BootsnAll's Travel Typepad

Plan Your Career Break

It's a universal problems for those who love to travel: how do we fit it all in? Most of us only have two weeks of vacation per year and it's a constant struggle to pack in all the travel we want to do in to just 14 days. So we rush around on our "vacation" until we come back to work more exhausted than when we left. We often choose more accessible, easier to reach places to limit time in transit, and while this works, it also limits how far we can let our travel dreams take us.

 

But what if you want more? What if you're not content with just two weeks of vacation? What if you want to spend a month really getting to know a place, or three months exploring the lesser-known, harder to reach areas of a region? If quitting your job to travel isn't an option, it doesn't mean you have to accept the status quo.

Many companies are actually willing to work with employees, offering them an unpaid sabbatical rather than risk losing the employee altogether. Choosing a career break may be a great option that allows you to hit the road for 3, 6, 9, or even 12 months and then return to the job you love rested, refreshed and reinvigorated from your time spent exploring the world.

Once your job is secure, you may be concerned with keeping up with your bills while you're gone. But it's not as hard as you might think. You'll obviously need to save up money for your trip, but once on the road you'll find that costs can be much less than you'd expect and that traveling in developing countries can be cheaper than living at home. You may have to downsize your belongings and put items in storage or find a way to rent your apartment or home, but these things can be done.

No matter what your personal situations is - single, married, or a family - you can take an extended trip around the world. Hundreds of families travel together, and just as many people go solo. Don't be afraid to strike out on your own; you'll quickly discover the many benefits of solo travel and find that it's easier than you thought to make friends on the road. If you're not content with the standard two-week vacation, stop dreaming about taking more time to travel and start doing something to make your career break dreams come true.

Photo by Wotjeck Gurak

Nova Scotia for Foodies

For many traveling food lovers, the thought of a food and wine destination conjures images of France, Spain, or Japan internationally, with cities like New York or famous wine regions like Napa Valley coming to mind for domestic destinations. But something a little unexpected and a lot less touristed, check out Nova Scotia, Canada.

Located just north of Maine on the eastern seaboard, Nova Scotia is one of Canada's maritime provices. With a rich and somtimes tragic history (in 1917 an explosion in the harbor killed thousands and nearly destroyed the Halifax), the province is coming into its own as a foodie destination. There's a strong emphasis on fresh, local ingredients and a new crop of talented young chefs putting them together in creative and delicious ways. Some of the best food and drink in Nova Scotia is purely local - scallops from the bay, fresh lobster and fish, and wines that flourish no where but here.

Flights to Halifax (where you will arrive in Nova Scotia) from the eastern US are only a few hours and accommodation in Halifax runs the gamut from budget hostels to luxury hotels. The provice is fairly small - you can pick one or two locations to visit or stay in Halifax and make day trips, so it's easy to see a lot in a small amout of time. With three to four days, you can explore a good deal of the province without spending much money, making Nova Scotia an excellent east coast getaway for a long weekend on a budget. Just be sure to come hungry.

Photo by indiekidsdontdance

Is the cost of Italy this summer going to keep you at home?

It's that time of year again, folks, when people all over are asking each other the same question - where are you going this summer? While that question is usually a happy one, this year with the rising cost of airfare that question is leading to more than a few replies involving the cancellation of travel plans.

Let's assume for a moment that you're still trying to plan a trip this summer, however - that means you're probably on the hunt for summer travel deals. You may also be someone who's not content with the idea of compromising on your travel aspirations, either, which means the idea of replacing (for instance) Italy in summer with a trip closer to home won't do. Of course, tickets to Italy aren't cheap at this time of year. So what do you do?

If you can switch your desired Italy trip to another time of year, that's a great way to save money on everything from airfare to hotels and more. Finding cheap tickets to Italy in the late fall or even the winter is much easier, and unless your entire vacation goal is to lie on a beach somewhere there's still plenty to do in Italy that doesn't require sunny weather. Yes, it's nice to avoid wet weather when you're walking around the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum (entirely outdoors), but the list of what to do in Rome when it rains is long - some of the city's top sights are indoors, and that's true of many Italian cities.

Now, while you won't get to take part in the many summer festivals in Italy if you visit in a different season, the good news is that there are festivals that go on throughout the year in Italy - and in fact, the number of food-related festivals in the fall makes it the season to visit if you like to eat. Festivals continue in the winter months, including Christmas and New Year festivities, and two of the country's chocolate festivals are in the late fall (in Perugia) and spring (in Turin).

If budget is your top concern this year, your summer travel plans may need to be adjusted somewhat, but by moving your trip to Italy to the fall or winter you can still enjoy a visit to this beautiful country without paying a fortune for your trip.

Budget Travel in Thailand

There are some destinations that are considered to be "easy" for travelers who want to get their feet wet beyond the usual European spots. SE Asia regularly rises to the top of that list, with good reason - it's incredibly cheap, so very popular with backpackers or budget travelers in general, and many of the countries have a good tourist infrastructure after years of hosting travelers. One of the most popular countries in SE Asia - for novices and long-time travelers alike - is Thailand.

While flights to Thailand from much of the U.S. can be expensive at times (it is the other side of the world, after all), by planning ahead and avoiding the high season you can actually find some good deals. This is partly true because Bangkok's enormous Suvarnabhumi Airport is a major hub for both Thailand and SE Asia.

Flying into Bangkok may offer you the best options on a cheap fare, but most people want to get beyond the big city eventually and see a different side of Thailand. One of the most popular places to go after (or instead of) Bangkok is Chiang Mai.

Once you're in Bangkok, you have a few options to get to Chiang Mai. Buses and trains are usually the best options if you're on a seriously strict budget, but it's so much quicker to fly to Chiang Mai from Bangkok that it's worth looking into to see whether you can find a good deal on a low-cost carrier like AirAsia.

Chiang Mai, like Bangkok, is quite accustomed to tourists, so there are plenty of accommodation options to suit all travel styles and budgets. Even if you're traveling on a shoestring, don't automatically head for a hostel, however - it's worth checking the prices on hotels because they're often much cheaper than hotels in other tourist centers, so you might find a hotel in Chiang Mai that offers you a little bit of luxury without a luxurious price.