RSSAbout Us
How to Travel the World on a Budget and Live to Blog About It
Who are we?
We are a couple of 25-year-old Americans from Virginia. After graduating from U.Va and spending months lamenting our lost youth, we finally scored jobs that were both satisfying and moderately well-paying. Just as we were en route to establishing ourselves as adults, we had a brilliant idea: let’s quit our great jobs! Let’s blow our hard-earned savings on an 8-month unscripted journey around the world! Join us as we figure out just about everything as we go.
Brittany is a former barista/advertising designer/magazine web editor who loves shopping, blogs, and shopping blogs. Her web skills make this site possible, and she thinks that Ben is mostly a giant mooch.
Ben is a former movie theater concession worker/research librarian/corporate cube dweller who loves epic battles, video games, anything having to do with the future, and mooching.
Our Trip Philosophy
8 months might be enough to see all the “must-see” landmarks around the world, but the whirlwind tour this would entail is not really our style. Instead, we have selected a handful of countries where we’d really like to experience the local lifestyle. We hope to live in each destination for a month or so, in an effort to get a taste of the culture that goes deeper than the local tourist attractions. Luckily, our itinerary is entirely open-ended, so we can always linger longer in places we love (or dip out sooner from places we don’t!)
How Are We Doing This?
This is the question that we are asked the most often. We are able to afford this trip thanks to 1.) our stinginess, and 2.) we hope to work — Brittany as a freelance web designer (need a website?) and Ben as … well, anyone need hired manual labor? English tutor?
To plan our trip, we have relied heavily on blogs and forums. In addition, we have recently become avid readers of the Rough Guides and Lonely Planet travel guides. We have tried to make our decisions regarding how to pack and where to visit based on the stories of those who have gone before us.
Because we are foolhardy adventurous, we are taking this trip with very little planning time under our belts. What most people spend one or more years planning, we have attempted to do in a matter of weeks. This means that we are leaving tons of untied loose ends, but Ben is confident that this is called “living life to the max.” Brittany is not convinced.
I wish I had come across your plans earlier - I love to meet fellow Virginians planning ’round the world trips. There’s more of us around than I use to think! Good luck, and I can’t wait to join you on the road this November.
Hey Guys!
Great site so far, you two sound a lot like my husband and I. We are from California and have a passion for traveling. We originally set out to start our adventure in Greece and strangely enough, on the island of Crete. About 2 days before we were to set out, we completely changed our plans and decided to reverse our trip and we are now in Thailand! Thailand is intense and crazy but the locals are very sweet, the Chang beer has been intense to say the least (6.4%)!! We are on the island of Phuket, it’s been raining a lot but from what the locals tell us, the rain should be ending very soon. I am not sure if you two have been through Europe before, but I have been to all the countries you two plan on going. If you have any questions, please ask! I was in Europe 4 years ago and Euro-railed my way around for about 5 months. Anyway, we will be checking in on your blog, please check in on ours! Good luck and be safe! Most of all have fun and enjoy each other! Cheers, Alie http://hobosinlovemedia.com
Ben, we are now in a fight. I did not realize you were going on this extravagant trip around the world when we last crossed paths in Short Pump. Let me know when and if you get back into town. Although, by that point, I might already be living in NYC. Who knows. Enjoy yourself over there and give Brit my best. Everyone likes to get a stranger’s best.
hey brittany! i haven’t seen you in forever. not since the days of Mt. Pisgah and our crazy traveling musicals. i found the link to your site from your sister’s facebook. it’s totally amazing you guys are doing this. i’ll definitely bookmark it so i can see what fun things you guys are up to.
Hi guys! I was thinking of you and took a look at your site today. I am so jealous of your adventures in Italy. If you need some Italian skills (meaning the vocab of a 5-year old) please email me!
hi, i found your website on thorntree, it´s really funny and interesting. i was intrigued enough to click on it because of the name… as a kiwi, we use dollars too you see. and by god, euros eat nz dollars twice as fast as they do american dollars!
dont even get me started on pounds!
hope you are still enjoying your travels, i am having a ball with mine!
keep safe,
danielle
I came across the site while searching for info on Greece. The title caught my eye and I’ve been hooked ever since! Enjoy the rest of your trip and keep the great posts coming.
another nina commented on your blog! unbelievable. the posts are hilarious and the blog is wonderful. i miss you two.