long-term travel Archives | BIG tiny World Travel

My Journey To Nomadic Freedom

Posted on September 3, 2020September 5, 2020 by BIG tiny World Travel in travel tips

I am Aaron, and for me; travel is the ultimate freedom. It is an escape from the known to the unknown. Travel is addictive and emotional. It is messy like a normal life, but exciting like there is no limit. While I took many quick trips around the USA as a kid and young adult, it took me 38 years of life to travel internationally. Why did it take so long? What was stopping me?

I took the typical path of getting college degrees, working my way up the ranks of the corporate world, and feeling unhappy. Work was not fulfilling me, and it was making me sick. I yearned for something more meaningful and something that made me happy. So at 38, I took my very first trip out of the country to Japan. While that was one of the greatest culture shocks I had ever had, it was the most incredible start to my travel journey. This is where I caught the travel bug that inspired the world trip, and the rest is history. I am free!

Aaron and Brianna posing at the top of the fortress in Omis, Croatia

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Aaron sitting at a viewpoint overlooking Brasov, Romania

The Uncertain Future of Travel – Where to Next?

Posted on August 20, 2020August 21, 2020 by Brianna Shade in travel tips

We love to travel, and for years, we looked forward to annual trips, international vacations, and local explorations. It just all came as a given, and we never questioned its prominent place in our lives. We never had to question the future of travel. When we departed last year for our grand world tour, we never could have imagined how it would end.

Now, we have been forced home due to global restrictions, and we’ve had to reconsider our future plans surrounding travel. Everyone has. Here’s what we think about the current situation and where we’re headed.

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How to Travel to Istanbul: All You Need to Know

Posted on August 6, 2020August 21, 2020 by Aaron Shade in travel tips, Turkey

Istanbul, Turkey is an incredible city that blends the cultures of Europe and Asia. It is located on both continents and divided by the Bosphorus Strait. The city is full of unique architecture, food, fascinating culture, and street cats. This quickly became one of our favorite destinations and we hope to see more of Turkey on our next European adventure. Istanbul is one of the most awe-inspiring cities we’ve been to so far. If you are visiting it for the first time, this guide will tell you everything you need to know to travel to Istanbul.

Aaron posing in front of a sign that reads "Istanbul" in a park in Istanbul, Turkey

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The Best Apps for Full-Time Travel Life

Posted on July 21, 2020August 30, 2020 by Aaron Shade in travel tips

Travel apps managed many aspects of our life of full-time travel, and we want to share with you the best ones we used regularly. These were critical in figuring out where we would stay next, how to get there, and what we wanted to see. They kept us on a budget and helped us find deals on flights. We even made friends on them and found entertainment on long layovers in airports. With so many apps out there, we have narrowed down the list to just the best.

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European Ruins: The Most Awesome Old Stuff

Posted on July 16, 2020July 15, 2020 by Brianna Shade in Europe, ruins

If you’ve been reading for a while, you’ll know that I simply adore ruins. It’s so fascinating to witness the evidence of the passage of time through something so carefully constructed being torn back down to its elements by the sheer force of nature. This juxtaposition of structure turned chaos is beautiful in its unique way, and I can’t get enough of it. If you share in my affinity for the elegance of decay, you’ll love these amazing ruins found all across Europe.

A gazebo frame at the Hotel Belvedere in Dubrovnik, Croatia

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Cairns stacked in front of mountains in Norway

Full-Time Travel Burnout: How to Avoid it

Posted on July 9, 2020August 6, 2020 by Aaron Shade in travel tips

Traveling full time is an amazing way to see the world, experience the cultures of many places, and meet people from all walks of life. It has a downside that most people don’t talk about: travel burnout. While we were on the road for many months, we kept our pace of cramming many activities into each day, walking tens of thousands of steps, and then crashing, just to do it all over again. That lifestyle is not sustainable and needs to have a better balance. Here are some tips on how you can avoid travel burnout and balance your full-time travels with some downtime.

Aaron laying down in front of a snowy waterfall in Norway

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A winding road on the coast in Tivat, Montenegro

A Glimpse of Tivat

Posted on July 6, 2020July 6, 2020 by Aaron Shade in Montenegro, Snippet

What place has a friend recommended that you found to be amazing?

We are taking a short break from our daily blog posts but will continue to have our more in-depth Thursday articles. Look forward to more exciting content soon and let us know if we can answer your questions about full-time travel!

In Montenegro, our hosts introduced us to an Irish couple that gave us some tips on the area and showed us some outstanding places. Tivat was one of those places. We met them for some lunch before exploring the rest of the town. It is fun to walk, and we especially enjoyed getting close to nature at the Big City Park. Right on the water, Tivat also has some lovely beaches and a harbor full of enormous yachts.

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A griffen statue at the Trsat Castle in Rijeka, Croatia

A Glimpse of Rijeka Croatia

Posted on July 5, 2020August 6, 2020 by Aaron Shade in Croatia, Snippet

When have you deviated plans to visit a new place?

Rijeka was not part of our original plans, but as we travel long-term, our plans change. We landed a house sitting opportunity in Switzerland, so we had to go from Montenegro all the way back north to get there. So we stopped in Zadar to visit Plitvice Lakes and then moved up to Rijeka where we would eventually depart our beloved country Croatia.

A clergyman statue outside a church in Rijeka, Croatia

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The afternoon view of Herceg Novi in Montenegro

A Glimpse of Herceg-Novi Montenegro

Posted on July 3, 2020July 14, 2020 by Aaron Shade in Montenegro, Snippet

What inspires you most to travel?

Herceg-Novi Montenegro is a quaint little town that is nearly empty outside of the peak summer months. We visited in December and had it all to ourselves. This is where we stayed in a stone home watching three cats for a couple of weeks. It is a beautiful area, and we love the dramatic mountains along the bay.

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Free Walking Tours – All You Need to Know

Posted on July 2, 2020August 6, 2020 by Brianna Shade in Budget Travel, Europe, Stories, travel tips

When you’re traveling indefinitely, it’s important to cut costs any way that you can. We’re really good at budgeting, and we found the best ways to pay almost nothing for lodging. And as for activities and the best ways to experience a new city, our go-to was definitely free walking tours.

Our tour guide, Diogo, in Porto, Portugal

Curious what they’re all about? We’ve got you covered! Read on to find out how to find them, what to expect, and why we love them so much!

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