Your ‘Golden Birthday’ is the birthday that corresponds with the day of the month you were born. For example if you were born on the 15th of a month then your ‘Golden Birthday’ would be your 15th. For most people the birthday passes by without them realizing it or without them caring about it. It is however said to be a special year in your life.

I’m not sure whether I believe that is more special than any other year but as of yesterday, April 28th, 2014, I am 28 years old. So this is my year. I can’t imagine a much better year than the last but I’m excited to see what 28 has in store for me.

To celebrate my golden birthday here are 28 things that I’ve learned about travel and life since strapping on my backpack and hitting the road.

1. You need so much less than you think

I’ve always been a bit of a minimalist anyway but travel has taught me that you can survive and be happy with so much less than you think. This applies to almost anything but especially money and possessions. When you are in some poorer countries you come face-to-face with how little you can survive on. While sometimes it can be a bit sad, more often than not I am inspired by how happy the people are that when they are living on next to nothing.

Most people assume that travel costs a fortune but I’m living proof that you can travel and maintain a high standard of living for under $1000 a month. Also, when you are living out of a backpack you are forced to be incredibly selective about what comes with you. Here’s what I have in my 50-liter backpack right now:

• 4 t-shirts and 2 nicer button down shirts
• 2 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of long pants, 1 bathing suit
• 3 pairs of underwear and socks
• 1 fleece
• 1 pair of sneakers and 1 pair of flip flops
• 1 laptop, 1 kindle, 2 smartphones (I know, why? I use one for an iPod), cords and chargers
• Basic toiletries and first aid kit
• Spanish phrase book and flash cards
• Small day bag, water bottle and a few random items like a pocket knife, playing cards and a journal (that I don’t write in)

That’s it and even that seems like a lot to me typing it out. The point is that you can survive on much less than you think.

2. When you travel alone you usually aren’t alone

Before I left for my 4-month trip to Southeast Asia many of my friends voiced some concern over how I would be able to handle being along all the time. I’m happy to report back that it is almost impossible to be alone all the time when you are traveling solo. Other travelers and locals gravitate to solo travelers and solo travelers quickly develop a bond with each other that is hard to explain.

3. But traveling alone can be lonely

Even though I generally find myself constantly surrounded by awesome, like-minded people, there are times when I still get lonely. There is something to be said about being home and being able to call up any number of friends to meet you at the bar for a drink. When you are traveling, and especially when you arrive in a new city, there will be times when you are by yourself for long periods of time. It’s these times that you learn a lot about yourself and that make you appreciate the friends and family you do have.

4. It is easier than ever to stay in touch

Even though I may be half a world away the advancement of WiFi makes it so easy to stay in touch. Whether I’m keeping up with Facebook, email, FaceTime, Skype or any other ‘fancy’ digital communication method, I’m always just a few clicks or a dial away.

5. A smile goes a long, long way

This is a true statement just about anywhere, but when you are traveling a simple smile can take you to unexpected places. When you are traveling you are likely to have a lot of eyes on you because, well, you look different. In Central America for instance there are some places where blue eyes simply blow people’s minds. Take advantage of this and shoot these people a big smile. At the very least you’ll get a big ole grin in return and you just never know when that simple smile may get you an invitation to meet family members, share food, or even an offer for a free place to stay!

6. There is no right or wrong way to travel

People often argue about the ‘right way’ to travel. There isn’t one magic formula that works for everyone and it is a waste of time criticizing how other people travel. Now I certainly am hypocritical here at times when I see people who don’t meet my travel standards but I’m trying to get better at not judging (but if you ask I do have an opinion!). Travel fast, travel slow, eat western food, eat only street food, stay in $3 a night hostels or $300 a night resorts, it doesn’t matter. Just travel.

7. That said; when in doubt slow the hell down

If you have the choice in your travels I’d always advocate slowing down. Yes you won’t get to see every city and attraction in Guatemala during your two weeks there but you also won’t spend half of your time on buses and feel exhausted afterward. Whether you only have a week or have a whole year to travel, I believe you can get so much more out of it by just to taking it slow and watching the new world you are in go by. I’d rather have a few ‘boring’ days than feel constantly exhausted on the road.

8. But when you feel like leaving, leave

Don’t travel slowly just because you think you should. If you get to a place and the time feels right to move on, by all means move on! This is something I struggle with but I’m working on it!

