Back in 2008, I studied abroad in Spain. I wanted to explore Europe a bit, and I thought my best “home base” would be in Barcelona, WRONG. Just my luck, in 2008, the Euro to dollar conversion rate was extremely in our European brethren’s favor as I remember taking cash out from the ATM and seeing the rate being 1.6 USD to Euro at its worst, FML. I blew so much cash in Barcelona that I was basically eating bread and butter from the local super market as much as possible to afford the frequent 13 euro price tag on beers at…
The Atlantic’s Best-Kept Secret – The Azores
Encompassing 9 islands (small islands) in the middle of the Atlantic, The Azores are a pretty remote place. One that most Americans, minus the few in the Greater Boston Area have ever even heard of. Why did I go there? Who knows. Was I impressed? Most definitely. My uncle Eddie is in fact an Azorean, one that left the small island of Santa Maria almost half a century ago. I asked him if he’d ever been back, and he said nope. Hopefully he’ll reconsider after this post. There are only two places you can fly to The Azores from in the US, Boston…
3 Epic Australian Road Trips!
There’s a certain romance about the open road that attracts people from all walks of life. It just feels good to zip through a city with the top or windows down without a care in the world or a particular place to go. Similarly, there is something exotic and romantic about Australia – the landscape, the animals, the culture… the fact that it was founded as a penal colony – many things add to this mystique and what better way to check it out than by hitting the road? If you’re an easy rider type and are looking for scenic…
Announcing my 6 month round-the-world trip!
So I’ve known about my big trip for about a month now, but I didn’t want to say anything about it until I actually knew where I was going to start! But, I finally made it happen. After my 2 month trip earlier last year to Asia, I opened the flood gates and all I could think about upon my return to the states was heading back out, and for longer. So, I finished up a contract with Jeep working the US auto show circuit, rented out my apartment for 6 months, and said adios to Miami. What luxurious white-sand beach am I’m…
Destination of the Week: Nelson, New Zealand
New Zealand is one of the most organically beautiful places on the whole planet, but for some reason it doesn’t receive nearly as much tourism as its rough and tough neighbor, Australia. There are countless amazing landscapes to explore, booming urban centers, and quaint colonial towns that beckon with more to enjoy than any one short trip can manage. Ever wonder where the Lord of The Rings was filmed with its almost unworldly backdrops? New Zealand my friends and this week, one area of this awesome Pacific-floating country is in the spotlight on The World or Bust, Nelson! Nelson is named after a British…
Beyond Madrid: Segovia, Spain!
When people travel to Spain, they are more than likely either visiting Madrid, Barcelona or one of the beaches in the South. I get it, if you only have one chance to go to Spain, then definitely don’t miss those places, but if you can land a couple of weeks off or another trip back to España, then explore Spain’s smaller cities and you will get to see the real Spain unabated by the hustle and bustle that dominates the majority of major metropolises. While there are countless small municipalities to enjoy, there are plenty within an hour or so just…
The Easiest Cycling Holiday in the World?
Guest Post from Rachel Deer I’m a little overweight – just a little you understand – and, so I’m told, perhaps even a touch lazy. So when a group of friends suggested I join them on a cycling holiday my first reaction was surprised laughter, followed by mild fear. A few drinks later and a little more information and I was keen and raring to go on the basis that we were going to do, so I was told, the “easiest cycling holiday in the world”. And just this once my friends weren’t lying. Cycling holidays in the Netherlands are not something…
5 Underrated Backpacker Gems in England
By Matthew Pink England. You know England, right? They call it Ing-er-lund but they’re wrong. It’s England. Jeez, any idiot can see that. How can you mispronounce your own name anyway? England is a sheep-filled bucolic place with eccentric customs where they apologise for everything a lot (like, all of the time), a bizarre number of (bad) tattoos, a crippling obsession with social class, a fondness for life’s absurdities (absurdities like, you know, the English), bad teeth, worse food, even worse weather and drinking tea approximately 15 times a day. Oh, and failing miserably at international sporting events, laughing about…
Top 5 Luxury Destinations for Spring Break!
Spring is fast approaching. By now, you are most probably mulling over the possible destinations where you can enjoy and relax at the same time. If you want utmost luxury during your spring break, you will never be disappointed with the wonderful experience that the following hotels and resorts can offer! The Breakers Palm Beach, Florida The sophistication and alluring beauty of The Breakers Palm Beach make it worthy to be ranked as one of the world’s best luxury hotels. The Renaissance setting combined with the idyllic surroundings always make guests look forward to another opportunity to come back to…
Special Interview: Cara Hartmann, The YouTube “Cat Lady”!
