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		<title>Ancient Ephesus Turkey, Still Alive and Thriving!</title>
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		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2015 16:37:11 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description><![CDATA[<p><img width="1024" height="562" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/featured1.jpg" class="attachment-small wp-post-image" alt="featured" style="margin-bottom:10px;" />The ancient city of Ephesus Turkey was alive. Curetes way teemed with the footsteps of thousands, drowned out only by the cacophony of countless voices. The crowds pervaded every corner, leaving not a single alley or stone undiscovered. But where once the hustle was the call of merchants hawking wares, or prophets divining from pulpits, &#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/ancient-ephesus-turkey/">Ancient Ephesus Turkey, Still Alive and Thriving!</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com">Blaze Your Adventure</a>.</p>
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				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="562" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/featured1.jpg" class="attachment-small wp-post-image" alt="featured" style="margin-bottom:10px;" /><div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><p>The ancient city of Ephesus Turkey was alive. Curetes way teemed with the footsteps of thousands, drowned out only by the cacophony of countless voices. The crowds pervaded every corner, leaving not a single alley or stone undiscovered. But where once the hustle was the call of merchants hawking wares, or prophets divining from pulpits, the streets of Ephesus was now replaced by the clamoring and jostling of those looking for the perfect photograph; Togas replaced by T-shirts, and sandals…well, that remains the same.</p>
<p>It’s no wonder that ancient Ephesus, like ancient times, still remains so popular. Like the metropolis that once stood there, Ephesus Turkey is once again the darling of the Aegean.   Albeit for different reasons.</p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Wow-Turkey.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-0"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6670" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Wow-Turkey.jpg" alt="SONY DSC" width="700" height="466" /></a></p>
<p>Located along the Aegean, and a stones throw from Selcuk, Ephesus was once an epicenter for commercial Roman and Greek Asia. Now, it enjoys fame as one of the best preserved ruins in all the Mediterranean- and in Turkey, this is no easy task. The caretakers have painstakingly restored Ephesus to allow an immersion unlike many ruins that exist in the Mediterranean, and possibly all of Europe. In <a title="Hierapolis – a worthy stop" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/hierapolis-a-worthy-stop/">Hierapolis Pammukale</a> where sections seem compartmentalize, Ephesus draws you in as you walk the stone streets, making it easy to envision what it must have been like as a citizen of the Roman Empire in 129 BC.</p>
<p>Ephesus even boasts as the location for one of the great seven wonders of the ancient world – the Temple of Artemis. Although this has since fallen into disrepair, Ephesus is a stop that many, especially first time visitors to Turkey, must visit.</p>
<div id="attachment_6671" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Temple-of-Artemis.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-1"><img class="size-full wp-image-6671" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Temple-of-Artemis.jpg" alt="Ephesus Turkey" width="700" height="339" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Yep, this is all that remains of the Temple of Artemis</p></div>
<p>And visit they do. It’s popularity, and just the overall quality of this site, will invariably be a huge draw for crowds. Although few opportunities exist for the perfect photo-op (You could always try our <a title="Travel Hacks Friday – You’re In My Shot!" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/travel-photography-trick-youre-in-my-shot/">photography trick that eliminates tourist</a>), don’t let this dissuade you from including Ephesus on your itinerary. Ephesus, isn&#8217;t an exercise for the imagination; it&#8217;s a full immersion into the life and times of the Greco-Roman periods.</p>
<p>I’m not an expert of the region by any stretch of the imagination, having visited only once.  For more detail on the area and Turkey in general, I highly recommend reading the <a href="http://turkishtravelblog.com" target="_blank">Turkishtravelblog.com</a>. Natalie is an expert in all things Turkish and has written and put together some amazing information.</p>
<h2><strong>Ephesus Turkey Things to Do and See:<br />
</strong></h2>
<p>Even though a search online will result in a plethora of websites listing all the popular attractions, I still need to add my voice to the masses! And honestly, you can never have enough photos or suggestions.  This list can literally go on forever, as Ephesus is a potpourri of ancient treasures to the point where it’s almost unfair to the rest of Turkey:</p>
<p><strong>Library of Celsus</strong> – the most familiar of all Ephesus structures and the poster child for Turkey tourism, all that remains is the façade. Impressive nonetheless.</p>
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<p><strong>Great Theatre &#8211; </strong>With a capacity to seat 25,000 spectators,  the theatre was the main venue for plays, concerts, gladiator battles and even animal fights.<strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Grand-Theatre.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-2"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6655" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Grand-Theatre.jpg" alt="Ephesus Turkey" width="700" height="318" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Public Latrines</strong> – yes,  toilets from ancient Ephesus!</p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Public-Latrines.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-3"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6658" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Public-Latrines.jpg" alt="Ephesus Turkey" width="371" height="400" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Baths of Varius &#8211; </strong>Still in a state of excavation,  the bathhouses was the place of bathing for citizens, and possibly even used as a gymnasium later on.<strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Baths-of-Varius.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-4"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6645" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Baths-of-Varius.jpg" alt="Ephesus Turkey" width="700" height="350" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Fountain of Pollio &#8211; </strong>A vanity project built by the rich Pollio family of Ephesus,  it served as a free public water source to residents and visitors of the city.<strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Fountain-of-Pollio.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-5"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6650" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Fountain-of-Pollio.jpg" alt="Ephesus Turkey" width="700" height="554" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Temple of Hadrian &#8211; </strong>Built somewhere around 138 AD as a dedication to the Emperor Hadrian,  what remains is an amazing structure with incredibly intricate friezes. <strong><br />