9. When you are hungry follow your nose

I have a love/hate relationship with my nose. It’s always on the trail of some new smell. Sometimes that’s a bustling restaurant serving up the local specialty in a new city and sometimes it’s my new roommate who has been neglecting soap for the last few weeks. Regardless of the downside I almost always trust my nose when seeking out food. The obnoxious butterball of man that is the Travel Channel host Andrew Zimmern has a tagline “If it looks good, eat it.” He’s got it all wrong, it should be “If it smells good, eat it.”

10. Eat the street food (as long the locals are)

If your nose happens to lead you to a smoky cart packed with ravenous locals then pat yourself on said snoz and get ready for some culinary magic. It is easy to be scared of street food because many Western cultures simply don’t rely on them as a good source of food but in many cultures this is the way people eat. Use common sense and follow the crowds. If you have any hesitation or there aren’t any customers it may be best to move on.

11. Avoid layovers at all costs

This one may be personal for me but when you are booking your next trip and you have the option of a really cheap flight with a bunch of layovers and a slightly more expensive flight that doesn’t have the layovers, just pay a bit more. It’s worth the extra hundred dollars as a handful of long layovers wear you out and set you up for serious jet lag.

I’m going to go to the mirror now and read that back to myself.

12. Being sick on the road sucks

You are going to get sick on the road at some point. It sucks. A lot.

13. Music can solve just about any problem

Okay maybe I learned this one long ago but it is absolutely true that music can solve just about any problem you have, as well as enhance any good situation you may find yourself in. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy popping my headphones in on a long bus ride and watching a foreign land zip by me while I’m listening to my favorite tunes. Music has the power to take you places and I tend to always remember exactly where I was when I heard a song last (or first or anywhere in between). I can be in the Mexican countryside and feel like I’m camping with old friends in Mammoth, California when SlapShoeFly’s ‘Holden Sky’ comes on.

14. If music doesn’t do it, go for a walk

If for some reason music doesn’t solve the problem I’ve learned to strap my boots on and take a hike. Where to? Doesn’t matter really. Just walk. It gives you plenty of time to think and plenty of opportunities to force a smile and see what you get in return. If I’m feeling homesick or having one of those ‘what the hell am I doing here moments’, I’ll just head out the door and walk until my opinion has changed. It usually doesn’t take that long and it is great way to explore a new city.

15. All bathrooms are not created equal

In most western societies there is an unspoken rule about what a bathroom should look like and how it should function. That goes completely out the window when you step into less developed countries. Get used to the idea of squatting over a hole and throwing your T.P. in the trashcan.

16. Traveling is like a potato chip

Pick your greasy fingered slogan: “Once you pop the fun don’t stop” or “I bet you can’t have just one.” No matter which one you go with the point is the same, traveling, like a potato chip, is addicting. I suppose for some people it is possible to take one big trip to ‘get it out of your system’ before settling down, but for the vast majority of people I meet the salty aftertaste of travel keeps them coming back for more again and again. I think you can attest this clichéd ‘travel bug’ to the amazing freedom of being on the road as well as all of the amazing travelers you meet who inspire you to go visit their home country or go see something that they’ve seen on a previous trip. Either way it is addicting and my list seems to be ever expanding!

17. But I can’t go everywhere and see everything, and I’m okay with that

Even though my travel list is constantly growing and shifting around I know that I won’t be able to check everything off of it. That’s okay though because it isn’t a race, and you don’t get any award for the most stamps in your passport. As I mentioned before I’d rather move slowly and experience a place (and not burn myself out) than hopping around the world ticking off each world heritage site I’ve visited. I also know that there will be a time in my life where I want to stop moving and settle down. That could be next month or that could be 20 years from now. I know I’ll be happy whenever I do decide to plant some roots and that I’ll be happy with the places I’ve seen, people I’ve met and experiences I’ve had.

18. Laughter is a universal language

People say that music is the universal language and I agree with them. Today I’d like to nominate laughter to be added as an official universal language as well. Seriously the same exact things that are funny back home have caused extreme bouts of laughter with complete strangers whose language I don’t speak. Entertainment examples include: children, farting, tripping (assuming you/they don’t get hurt), and stupid people to name a few. If it’s funny back home it is most likely funny everywhere.

