However, I’ve flown international first class and stayed in $8 a night bungalows.  I’ve had the freshest sushi in the world for breakfast and eaten $0.25 street food in Bangkok.  I’ve ridden the fastest trains in the world, yet have also shared non-ACed local buses in 95 degree heat.

In short, I’m a pragmatic traveler.  I’ll take luxury when I can get it, but appreciate the fine art of budget travel.  I read a lot of travel websites, and many of them seem focused on specific niches.  There are sites devoted to hardcore business travelers who rack up endless miles and enjoy debating the minutia that comes with elite status travel. Which airport has the best Admiral’s Club lounger?  Which rental car company offers the best premium service?  On the flip side, there are countless sites run by long term backpackers.  These folks roam the planet, stretching their dollars (or whatever currency they’ve managed to scrape together for the trip) as far as possible.  These travelers tend to congregate in poorer, cheaper parts of the world, where they often become experts in local drink specials and ways to cook noodles.

I’ve dabbled in both of these worlds.  I’ve never traveled long term, but when I’ve taken trips outside the country on my own dime, I travel backpacker style.  However, when taking vacations within the USA, I try to splurge a little while still ensuring I’m getting a bargain.  I held a job for a short time that involved a large degree of business travel, and have some experience in that world as well.

I decided to start this blog in order to share my somewhat hybridized view of travel.  Ever since I was a young boy dreaming of what it would be like to work as a photographer for National Geographic, I’ve been fascinated with travel.  I like to read travel books, look at travel pictures, plan hypothetical trips, shop for travel gear, and talk to other travelers.  In short, travel is a huge passion of mine, and I’ve started this site to provide an outlet for that passion. As a reader, expect articles that span a wide range of travel topics, covering my experiences as a backpacker, business traveler, and bargain hunter.  Thanks for reading.