Orleans, this book is must-read.

16. L’Appart, by David Lebovitz

Lebovitz is a well-known travel writer who writes prolifically about Paris (I actually had the pleasure of meeting him while I lived there). In this humorously written, insightful book, he uses his apartment renovation to examine at various aspects of French life. He’s like a Parisian Bill Bryson and is able to really peel back the layers of life in Paris to show what it is actually like living in the City of Light (spoiler alert: it’s not as whimsical as other books and films make it seem!).

17. Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This is the story of Ifemelu, who moves back to Nigeria after studying abroad in the United States. It follows her and her college boyfriend’s stories, shifting perspectives between them and between life in the US and in Nigeria. It’s a massive book — it’s over 600 pages — but it’s brimming with incredible prose and storytelling that highlights the challenges of moving to a new country, returning home, and trying to fit back into your old life. It’s incredible and worth taking the time to savor.

18. In Every Mirror She’s Black, by Lola Akinmade Åkerström

Travel writer, photographer, and best-selling author Lola Akinmade Åkerström’s debut fiction novel, In Every Mirror She’s Black is an arresting read for anyone looking for insight into what it means to be a Black woman in today’s world. Lola is an amazing travel writer and that talent is apparent in her novel from page one. Told through the perspectives of three detailed and complex characters as they navigate live in a new country (Sweden), In Every Mirror is fast-paced, richly nuanced, and accessible.

19. The Premonition: A Pandemic Story, by Michael Lewis

This book by Michael Lewis is about the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s not an indictment of Trump, but rather it’s a book about the failures of the CDC, planning, and the inertia of bureaucracy. I learned a lot about our country’s past pandemic planning and why the CDC was so slow to take COVID seriously (when you learn why, you’re going to be very depressed — especially considering how many millions of people have died and how many of those deaths could have been prevented).

20. Beyond Guilt Trips, by Dr. Anu Taranath

As every traveler knows, traveling abroad can provide new perspective — but it can also be unsettling and confusing. It can be challenging or awkward to speak about racial and cultural differences, even though these differences might have fueled the desire to travel in the first place. In this impactful and practical book, Dr. Anu Taranath helps us unpack our baggage about who we are to help us become better travelers so we can have deeper, more authentic experiences.

21. How to Avoid Climate Disaster, by Bill Gates

This book is about the complexity of moving to a carbon-neutral world. His solution isn’t groundbreaking (“we need the political will!”) but what I enjoyed was his detailed breakdown of just how interwoven carbon is into every industry. We focus a lot on air travel and cars but they actually aren’t the biggest challenges we face. The whole book was super fascinating and shed a lot of light on just how complex (but possible) change is — if we have the political backing of course!

22. American War, by Omar El Akkad

Set at the end of the 21st century, American War imagines a bleak (but sadly realistic) future where the United States, overwhelmed by the ongoing climate crisis, faces a second civil war as the South secedes again. It was a wonderful, captivating read that follows the protagonist through childhood into adulthood as they struggle against life in a country at war. It’s a gripping, prescient, and grim tale that’s really about how hate and revenge damage not only us but those around us too.

23. Between Two Kingdoms, by Suleika Jaouad

Suleika Jaouad was your typical college graduate living in Paris (something I’m jealous of!) when her health started to decline. Heading home to the United States, she learns she has a deadly bone marrow cancer which throws her life into turmoil. This memoir recounts her diagnosis, treatment, and eventual recovery and re-entry into “normal life” (whatever that means). A NYT bestseller, it is a moving book that dissects pain, loss, anger, and acceptance. It was one of the most powerful books I read all year.

24. Think Again, by Adam Grant

This new book by Adam Grant is about how to re-evaluate your beliefs — and also how to talk to people who disagree with you. I felt it was very pertinent given where society is today (especially here in the USA). In an age where people battle it out on social media and argue at the dinner table at Thanksgiving, this book really made me think about how I form opinions, change my mind, and interact with people who disagree with me. It’s impactful, practical, and eye-opening.

25. The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, by Tom Reiss

This book tells the tale of Alex Dumas, the father of famed writer Alexandre Dumas. Alex Dumas was the son of a French aristocrat and slave on what is now Haiti. When he was a teen, his father took him to France to live the life of a nobleman. When the Revolution came, he quickly gained fame due to his constant military successes. It was really interesting to learn about the forward-thinking racial equality that happened in revolutionary France and how Napoleon undid that when he came to power.

