BootsnAll Travel Community

Hello, my name is Matt, I was born in January 1977, which puts me at 27 at the time of this post.

My boots are Vasque Sundowners which I got a few months ago and I think they're about broken in. My last pair of boots were Vasque Sojourners which survived nine years of daily wear. Technically they're still wonderful boots, they're just really ugly now, and could probably stand to be resoled, so they've become my paintball boots. I bought the new boots so they would be well broken in for my RTW trip with my brand-spankin'-new wife sometime in 2005. I'm going to try to go for ten, maybe twelve years with this pair, I really hate buying new shoes. If anyone is looking for a new pair of boots, I highly recommend them, they're pricey, but they do last for-burger-ever.

"Burger", incidentally, is my new curse word, if you've seen the editied for television version of Good Will Hunting, you'll know why.

Right, so as I mentioned, I just got married (Dec 2003) and we're selling the house, quitting our jobs and wandering until sometime in 2006. Heather will introduce herself shortly, I think...

I dig learning new things, my current project is to learn how one actually "goes camping". Oh I can make a fire, make a toilet, make, and sleep outside and all, but it turns out there are only certain places one is permitted to do all those things, and sometimes you have to pay for the privilege.

I am also fluent in the southern Delaware dialect of semaphore.

I'm the 42nd reply. How cool is that? Burger yeah!

Okay, I'm Heather. Wife of Matt (the guy up there ^^^). He did a pretty good job of explaining what we're up to. There's a lot of stuff out there to see. I've been to a few more exotic and dangerous locales, so it will be fun to see how the husband handles those kinds of places.

I am in the process of getting my own Vasque Sundowners (they had to be special-ordered). I am anxious to start breaking them in.

What Matt didn't mention is that the first leg of our journey will be to drive across the US (East to West), then sell the car, and be on our way. So, don't be surprised if you see us begging for a floor on which to sleep.

Next month, I am taking a one-day intensive Travel Writing course. If it's worth anything, I'll post what I learn to that board.

I am excited to try camping, too. I just think I'll wait until the cicadas are gone. Yuck.

____________________________________
"Opportunity does not knock, then knock again, then leave a note saying, 'Sorry I missed you.'" - Fes, That 70s Show

hi. my name is scott and i live in michigan. i am originally from wisconsin and have no plans to go back. i've been to mexico and the western countries of south america. right now i am working in automotive engineering and hate it. every day i think about moving to mexico to teach english so maybe one of these days it will happen! this site is awesome and the info is invaluable. see y'all around

Hi
My name is Gabriela, I'm one of the few BootsNAllers from Argentna.

I was borned in Bahía Blanca (in the province of Buenos Aires) and 12 years ago I moved to Buenos Aires. My parents still live in Bahía Blanca and I'm planning to visit them next month (just a 3 day weekend).
I found this place months ago when I started planning my first big trip to Europe and I'm really happy

Hope to find you on the road


Ga

Hi, I'm Mark, and still something of a poser. I'll get to that in a moment.

First I'll dispense with the details, 32 years old, single, living and working as a project manager in a suburb of Atlanta, GA. I was born in LA (Lower Alabama) and raised in Central Georgia. This pretty much describes where I've lived and traveled most of my life.

Neither of my parents are much for travelling and the two of them together on a trip is a recipe for disaster. So, our family trips (typically to 'bama to see family or the gulf beaches of FL) pretty much ended by the time I was 10 years old.

I think inside I've always had a travelling bug but haven't been able to express it. I've always known I would travel some, but always found an excuse not to.

Then this past year, conveniently close to when my folks gave me money to buy my own Christmas presents, British Airways offered a really great sale to coincide with the 100th anniversary of flight. I agonized for days. Go? Don't go? Why? Why not? I think I about drove a few friends bonkers. The worrisome part was going alone. That was unexplored territory. But after a friend, innocently suggested maybe now wasn't the time, I suddenly realized that I was looking for any excuse NOT to go. So, I finally booked a short, short vacation to London - four days. Some courage left me and I booked a budget hotel instead of my original hostel plans. But I went last month and I had a totally awesome time!

I've already paid for my next flight and a deposit on a hostel a friend recommended. I fly to London next Dec. 27th and then I'm heading up to Edinburgh to stay for 6 nights, including hogmanay.

I know these aren't exactly grand RTW trips, but I'm taking baby steps (at 30+ no less). Hence why I said I'm a poser right now. And unfortunately at this point, I still have the odd debt that won't be paid off for a couple of years. After that, there's serious thoughts in my head of doing some more drastic travelling if I can figure out how to make it happen.

