the wander project dispatches from over there

TWP Gear Guide: Travel Clothing

Picking clothing for an extended trip is often a source of frustration for many travelers — they’re apparently attempting to cram their entire closet into 70 liters worth of backpack. They’d do well to learn from outdoor athletes: the contents of a hiker’s bag, much like that of a long-term traveler, should represent the minimum amount of gear that keeps him/her comfortable across the widest range of conditions. Travel clothing has never looked better, either. With manufacturers now cranking out stylish designs in subtly high-tech fabrics, there’s no need to look like [...]

TWP Book Review: Off The Tourist Trail

As an independent traveler, you probably aren’t interested in following the tour buses down well-worn ruts to popular attractions. Luckily, there’s a virtually unknown alternative for every tourist swarm. The folks at Eyewitness Travel sent a copy of Off the Tourist Trail just before it hit stores last fall (while I was still desk-bound), and it’s become a go-to source for semi-secret destinations the world over. Here are four of my favorite options:
Historical Site
Isla del Sol vs. Machu Picchu
Sure, Machu Picchu is iconic for a reason. But a glut of Hawaiian-shirted, [...]

TWP Gear Guide: Backpacks

Your Backpack. As a long-term traveler, it might be the most important piece of gear you select. For a bag you’ll actually enjoy hauling around the world, look for quality construction, a perfect fit and smart design.

Quality: When purchasing a pack, you should expect to get what you pay for. Can you make it around the world with a cheap backpack? Of course—many people have. But your pack will soon feel like an extension of your body, and it’ll take more abuse than anything else you own. Why not go for [...]

Medical Training for Travelers

Illness and injury are inevitable if you travel for long enough — sketchy motorcycle taxis, contaminated water or simply the the wear and tear of life on the road can bring your trip to a grinding halt. When they do, basic first aid training and a simple medical kit can mean the difference between getting on your way and being left at the mercy of third-world medicine. A good first aid kit is easy to come by — you can either buy a prepackaged version or assemble your own on the cheap (the [...]

TWP Short List: Travel Inspiration

Whether you’re in search of motivation to pack your bag or  just looking for confirmation that such a trip is indeed possible, there are plenty of options for putting off actually researching your trip until tomorrow.  Here are five of my favorites:

Ernest Hemingway
The Sun Also Rises. Tenth grade English (Thanks, Mrs. Jones). Such was my introduction to “Papa,” but I’d recommend any of his work — short story, novel, whatever. Hemingway wrote like a man who’d seen the world, and that’s because he had. As a soldier, an expatriate and lifelong wanderer, his personal experiences shaped his [...]

Lines on a Map: Planning a Route

Picking a route for a year-long trip is tougher than you might think…so tough, in fact, that I haven’t nailed mine down yet. I’ll chalk that up to procrastination and indecisiveness. But mostly procrastination. At the moment, it looks something like this: Cental America> South America> Africa> India>Southeast Asia> China. I know, I know… it’s vague, but I think that’s probably a good thing.
There’s a lot to consider when planning a route. Your finances might dictate that you skip expensive destinations like North America, Australia/New Zealand or Western Europe and instead focus [...]