Michael Tieso started Art of Backpacking with a vision of sharing cultural knowledge to the world and inspiring more people to travel. He left the cubicle life to travel the world in May 2009 and continues the journey to this day with no end to it. He loves adventure, food, and music. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
Cheapflights: How did you get into backpacking and what is your favorite thing about it?
Michael Tieso: I found out about backpacking from reading other travel blogs. None of my friends or family knew about it. I took my first trip to Canada to test out what backpacking was all about. This was three years ago. I was hooked and started a trip that has lasted since then.
My favorite thing about backpacking is the freedom and minimalism I have. If I’m tired with a place, I just pack up my bags and go somewhere else. Because I carry so little in my backpack, I don’t have much to worry about. The hardest part of my day is deciding what to eat. Another thing I love about backpacking is that I’m able to be myself. There’s no boss I have to lie about my hours to or take a longer lunch from a cubicle job to then hide it afterwards. I can just be myself.
CF: What are the unique challenges of writing about backpacking travel?
MT: I find it difficult to really capture the whole experience. It’s something that needs to be experienced to really understand.
CF: What’s the biggest “blunder” people make when packing for a backpacking trip?
MT: I think the biggest mistake is not carrying enough underwear! You can never have enough. You’ll realize this when you’re doing laundry and you don’t have anything else to wear. Pack as much as you like in the beginning but you’ll likely throw away half those things in the end anyway.
CF: Any tips on how to research backpacking destinations in particular before you travel?
MT: Art of Backpacking has a ton of information on destination specific backpacking tips, covering dozens of countries around the world by our many writers. Another great resource a Lonely Planet guidebook – mark down a few places you’d like to go.
CF: Of the airports you’ve passed through, which is the most convenient?
MT: Singapore hands down. It’s the nicest airport I’ve ever seen. Free Wi-Fi everywhere. Easy to go the gates. And the people are friendly. Another favorite is Incheon airport in Seoul, South Korea. Super easy to get to the airport from the subway. It’s also beautiful and hi-tech looking.
CF: Who’s the most memorable seatmate (or what’s the most memorable conversation) you’ve had on a plane?
MT: My last plane ride from Houston to NYC just last weekend was my most memorable. My seatmate had a small puppy with him. The puppy was cute and friendly. I didn’t even know that you could bring your dog with you on the plane. The dog was amazingly calm and was just as much as a frequent flier as I was.
CF: Do you have a routine for staying healthy when you travel?
MT: I don’t have a routine but I learned the hard way to always stay hydrated. I was in the hospital in Thailand because the sun was strong and it was combined with alcohol. This made my body so dehydrated that not even water was helping. My blood sugar levels were too low and I always fainted as I was being rushed to the hospital. So now I do my best to keep myself hydrated.
CF: How do you recommend anxious travelers stretch their comfort zone?
MT: Start with small weekend trips. You’ll find that the more you travel, the more you will want to travel. You’ll get the travel bug and sooner or later it’ll all feel natural. Another tip is to get used to doing things on your own. Go to the movies or out to eat on your own. You’ll learn a lot about yourself doing things on your own.
CF: How do you get around a new country if you don’t speak the language?
MT: You don’t need to learn another language to travel. As long as you have English, you can travel nearly anywhere in the world. Most tourist places around the world have English as their second language. It doesn’t hurt to know at least “hello” and “thank you” in their local language though.
CF: What is an absolute must on your packing list?
MT: Always pack something to kill time. That might be a book, your iPod, Kindle, whatever. There are a lot of long travel days. There are definitely days of relaxing as well where you don’t want to do anything else but maybe read or book or listen to music. Bring entertainment to take you away from the world around you and to just relax.
Cheapflights is proud to have guest voices express their opinions. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Cheapflights Media (USA) Inc.
