Hello. My name is Matthew Karsten. I’m a travel addict.

The story begins growing up in the mountains of New Hampshire, located in the Northeast corner of the United States.

Matthew Karsten

My passion for travel started when I turned 18 and packed everything I owned into a beat-up jeep and drove West in search of adventure.

I ended up in Montana, where I went to college for Business while playing in the Rocky Mountains for 5 years.

My lust for new experiences wasn’t cured though, so I then moved to Hawaii where I worked the front desk at an international backpacker’s hostel by night, and spent my afternoons surfing Oahu’s waves.

This is when I first contracted the Travel Bug after living, working, and philosophizing with other travelers from all over the world.

I discovered a hint of how big our planet really is, how much there was to learn, and was soon infected with the Vagabonding Virus.

Little did I know then how it would eventually change my life…

Chillin' with Busta Rhymes in South Beach

Sick of the American Dream?

Next I moved to Miami and worked as a professional nightclub photographer. My South Beach-based photography job required interacting with uber-rich models, celebrities, and business owners on a regular basis.

I can’t deny that it was a lot of fun!

But the novelty wore off, and I soon got sick of all the shallowness I found in most of those people. Worse yet, I discovered it creeping into my own personality too.

I also came to the conclusion that slaving away for others just to buy a bunch of fancy crap I didn’t need was not the life I wanted for myself. I couldn’t go on living a typical American lifestyle, it just wasn’t for me.

That Vagabonding Virus suddenly re-emerged, and I was powerless to stop it from taking over completely.

I was self-diagnosed with full blown RTWS (Round The World Syndrome).

Can you believe this is the Job I gave up to Travel???

Time for a Change

Remembering how happy I had been living amongst the backpacking community in Hawaii, I decided to completely change the direction of my life.

I’m not going to sugar coat it though, it wasn’t easy.

I wanted to embrace a minimalistic lifestyle.

This meant saving money like crazy, skipping the nightclubs, trading my Audi for a bicycle, and working LONG nights in order to build up a small online business. I eventually quit my nightlife photography job and sold almost everything I owned!

In November 2010 I finally left the United States to begin my journey.

Exploring a Remote Beach in Costa Rica

Embracing the Life of a Nomad

At first my trip was only supposed to last one year (the original domain for this site was YearAroundTheWorld.com).

But only 3 months in, I quickly knew I’d be traveling for much longer than that.

Getting rid of everything I owned was extremely liberating, and for once I truly felt like I was living with complete freedom. Not to mention the new practical knowledge I learned about the world, the many great people I met, all while having the time of my life in the process.

Every day was filled with new experiences!

Hitchhiking in Guatemala

Traveling the World Indefinitely

My itinerary? Your guess is as good as mine! My plan is to plan as little as possible, and let fate take me where it may. I’ll hang out in a country for as long as it feels right, and move on to the next when I’m ready.

My mission? To explore the Earth with an open mind, meet interesting people, and discover what I’m truly capable of. I’ll then share those experiences with you.

While my logo tells you I’m some sort of travel expert, I seriously don’t believe it myself. I’d like to be someday though… I invite you to join me as I learn along the way!

You’ll see the world through my eyes, and I hope you’ll be inspired to break away and embark on your own travel adventures.

So, enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How Can You Afford to Do This?

A: People who find my site often assume I’m rich, but I’m not. I just choose to spend my average income on travel rather than new cars, a mortgage, fancy clothes or getting drunk in nightclubs. It’s all about what your priorities are in life. If you make travel a priority, it’s really pretty affordable. I spend about $1000 a month on travel. But I also don’t own a house, a car, or much “stuff”.

Everything I own fits in a backpack.

My lifestyle isn’t for everyone (but I highly recommend it!). Check out my Travel Tips for more information on how to travel on a budget.

Q: Do You Get Lonely Traveling Solo?

A: Sometimes, but it’s rare. You are never really alone when traveling the way I do. While it’s not a widespread phenomenon in the US, long-term budget travel is much more common in other countries. Staying in backpacker hostels rather than hotels ensures I meet all kinds of interesting people of all ages, backgrounds, and locations from across the planet who are embarking on similar travel adventures themselves. From young Australian college graduates to retired Russian lawyers. You never know who you’ll meet next!

Q: What’s Your Favorite Country?

A: This is a very common question, but it’s simply impossible to answer. Once you start traveling on a regular basis, you quickly realize that each country has it’s own special qualities. While I know I will never have a favorite country, there are certain travel experiences that I definitely consider my favorites. Feel free to drop me a line on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ and I’ll tell you what they are!

Q: Who Made Your Website?

A: I did. It’s a heavily modified theme on the WordPress framework. Interested in building your own travel blog? Rather than trying to answer a bunch of emails asking similar questions about travel blogging, check out this fantastic guide that will describe it to you step-by-step, much better than I could… Travel Blog Success