26. Ghana Must Go, by Taiye Selasi

I bought this book up thinking it was a travel book about Ghana but it was actually a fiction book about a Ghanese family living in the US coming to terms with the death of a father who abandoned them. This beautifully written tale looks at issues of family, abandonment, and forgiveness. While the book wasn’t what I expected, the vibrant prose pulled me in from the first line. It is an absolute marvel of a book. Taiye Selasi is an incredible writer and I was constantly amazed by their talent.

27. Over the Edge of the World: Magellan’s Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe, by Laurence Bergreen

This detailed book highlights the groundbreaking and fascinating history of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s 16th-century round-the-world trip. The book explores the true risk and daring of the adventure but also illuminates at the world as it was in 1519. There’s a lot of information here about sailing, social hierarchy, colonialism, and politics, as well information on how these voyages changed the world. If you’re a history nerd, you’re going to love this book.

28. Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It, by Charlamagne Tha God

Charlemagne tha God is a radio DJ / TV host I’ve heard about in passing over the years. This is his memoir about his upbringing in rural South Carolina and what he’s learned from going from being a jailed drug dealer as a kid to becoming a wealthy celebrity as an adult. While there are lots of eye-opening stories in the book, it’s also full of insight and wisdom too. I especially love his idea that there are no failures, only lessons, and his emphasis on putting in the work if you want to succeed.

29. BONUS: Ten Years a Nomad, by me

Of course, I’m gonna add my book to this list! Ten Years a Nomad is my memoir about my ten years backpacking the world as well as a treatise on my philosophy on travel. It follows the emotional journey of a trip around the world – from planning to being out there for the first time, to making friends to the emotions of coming home and everything in between. I talk about the reality of long term travel and the lessons that come from that lifestyle. It’s my opus on budget travel and backpacking!

31. BONUS #2: How to Travel the World on $50 A Day, by me

This book features all my best tips in one easy to follow format that you can take with you when you travel. It will help you become a master traveler and navigate the world. It’s like this blog but WAY more detailed, covering everything you need to know to travel the world with confidence. Whether you’re heading out on the road for a few weeks, a few months, or a few years, this book can show you the ropes so you safe money, stay safe, and have fun!

Reading has been especially important this past year as many borders remained closed and the pandemic continued to ravage much of the world. During this challenging time, books helped me escape, stay calm and relaxed in a world going crazy, grow my business, and grow as a person too.

While the year definitely had its ups and downs, it was an excellent year for reading. That’s a fine silver lining if you ask me. Pick up one of these books and let them move you as much as they moved me.

P.S. – If you’re looking for more suggestions, be sure to check out all my favorites on Bookshop. It’s not as cheap as Amazon but the money helps small, independent bookstores rather than Amazon. (If you only use Kindle, here’s the Amazon link.)

The post The 28 Best Books I Read in 2021 appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

One of the things I did a lot of this past year was read. (I mean for a while there wasn’t much to do anyway). When I finally hit the road, I read just as much. Buses, ferries, trains — they’re all perfect places to read a book. Happy hour at some random bar in a random city? Another great opportunity to read! Give me a glass of wine and a book and I’m a happy camper.

Since it’s been a while since I last give a list of some of my favorite books, I’d thought I’d share what I’ve read this year that I really loved.
 

1. Take More Vacations, by Scott Keyes

In this book, travel expert Scott Keyes, the founder of the cheap flight website Scott’s Cheap Flights explains how to score bargain airfare and improve your trips. Scott knows everything there is to know about booking flights. This book is half practical tips and half travel philosophy. Keyes demystifies the entire process of how airfare pricing works, and his strategies for getting cheap flights will apply to you regardless of where you live. If you want to save money on your next flight, this book is a must-read.

2. Circe, by Madeline Miller

This novel follows the fictionalized life of the Greek goddess Circe, the goddess of sorcery. It is a well-written page-turner that spans Greek history, humanizing Circe in a way that makes her an interesting and three-dimentional character (as opposed to the rather flat villain we get in The Odyssey). The author really brings Circe to life and creates a complex tale of becoming who you were always meant to be. I highly, highly recommend it! I couldn’t put it down once I picked it up.

3. The Expanse, by James S. A. Corey

This hit Amazon TV show is actually based on a an awesome book series. This nine part series follow humans (fractured in people living on Earth, Mars, and “The Belt”) in the near future after discovering an alien portal to systems around the universe. If you love sci-fi and are looking for a fun, fast-paced series to pick up, pick this series up. Each book is fantastic, featuring epic world building and excellent writing. The ninth and final book came out last month so you can read it all in one go without having to wait too!

