Introduction to Travel Made Simple
by Ali Garland • July 29, 2012 • Inspiration • 17 Comments
Welcome to Travel Made Simple!
I believe travel is one of the most exciting and rewarding things you can do. Whether you’re traveling locally or going to the other side of the world, there’s so much to see, learn and experience. But I realize that travel can also sometimes feel overwhelming. There are a lot of things to consider, details to confuse you, fears that discourage you from booking a trip, and a variety of other factors that might be holding you back.
Travel doesn’t have to be that complicated!
- I want to show you how to take that trip and overcome any obstacle that’s preventing you from traveling.
- I will help you determine what destinations and types of trips are right for you.
- I will show you how easy it is to pack, and to pack lighter.
- I want to help you with your travel-related fears.
- I will show you how to come up with a budget for your trip and how to deal with all the other planning details.
- I also hope to inspire you to travel with photography from around the world.
How am I qualified to help you with all of this? I first started traveling outside of the US when I was 14 years old. Back then it was just a few well-organized 10 day tours in Europe, but it was enough to get me hooked on exploring the world. I continued to travel during and after college, by myself and with friends. Before my 30th birthday, I had stepped foot on all seven continents. From late 2011 to early 2012, I spent five months on a round the world trip, about half of which was on my own. Now I live in Germany, and my expat husband and I travel as much as we can. I’ve been writing about my personal travels at Ali’s Adventures since 2010, and I also contribute on Ctrl-Alt-Travel.
Not only has travel allowed me to see amazing sights first-hand, but it has given me more confidence than anything else ever has. I’ve tasted wonderful (and not so wonderful!) food, experienced wonderful things, and met so many amazing people. But this sight isn’t about me, it’s about YOU. All of this travel has given me the experience, skills and knowledge to help YOU see the world. Travel changed my life in so many ways, and it’s my goal share that with you and to encourage you to travel.
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What an awesome idea for a site, I will be following you along!
Thank you so much Andi!
Good luck with your new site. I for one will be following you.
Thank you so much Steve! I hope you enjoy the new site!
Love the new site – congrats! Look forward to your tips =)
Thanks Andrea!
I look forward to reading about your tips and tricks – can you also post with a non-RTW, quit-my-job-and-never-come-back audience in mind too? I don’t want to quit my job, sell my house, or leave my life behind (I quite like all three). But I do want to travel as much as possible, and I look forward to reading about your adventures too!
Thanks! I will *definitely* write towards the non-RTW, leave and never come back crowd. I might do a few posts about planning a RTW trip, but it will mostly be for more “normal” travelers. If anything, my RTW trip taught me that I don’t want to be a permanent nomad. Thanks for following along, and ask if you have any questions!
Look forward to your posts. I love travelling, but I’ve never been able to put much time into planning the trip beforehand, planning always just feels too much like work for me.
Thanks Sam! I love the idea of being spontaneous, but I find myself planning anyway. I guess for me it’s a way to enjoy the trip a little before I actually get there. Let me know if you ever have any questions!
You’ve already got some great tips on this site, Ali! Can’t wait to see what else you’ve got in store for us.
Thanks Jennifer!
Congrats… this is fantastic
Thanks Kent, I really appreciate it!
Hello,
Thank you for your blog, it’s great! I want to relocate and live and work in Scandinavia. I have a MA in Autism and lived in Wales for 4 years but had to come back because of visa problems. I am, away from my other half who wants to and is relocating to Scandinavia. Any ideas of websites I can go to for employment positions? Or any ideas at all that would help?
Thank you!
Thanks Megan! I don’t actually know of any specific websites that can help you, but I do know someone who recently moved to Norway. Check out http://inspiringtravellers.com/ and maybe that can get you pointed in the right direction. I’m sorry I don’t know much about moving to that area!