When I was working in my corporate career, I was traveling 25% to 50% of my time on overnight trips, sometimes for an entire work week. I still travel for some out of town speaking engagements and conferences but not nearly as much as I use to. However, it is still a challenge to stay…

Instead of just sitting on some tropical beach and sipping pina coladas during your vacations, it is very possible to get a ton of personal growth from your travels. But in order to do this, you will have to get off those all-inclusive beach resorts and five-star hotels. Although there might be some exceptions, most…

We have all heard the old adage, “Life is short, go live it.” The problem is that it takes so many people an entire life before they start living it or not living it. It’s so easy to get stuck living the everyday mundane tasks instead of doing those that really make your heart sing. We spend…

There are so many benefits of travel. Seeing exotic places, meeting interesting people, experiencing things you just don’t get at home. And of course, finding new taste sensations (chilli fried grasshoppers with lime anyone?). Even traveling for work can be fun. Takeoffs and landings. Fancy (and not so fancy) hotels. The security of a corporate credit card. Traveling to places…

  I’m getting ready to embark on an 1800-mile road trip. In addition to having my car checked out, packing my bags, and picking out a selection of fine roadfoods at my local Trader Joes (ah, Sweet and Salty Trail Mix…) I’ve also been loading my blackberry up with useful software to…

On Monday I wrote about developing the freedom to travel anywhere, anytime without getting fired. For many people, putting yourself in a position where you are free to go at any time and stay in the places you’ve always wanted to stay is a completely new experience and mindset. While it’s certainly not for…

It was the 28th of January this year, early in the morning. My wife had just pushed me out of bed so I’d get ready in time for our flight. It wasn’t at the forefront of my mind, but I was nervous: this was the first time I was going to be working full-time hours…

When I plan a trip, I make arrangements to meet up with people. I email anyone I know might be in area, announce my itinerary on Twitter and even add a trip to Dopplr. My efforts have paid off: I’ve met people I had already become fast friends with online in person. I’ve…

I think everyone I know has a trip planned for the next few weeks, trying to get in just a few more days of summer fun before fall really sets in. But as all the travelers come out, so do scammers ready to take advantage of people who aren’t exactly following their normal routines. Scams…

When you’re budgeting for travel, there are three major costs: the actual cost of getting from Point A to Point B, the price of the food need along the way and the cost of a place to lay your weary head. It can take hours of searching and comparing prices to find a hotel…

This week, I spoke with Susan Sabo of Productivity Cafe (and a regular here at Lifehack) about travel. Susan has visited almost 50 countries, on her own and paying her own way. We talk about how to afford travel, how to get the most out of it, and the benefits of…

Join me live for today’s recording of Lifehack Live at 10am PST. Visit the site and listen to the live stream, and call in during the show with your own questions and comments. Today, I’ll be speaking with Susan Sabo of Productivity Cafe (and a regular here at Lifehack) about travel. Susan’s…

A couple of days ago I listed 10 of the tools I find essential whenever I travel, along with a bunch of related tips. Today, I have more tips, this time disconnected from any particular tool or gadget. Because most of the traveling I’ve done as an adult has consisted of longish trips…

I grew up traveling. My dad was a manufacturer’s representative in home furnishings, which meant he did a tour of all the furniture stores in the Midwest every few months. In the summers, we went with him, exploring the tiniest of Midwestern towns while he showed the fall line in some Main Street furniture store…

Stop me if you’ve heard this before… it’s a good idea to differentiate your luggage by tying a brightly-colored object to the handle… oh, you’ve heard that one? Here are some tips that may not be as common, based on experience and mistakes I have personally made or have learned about from my frequent flier…