Travel

Why You Need to Make Travel a Priority

Steve Bloom 16 Comments

morning sky

I have to make a confession: I’ve never been to Machu Picchu.   I know that might not mean much to you, but to me it’s a big deal.  It’s been on the very top of my list of places to see for several years and yet I still haven’t taken the time to travel there.

I can live with that though since I’ve made travel a big priority.  I know I will see it because I put a lot of time and effort to fit travel into my life.  But many people don’t make travel a priority.  And they don’t just put off traveling to their top location, they put off traveling altogether.
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How I Almost Moved to Saudi Arabia

Steve Bloom 13 Comments

Masjid Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque)

Saudi Arabia is a mysterious country to me. I hear about it in the news regularly, but firsthand accounts of what the country is actually like is difficult to find. Visas are hard to come by for casual travelers. Often they are only issued for business and religious visits. And all visas require a sponsor.

It’s really the last great unknown place in travel. I’ve heard that getting into Somalia or North Korea as a traveler is easier. This is why I jumped at the opportunity to live there. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.
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What It Means to Have an Adventurous Spirit

Steve Bloom 23 Comments

Pedra do Bau [Climb]

I remember exactly how I felt when I was listening to instructions on what to do in the water for my first ever whitewater rafting trip. It was an odd mixture of fear and excitement – feelings I normally get before I begin a new adventure. I had been in Costa Rica for three days and one of my goals for the trip was to raft down the beautiful Pacuare River.

I think it is stories like this which lead people to tell me I have an adventurous spirit. But was this experience really adventurous? My tour guide has gone down the river dozens of times, but the excitement was gone and he was just doing his job. Another couple I had met on the trip had been to Costa Rica six times. To them, it was just another trip.
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6 New Year’s Eve Parties from Around the World

Steve Bloom 13 Comments

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and that means party-goers around the world are making preparations. Most of these are small gatherings of close friends and family. However, for the serious celebrators, there are some celebrations that can’t be missed.

As the clock nears midnight, these six cities will push the limit on celebrations. Ringing in the new year in one of these places would be a great experience, but if you can’t make it than you can use New Years as an opportunity. Just make a resolution to make it to one of these places next year.
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Common Travel Problems (And How to Avoid Them) Part 2

Steve Bloom 8 Comments
 

In the first part of this article of common travel problems, we discovered what to do if your flight is cancelled or delayed, your luggage is lost, and the perils of jet lag among other things. It would be nice if it stopped there, but that’s only half of the problems you could potentially face. The great news is that these travel problems are never as bad as they seem. And if you know what to do, you’ll never let any of these ruin the fun you’re having.
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