4. Land of Love and Drowning, by Tiphanie Yanique

Set in the US Virgin Islands and taking place over the course of the 20th century, this book uses the author’s own family history as well as island history to tell a story that features a lot of magical realism. It took me a few pages to get into it (it’s not a genre I read often), but it really picks up after the first 20-30 pages (so make sure you give it time to unfold). It’s a vibrant, layered read, and I can see why the author won so many awards for it and why it won such critical acclaim.

5. Breath, by James Nestor

Breath is about how we breathe. I know that sounds boring, but it was actually quite fascinating. The book argues that proper breathing can literally solve pretty much all of our health problems. While I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration, there’s still a lot of interesting and detailed information in here on how improving your breathing can reduce allergies (something I have struggled with for years), increase energy, and reduce sleep apnea and snoring. If you have sleep or breathing issues, give this a read.

6. Less, by Andrew Sean Greer

This Pulitzer Prize–winning book follows writer Arthur Less on the eve of his fiftieth birthday. After finding out his lover is getting married, he says yes to number of business trips and workshops that sends him around the world. (So I guess it’s kind of a travel book in that way.) The more I read this book, the more I fell in love with it. It’a a fun love story that offers a satirical look at the American abroad that’s both poignant and subtle. And the twist at the end? Wow! You never see it coming!

7. What Doesn’t Kill You: A Life with Chronic Illness, by Tessa Miller

This book — part personal story, part resource for others with chronic illness — chronicles the author’s battle with IBD and Crohn’s (a disease which affects the bowels). It’s smartly written, informative, and an eye-opening (and frustrating) look at the gaping holes and systemic failures of the for-profit US medical system. Three in five Americans have some kind of chronic illness and this book goes a long way in helping to understand their struggles on both a personal and systemic level.

8. Deep Work, by Cal Newport

This book is about how to avoid distractions and produce deeper work. While repetitive in parts, the book does have a lot of great tips on how to do “deep work” and live a less distracted life — while also highlighting why this kind of work is actually vital for us. Whether you’re looking to improve your workflow, make more time for friends and family, deepen your hobbies, or nip your procrastination in the bud, this book has lots of tips and insights. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in productivity/time management.

9. How I Built This, by Guy Raz

Guy Raz is famous for his podcast How I Built This where he interviews entrepreneurs about how they built their companies. In this book, Raz compiles all the lessons he’s learned from his podcast into a single resource. It book follows the “hero’s journey” arc about stating and succeeding at starting a business. It’s full of tips and insights, both practical and philosophical. While I normally hate business books but found this really enjoyable and full of excellent advice.

10. Born a Crime, by Trevor Noah

When Austin’s Snowpocalypse cut the power, I picked up this book by Trevor Noah (host of The Daily Show) about his life in South Africa and ended up reading the entire thing in one day. I found it eye-opening and educational to read about growing up as apartheid South Africa right as apartheid was ending. His reflections are funny and hard-hitting. The book provided ample perspective what it was like growing up in South Africa and a deeper appreciation for Trevor Noah himself.

11. The White Tiger, by Aravind Adiga

At first, I couldn’t get into this book. I didn’t like the format or how he wrote it and I was thinking of putting it down. Then, suddenly, a day had passed and I was almost done with it. So the book grew on me! The main character, Balram, is an antihero who revels in his self-serving ways as he works to get out of his village in India to become a powerful man. It was a NYT bestseller and won the Man Booker Prize in 2008, so even if the book doesn’t hook you right away stick with it!

12. Scotland Beyond the Bagpipes, by Helen Ochyra

Ochyra is a UK travel writer who realized that, despite many visits to Scotland for work, she had never really seen the country. So, spured by the loss of her mother, she hops in a car and heads off to explore Scotland in depth to get a better sense of the country. This book is funny, easy to read, and full of insights into Scotland (a place I love immensely). If you’ve been to Scotland, you’ll appreciate her stories and insights. And if you haven’t, this book will spur you to book a trip!

13. The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert

Written by Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love, this book is the epic tale of Alma, a fictional female botanist living in the 1800s. It was so captivating that I couldn’t put it down (which shouldn’t be surprising; it was a NYT bestseller and won the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction). It follows her life from birth to old age, featuring an abundance of complex characters. At its heart, it’s story of finding one’s place in the world. It also has a few plot twists and is super well written.

