1.  Is this site only for Couples?

Don't be sad and lonely, we can help you, too, even if you're a solo traveler

You are probably assuming this site is about traveling around the world with your husband, wife, partner, significant other, friend, or family member.  And while it’s true that there is a great deal of information and tips here about traveling as a couple, it’s also true that anyone who has a passion and love for travel will be able to find heaps of useful advice.

What?  You mean you didn’t read that, yet?  All right, click here and read this first.  It’s informative and funny, and then you’ll know who we are and will be able to ascertain our level of coolness (evidenced by my use of the phrase “ascertain our level of coolness“), and then you can come back here.

While traveling we do typically get private rooms with private baths (when we can), so our hostel/guesthouse/hotel reviews are from that perspective.  However, most of the places we stay when traveling internationally are hostels, which have both private rooms and dorms, and we’ll always mention the prices of beds as well (see, I told you we care about you, too).

My first real international trip-Europe 2005

2.  What’s your travel experience?

Seriously?  Just read the About Me  and my Travels post already.  I know you want to.

While I went over most of my experience on that very entertaining, educational, and exciting About Me and my Travels post, I did leave out a few tidbits.  If you couldn’t already gather, you probably noticed I got a late start on the whole travel thing.  I didn’t travel much growing up, didn’t leave the US until I was 22 (to Mexico), didn’t go on a real international trip until 27  (to Europe).

3.  So you don’t really have much experience then?

Jeez, this is a tough interview.  I suppose you can say that.  I have not been to over 100 countries and all 7 continents.  I am not an expert traveler and never claimed to be.  Our RTW trip; however, did give me a ton of experience on many things.

I now have experience boarding planes like this one, on a grass and dirt runway

Planning, creating a budget,  traveling on a budget (a tight one at times), traveling long term, backpacking, overland travel, and traveling through difficult countries are just some of things we experienced while on our adventure.

Not to mention that my seeming lack of experience means that  I’m not jaded like some of my fellow travelers who have been everywhere and done everything.  I still get super excited, and my passion makes up for the fact that I haven’t been to the ’Stans yet.  So there.

4.  All right smart guy, so what’s going to be on this site that I can’t find on countless other travel websites?

Now that’s a good question.  As the name says and as I’ve discussed earlier, this site is geared towards couples.  So if you’re a couple, and you’re looking to hit the road to any variety of places, whether for a short or long trip, this is your place.  When it’s all said and done here (the site is new, so it will take me a bit to get all country and city information written and up), there will be first hand guides on many places in the US, a few places in Europe, much of South America, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and India (in addition to all the future places we have not yet been, which will be a lot).

Want to know how to get here? Find out in the South America section

All information you find here will be first hand–whether it be neighborhood, town, city, state, national park, country, hostel, restaurant, bar, or activity, whenever you read about a place, you can rest assured that we’ve been there.  That is not true of all travel sites.  It’s not very difficult to research information and put it on your site even if you’ve never been there.  You won’t get that here.

5.  That sounds pretty good, but it kind of sounds like a guidebook.  Why don’t I just buy a guidebook or go to Lonely Planet’s website and get my information there?

That is a fair question, and I have an answer.  No traveler comes to just one site to get all their information.  We go everywhere.  We buy guidebooks, we peruse sites like LP and BootsnAll and join the forums and ask questions.  We read travel blogs and sites like this.  I urge you to go to Lonely Planet’s site and sites like theirs.  They’re good, I go there often myself, and they have a lot of information there, certainly more than here, but their budget is a tad higher, so give me a break.

Books are good when traveling, but make sure you get online and come here, too

If it’s short, basic, guide book-like data you’re looking for, you’re probably in the wrong place.  But if you want the honest, detailed low down on every single city and country we’ve ever been to, you’ll find it all here.  You’ll also get a more personal account of what we liked, didn’t like, and why.  There will also be tons of talk about food.  I like food.  A lot.  And food, to me, is a HUGE part of travel.  So take that, big, fancy huge budget sites!

6.  I see.  I think I understand, but I just want to be clear.  Is there anything else on this site besides information that is more longwinded than normal guidebooks?

Hey, that was another cheap shot.  I’ll answer this one last question, and then we’re done here.  The smart-ass attitude is not appreciated.  But I will be kind enough to answer your question.

Yes, there is much more on offer here than just reviews and guides for different cities and countries (and I’d like to point out that they’re comprehensive and descriptive guides rather than long-winded).  Besides, wouldn’t you want to know ahead of time if the hostel worker would answer the door stinking drunk at 6am after your overnight bus just got to town?–hello Hostel YoYo in Valparaiso, Chile–that‘s the kind of personal information you‘ll get here, not boring, long winded descriptions.

But I digress.  In addition to all the fabulous reviews and guides on offer, there will also be tons of different travel tips, from how to best deal with an overnight Bolivian bus ride to what to do when your bus driver in Laos stops to purchase two dead squirrels.  Pictures, pictures, and more pictures will be all over the site, with a page and day dedicated solely to photography (Photography Friday).

There’s also a page with all the blogs and travel sites I frequent, so be sure to check out all the great information there.  There will be something here for any traveler, young or old, backpacker or flash packer, single or couple.

What now?

So check out the site, comment on some posts, tell your friends, follow me on twitter, become a fan of our facebook page, subscribe to the RSS feed, buy a shirt, send me money (OK, I’m kidding on the last two-I don’t offer shirts, yet, but I am willing to accept monetary donations).  Thanks for sticking around, and I hope to see you return!  So start planning, get out there, and see the world!