If you want to see every post I’ve written, starting with the most recent, this is the place to start!
I’ve been traveling the globe solo, and many of my posts share thoughts and resources specifically for other solo travelers. If you’re a fellow solo traveler, or you’re thinking about solo travel, this is a collection you will find of interest.
If you’re looking to read blog posts about specific destinations, click the country of your interest below to go to it’s blog page and get country-specific reviews and thoughts.
Sometimes I write posts where I give insider information on certain cities I’ve visited, which may be more along the lines of places to go, how to save money, etc. If that’s your main interest, check out this compilation of posts.
In 2020, I was traveling in New Zealand as the coronavirus pandemic brewed, and, got stuck there. If you want to read about what this time was like and traveling during this time, check out this page.
At the heart of international travel is learning about the many different cultures and ways of being around the world. The posts compiled on this page speak, specifically, about the cultural observations I’ve had.
Many of my blog posts are about things I’ve discovered about myself or about being, while I’ve traveled. If you’d like to focus on posts that only have self-discovery themes, click the button below.
TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE
More on the Value of My Adventure
Heather Markel, Writer, Speaker, Photographer, Traveler, Business Strategist
5 January 2018
Turns out there’s a ton of value to long term travel, and it’s pretty damn cool.
No Regrets.
This is one of the biggest values I know I have gotten. Instead of spending the rest of my life wondering, “what if?” I get to look back and know the answer and be proud of myself for pursuing the answer. I also get to understand more about what I live and dislike about how I’m living and make efforts to change my life in the direction I want. I also know from making big changes that I can do it, and changes that used to scare me seem less scary now. Facing life with more courage is pretty damn amazing.
In Bangkok people actually form organized lines to ride the subway during rush hour!
Photograph by Heather Markel, Copyright 2019
More Alignment
By quieting all the other people’s voices in my head and making space for my own, I’ve gotten so much more aligned. I feel more me than I’ve ever felt before. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that the chronic pain in my neck from the 2 discs I herniated during my marriage that continued to bother me every day of working in corporate have hardly given me any pain at all during all this travel….I get to tell people who I am and what I’m about with a sense of integrity, clarity and direction. I can listen better to those in need and because I’ve taken some big risks and gotten more in touch with how much better it feels to be aligned than to feel confused and frustrated, I can help others look forward to that inspiring place.
“Discovering forgotten parts of myself and learning what makes me happy is invaluable.”
Tapping Into Creativity
I’ve always had creative side outlets like jewelry and handbag making. But I forgot that when I was younger I used to write poetry and even got an honorable mention in a global peace essay writing contest I entered. I’ve written op-eds and articles that have gotten published and even a couple of kids books, and business books and articles. So writing most of the time, as it turns out, is something I rather enjoy. What I didn’t know, though, is that I love photography, too! I liked it – gosh when we only had film as an option I spent a summer in France and came back with 36 rolls of photos!! But it’s become a visual form of expression. Instead of just a building or a street, I feel like I’m beginning to be able to tell a story or tap in to the hidden beauty of a location with an unusual angle.
Have you ever seen a bigger fan of Buddha?
Photograph by Heather Markel, Copyright 2019
More In Common With More People
The more places I go, the more conversations I can have with more people who have also been there or are from there. I already loved talking to everyone I could and now I can speak to even more people about shared experiences. It’s exhilarating!
All the Cool Stuff I’ve Done – and The Cows I’ve Seen.
To be able to look back at what I’ve done is one of the most fun benefits I’ve gotten. I mean I went ziplining high above the tree tops in Costa Rica, I rode a water buffalo in Vietnam, I played with elephants and monkeys in Thailand, I climbed beautiful mountains in Scotland. And, let’s not forget the cows! I have seen the coolest, most beautiful cows around the world. I have loved each and every one of them and there are so many more yet to come!
![Could taking time away from work be one of the smartest decisions you make for your career and your life?
In this episode of How to Travel Full-Time, I explore why intentional time away, including a career break, sabbatical, or travel reset, may become an important part of the future of work.
Inspired by the Harvard Business School Managing the Future of Work episode, "Why Time Away May Be the Future of Work," this conversation looks at how longer careers, workplace burnout, artificial intelligence, and rapid professional change are challenging the traditional idea that we should work continuously until retirement.
But taking time away is not only about recovering from burnout.
A well-planned travel reset can give you the space to reconnect with yourself, reconsider what you want from your career, and decide what your next chapter should look like.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why the traditional 40-year career model is beginning to crack • How burnout can be information, not personal failure • Why vacations often do not solve deeper dissatisfaction • How travel creates distance, perspective, and clarity • Why taking time away does not have to damage your career • How a travel reset differs from a vacation or permanent full-time travel • What keeps accomplished professionals from taking extended time off • Why time away could become part of a long-term career strategy
If your life looks successful from the outside but no longer feels aligned with the person you have become, this episode is for you.
🎧 Subscribe to this podcast for more conversations about travel resets, extended travel, burnout recovery, career reinvention, midlife transformation, and using travel as a catalyst for personal change.
🌍 Sign up for my upcoming free webinar (https://heatherbegins.com/future-webinar-interest/) , How To Use Travel To Transform Your Life, Even With A Busy Career [https://heatherbegins.com/future-webinar-interest/]
Link to HBR podcast: Click here (https://www.hbs.edu/managing-the-future-of-work/podcast/why-time-away-may-be-the-future-of-work)
💬 Question for you: Have you ever considered taking one to six months away from work? What's the biggest thing stopping you?
#TravelReset #CareerBreak #FutureOfWork](https://heatherbegins.com/wp-content/plugins/feeds-for-youtube/img/placeholder.png)
We have friends that are full time travelers. I notice you touched briefly on Long Term Travel Insurance. What type of policy do you get and who do you get it from. what is the approx cost. I enjoy reading your stories.
I used World Nomads for the travel insurance. Cost depends on your state of residence, age, etc so you have to get an estimate from their website at http://www.worldnomads.com