archives: Life

The Surprising Wisdom Of Will Smith

  9 Comments

A fan-compiled video shares the collected wisdom of Will Smith, revealing the secret to his remarkable success in Hollywood...and life.  More »

Fear and Loathing: How Risk of Injury Can Inhibit Travel Plans

  7 Comments

Megan Hill suffered an injury while traveling abroad in Vancouver, BC. The experience made her wonder if her dream to travel to remote places was fini  More »

Are Long-Term Travelers Avoiding “Real” Life?

Popular  28 Comments

Long term traveler Nomadic Matt wonders why he is constantly met with the question, "What are you running away from?" BNT writers have searched for th  More »

My Big Fat Greek Wedding On Religious Steroids

  4 Comments

A couple from Los Angeles goes to great religious lengths for their Greek wedding ceremony.  More »

Can Life-Changing Travel And Luxury Coexist?

Popular  15 Comments

While the "tourist/traveler" debate is a dead-end, can we assert that luxury and life-changing travel are generally opposite to each other? Ross Tabak  More »

Live Long And Prosper: Deconstructing The Happy Planet Index

Popular  12 Comments

The Happy Planet Index ranks the happiest countries in the world - Shelly Seale explores what can we learn from studying their cultures.  More »

Not Just Another 9/11 Post

Popular  4 Comments

Memorializing tragic history is important. So is looking at the happy times that have occurred since.  More »

Beyond Limits: How Travel Pushes Your Personal Boundaries

Popular  13 Comments

If you don’t push yourself into new and uncomfortable experiences, it’s unlikely you’ll ever discover how adaptable you really are.  More »

Choose Risk: How A Travel Bug Conquered Her Fear Of Flying

  7 Comments

The known is safe while the unknown is a mystery. This causes fear. What you do with the fear makes all the difference.  More »

Victims Abroad: How To Regain Your Trust Of Travel

Popular  11 Comments

Negative cultural experiences can sour our joy of people. But it's these critical moments of uncertainty that determine whether or not we cling rigidl  More »

5 Key Ingredients in the Search for Happiness

Popular  45 Comments

Do you want to be happy? Of course you do. These five ingredients may help you along your quest.  More »

Healing a Broken Heart through Travel

Popular  21 Comments

Travel can open your mind, help you connect to other cultures, and give you a deeper understanding of life. It can also help to heal your heart.   More »

Missed Chances: How To Travel Without Regrets

Popular  11 Comments

Travel constantly presents us with unique opportunities to experience life. But you can't help wonder about the ones that got away.  More »

Mind Over Matter: Travel Starts With You

Popular  13 Comments

Your mental state plays a surprisingly strong role in your perception of place, as revealed in the personal experience of Ekaterina Petrovna.  More »

The First Timer’s Guide to Seeing a Psychic

Popular  12 Comments

Ever wondered what it might be like to look into your future? Here are five recommendations on how to approach this sometimes tricky area.   More »

The Myth Of The True Traveler

Popular  7 Comments

Is vacation the enemy of travel? Not so, reveals the author in a provocative exploration of the tourist/traveler debate.  More »

Classic Tales: Life Lessons From Gulliver’s Travels

Popular  8 Comments

Classic works often contain surprising relevance to our own life and travels.  More »

What Will The World’s Population Look Like In 2025?

Popular  7 Comments

Huge population shifts have occurred over the last century, including the doubling in the world's population. Christine Garvin takes a look at what th  More »

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good Travelers?

Popular  8 Comments

From Bali to Mumbai, terror is forever lurking around the corner. Or is it? Here's how to make peace with danger on the road.  More »

How to Reinvent Yourself While Traveling Abroad

Popular  19 Comments

Leaving our mental baggage behind gives us the opportunity to escape ourselves when immersed in a new culture. Here's how it's done.  More »

Response: Would You Be A Perpetual Traveler Or World Citizen?

Popular  13 Comments

Joel Falconer at Lifehack asks a fascinating question. F. Daniel Harbecke responds.  More »

Sweet Dreams: An Epic Story About A Traveling Cupcake

Popular  3 Comments

The story of a cupcake who dreams of the open sea.   More »

The Parable Of The Fisherman

  3 Comments

A businessman was at the pier of a small coastal village when a tiny boat with just one fisherman docked...  More »

Albert Einstein: “I Am Truly A Lone Traveler”

Popular  5 Comments

Excerpts from a classic essay by the rad scientist himself, on life, traveling, and how to be a good person.  More »

Finding a Travel Blues Antidote at the Burning Pig

Popular  5 Comments

You could travel no farther than your hometown, but if you’re with people who challenge and inspires you…well then, you’ve seen th  More »

What Tyler Durden’s Philosophy Teaches Us About Travel

Popular  81 Comments

"You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. . . "  More »

