Kobus mans's Blog – June 2011 Archive (11)

What's the name of that restaurant you like with all the goofy shit on the walls and the mozzarella sticks?

Hello friends. Welcome to our new section, Shenanigans. Not evil shenanigans, mind you. Our shenanigans are cheeky and fun.

What is this about?

This is our travel blog. It’s where we write about our adventures, mishaps, disasters, and well, shenanigans. It’s not meant to be a resource for becoming location independent, like the rest of this site.

This section is all about the lighter side of things. It’s for friends, family, and anyone else who wants to know a little… Continue

Added by kobus mans on June 23, 2011 at 5:00pm — No Comments

Sleeping Bags: The Good, the Bad, and the Extra Fluffy

Let’s get a few things out of the way. #1. I’m assuming you are camping, in a tent. #2. I’m assuming that packing space is a concern.

A sleeping bag is one of the most important pieces of personal gear you need to buy. If it gets too cold and you opt to spend the night in a hotel, it will cost much more than camping. Over the course of a long trip, that warm and cozy sleeping bag may save you a lot of money.…

Jessica in a Western Mountaineerin Sleeping Bag

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Added by kobus mans on June 21, 2011 at 1:30pm — No Comments

How to Survive Long Flights

Airplane If I could wish for just one piece of technology to be created it would be a teleporter. The one from Star Trek would do just fine. “Beam me up, Scotty”. I think everyone in the world would be a lot happier.

Let’s face it, there is nothing nice about flying. The longer the flight, the more painful it is. As a Seattle native, with a South African spouse, I’ve been on my fair share of long flights. Two back to back 10 hour flights is enough to wilt even the toughest…

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Added by kobus mans on June 19, 2011 at 1:30pm — 1 Comment

Creating a Travel Itinerary

Map with route planned To be honest, the word itinerary makes me shudder. They are terrible, constraining, time-consuming, usually impractical schedules with the goal of making our travels easier. Except time after time, they will fail. That two-week trip will either feel like a marathon or a disappointment.

How do you balance seeing enough, without trying to see too much? You don’t. That is the best part of travel. You never know what the world is going to throw at you. You don’t know if it…

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Added by kobus mans on June 17, 2011 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Overlanding Spares and Safety Equipment

There are many types of spares and safety equipment to consider packing, whether you are on a weekend getaway or a year long adventure. To help you decide which equipment you need, I have compiled the list below. It is by no means comprehensive, rather an overview of the vehicle spares and safety equipment we carry with us on our overlanding trips.

Basic Tools

A small set of basic tools can help out in…

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Added by kobus mans on June 15, 2011 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Tips for the Traveling Camp Chef

Written by Jared on May 12, 2011

A banana leaf wrapped dish cooked on a wood fire. Cooking while you travel is a great way to experience the culture and exotic food ingredients of other countries. Nothing beats shopping at an open-air market, mingling with locals and returning to camp to cook an awesome meal with fresh ingredients that cost pennies. To me, this is the essence of travel. Good people,…

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Added by kobus mans on June 13, 2011 at 1:30pm — No Comments

How to Find Internet Access Anywhere in the World

Wifi-tower-finding internet around the world One of the most difficult parts of being a digital nomad is the constant need for an internet connection, especially in places where wifi isn’t common.

Research Tips

An hour or two Googling at home, reading the first chapter in a few library guide books and calling up some old travel friends for tips can provide a wealth of general information. Knowing what you’re getting into will help make good decisions on the road. Online forums -- like Lonely Planet’s Thorn…

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Added by kobus mans on June 10, 2011 at 1:30pm — No Comments

How to Choose an International Mobile Phone

Old phone booth In the past decade cell phones have increasingly become a valuable tool for world adventures and professionals who travel for work. Phone booths are quietly fading away and in many countries lacking landline infrastructure, cell phone use has become the norm.

Unfortunately, choosing the best phone and service carrier is complicated. There are competing technologies and service plans, making it difficult to pick the best option. This article covers choosing the right type…

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Added by kobus mans on June 8, 2011 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Gear we Can’t Leave Home Without

If you’ve read our Things you Think you Need to Pack but Don’t article, you probably wonder if we pack anything aside from underwear. Well, here are a few things that we can’t live without. We’ve all spent countless hours, trying to convince each other to get rid of this extra crap. And we’ve failed.

Travel towels: You know, those super quick dry, extra expensive, but… Continue

Added by kobus mans on June 6, 2011 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Gear you Think you Need to Pack, but Really Don’t

One common thread you’ll see in all travel advice arenas is to pack light. Matter of fact, the number one piece of advice I give to new travelers is: don’t take so much crap.

“When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.” ~Susan Heller

It took me almost a decade of traveling to truly understand the depth of this quote. I’d like to discuss some common items that travelers really think…

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Added by kobus mans on June 4, 2011 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Matching Gear to your Travel Style

Your packing list has to support how you will travel. The gear you find useful on the road has to make your life easier, otherwise it’s just more stuff to weigh you down and complicate your daily routine. Understanding your personal preferences and how you will travel allows you to decide what is useful and what isn’t.

Matching gear Consider your trip: