Latest news with #adventurer
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Washington Post
11 hotel room rituals that are nonnegotiable
When I'm lucky enough to stay in a hotel, I have certain rituals that I always perform. It's as if I've never seen furniture or a television before. Everything is somehow more exciting when you're away from home … except those minibar prices.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
I quit my job to travel - this is the money mistake I made and how to avoid it
We're often told quitting is weak, a way out for those not headstrong enough to handle certain pressures, but I couldn't disagree more. The first time I quit a job was back in 2009, leaving my first London-based magazine office job in exchange for 12 months of exploration through 15 countries on a seriously tight budget. And the last came about just over 15 months ago, when I decided to become a full-time freelance travel writer. At 38, it was one of the scarier leaps to make, yet undoubtedly one of the best decisions I've ever made. But there are definitely a few things I wish I'd known before jumping into the unknown… here's what I've learnt along the way. Don't dawdle, time is precious The younger you are, the easier it is to quit. I was just 23 when I first quit a job for a year-long backpacking trip, and I made the decision instantly as soon as I'd saved enough money. I had a few worries about how easy it would be to get employed when I returned, but they were soon forgotten as soon as I hit the road. Yet, quitting in your 30s is a different ball game. I deliberated for three long years before I finally plucked up the courage to do it, and you know what? I wish I had done it much, much sooner. Making the decision was by far the hardest thing about it, but once it was done, I've never regretted it or looked back. What I've come to realise now is that time is so precious; We don't know how long we're going to be here, so if you're not happy with your current situation, it's worth changing whatever you can, as soon as possible. It'll cost more than you planned for While I like to travel in a more refined way these days, I was a budget backpacking pro in my 20s, and managed to spend spend just £7,000 in a year visiting 15 countries. But before I set out, I had only planned to spend £5,000 before realising mid-way through that wasn't enough. For this reason, I always make sure I have saved enough to last my entire trip, plus money to live off when returning home and looking for a new job, and extra cash for unplanned issues while I'm away. If in doubt, save at least £2-3,000 more than you think you need. And if you have a student loan, you also need to think about the interest, which, regardless of being fairly low, adds up over the duration of your trip away. You may have to take a pay cut when you return After my first long-term trip, I managed to secure a new job a couple of months after returning to the UK, yet the salary was just £17,000 - much lower than the job I had left. But a job is a job, and I took it and managed to survive by living in a large London house share, cycling everywhere, and taking a packed lunch to work every day. It was sometimes tricky, but it definitely wasn't the end of my career, and I got a good pay rise a year later. Friends and family will cast doubts over your decision The beauty of human beings is that we are all very different; we think in different ways, we have different passions, and completely different fears, so don't be surprised if people place their fears on you. When contemplating quitting a job, over 80 percent of the people you talk to will tell you not to do it. But it's important to listen to your instincts. It's your life, and you have to live it in a way that's true to you. If travel is important to you and you're in a secure financial position, thank friends and family for their advice, but don't let them discourage you if it's what your heart is telling you to do. It's not that big of a deal When you're in the routine of life, doing the same thing day in and day out, breaking that cycle can feel like the biggest deal. But guess what? It's not that wild. 'Once you begin to travel, you will realise that the world is full of people living in unique ways,' says Lydia, pictured in Yerevan, Armenia Once you begin to travel, you will realise that the world is full of people living in unique ways. People of all ages travel, volunteer, move countries, fall in love, and change their entire life plans. I've met widows who've sold everything to travel alone long-term, families who've pulled their kids out of school for adventure, and many, many people who have moved across the world for love. You may lose friends Being in a position where you can quit your job can be triggering for people who aren't as free. Debts, mortgages, family, and illness can all prevent people from doing some of the things they might want to, and so it can be difficult for them to see others doing it. And that goes for both parties - there are things my friends have that I might hanker after at points on the road. But good friends are supportive through whatever situation you happen to be going through, and vice versa. If big decisions filter out some people in your circle, it's not a bad thing; the friends remaining will be friends for life. It's not that scary out there Social media and news outlets overflow with horror stories from around the globe, showcasing the worst of humanity on a daily basis - it's no wonder many are afraid to go out of their comfort zones. And while, of course, it's imperative to be sensible (especially when travelling alone as a woman), people the world over are generally very kind and generous. Some of my most memorable moments have been with wonderfully warm strangers who have treated me like family. And it's for moments like those that I continue to travel.