Now Boarding: Why the Airport is a Metaphor for Life

Popular  8 Comments

The airport provides the most interesting of backdrops for someone who enjoys imagining other people’s stories.  More »

Interview: Jason Silva on How Science Will Make You Live Forever

Popular  80 Comments

Is death simply another problem that can be solved by science?   More »

Witnessing The Divine In The Darkness

Popular  9 Comments

From the Yogis to the Romantics, many have sought to live on the edge of society.  More »

Holy War: How Conflict Shapes The Culture Of Israel

Popular  5 Comments

An agnostic's visit to the homeland of her family.  More »

The True Confessions Of A Language-aholic

Popular  7 Comments

While most are content with knowing one language, others seek to learn much more.  More »

Not Everyone Will Become A Surf Goddess (And Why That’s Okay)

Popular  1 Comments

Nothing wrong with having dreams. Just make sure they're the right ones for you.  More »

The (Next) 50 Most Inspiring Travel Quotes Of All Time

Popular  3 Comments

Good travel quotes are markers on the path of life.  More »

Graveyard Travel: How To Celebrate Life By Visiting The Dead

Popular

They're not just for dead people anymore.  More »

Why Some Travelers Have All The Luck (And How To Join Them)

Popular  5 Comments

And how to join their ranks.  More »

How Travel Challenges The Acceptance Of Inequality

  1 Comments

Pondering life through a surf experience in Peru.  More »

Why Travel Is Most Valuable When Shared

  2 Comments

What comes after your long-awaited journey?   More »

5 Unique Ways To Avoid Depression On The Road

Popular  11 Comments

Every traveler gets a little down sometimes. Here's how to get your groove back.  More »

Why Travelers Should Spend Time Instead Of Money

Popular  9 Comments

Forget dropping wads of cash. Make sure you stay longer.  More »

Discovering The Hidden Nation Of Soul-Seekers

Popular  11 Comments

Where there's no place to call home.  More »

How To Understand (And Beat) Your Homecoming Hangover

Popular  6 Comments

Because there's no place like home.  More »

Travel Is About Who You Meet, Not Where You Go

Popular  14 Comments

We all dream of meeting that person who has the key to the city's door and is willing to open it.   More »

Warning: Do You Practice These Travel Superstitions?

Popular  12 Comments

Don't worry, we won't tell anyone.  More »

The Most Valuable Thing You Can Pack On The Journey

Popular  12 Comments

And it won't fit in your backpack either.  More »

What Would You Give For Your Traveler’s Moment?

Popular  12 Comments

Your moment is out there - you just have to find it.  More »

Lessons Of Hope From “The Kid” Of Saigon

  4 Comments

Grace Kim finds sorrow and hope abroad, in the guise of Charlie Chaplin's Tramp and The Kid.  More »

Does The Internet Cheapen Your Travel Experience?

Popular  14 Comments

Jacob Bielanski asks, "Does the internet cheapen your travel experience?"  More »

The 50 Most Inspiring Travel Quotes Of All Time

Popular  190 Comments

Stuck in a travel rut? Jumpstart your lust with these inspiring travel quotes.  More »

Does The World Discriminate Against Disabled Travelers?

Popular  11 Comments

Being a disabled traveler involves challenges many others don’t have to face. But is movement getting easier or harder for disabled travelers t  More »

Found In Translation: Why Travel As A Teenager Is The Best Education

Popular  21 Comments

Travel when you’re young provides an invaluable opportunity for growth. When I first arrived in Tokyo, I was sick, lost, and alone. I was also   More »

5 Dreams You Could Experience While Traveling (And What They Mean)

Popular  12 Comments

Your dreams on the road can offer insight into yourself and your journey. Tim Patterson shares his own experiences. I press my tongue against a too  More »

4 Lessons Learned From The Vagabond Life

Popular  13 Comments

I struggled to define myself. Was I a vagabond? An unemployed 20-something with no future? The last 16 months of my life have been spent wandering. A  More »

Divine Inspiration: How Travel Teaches Us To Appreciate Humanity

Popular  9 Comments

Knowing ourselves and our communities, and seeing them in unison, is the first step in fostering the divine world spirit. A wise Indian man once said  More »

The 7 Enigmas of Travel

Popular  11 Comments

Travel produces a special feeling – one that can’t be replicated by any other means. When a person anticipates traveling or is en-route,  More »

Does Amazon’s “Kindle” Signal The Death Of The Traveling Paperback?

