The photo was taken in downtown Portland, Oregon while waiting for the TriMet MAX. 

You can the full sized image here: Portland City Streets – Vagabond Guide

As usual, all my photos are released under a Creative Commons. The information on the CC can be found in the sidebar to the right. 

Adam Mayfield

Howdy! I’m Adam. There are many things in the world that I love but none come close to travel and photography. Living a minimalist lifestyle allows me to save money to fuel my passion for travel. Be sure to follow Vagabond Guide’s RSS feed for regular updates on all things travel, minimalism, and photography.

   

One of many goals for 2012 was to force myself to be more creative. A problem I’ve had over the past few months was feeling unmotivated and uninspired to create any kind of photographic art. I tire of my current surroundings as I’ve seen them since I was a youngin’.

Last night was my first attempt to force myself to go out and try and find beauty where I previously wasn’t able to see any. The following photo is of downtown Bend, Oregon. It was chilly, somewhere around 25F. And while I’m not totally in love with this photo, I figured I’d post it anyway. Something is better than nothing right?

I also shot a 10 second timelapse at the same intersection. I would have shot more probably but I wasn’t able to feel my fingers and toes anymore. I’ll be posting that in a few days. I’ll probably release the link on my Facebook page first, so if you haven’t yet be sure to “Like” us over there! VBG on Facebook

Download the full sized image here: Downtown Bend, Oregon

Adam Mayfield

Howdy! I’m Adam. There are many things in the world that I love but none come close to travel and photography. Living a minimalist lifestyle allows me to save money to fuel my passion for travel. Be sure to follow Vagabond Guide’s RSS feed for regular updates on all things travel, minimalism, and photography.

   

Let me be clear, these are not for HOW to be a vagabond. These are simply stories that really helped light a fire in me for travel. 

1. Smile When You’re Lying 
Travel writer, editor, and photographer Chuck Thompson has spent more than a decade traipsing through thirty-five (and counting) countries across the globe, and he’s had enough. Enough of the half-truths demanded by magazine editors, enough of the endlessly recycled clichés regarded as good travel writing, and enough of the ugly secrets fiercely guarded by the travel industry. But mostly, he’s had enough of returning home from assignments and leaving the most interesting stories and the most provocative insights on the editing-room floor. From getting swindled in Thailand to running afoul of customs inspectors in Belarus, from defusing hostile Swedish rockers backstage in Germany to a closed-door meeting with travel execs telling him why he’s about to be fired once again, Thompson’s no-holds-barred style is refreshing, invigorating, and all those other adjectives travel writers use to describe spa vacations where the main attraction is a daily colonic.

2. Naked in Dangerous Places 
Finally, after years as a struggling radio host, Cash Peters has been given his own TV adventure show on a big-time travel network. The idea is simple: “Let’s dump him in an unfamiliar culture in a faraway land with no money and no place to stay, and see what happens.” 

Unfortunately, there is one major problem: Cash doesn’t want to go. Not only is he NOT the adventurous type, he is afraid of nearly everything and horribly allergic to the rest. 

Bottom line: they’ve given the show to the wrong guy.

3. Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?
For those who think that travel guidebooks are the gospel truth.

The waitress suggests that I come back after she closes down the restaurant, around midnight. We end up having sex in a chair and then on one of the tables in the back corner. I pen a note in my Moleskine that I will later recount in the guidebook review, saying that the restaurant “is a pleasant surprise . . . and the table service is friendly.” –Thomas Kohnstamm, professional travel writer and author of numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks

4. Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel
Vagabonding is about taking time off from your normal life—from six weeks to four months to two years—to discover and experience the world on your own terms. Veteran shoestring traveler Rolf Potts shows how anyone armed with an independent spirit can achieve the dream of extended overseas travel. 

5. Marco Polo Didn’t Go There
Marco Polo Didn’t Go There is a collection of rollicking travel tales from a young writer USA Today has called “Jack Kerouac for the Internet Age.” For the past ten years, Rolf Potts has taken his keen postmodern travel sensibility into the far fringes of five continents for such prestigious publications as National Geographic Traveler, Salon.com, and The New York Times Magazine. This book documents his boldest, funniest, and most revealing journeys—from getting stranded without water in the Libyan desert, to crashing the set of a Leonardo DiCaprio movie in Thailand, to learning the secrets of Tantric sex in a dubious Indian ashram. 

There you have it. My Top 5 travel books. Is there a book that inspired you to travel? Be sure to leave a comment below! I’m always looking for new books about traveling the world.

**note**
Book descriptions were taken from Amazon.com

Adam Mayfield

Howdy! I’m Adam. There are many things in the world that I love but none come close to travel and photography. Living a minimalist lifestyle allows me to save money to fuel my passion for travel. Be sure to follow Vagabond Guide’s RSS feed for regular updates on all things travel, minimalism, and photography.

   

If you’ve got a dog, you know exactly why they are called “man’s best friend.” But you also know what a hassle it can be to travel with them, particularly if you are going anywhere by plane. It doesn’t have to be, though. Like traveling with a child, it all comes down to one word: preparation. Here are a few other tips to keep in mind if you’re looking to get out of town with your canine companion:

Where do you want to go?

This is the starting point for all trips, and it’s a decision that takes on even greater weight when you are traveling with your pet. Choose somewhere that is appealing to both of you. Tropical destinations, with all of their beaches and pools, can afford you the chance to relax and your pup the chance to experience a new playground, but they aren’t the only choice. Once you do have a location in mind, do some research to identify the best pet-friendly hotels, as well as where any local dog parks and animal emergency clinics are.

How do you want to get there?

If you want to bring your dog with you on an airplane, there’s a chance that he’ll need to ride in the cargo area of the plane. This is especially true if you have a large dog. Some airlines allow smaller dogs to sit beneath your seat in a crate. If you’re concerned about your dog having to ride in the cargo area, you could look into chartering a jet. Jetcharters.com is a great place to look for available jets you can charter. Most of these jets will allow pets of all sizes to sit next to you as you fly to your destination.

What are you going to do when you get there?

Because you are traveling with a dependent, it is important to structure your schedule accordingly. You can still do everything you want to do, but be sure to stagger your activities, which will give you at least a few minutes to go check on your little buddy. It’s also smart to set aside some time each day to get him out of the hotel room. Doing so will help you both rest in peace every night.

What should you take?

Packing for your dog isn’t all that different than packing for yourself – focus on taking the most essential items, while also ensuring that you’ll be able to travel efficiently. This means all medications, his leash, a few of his favorite toys, whatever he sleeps on, and that’s about it. If you think he can do without it, he probably can. And remember: you’re the only one who can carry anything.

The idea of traveling with your dog may seem daunting, but there are ways to make it manageable. All it takes is a little planning, and a little preparation, and before you know it, you might find yourself on your favorite buddy trip yet.

Logan is a guest post blogger who specializes in the maximization of travel experiences. When he’s not traveling the world by foot, bike, or boat, he is writing for the Blog Content Guild.