Ryan Young
Pre-Flight
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2016
- Messages
- 47
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Stranger
If you're not interested in the disquisition of why or how, scroll down to the second post for my top 10 favorite places in North America.
I left home when I was seventeen, driven on by my wanderlust and angst rather than some befallen past. My parents had been travelers in a time long forgotten so perhaps it was inherent, after all my younger sister followed suit in her due time. I left without warning and without funding as my parents never really knew disposable income.
My escape from normality was fraught with tribulation and adventure, involving at various times the FBI, gangsters, thugs, cold ravioli, a pseudo salvation by the hearts of a Brazilian/Costa Rican family, and a narrow escape from citizenship marriage. This is not that story.
After that grand plunge into the unknown a twist of fate set me on a similar but very different path, a two year apprenticeship that led to a career in catastrophic insurance adjusting. I went from scraping by on random manual labor and service jobs to a six figure income based around travel. I became a professional nomad, one who lives out of their car rather than in it.
From twenty to twenty six I explored all of North America; forty eight states, the entire Canadian railway, and much of central America either for work or pleasure. In those six years I never once lived in the same house for a fourth month; ever relocating out of necessity or boredom, whichever struck first.
Recently I've grown bored of the entire continent and travel within it has felt repetitive. So I've decided to embark on a grand journey around the globe.
At this time I haven't chosen a definitive mode of transport, though my preference of some form of lasting personal space has me leaning towards boat or plane. The latter is a more recent idea, and an odd one at that considering my slight fear of flying. In its research I found this forum and in response to my first post someone asked me to share some of my favorite places from my travels. I felt it important to share some of my history beforehand as a person's character drastically effects their experience.
Before I go into specific places I'd like to share some basic "rules" I follow when traveling:
First, talk to everyone. In line at the bank, sitting on the bus, and passerby's on the street. Young and old and every color or creed. Simply put, you never know what they have to offer until you've offered conversation.
Second, budget on the middle ground. Too expensive and everything is the same, simply put there isn't much diversity in perfection. Too cheap opens the door to truly bad experiences, be they unpleasant or dangerous.
Finally, don't over plan. I don't care how much you've researched online; you don't know what makes a place special until you get there. Personally I love lists and hate itineraries, knowing things I want to do but not when or if I will.
I left home when I was seventeen, driven on by my wanderlust and angst rather than some befallen past. My parents had been travelers in a time long forgotten so perhaps it was inherent, after all my younger sister followed suit in her due time. I left without warning and without funding as my parents never really knew disposable income.
My escape from normality was fraught with tribulation and adventure, involving at various times the FBI, gangsters, thugs, cold ravioli, a pseudo salvation by the hearts of a Brazilian/Costa Rican family, and a narrow escape from citizenship marriage. This is not that story.
After that grand plunge into the unknown a twist of fate set me on a similar but very different path, a two year apprenticeship that led to a career in catastrophic insurance adjusting. I went from scraping by on random manual labor and service jobs to a six figure income based around travel. I became a professional nomad, one who lives out of their car rather than in it.
From twenty to twenty six I explored all of North America; forty eight states, the entire Canadian railway, and much of central America either for work or pleasure. In those six years I never once lived in the same house for a fourth month; ever relocating out of necessity or boredom, whichever struck first.
Recently I've grown bored of the entire continent and travel within it has felt repetitive. So I've decided to embark on a grand journey around the globe.
At this time I haven't chosen a definitive mode of transport, though my preference of some form of lasting personal space has me leaning towards boat or plane. The latter is a more recent idea, and an odd one at that considering my slight fear of flying. In its research I found this forum and in response to my first post someone asked me to share some of my favorite places from my travels. I felt it important to share some of my history beforehand as a person's character drastically effects their experience.
Before I go into specific places I'd like to share some basic "rules" I follow when traveling:
First, talk to everyone. In line at the bank, sitting on the bus, and passerby's on the street. Young and old and every color or creed. Simply put, you never know what they have to offer until you've offered conversation.
Second, budget on the middle ground. Too expensive and everything is the same, simply put there isn't much diversity in perfection. Too cheap opens the door to truly bad experiences, be they unpleasant or dangerous.
Finally, don't over plan. I don't care how much you've researched online; you don't know what makes a place special until you get there. Personally I love lists and hate itineraries, knowing things I want to do but not when or if I will.