That said, this is an aweomse site, and I had some great advice from here along the way. I'm working to keep track of what's going on here. If others will be in Edinburgh this New Year's hope to meet ya!

Hi,

The names Matt, im 23, I live in the UK and I wanted to introduce myself and get my name out there as it were...

I recently completed a trip around the world where i visited Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil! I was working the whole way around promoting the company that I work for back here in the UK (URL is in my signature if you want to look).

If anyone wants any questions answering or information I will try my best to help you out! Im going to be on here most days so drop me a note!

Cheers

Matt

www.SendItByMail.com

Hi Peeps!

My name is Laura (my user name is sooo original, I know), and I'm from North London.
I graduated from Cardiff University last July (for anyone who doesn't know, Cardiff is the capital of Wales - sorry to patronise but I have a Canadian friend who, when I told her, asked me where it was. So there you are), with BA Ancient History. At the moment I have 2 jobs - one shitty 9-5 which I hate with every fibre of my being, and one part-time bar job which I love and would do full-time if it paid better. All in aid of travel!

Before I went to uni I had done the usual Brit family holidays to Spain and Majorca, and I also managed to get over to the States to see family in Hartford and Denver. Absolutely loved it there, places and people and I hope to one day live and work there for a few months.

Anyhoo, whilst at uni I managed to get to Australia for 3 weeks in my first year. Well, what can I say? I loved it! I loved that my first trip without my parents was to the other side of the world, I loved exploring Melbourne and Sydney (Surfer's was cool, but a bit too much like the get drunk and party attitude of Brit hols), loved the hostel in Sydney where I met some FAB people (Sydney Backpackers, next to Planet Hollywood - excellent hostel), and loved travelling in general. Unfortunately for me my mate who I was with was only interested in shopping. SHOPPING? YOU CAN BLOODY DO THAT AT HOME!

Also got some cheapy trips to Rome seeing as it tied in with my degree - best city I've been to so far, without a doubt (nothing to do with the fact that Roman history is my passion or anything). If you need an english speaking guide and will pay my airfare, I'll take you around Rome for free. Bargain, I think!

So, having thoroughly caught the travel bug, I'm now planning my first (but by no means last - I hope) RTW trip with a friend from uni. We're planning on heading off in January, and want to take in Thailand and Australia (where we'll work for a year), then NZ, and then the States on the way home! (Begging the family to feed and shelter us with our lack of money at the end of our trip!). Have no idea how long I'll be away for, maybe about 2 years. WICKED!

When thats done, I want to come home for maybe 6 months-year, save some cash, and go see my Canadian mate in Montreal and work there for a summer. Future travel plans will most definately include South America!

Sorry to have gone on so long - you had to bloody ask, didn't you!!

Looking forward to meeting loads of you at the BnA Party in Waterloo on the 19th June!!

LL xx

"I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying" Oscar Wilde

Que pasa ladies and gentlemen...

My name is Kaming but most people refer to me as Chino. I am 21, born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico to a Chinese dad and a Puertorican mother.
Traveled a lot as a kid to the neighboring islands, the States and China. Opted not to do the whole college thing at 18 so i joined the Marine Corps, who set me up in Okinawa, Japan for 14 months.
I am currently working diplomatic security for the embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh and will be here till around October. Since i've been here i have taken the opportunity to travel to Nepal, China, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Happy to have joined the BnA crew...if anyone is rolling around the Desh anytime soon hit me up.

G,day, dfon,t know where Sean got the Aussie intro from but it was nice to see. Hi all, CLIVE Matthews her from the best city in the world, Melbourne, Austrlia. I started as an Englishman and in my formative years would listen to tales from Grandpa George, 5" 2" tall, bald as coot and in my eyes sooo old. He'd run away at age 14 in the late 1800's and became a cabin boy on the last of the China clippers. fought in the Boer war in Africa, was at the siege of Mafeking, rode horse in 2nd Light Horse. Gosh some of those tales just drew me in. as I grew up oh boy was I going to travel, well at 11 went on school trip to Switzerlane, at 14 to Belgium, fopllowed by many hitch hiking forays into Europe. Couldn't settle despite having a good career in Stockbroking in London. Said "screw it" joined brother & 2 friends, purchased a 1948 Land Rover from the army for STG200 and headed of to Australia. Apart from English Channel, Bosphorus Strait and the somewhat larger Indian Ocean there were no real ostacles. 5 months later, after going through France, Italy, Yugosalvia (as it was then), Greece, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India & a two week boat trip accompanied by said Land Rover, we were welcomed into Australia. This was to be the RTW overland but just as the "travel bug" bites you so does "Lady bug" and so we are all still in Australia. My return to the UK was deayed by 22 years but finally made a trip in 1986. Subsequent trips to UK & Europe occurred in 91, 93 & 96 during which time we discovered Bali and sundry Indonesian Islands. We are going there in August for the 11th time

I have now been married for 37 years to Benny (Nee Goodman) hence her name, have 3 lovely daughters and currently 4, also lovely grandchildren.