</strong></p>
<style>.eic-frame-6665 { width: 500px; height:500px; border: 1px solid #ffffff; }.eic-frame-6665 .eic-image { border: 1px solid #ffffff; }.eic-frame-6665 .eic-image-0 {background-image: url("http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Temple-of-Hadrian-1.jpg");background-size: 500px 302px;background-position: 0px -24.428571428571445px;}.eic-frame-6665 .eic-image-1 {background-image: url("http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Temple-of-Hadrian-2.jpg");background-size: 797px 254px;background-position: -148.65470852017938px 0px;}</style><div class="eic-container"><div class="eic-frame eic-frame-6665 eic-frame-2-row" data-layout-name="2-row" data-orig-width="500" data-orig-border="1" data-ratio="1"><div class="eic-rows"><div class="eic-row eic-child-1" style="top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; bottom: 50%; height: 50%;"><div class="eic-image eic-image-0" data-size-x="500" data-size-y="302.8571428571429" data-pos-x="0" data-pos-y="-24.428571428571445"><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Temple-of-Hadrian-1.jpg" rel="lightbox" title="Temple of Hadrian Ephesus" class="eic-image-link "></a></div></div><div class="eic-row eic-child-2" style="bottom: 0; left: 0; right: 0; top: 50%; height: 50%;"><div class="eic-image eic-image-1" data-size-x="797.3094170403588" data-size-y="254" data-pos-x="-148.65470852017938" data-pos-y="0"><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Temple-of-Hadrian-2.jpg" rel="lightbox" title="Ephesus Turkey" class="eic-image-link "></a></div></div></div></div></div>
<p><strong>Bouleuterion or Odeon -</strong> A miniature version of the Great Theatre,  the Odeon was used as a smaller venue for concerts and performances as well as a meeting place for the Senate or Boulea, hence its other name Bouleuterion.<strong><br />
</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Gate of Mazeus and Mythridates &#8211; </strong>Adjacent to the impressive Library of Celsus, the gates were built by the slaves Mazeus and Mythridates in homage to their Emperor Augustus.   You&#8217;ll see both names carved into the stone above the vaulted passages.<strong><br />
</strong></p>
<style>.eic-frame-6667 { width: 500px; height:500px; border: 1px solid #ffffff; }.eic-frame-6667 .eic-image { border: 1px solid #ffffff; }.eic-frame-6667 .eic-image-0 {background-image: url("http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/gates-of-mythridates-1.jpg");background-size: 579px 254px;background-position: -39.576547231270354px 0px;}.eic-frame-6667 .eic-image-1 {background-image: url("http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Gates-of-Mythridates-2.jpg");background-size: 665px 254px;background-position: -205.95880149812734px 0px;}.eic-frame-6667 .eic-image-2 {background-image: url("http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/gates-of-Mythridates-3.jpg");background-size: 418px 254px;background-position: -82.17647058823528px 0px;}</style><div class="eic-container"><div class="eic-frame eic-frame-6667 eic-frame-2-row-bottom-2-col" data-layout-name="2-row-bottom-2-col" data-orig-width="500" data-orig-border="1" data-ratio="1"><div class="eic-rows"><div class="eic-row eic-child-1" style="top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; bottom: 50%; height: 50%;"><div class="eic-image eic-image-0" data-size-x="579.1530944625407" data-size-y="254" data-pos-x="-39.576547231270354" data-pos-y="0"><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/gates-of-mythridates-1.jpg" rel="lightbox" title="Ephesus Turkey" class="eic-image-link "></a></div></div><div class="eic-row eic-child-2" style="bottom: 0; left: 0; right: 0; top: 50%; height: 50%;"><div class="eic-cols"><div class="eic-col eic-child-1" style="top: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0; right: 50%; width: 50%;"><div class="eic-image eic-image-1" data-size-x="665.9176029962547" data-size-y="254" data-pos-x="-205.95880149812734" data-pos-y="0"><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Gates-of-Mythridates-2.jpg" rel="lightbox" title="Gates of Mythradates" class="eic-image-link "></a></div></div><div class="eic-col eic-child-2" style="top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 50%; width: 50%;"><div class="eic-image eic-image-2" data-size-x="418.35294117647055" data-size-y="254" data-pos-x="-82.17647058823528" data-pos-y="0"><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/gates-of-Mythridates-3.jpg" rel="lightbox" title="Gates of Mythradates" class="eic-image-link "></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
<p><strong>State Agora &#8211; </strong>An assembly area where the movers and shakers of Ephesus gathered to conduct business and government affairs.<strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/State-Agora.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-6"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6659" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/State-Agora.jpg" alt="Ephesus Turkey" width="700" height="371" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Fountain of Trajan &#8211; </strong>Built in 104 AD in Honor of Emperor Trajan, it was once the most impressive structure in Ephesus with a fountain surrounded by columns and statues of Dionysus, Satyr, and Aphrodite. <strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Fountain-of-Trajan.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-7"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6651" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Fountain-of-Trajan.jpg" alt="Ephesus Turkey" width="700" height="436" /></a></p>
<p>There&#8217;s also the Roman Terrace Houses, which during our visit wasn&#8217;t open to the public.  From all accounts though, it&#8217;s not to be missed.  Read Natalie&#8217;s post on the <a href="http://turkishtravelblog.com/roman-terrace-houses-ephesus-turkey/" target="_blank">Roman Terrace Houses of Ephesus </a>for more information along with some awesome photos.</p>
<h2><strong>How to visit Ephesus </strong></h2>
<p>With buses and dolmuses crisscrossing all across Turkey, no destination is unreachable no matter where you might be.   For those coming from Istanbul, Ephesus can be reached directly by 10 hours on bus, giving you a chance to put some <a title="10 Fun Things To Do On A Road Trip" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/10-fun-things-to-do-on-a-road-trip/">entertaining road trip activities</a> to use.   If you do decide to come direct from Istanbul, take the opportunity to stop in Izmir, which will break up the road trip a bit.</p>
<p>The other option, which we took, is by way of Cappadocia. Take a night bus from Istanbul to Cappadocia first, and come back to Selcuk through <a title="The Road to Nowhere – Cappadocia to Pamukkale" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/the-road-to-nowhere-cappadocia-to-pamukkale/">Pamukkale or Denizli</a>.</p>
<h2><strong>Where to Stay in Ephesus: </strong></h2>