14. The Queen’s Gambit, by Walter Tevis

After falling in love with the Netflix miniseries (I watched it twice), I decided to pick up the book. It’s a quick, easy read, and fun read. Even if you don’t play chess, you’ll still enjoy the book as it’;s more about people than it is about the game. The show followed the book pretty closely, so if you watched the show, you know what happens. There’s not a lot of differences. But, again, if you liked it on the small screen, you’re also going to love the book.

15. The Yellow House, by Sarah Broom

This memoir traces Broom’s family history in New Orleans, far from the tourists partying on Bourbon Street, diving into life in the city’s poor areas and what it was like growing up Black in a city defined by race. Broom delves into her upbringing, and how 2005’s Hurricane Katrina changed not only NOLA but her and her family. It gave me a lot of insights into life on the Crescent City that you don’t pick up as a visitor. If you’ve ever been to New Orleans, this book is must-read.

16. American Kingpin, by Nick Bilton

This book is about Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road, a dark-web site that sold drugs, organs, and weapons. The Silk Road was the first modern darknet market and shaped the way criminals do business in the modern world before eventually being broken up by the FBI. Bilton immediately captivates you and draws you into this true story of greed, murder, and delusions of grandeur. It’s amazing story of a genius kid who uses his intellgence for evil. I could not put this book down.

16. L’Appart, by David Lebovitz

Lebovitz is a well-known travel writer who writes prolifically about Paris (I actually had the pleasure of meeting him while I lived there). In this humorously written, insightful book, he uses his apartment renovation to examine at various aspects of French life. He’s like a Parisian Bill Bryson and is able to really peel back the layers of life in Paris to show what it is actually like living in the City of Light (spoiler alert: it’s not as whimsical as other books and films make it seem!).

17. Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This is the story of Ifemelu, who moves back to Nigeria after studying abroad in the United States. It follows her and her college boyfriend’s stories, shifting perspectives between them and between life in the US and in Nigeria. It’s a massive book — it’s over 600 pages — but it’s brimming with incredible prose and storytelling that highlights the challenges of moving to a new country, returning home, and trying to fit back into your old life. It’s incredible and worth taking the time to savor.

While the pandemic has been incredibly stressful and challenging for many of us, one of the few silver linings for me is that I’ve been able to read a lot and, for that, I am thankful. So, if you’re looking to pick up a new book, here are some wonderful ones to read!
 

The post 19 Books I’ve Recently Read That You Should Read Too appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

“Your job sounds like the most exciting job in the world,” she said to me. Let’s call her Jessica because I never caught her name. I was outside a bar in Boston and she had overheard a conversation I was having with some friends I hadn’t seen in years.

“He has the best job,” replied my friend.

“So, can you get me to Ireland cheap? I really want to go.”

“Sure,” I replied. “Tell me about your trip.”

Normally when I’m asked about these things, I talk a little bit about my travel guides section, hand over my business card, and tell the person to email me. In my free time, I don’t want to turn into someone’s travel agent.

But, in this moment, I didn’t mind.

“My boyfriend and I want to go to Ireland in the summer, but we don’t know how to afford it.”

“Well, the first thing you should do is go home, and each of you should sign up for a travel-related credit card. That will get you at least 50,000 miles as a sign-up bonus. That’s enough for a free flight. That’s step one.” I said.

“Wait! You get miles for signing up for a credit card!? Really?” Jessica said.

“Yeah, I’ve used these bonuses to get over 400,000 miles just on American Airlines alone. I fly first class with free miles all the time.” I said.

As our conversation continued for a bit longer, Jessica was amazed at all the traveling I’ve done.

“You are either rich or get paid a lot of money,” she said to me.

“Nope,” I told her. “You just need $50 a day, which works out to $18,000 per year.”

“Oh, that’s too much money. I don’t have that.” she said.

So I broke it down for her and had her think about her own expenses and spending habits, and she soon realized that for more money per year, she does a lot less.

“Wow! I never thought about it that way,” an astonished Jessica told me.

I gave the girl my card and wished her well. As she walked away, I turned to my friends, “That girl is never going to visit Ireland.”

After years of talking to people about travel, I can tell when people are serious. My friend’s friend who wrote down the name of companies and websites over a beer was serious. Jessica? She’s not going to Ireland with her boyfriend anytime soon.

Why?

