When we started telling people that we were going to drive our motorcycle from Canada to the tip of South America we received varied reactions, followed by a series of similar questions. It was interesting to us that everyone had the same questions, so we compiled a list of them, plus a few others that we wanted to know, and started asking our fellow wanderers. We thought that maybe we could shed some light on the differences, and more importantly, the similarities people have when it comes to travel. Couples, females travelling alone, parents with their children – we have met people from all over the world, with different backgrounds and circumstances. By building a database of these interviews we also hope to provide you with some inspiration to follow your dreams.
This week we have Ryan of Running From Winter. Ryan has recently joined the travel writing community and so we reached out to him and asked to answer our questions.
Where are you from?
Originally from Dashwood, Ontario, Canada but now residing in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta Canada for the past 10 years.
Tell us about your current/most recent trip. Do you have any other
trips planned?
My most recent trip was a trio. Australia for 21 days, Cambodia for 5 days and Thailand for a month. Australia was amazing, I did a total of 14 dives on the Great Barrier Reef, which I’m sure you can imagine was just as incredible as it sounds. My favourite dive was a night dive with 10+ White Tip Reef Sharks, and Giant Groupers!
Next on the list was Cambodia, flying into Siem Reap and exploring the ancient Angkor City. Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (the temple where Tomb Raider was filmed) and countless other temples. Such a breath taking place, and photos could never do it the justice that it deserves. Dirt biking and exploring ruins that are not viewed by tourists, exploring tiny villages where children have never met a westerner before. Culture shock at it’s finest and the people are just as beautiful as the country. Cambodia makes you think twice about how “bad” your first world problems actually are.
Last on the adventure, but definitely not least was Thailand. I visited Bangkok for 3 days, flew down to the southern province of Phuket for a little over a week and then up to the northern city Nong Khai that boarders Laos separated by the Mekong River. Bangkok was great, an amazing variety of street food, 8 floor shopping malls, but the airport is horrendous. Much too unorganized for the 8,000 acres that it covers! Phuket was great! Patong Beach was first on the list. Beautiful, wonderful restaurants, yet a little too touristy for my liking. Next came Khao Lak, nestled into an ocean side, where we rented brand new scooters for 12 dollars per 24 hours. We travelled 200 kms up the coast to Khao Sok National Park which ended up being one of the highlights of the trip! Vast rainforest mountains, and tiny villages along the way. Next I travelled up to Nong Khai to visit my uncle. A gorgeous city where you can get the feel of how the real Thai’s live, tiny pubs made from someone’s garage, all along side of the Mekong River where it is still used for shipping items to and from Laos daily. Thailand really gives you a feeling of what a “free country” should feel like!
Next on the agenda is a split between Belize & Guatamala for the month of January. Starting with Caye Caulker, Belize for the first week, diving the Great Blue Hole and surrounding reef. Then we’ll be vagabonding it from there, and ill be giving it my first shot at video documenting.
What inspired you to start travelling?
What inspired me to start travelling hey? That’s actually some what of a tough question for me, with having been inspired to see the world such a long time ago. If I had to pinpoint a time, or a reason, it would have been when I was the age of 22, with a crappy job for crappy pay, watching the “Planet Earth” series and wishing that I could just have a taste of that big green planet on the other side of the fence.
What does a typical day of travel look like for you?
A typical day on the road for me, usually starts out by finding the nearest coffee shop before my caffeine meter falls into the red. Followed by enjoying it in the warm tropical sun. Then sticking by yesterday’s plan for today, or flying by the seat of my pants to see what another day in paradise could bring!
What is your favourite and least favourite part of travelling?
My favourite part of travelling is heading into a foreign land. Where, no matter how much research you do, it’s always a little bit different than you had pictured it would be. My least favourite part by far, are the airports and flying. Flying 15 hours direct from Vancouver, Canada to Brisbane, Australia is something that my stiff legs and swollen ankles would never forget.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced while travelling?
The biggest challenge I’ve come across definitely has to be budgeting for travel. It’s nearly impossible to estimate the exact amount that you’ll need or spend, and if you’re not careful, a trip can be even more expensive than you had first anticipated. Things always come up, or plans change ect. Which leads us onto the next question…
How do you make it work financially? (ie. did you save for the trip,
are you working? living on a budget,etc?)
I currently work at a coal mine in British Columbia that pays me very well for my efforts. Between savings and using profits from past investments is how I fund most of my travel expenses. With that being said, I’d most likely sell my soul for travel. To me, money isn’t for buying things that eventually expire or get old. Experiences in life that change who you are as a person, never get old.
What is your favourite place you have travelled to and why?
I would have to say that my favourite place so far, has to be Cambodia. As I said in a previous note, the people there are inspiring. With the hurt they’ve seen, through civil war and poverty, they thrive and are much more at peace than any North American stranger you talk to.
Aside from the basics (money, passport, backpack), what are 3 items
you can’t live without?
The majority of my dive gear, water shoes and the countries finest cigar for that one epic moment.
What is your least favourite place you have travelled to and why?
That would most likely have to be through my front door. I’m yet to find a place that I didn’t like, and when I’m not out exploring I get very restless.
Have you been anywhere which turned out to be totally different to
how you imagined? If so, how?
That would have to be Bangkok. At a population of 11,000,000 people, I remember flying down into the city a bit on edge. Being as it was my first major 3rd world country city that I had ever been to (2nd world now), I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. It turned out being anything but something to worry about. I was too busy eating 20 cent shrimp cakes, drinking big bottles of “Chang” beer and staring into building side billboards to care.
What do you think the biggest misconception is about travelling?
The fact that people think you need to have lots of money, or save for years to travel. Sure, you do need money to travel. But not compared to what you used to. You can easily save up for one trip, work in that place if you want and move onto the next place. My cousin went to Australia for a year with $5000 and came home with over $10,000. It can easily be done if you’re motivated!
What do people never ask you but you wished they did?
Can I buy you a Ferrari? Haha! Jokes aside, I would love if someone would ask to do a trip with me. Depending on the company, a group trip could be super epic!
If you could recommend one book to a friend, what would it be?
Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts also available as an audio book!
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to
travel, what would it be?
Oh boy… ok. Get out there and do it. Don’t wait until all the stars align in your life, because they won’t. Think outside the box, we weren’t put on this earth just to get a job, buy a house, have kids and then retire before we live the life we want or dream of. We only get one life. We only get one chance. Travelling will not only carve your personality for the better, but it will open your eyes to who you CAN be, just like it has for me. If you wait for that perfect day, that perfect chance, that perfect moment where you finally put fear behind you and just do it, it may never happen. Prepare today, not tomorrow. No one ever said you must be stationary. Get out there and explore, get out there and see how amazing this planet really is beyond the t.v. And most of all, get out there and show this world the real you, who you can’t show anyone else. You’ll never regret one moment, I promise.
If you want to follow along on Ryan’s future travels, you can find him on social media here:
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