<p>Selcuk is probably the best place to set up your base hub, and, as I mentioned earlier, is just a stones throw away. You also have the option of staying in Kusadasi, which is a little further south. Personally I suggest Selcuk as a great preamble to the main course as you can visit the Ephesus Museum, the Basilica of St. John, Isa Bey Camii and the less impressive Temple of Artemis (pictured above). Selcuk also has some pretty spot on Food and hostel options.</p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Basilica-of-St-John.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-8"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6644" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Basilica-of-St-John.jpg" alt="Ephesus Turkey" width="700" height="416" /></a></p>
<p>From Selcuk, taxis to Ephesus run about TL 15, and from Kusadasi just hop on a minibus for about TL 4 and walk about 20 minutes to the ticket office from where they drop you off.</p>
<h2><strong>Best time to visit Ephesus<br />
</strong></h2>
<p>Naturally the summer will be the busiest and most crowded. But Turkey is pretty much always busy since it is a hot spot for travelers after all. However, even during the height of summer, there are times in the day that are more conducive to visiting Ephesus. The general consensus is either early morning right when they open to avoid the large cruise ship tours coming in from Kusadasi, or after 4pm when the tours are leaving.</p>
<p>There is no wrong way to approach Ephesus Turkey, and however you decide to visit, you will not be disappointed.  The only real down side is the never-ending sea of tourists, but if anything, it&#8217;s indicative of how awesome this ancient city is &#8211; it really is worth it!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Visiting Turkey?  Find out more here:</h2>
<p><a title="The Trouble With visiting Istanbul – 3 days is Not Enough!" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/visiting-istanbul/">The Trouble With Visiting Istanbul</a></p>
<p><a title="Hierapolis – a worthy stop" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/hierapolis-a-worthy-stop/">Hierapolis &#8211; A Worthy Day</a></p>
<p><a title="How to Find Adventure in Cappadocia Turkey" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-in-cappadocia-turkey/">How to Find Adventure in Cappadocia</a></p>
<p><a title="One Day is All You Need For Pamukkale" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/one-day-is-all-you-need-for-pamukkale/">One day is all you need for Pamukkale</a></p>
<p><a title="The Road to Nowhere – Cappadocia to Pamukkale" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/the-road-to-nowhere-cappadocia-to-pamukkale/">The Road To Nowhere &#8211; Cappadocia to Pamukkale</a></p>
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		<title>Adventure Series:  Who Needs Maps</title>
		<link>http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-who-needs-maps/</link>
		<comments>http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-who-needs-maps/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2015 08:49:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Carey]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adventure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adventure Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adventure travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[backpacking]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[who needs maps]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blazeyouradventure.com/?p=6678</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><img width="1024" height="768" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Who-needs-Maps-Featured.jpg" class="attachment-small wp-post-image" alt="Who Needs Maps" style="margin-bottom:10px;" />Who needs maps? Certainly not these two! Traveling couple Jack and Jenn, of Whoneedsmaps.com, get lost as a profession. With a healthy dose of spontaneity and fearlessness (and maybe a little bit of trepidation!), this adventuring couple takes every opportunity to hit the road and get into a whole mess of misadventures &#8211; ask them &#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-who-needs-maps/">Adventure Series:  Who Needs Maps</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com">Blaze Your Adventure</a>.</p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="768" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Who-needs-Maps-Featured.jpg" class="attachment-small wp-post-image" alt="Who Needs Maps" style="margin-bottom:10px;" /><div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><p><em>Who needs maps? Certainly not these two! Traveling couple Jack and Jenn, of <a href="http://www.whoneedsmaps.com" target="_blank">Whoneedsmaps.com</a>, get lost as a profession. With a healthy dose of spontaneity and fearlessness (and maybe a little bit of trepidation!), this adventuring couple takes every opportunity to hit the road and get into a whole mess of misadventures &#8211; ask them about their mice fetus shots &#8211; seriously. Both hailing from opposite sides of the Pacific, Jack and Jenn have managed to balance life, travel and their relationship. They show us that if you want it bad enough, all you have to do is just go and get it!</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>Tell us a little about Who Needs Maps.  Who are you, what you’re all about, and you’re first introduction to traveling?</strong></h2>
<p>Who Needs Maps is all about an Aussie and an American trying to make a long distance relationship work through travel. We write about experiences, tips and tricks as a travelling couple, and how we travel to keep the relationship going! We both have internationals families that boast traveling, so we have started early thanks to them!</p>
<h2><strong>Being able to live a life of travel is a dream for most, how do you guys balance your work and school life with your love of traveling? </strong></h2>
<p>Right now, we both work full time, but we maximize our weekends, study abroad programs, vacation days we were given. We both relocated to each respected countries allowing us to work and travel around Australia and America. So now with Jacks American Visa we are traveling around California. It’s like we say, you don’t always need a plane to travel!</p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Who-Needs-Maps-Tobaggan-Great-Wall.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-0"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6684" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Who-Needs-Maps-Tobaggan-Great-Wall-1024x768.jpg" alt="Who needs Maps" width="700" height="525" /></a></p>
<h2><strong>Currently you both live in different parts of the world, Jack from Australia and Jenn being from the U.S,  how do you guys make it work as a traveling couple?</strong></h2>
<p>Currently we are both together in America, but it’s been back and forth for the most part of this relationship. Apart from both relocating to each others countries we meet in the middle to travel together. We just recently backpacked Southeast Asia together, which was incredible! Also, lots and lots and lots of trust and communication. It takes a lot of dedication but it can be magical when it works.</p>
<h2><strong>Flying back and forth between Australia and U.S, along with your trips, can certainly get expensive,  how do you guys afford all your awesome adventures or misadventures as it where?</strong></h2>
