We recently sat down with Matt to discuss the book and talk about budget travel.

What advice do you have for people who say they can’t afford to travel to Europe?

There’s this false idea that Europe is expensive, but Europe is a big place with a lot of variation in prices. It’s not uniform. While Zurich, London, Oslo, or Paris might be expensive, there are always cheaper alternatives and countless other options.

Most people never see past Western Europe, but when you do, your options open up! And now, with the fall of the euro, it’s never been a cheaper time to visit the continent. Go. It’s not as expensive as you believe.

Okay, so which destinations in Eastern Europe do you find to be the best value?

I think Bulgaria, Romania, and countries in the Balkans are really good value countries. Hungary is another one. Your dollar goes very far there.

Outside of Eastern Europe, another great country that not a lot of people think about is Greece. It’s always been a very cheap country and the depressed economy has only made it cheaper. Now, with the fall of the euro, it’s become an even better bargain.

Despite a strong dollar, flights to Europe remain really expensive. How do you fly cheaply to Europe?

Airlines aren’t going to lower their fares because they are finally making money. However, the last few years has seen the rise of a lot of Transatlantic budget airlines so that is the best way to get across the pond on a budget. Fly Aer Lingus, Wow! Air, or Norwegian. Those are the best options as airlines aren’t going to really lower their high fuel surcharges.

Moreover, try to use a search engine like Google Flights to see which airports in Europe have the cheapest flights and fly into them. You can then hop a cheap flight to your final destination as Europe is filled with budget airlines.

In your book, you suggest that rail passes are a great option for Americans traveling abroad, but we usually feel otherwise. Do you actually find that they can save you money?

Rail passes aren’t as amazing of a deal as they were five or ten years ago. They have a lot of new rules with them and it requires you to really work out the math ahead of time. I think rail passes are really good if you are taking long, high speed trains and want to leave your schedule open (there is value in that). But if you are just going to one or just a couple of countries, I don’t think they are a good idea.

As a nomadic traveler, you probably spend a lot of time traveling on the road alone. Do you ever get lonely? How do you deal with that?

I don’t ever really get lonely. In fact, most of the time, I enjoy being by myself. You meet a lot of people on the road and make a lot of new friends, so you are always doing things and going out. I think the idea that solo travelers are lonely travelers is overblown. It’s a topic I’ve written about before.

You are hardly ever alone. There’s just too many other people out there.

The post Cheapo Interview: 5 questions for Nomadic Matt appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

We had plenty to ask Andy about what makes Weekend Student Adventures special, as well as his own experience with studying abroad. And of course, what it was like to growing up on the road as the son of “travel guru” Rick Steves.

How did you get the idea to start Weekend Student Adventures?

The idea grew organically when I studied abroad in Rome during my Junior year at Notre Dame. It became quite apparent there just wasn’t information geared specifically for the students abroad in Europe; plenty of guidebooks existed, but none took an angle focused on  students tight on both time and budget.

Andy Steves

I returned to Notre Dame to finish my undergraduate degrees (Industrial Design & Italian Language and Literature) overflowing with fresh ideas and incredible intercultural experiences. So I got to work on a free online resource for students abroad at andysteves.com.

With graduation on the horizon in May of 2010, I took advantage of Notre Dame’s annual business plan competition to vet my business idea: weekend trips for students abroad in Europe. We came away in first place (out of 101 teams competing), so I took that as an indication that this concept was viable. Over the summer of 2010 I transformed our online resource into weekend tour packages and hit the ground running that fall semester.

Why did you feel you needed to start WSA?

WSA is for students who feel there is more to experience in Europe than the inside of bars and pubs. I wanted to focus on creating trips that I would love to go on myself, with the perfect balance of sightseeing, interacting with locals and free time to find your own corner of the city. I am passionate about bringing these cultures alive for others, and that’s what has kept me going!

What advantages are there in booking a WSA trip over doing it on your own?

As in many things in life, it may be cheaper to do something on your own; less expensive to make your own spaghetti than going to a restaurant for dinner; less expensive to make your own coffee than purchase your daily Starbucks.

But on our weekend excursions, it’s the intangibles built in that turn a ho-hum weekend into an incredible experience that creates lifelong memories. In Prague, Prince William Lobkowicz Jr. walks us around his family’s palace located in the castle there. In Barcelona, we enjoy a Flamenco show and a Paella- and Sangria-making class. My friends traveled with me while abroad because I was able to connect them with locals and unique cultural experiences they wouldn’t otherwise find on their own. And that’s the foundation of WSA’s travel philosophy–that’s what differentiates us.

Then there’s the practical differences: efficient, skip-the-line sightseeing, great hostels, fun local guides, delicious restaurants, no time wasted being lost and more. All around we believe we’ve found the right formula for great weekend student travel.

Andy and his father, travel author and TV star Rick Steves.

As the son of Rick Steves, did you always assume that you’d eventually work in the travel business, or did you want to get away from it?

