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I’m sorry. I was so eager to introduce you to Quit Dreaming & Go! that I’ve completely forgotten to introduce myself.
 Hello my future intrepid traveler. I’m Richard Hamel (travel name: “Ricardo”), author of this private tête-à-tête you and I are about to engage in. As for my so-called qualifications as your host and travel preparation guru, I’ll be brief. My current profession is that of freelance website designer (yup, I’m a laptop hobo), which I'm able to do just about anywhere in the world. I have worked full-time (about five years) as a special events coordinator, fund-raiser and project developer for several non-profit projects and organizations. One such project was The Great Peace March of 1986. More than four hundred people (and at times the group grew to more than one thousand), children included, made a nine-month coast-to-coast trek across the United States. In my department, we dealt with the logistics of the walk, trekker preparation and individual fund-raising. My fund-raising experience (about twelve years) has been focused on small, personal appeals, such as house party fund-raisers and written solicitations. I am the founder and former president of PAX Publishing, a graphic design and printing agency which had served as a development and communication source for charitable organizations. As a hobby, I have bought, restored and sold antique furniture for a profit, and when I was a boy, I worked at the swap meet (outdoor flea market) every weekend for three years with my pops. So scrounging around for money and organizing people has been a part of me for a long time.
My foreign travel experience include (so far): Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Czech Republic*, Denmark, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Holland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan*, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Spain*, Sweden*, Syria, Thailand*, Turkey, Vietnam, along with a few other European and Asian countries. In ten years time, I went from having taken only a one-month European excursion, to leaving it all behind for a six-month around-the-word trip. Nine months after that half-year excursion, I took an eleven-month around-the-world trip by myself. Three years after returning from that trip, I decided to travel indefinitely with my backpack as my home and my laptop as my office. I think it’s also important to note that while I was traveling, I had the pleasure of meeting scores of other travelers. After pumping them for information, I found that their experiences in making their dream trip a reality were very similar to mine. (Oh the horror stories!) And, in preparing this online handbook/manual I also drew on the experience and expertise of my friends who travel, which add up to decades of extra experience (which I truly thank them for).
But enough about me. What about you?
* Denotes having stayed in this area as a resident.
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As I understand it, you want to travel abroad—or at least you’re pretty sure that you do. Some of you just wish to see the world and leave your work behind, but some of you wish to live the life of a laptop hobo or nu nomad, combining your vocation with traveling. In any case this first session, where we will focus on what it takes to make an extended trip abroad happen, will hopefully provide the undecided part of you with enough information to either plan for a trip now, or maybe later when it's more viable.
With that said, let me ask you this first. How badly do you want to go? That's the single most important factor in the preparation for long term travel. It's the same type of question we have asked ourselves about attending college, starting up a business, or making any other life changing decision (such as selecting a big-screen television, or committing to pantomime lessons.) If you really want to travel for an extended period of time and you have committed yourself to this decision, then together we will most likely be able to make that happen. This does not mean, however, that overcoming obstacles will be easy. In fact, for some, it can be insurmountable. But for the majority (like you), it's just a matter of discipline, planning and common sense. So from this point on, plan on going. Okay?
Cool. Do you want another beverage or snack before we continue?
Alright then.
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Now before we get into the nuts and bolts of this program, I must start with the obligatory "disclaimer." (Yup, the author is American.)
Neither the author, publisher or contributors to this publication can accept responsibility for any errors or omissions that may occur in this material, nor shall they be held answerable for any negative incidents readers may experience while traveling. The advice and information provided in Quit Dreaming and Go! and www.LaptopHobos.com, www.NuNomad.com and their partner sites is meant to serve only to assist you in your travel as well as pre-travel preparations. Because the author wishes to minimize confusion (but isn’t lazy), this information is neither all inclusive, exhaustive nor final. Additionally, the author warns that neither he, his publisher, partners, nor anyone else connected with this publication or with our web sites, recommends or attests to the quality, reliability or legal status of products, advice, or services provided by any of the people, organizations and business firms stated in this material. Personal confirmation and evaluation is suggested.
If there's any one quality that's most important for a person embarking on a trip abroad/overseas, especially a long one, it's taking responsibility for your own decisions and actions. I know, as humans that can be a little difficult at times. But I hope that no matter how much information I offer you, you will inform yourself even more, prepare yourself mentally for the unknown, and take responsibility for whatever happens (good or bad) on your trip.
Okay, now that I’ve pacified the legal people and have (hopefully) covered my ass, let us move past the disclaimers and continue with the important stuff, shall we?
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