<p>Flying Australia to America is so expensive so we found it cheaper to relocate to each respective homes or just travel. Hey, were still young! We both work full time now, but when I lived in Australia we both worked as much as we could so that when I had to leave, we could travel. Money should never hold you back from traveling, because there are many <a title="Work and Travel – The Two Monkeys way!" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/work-and-travel-part-1/">ways to work abroad</a> (or trade services-working at a hostel for a free stay.).</p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Lazy-Kayaking-Jack-and-Jenn.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-1"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6681 size-full" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Lazy-Kayaking-Jack-and-Jenn.jpg" alt="Who needs Maps" width="640" height="640" /></a></p>
<h2><strong>I love the idea of having two perspectives for every destination, the fearless and the fearful.  Surely there are times when one doesn’t want to do something the other does.  How do you deal with conflict as a traveling couple?</strong></h2>
<p>I am the scared one, the one that always gets sick, the one that is so conscious about everything. Jack helps me be a better person and fight through my fears, for the most part. He pushes me to do things I normally wouldn’t which is a good trait. We have learned to compromise-there has to be a bit of give and take in order to make it work. We fight, we bicker, but at the end of the day we are lucky to be together and traveling together since we are usually apart. We aren’t always blessed with time since we are constantly apart; so a little fight just gets put behind us, we kiss, and make up. We are traveling the world, a little fight can’t sop us.</p>
<h2><strong>What are three steadfast rules that you abide by in order to stay on budget while on the road?</strong></h2>
<ol>
<li>Include flights in your budget price- so the flight was $100 for 10 days of vacation, add $10 to your daily budget that way you know you didn’t go over because you didn’t include the biggest expenditure.</li>
<li>Always eat local food. It’s cheaper, tastes delicious and the locals know how to prepare their food well (and better than western food).</li>
<li>Overnight busses are great because you not only get to a destination without wasting a day but you also save a night of paying for accommodation.</li>
</ol>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/WHo-Needs-Maps-Jenn-and-Jack-Waterbom.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-2"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6683" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/WHo-Needs-Maps-Jenn-and-Jack-Waterbom-1024x768.jpg" alt="Who needs Maps" width="700" height="525" /></a></p>
<h2><strong>What is your strategy to really dig into a culture and get everything you can out of each destination?</strong></h2>
<p>WALK- you never know how much you can see, run into, find, smell, taste if you just walk everywhere. If you do tours and touristy stuff, yeah, you see what everyone else is seeing but when you walk you see everything! We found some amazing museums, parks and restaurants just by walking. We could spend a whole week walking in a new city and discover beyond lonely planet books.</p>
<h2><strong>What’s one of the craziest/dangerous situations you’ve experience and how did you get yourselves out of it?</strong></h2>
<p>We are really lucky we haven’t been in too many dangerous situations, more unfortunate one, but thankfully nothing we couldn’t manage. I have told this story many times, but it still blows my mind that it happened. I got stitches in Vietnam because an air con panel fell on my face while I was in bed. No adventuring, no crazy drunken stunt. Just in bed and unlucky. We made sure we had a <a title="Should I Buy Travel Insurance?  Yes and Here’s Why" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/buy-travel-insurance/">good travel insurance</a>, went to the hospital to check it out, and put scar cream to avoid a scar. It worked out pretty well but it just shows you have to be prepared for anything!</p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Who-Needs-Maps-Hong-Kong.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-3"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6682" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Who-Needs-Maps-Hong-Kong-1024x768.jpg" alt="Who needs Maps" width="700" height="525" /></a></p>
<h2><strong>If you guys could offer only one survival/safety tip, what would it be?</strong></h2>
<p>Avoid air con panels haha, I’m only kidding! Bring a <a href="http://www.whoneedsmaps.com/medical-kit-for-travel/">good medical kit</a> because you never know what can happen. It is better to be over prepared than under because if you end up stuck in china with a cold asking a pharmacist to help, chances are they may not understand you. Just be prepared for the worst and pack a good kit.</p>
<h2><strong>How have you both evolved as travelers from when you first started to how you are now?</strong></h2>
<p>With our parents, we had the comfort of the “everything paid for” trip or the resort hotels, but to be honest, we cant stand resorts and hotels. We hate when people are like “oh we were in Thailnd and our hotel was amazing” because then they just stay at the hotel. We like many places that force us out of the hotel so that way we can see the country. The Hilton is nice but it’s not culture or visiting a country. So I think backpacking has really changed our outlook on traveling. We do treat ourselves to a nicer hotel once in a while but that means more like breakfast included or warm showers! We have changed to learn to appreciate the country we are exploring.</p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Jenn-and-Jack-at-the-great-Barrier-Reef.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-4"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6680" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Jenn-and-Jack-at-the-great-Barrier-Reef-1024x768.jpg" alt="Who needs Maps" width="700" height="525" /></a></p>
<h2><strong>We all have a favorite piece of gear that we absolutely MUST bring on our adventures.  What is your one essential piece of travel gear, and why?<br />
</strong></h2>
<p>We both bought the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DZF2JQ0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00DZF2JQ0&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=whoneedsmaps-20&amp;linkId=CQQBUPANGVIK3DPE">Guerilla Backpack</a> for our travels. This was hands down the best thing we bought when we traveled! It had a detachable day pack, a rain cover, adjustable straps, and top, bottom, and side loading. It was such a great purchase and we would recommend it to anyone.</p>
<p>Another item we love is our GoPro. I think it’s a given because we used it so often to take pictures, film our adventures, and use it underwater. It was seriously one of the best purchases we made when we traveled!</p>
<h2><strong>Of all the destinations you’ve been to, what was your most memorable experience?</strong></h2>
<p>Vietnam was our favorite country and we would love to explore more of it if we ever had the chance. It was filled with culture, delicious food, adventure, stitches, and beautiful nature. We couldn’t have asked for a better time.</p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Who-Needs-Maps-Tubing.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-5"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6685" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Who-Needs-Maps-Tubing-1024x768.jpg" alt="Who needs Maps" width="700" height="525" /></a></p>
<h2><strong>Where are you now, and where will your adventures take you next? </strong></h2>