Growing up, my mother, sister and I went to visit my dad every summer in order to meet up with him during his four-month-long trips around the European continent. As many will agree, traveling with family can be a pressure-cooker experience. And our family trips were no exception. If Rick Steves is in Europe, he’s working and it doesn’t matter who he’s with. Like any youngster, missing friends’ birthday parties and end-of-school-year celebrations to go to stuffy museums and eat unfamiliar food wasn’t a dream come true. But it did teach me how to travel, and travel well.

In terms of business advice, I’ve developed WSA independently. Oftentimes he wishes he could help more, but we launched business in very different eras; him with manual bookings, mini-vans and scratch calling cards compared to us with all online bookings, budget airlines and Skype. His Social Media IQ is improving nicely though…

Are you ever able to meet up with your dad on the road?

We’ve occasionally met up while in Europe—me running a tour, while he’s updating guidebooks or making TV shows. Most recently, my dad was in Barcelona when I was leading a tour there myself. It was fun to have him tag along, and I think he was reliving his glory days of leading backpacking tours himself.

Andy with a WSA group in Rome.

I see that you studied abroad. How did this experience help shape WSA?

I did! After traveling to Europe every year until I was 18, I went there for the first time independently with my best friend after we graduated from high school. This was also the first time I can truly remember realizing that I could grow to love travel. Exploring on my own and making my own decisions really allowed me to explore personal interests and open my mind to new ideas.

Not being able to stay away from the European continent for long, I went back over in January of 2008 to start a semester in Rome through Notre Dame. This is when I quickly noticed that my summers spent traveling in Europe really allowed me to understand how to get around in an efficient way during our short weekend trips. Many of my friends started coming with me to places like Prague, Venice for Carnevale, Switzerland, Dublin for St. Patty’s Day and Sicily.

Did you have a favorite trip that you took as a study abroad student?

Hands down, the best trip was when I convinced a group of six friends that it would be a good idea for us to charter a 42 foot sailboat with a skipper off the coast of Greece. I crunched the numbers and realized the cost of chartering this boat would be comparable to staying in a hostel for seven nights in Athens. This really showed me the value of thinking outside the box while making travel plans!

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Andy. Keep thinking outside the box, and best of luck with Weekend Student Adventures!

The post Q&A: Andy Steves, creator of Weekend Student Adventures appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Matt stopped by to talk about his new book, “How to Travel the World on $50 a Day”, which is published by Penguin and hits bookstores this week.

Obviously, our Cheapo interest was piqued by his title. Can you really travel on $50 a day? Matt sat down for four Cheapo questions:

1. When did you decide to quit your job and start traveling the world? Did you have a plan for how long you’d travel?

I decided to quit my job in health care administration in 2005 when I met some backpackers while in Thailand. They inspired me to take time off from work and and see the world. After that trip, I came back home and quit my full-time job.

A year later, I finished my MBA and left to do my round-the-world trip. It was supposed to only be for one year but I came back 18 months later and knew I didn’t want to stop. I headed back out on the road and I’ve been going ever since.

2. How long do you typically stay in one place when you’re on the road? Do you have any favorite European destinations?

There’s no rhyme or reason to how long I stay in a place. It varies a lot depending on if I like a place, how expensive it is, and what I have to do next. I might stay in one city for two weeks and the next one two days. It all depends on how much fun I’m having.

Lately, my schedule has become a bit more rigid as I work in my travel around conferences. But for the most part, everything is done on a whim.

One spot that is a very underrated in Europe is Romania. That’s a beautiful country filled with nice people, few tourists, cheap prices, and wonderful countryside. Too few people visit it.

3. In your new book, “How to Travel the World on $50 a Day,” you mention several ways to save on travel. Could you share some of your best tips?

A few things you can do that can have a big impact on your budget are:

First, be flexible. The difference of a few days can mean the difference of hundreds of dollars on flights, cruises, hotels, etc.. The more rigid you are about where and when you have to travel, the less likely you are to find a good deal.

Secondly, try to avoid the “main attractions” of the world during high season. Paris is wonderful, but in the summertime, it’s crowded and expensive. Consider visiting Eastern Europe, which is cheaper and less busy and coming back to Paris at a later date. For every hot spot in the world, there is a place equally as good that is half the price.

Lastly, consider signing up for branded travel credit cards. These cards offer large sign up bonuses that will give you tens of thousands of free miles – often enough for a free round-trip ticket to Europe. If you aren’t using one of these cards, you’re leaving a lot of free money on the table.

4. What are the three most important items you pack, aside from clothing, a passport, money and a smartphone or computer?

A lock, deodorant, and a good book.

That’s some sweet-smelling and practical advice, Matt. Thanks for stopping by!

The post 4 Cheapo Questions for Nomadic Matt appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

When we last chatted with Tim back in June at the Travel Blog Exchange conference in Keystone, CO, he was hard at work wrapping up the latest edition of his book, The World’s Cheapest Destinations. We had plenty of questions for him then – as we do now – and love his perceptive, er, perspective on travel. We think you will, too.