19. Stereotypes are true in groups not one-on-one

It is both comical and depressing to hear the stereotypes travelers have about people from other countries. Every traveler, no matter how open-minded, tends to have some pre-disposition about what people from certain countries are like. What I’ve learned time and time again is that these stereotypes only seem to hold true when you encounter groups of people from that country. For example, the Chinese have a bad reputation in some parts of Southeast Asia. When they come to visit they only care about themselves and are rude to their hosts and other travelers. I’ve even witnessed this in person with large groups in Laos and Cambodia. The difference though is that once you get a Chinese traveler alone they are the absolute nicest people you will meet. Like the guy I met in my dorm in Vietnam that wrote my Chinese name for me and gave me ‘lucky money’ (a favor which I returned), or the amazing and hilarious man who serenaded me with Chinese folk songs while we paddled a two-person kayak down a river in Laos.

The moral of the story is that if you want to see the worst of a country, catch its travelers in a group. If you want to form a bad opinion of Americans, do so at a beachside club in Cancun. Want to see the worst of the Aussies? Head to Kuta Beach in Bali and watch the madness. The English? Head to Ibiza in Spain. Catch travelers from any of theses places alone and you’re likely to find that you have a lot more in common than you think.

20. Yes I miss home sometimes

I’ve talked about it before and yes it’s true. I miss home sometimes. I love my home and the people that make it what it is. When I’m home though I also miss being on the road, seeing new places and meeting new people. It’s all a balance.

21. It is easier than you think to make money while traveling

In number one above I talked about how travel takes a lot less money than most people assume. But what if you want to keep traveling for longer than your savings allows? I can tell you (now from experience!) that it is so much easier to make money on the road than it seems. In addition to what I do, freelancing online, there are literally tons of options for making money on the road. If you don’t believe me or want some ideas check out my ‘Ultimate Mobile Income Resource‘.

22. But, it is harder than you think to balance making money with traveling

If you think that all I do is kick back on the beach, climb volcanoes, and sip cocktails with my fellow travelers then you are mistaken! Well mostly anyway. When you transition from ‘just traveling’ to a lifestyle of working and traveling it becomes very hard to balance work, life and travel. I’m still a work in progress myself and don’t expect to have the answers anytime soon, so if you plan on trying out this lifestyle don’t expect it to be a breeze!

23. Travelers come in all shapes and sizes

Many people think that traveling long term is restricted to single 20-somethings who are just trying to ‘find themselves’ before they settle into a career and a ‘normal life’. While the majority of the travelers you meet on the road fall into this category it doesn’t have to be, and isn’t, an exclusive club. I’ve seen travelers of all ages the living their dreams the same way I am. I’ve seen families of six on the road that make you shake your head and want to buy the parents a beer. The moral of the story is that the only things holding you back from seeing the world are your excuses.

24. Hammocks are man’s greatest invention

Why every man, woman and child doesn’t have a hammock allocated just to them is beyond me. It is so simple but there is nothing better than kicking back with a book, a cold drink and swinging away in the afternoon breeze.

25. I hate the term ‘living vicariously’

People say this to me sometimes and while it is certainly flattering it really bothers me. Like I mentioned above, anyone can get out there and travel if you want to badly enough. Remember it isn’t a competition. Drive 45 minutes to the next town and see something different for a weekend. Book a ticket to somewhere you’ve never been no matter how far away. Once the ticket is booked the hard part is over. Start living vicariously through yourself!

26. Sometimes I’m jealous of your white picket fence

Just like I mentioned above that sometimes I miss home, sometimes I am indeed jealous of my friends and family who are planting roots. There’s a part of me that wants a ‘normal’ life with a house and a family. I think those things are great and they will be a part of my life at some point. Just for me that point isn’t now.

27. Sometimes you just need to throw the budget out the window

It is great to be traveling on a budget and to extend your trip but what is the point of saving money just to sit around your hostel or guesthouse all of the time? Sometimes it’s best to throw your budget out the window and go experience something new. Worst-case scenario you’ll get some good pictures out of it (or a blog post).

28. I’m extremely blessed

While I hope that I’ve been able to dispel some of the mysteries of travel to you with this list I do want to make one last point. I am extremely blessed to be able to live the way I do. It is easy for me to say that ‘everyone’ can travel and live out their dreams, and while mostly true, it is just a generalization. There are people in this world who don’t have the basic things they need to survive much less the luxury of hitting the road to see the world. I am very, very lucky and humbled by the life I am living.

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