Wandering around the Fez medina, I could feel the stares. “Where are you going? Want to go to the tanneries? I’ll take you. No money. Don’t worry!†the medina’s faux guides said as they chased me down the street. “No, I’m fine,†I’d reply, trying to dodge them at every turn. Turning down side streets, stopping to look at a map, or admiring a view caused them and any nearby vendor to pounce and badger me, inviting me into stores, restaurants, and attractions. There were moments when I would turn … [Read More]
Up-and-Coming Hipster Neighborhoods Around the World
Hipsters Image source Backpacking isn’t always about “getting off the beaten track.†Sometimes, you just want to find the coolest bar in town for some daytime drinks, chat to some fun lovin’ local types, and maybe buy a few vintage threads when you have a spare hour or two. For that, you need to seek hipster neighborhoods. The trouble is, what’s hipster today won’t be trending tomorrow, so here’s my guide to the most up and coming hipster neighborhoods around the world. Margate, England Everybody knows that East London has a cool art scene and some trendy clubs, but… [Read More]
Win The Ultimate Gap Year Starter Kit From Craghoppers!
Wondering what to pack for your gap year? Want the very best kit for hostel hopping or jungle trekking? Then you need the ultimate gap year starter kit from Craghoppers! This exclusive collection of premier Craghoppers kit is everything any budding backpacker needs to get them started and make their around the world adventures that little bit easier. I’ve partnered up with the awesome team at Craghoppers to bring you one of the biggest and best competitions Bemused Backpacker has ever run! The ultimate gap year starter kit from Craghoppers consists of… [Read More]
(M) MYOG Ultralight, Fixed-Length, Collapsible Trekking Poles
The author presents a method to make your own ultralight, carbon fiber trekking poles. by Dave Hoyer | 2015-10-06*A couple of experimental ultralight trekking poles were made using carbon fiber tubes. These examples are for shorter trekkers, but can be changed to accommodate taller walkers. The “minimalist” is a fixed length trekking pole with a carbon fiber shaft, a tungsten tip, and an EVA foam hand grip. The “minimalist” is 39 in (1 m) in length, weighs 2.1 oz (60 g), and cost about $… [Read More]
September: From City Stays to Road Trips
I blogged very little this month. In fact, I think this was the first month that I made travel a priority and kind of took a break from social media and keeping you updated with blog posts in a long time. Part of it was because I had friends and family visiting for an epic road trip across Ireland and Northern Ireland, but I was also feeling a bit tired and just needed to take a step back and enjoy travel just for the sake of travel. So that’s what … [Read More]
Pirate Mama: Sailing with Her Little Boy
January 2016 Mountain Mama will sail around the Virgin Islands with her four-year-old son and write about their adventures (and misadventures). The idea to sail around the Virgin Islands to debunk the stereotypes rolling around –even in my own mind – about single mamas started two weeks before Christmas. I was stressing over whether to pay my bills or buy presents. I graded myself a C- in the… [Read More]
How to Take the Perfect Photo: Advanced Techniques
Today, professional photographer Laurence Norah of Finding the Universe, continues his five part series on taking better travel photos. Photographs are an important part of the travel experience and with so many of you being budding photographers, Laurence’s series is here to help you improve your photography skills. We’ve gone a lot of the basics in this series so, in part four, Laurence is taking… [Read More]
Climbing The Olympus Of Romania.
I got more than I bargained for when I began the mountain hike through the stunning Carpathian mountain range, but little did I know that I was walking in the footsteps of the gods too. The Ceahlau National Park is an absolutely stunning region in Neamt County in Romania and is among some of the largest protected pristine forests in Europe. A part of the jagged Carpathian mountain  range and surrounded by numerous lakes and watercourses, the jagged limestone peaks are covered in a blanket of thick forest and culminates in the majestic Ceahlau mountain. Part of … [Read More]
(M) How to Minimize the Time and Energy You Spend Preparing for Short Backpacking Trips
Limiting the number of decisions, and keeping all your gear in one area are the major steps to simplifying your short backpacking trips. by Ryan Jordan | 2015-10-06Minimizing the time and energy required for trip preparation requires that you: Limit the number of decisions you have to make; and Keep everything you need for the trip in one extremely small area. The purpose of this article series is to present my own framework for accomplishing these two objectives. Part 1 (this article) will discuss a philosophical framework. Part 2 will … [Read More]
Road Tripping Northern Ireland: The Places You Won’t Want to Miss!
When it comes to road trips, Northern Ireland has some pretty spectacular landscapes to boast, and the best way to enjoy these is by driving the Causeway Coastal Route. This drive follows the coastal areas between Belfast and Londonderry and it covers a total distance of more than 300 kilometres (with a few additional detours here and there). It’s the equivalent of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, and it has everything from castles to frightening bridges to natural wonders along the way. I didn’t have enough time to drive the full Causeway Coastal … [Read More]
North Carolina Advocates for Extinction of Red Wolf
Photo Courtesy of Wolf Haven International At one time the howl of the red wolf could be heard all along the eastern seaboard, throughout most of the Appalachian Mountains, and well into the plains of central Texas. But today there are less than 75 of these animals existing in the wild, and those that remain have been consigned to a small swampy portion of eastern North Carolina. This dwindling population has suffered mightily at the hands of hunters in recent years—many of whom claim to feel threatened … [Read More]
Avenue of the Giants: Scenic Drive Through California’s Redwood Trees
Avenue of the Giants: Scenic Drive Through California’s Redwood Trees originally appeared on Green Global Travel. Avenue of the Giants, looking up through California’s Redwood TreesAvenue of the GiantsScenic Drive Through California’s Redwood Trees No physical border indicated that we were there– that we were finally in the presence of giants. But, as we drove into the misty shadows of Humboldt Redwoods State Park, we knew. A foreboding shadow was cast over the car, and… [Read More]
The Annual Reader Survey: Help Make This Site Better!