Question 1: We’ve been fans of yours for years and appreciate you participating in our Q&A series. Can you first let our readers know a little about you and what led you into such an expansive travel writing career?

Like a lot of your readers, I took off on a round-the-world “trip of a lifetime” and had trouble stopping. My first trip was 20 years ago though, with my now-wife, and we circled the globe two more times, teaching English along the way and in my case, getting some toes in the door with editors as a travel writer.

I kept at it as a part-time writer for many years before finally quitting my day job and becoming a full-time travel writer and publisher last decade. I added a site here, a blog there until one day I woke up and realized I was a real business owner.

Question 2: Congrats on the success of “The World’s Cheapest Destinations.” It must be fascinating to see how budget travel has evolved since its first edition. What have been the biggest changes since the book’s initial publication?

The first edition came out 10 years ago and I’m quite embarrassed now when I look at it. The book is a lot better and meatier now.

The main changes in the world of travel though all stem from one trend: far more travelers. Every place is more crowded with tourists than it used to be, except for a few holdouts like North Korea, and while you can still quite easily get off the beaten path if you want, the flood of images on the web means there are fewer unknowns out there. Everything is easier and more organized.

There’s also 100 times more information about 100 times more places than a decade ago, which overall is probably a good thing. The world is wealthier overall, which is also a good thing, even if it does mean prices have inched up in some of our favorite places.

On the negative side, it saddens me to see four travelers sitting silently around a table, all exchanging messages with friends back home and posting status updates. Sometimes that goes on for a half hour, nobody talking to the person right across from them. There’s less experiencing, more sharing. Less reflection, more blabbering. Get the photo, upload, move on.

People seem unable to let go and just be in the moment, in the place, without immediately connecting to the home they supposedly left behind.

Question 3: Let’s talk Europe. You cover a lot of ground in this book and we’re interested in the trends you see shaping up across the continent. What destinations do you think should be on a Cheapo’s radar these days? Why?

My big destination change this time was removing Turkey and adding Slovakia. Turkey’s still great and I’m heading there later this year, but it’s definitely gotten more expensive as the economy has taken off and more cruise ships dock there—especially Istanbul. A decent value still, but not a great one for backpackers.

In Slovakia you can still feel way ahead of the curve. It’s beautiful Olde Europe with castles and historic architecture, plus surprisingly good wine in addition to the good beer, but it gets a tiny fraction of the visitors of the Czech Republic or Hungary. The main drawback is, because there aren’t many backpackers, there aren’t a lot of hostels and cheap day trip tours.

Although I’ve had Bulgaria in the book from the start, I was relying on third-party info and interviews. I finally made it there this past year and was blown away. It’s as cheap as some places in Asia and Latin America, with incredible scenery and excellent food. I’m itching to go back again and do some longer hiking trips, staying in mountain huts that are priced like hostels.

Cheapness depends a lot on exchange rates too, of course. Hungary felt less expensive this time I visited than it did four years ago, almost entirely because the dollar was stronger.

Question 4: What’s the next big trip for you and how are you doing it on the cheap?

I took my family to southeast Asia last summer, moving around as backpackers for three weeks, and it wasn’t hard to do it on the cheap there. Our budget was $150 a day and for that we really lived it up in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Nice hotels, three daily restaurant meals, frequent massages, etc. In the near future though I’m doing a lot of writing trips for articles, things where it’s not all on my dime. I’m doing a biking trip in Portugal in May though and am curious to see how prices there are looking during the ongoing crisis.

In the summer I’m moving back to Guanajuato, Mexico with my family though for two years and will be doing most of my travel the second half of the year there and in other spots in Latin America. I find Mexico quite affordable if you are in the interior rather than at the vacation resort areas.

I’ll probably get to Ecuador, which is another place you don’t have to try very hard to travel on the cheap. And oddly enough, they even use the U.S. dollar.

Sounds fantastic. Thanks for stopping by, Tim, and good luck with all your upcoming travels!

The post 4 Cheapo Questions for Tim Leffel of Perceptive Travel appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

We first met Jodi many moons ago in New York at our favorite after-work watering hole, Botanica, where she happened to be attending a MeetUp for Gothamist.com. A member of our happy hour clan happened to be wearing a t-shirt from the travel website Gadling, which Jodi spotted and—shazam!—a new relationship was born.

Since then we’ve enjoyed chatting it up with Jodi at the TBEX conferences and various events here in New York. We love her story and think you will, too.

Question 1: You have a very interesting, non-traditional career arc, to put it mildly. Can you let us know how you developed your plan to stop lawyering and start travel blogging? Was it part of your personal “master plan” or one day did it just become an apparent, obvious change you wanted to make?

