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Hello there! It’s been a while since I wrote a real blog. Sure, there are tons of posts, itineraries, where-to-stay suggestions, and old-post updates to continue helping you travel on a budget. But it’s been over a year since I’ve written anything personal — and even longer since I’ve shared a road story.

At the beginning of 2022, I wrote that I felt I didn’t really have much to say. Sure, there are always new places to write about, but in terms of ideas and advice, after over 14 years of writing about travel, I’m tapped out. You can only write so many posts about “how to find cheap flights” or how to make friends or how to overcome your fears.

That’s why, in the past 2.5 years, I’ve only posted three articles that weren’t “best hostels in London” or something like that.

But I always kept the door open to come back if the urge hit me.

And the urge has finally hit me.

A lot has happened in the last year. Business-wise, I shut down our community and tour company, scaled back my other projects, and spent a lot of time working on some new books. At the end of May, I finished the next update to my book, How to Travel the World on $50 a Day. A new, inflation-adjusted, post-COVID edition will come out in March 2025.

This past year has also seen many personal changes. I moved back to New York City and loved it here. I’m a city person, and I enjoy living in a place where I don’t need a car. Also, there are so many things to see and do, more people around, and I can’t find any kind of food. I have a great group of friends here, I’ve found many hobbies that I enjoy, and I’ve found a good work/life balance. This is really home.

But it’s not all rainbows and unicorns.

Last summer, I contracted tuberculosis, which, although early and curable with antibiotics, forced me to quarantine and stay on medication for a long time. Then I just had some muscle issues related to aging and some gut issues that I’m working on now.

But, with the book and most of my health stuff behind me, I feel like I’m entering a new chapter in my life.

I am now in Europe for the rest of the summer. Although I have been to the continent countless times, my goal here is to visit regions I have never been to before. I am currently in Barcelona before heading to Provence and then Germany. Who knows after that! I don’t get my book edits back until the end of the month, so I’m just enjoying the road!

All this is my long winded way of saying that I have decided to get back into blogging and will be posting again. I have some stories to share and new ideas on the nature of travel, the creative economy and AI.

I still feel like my schedule is all over the place, and I definitely want to work on it when I get back home to NYC. I always bite off more than I can chew — but those are fall problems! Right now, the way beckons, and I’m answering its call.

Expect this blog to be back to life soon!