Travel Philosophy
My Name Is Matt Stabile, And I Watch Bad Movies During Flights
When I travel I make a point to talk to as many people as possible. Shopowners, hostelmates, street performers, it doesn’t matter. I once tried to start a conversation with an actor from a telenovela during a shoot in Colombia, but I was quickly escorted away by security. There is one exception, and that’s when […]
Writers Of Our Discontent
We usually experience epic moments in the down-and-out. It’s what makes for good stories because (hopefully) these moments are not part of the normal day-to-day. Rain, snow, heat and cold, when we gently suffer through discomfort a bed (even a hostel bed) never feels so cozy. Often, travel woes are what ear-mark great writers. In a […]
Can Travel Get Redundant? Your Thoughts…
Just recently I was flipping through a Patagonia clothing catalog. Interspersed through the pages are articles and photography surrounding topics of travel, stewardship, and more often than not, surfing. I enjoy reading these pieces. They’re always well written, typically discuss topics of interest or importance, and are insightful. Patagonia has made its mark not only […]
Top 10 Best Travel Songs
Did you know that 85% of kangaroo dreams are about koalas? No, I can’t back up that previous statement anymore than I can claim that the following ten songs are the “best” travel songs. But these travel songs are pretty good and really intrepid. Just ask my friend. She once said to me, “Luke, you have […]
Be The Change: Save A Life
Of all the advice Patrick Atkinson, founder of the GOD´S CHILD Project has given to me, one stands out. “Atkinson´s Law” says simply that when faced with the problems of the world everyone: 1) Wants to help; 2) Can help in some way; 3) But too many people just do not know how. I believe this. […]
How I Lost The Desire To Travel Solo
Oh, I was once so independent, so footlose and fancy-free! I wanted to go on a trip — say, Paris; say, the Galapagos — and if I had no travel companion, that wasn’t going to stop me. On the contrary, the thought of striking it out on my own energized me. I was younger then. […]
Paul Can Eat Glass And It Doesn’t Hurt Him
Paul Sobczak can eat glass and it doesn´t hurt him. Or at least, that´s what he´s told scores of people in dozens of languages since starting his “I can Eat Glass Project.” This project is one of many travel projects Paul has undertaken. Of all the travelers I have met on The Road, few travel […]
Traveler Vs. Tourist: My Search For The Difference
“Hmmm . . . The Expeditioner’s Guide to the World. That’s quite the area to create a guide for. What’s it all about?” About a million possible answers spun through my brain. I was signing books in Helena, Montana. A well-trained editor surely would have had an earth-shattering response to this query. Apparently, I’ve still […]
Travel And Change (No Coin Necessary)
After six months of traveling, I remember one friend telling me, “never change.” I responded with, “change is necessary to grow.” I remember not knowing what that meant, but thinking that it had something to do with maturity and personality. Or something like that. So it was, for sometime during an extended-PTF that I had […]
The Seven Types Of Travelers
By Alexandra Bregman One of the best things about hitting the road is all the new and interesting people you meet. After all, a place is just as much about its people as it is about landscape. What defines a destination without the conversations, the artists, or the chefs? How would you check into a […]