It was a very gradual, very planned out change, though I thought I would just be traveling for one year and then return to lawyer once more. As you’ve seen, what happened is that I kept going and going, and the one year trip turned into a multi-year, sprawling adventure that led me to discover the world through food.

I always loved to travel, but the plan to quit and do so full-time can be traced back to a documentary I saw in high school, about the Trans-Siberian trains. I started thinking about going there myself, and taking the trains out to Mongolia and into China. Over the years, this idea sat below the surface and by the time I took my job offer in New York, I was dreaming of a full year of travel that would, of course, include these trains.

It was wonderful to finally get there and take my time crossing Russia, Siberia and Mongolia. Coming into China from Erlian, I was excited for a new continent but superbly satisfied to have done what I set out to do and enjoyed it so thoroughly too.

Question 2. You’ve been traveling all over the place the past 5 years. We’re talking South America, Russia, China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Turkey, England and Scotland, to name a few. Do you have a personal strategy for keeping it cheap while on the road? We’d love to hear some of the tips you’ve picked up along the way.

I think a good part of keeping costs down comes from the food. I don’t tend to splurge on meals, but rather find the market stalls and the street food carts that are popular. For lunch in Asia or South America, seeking the town’s university is a surefire way to locate fresh and cheap food – students are hungry, so demand is high and turnover is quick. While the food might not be gourmet, it is usually very good and authentically local.

In Europe, I tend to find greenmarkets or buy on-the-go building blocks for dinner at supermarkets – fresh cheese, bread (in my case, gluten-free crackers), fresh fruit, and more. Then, I’ll have my bigger meal at lunch (not dinner). Many restaurants have set courses at lunch that are very cost-effective. For finding them, I rely on sites like eGullet, Chowhound or on the suggestions of other travelers.

Question 3. We have a lot of travel friends in the industry who are big-time foodies. But you’re the only one we know who wrote a book about relying on food as a means to discover the world. How’d you wind up writing it? Give us the scoop.

It’s a fair question because I certainly didn’t start out with the intention of writing about food. What happened was that I figured out somewhere between Mongolia and China that I cared more about meals and food ingredients than most people, and with an intensity some found strange.

I wanted to know not just what people at for dinner, but why. And how did those ingredients end up in those countries? Why did people focus on certain spices versus others, or how did tea ceremonies or food etiquette come about? And as I started researching and asking questions, I saw that this would clearly become the primary focus for my future travels, because food was at the core of what fascinated me. It was as though my whole philosophy shifted to placing food in the center, with all the other interesting things – history, culture, landscapes – related, but separate.

So I started to travel for food. I went to towns specifically in search of a soup someone recommended, I tracked down an herb used in soup that tasted like nothing I had tried prior. I tried to learn the stories of the people behind the food too, and how their expertise had formed over the years. Concurrently, I started to write more about food and my site’s readers started sharing their own stories and questions. They also wanted to know how they could eat as I did without dying of dysentery…

When Shannon from A Little Adrift wrote to say she was joining a project started by Janice Waugh, and she suggested I come on board for the food book. And the rest is history! The book is part of a series of five called The Traveler’s Handbooks, and each follows a similar model – practical tips and inspirational stories, with lots of quotes from seasoned travelers and many photographs. I’m very excited to see the paperback up on Amazon, with digital versions to follow this week. I can’t believe it’s actually out there in the world!

Question 4. Last questions and it’s a loaded one: What’s the single best travel advice you’ve ever received? 

Don’t eat yellow snow? Oh, wait – no….that was my dad’s advice when he taught me how to ski.

I think the best advice would be from a quote from the book “A Fortune Teller Told Me” by Tiziano Terzani. I like the quote because it addresses what I truly believe about food: that it doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated. Instead, you only need to take a closer look or dig under the surface for what makes that ingredient, dish or meal special.

“Every place is a goldmine. You have only to give yourself time, sit in a teahouse watching the passers-by, stand in a corner of the market, go for a haircut. You pick up a thread – a word, a meeting, a friend of a friend of someone you have just met – and soon the most insipid, most insignificant place becomes a mirror of the world, a window on life, a theatre of humanity.”

So true. Thanks, Jodi!

The post 4 Cheapo Questions for Jodi Ettenberg of LegalNomads.com appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Today we continue our “4 Cheapo Questions” interview series by catching up with Darren Cronian, founder and editor of the Leeds-based website Travel Rants.  

We first came across Darren’s site several years ago when Travel Rants received the “Best Consumer Website” award from Travolution, a trade magazine and website that covers the movers and shakers in online travel.

Since then, we’ve been avid readers of Travel Rants and appreciate the direct, uncompromising manner it approaches the challenges facing consumer travel. A sampling of recent headlines include “Should alcohol be banned on airports and flights?,” “Thinking about long term travel,” and one of our faves, “Hotel star ratings are useless to consumers.”

But enough with the intro, let’s meet Travel Rants.

1. Tell us about yourself. What led to the creation of Travel Rants? Did you have a particular experience that triggered your blog’s creation?

Hello from England! I’m the man behind Travel Rants, a blog I started writing in April 2005, after poor customer service at a High Street travel agency. I needed a place to rant about my issues with travel, and I had read a few weeks earlier about this thing called a blog that you could create and publish your own content.

Over the following months the blog became a popular place for travel consumer discussions, and led me to be interviewed on TV, newspapers and radio about the types of issues consumers have with travel.

2. What are some of the most popular rants you’ve written to date? Are there any recurring topics that tend to pop up more frequently than others?

People love when I write controversial posts–usually it’s a topic that people want to write about but because they are so close to the subject, it’s just something they cannot publish.

I wrote a post about banning travel agency familiarization trips, which was picked up by the media and while most people disagreed, it was a fascinating discussion, and the first time I’ve seen tour operators and travel agencies join in a discussion online.

Another post was about how the travel associations have their annual conferences abroad, in sunny destinations, and that it wasn’t good for the environment. I had travel industry people emailing me and agreeing with what I wrote, but didn’t want to comment publically!

One of the most recurring rants that I receive from consumers are usually about airline extra charges, single person supplements, and companies who profiteer from situations like the volcano ash cloud incidents earlier this year.

Behind the scenes, the Ask Mr. Rants feature I run generates 30-50 emails a week from consumers who have questions about travel. Anything from best places to book holidays to how to complain about a holiday company. People just assume I sit here thinking about what I can rant about the travel industry next, but a lot goes on in the background that people are not aware of. Only this week I opened up communication between a cruise line and a consumer who had a complaint and could not get a response from them direct.

3. If you could change one particular thing about the travel industry, what would it be?

I think the industry needs to collaborate more on dealing with industry issues. I know associations like ABTA lobby the government, but I do wonder if some of the issues like Air Passenger Duty (APD) would be better fought as a group. I don’t just mean travel agencies and tour operators, but everyone including the travel media and blogs like Travel Rants.

At the end of the day we all have consumers’ interests at heart, and the increase in air passenger duty in November 2010 will only make flying more expensive for people travelling out of the UK.

How often do you travel? What planning tips do you use to minimize costs?

It differs every year, I usually prefer short breaks rather than one big two-week holiday. I want to see as much of the world as possible, so usually two to four trips a year. This year I went to New York and the Hague – a trip to Paris was planned, but due to the volcano ash cloud that had to be cancelled.

I am the type of consumer that does not like paying huge amounts of money for a hotel. At the end of the day, I spend very little time in a hotel room, and want to be out exploring the destination. I usually travel off-peak, with budget airlines, and use comparison sites like Eurocheapo to find the best priced hotels.  I am usually quite organized, so would do plenty of research beforehand.

I use Twitter, Facebook to ask for friends’ recommendations, which helps. I also try and find a hotel that isn’t in the center of the destination, but might be a 10-minute walk or bus ride away. I saved 40% when I stayed in Venice because I booked a hotel not on the main islands, but, it was only a 10-minute bus trip away. You pay for the location a lot of the time.

Bonus round: What is the best travel advice you’ve ever received?

Good question – over the years I have received a lot of travel advice, but I remember Jessica from WhyGo Italy telling me to get lost in Venice, and she was right. You find out so much about a destination if you just take a few hours to wander around without a map. I found restaurants and bars that were considerably cheaper, that the locals used, and despite Venice and Italy being a notoriously expensive destination, it turned out to be a great budget short break.

I cannot remember who told me this piece of advice, but I was warned about pickpockets in Prague, so I was very wary of people around me in groups – a traveller at my hotel, was robbed of his money, cards and passport.

Thanks for chatting with us, Darren. And best of luck with Travel Rants!

The post 4 Cheapo Questions for Darren Cronian from Travel Rants appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

We had the pleasure of getting to know Sam when our paths crossed in London last year, during which time he told us the fun and interesting story behind the company he runs with his brother, Peter.

We’re big fans of Travellerspoint and the service they provide to help travelers from around the world share useful tips and advice. Interested in learning more? Read on, Cheapos…

1. Please tell us the story behind Travellerspoint. How did it get started?

We first discussed Travellerspoint over an MSN chat session in the middle of 2002, while I was living in the Netherlands and Peter, my brother and co-founder, was living in Australia.

The idea originally was to create a “find lost travel friends” site, as we had both traveled and met people, just to lose contact with those same people soon after ways parted. Three months later, we launched Travellerspoint with that function, a basic travel diary and a travel log function.

Throughout the years we’ve added forums, blogs, mapping, a wiki travel guide and a pretty advanced budget accommodation booking system as we moved along and our ideas developed or new possibilities came along. A few years after launching we all of a sudden realized that the focus had changed to that of a travel community, with great members keen to help each other out with advice and share their experiences.

From then on our focus has been to keep developing complementing services to make it easy for travelers to share experiences with one another, whatever stage of their trip they might be on.