<p>We are now taking the time to explore the U.S as Jack has his visa here. So <a title="10 Fun Things To Do On A Road Trip" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/10-fun-things-to-do-on-a-road-trip/">road tripping in California</a>, camping, maybe New York eventually? Who knows! But we both will be in France and London in August! We are going to a family wedding but we are also secretly hoping to go on some wine and cheese tours <img src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" rel='prettyPhoto' alt=":)" class="wp-smiley" /></p>
<h2><strong>Do you have any final advice for those who wish to live a life of travel?</strong></h2>
<p>Just do it. You will always have an excuse to say no- I don’t have enough money, I cant quit my job, none of my friends want to come with me. There will be excuses forever, but the best time is now because you don’t have many ties to stay. Just go. Money will come, work abroad, meet people there. It will work out and it will be a decision you will never regret.</p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>About Who Needs Maps</h2>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Jenn-and-Jack-at-the-great-Barrier-Reef.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-4"><img class="alignleft wp-image-6680" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Jenn-and-Jack-at-the-great-Barrier-Reef-1024x768.jpg" alt="Jenn and Jack at the great Barrier Reef" width="300" height="225" /></a> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">We are Jack and Jenn from Who Needs Maps. We are a long distance couple, from America and Australia, so why not meet in the middle and use travel as an excuse! We are thrill seekers, food lovers, world travelers, adventure finders, misadventure attracters, and a fun loving couple who just wants to explore the world together. We hope to inspire, inform and entertain people through our experiences and stories! Embrace the fun, enjoy the craziness, and let’s take on the world together! Happy travels</span></span></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Website: <a href="http://www.whoneedsmaps.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">http://www.whoneedsmaps.com/</span></span></a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br />
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<div class='shareaholic-canvas' data-app-id='15816387' data-app='share_buttons' data-title='Adventure Series: Who Needs Maps' data-link='http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-who-needs-maps/' data-summary=''></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-who-needs-maps/">Adventure Series:  Who Needs Maps</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com">Blaze Your Adventure</a>.</p>
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		<title>Adventure Series: The Global Couple</title>
		<link>http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-the-global-couple/</link>
		<comments>http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-the-global-couple/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2015 17:38:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Carey]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adventure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adventure Interviews]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[adventure series]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[the global couple]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blazeyouradventure.com/?p=6239</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><img width="1024" height="768" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/featured2.jpg" class="attachment-small wp-post-image" alt="the global couple" style="margin-bottom:10px;" />Meet Petra and Shaun of The Global Couple, creators of the ultimate bucket list, and experts at living a lifetime in only a weekend (check out their 36 hours series!). I had the pleasure of getting to know this amazing couple who has been putting miles on their shoes when most of us where still &#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-the-global-couple/">Adventure Series: The Global Couple</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com">Blaze Your Adventure</a>.</p>
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				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="768" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/featured2.jpg" class="attachment-small wp-post-image" alt="the global couple" style="margin-bottom:10px;" /><div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><p><em>Meet Petra and Shaun of <a href="http://www.theglobalcouple.com/" target="_blank">The Global Couple</a>, creators of the ultimate bucket list, and experts at living a lifetime in only a weekend (check out their 36 hours series!). I had the pleasure of getting to know this amazing couple who has been putting miles on their shoes when most of us where still learning our ABC’s! Their inspirational articles are fun, easy to navigate, and provide incredibly practical and actionable tips for anyone interested in following their footsteps. They know how to dig down, and get into the heart of any destination all while keeping their relationship strong. Word of warning though, following their blog might give you an incurable case of the wanderlust!</em></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<h2>Tell us a little about the Global Couple.  Who are you guys, what are you all about, and your first introduction to traveling?</h2>
<p>We&#8217;re Petra and Shaun, two mid-twenties New Zealanders. If we had to put ourselves in a travel category, we would say that we love budget adventure travel with a dash of luxury now and then. We love backpacking through Asia as much as we love wandering around the streets of New York City. We both had an introduction to travelling internationally with our families in our teens, and had both travelled within New Zealand before we met. Our first overseas trip together was to Bali, Indonesia at the tender young age of 19!</p>
<h2>Being able to live a life of travel is a luxury for most, how do you guys balance your work with your passion for travel?</h2>
<p>Before taking a year off work to travel to the US, Mexico, and Canada in 2014, we balanced working in New Zealand with yearly trips overseas. We took advantage of Petra&#8217;s university holidays and our paid holiday leave from work. We&#8217;ve also done a heap of New Zealand-based travel which is a lot easier to manage as you don&#8217;t have to travel as far &#8211; we manage to squeeze a lot into long weekends!</p>
<h2>Traveling can certainly get expensive.  How do you guys afford all your awesome adventures?</h2>
<p>We work hard and we save hard for our travels. We also set a strict budget for our trips, and do our research before going to a place in terms of expected costs (accommodation, food, etc.). We usually set a daily budget for food (it varies depending on the destination) and try to save money on accommodation and transport by staying in Airbnb rentals or cheap hotels and catching public transport.</p>
<h2>Your 36 hours series has to be some of my favorite articles, tell me more about that and the inspiration behind it?</h2>
<p>We&#8217;ve always loved the New York Times&#8217; 36 hours series &#8211; over the years it has given us a lot of inspiration on where to go and what to do, albeit at a slightly more luxurious level than we travel at! So we wanted to create our own 36 hours series for the more budget-conscious traveller who travels like we do. It&#8217;s fun sharing our favourite things to do, see, and eat in a place we have visited. We always get asked for tips so we can now just direct people to those articles!</p>
