Thursday Traveler: Jeremy Branham

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 Jeremy Branham of Budget Travel Adventures. Jeremy is a budget traveler and loving family man who enjoys exploring the world. Jeremy shares travel trips, destinations, and personal stories that inspire people to travel, live better lives, and make a difference in the world. Budget travel isn’t about how little you can spend, but about experiencing as much as you can with the money you have. This is reflected in his motto — Travel passionately, budget wisely, and experience more.

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

A traveler is someone who seeks to explore and understand the world around him. Many have made the distinction between tourist and traveler and I tend to believe that there is a difference. A traveler is someone who is interested, aware, and sensitive to the people, places, and culture around him/her. Since I have been changed by the places I have been and the people I have met, I can’t help but be a traveler.

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

I’ve had the privilege of traveling all over the US and much of Europe. However, one of the best experiences I have ever had was where I live in Sacramento. A few months ago, I spent the day at the 135th Scottish Highlands Games and Festival and hung out with professional athletes. There was so much I learned and experienced from this I had to write it in three different posts. However, it was all about community, belonging, connecting with other people and cultures, and even overcoming some demons from my past. It may seem silly, but it was powerful for me.

3. How about your proudest travel moment?

My proudest moment was still one of my firsts. In college, I had the chance to go to Estonia with a group from my church. I never knew where Estonia was, didn’t know what we would be doing, and what this experience would mean to me. However, something happened in me on that trip — I fell in love with a culture and a people I never knew existed. I found a passion I never knew I had. I’ve been to many places, but nothing can top the feelings, love for other people, and sense of community I felt there.

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?

Fortunately, I haven’t had many bad experiences. I’ve been lonely and a bit depressed when traveling, but that was more about my circumstances that it was the trip.

There have been places I just didn’t like. I would put Venice at the top of that list. Some of that may have been due to my circumstances, but I wasn’t impressed with the city. It was too touristy and expensive. I did enjoy wandering the back streets and getting lost, but overall I thought it was overrated. To be fair, though, I would give it another shot.

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

I could go with the responses a lot of people put like a camera, laptop, or music. However, I am going to go with my REI travel pants. I wear them on every trip, during the flight, without fail. I love the pockets on them, they are light and comfortable, easy to pack, and dry quickly when they are wet. Sadly, I am getting a hole in one of the pockets now so it’s time for a new pair.

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

Impatience and jet lag. Sure, I don’t choose to pack them, but they tend to come along on every trip. Unfortunately, airlines have yet to find a way to keep me from carrying this excess baggage.

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

Funny you mentioned this because I have written my deepest, darkest dirty secrets about myself in Travel Confessions Part I and Part II. A few of the highlights from things I’ve learned — I am easily frustrated, detailed but unorganized, I have a love/hate relationship with cities, I don’t like beaches, and I am not always frugal.

If you check out my travel confessions, there is no doubt I have learned some things about myself, how I travel, people, and places. It’s a mix of good, bad, and ugly.

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

That’s a tough question. I love living in California despite the issues and problems here. The weather is great and I live in a great location. I have mountains, beaches, and big cities (San Francisco) close by. But honestly, it’s not about a destination — I could live anywhere as long as I have my family. The people in my life are more important than the destination or where I call home.

If I had to pick a place outside of where I live now, I would like to try Lisbon.

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

Honestly, I love sports and think sports and travel go together very well. Experience wise, I would love to see the South Carolina Gamecocks win a national title in football. You have to understand what it means to be a Gamecock fan and know what we have been through to know what this means. For a sports travel experience, I would love to attend the World Cup anywhere.

For a destination, there are a number of places. However, hiking in the mountains would be ideal. So there are any number of places I could do that! One destination I would love to see more of is Slovenia!

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

I don’t really have anything that I would have wanted to know — well, how to overcome jet lag would have been nice!

Visit Jeremy’s site: Budget Travel Adventures
Follow Jeremy on Twitter: @budgettravelsac
“Like” Jeremy on Facebook: Examiner Budget Travel

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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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