It’s that time again, everyone! No, not when we all rush out for Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks (ok, it’s that time too) but time for my annual reader survey. Every year, I do a survey to find out how much you hate this website…I mean…what I’ve done right in the past year. I’m constantly working to improve this website’s content, design, … [Read More]
Keeping History Alive At The Tarpesti Ethnographic Museum.
Romania has a long and rich history and a colourful cultural tapestry that is not well known outside of the region, and these traditions are being kept alive at the small but impressive Nicolas Popa Ethnographic Museum in Tarpesti, Romania. Following a long line of artisans, Nicolai Popa was something of a modern day Renaissance man, and was at various points in his life a … [Read More]
(M) Notes from the Field: Rambling the High Sierra (Revisited)
An alpine ramble along part of the Roper High route of the High Sierras, leaves plenty of time for fishing and relaxation. by Ryan Jordan | 2015-09-29Two years ago, my son and friends completed a trek in the High Sierra out of the Florence Lake trailhead. Photos from that trip were published in Rambling the High Sierra. On that trip, we pieced together an off-trail route with packrafts. We returned in 2015, this time using Mammoth Lakes as… [Read More]
Tips for a value-packed travel adventure
Backpacking is a value packed activity. Travelling light and free is only very rarely the pursuit of middle aged millionaires. More often it’s the province of free-wheeling folk who are not quite ready to settle down to the serious business of full time family life and a suited and booted business career.Metaphorically as well as practically speaking, backpacking depends on cramming as much as you can into… [Read More]
Why the Osprey Sojourn is the best luggage for travel!
Backpack or suitcase? Straps or wheels? Which of these two types of luggage should you use to pack for a long trip? These are questions I debated back and forth before setting out on this most recent trip around Europe. When I first set out on my big 15-month round-the-world trip I carried a 60L backpack. Even though the size of my pack forced me to adopt a minimalist packing style, I still found the weight to be a little too much for me. Sure, it was super convenient because I … [Read More]
Whitewater Rising
Photo by Jess Daddio This weekend will see one of the biggest rain events in recorded history for the western part of the Carolinas. The heart of such whitewater classics as the Green Narrows, Linville Gorge and Raven Fork, Western North Carolina is already soaked from last weekend’s rain and has been hit with over an inch and a… [Read More]
How to Travel Switzerland on a Budget
Switzerland conjures up many images. On one side, there are majestic mountains, delicious fondue and chocolate, big banks sheltering people’s money, precision watches, and an orderly society. On the other, heart attack–inducing prices: $8 USD coffee or beer?! $50 steaks?! A $15 menu at McDonald’s?! $35-40 hostel beds?! WTH! Switzerland is rated the most expensive country in the world to… [Read More]
Top 10 Smartest Money Tips For Your Gap Year.
How to deal with cash and handle your money when abroad is still a big concern for many first time travellers. How do you get access to your cash? How do you keep it safe? Which currency is best to use? These are all common questions from almost every backpacker about to set off on their own… [Read More]
(M) Paramo Cambia T-Shirts
These t-shirts are made from ‘directional fabric’ that allows you to heat up or cool down to meet the weather conditions. by Roger Caffin | 2015-09-22What is a ‘directional fabric’ you might ask? This is where the modern knitting machines get very clever: one face of the fabric is smooth, and the other face is fleecy … [Read More]
Why the SmartWatch is a Travellers Must-Have Companion
For those avid travellers amongst us there are plenty of useful pieces of technology that we can happily slip in to our backpacks that will help make our global adventures that little bit more fun and safe. Just because you might be venturing to the very corners of the world it doesn’t mean that we have to be entirely cut off from everyone… [Read More]
Girls Road Trip: Ireland and Northern Ireland Itinerary
This month I was lucky enough to have my 2 sisters and 2 of my best friends come and travel with me in Ireland and Northern Ireland. My sisters and I had been talking about doing a road trip in Ireland for a while, and earlier this summer we came across an incredible flight deal to Dublin, so we made the split second… [Read More]
The Josambro Taiwan Bicycle Adventure
Greetings, XPATMATT readers As my friend and fellow Nomadic Adventurer Matt Gibson has been kind enough to allow me to hijack his blog for a few hundred words to tell his readers about my new venture, I suppose an introduction is in order. I’m Joshua Samuel Brown, author of 13 Lonely Planet guides, and like Matt, a long-time wanderer, writer and global adventurer. The place I’ve lived the longest… [Read More]