<h2>Traveling to new destinations is more than just stepping off a plane and taking photos.  How do you guys really dig into the culture and customs of a destination?</h2>
<p>To get to know a new destination, we visit markets and eat local food. Markets are where locals congregate and we love looking through all the different things on display, and they also provide great photo opportunities! We&#8217;ve had some hits and misses with trying local food &#8211; from awful squid ink pasta in Venice to amazing papaya salad in Thailand. We love trying new things though!</p>
<h2><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Hawkes-Bay-13.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-0"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6240" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Hawkes-Bay-13.jpg" alt="the global couple" width="700" height="467" /></a></h2>
<h2>What are three steadfast rules that you abide by in order to stay on budget while backpacking?</h2>
<p>1. Eat the free hotel breakfast if it&#8217;s on offer and steal food from breakfast &#8211; rolls, bananas and so on are always good for lunch!<br />
2. Use a budget tracking app like Trail Wallet to record daily expenditure and see if you&#8217;re tracking above or below budget.<br />
3. Eat takeout rather than in a restaurant &#8211; and we don&#8217;t mean McDonalds! In the US we loved places like Chipotle or Whole Foods, and in Asia it&#8217;s easy to get takeaway Pad Thai and the like (although it&#8217;s so cheap there that we usually eat in anyway!). In New Zealand (and similar places like Canada and Australia) you can get takeout sandwiches or sushi and save a lot of money that way.</p>
<h2>You guys were recently married – Congratulations!   Do you have any advice for couples planning on hitting the road together?</h2>
<p>Thank you! Our number one rule is to be patient with each other. Being on the road as a couple can be a stressful experience if you haven&#8217;t done it before, and something is bound to go wrong. Don&#8217;t stress about the small stuff and just enjoy travelling with the person who you love!</p>
<h2><strong> What is one of the craziest situations you guys got yourselves caught up in and how did you get yourself out of it?</strong></h2>
<p>We were pulled over by police Bali while driving a rental car and they tried to scam us because we were apparently driving the wrong way down a one-way road (which we weren&#8217;t). They were about to take Shaun&#8217;s passport and make him appear in court, but we offered them some cash (about $50) and managed to get away safely. It was pretty scary and has put us off renting a car in Bali again!</p>
<h2>If you could offer only one survival/safety tip, what would it be?</h2>
<p>Don&#8217;t be flashy with your stuff. If you&#8217;re in a dodgy part of town, sleeping in an airport, or on an overnight bus, put your camera away, don&#8217;t wear your expensive watch or your diamond ring, and just be vigilant.</p>
<h2>How have you both evolved as travelers from when you first started to how you are now?</h2>
<p>Absolutely! When we started travelling we would plan every day down to the half hour (almost!) with a massive list of things to achieve and places to visit, including restaurants and shops, and have every night booked well in advance. Crazy! Now, we still like to do research on a place but we are much more relaxed with what we get done in a day &#8211; we just want to embrace a destination and enjoy it rather than running around like headless chickens!</p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/whistlerski-13.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-1"><img class=" wp-image-6241 aligncenter" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/whistlerski-13.jpg" alt="the global couple" width="700" height="525" /></a></p>
<h2>Ok, this is for all the gear lovers out there.  What is the one essential piece of travel gear you must have on your adventurers?</h2>
<p>We always carry a Swiss Army knife. It can help you out in all manner of sticky situations &#8211; screwing furniture back together, fixing door handles that won&#8217;t lock, cutting up your lunch, and of course the all-important bottle opener for when you really need a beer or wine.</p>
<h2>You guys have one hell of a Bucket List!  How’s that coming along, and what will you be crossing off this year?</h2>
<p>We love setting goals, and our bucket list is one way that we can keep track of what we want to do in our lives, travel-wise. This year we&#8217;re planning to be at home in New Zealand, so those exotic overseas goals will have to wait. But we are starting a Spanish class soon, so we can work towards our &#8216;learn a foreign language&#8217; goal!</p>
<h2>Do you have any final advice for those who wish to live a life of travel?</h2>
<p>Set goals for saving and you&#8217;ll get there! Be brave and take the leap &#8211; you won&#8217;t regret it.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>About the Global Couple</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/globalcouple.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-2"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-6242" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/globalcouple.jpg" alt="the global couple" width="307" height="205" /></a>We&#8217;re Petra and Shaun, two twenty-something New Zealanders who love travel at home and across the globe. We love road trips, street food, and wandering with no destination in mind!</p>
<p>Our aim is to embrace and understand different cultures, foods, customs, histories, and landscapes. We love learning as much as we can about a place before we go and whilst we’re there. The more we know the more we can appreciate it!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Website: <a href="http://www.theglobalcouple.com" target="_blank">www.theglobalcouple.com</a></p>
<p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theglobalcouple1" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/theglobalcouple1</a></p>
<p>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/theglobalcouple" target="_blank">twitter.com/theglobalcouple</a></p>
<div class='shareaholic-canvas' data-app-id='15816387' data-app='share_buttons' data-title='Adventure Series: The Global Couple' data-link='http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-the-global-couple/' data-summary=''></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-the-global-couple/">Adventure Series: The Global Couple</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com">Blaze Your Adventure</a>.</p>
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		<title>Adventure Series:  The Adventure Junkies</title>
		<link>http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-the-adventure-junkies/</link>
		<comments>http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-the-adventure-junkies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2015 16:08:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Carey]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adventure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adventure Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adventure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adventure travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[long term travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the adventure junkies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work and travel]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blazeyouradventure.com/?p=6194</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><img width="1049" height="621" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/featured.jpg" class="attachment-small wp-post-image" alt="the adventure junkies" style="margin-bottom:10px;" />There is traveling, and then there is adventure! And if the latter is what you’re seeking, Antonio and Amanda of the Adventure Junkies might just have your ticket.   They are on a quest to, not only cycle the globe, but to inspire others to turn dream into reality; and to live life to the fullest. &#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-the-adventure-junkies/">Adventure Series:  The Adventure Junkies</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com">Blaze Your Adventure</a>.</p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1049" height="621" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/featured.jpg" class="attachment-small wp-post-image" alt="the adventure junkies" style="margin-bottom:10px;" /><div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><p><em>There is traveling, and then there is adventure! And if the latter is what you’re seeking, Antonio and Amanda of <a href="http://www.theadventurejunkies.com/" target="_blank">the Adventure Junkies</a> might just have your ticket.   They are on a quest to, not only cycle the globe, but to inspire others to turn dream into reality; and to live life to the fullest. For them, adventure is both a mindset and a lifestyle, and they believe, with the right dedication, anyone can do it. Even before starting my own blog, I followed their budget tips religiously. The Adventure Junkies are the real deal, and they do it big! I’m a fan…and you should be too…</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>Tell me about the Adventure Junkies. Who are you, what you’re all about, how long you’ve been on the road, and your first introduction to traveling.</strong></h2>
<p>We are Amanda and Antonio, a couple who decided to turn their travels into a life of adventure. Amanda is 26 and from Vacaville, California. Her first proper introduction to travel came from a month long study abroad program in the Netherlands. Antonio is 31 and from Cádiz, Spain. His first travel was a University Convention in Antibes, in the south of France. After sharing a week with other students from 10 different countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, he knew he had to get out there and explore the world.</p>
<p>We&#8217;ve been traveling full time for over two years now but have worked and lived out of our home countries for many years. We believe that traveling is the perfect way to make your life more adventurous. At the moment we are traveling South America by bicycle.</p>
<h2><strong>What inspired you to leave the “Normal” life, and cycle the world on an infinite adventure?</strong></h2>
<p>Before we even met each other we had been scheming of ways to travel the world long term. We always said having both time and money would be the ultimate freedom. Having a full time job gives you money but doesn&#8217;t leave much time to enjoy life to the fullest.</p>
<h2><strong>You guys have been on the road for 2 years, how do you afford long-term travel?</strong></h2>
<p>Before we started traveling we both had full time jobs. We lived as simply and cut all unnecessary expenses. As traveling for at least a few years was always our goal, it was easy to set savings goals.   Once we decided to make our travels indefinite we started for looking for ways to support ourselves on the road. In the first year of traveling we became and worked a<a href="http://www.theadventurejunkies.com/mission-to-become-a-padi-open-water-scuba-diving-instructor/">s</a> scuba diving instructors. We would stop off at popular dive destinations like Roatan in Honduras; work for a few months to save up then hit the road again. While it&#8217;s a job we love, you are limited to working in locations close to the water.</p>
<p>In the last few months we have put all of our spare time into growing our blog, The Adventure Junkies. After a lot of work we are finally seeing the rewards and the profit that we make from it is currently assisting us in supporting our travels.</p>
<h2><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Cotopaxi-camp.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-0"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6197" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Cotopaxi-camp.jpg" alt="The Adventure Junkies" width="700" height="465" /></a></h2>
<h2><strong>You started your adventure with a plan, and have since discarded that itinerary. How has traveling without a plan enriched your travels?</strong></h2>
<p>Great question! Throwing the plans out the window gave us a tremendous amount of freedom. We were no longer tied to a calendar or a location. This allows us to stay in a place longer if we enjoy it or keep on moving if we don&#8217;t.</p>
<h2><strong>You offer some amazingly detailed trip budgets on your blog. What are three steadfast rules that you abide by in order to stay on budget while traveling?</strong></h2>
<ol>
<li>Pick a number: For us it&#8217;s 10 USD a day/ per person for daily expenses (food &amp; accommodation). I should note that traveling by bicycle is a big reason why we are able to maintain this budget (we don&#8217;t pay for buses, stay in small towns, camp often and cook our own meals). This doesn&#8217;t mean that you can&#8217;t meet this budget as a backpacker but you will have to get creative and carry a tent/ hammock as well as a camping stove (or eat a lot of sandwiches).</li>
<li>Avoid those little daily splurges: Beers and coffees fall into this category. They are nice every now and then but can kill your budget if you make it a daily habit.</li>
<li>Relax from time to time: If there&#8217;s an activity you&#8217;ve been dying to do or just need a break from counting dollars, splurge a bit.</li>
</ol>
<h2><strong>There is no guide or book that could recreate your travel experiences. What tips can you give for others who want to get off the beaten path, and find that once in a lifetime experience?</strong></h2>
<p>Another great question. Don&#8217;t always go along with what the guidebook or other travelers are doing, follow your interests. For us, we love hiking, kayaking and diving so we are always on the look out for places where we can do these activities. Sometimes we take guided tours if we can&#8217;t rent the gear we need but we really love going off on our own.   For example we knew that the Sian Ka&#8217;an Biosphere Reserve in Mexico&#8217;s Yucatan Peninsula was supposed to be beautiful but we didn&#8217;t want to go on the popular Jeep tour. Instead we packed our backpacks with plenty of food, water and our tent and walked on the beach for 4 days exploring the area. It cost us less than 10 bucks a person and was a memorable experience.</p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Water-Hiking.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-1"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6200" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Water-Hiking.jpg" alt="The Adventure Junkies" width="700" height="467" /></a></p>
<h2><strong>With all the adventures you’ve been on what is one of your most memorable experience/trip?</strong><strong><br />
