What’s the big idea?

Trade home and stuff for FREEDOM and ADVENTURE. Over the last three years, I’ve traveled a lot. I’ve probably logged 300 days on the road. Mostly I’ve been in Central and South America–Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador. I love it, but there’s one problem. While I’m trekking, my expenses pretty much double because I’m paying for housing on the road and maintaining a residence in Chicago. As it turns out, home is more expensive than anywhere I visit. More? Yes, MORE! For example, three months ago, I was in Ecuador where the cost of a dorm room at a beautiful hostel was $10/night and a designer apartment ran $15. My total housing for the month of February was around $375. That’s less than half of what my tiny condo in Chicago costs. Conclusion: My Thrifty Adventures are cheaper than staying at home. Even when I head to Barcelona!

So … I’m working on giving up my condo, downsizing to a 5′ x 10′ storage locker and heading out the door for a year. It’s an experiment in voluntary homelessness. I’ll be blogging about my adventures and tracking my expenses. I hope to stay under $1,250/month. I’ll share the math.

I know it seems a little crazy. My mother is worried. But, I’m not the first and I won’t be the last to trade work and home for adventure. For example, there’s blogger Colin Wright who travels the world (full time) to locations that receive the most votes from his followers. He’s pretty inspiring. In Ecuador, I met tons of folks–mostly Europeans–who were traveling for more than a year. They seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Here’s where I’ve been so far (with m=miles traveled) …

1 Quebec (Quebec City, Ile d’Orleans) 748m by plane Quebec City
2 New Brunswick (Moncton, Fundy National Park) + 308m by plane= 1,056m Fundy National Park
3 Nova Scotia (Five Islands Park, Lunenburg) + 224m by car = 1,280m
4 St Louis, USA + 1,441m by plane = 2,721m
5 Chicago, USA + 296m by plane = 3,017m
6 Nova Scotia (Shelburne, Pubnico, Cape Breton, Cabot Trail, Halifax) + 1,238m by plane= 4,255m Nova Scotia, Firewood, Potluck Weddings, Little DIY Project, Tall Ships, Foraging, Blue Rocks Challenge, Lobster!, The Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia Wrapup
7 Montreal + 496m by plane  = 4,751m Montreal: Barbie Expo, Montreal Wrapup
8 St Louis, USA + 984m by plane = 5,735m St Louis
9 Chicago, USA + 296m by train = 6,231m Chicago Reunion
10 Buenos Aires, Argentina + 5,505m by plane = 11,736m Buenos Aires
11 Colonia, Uruguay + 44m by ferry = 11,780m Colonia, Uruguay
11a (10) Buenos Aires + 44m by ferry = 11,824m
12 Iguazu, Argentina + 807m by bus = 12,631m Iguazu Falls
13 Corrientes, Argentina + 393m by bus = 13,024m Corrientes
14 Salta, Argentina + 516m by bus = 13,540m Empanadas
15 Cafayate, Argentina + 122m by bus = 13,662m Cafayate
16 Belen, Argentina + 155m by bus = 13,817m The Desert
17 La Rioja, Argentina + 151m by bus = 13,968m The Desert
18 Mendoza, Argentina + 359m by bus = 14,327m Issues
19 Valparaíso, Chile + 256m by bus = 14,583m Over the Andes, Valparaíso
20 Valdivia, Chile + 592m by bus =  15,175m Tabanos Valdivia
21 Niebla, Chile + 10m by bus = 15,185m Niebla
22  Chaihuin, Chile + 33m by ferry and bus = 15,218m Camping
23 Futrono, Chile + 96m by ferry and bus = 15,314m Lago Ranco
24 (23) Llifen, Chile + 13m by bus = 15,327m
25 (23) Maihue, Chile + 18m by bus = 15,345m Lago Maihue
26 (23) Futrono, Chile + 31m = by bus 15,376m
27 (23) Island Huapi + 4m by ferry= 15,380m Isla Huapi
28 (23) Futrono, Chile + 4m by ferry= 15, 384m
29 Las Cascadas, Chile + 103m  by hitchhiking= 15,487m Las Cascadas
30 (29) Ensenada,Chile + 20m by bus 15,507m Osorno
31 (29) Puerto Varas, Chile + 28m by bus = 15,535m
32 (29) Puerto Montt, Chile + 21m by bus = 15,556m
33 (29) Ancud, Island Chiloe, Chile + 59m by bus = 15,615m Isla Chiloe
34 (29) Dalcalhui, Isla Chiloe, Chile + 42m by bus = 15,657m Lost
35 (29) Puerto Montt, Chile + 99m by bus =15,756m Chicken Shit, Navimag 
36 Puerto Natales, Chile + 1087m by Navimag Ferry =  16,845m Torres del Paine
37 Punta Arenas, Chile + 154m= 16,999m Punta Arenas & Tierra del Fuego
38 Ushuaia, Argentina + 384m  =17,383m Punta Arenas & Tierra del Fuego
39 Antarctica + 1,173m by cruise ship = 18,556m Antarctica Itinerary, Drake, Antarctica: Ice, Antarctica: Wildlife, Antarctica: Rust and Rot, Antarctica: Thank You
40 (38) Ushuaia, Argentina + 1,000m by cruise ship= 19,556m Civilization 
41 (10) Buenos Aires, Argentina + 1,864m by plane= 21,420m Buenos Aires: Musica, Buenos Aires: Arte
42 (8) St Louis, MO USA + 5,465m by plane = 26,885m St Louis
43 (9) Chicago, IL USA + 296m by bus = 27,181m Chicago Reunion
44 Cleveland, OH USA + 316m by plane = 27,497m Cleveland Rocks
45 Albany, NY USA + 445m by plane =27,942m New York
46 (45) Brooklyn, NY USA + 154m by plane = 28,096m New York
47 (3) Nova Scotia, Canada + 711m  by plane= 28,807m South Shore
48 (3) Halifax + 73m by car  =  28,880m Halifax
49 (7) Montreal, Canada (7) +  496m by train = 29,376 The 15, Festival de Jazz, Montreal wrapup
50 (45) Altamont, NY USA + 221m by train  = 29,597m Helderledge, Delayed
51 (9) Chicago, IL (9) USA + 815m by train = 30,412m Friends
52 Victoria BC Canada + 2,206m by plane = 32,618m

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