I have worked mainly in the Banking /Stockbroking business and am semi retired only working 2 days a week from home, agreat place to work from--great tax advantages.

In my 64th year am looking forward to many more years of travel

I'm Delara. I like Newcastle Brown Ale. And the most disturbing this is that there is not enough of it in pubs here in London! What is that about?

I grew up in Massachusetts, USA and just moved to London after living in Los Angeles for 5 years working in the film industry. It sucks a lot out of you, freelance commercial/film work and all, so the last time I felt a bit frayed I took off for a W Europe backpacking trip. 2 1/2 years later I am off again, this time on the start of what will hopefully be one long RTW. First London, next? Who knows.

Looking forward to the London bash. Anyone from the states, if you are coming, bring "Emergen-C" and a bag of Twizzlers! Or Cape Cod Chips, or.... I'll buy you a pint .

Just another travel addict getting Out of dodge...

There's just never enough burgering Newcastle is there eh? Mother crusher!

(Thanks to the TV edited Robocop for that number)

Matt, Heather, thanks for a burgery good chuckle

Dan

Greetings all-
My name is Kevin and I currently live with my wife (and dog) outside Atlanta, Georgia (USA). I grew up moving all over the country- went to first grade in three states- moved an average of once per year. Since leaving the family fold, I've kept up the pace, but now I've recycled places (most recently landed in 2 spots where I had already been before, including here!), and I think moving is losing it's appeal with the wal-mart&applebees homogenization going on around the states. So, I'm now looking to get some travelling done abroad.

Recently, I came up with a good reason for this... a new job! I'm the Director of a small company that imports and wholesales fair trade, rugmark foundation certified (no forced or child labor) hand-knotted Tibetan carpets and rugs from a refugee settlement in Nepal. www.ringingmountain.com I've been learning the Tibetan language with a class, and am trying to teach myself a bit of Nepali. I will probably spend a couple of weeks in Nepal once or twice per year. I'm anything but the typical business traveller, so when I found this site I thought it would be a great fit... I used to work for Outward Bound, so low-budget yet safe is pretty much my style.

I will also be in London and Paris, with the potential to visit Bangkok, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Delhi, and a bunch of places in North America- most of which I know well already.

So, thanks in advance for the insights, and if anyone has questions about Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Boston, Portland Maine, downeast maine, or north central ohio... I might have an answer for you!

Kevin

G’day from Alaska. My name is Karin and I am 45 years old. I one of the lucky ones that moved every 2 years growing up. My dad worked for Boeing and designed the fatal Space shuttle. He hated ‘suits’ and always took the jobs that were far from HQ in Seattle. I always assumed I would follow his lead and get a traveling job, but it does not look that way.

I came up to Alaska on May 18th, 1980 (day St. Helens blew) when I was 21 and knew that I was finally home. I use Anchorage, AK as my base for traveling but am always glad to see those beautiful mountains when I get back. I am relieved to see that my 22 year old son, Andy, has the same traveling bug as me. He plans on joining the Air Force full time just as soon as we boot that A-hole out of the white house.

My most recent trip was a 5 week one to Italy and Malta in December/January 2003-04. It was my 3rd trip to Italy and the last. I believe I have done Europe enough and looking forward to India or China. I stay away from dry hot countries or anything similar to a desert. I found the browness depressing. I loved the 4 weeks I spent in Thailand in 2000. I am interested in visiting more Buddhist countries. Its nice to be around others that are not quick to anger.

Karin in Alaska

~ You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.
><[[[[º>.·**`·.**.·**`·.* ><[[[[º>

Hi, I hope someone who reads this will visit the travel blog I'm going to start during our cross-country drive this summer to amazing architectural sites of the 20th and 21st centuries in America. We've got a little more than a month, a tent, and an '88 convertible Saab with 175,000 miles on it!

I grew up on the west coast of Florida, went to college in New England, went to work in New York City, and am back in New England until my financee finishes grad school in...yes, architecture.