The Drive
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
This Stack of Pallets Is Actually a Low Budget Stealth Camper
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Not everybody is cut out for camping, even in something as sophisticated as a camper. But even within that niche, boondocking is a horse of a different color. It takes a certain type of adventurer to embrace the art of camping off-grid—and perhaps even doing so in plain sight. Fortunately, those of us who prefer a real mattress and built-in amenities can get our kicks vicariously through lovable weirdos like Steve Wallis, known as @campingwithsteve on YouTube. Steve put together these incognito sleeping quarters using pretty much what you see. The walls of the open interior are plywood, and they're framed in by the pallets that form the exterior disguise. The walls are coated in what Steve describes as plastic (it appears to be some sort of housewrap) and decorated inside with canvas. The former offers some protection against the elements, but not enough to prevent water seepage when it rains, as we can see early in the video. The advantage here is that you can camp where a parked RV or tent might bring unwanted attention, but a RAV4 hauling lumber wouldn't. This is arguably a far better 'tactical' camper than something bright orange and bristling with accessories. Flying under the radar is the real thinking person's apocalypse prep. He describes the camper's electrical system as 'modest,' and from what we can see early in the video, it utilizes just a lithium iron phosphate battery and a simple power inverter. It's robust enough to run a slow cooker for Steve's dinner while simultaneously supplying power to his 360-degree camera setup while he's inside the camper, plus the battery has built-in over-current protection, significantly reducing the risk of a fire if something shorts out. That surveillance system is not merely to identify potential thieves coming to pilfer the pallets; it's also how Steve monitors his surroundings after entering and before exiting the camper. The camper's physical security is almost entirely dependent on remaining stealthy, so Steve takes great care to avoid being spotted during entry or exit; he even taped over the lights on the cameras themselves to make them blend in at night. The camper door itself is secured only by simple slide latches, so he keeps his valuables in the car itself when he's outside the camper. The bulk of Steve's video involves an actual test—the third such attempt, he says, without much in the way of elaboration—in which he camps out overnight in a parking lot attached to a modest strip mall. We'll leave out the spoilers in case you're curious, and it's certainly worth a watch even if this isn't your scene. Besides, don't you want to know how the jambalaya turned out? Seen any other cool stealth camper setups? Share them with us at tips@ Byron is one of those weird car people who has never owned an automatic transmission. Born in the DMV but Midwestern at heart, he lives outside of Detroit with his wife, two cats, a Miata, a Wrangler, and a Blackwing.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Survivor of Mount Everest avalanche that killed thousands remembers moment of terror
A decade after surviving a devastating earthquake and avalanche on Mount Everest, adventurer Alex Staniforth is marking the anniversary with an ambitious feat: climbing 446 mountains across England and Wales. In 2015, a 19-year-old Staniforth was on his second attempt to summit Everest when a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal. The quake triggered an avalanche that swept down the mountain, an experience Staniforth vividly remembers. The disaster claimed thousands of lives and left thousands more injured. 10 years on from the earthquake, he recalled: 'At this point, I wasn't aware of an earthquake. I didn't feel the ground shaking, but my teammates did. I was completely on my own, and I remember feeling something was wrong. 'I could sense there was an avalanche coming towards us, but I couldn't see it because the cloud was so bad… I remember feeling really confused, and then feeling this massive blast of white just knocking me off my feet. 'For the first time in my life, at 19, (I remember) thinking 'This is it, game over', and that sickening feeling of fear that I've never really felt before.' The motivational speaker, who lives in Kendal, Cumbria, said he is 'grateful' to have survived the avalanche and is now commemorating 10 years since the earthquake by scaling 446 mountains across England and Wales in 50 days for charity. In the UK, a mountain is generally considered to be a summit of more than 2,000ft (600m), according to the Ordnance Survey. Mr Staniforth said: 'I'm very grateful that I survived that day, but I think, ever since then, I've just tried to make it count and try to give something back, and I hope that this challenge will do that.' He is raising money for Mind Over Mountains, the charity he founded in 2020, which focuses on using walks in nature and venturing outdoors as a tool to support people with mental health issues. He said the charity helps to 'give people the tools to stay mentally and physically well' by providing safe spaces for people to walk and talk about challenging topics around mental health and suicide. 'The outdoors has always been my natural health service, and I want other people to have access to that,' he said. 'By doing this challenge, it's not only opening conversations around mental health and suicide, but it's actually directly providing more access to (the outdoors), which, for me, is what makes it all worthwhile.' The challenge started on Friday with the mountains of Yes Tor and High Willhays in Dartmoor, Devon, and Mr Staniforth is expected to finish in the Lake District at the end of June to mark his 30th birthday. The whole journey will be human-powered because he is running and cycling to every mountain before scaling each one. His bike ride was 103 miles (166km) and his longest run to come will be 36 miles (58km), while his highest mountain climb will see him tackle 11,483ft (3,500M) of ascent. He said he wants his challenge to provide a 'bit of hope' for young people, particularly those approaching their 30s, who might be struggling to find a sense of purpose in life. 'I think when a lot of people reach 30… they feel like they're not where they should be or they feel like they're not where they want to be,' he said. 'There's a lot of mental health challenges and depression, and I just wanted to be a bit of hope for those people that things can go wrong but you can always pick yourself up and find another way. 'I think Everest, for a long time, was like my idea of success. It was like the be all and end all, and actually it's given me much bigger opportunities.' The adventurer has already faced ankle issues and feeling sick from the 6,500 calories he is eating daily, but said the recent good weather and support from his team has encouraged him to persevere. The journey will see him travel from Dartmoor to Bristol and through the Brecon Beacons and North Wales, before reaching the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland and the Lake District. So far, Mr Staniforth has raised nearly £12,000 of his £100,000 target which forms part of Mind Over Mountains' Project 500 campaign to raise £500,000.
Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Swimmer braves shark-infested waters to mark 50 years of Jaws
Fifty years ago, Steven Spielberg terrified audiences with his film about a merciless great white shark preying on an unsuspecting New England town. Jaws, regarded as the first big summer blockbuster, was almost too successful. Partly thanks to John Williams' menacing soundtrack, sharks, especially great whites, have been cast as bloodthirsty killers since. Now, a British adventurer is seeking to rehabilitate Spielberg's predator. Lewis Pugh, one of the world's most daring endurance swimmers, is attempting to swim around Martha's Vineyard, the Massachusetts island on which much of Jaws was filmed. Pugh, 55, has stared down polar bears, saltwater crocodiles and hippos, and is unperturbed by the images of skinny-dippers and surfers becoming shark food in Spielberg's horror. He wants to shift the discussion from
