#163: Travel Writing and Journaling Prompts with Nomadic Matt
I’ve always felt fortunate that my family has loved to travel. Before I went to college, I had been to a luau in Hawaii. I had held koala bears and rode underwater scuba motorcycles in New Zealand and Australia. I had seen tortoises in Ecuador and traversed Machu Picchu in Peru.
Even a mere few months ago, I embarked on a month-long trip across Europe. It was a wonderful time, and…psst, in case you’re newer to the show, there’s a full episode about it. It’s just a few episodes before this one! What a promo.
Matt Kepnes didn’t have such an extensive travel background growing up — he didn’t take his first international trip until he was 23. But boy, has he made up for it. He’s traveled through over 100 countries, wrote the books How to Travel the World on $50 a Day and Ten Years a Nomad and is the founder of Nomadic Matt, a website designed to help people travel smarter while spending less money.
Matt’s website is full of goodies, so we’re talking about how he’s built up his travel brand, the importance of journaling, the time he got stabbed while traveling abroad, and much, much more.
Highlights of our conversation
The very first trip Matt took — the one that helped launch Nomadic Matt. (2:14)
Why Matt kept a journal the first time he backpacked, and why he continues to stress the importance of journaling. (4:00)
What Matt hopes people get out of his journal, My Travel Journal and his book Ten Years a Nomad: A Traveler’s Journey Home. (6:38)
The items Matt takes with him when he travels, and why he tries to be minimalist while traveling. (7:46)
Matt’s worst travel story. (9:08)
Ways to save money while traveling. (11:05)
Why people don’t travel more. (13:19)
The question every travel writer hates the most. (16:00)
The top three books that influenced Matt. (17:18)
Where to find Matt Kepnes
Follow along with Matt’s travels at Nomadic Matt.
Check out Matt’s recommended books: