What Lies Ahead: Upcoming Blogs, Projects, and More!

Hey travel lover!

I know it’s been super quiet on the blog and social media over the past month and there’s good reason for that! Today, I wanted to give a little update on the going on behind the scenes and what to expect in the coming months!

First, fret not, there are a ton of new articles coming! I sent seven first drafts off to my editor yesterday for a read. One will go up Thursday and, after that, I have content to take us into May! I’m super proud of the new posts! Upcoming articles include how to experience 1920s Paris, what’s the best hotel booking site, the cheapest way to get around Southern Africa, how to be an au pair, how to create themes when you travel, a new long post on budget travel, tips for the upcoming European travel season, and a lot more.

So get ready!

But why the lack of blogs/replying to comments/social media?

First, I moved. Not out of Austin but to a new apartment with a friend so that took up a few days, especially since it was in the middle of the famous SXSW festival, when most of the roads are closed.

Second, that’s another reason why I’ve been behind. I had friends in town and gave two talks during the festival and, basically during SXSW, you just don’t get anything done since there are so many events to attend!

Additionally, we are short staffed at the hostel so I’ve had to bee there a lot. We’re currently looking for a manager and a few volunteers so if you’re interested in a free place to stay and hanging out in Austin, email hello@hkaustin.com for more information! (Note: We do NOT sponsor visas and inquires about us sponsoring your work visa will just get deleted!)

And, while blogs haven’t been happening, a lot of other stuff has:

1. I’m currently on the Nomadic Network tour doing a series of events and talks around the country. Be sure to come to one of the events over the next few weeks! You can click here to find out where I’m going and how to join! (If there’s a waitlist, don’t worry! We’re opening more spots and people keep dropping out!)

2. I launched/wrote a lot of new destination guides so that consumed a lot of my time! (These take awhile to create!) Be sure to check out the new guides to Malta, Laos, South Africa, Finland, and Czech Republic, and Poland! (If you feel I missed anything, let me know!)

3. Finally, what has been consuming a lot of my time, is a new book proposal! I’m looking to write another book this year and I just wrapped up the proposal! I’m not going to share what it is about yet but it will be very different from my last one (and something not found on this blog)! Fingers crossed!

Coming up, besides new blogs and the Nomadic Network tour, I’ll be doing tours in May and June!

We’re keeping busy over but a lot of more great stuff is coming soon!

– Matt

The post What Lies Ahead: Upcoming Blogs, Projects, and More! appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

March 20, 2017 at 02:00PM

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Why It’s Never the Right Time to Travel

Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes our regular column on solo female travel. It’s an important topic I can’t adequately cover, so I brought in an expert to share her advice for other women travelers to help cover the topics important and specific to them! She’s amazing and knowledgeable. This post covers why there will always be reasons not to travel and how there will never be the perfect time to go!

Life is short — we have limited time to do the things that we really want to do. It’s also a voyage — or a sack of coins that are yours alone to spend. (Those are my metaphors for life, anyway.) And it’s supposed to be fun. For a lot of people, that means not waiting until retirement to travel but rather getting out there and exploring now.

If you want to travel now, but you’re scared to go it alone, you’ll be able to find excuses everywhere if you look for them. You’ll find ways to say you can’t do it right now: you’re not ready; your job, friends, or fears are holding you back; you have too many obligations.

Basically, these excuses mean you’ll never get on the road. Because at every stage of your life, you’ll be able to find a reason why it can’t work for you. It will never be the right time to travel — especially as a woman…

1) …because you’ll always be asked when you’ll settle down…

A common question I get from people back home concerns when I’m going to “settle down.” Don’t I want a relationship and a family of my own? My question back to them is: Why is traveling and having a family mutually exclusive in this day and age? Families travel all the time, and some even full-time.

Of course, I have had to make choices, and there are sister lives that I didn’t live because I chose to travel. I won’t know what could have been with the handsome Frenchie, because I didn’t choose to stop being a travel writer and move in with him. It might have been nice, and naturally I can’t ever be sure that I made the best call, but I do know that sitting on the beach in Tanzania, writing this to you, is one of the happiest moments of my life, and that I have these moments all the time, because adventuring is what gives me life.

I used to think that if I wanted a relationship I’d have to give up this life of traveling. But since something in me always whispered “go,” I always left. It hurt me to my core, but I had to. Because Mr. Right will only have one thing to say to me, and that’s “May I join you?”

2) …because there will never be an accepted time for women to travel alone…

We women don’t have it easy. We are expected to be smart, collected, beautiful, graceful, strong, and slightly independent, but still docile enough to be loved and cared for by a partner. We are supposed to chase opportunities — but only the ones handed down to us by the status quo.

What I always find interesting, though, is that the women in history who are heralded are the ones who did the opposite of all of that.

Think of Harriet Tubman, Joan of Arc, Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, and an endless list of other women who are pretty much universally loved and respected for doing the exact opposite of what society expected of them. We praise them for their bravery, and for having the kind of foresight and ability to question the system that made them into heroes later.

Now, traveling the world won’t make you a hero to the world, but what about to yourself?

3) …because you’ll always be a target…

In the week before I started traveling on my own, an article came out about two girls who died in Vietnam, supposedly due to poisoned alcohol. Everyone was sending this article to me, telling me to “be careful” — ignoring that a deadly movie theater shooting had just taken place in Colorado, much closer to home than Vietnam. I went anyway, and I’ve stayed safe through almost five years of solo traveling.

While are no statistics that pertain specifically solo female travelers, there are statistics on violent crimes globally, such as rape and murder, and they’re actually encouraging. According to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, “over the past decade, rates of homicides in the most populous cities consistently decreased in all regions.” Additionally, murders and rapes are most often perpetrated by someone the victim knows, meaning it’s more likely to happen at home. And according to UNDOC, men are four times as likely as women to be victims of homicide worldwide.

So maybe the world isn’t as scary as it’s so often portrayed.

Traveling safely isn’t rocket science. Do what you do at home to stay safe, follow a few important safety tips, and choose places that are great for solo female travelers. Start there, get your feet wet, and branch out as you gain experience and confidence.

4) …because you will never have enough money…

I used to think that I needed to retire before I could travel full-time, and even then, I’d need to be pretty rich. For my week’s worth of paid time off, I was easily spending $2,000 in Mexico or Hawaii, trying to do it all and come back with photos of me having a blast on the beach with a $9 cocktail in my hand.

What I didn’t realize back then was that my money would have been worth two or three times as much had I strayed a bit farther away from home. Southeast Asia, India, and much of Central America can be dirt cheap, especially if you’re willing to do it on a shoestring. Staying in hostels, eating and traveling like locals, and moving more slowly are all great ways to save money and turn that week of PTO into a sabbatical instead.

Even if you’re earning minimum wage, having trouble figuring out how to travel cheaply, or just think you’re too poor to travel, if you’re sitting at a computer reading this right now with a passport that lets you go to other places in this world, you have the ability to make it happen financially. Change your mindset, and the rest will follow.

5) …because your family will always freak out…

The toughest part of traveling solo is often the pushback from our parents. We wonder how we can get them see it from our point of view and support us.

The more important issue is what you’ll regret later. Will you wish that you’d stayed at home to please your parents, who — since they undoubtedly love you — do want you to live a happy and fulfilled life? Even if they don’t necessarily understand or support everything we do, our parents want the best for us. That’s what having a child is – understanding that you’re creating a human who will have her own brain, and eventually be an adult who is self-sufficient.

It’s your life, not theirs. Letting other people make monumental decisions for you is a great way to go down the path of regrets.

6) …because you’ll wait forever for someone to join you…

I understand not wanting to travel alone. I didn’t want to do it either, until I decided that I really just had to travel the world and it had to happen prior to turning 65. I knew my friends couldn’t do it with me — they had jobs they didn’t want to leave, and so did just about everyone else I could think of. Sometimes, the dream to travel will be yours alone, and that means you have to do it by yourself if you’re going to do it at all.

I was pretty worried about being lonely, but when people asked about that a few weeks into my trip, I laughed that I had ever had that fear. I was meeting other people constantly. It doesn’t matter if you’re shy; someone will probably start a conversation with you, especially if you stay in a social hostel. Once you get out there, you’ll see what I mean. It’s all about just taking that first step.

****

Every problem seems insurmountable at the time, but there are ways to get around those obstacles that keep you from traveling, no matter what. The key is to look for the solutions and break them down into manageable pieces rather than trying to tackle the entire thing at once. Save up, break the news to your parents, do your research so that you (and they) will be less worried, and let everyone else’s opinion stay with them. It’s your bag of coins, and your life. Get out there and spend it how you want to!

Kristin Addis is a solo female travel expert who inspires women to travel the world in an authentic and adventurous way. A former investment banker who sold all of her belongings and left California in 2012, Kristin has solo traveled the world for over four years, covering every continent (except for Antarctica, but it’s on her list). There’s almost nothing she won’t try and almost nowhere she won’t explore. You can find more of her musings at Be My Travel Muse or on Instagram and Facebook.

Conquering Mountains: The ultimate Guide to Solo Female Travel

For a complete A-to-Z guide on solo female travel, check out Kristin’s new book, Conquering Mountains. Besides discussing many of the practical tips of preparing and planning your trip, the book addresses the fears, safety, and emotional concerns women have about traveling alone. It features over 20 interviews with other female travel writers and travelers. Click here to learn more about the book and start reading it today!

The post Why It’s Never the Right Time to Travel appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

March 09, 2017 at 04:26PM

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11 Ways to Improve Your Travel Writing

This post is a little inside baseball about travel writing. It’s a follow up to my semi-ongoing series on travel blogging that started with this post, continued with this one, and will now (probably) end with this post here. To me, the crux of all online endeavors is good writing. I’m constantly trying to improve my writing. With so many blogs out there, if you can’t write engaging stories, you’ll never get anywhere! So today, I want to introduce one of my favorite travel writers, David Farley, who is going to share 11 writing tips for fellow bloggers and writers out there!  Here’s David:

I always thought that once I started writing for glossy travel magazines, I could relax a bit because I’d “made it.” Nope! Then I thought that once I began penning pieces for the New York Times, I could say I was successful. Not. At. All. OK, maybe when I had a book out, published by a major publishing house, things would get a bit easier for me. I wish!

Writers, in some way, are a sorry lot. Rarely do they ever look at something and say “perfect!” Maybe for a moment — but give a writer a day and he or she will come back to that same article and find dozens of mistakes. Writing is a craft you never perfect.

We’re always striving to be better. Creatives tend to be perfectionists. Writing requires you to keep learning and improving.

But that’s good because that drive makes writers improve their work, and only through practice and effort do we end up with the Hemingways, Brysons, Gilberts, and Kings of the world. (Matt says: I once heard that until the day he died, Frost never loved The Road Not Taken. He was constantly reworking it!)

If you’re a travel blogger, you probably started off not as a writer with a journalism background but as a traveler looking to share your experience. You probably didn’t have any formal training or someone to peer over your shoulder and give you advice.

So today I wanted to share 11 tips that will help you improve your travel writing/blogging. Because the world always needs good writers — and good writing helps get your story heard more! These tips, if followed, will better your writing and make a huge difference in the reach of your writing!

11 Ways to Improve Your Travel Writing/Blogging

1. Read. This is number one. because whenever a budding writer asks me how they can improve, it’s my first piece of advice. Read good writing. Absorb it. Let it sink into your soul. Don’t think it’s possible? When I was first starting out, I was sick one weekend, so I spent three days lying in bed reading every page of that year’s Best American Travel Writing anthology. After I finished, I opened up my laptop and started writing for the first time in days. What came out surprised me: it was the highest-quality writing I’d done to date. And it was all because I was absorbed in good writing and it filtered through me back onto the page in my own writing.

(Matt says: Here’s a list of my favorite travel books.)

2. Do it for love. Maya Angelou wrote, “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love.” Don’t get into travel writing for the money — after all, that would be totally unrealistic. And please don’t gravitate to the genre because you want free trips and hotel rooms. “Instead,” Ms. Angelou added, “do [it] so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.” Or, in other words, strive to become such a good writer that the editors of all the publications you have been dreaming to write for can’t ignore you anymore.

3. Don’t be attached to linear writing. You need not compose a piece from beginning to middle to end. Sometimes that’s not the ideal structure of the story. Sure, maybe you’ve already figured that out. But if not, it’s OK to just get a few scenes and paragraphs of exposition down “on paper.” Then you can step back and take a look at the bigger picture and rearrange what you have, figuring out the best way to tell the story.

4. Tap into your own sense of motivation and drive. The students of mine at New York University who have been most successful were not always the most talented in the class. But they were the most driven. They’d read enough quality writing and thought about it — understanding what made it so wonderful — that there was just something about writing that they got. They weren’t born with that understanding, but ambition drove them to seek out better writing and then to think about it, to analyze what made it good (or not so good). Drive also inspires future successful writers to go out on a limb, to render themselves vulnerable, by reaching out to more accomplished writers to ask for advice, or by introducing themselves to editors at events or conferences. Don’t be shy! Standing in the corner quietly won’t get you as far as putting your hand out to introduce yourself will.

5. Try to figure out what gets your mind and writing flowing. Let me explain: I can sit down at my laptop and stare at a blank Word document for hours, not sure how to start a story or what to write about. Then I’ll respond to an email from a friend who wants to know about the trip I’m trying to write about. I’ll write a long email with cool and interesting anecdotes about my experience and include some analysis about the place and culture. And then I’ll realize: I can just cut and paste this right into the empty Word doc I’ve been staring at for the last three hours! Several of my published articles have blocks of texts that were originally written as parts of emails to friends. The “email trick” might not work for everyone, but there is inevitably some trick for the rest of you — be it talking to a friend or free-associating in your journal.

6. Understand all aspects of storytelling. There are two types of travel writing: commercial and personal essay (or memoir). In commercial travel writing, you should make the various parts of the story an intrinsic aspect of your knowledge: from ways to write a lede to the nut graph, scenes, exposition, and conclusions. For memoir and personal essays, know what narrative arc means like the back of your typing hands. It helps to get an intuitive understanding of these things by paying attention to writing — to reading like a writer — as you read nonfiction (and travel) articles.

7. Don’t stress if your first draft is shit. Ernest Hemingway said, “The first draft of anything is shit.” And he wasn’t kidding. I find this true when I’m writing a personal essay or travel memoir. I write and I write and I write, and I’m not exactly sure what I’m putting down on paper. What’s the point of this? I ask myself. Why am I even doing this? But here is where patience comes in: eventually, the clouds part, the proverbial sunbeam from the heavens shines down on our computer monitors, and we see the point of it all: we finally figure out what it is we’re writing and how to best tell that story. It just happens like magic sometimes. And not all at once: sometimes it’s bit by bit, like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. But as I mentioned, patience is key, because we never know when that divine magic is going to be activated. But sit around long enough and it will happen, I promise you. (Just be cautious when taking Hemingway’s other writing advice: “Write drunk, edit sober.”)

8. Write what you know. “Start telling the stories that only you can tell,” said writer Neil Gaiman, “because there’ll always be better writers than you and there’ll always be smarter writers than you. There will always be people who are much better at doing this or doing that — but you are the only you.”

9. When you’re finished with a draft, read it out loud. Preferably, print it out and read it out loud. This will allow you to better hear how the piece sounds, and unacceptable segues and clunky sentences or turns of phrases will jump out at you in a more obvious way.

10. Always get another set of eyes on your writing. While all writers make mistakes, it’s harder to spot them without an editor. Editors are very important, but they don’t necessarily have to be someone with formal training. While hiring a copyeditor is always great, if you can just get a friend to read your blog or story, that might be good enough. It’s even better if you have someone who doesn’t know about travel. I have a friend who doesn’t travel much; she reads all my blog posts because she helps me make sure I include the important details I might have skipped. See, when you’re an expert on something, you often fill in the blanks in your mind. You go from A to C automatically; step B becomes subconscious. And when you write, you skip step B because it seems so obvious. Getting someone who doesn’t know the steps will help ensure you include explain everything in your post and don’t leave your readers going, “Huh?”

11. Finally, learn to self-edit. This is where many people go wrong. They write, they read it over, they post. And then feel embarrassed as they say, “Oh, man, I can’t believe I missed that typo.” You don’t need to be master editor, but if you follow a few principles, it will go along way: First, write something and let it sit for a few days before editing. After your first round of edits, repeat the process. Get another set of eyes on it. Print out a checklist of grammar rules to go through as you edit. (Note: Matt created one here for you.) As you review your work, say to yourself, “Did I do this? Did I do that?” If you follow the cheat sheet, you’ll catch most of your mistakes and end up with a much better final product!

Writing is an art form. It takes a lot of practice. When you’re a blogger out on your own, it can be harder to improve your work, because you don’t have an experienced voice giving you tips and advice and pushing you to be better. If you don’t take it upon yourself to be better, you never will be. However, even if you aren’t blessed to work under an editor, these 11 tips can help you improve your writing today and become a much better blogger, writing stories people want to read!

David Farley has been writing about travel, food, and culture for over twenty years. His work has appeared in AFAR magazine, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Condé Nast Traveler, and World Hum, among other publications. In 2006 and 2013, he won the Lowell Thomas Award from the Society of American Travel Writers for magazine articles he wrote. He has lived in Prague, Paris, and Rome and now New York City. He is the author of An Irreverent Curiosity and was a host for National Geographic. He teaches writing at Columbia University and New York University.

If you’re looking to become a travel writer or just improve your writing, David and I created a detailed and robust travel writing course. Through video lectures and examples of edited and deconstructed stories, you’ll get the course David teaches at NYU and Columbia (without the price). If you’re interested, click here to learn more. 

Photo Credit: 3

The post 11 Ways to Improve Your Travel Writing appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

March 06, 2017 at 04:42PM

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The Nomadic Network: The New Way to Meet Other Travelers

Every traveler needs a community. Stepping out the door into the wild unknown can be a daunting task, and planning such a trip can be overwhelming without the proper know-how.

Where do I book the best flights? How do I find the best travel insurance? What shots do I need? Where do I stay? How much of the language do I need to learn before I go? How much should I budget? Will I make friends? Will I be safe? What’s the best way to get money?

These questions — and a million others — all bubble to the surface when planning a trip, and it can be a challenge to address them all without help. While I have been incredibly lucky that my family and friends help and support my love of travel, not everyone has those same support systems. Not everyone has a community they can rely on when planning a trip.

Years ago, I launched the community forums as a place where travelers could interact, chat, get to know community members, and ask the little questions that didn’t always lend themselves to long blog posts. It provided another way to get your travel questions answered. Fast forward to now and we have over 7,000 members and do regular contests, member features, polls, and have a book club.

But I’ve always wanted to do even more than that. I’ve been wanting an in-person community. As incredible as a virtual community is, people are still social animals. And the truth is that the Internet will never replace the benefits of human interaction.

I’ve always been inspired by my friend Scott’s LYL worldwide community meet-ups and wanted to create something similar — but with a practical twist. I wanted to create an in-person community and planning event where people could meet future travel partners and community members, as well as learn practical advice, pick up resources, and take action right away!

Enter The Nomadic Network.

What is The Nomadic Network?

The Nomadic Network will be a global community of travel enthusiasts who support and inspire one another to travel better, cheaper, and longer. Whether it’s a short jaunt to a nearby city or an indefinite round-the-world trip, The Nomadic Network is here to help the world travel — one nomad at a time.

Starting in March, I will be road-tripping around the USA, organizing events with Chris (this site’s community manager) where we’ll meet up with you and talk about ways to plan your trip. Part workshop, part socializing, we want to bring travelers together to show how easy it is to make your travel dreams a reality. The goal here is to not only give you advice but also help you meet other like-minded people in your area, so you can have a support network of people to push you when you feel unsure of yourself!

Our first series of events begin in March in the following cities:

• March 19: Seattle – Eventbrite | Facebook
• March 20: Portland – Eventbrite | Facebook
• March 21: San Francisco – Eventbrite | Facebook
• March 23: Los Angeles – Eventbrite | Facebook
• March 26: San Diego – Eventbrite | Facebook
• March 28: Austin – Eventbrite | Facebook
• March 29: Chicago – Eventbrite | Facebook
• March 30: Washington, D.C. – Eventbrite | Facebook
• April 2: Philadelphia – Eventbrite | Facebook
• April 3: NYC – Eventbrite | Facebook
• April 5: Boston – Eventbrite | Facebook

These events are FREE and will run for two hours (or longer if you stay around), feature a presentation, Q&A, and social happy hour!

While we are starting with just a few cities, after we do this and get feedback, Chris and I will do another trip around the US and then Canada. Eventually, Chris will run the whole show and we’ll have local chapter leaders and events all around the globe! I want to empower the community and it take it to the next level – offline and in the world where it belongs!

But one step at a time right!

I am really looking forward to this new initiative. Travel isn’t just some fun and exciting series of adventures (though it often is that!). It is a tool for personal growth, a way to learn about yourself and the world we live in. And, most importantly, it’s a way to connect with people from around the world and understand other cultures. Travel bridges gaps. And, in a world that’s so divided, I think a little connection goes a long way.

Naturally, you don’t need to be a full-time nomadic backpacker to benefit from this community or these meetups. This is a community for anyone who wants to (and loves to) travel. So whether you are a weekend flashpacker, looking to plan your honeymoon, or are a globetrotting vagabond, come to one of these events! I’ll be offering practical advice no matter your travel style!

Looking forward to seeing you!

Sincerely,

Nomadic Matt

P.S. – I’m not married to The Nomadic Network name so if you have any suggestions, I’m all ears!

P.P.S. – BIG NEWS! This year I’m also relaunching the Nomadic Matt group tours. You can come travel around with me and other community members! I’ll be doing four this year. You can find out more about them and sign up by clicking here. 

The post The Nomadic Network: The New Way to Meet Other Travelers appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

March 02, 2017 at 04:04PM

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How to Visit Malta on a Budget

For centuries, the Maltese archipelago passed between North African Moors and European Crusaders in an epic struggle for control of this important hub. This constant back and forth created a culture that blended architectural, culinary, and cultural styles (in fact, the Maltese language is a mix of Arabic and Italian) unique to nowhere but maybe Southern Spain.

Now, the country draws people less with the whole conquering-empires-thing and more with its warm summer temperatures, pristine beaches, clear Mediterranean water, striking hiking, friendly locals, and cheap prices.

Though I didn’t spend as much time as I wanted in Malta, I spent enough (literally and figuratively) to get a sense of how to travel the country on a budget. Luckily, the country is already very budget friendly (it’s one of the cheapest Eurozone countries out there) so you don’t need a lot to begin with. Even though I was on a holiday and not being as budget friendly as I wanted, I still never spent a lot of money. My most expensive day cost me 70 EUR, and that’s because I rented a car! Even when I was watching my wallet, at no point did I ever feel as if I was missing out.

Though Malta will never break your budget, I always am one to look for a deal as I’m a firm believer that every destination has a way to be cheaper.

So here is your in-depth guide to visiting Malta on a budget:

Getting There

While most European carriers operate seasonal flights, there aren’t many airlines that fly to Malta year round. Ryanair, Air Malta, easyJet, and Lufthansa are the biggest carriers that service the island year-round. One-way flights from the mainland cost 50-100 EUR ($53-106 USD), especially if you book in advance. You can also take the ferry to/from Sicily; it’s 2.5 hours and costs 61-127 EUR ($65-135 USD) each way (depending on the season).

Typical Costs

Malta is cheap. While I went in the middle of winter — without the seasonal increase in prices for accommodation, car rentals, and flights — many friends told me that most prices for food, activities, and public transportation stay the same throughout the year. Here is a list of typical costs in the country:

• Bottle of water: 1 EUR ($1 USD)
• Ferry to Valletta from Sliema: – Single: 1.50 EUR ($1.60 USD), Return: 2.80 EUR ($2.95 USD)
• Pastizzi (cheap snack): 1-2 EUR ($1-2.10 USD)
• McDonald’s value meal: 5-6 EUR ($5.25-6.50 USD)
• Sandwich: 6 EUR ($6.50 USD)
• Bottle of wine: 8-10 EUR ($8.50-10.50 USD)
• Ferry from Malta to Gozo: Pedestrian: 4.65 EUR ($5 USD), Car and Driver: 15 EUR ($16 USD)
• Car rental:  38-48 EUR ($40-50 USD)
• Nice dinner at a sit-down restaurant with wine: 25 EUR ($27 USD)
• Main meals: 10-14 EUR ($11-15 USD)
• Pizza: 6-9 EUR ($6.50-9.50 USD)
• Lunch at a cafe: 8-10 EUR ($8.50-10.50 USD)
• Beer: 3 EUR ($3.15 USD)
• Public bus ticket: 2 EUR ($2.10 USD)
• Taxi prices: 10-20 EUR ($10.50-21 USD)
• Museum entrance: 6 EUR ($6.50 USD)
• Breakfast sandwich: 3-4 EUR ($3.15-4.25 USD)
• Full breakfast: 8-9 EUR ($8.50-9.50 USD)

On average, you’ll be able to visit Malta 30-45 EUR ($32-48 USD) per day, though in the summer I would say you need to budget closer to 50 Eur. At that price, you’re looking at staying in a hostel dorm or splitting an Airbnb with a friend, taking public transportation, mostly sticking to the free activities, cooking your breakfast, and eating to the cheap(er) cafes.

How to Save Money in Malta

Accommodation

There are a couple of hostels on the islands, with dorm prices beginning at 9 EUR ($9.50 USD) per night (though prices double in the peak summer time). Airbnb is ridiculously cheap — I found a whole house for 35 EUR ($37 USD) a night. Most budget hotels cost 40 EUR ($42.50 USD) so I would stick to Airbnb or hostels for accommodation. However, like hostels, the prices for places more than double to around 80 EUR ($84 USD) per night. Budget hotels cost around 40-60 EUR ($42-63 USD) in the summer.

To save money on accommodation, travel off-season and stay in dorms or split Airbnb units with friends. You can use the website eurocheapo.com to find good B&Bs, as they have a robust listing.

Food and Drink

Food prices are relatively inexpensive, though you’ll find higher prices in tourist areas such as Valletta, St. Julian’s, Sliema’s boardwalk, and Marsaxlokk.

To save money on food, stick to the pastizzi (savory filled pastry) for about 1-2 EUR ($1-2.10 USD), eat at the plethora of vegan and vegetarian restaurants throughout the country (see the list below), avoid snacking, and cook as many meals as possible (breakfast will see the biggest wins).

Transportation

There are three ways to get around the island: buses, taxis, and car rentals. Buses cost 1.50-2 EUR ($1.60-2.10 USD) for a two-hour ticket or 21 EUR ($22 USD) for a weekly pass, while car rentals cost 39 EUR ($41 USD) per day (in the summer they start closer to 50 EUR or $53 USD per day. There are a number of local rental companies, but I used Hertz since it was close to my Airbnb. Many of the local car companies don’t take credit cards and want deposits in cash. Going with bigger companies adds another layer of security.

Taxis cost 10-20 EUR ($11-21 USD); while not ideal, they can be ordered ahead of time via Whatsapp and are a good last-minute option if you get stuck because the bus doesn’t turn up.

One thing to note about the buses is that they are infrequent so they fill up fast. We got on one bus, only to have him pull over, kick everyone off, and put us all in another bus, that then waited for 20 minutes to move. It’s a crazy system and, during the summer months when the crowds peak, expect long waits. Don’t be in a rush if you’re using the bus!

Activities

When the weather is nice, there are a bunch of free activities to do, such as enjoying the beach, hiking, swimming, and just walking around. Additionally, all the churches are free. You’ll find a lot of companies that will take you around the island in a boat for 25 EUR ($27 USD). Most museums and attractions cost 5 EUR ($5.25 USD) but you can get a Malta tourism card (there’s one for Mdina and a separate one for Valletta) that will save you about 10-20 EUR ($10.50-21 USD) depending on how many attractions you squeeze in.

On a side note, I found the main tourism center in Valletta unhelpful. The staff couldn’t answer a lot of my questions. The smaller, unofficial locations that littered Sliema’s boardwalk had more information on car rentals, things to do, and prices.

Recommended Bars and Restaurants

Restaurants: Rising Sun (Mdina), Loli (Vegetarian), The Grassy Hopper (Vegan/Vegetarian), the Marsaxlokk fish market, Suruchi, Ta Doni, Cuba, Rocksalt, Ta’ Rikardu (Gozo), Electro Lobster Project.

Bars: Hole in the Wall (Sliema), Native (and any bar on that street as it’s the main hub for nightlife), Dubliner, Legligin, The Thirsty Barber

**** It’s easy to visit Malta on a budget. I was shocked at how cheap this place. Even with summertime increases in accommodation and tour prices, Malta remains an affordable country. I’ve been to all the Eurozone countries now and I have to say Malta is one of the best — if not the best — value. When you combine it with warm weather, amazing landscape, historic cities, and incredible beaches, Malta because one of the best destinations to visit in Europe if you’re looking to save money.

Looks like all those British retirees were on to something after all!

P.S. – BIG NEWS! This year I’m relaunching the Nomadic Matt group tours. You can come travel around with me and other community members! I’ll be doing four over the course of the summer. You can find out more about them and sign up by clicking here. 

Photo Credits: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8

The post How to Visit Malta on a Budget appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

February 23, 2017 at 03:00PM

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23 Reader Questions. 23 Attempted Answers.

Not every issue needs a long, drawn-out blog post to answer, so I like taking your questions now and then and helping solve some travel problems. So let’s take a break from our regularly scheduled articles for another round of Q&A!

A few weeks ago, I put a call out on social media for reader questions on travel, life, and anything in between. There are usually a few questions I’ve never answered before, weird ones about life, and just funny pop culture ones! Today’s blog post is my attempt to answer these questions. Some of them overlapped, so I trimmed the duplicates down, got rid of the really inappropriate ones (haha), and put the rest here. Hopefully, in answering someone else’s question, I’ll also be able to help you too.

What are your thoughts on train travel vs. flying between cities in Europe?  – John

I love train travel in Europe. It’s scenic and relaxing, and the trains are way more comfortable than economy class on planes. It’s a lot less stressful than flying too. That said, it takes a lot longer, and tickets are often more expensive than some of the budget airlines in Europe.

I think it basically comes down to time and money (doesn’t everything?). For me, it depends if I’m in a rush. If I need to get someplace quick, I’ll fly. But, if I have time, a rail pass, or just find the ticket prices to be similar to flights, I’ll take the train over flying.

How do you feel about staying in hotels vs. Airbnbs? – Eric

I rarely ever stay in a hotel unless I am using hotel points, as I find them to be very expensive. I’d much rather be in an Airbnb, even if it is just for one night. I like the homey feel, the cheaper prices, and being able to ask questions of a local who knows the area. You make more friends staying with a local from a site like Couchsurfing than at a hotel. Here is a guide to Airbnb if you want more info on that service!

What are your thoughts on traveling to the European countries that have been hit by terrorist attacks? – Alexander

There’s nothing you can do to predict the future. Whether you go to a movie theater or club in the US or somewhere in Europe, you never know when violence will strike. Terror attacks occur randomly, so while I would be more vigilant, I wouldn’t let this change your travel plans. That’s what they want: they want us to cower in fear and be suspicious. I’d never let them control my life. (That said, I do avoid war zones.)

Do you have any advice on traveling solo? – Rod

That’s my whole website! Just click here to learn my best tips. This is the best starting point to learn the A-to-Z of planning your trip!

What was the transformative moment when you knew you wanted to make travel (and travel blogging) a career? – Dora

I’ve always described myself as an accidental travel writer. There was never a magic moment where I said, “I am going to do this.” But there were inflection points when I realized, “Wow, this business is growing. That’s cool. I guess I’ll keep riding this wave.”

How and when did you find that travel is your passion? – Jegan

I feel in love with travel on a tour to Costa Rica; it was the first time I was traveling as an adult. I loved the freedom and the sense of endless possibility. I just knew I wanted to keep doing it. Over time and a few more trips, it just became the only thing I wanted to do. I loved traveling and wanted to share that love with others.

When people say, “Go find your passion,” I always cringe a bit. It’s not like you can go out and just stumble upon it, like finding a lost set of keys. I think finding your passion is what happens when you end up doing something you love. If you talk to people who are passionate about their job, often it’s because they have been doing it so long that they are just good at it!

I love cooking. LOVE IT! But I’ve done it long enough to know it’s not my passion. It doesn’t make me feel the way travel does. I think you just have to explore your interests, and one day, one will have become your passion without your even noticing.

What are your thoughts on the Peace Corps? Have you met people abroad who are or were in the Peace Corps? What are or were their experiences like? – Jillian

I’ve never done the Peace Corps, but I think it is an amazing initiative. I was going to apply a few years ago after my first trip around the world. After I came home, I knew I needed to go travel again, so this was one of the things I looked into.

I’ve met many people over the years who have done it, and most of them have said it was one of the best experiences in their lives. Maybe someone can leave a comment here and share their first-hand experience.

Can we also use your blog’s Intrepid discount code with Geckos? – Geneviève

Sadly, it only works with Intrepid. You can get the 10% discount by clicking here.

What would be the best step to take for a 21-year-old who really wants to travel but doesn’t have enough money? – Alyiah

I’d go work overseas. You’re 21 and probably fresh out school. You have your whole life ahead of you! Get yourself a working holiday visa for New Zealand or Australia and get a job over there. Or go teach English overseas! There’s no reason why you have to have a certain amount of money. Just go with the money you have. There’s nothing holding you back at the moment. The world is your oyster.

Here’s an article on how to find work overseas and why being broke is the best time for you to travel.

I have three questions: What do you do for health insurance? Do you have a favorite credit card? What phone service do you use? – Susan

When I travel, I use World Nomads as my insurance provider. They are my favorite insurance company (and in my opinion, the best out there). I’ve been using them since I started traveling and highly recommend them. (When I’m home, I have coverage here in Texas).

For credit cards, I love the new Chase Sapphire Reserved. There’s a high annual fee but the rewards and travel credit make the fee worth it. For phone service, I use T-Mobile — but if you are going to be out of the country for a while, it’s better to get unlocked SIM cards as you go. It will work out cheaper than T-Mobile, and you can just top off as needed.

Do you have any advice for those who want to start a travel blog? – Ali

Sure, I have a ton! I would simply start with these two blog posts because they are more robust than any quick reply I write here. Here are the links:

• How to Start a Travel Blog
• 9 Ways to Become a Successful Blogger

How do you keep costs down when traveling to expensive countries? – Liza

It’s easy to save money in Thailand but a lot harder to save money in Switzerland or Norway or Japan. Traveling to those countries on a budget takes a lot of work. Sometimes, you just can’t do it (I’m looking at you, Bermuda!). On the other hand, I think expensive countries are sometimes easier to travel to because locals, who face high costs, have invented smart ways to stay on a budget. It varies from country to country ,but for the most part, when I’m in an expensive country, I drink less, cook more, eat cheaper (not so healthy) food, take local transportation, and look into the sharing economy more: Couchsurfing, ride-sharing, meal-sharing, and everything in between. You have to get more creative, but I believe 99% of the world can be visited on a budget. It all depends on how much you’re will to do what you need to do.

I traveled Europe for a month and got pretty homesick toward the end. Do you ever get homesick? What would you recommend for those who do? – Jacob

I get homesick all the time. I’ve met many people who have too. In fact, I’ve met many people that have gotten so homesick, they’ve gone home. There’s nothing wrong with that.

There’s a certain flow to travel. A lot of people get homesick right away, but for most people, it’s around the 3-4-month mark and then again closer to the year mark. These milestones are when you seem to become more untethered your past, and for many people, that feeling makes them want to retreat back into their familiar bubble. They feel themselves changing.

But I say you should just power through it. It’s natural and will pass. Embrace the change! Since this feeling so often relates to travel fatigue, I say sit down, relax, enjoy the city you are in, take a deep breath, and then move on when you’re ready.

Are visas a big issue for you, if you’re in the middle of a trip outside of the US and you decide to go to a country that requires a visa? – Carl

You can get visas as you go. While some nationalities are required to get tourist visas in their home countries, for the most part, all you need to do is get the visa from the local embassy or consulate in the country you are in. There’s no magic to it. Need a Vietnam visa while in Germany? Head to the local Vietnamese embassy or consulate and apply (making sure you have all the appropriate documents). That’s about all there is to it.

Is it safe to travel to the US at this juncture? I have a long-term tourist visa but now I’m scared with the hate crime reported by the media. – Kanian

This question makes me sad, and I feel I could go on forever about it. For starters, the media always reports the stories that are negative. “If it bleeds, it leads” is why you think hate crimes are rampant and American conservatives think Muslim terrorists are everywhere and Paris is burning. Everything is always so negative all the time.

But the US is a country of 350 million people with great diversity. While there was a slight uptick in hate crimes after the election, the America that existed before Trump is still essentially there and is filled with good people who care about other people. That has not changed. Look at all the marches that happened against the travel ban. Just like I would say you have nothing to fear by going to Europe, you have nothing to fear by coming to the US.

I am planning my trip to Europe currently and would like to know how you handled the proof of future travel that countries require for visas. – Kim

Assuming you’re from a developed country, they will never check. They’ll never say, “Let me see that flight/bus/train ticket.” Well, the UK and Ireland might because those countries are strict, but no one else does. Outside of those two places, I rarely ever have proof of onward travel (and it’s usually the airline that asks), especially if I’m traveling long-term. It’s a risk I’m comfortable taking.

But if you’re not comfortable with that risk, you can simply buy a refundable plane, bus, or train ticket to get you past border control. When you get into your destination, just cancel the ticket.

For other non-Western nationalities, you usually need a visa ahead of time and to get it, you’re required to have proof of onward travel anyways.

I would appreciate advice about hot springs and thermal baths in the USA. Thank you. – Helena

I’ve never been to one in the US and don’t know of any. For questions like this in general, Google is usually the best resource. When I ever I am looking for the “best in….”, I usually turn to Google.

Which of your destinations, if any, have most challenged your values as an American? – Nomadic Planet 

I don’t think anything challenges my values as an American. Many places challenge my values as a human, but nothing ever made me question my American values. I don’t think a country has much to do with values. If anything, traveling has made me appreciate the greatness of America — but also that there are many things we have to work on.

What is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything? – Jason 

42.

Why don’t you organize trips with your followers? – Jorge

Actually, this year I am going to start doing group tours again! Check this post out to see all my 2017 tours!

Is Costa Rica safe? What is the best way to find a good travel buddy? – Wendy

Yes, it’s very, very safe. I have no safety concerns about that country.

To find a friend, there are a lot of places to do so. Check out this article where I list a ton of ways to meet people when you travel.

Any tips on how to travel with a dog? – Sally

I’ve never traveled with a pet, but these resources are really good and can help you plan your trip:

• Dog Jaunt
• How to Travel With Your Dog
• The Lonely Planet forums as well as our forum too.

Where do you get your hair done? – Raimee

I’m glad you asked. I love my hair. It’s completely on fleek. I’m glad you like it too. I get it done when I visit NYC at this cheap barber on the west side of town. I think he does a good job for the price. Then again, I have a simple haircut, so I’m not sure how he could screw it up. Not like this one time in Taiwan, where they accidentally shaved my entire head so quickly I couldn’t protest. I was bald for a solid month. I won’t be putting a picture of that online though!

Photo credit: 1

P.S. BIG NEWS! This year I’m relaunching the Nomadic Matt group tours. You can come travel around with me and other community members! I’ll be doing four over the course of the summer. You can find out more about them and sign up by clicking here. 

The post 23 Reader Questions. 23 Attempted Answers. appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

February 20, 2017 at 03:00PM

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by IHholiday Travel trip