Thursday Traveler: Keith Savage, the Traveling Savage

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 Keith Savage, of Traveling Savage. Keith exited the corporate world to pursue his dreams of travel and writing. With a focus on Scotland, he travels for about one month at a time while his wife holds down the fort in Madison, Wisconsin.

1. How do you define the word “traveler,” and why would you consider yourself one?

A traveler is someone who moves from one place to another with a purpose. As you can see, I keep it simple. “Traveler” seems to be one of those divisive words that tend to be reserved for the harcore or pure at heart while everyone else is a “tourist.” All tourists are travelers; not all travelers are tourists. Maybe a Ven diagram would help? By this definition, yes, I am absolutely a traveler.

2. What has been your favorite travel experience thus far?

The three-week trip around Scotland my wife and I took in 2006 sticks out. It was my infatuation with the country turned into full-on love. I learned a lot about the style of travel I prefer, to be in control with my own vehicle and able to take it slowly and flexibly.

3. How about your proudest travel moment?

My proudest moment was having the courage to quit my job and embark on this uncertain and risky venture. It’s a move that goes against my natural grain, but the fact that I did it makes it all the sweeter. Add the fact that I’m traveling solo without my constant companion, Sarah, and maybe you’ll get a sense for just how bad I needed a change, for how much I want to live by my own rules.

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?

You know, I’ve been really lucky on my travels. I haven’t gotten ill or stranded or robbed (knock on wood). However, while I was in Argentina on my first trip after quitting my job, I was alone and became painfully aware that the plan I’d made would not work. Originally, I’d planned to visit eight different countries for one month each over the course of two years. In Argentina, I realized my heart wasn’t in the place and my writing suffered as a result. How could I justify going to other countries I felt no emotional attachment to? I needed to rejigger my plan and go somewhere I really loved. That place was Scotland.

I don’t blame Argentina for this realization. I believe it would have happened wherever I chose to go first. I would love to return to Argentina under different circumstances!

5. Name one thing you can’t travel without.

I really love my iPhone. I got it just before I left for Argentina because I thought it would be useful to be able to tap into wifi without having to haul out my computer. I was right. It’s proven so useful I can’t believe I didn’t pony up the cash for one a bit earlier. Unfortunatley, my attention span has certainly shrunken since the iPhone entered my mindspace.

6. Name one thing you wish you COULD travel without.

Clothes. Well, not completely without clothes — that would be both improper and disgusting — but they take up so much space and weight in my bag and I pack extremely light. I might take a page out of Rolf Potts’ book one of these days and try traveling only with the clothes on my back.

7. What do you think has been the biggest thing you’ve learned while traveling (about yourself, a destination, a culture, travel itself)?

I’ve now taken three trips solo and it has become so clear that travel — for me — is all about the people I meet, so much more than the physical place I’m in. From meeting bloggers and locals in Salta to hanging out with permanent nomads in Scotland and Vancouver, it’s always these moments that burn brightest and beckon me to continue traveling. I used to have little affinity for the amorphous “people” of the world. It was easier to be jaded when all the news recounts is the negative actions of people. I’m grateful that travel has rejuvenated my belief in the goodness and kind-heartedness of people.

8. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Odd as it may sound, I’m living where I want to live: Madison, Wisconsin. I enjoy traveling, but I also enjoy coming home. I’ve worried over this for some time: It would be much cheaper to try and live in Scotland rather than continually fly back and forth. Even if legal constraints weren’t an issue, I just don’t want to live there right now. I love the USA, especially Wisconsin where I was born and raised. Madison’s downtown exists on an isthmus that straddles two lakes and is filled with progressive, woodsy, intelligent people. It’s my kind of tribe.

9. Name one place you’d like to see or one experience you’d like to have before you die.

I think it would be gorgeous and delicious exploring the islands of the Mediterranean Sea. Sailing among them sounds romantic but I have a slight fear of drowning in the sea. It might be a good challenge for me.

10. If there was one thing you wish somebody would have told you before you started traveling, what would it be?

Pack at least five pairs of underwear. I took only three pairs to Argentina and I spent a lot of time doing laundry.

Visit Keith’s site: Traveling Savage
Follow Keith on Twitter: @travelingsavage
“Like” Keith on Facebook: Traveling Savage

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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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