2. Are there any recent travel trends or topical themes you’ve noticed within the TP community?

I often notice waves of posts around a topic, but I’m not really sure if I can blame it on a trend, or just some Google algorithm that all of a sudden sends a lot of traffic looking for information about overstaying their Schengen visa, or visiting the US with a criminal record!

Broadly it seems to me that there are a lot more people asking about traveling to Europe this year than last though. Lately it also seems that “everyone” is visiting Machu Picchu. There are also trends that are very indicative of our times, for example traveling with a laptop seems to be more and more accepted than it was just a few years ago.

One thing that I’m definitely noticing is that no matter how many sites are currently being started trying to help take the hassle out of trip planning, there is just no substitute for personalized advice and interacting with other travelers, whether it’s on travel specific sites like Travellerspoint and Bootsnall, or broader sites like Facebook.

3. How often do you travel, what is your favorite destination to visit and where are you heading to next?

If I define traveling as leaving home for a minimum of one night, I probably travel about 10-20 times a year. Most of it isn’t particularly glamorous though; just short trips for work to conferences, meetings and the like.

I also try and get back to the Netherlands at least four or five times a year to visit friends, and like most Norwegian residents, a year isn’t really complete without at least three or four cabin trips. This year I’m particularly excited about visiting South Africa for the first time in June, and especially as it’s for the World Cup, the greatest sporting event in the world.

What’s also fun about the trip is that I only know one of the guys that I’m traveling with through TP. We’ve met a few times in the past few years so aren’t quite strangers anymore, but it all started with him posting on our forums.

I’m also looking forward to visiting China later this year, even if it is for a conference.

Still, if I had to pick my favorite destination, it would be Australia. I studied and worked there for a while, and there’s something about the combination of the people, country and lifestyle that makes it a fantastic destination. Luckily my parents and brothers live there, so I have both the excuse of visiting for personal reasons and work reasons, even if it is a long trip with a toddler in tow.

4. What is the best travel advice you’ve ever received?

Oh, there’s been so much throughout the years! But last year, for example, my wife and I were looking for a place in Malaysia to spend a relaxing 10 days with a three-year old on the way back from Australia. I asked on the TP forums and got some great tips, one of which led to a lovely stay on Redang Island at a place that was exactly what we were looking for on that particular trip.

I love how you can ask open ended questions like that and get good advice, based on a specific situation that might be totally different next time when I’m travelling alone or travelling for work.

Bonus question: We came across this wonderful photo of you traveling at a very young age. Please tell us more about this and your other early travel experiences.

Ah yes, part of my collection of early childhood photos from the Solomon Islands, where I grew up. The main reason for uploading those photos was this “unofficial history of Travellerspoint” blog post.

In seriousness, I was about a month old when my parents left the comforts of the Netherlands to head to the Solomon Islands, by way of PNG (where that photo is taken). For my first six years, we lived on an island called Rennell, which isn’t very well known, but Gary Arndt of Everything Everywhere has it listed as one of his favourite articles.

After that, we moved to Honiara which is on Guadalcanal, a name that rings a few bells with people due to its part in the second World War. We lived in the Solomons till I was nearly 13, so I have lots of memories from growing up there, but for me it was pretty much just “home.”

We traveled going back and forth to the Netherlands and US every three to four years, usually trips of between two and six months. I really remember those trips well; all the luxury that surrounds you, escalators, fast food, supermarkets that are stocked, etc.

Once in Singapore we were staying at a hotel with a McDonald’s on the ground floor and Peter and I would just endlessly take the elevator from the hotel room down to McDonald’s–such luxury! Living in the Netherlands, travelling just is one of those things everyone does, every year, so it wasn’t hard to keep the travel bug alive from then on.

Thanks for your time, Sam! And keep the photos coming!

The post 4 Cheapo Questions for Sam Daams of Travellerspoint.com appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Michael, along with Jim Benning, founded the highly regarded website World Hum in 2001 with the stated goal of publishing “the best travel stories on the Internet.” Their plan seems to have worked out well, as World Hum has gobbled up numerous awards and accolades over the years, and is a 2010 Webby honoree for best copy / writing.

World Hum is now part of Travel Channel Media and continues producing excellent travel narratives from its network of talented contributing writers. We’re big fans of World Hum and we think you should be, too.

1. Please tell us about World Hum’s early days and what led you to start the site with Jim Benning.

Jim and I became friends in college. We shared a love of travel and took similar early career paths. I started out writing for newspapers, and moved into magazine editing. Jim wrote for newspapers, and then for magazines.

We lamented that few publications featured the kinds of travel stories we like to read and write, stories that we weren’t seeing – and still don’t see much — in most travel publications and websites. Stories about how travel can change you, how travel can change the way you see the world. Stories full of voice and terrific writing. Salon.com’s late, great Wanderlust section was a big inspiration. Don George, the editor of the section, really showed some of the possibilities of publishing high-quality travel writing online.