Popular  21 Comments

I work in the publishing industry, and I’m also an avid reader – so it’s no wonder I’ve been knee deep in Kindle speculation f  More »

Punk To Police: Globalization From The Eyes Of A Chinese Expat

Popular  10 Comments

I once had a university professor who I will describe as “mentally diverse.” She was my favorite professor, although you never knew when  More »

Christmas Compassion: Reflections From the Holidays

  4 Comments

The holiday season. It arrives with festivities and departs with similar flair. Goodbye…and please do not return until next year. Christmas ha  More »

Handup Or Handout? The Case Against Micro-Loans

Popular  19 Comments

Is the principal effect of micro-lending to further hook people into dependence upon the money economy? Josh Kearns explains. I want to urge caution i  More »

Reflections From A Female Solo Traveler

Popular  22 Comments

Should women travel alone? Emily Hansen addresses the most common concerns and lays the fears to rest. Ever since I began traveling solo at age 19, I  More »

From Traveler To Tourist In 5 Easy Steps

Popular  24 Comments

A good mate of mine is a travel snob. I don’t mean he only flies first class and only stays in five star hotels – quite the opposite. His  More »

How To Handle The Guilt Of Your Over-Consumptive Culture

Popular  1 Comments

Everything takes getting used to. Whether it’s sleeping on the street with your family, saying ‘no’ to beggars, fasting for days, f  More »

Do You Know What’s Crawling In Your Hostel Shower?

Popular  7 Comments

There are few things in the world that are universal. You might think showering is one of them. How many variations could there be? The answer R  More »

6 Simple Ways To Beat The Post-Travel Blues

Popular  11 Comments

Several years ago I spent seven months living in France. The country of baguettes, berets and brie became my new home. One day however, I was forced  More »

Beauty Is In The Ride Of The Beholder

  1 Comments

My idea of camping is staying in a hotel room without room service and a wall-mounted blow dryer. Give me a clean hotel room with 400 thread count she  More »

How To Decide What To Be When You Grow Up

Popular  3 Comments

So it’s here – the time of your life when you’re being steered towards ‘the big decision.’ Namely, “what   More »

How To Pick Your Perfect Profession

Popular  5 Comments

In German class recently we covered how to talk about what you do for a living. There’s an expression that means, roughly, by profession –  More »

The Mysterious Origins of the Travel Bug

  3 Comments

Where did the first person get their inspiration to head out into the unknown? It’s likely the sheer impossibility of the act provoked their cur  More »

Don’t Judge An Experience Until You’ve Surfed It


Photos by Evan Welo I wasn’t sure that I would be able to recognize him; but his Volkswagen hippie van was unmistakable. It sputtered up to us  More »

The Hardest Part Of A Journey Is Coming Home

Popular  3 Comments

Leaving home inevitably means you must return…someday. After a 10 month long trip around the world, my wife and I are back in the United States  More »

Top 10 Things I Miss About Traveling (But Hated At The Time)

Popular  28 Comments

On the road, it’s easy to get caught up in the day to day troubles while missing the bigger picture…until the trip is over. When you trav  More »

A Newbie’s Guide To Surfing

Popular  6 Comments

Surfing isn’t just an activity – it’s a life philosophy. At one time or another, everyone has visions of becoming a beach bum. Th  More »

Matt Harding’s Moral Dilemma

Popular  5 Comments

In the vast desert ruins of Morroco, Matt ponders the mirage of his own motivations. By now everyone knows Matt and his dancing videos. But I’  More »

The Secret To Avoiding Beggars

Popular  8 Comments

You too, can avoid beggars with this simple, effective technique. The question is…will you? On a sidewalk in Delhi, I passed a man with no han  More »

Real Travel: In Search Of Authenticity

Popular  9 Comments

In an age of commodified culture and globalization, does true authenticity even exist? Authenticity. It’s the buzzword of the enlightened trave  More »

Greatest. Roadtrip Soundtrack. Ever.

Popular  13 Comments

Austalia in the spring of 2002. Somewhere on the Great Ocean Road, sitting on a bus with other like-minded backpackers as part of the Oz Experience   More »

How To Escape An Undesirable Travel Mate

Popular  19 Comments

Traveling is all about meeting people on the road. But what happens if you want to get rid of one? guest post by Travmonkey Say you meet someone w  More »

We Are All Tourists Now

Popular  2 Comments

In the spring of 2002, I spent two weeks trekking through the Australian Outback. Our party included myself, a retired naval officer for a guide, an  More »

What You Think Probably Won’t Kill You

Popular  1 Comments

How many people stop themselves from heading out into "unknown" lands for fear of real or imagined threats?  More »

Jump To Category:



Explore the Community


Latest Community Blogs


Popular Stories on Matador

How to Move to Paris with No Money

This is for Americans with insufficient funds, but with... 

Hostel Sex: A Practical Guide For Backpackers

Getting it wherever a backpacker can...... 

10 Traveler's Tips For Rocking A Nudist Beach

Travelers tend to enjoy ultimate freedom on the road, t... 

12 Personal Travel Websites That Will Make You Quit Your Day Job

... 

Drunk and Driving On Berlin’s Beer Bike

Cars nervously skirt by the slowly moving vehicle, tour... 

10 Multi-Use Items You Should Consider Packing

... 



Focus



Editor Blogs

Friends