Today, we have an extra special interview on The World or Bust with none other than, thee “Debbie” aka Cara Hartman (or vice versa), the viral YouTube sensation behind “eHarmony Video Bio”. If you haven’t seen it, watch it now below! Not only does her video have over 25 M views, but Cara and I actually went to the same high school together, Lower Merion, just outside of Philly. She ecstatically agreed to do a little interview with me (well, happily at least) so here goes! Firstly, did you ever secretly want to make out with me behind the stairs…
Best Cities in South East Asia: Yogyakarta, Indonesia
A city with two UNESCO world heritage sites, a rumbling volcano, thousands of young university students, kick ass white river rafting, great off-road biking and any number of beautiful beaches should be on every traveler’s bucket list. The fact that it’s not on yours is something I’ll put down to you never knowing it existed before you started to read this article. Yogyakarta is a place that quickly won my heart when I first decided to live in South East Asia. The city lets you choose between laid back rural bliss and bustling urban hustle. It is not New York…
The Oldest Churches in the World, L’Chaim!
Church – no other kind of building in the world provokes responses ranging from talking-in-tongues to convulsing on the floor! Even though I might technically be a Jew (and atheist), I still appreciate good architecture, even in the house of sweet baby Jesus! Religious buildings come in all shapes and sizes for all kinds of denominations. Christians and Catholics have essentially claimed the term “church” for their buildings although the word church comes from the Greek kuriakos, or “of the lord.” To differentiate, Islam has the mosque, Judaism has the synagogue and atheists have the mall (well at least here in Miami). While…
Photo of the week: The Queen Victoria Building in downtown Sydney
Sydney is the one of oldest cities in Australia and first served as a penal colony starting in the late 18th century when the British wanted to dump their miscreants somewhere. Since then, it’s grown exponentially from it’s rather unique beginnings to become one of the most diverse, clean, modern and desirable cities to live in the whole world. Australia’s economy has also been doing extremely well recently with the growth of its financial markets as well as the extraction of natural resources. People get paid well, and that unfortunately means one thing for us backpackers, it’s expensive. Thankfully, the Aussies are big into…
How to do First Dates Abroad The Right Way!
When it comes to going on dates while traveling, I can say I probably have more experience than most. Whether it be strolling down the cobblestone streets of central Mexico with a local in hand, or riding twoseys on motorcycles through forests in the Philippines, I’ve graced my presence upon frauleins from Berlin to Bangkok more times than I can count. How much better is traveling when you have someone special to share it with? A lot better. Even if it’s just for a few hours, days, or even weeks, connecting with a member of the opposite sex adds that extra special…
Three of the Most Isolated Tribes in the World
It’s hard to imagine that there are human beings on this earth who haven’t ever had a burger at McDonald’s, made a call on a cell phone or even heard of Twitter. While the earth has become a much “smaller” within the past ten years with the growth of the internet, social media, global communications like cell phone technology, etc., there are still some people who share the same DNA as us but live world’s away. People who call home in places so remote, that many have never even seen another person outside of their own tribes. Here’s a look…
Photo(s) of the Week: Gateway Arch in St. Louis!
Well my “job” once again has brought me to a random-ass American city. Yea Greenville, South Carolina might be more off the beaten path, but Saint Louis ain’t somewhere many people are going to in the dead of winter, and I can understand why. I was working at the St. Louis auto show and our hotel was right smack in the middle of downtown, adjacent to the arch. The walk was only 7 blocks to the convention center, but my god, I almost took a cab on multiple occasions with the 18 degree temperature (-7.7 C), unabated frigid winds and freezing rain.…
The Dangerous Snakes of Australia and Where to Find Them!
Guest Post from Lisa Stacey. From the red-backed spider to the red-bellied black snake, Australia is renowned for its creepy crawlies and its exotic species that could most definitely end your life if you stepped in the wrong place. Whether it’s in the bush or in their own backyards, Aussies are accustomed to looking out for slithering reptiles wherever they go. However, for the lesser traveled Australians and tourists, it can be hard to know what snakes to look out for – or to even know where these reptiles are found Down Under. Want to brush up on your herpetology…
Traveling the World’s Most Dangerous Roads!
A guest post from Derin Clark. Forget crazy locals, crime and dingy hostels; some of my most life-threatening travelling experiences have involved road trips. In fact, it’s much easier to compare flight tickets, hop on a plane and head somewhere all inclusive than it is to tackle these horrendous highways. And whilst sitting by a pool and soaking up the sun might be risk free, it sure gets dull after about 20 minutes. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather have an adventure! Thanks in part to living and travelling in one of Europe’s most under-appreciated countries, Cyprus,…
The Tallest Cathedral in the World!
If you’re like me and look up pointless crap like, weird weather records in Europe and the five largest islands in the world, then you’ll enjoy this one! I’ve lived in Europe for a while and traveled pretty extensively throughout it, and I’m always finding myself looking for any given city’s main cathedral so I can compare it to every other one I’ve ever seen – for no reason. It also gives me a sense of comfort as knowing I’ve found the “epicenter” of wherever I am, even though most locals never step foot inside them anymore (religion isn’t so popular anymore in…
How Do Travel Bloggers Make Money?
When it comes to traveling, there is one question I always get, “How can you afford to do it so much?”. While this was my most pondered questioned as well a couple years back when I saw all these scurvy bastard travel bloggers living the dream, I have gotten creative in the way I earn an income, and now, I have joined their slimy ranks. The main takeaway from this post is that while it looks like us travel bloggers are just perpetually on vacation, we are in fact working part of the time as well, so if you can…