Every Thursday, A Dangerous Business will be shining the spotlight on a world nomad, travel blogger, armchair adventurer, or just someone really cool in the travel world. This week, the traveler is Matthew Long, Editor-in-Chief and creator of LandLopers. Matt has a true passion for travel. As someone who has a bad case of the travel bug, Matt travels the world in order to share tips on where to go, what to see and how to do it all on a budget. Matt is a Lonely Planet Featured Blogger, as well as a contributor to many other travel sites. Matt’s new eBook, Money Saving Travel Tips, is an essential guide to traveling well and affordably. Contact Matt at Matt@LandLopers.com.
1. How do you define the word “traveler,” and why would you consider yourself one?
I actually hold little stock in this term and usually would describe myself as a tourist. This is especially true because I have a full-time job and when I visit a new place, it’s usually not for very long. Therefore, I am a proud tourist, but ultimately it’s all semantics.
2. What has been your favorite travel experience thus far?
Hard to say, but snorkeling with sea lion pups in the Galapagos has to rank pretty high.
3. How about your proudest travel moment?
Climbing to the top of Wat Arun in Bangkok. I’m not the biggest fan of heights, and the ascent up this gorgeous temple is without any safety barriers or anything life-savey. But the view of the city from the top was well worth the climb.
Wat Arun
4. Have you had any travel mishaps or bad experiences? If so, have these influenced how you view the place where they happened? Would you go back?
I don’t think it’s possible to have traveled anywhere without having mishaps or bad experiences. I wrote about a particularly unpleasant one in Bangkok when I was basically shaken down by cops for some cash. At first I was
really angry and wanted to leave and never return. But that quickly passed, and now Bangkok is one of my favorite cities.
5. Name one thing you can’t travel without.
Well I suppose the obvious answer is my camera, but I also could never leave home without deodorant.
6. Name one thing you wish you COULD travel without.
All of my wires and adapters and gadgets really get in the way sometimes. Wish I could simplify.
7. What do you think has been the biggest thing you’ve learned while traveling (about yourself, a destination, a culture, travel itself)?
That fundamentally most people are good at heart and it’s meeting and learning from new people that really transform a trip into a great adventure.
8. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Hmm, toss-up between Paris and Bangkok. I have always loved Paris; there’s just no other place like it. I love Bangkok for the people, the pace and the atmosphere. It’s just a great city.
9. Name one place you’d like to see or one experience you’d like to have before you die.
There are two major items on my list. 1) Antarctica — I would love to take an expeditionary cruise down there, I think it would be amazing. 2) French Polynesia — the islands of the deep South Pacific have always fascinated me
and it’s a travel itch I am desperate to scratch.
10. If there was one thing you wish somebody would have told you before you started traveling, what would it be?
To lighten up and go with the flow more.
Visit Matt’s site: LandLopers
Follow Matt on Twitter: @LandLopers
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Are you a travel blogger who has something to say on these topics? Do you know of somebody really interesting in the travel universe that you’d like to see interviewed? Speak up! The Thursday Traveler needs some interview subjects.
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