Because, while she was intrigued by all the money-saving tips I was giving her, she wasn’t ready to implement them.

She’s trapped by this belief “travel is expensive.” The look in her eyes told me she didn’t really believe what I was telling her.

See, the travel industry is insidious. It shows you ads like this:

Ads like this create the idea that travel is a luxurious escape from the tedious nature of our lives. And to get to that fabulous place where fun awaits you, we have to pay for it. It’s amazing marketing, even if it is a bit evil.

Magazines show high-price ads, resorts, and tours. Even budget magazine hotel “deals” are $150 per night.

I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound budget to me! The whole industry colludes to reinforce this image that travel is a luxury that can only be rarely afforded.

So what happens?

Bombarded by all of these ads, we assume it is the norm. “This is what you have to spend when you go traveling,” we think. Maybe one day, you’ll find a good deal, but you’re still spending thousands for even a quick trip to Ireland.

And no matter how many travel tips and tricks I share, they are too hard to believe. Jessica might be intrigued, she might be interested, but she won’t commit. 

Because the weight of everything she has learned over the years is too great for me to break through. It seems just seems too fantastical to her. It can’t be real — and if it is, it’s unattainable for the average person.

This happens for two reasons:

For starters, people like the path of least resistance. And my way requires more effort. You have to be your own travel agent. It’s a lot more work: I spend hours booking flights, doing research, and comparing deals.

But you know what’s easier? Going online and picking the first deal you see, packing, and setting off on your trip. The path of least resistance is usually the most followed.

Secondly, there’s no frame of reference. People have no experience with my way. I’m just a stranger on the bus. I’m just a guy at a bar, and no matter how logical my argument is, Jessica will still be skeptical. Because she has no proof that this works. To Jessica, I could be selling a Ponzi scheme. But since everyone takes trips the easy way, she knows it, she understands it, and she’ll do it too.

But the girl who took notes? Since I’m a friend of a friend, I come with trust built-in. My friend has vouched for me and my ways. She is far more likely to go up, look up what I said, read my site, and book a trip using my methods.

If you are on this website, you’ve probably overcome both of these barriers. Why do I have a “featured in” section on my homepage where I list publications I’ve been featured in? So people can see that my advice has been vouched for. In the age of faceless Internet sites, trust is the most important thing out there. Jessica has no reason to disbelieve me — but she has no reason to believe me, either.

If you are from Europe, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or some other country where people travel a lot, you’ve probably met people who have traveled around the world, thus you know this idea isn’t just for the rich — it’s for everyone.

No matter how many posts I write about fear or chasing your dreams or how tomorrow will never come, the truth of the matter is that I’m mostly fighting a losing battle.

Even with my friends.

My friend Joe has been dying to go to Amsterdam since I’ve known him. He loves to smoke weed and gamble, and there’s both weed and good poker in Amsterdam.

Every summer when I go to Europe, I say “Joe, come with me.” He says “I’m busy.” Last year, he quit his job. Did he come with me? Nope. In fact, I had to physically be there while he applied for his passport to get him to even get one.

So, while Joe overcame barrier #2, he needed to overcome barrier #1.

The old way of thinking is so ingrained into people’s heads, no matter how much I and others like me can prove that travel is affordable.

Which is why I know Jessica so well. Because her story is like so many others I’ve encountered over the years. I’ve seen it happen so many times before that based on the conversations I’ve had, I can just tell. I know how committed people are to travel when I speak to them.

Maybe Jessica will prove me wrong and take that trip — but I’d bet she doesn’t.

The best ways to save money while traveling won’t even register with her because they will be too foreign, too unreal.

Prior to COVID, more and more people were breaking the mold and traveling the world on a budget. Long-term travel has become much more common (and accessible) than it has been in the past. However, while I think people know that there are plenty of ways to travel inexpensively, they also don’t know how to manage it.

You can tell them how to accomplish their travel goals but all just seems too good to be true. So, people fall back to the simple method of, “Let’s just go to Expedia” where they will spend more money — and thus the cycle repeats itself.

Don’t be like Jessica.

Once you understand just a few secrets about budget travel, a trip becomes simple and easy to plan — whether you want on a year-long trip around the world or a just week-long trip to Paris.

All you need to do is walk through these steps and head out your door.

It’s easier than you think.
 

How to Travel the World on $75 a Day

My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, 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!

The post Why Jessica is Never Going to Ireland But You Can Go Anywhere appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.