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All photos by ssrashid84
Checkpoints, soldiers, and guns: take a political tour of this controversial territory.
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“Are you carrying a weapon on you?” the young Israeli soldier asked as we approached the middle of the Jewish settlement in Hebron.
.post .storycontent .subtitle { width: 52%; float: left; margin-right: 3%;} In an excerpt from his new book, Rolf Potts believes backpacking today has more soul than most jaded boomers believe.
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Photo Sissyboystud
One of the more unusual features of my new book is its “commentary track” endnotes, which comment on the ragged edges behind the creation of each tale.
Having fallen into every one of these traps at least once, here are 7 mistakes to avoid for the newbies on the road.
Photo by elle_rigby
I’m writing from behind the reception desk here at El Diablo Tranquilo hostel in Punta del Diablo, Uruguay.
Every day a new group of travelers arrives in this chill little beach town. Some are seasoned solo travelers, like the sea captain who cleaned out a group of earnest Swedes in Texas Hold ‘Em last night, or the Alaskan mountain guide who winters in South America. Others are backpackers, traveling in groups, red-faced under their massive mochillas.
Tags: MORE, Common, Mistakes, First-Time, Backpackers
How did the backpacker cross the road? Care, Caution and Confidence are key. Follow the tips in this traveler’s guide to pedestrian safety and you’ll get to the other side in one piece.
Crossing streets in foreign countries is often a daunting task. In big cities like Bangkok or Delhi, it can seem as if stop signs, red lights and crosswalks all mean GO FASTER!
Tags: How, Did, The, Backpacker, Cross, The, Road
How did the backpacker cross the road? Care, Caution and Confidence are key. Follow the tips in this traveler’s guide to pedestrian safety and you’ll get to the other side in one piece.
Crossing streets in foreign countries is often a daunting task. In big cities like Bangkok or Delhi, it can seem as if stop signs, red lights and crosswalks all mean GO FASTER!
Tags: How, Did, The, Backpacker, Cross, The, Road, With, These, Easy, Tips
Many of my best travel experiences have been shared with local people who have invited me into their lives.
Singing Russian drinking songs with my cabin-mates in Siberia. Playing cards until dawn on an overnight train across China.Relaxing on an isolated beach with a fisherman in Panama.
These moments, when you actually step off the tourist trail and enter into the reality of the place you are visiting, are the much talked about, yet ever elusive goals of many travelers.
Tags: Essential, Items, Pack, You, Want, Meet, The, Locals
Self-catering is an essential element in any backpacker’s budget strategy.
You can control how often you move from city to city and where you stay en route, and of course you can restrict the cost and number of your daytime activities as needed.
But you have to eat, and that’s not going to change no matter how much cash is left in your account.
Tags: What, Every, Backpacker, Should, Know, About, Self-Catering
The Brave New Traveler Guide To Hostel Sex will get you out of the dorms and into sweaty, awkward bliss faster than you can say ???light my fire???.
What do you get when you drop a few dozen backpackers into a hostel, soak with beer and mix in a healthy dose of liberation from social norms?
A tidal wave of hormones??and one major problem: where to go to get it on?
Tags: Hostel, Sex, Practical, Guide, For, Backpackers
Illustration by Jacob Bielanski
The single greatest piece of advice I heard prior to my first vagabonding excursion was to pack my bag, then remove half the stuff and leave it behind.
As with all good advice, I only admired the lesson after I had failed to heed it. Lugging a heavy pack through border crossings and train stations, only then did I ask myself two questions:
Tags: One, Traveler, Quest, For, The, Ultimate, Backpack
You’re packed and ready to go, prepared for every conceivable travel scenario. You have malaria and stomach tablets, enough DEET to eradicate the Panamanian mosquito population, and more waterproof gear than an Alaskan king crab fisherman.
Yet lo and behold, you’re in country no more than six hours before being invited out to a popping new night club and realizing you have absolutely nothing to wear.
Tags: Why, Smart, Backpackers, Bring, Their, Dancing, Shoes