So, in 2001, we embraced the possibilities of the Internet. We scrounged up $35 to buy a domain and created a crudely designed but, we like to think, lovable site. We focused primarily on finding and featuring strong travel essays. In fact, there wasn’t much on World Hum besides text. Hard to imagine a travel publication without images, but that’s pretty much what we were. It was truly a labor of love, with me and Jim working on the site during early mornings and late nights and during weekends, and writers from all over the world sending in what turned out to be the backbone of the site – great travel stories.

2. What do you think are the most visible trends in the travel writing industry since World Hum’s inception?

The biggest trend: The explosive rise of travel blogs and travel bloggers, particularly in the last year or two. When World Hum launched, I could find only a handful of travel blogs. Now there are thousands. And it’s a vibrant, engaged community, fueled in part by the explosive rise of social media.

I think the next few years are going to be very interesting, as travel bloggers experiment with new approaches and new ways to make money.

3. How often do you travel and where are you heading to next?

I don’t travel much as I used to these days, which is good and bad. The good: I like spending time with at home my family – I have two boys under two years old. The bad: I have an international travel itch that I need to scratch.

My next few trips: Baltimore, Dover, New York, and Chicago.

4. What’s the best travel advice you’ve ever received?

Say yes. You don’t have to be like that guy who said yes to everything for a year, but it’s good to be curious and willing to try new and different things.

Bonus question: What are your top 3 picks for summer reading this year?

I’ll start devouring Carl Hiaasen’s “Star Island” the day it comes out in July. I’m also looking forward to reading “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot and “Grounded: A Down to Earth Journey Around the World” by Seth Stevenson.

Thanks for taking the time to chat, Michael. And best of luck to WorldHum at the Webbys in June!

The post 4 Cheapo Questions For Michael Yessis From World Hum appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Pauline is a one-stop shop for budget travel insight and advice, offering tips for “spending less and seeing more” on Frommers.com and in her “Pauline Frommer” guidebook series. In addition to her travel writing and editing, Pauline hosts a nationally syndicated radio show, makes frequent appearances on national TV, and is a regular speaker at travel events, sometimes alongside her father, Arthur Frommer.

1. Tell us about your travels. How often do you travel? Where are you heading to next?

Well, I just spent the last week going over my travel receipts for my taxes and discovered that in 2009, I was on the road for part or all of every month except September. I guess that’s pretty standard for me. My next trip is to Guatemala!

2. That’s a pretty busy schedule! Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your guidebook series, and your radio show?

Yes, I’m always busy, but in a good way. I think it was Justice Sandra Day O’Conner who said that the key to happiness is finding work worth doing. Though I would never claim to have had as much of an impact as she has (for better and for worse, I might add), I do have work that I love, and that I hope helps would-be travelers.

I’m the founder and managing editor of the Pauline Frommer guidebooks. We now have 14 in the series, from “Pauline Frommer’s Paris” to “Pauline Frommer’s Costa Rica” to “Pauline Frommer’s Italy“. (You can see the complete list at www.frommers.com/pauline.) Most are now in their second editions; I wrote four of the guides and edited the other 10.

The Pauline Frommer guides have the tagline: Spend Less, See More. And that’s what they’re all about: doing budget travel but in a smart way. They’re for travelers who want to save loads of money when they travel, but do so without sacrificing comfort. So while we do list hostels, we’re more likely to give people ideas about alternative accommodations such as farm stays, private B&B’s (where you stay in a local’s apartment and pay for a private room what you’d usually pay at a hostel), condo rentals, etc. We have the largest focus and have done the most research on alternative accommodations than any of the mainstream travel publications. Of course, we also talk extensively about affordable eating options, transportation, sightseeing, etc.

3. We dig the focus on alternative accommodations. What else sets your guidebooks apart from the others out there?

We also differ from the other series in a section we feature called “The Other.” This will be either a chapter or a section of a chapter on experiences one can have when traveling that allow the visitor to experience the country as the locals do.

So we’ll tell you about a great roving party that takes place in NYC (sometimes on the subways; people bring boom boxes onto a train after midnight and everyone dances). In Hawaii, we’ll alert you to opportunities to help scientists with the yearly whale count or with the sea turtles that nest there (this usually will take just a day from your vacation). In Las Vegas, we tell you how you can audit a class for dealers for an hour or two (it’s fascinating to watch them learn how to take gamblers) or attend a magicians “karaoke” night at a local bar, where they try out their tricks on one another. We’ll also tell you about chefs in Paris who hold small cooking classes in their homes; and the cafes in the City of Light, where you can attend a philosophical evening, as locals gather to discuss life’s great questions (in English), while quaffing wine.

These are just a few examples, but it’s a section of these guidebooks that have really struck a chord among our users.

4. What’s the best budget travel advice you’ve ever received?

I’m not sure if I “received” this, but I guess the advice I’d give from my long years of traveling is to never be shy about saving money. Often getting a discount simply means asking for one, or seeing if changing your travel plans slightly will garner you a discount.

