WHY NOT TRAVEL?

Travel is almost always on every one's to-do list in life, but based on my experiences of traveling through over 15 countries I didn't meet many fellow Americans along the way. I discovered that roughly only one third of Americans own a passport and apparently not many use them. The most frequently said countries on my travel list were Australia, Canada and Europe. So, why didn't more fellow Americans explore the world? Coming back to the reality of the U.S. I always understand why.

Traveling the way I do is a lifestyle. It requires patience, humility and intrigue into exploring all things unknown. My passion is to experience the world from local prospective and see not just the highlights, but to live for the beauty of everything in between. I choose to be a smart journeyer that lives simple and explores adventurously. 

Most Americans want to live the dream of building an empire of material status and then travel. However, wealth and status is never guaranteed, even if you work your entire life. So, if the end result is always traveling, then why not travel, why wait? I didn't want to be 50 years old climbing Machu Picchu, so why not now? Even though my financial status almost laughed at the idea to travel, anything is possible. I just had to change my prospective on the how.

I originate from Los Angeles, California, the land of the Hollywood dreams. Every travel series/magazine currently available highlights only luxury travel but never the lifestyle of backpackers' and the long-term journey. So I never knew how realistic traveling was until I stepped outside of my comfort zone into unknown territory. Everything is almost always cheaper than America, so cheap that I could live the lifestyle I wanted but couldn't afford in the U.S. Why didn't more people know about this? Traveling long term is a commitment and lifestyle but rich with life and experience vs. rich with material possessions. 

I wanted to share my experiences of how easy and affordable it is to travel the world. I give you the behind the scenes look at the life of a backpacker. Expose the daily grind of long term traveling and show it's reality in a Hollywood way. With that being said, this is my journey to celebrate the wanderlusters', hippies and lost souls that travel to find themselves. Traveling is a movement to inspire life of freedom and exploration enriched by culture. With a guarantee to entertain at the pursuit of making travel my life. 

To be Culture Rich:

TOP 5 RULES WHEN STAYING AT A HOSTEL

Kokopelli Hostel Paracas, Peru Image courtesy of Hostelworld

Rule #1. Shut the eff up! If you are bunking in a dorm room and come back to your room during the night (regardless of your sobriety levels) please have respect for others that are trying to sleep. Don't start going through your bag or trying to whisper to your friends. Go outside with that noise and allow fellow travelers a peaceful nights' rest.

Rule #2. Don't occupy the bathroom for getting ready. After you use the restroom and or shower get dressed and vacate the bathroom so other people have access to use it. There is always limited bathrooms in hostels, so please be courteous of other travelers with different travel schedules and needs.

Rule #3. Please don't have sex in dorm rooms. I mean, really? It is the most disgusting thing to hear and witness someone else having sex. Get a private room or be creative...go take a shower or something. It is a hostel, not a brothel. Get it together!

Rule #4. Don't clutter the entire room with all the contents of your backpack. Reorganize your life on your bed. A dorm room is a SHARED room so don't be messy and disgusting. Leave the common areas clean and clutter free, please and thank you.

Rule #5. It is more of a request than a rule. I understand you can't necessarily control your snoring but at least try to not fall asleep on your back, or be mad if your woken up for excessive snoring. I know it's not your fault but try not to be the most hated person in the room.