By Demand
The Road Chose Me Volume 2 OUT NOW!!
The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa
While I’m living the simple life far away from the Internet I thought it would be a great opportunity to write about things other than what I do day-to-day. Maybe I’ll write more of my back story or some general thoughts on life. I have some great stories from my earliest traveling experiences, about the cool people I met and what motivates me to go on adventures like this.
If there is something in particular you want me to write about, please leave a comment here and I’ll see what I can come up with. It could be about me, my trip, your trip, or really anything you think I might have something interesting to say about.
I know lots of you have been asking about money & my budget, and I promise to write about it after the adventure is finished – I don’t feel comfortable writing about while I’m still on the road. That, and it’s going to take a heck of a long time to write in any intelligible way.
-Dan
So Dan, what is your budget whilst on the road?
– Jon, London
Hey Dan,
Running away from the Internet seems so lonely to me.
How will you cope without it? After all, is it not the purpose of the internet, twitter, mobile phones and some may debate, satellite television, to keep us less VILLAGE and more GLOBAL?
Perhaps that is something you can write about; how do we belong in the new world order of connectivity? Does the traditional model of a ‘VILLAGE’ really work or even exist anymore?
It once was, that travel meant immersing one self in a foreign culture, learning the language, following tradition and customs, but is that viable these days? It seems as though; even the most remote locations have some form of technological contact with big urban cities around the globe, making us an homogenous race.
Can we travel and fully conform to village living as technology in blurring the lines of small remote communities?
Perhaps our world is getting smaller; perhaps this is merely my perspective of someone looking in from the outside. Either way, it may be worth pondering, if only for a moment.
Stay safe.
Warmest thoughts.
~bridget~
hey stud, Dukaroo here. You should really do your best to clarify the last statement in the blog I just read. I don’t want to give away too many details but you should probably let your audience know that you are not a trust fund kid or have some sort of supporting benefactor. The way that you said it may lead most internet surfers to jump to unsaavy conclusions. I think that one of the greatest parts of your journey is the fact that you are doing it the way that you are in the monetary stature that you are currently surviving. In my beliefs your next blog should be your current economic position just because it will blow your audience away how much you have accomplished in such a condition. Hope I didn’t spill too many beans but the way you put it could be severely misunderstood. Hope all is well brotherman– we’ll jamm again in the near future– I can feel it Much LOve DUKAROO!
Hey Buddy, great to hear from you man.
Hope things are going great on your end – we will jam again soon, it’s got to happen.
re the money thing, I will write about it sometime down the road, I honestly just don’t want to right now.
For anyone else that reads this, safe to say I’m supporting myself after saving for 2 years, and trying to live as cheaply as possible.
Dan
Hey Dan,
I’m residing up in Massachusetts right now, and I’m sure I need to embark on a journey in the same way you are. I spent my free days packing gear, picking a direction to travel, and walking there until I can’t walk much more, run out of food, or feel the desire to go back. Like you’ve written, it isn’t a holiday, it is life. Work only concerns me as much as it can provide, in the quickest way possible, release to roam. I feel that “travel” gives the wrong implication – it seems true to me that all those folk songs spoke the truth of men born to ramble. So, Dan, I understand what you are doing and I only wish I were there as well.
-Zach from MA
I apologize ahead of time if youve been asked this before and I may have missed the response but where do you feel your sense of adventure came from? Growing up did you know you always wanted to? Did your family travel alot? Or did you see a movie or read something that made you just want to get out and experience it all? I have a friend who travels alot and everytime she goes on vacation and posts her new pics it makes me wanna work twice as hard saving money to experience life away from my 9-5 work week. (and so does reading your website
)
Best wishes
Doreena
Hey Doreena,
Remember when you were a kid and people would say “You can do anything you want when you grow up”?
Well, I believed them. Wholeheartedly
My family has always been extremely supportive and encouraging no matter what crazy idea I come up with, and that just helps me along all the more. I honestly believe we can do anything we want in this life, it’s just a matter of going out there and doing it.
Hola!!
Hi Dan! what’s up? We met in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. Du you remember? When are you heading for Peru????? Would be so fun to welcome you and introduce you to Lima!
Take care!!
Alvina
Hey Alvina – I still have your email adress ready to contact you when I get closer. It turns out I’ll be taking a little longer than expected, but I can’t wait to explore your amazing city, I’ve heard so many great things.
Are you still thinking about Iquitos? I am more and more these days.