</strong></h2>
<p>We can&#8217;t pick just one..sorry. Here are a few&#8230; Staying a week on a remote island off the coast of Belize, <a href="http://www.theadventurejunkies.com/ultimate-travel-adventure-scuba-diving-malpelo/">diving with hammerhead sharks</a>, visiting the <a href="http://www.theadventurejunkies.com/amazon-photo-essay/">Amazon Rainforest</a>, petting <a href="http://www.theadventurejunkies.com/the-grey-whale-migration-2/">Grey Whales in Baja California</a>, <a href="http://www.theadventurejunkies.com/hiking-ciudad-perdida-lost-city-colombia/">hiking to the Lost City</a> in Colombia and <a href="http://www.theadventurejunkies.com/kayaking-expedition-to-espiritu-santo-island/">kayaking around Espiritu Santo Island</a>.</p>
<h2><strong>If you could offer one survival/safety tip, what would it be?</strong></h2>
<p>If you are going somewhere remote bring more food and water than you plan on consuming. You never know when a storm will hit or you might become injured&#8230;both situations will slow you down, maybe making you stay an extra day on the trail.</p>
<h2><strong>How have you guys evolved as travelers from when you first started to how you are now?</strong></h2>
<p>In the beginning we wanted to do and see as much as possible. Now we&#8217;ve slowed down a lot, taking the time to enjoy life in the countries that we are traveling through.</p>
<h2><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Hiking-in-the-jungle.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-2"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6198" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Hiking-in-the-jungle-1024x683.jpg" alt="The Adventure Junkies" width="700" height="467" /></a></h2>
<h2><strong>Your one essential piece of travel gear you can’t live without?</strong></h2>
<p>Tough one! Amanda says her camera and Antonio says his notebook. One piece of gear that we both find super useful is our SteriPEN, it&#8217;s a UV light water purifier.</p>
<h2><strong>Your motto is “don’t dream it, live it”. Do you have any advice for those who wish to get out there and live their dreams of endless adventure?</strong></h2>
<p>Take small steps. We didn&#8217;t just wake up one day and say hell let&#8217;s travel the world forever. We&#8217;ve both gone through many tiny steps to lead us to where we are today. Plan short trips, study abroad, learn a new language, try something new for the first time&#8230;all these things will build your confidence to take the step out the door.   One other tip: If you decide traveling isn&#8217;t for you the worst thing that could happen is you go back to your old life. Lots of people get caught up in worrying about what will happen to their jobs and personal lives if they leave. Why sit at home worrying your whole life when you can at least give your dreams a go and see how it turns out?</p>
<h2><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Sunset.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-3"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6199" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Sunset.jpg" alt="The Adventure Junkies" width="700" height="525" /></a></h2>
<h2><strong>Where are you guys now, and where will the road take you both next?</strong></h2>
<p>At the moment we are in a small town called Baeza, in the cloudforest of Ecuador. We took a day off from cycling to rest our legs before climbing a 4000 meter mountain pass. This route will take us to Quito. From there we will spend sometime relaxing and exploring Ecuador&#8217;s highest volcanoes while we make our way south to Peru.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Bio.jpg" rel='prettyPhoto' data-rel="lightbox-4"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-6196" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Bio.jpg" alt="The Adventure Junkies" width="300" height="225" /></a>We are Antonio Cala and Amanda Zeisset (pronounced Z-ice-et). We travel the world and write about it. Over the past 2 years we have been exploring The Americas by bicycle. What started as a well planned bicycle tour turned into a life changing journey that has led us to pursue an infinite travel adventure lifestyle. We are on a mission to help you live a life of adventure. Our pursuit of adventure has transformed our lives and taken us to incredible places around the world. We live the lives of our dreams and we want to help you do the same.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Website: <a href="http://www.theadventurejunkies.com/" target="_blank">www.theadventurejunkies.com</a></p>
<p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CyclingElMundo" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/CyclingElMundo</a></p>
<p>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/The_AdvJunkies" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/The_AdvJunkies</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class='shareaholic-canvas' data-app-id='15816387' data-app='share_buttons' data-title='Adventure Series: The Adventure Junkies' data-link='http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-the-adventure-junkies/' data-summary=''></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/adventure-series-the-adventure-junkies/">Adventure Series:  The Adventure Junkies</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com">Blaze Your Adventure</a>.</p>
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		<title>Hierapolis – a worthy stop</title>
		<link>http://blazeyouradventure.com/hierapolis-a-worthy-stop/</link>
		<comments>http://blazeyouradventure.com/hierapolis-a-worthy-stop/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 25 May 2015 09:37:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Carey]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Adventure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Backpacking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Destinations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Turkey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adventure travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Europe travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hierapolis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pamukkale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pamukkale guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pamukkale turkey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things to see in Pamukkale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[turkey travel tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blazeyouradventure.com/?p=6079</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><img width="1024" height="430" src="http://blazeyouradventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Hierapolis-Featured.jpg" class="attachment-small wp-post-image" alt="hierapolis" style="margin-bottom:10px;" />There are very few places in the ancient world, or modern world for that matter, that can claim the same distinctions as Hierapolis. An ancient city sitting high atop the travertine cliffs, overlooking the nearby town of Pamukkale, Hierapolis is a medley of Roman, Byzantine, Christian, Jewish and Pagan influence. Hierapolis is history encapsulated. Built &#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com/hierapolis-a-worthy-stop/">Hierapolis – a worthy stop</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://blazeyouradventure.com">Blaze Your Adventure</a>.</p>
]]></description>
	