Saving money is all about doing your research (so you know what the possibilities are for savings), being pushy (in a polite way!) and being flexible.

Bonus round! What are you most willing to splurge on when exploring a new city?

I guess my go-to splurge is on admission charges. I once had a writer I was editing tell me he hadn’t gone to a very well-known historic house because he was so disgusted by the entrance charge. I immediately replaced him (we needed that write up!). But I also didn’t like his attitude, which I thought was penny-wise and pound foolish. While I’d never splurge on a hotel, I think seeing great works of art or architecture are definitely worth paying a bit extra for.

Final question: What’s the best meal you’ve had for under €15 and where was it?

Can one count many, many scoops of gelato as a meal? If so, I’d recommend La Palma in Rome. If not, I’d have to say the wonderful liver and onion tacos I had recently in Mexico City, which cost about $2 total for the complete meal. Sorry that’s not in Europe, but that’s what’s on my mind right now.

Oh, and I also had an AMAZING pizza at DiMatteo in Naples. For the pie, we paid about $8, if I’m remembering correctly, but that fed my whole family (2 adults, 2 kids).

Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, Pauline! We’ll be taking a special look at “The Other” sections when we check out your upcoming editions. We wish we had known about the wine-and-philosophy chat during our last trip to Paris. Alas, there’s always next year… Happy travels!

The post 4 Cheapo Questions for Pauline Frommer appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

We’ve been big fans of Mike’s website for a long time, both for its thoughtful articles and talented writing, as well as its eye-catching photography and snazzy design.

But enough about us! Read on to learn a little more about Mike and the story behind Vagabondish.

1. Can you tell us about yourself and your website, Vagabondish.com?

As a web geek with a real passion for travel, I needed a way to chronicle my travels online. Naturally, a blog was the way to go. So, three years ago this month (October 2006), Vagabondish.com was born.

It was nothing more than a personal playground at the time – a place to post travel-related photos, articles, advice and links that I enjoyed. I had no intention at the time of making it a full-time gig. Three years on, we’re still posting great travel tips, news and advice, but with a fantastic crew of writers, regular contributors and avid readers.

2. What’s the best travel advice you’ve ever received?

Well, there are two bits really. Both could well be applied to life as a whole, but served me well as motivation to follow my passion for travel. The first is paraphrased from Tim Ferriss:

“The traffic lights of life are never going to all be green.”

The “location independent” lifestyle niche has grown tremendously in the past three years and really exploded in the past twelve months. More and more “wage slaves” and corporate 9-to-5’ers are wondering if a life of perpetual travel is possible. Many question whether it’s a viable long-term lifestyle path.

The fact is: if you’re passionate about travel and seeing the world, do it! Like deciding to buy a house or have a child, there’s never going to be a perfect time when all the planets align just right for you to take the plunge.

… and also from Tim:

“People will choose unhappiness over uncertainty.”

It’s sad, but often true. I’ve corresponded with literally thousands of travelers – many are perpetual vagabonds with no real place to call “home” – during my years as editor of Vagabondish. Not a single one has ever expressed regret for leaving their previous trappings – work, house, fiancé, etc. – behind. Not one.

Incidentally, it’s part of the reason that this post – Just Dive In! How to Travel (and Live) Without Regret – was one of our all-time reader favorites.

3. Tell us about your favorite place to stay in Europe. Where is it and what made it special?

My favorite stays have always been with locals. Earlier this year, I scored a fantastic private loft space with a couple in Berlin’s Mitte borough via Craigslist. The entire 10-night stay cost less than two nights at a mid-range hotel. And of course, the best way to interact with locals and get an authentic taste of your surroundings is to live with them.

4. When and where is your next trip, and how are you doing it on the cheap?

My girlfriend and I are headed to Key West for the New Year’s celebration. We’ll be staying with family and a few friends to keep it on the cheap.

This of course isn’t always a possibility. But I’ve realized just how easy it is to make new friendships online. If you know you’ll be traveling to a specific destination, check out Couchsurfing and even Twitter (use http://search.twitter.com and search for folks Twittering about your destination). Even if you can’t find someone to host you, you’ll no doubt make the acquaintance of great, knowledgeable and friendly locals who are often much obliged to share a drink and show you around their hometown.

Now get ready for the “speed round”:

Favorite airport – Right here in Providence, Rhode Island. It’s small, but it’s home.

Aisle or window – Always the window.

Chicken, fish, meat or veggie – Gotta be fish! If it’s from the sea, it’s for me.

1 item you can’t travel without – Laptop. C’mon, I’m a travel website editor.

Most under-rated landmark in Europe – Glendalough in County Wicklow, Ireland. It’s staggeringly beautiful – a quintessential Irish landscape.

Thanks for chatting with us, Mike! And keep up the good work with Vagabondish!

The post “4 Cheapo Questions” for Mike Richard of Vagabondish.com appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.