I was an exchange student in Austria but my travel bug started way before that. I was around 4 years old the first time my sister and I got away from our parents at Disneyworld...it was if a whole world of wandering free had opened up to me. I'm still in pursuit of that feeling!

Hi,

My name is Travis and I am not in my twenties, don't own a backpack, and have never stayed at a youth hostel.

But I like to travel.

I live in Seattle, after various stints in LA and NYC and Denver.

I write advertising for a living and write about travel to keep me from jumping out a window because I write advertising for a living.

Mostly I'm posting this just to see what shows up as I've never posted here before. Can't figure out how to modify my profile--don't even remember what I put down the other day when I joined BnA.

That's a little bit embarrassing. But I tend to embarrass myself often. This tendency also shows up when I travel, and in what I write.

Travis

I am beNNii. I have lived in South Africa all of my life. Until 3 years ago life was going along without major events. I loved my job and was determined to be a great success, I manage quality in the wine industry!

Then I went on an overland trip across Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. I started hiking and covered most of the Conservation areas in the Western cape and also did a 5 day stint in the Drakensberg. I was hooked! I world I was completely oblivious to opened up and all I wwanted to do was go....Go..here...Go there...
I was hooked on travelling and everything I did since then involved planning a trip, dreaming of a trip, being depressed because I was not on a trip.
And then it happened. The UK laws of holiday visas changed from 27 to 30 last year. And it was like a second chance....
I got my visa, resigned last week and will be leaving for the UK in 2 months. Its still daunting make no mistake but i have not felt once that this was not the right thing to do!
I am oscillating between excitement, fear and the tears are tugging at my heartstrings to leave loved ones behind for 2 years.
I used to search for something, was quite a lost soul for a while...something happened I have purpose or at least I know what i was searching for....someting different.
That a good enough reason for me to travel

Names Milner
Living in Tokyo with wife named Mori. Met her on the Hopper Glacier in Pakistan. In a month we set of on a trip, France-UK-Portugal-whereeverthewindblowsus.
I'm quite tall.
Thats it.

Berusplants
Dont take me too seriously.

Hello,
My name is Lynn Holmgren. I love to travel and I love to write, so bootsnall, this is the beginning of a beautiful ... internship! I'm from Sandwich,MA (the oldest town on Cape Cod). It is a quaint place that begs to be left behind once you reach a certain age. I am a senior English Lit and Writing major at Wheaton College (MA). My traveling repetoire includes many road trips up and down the East coast of the US,and study abroad in England and Australia. Check out my bio for more info and stay tuned for stories. Happy Trails... Lynn

Lynn Holmgren

Greetings!

My name is Vincent Minnucci, I'm 24 years old and living just outside of Philly, PA (USA) where I was born. I'm currently working as an admin in the sales and marketing department of a large pharmaceutical company (which means I am a cubicle commando!) and going to school at nights (paid by my company, the reason I started working there in the first place).

I am, as is my fiance and family, an avid scuba diver, I have over 75 dives under my belt. I've dove all over the Carribean. This was how my travel addiction started. My parents were always very big on travel and so every year of my life since I was 5 we've taken a travel vacation, mostly in the states until I turned 15, when we all became divers. Then we started hitting the islands and I got hooked! I've been to Europe, last summer, backpacking and staying in Hostels, it was a blast!!! Went to Amsterdam, Santorini Greece, and London England.

My fiance and I are going to be married in Barbados on the beach in fact. This is for two reasons, one we are madly in love with the islands, two, we want some of our relatives who have never traveled outside the states to see more of the world, and this is a good reason to do so. Have to spread the travel bug!!

I'm a brand new member to Boots N All but I've heard so great things about it from friends. I look forward to getting to know the community here!

~Vinny

Its not just seeing the world that is my dream, it is experiencing it to the FULLEST that thrills me!!

Hi all,
Steve in England here. I am downed with "aquired Brain Injuries" from a motorcycle smash back in 1996 so I am not always in charge of my own head!
I did quite a lot of travel in the late 80's and early 90's. I did a lot of Europe, Egypt, USA, India and then back through the Eastern route of Europe.
Loved travelling and am now just starting to think I may be able to do a bit more in the future. I don't do Explosive plans yet but it is all a big adventure for me and I am nervous and excited at the same time . My only transport is bicycle (Sometimes upright and sometimes recumbent) and the finances mean I am on a tight budget so camping is in as well. Maybe a short hop across the English channel and then see where whats left of my head takes me. Look forward to talking and meeting with boots people in the future and I got a warm shower in North West England if it's ever needed for a day or two.

At the pace of sailing ships and bicycles.