Peter and I started Travelin' Fools in 2013 after our first (combined) international move from Texas to a tiny coastal town called Playas del Coco, Costa Rica. I realised there was a giant gap in travel content about how to move abroad as a young, mostly-broke person, who has no immediate plans to retire, start a business or teach English. I wanted to change that by offering entertaining yet practical information about how to move somewhere on a budget, and what to expect from the 'slow travel' way of life.
Describe your travel style in three words?
How do you juggle full-time work and full-time travel?
To be fair, when at all possible, we typically opt not to work full-time. Over the last 5 years we have lived in 6 countries, and that has included an above average amount of employment ups and downs, from Peter working as a scuba dive instructor, kayak guide, surf photographer and ski lift operator, to my employment as a dance instructor, bartender, blogger and digital copywriter for tour-based companies.
Depending on the expense levels of wherever we are currently living, which has varied from extremely affordable in Thailand to outrageously expensive in our former stomping grounds of New Zealand, we manage to find employment that allows us to (mostly) live the lifestyle we want.
What is your most unforgettable travel memory?
My most recent unforgettable travel memory was celebrating my 30th birthday – with a mandatory Soul Train theme – at a campground on the outskirts of Queenstown, New Zealand. It was a gorgeous night, my friends and I all dressed up and did the classic 'Soul Train Line' dance, and in the morning we woke up to horses being led through the amazingly scenic campground and had breakfast tacos by the lake. Does life get any better?!
Sometimes the hardest part about travel is just deciding to go. What advice would you give to someone thinking about their first big/long-haul trip?
Agreed! Overthinking has always been the death of adventure, and honestly, as long as you have semi-decent common sense, there's almost nothing that can't be solved with a little patience and the help of a kind stranger.
For someone considering whether or not to make that big first move or initial extended trip abroad, I would say it is okay to slightly over plan the first time around. Don't book yourself into a bubble by prepaying rent for 6 months in a country you've never been to, but make it easy on yourself by researching everything you can about the often overlooked details, like visa regulations, standard customs, offbeat job opportunities and what people in the area do for fun. It's also solid advice to be as adaptable and low maintenance as possible, as you'll certainly need these skills when things inevitably work out differently than you expected.
Since I primarily write for other companies for a living, I love the fact that my travel blog is just that – mine. I can write with personality and brutal honesty and silliness, and those aspects only make my blog more memorable. I love that I can actually convince people that living in their dream destination(s) isn't an impossible feat. It's intensely rewarding, and having my boyfriend work alongside me as the photographer has been an amazing way for us to brainstorm ways to take our skills – and life – to the next level.