Dan
Hey Dan,
I am setting off on a similar sort of adventure in a week and a half (only with a motorcycle), and stumbled across this site. It sounds like you are having a rather incredible experience and are doing many of the things I hope to in the next year.
I have a question though. Have you had any problems whatsoever crossing borders with your vehicle? Or any issues with licensing/paperwork? I have read in some places that certain countries do not let you take vehicles across the border, especially if it was bought within the country. I will of course contact the US embassy within each country to get specifics, but do you know anything about this?
Thanks and good luck with your travels!
-Brendon
Brendon – I’ll keep it short and simple. If you are going down the Americas like myself, you will have absolutely zero problems moving your vehcile around. I’ve met literally hundreds of people on the road doing the same thing. You don’t need a carnet or anything else fancy.
The border crossings are very possible. You can read about all of mine under the category border crossings. Have fun
It will be nice to tell us exactly how the idea was born and which was the hardest moment in the whole trip…
Hey Dan,
I’ve really enjoyed reading about your adventures and continue to be inspired by each update. I find it incredibly brave that you have been able to break away from the comforts of a familiar environment, language, and family and follow the open road. I hope to do something very similar once I finish college and I was wondering what some of the reasons were that first made you want to take this kind of trip? Also, I too am very drawn to nature, camping, and find myself wanting to go more and more towards a simpler life, do you think that there is a way to satisfy this need without being lonely or separating yourself from familiar cultures?
Thanks,
-Katrina
Hey Katrina,
That is something I think about every single day. I met so many amazing people in Northern Canada and Alaska who are living the simple life, but they really have cut themselves off from the world. There are many things they don’t like about it, so they just don’t take part.
I’m not sure that is the path I want to take, but I really have no idea.
I know for sure next time I embark on an adventure like this on I’ll be bringing at least one other person along for the ride
Hey Dan,
I’ve been living vicariously through you since discovering your blog a while ago. I’ve spent the past year living in a place I’ve always tried to get away from and I’m stuck in an unfulfilling, albeit well-paying, job. Alas, I’m about to leave it all behind in order to volunteer/intern on a sea turtle conservation project in Costa Rica from April – September 2011. After that, I plan on visiting Machu Picchu with my father and some friends. Since I’ll already be in South America, I’m hoping to also visit Panama, Chile, the Amazon rainforest, Brazil and Tierra del Fuego. I’m saving up like crazy but I don’t feel comfortable traveling alone in those parts, being a single female and all. Time is not really an issue, but I’d rather not spend more than a month or so traveling after Costa Rica.
Do you have any tips or advice for female travelers? Even just general tips for someone who would prefer to country-hop using mass transit (trains, buses, planes, etc.). Thanks and good luck!
Hey Elsa,
I am happy to hear you are changing your circumstances. Its horrible to hear you are stuck somewhere you hate. Dont do that, its not worth it. Go and do something that makes you happy
With regards to a single female travelling alone in these parts, I have met plenty of girls doing it and they are loving the experience. Its not half as dangerous down here as you might think. Keep your head about you, keep a close eye on your stuff at all times and you will be fine.
One of the biggest scams around here is people offering you help then taking your bags… maybe they spray you with ketchup or something, or maybe they pretend to drop a baby, then get your stuff while you are not looking.
If anyone offers you help, espeically if they look like your grandmas best friend, refuse and walk away quickly without letting them touch you at all.
I am a little confused by your statement “but Id rather not spend more than a month travelling”. What? If you want to see half of the places you mentioned you will need more time than that. At least a couple if not three or four months.
Its extremely beautiful down here and the people are really really friendly for the most part, you will fall in love with it.
Good luck!
hey dan,
Someday I want to do that what you’re doing- and what Chris McCandless did- by inventing a new life for myself. But now I need to decide what to study on university in order to fulfill my intellectual needs:)
It sounds a bit awkward but I can’t decide what I want to change in this world, I mean what I want to do. And because you’re a person I admire highly I ask you what you would study if you had a choice.
( Sorry for my english)
amelie
Hey Amelie,
Going to university was one of the best things I have ever done in my life. I had so much fun, and getting a degree set me up for the rest of my life. I certainly would not be where I am now without it.
The choice of what to study is such a personal thing you need to do something that makes you happy. Don’t worry what other people think you should do, or what makes the most money, do something that makes you happy and (hopefully) will continue to do so for a very long time.
All the best,
-Dan