All posts by Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

I Love Seeing the Beginning of RTW Trips

My friend Annie just embarked on a 5 month RTW trip!! And yes, as you can imagine, I’m jealous.

You can follow her adventures on The Table Less Travelled or on Twitter.

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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Travel Photo: H-Bay Sunset in Kona

[via Julie Chancerelle Ziemelis]

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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Travel Photo: This is What Happens When Safari Drivers Get Ambitious

Here’s the result of a safari driver at Masai Mara thinking he & his vehicle are invincible against mud.

The mud won this battle, and that’s a travel fail if you ask me. Though the many many safari-goers found it quite amusing.

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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Gen Y Travel Blog Carnival — 6th Edition

Welcome to the 6th edition of Gen Y Travel Blog Carnival!! And wow, what a number of quality travel posts to sort through for this edition. I’m no rookie when it comes to Blog Carnivals, since I managed the Carnival of Real Estate for several years while I worked at Zillow.com. However, this is my first time hosting a non-real estate blog carnival in the 5 years I’ve been blogging. Since I’m a big fan of personal voice, it was certainly a strong consideration in my selection process; and if I opened a post that was submitted and was bombarded with Google Adsense all over the page, that was a good indicator that the post wasn’t going to make the cut. I know from experience that great writers care about their personal brand and are not ONLY writing to make money, so those are the blog posts I focused my time on.

Here we go, with the best of the best for the month of December (in no particular order except the winner at the bottom)!!

How to sell everything you own to travel the world posted at Where Is Jenny. There is no way I could have ignored this one, since I’m such a huge proponent of traveling and living with minimal material possessions. I need to take a few tips from Jenny and dump everything I own before I move sometime in February.

Poi posted 100 Days of Travel & 100 Reasons to Love It! over at No Place To Be. I love Poi’s 10 reasons to love traveling; my favorites from the list are #2 (being lazy), #7 (beer is cheap), and # 9 (Flip Flops are acceptable for any occasion).

Nico Crisafulli wrote Secret Spots of Paris – 7 Unique Recommendations at AirTreks Travel Blog. The combination of photos, historical facts, and personal descriptions gave me a few ideas for whenever I end up in Paris next.

Susan Forshner Frechette presents Gibraltar, fiercely patriotic posted at transient travels. If you plan to visit Gibraltar at some point, this post will give you an excellent initial feel for the culture with pictures to help tell the story.

Shannon O’Donnell presents Secrets in Ireland’s Heart posted at A Little Adrift Travel Blog. Having been to Ireland this fall, I can relate to the beauty of that unbelievable country and the MANY secret spots the country has to offer. Further, Shannon just seems to be an all around personable writer that pours her soul into her writing.

Jodi Ettenberg penned up her thoughts on The Limits of Long-Term Travel: It Doesn’t Fix Everything at Legal Nomads. She’s right that long-term traveling isn’t going to solve all your life’s problems, but it’s a hell of a way to spend your life. I have to admit, Legal Nomads wasn’t in my RSS reader prior to tonight, but it is now; I’m a huge fan of the strong voice in Jodi’s writing.

Amanda presents Why I’m a Weenie When it Comes to Solo Travel posted at A Dangerous Business. The 81 comments provies what a beautiful piece of writing this is about a topic that so many travelers battle with — solo travel.

Bethany Salvon wrote How to volunteer on your first organic farm posted at Beers & Beans.com. Truthfully, the photography work in this post are enough to warrant inclusion on their own, but there some useful information for those thinking about volunteering on a farm as well.

Emily Gerson, who needs no introduction for regular Gen Y Travel Blog Carnival readers, get a mention for her Keystone, Colorado, Day 3: Dew Tour & River Run Village at Maiden Voyage. Just goes to show that you don’t have to go jet off to exotic foreign lands to have a little fun.

Ayngelina presents 5 Reasons to visit Northern Peru posted at Bacon is Magic. Short. Sweet. To-the-point. I want to visit.

Winner

What can I say — Laura Keller’s Homeward Bound over at Round We Go was unbelievably awesome. I was hooked upon seeing the first photo in this post (of Mount Kilimanjaro) & seeing the word “Jambo” in the first paragraph since I was just there a couple months ago. Laura and her husband are returning to the states after 14 months of traveling and this is her reflections on what that means to her. I’m happy to see she ended her post with this quote:

Some people grow up knowing they want to be a doctor or pilot. I grew up knowing I wanted to see the world. After 14 months on the road, I have to say: I’ve only just begun.

That’s a wrap! If you’re interested in being included next month, submit your favorite post by January 31st. Thanks to Emily for giving me the chance to host!!

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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My Most Needed Christmas Gift

Let’s just say my old pair of flip flops didn’t make it off the island of Santorini with me.

Here is my brand new pair!!

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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Travel Photo: Cheetah in Masai Mara

Cheetah’s seemed to be the rarest animal on my 5 day safari in Kenya back in October; I only saw one, and here it is sitting in the shade underneath a small tree.

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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Travel Photo: A Pack of Lions at Masai Mara

These lions were amazingly tame. Even though there were no fewer than 15 vans with 3-6 people in each vehicle watching their every move, they didn’t appear to even notice. Masai Mara is an amazing place, just a little more “zoo-like” than I was expecting.

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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Lingering Culture Shock During the Holidays — and Merry Christmas

I’ve now been home for about a month, and I have to say I’m still feeling the effects of culture shock. And coming home right before the holiday season doesn’t exactly help since American consumerism is at a seasonal high; advertisements for the latest and greatest gift idea constantly being thrust at me from every direction. Even though it’s now Christmas day and I had a relaxing day yesterday playing cards with my family and drinking eggnog, I’m still not in the Christmas mood since every Christmas reference I see & hear reminds me of buying something — which is not what the holidays should be about. Going shopping for gifts that people don’t need is something I have absolutely no desire in given I was just in Ghana and Kenya where, by and large, people are happier than they are in the US while owning vitually zero material possessions. In Ghana, people don’t even know who Santa Claus is (and yes, most of them are Christian); makes you wonder whether Santa Claus is just another icon marketers have exploited in the name of getting you to spend more money during the holiday season.

Think about it. You don’t need a new TV. You don’t need another car. You don’t need a new frying pan. You don’t even need another fancy dress shirt. You don’t need your 176th DVD. Chances are pretty damn good, you have everything you need (plus some) and just don’t realize it. The video embedded below and this post I wrote several years ago should help you realize how truly fortunate you are.

Ordinary Hero~ A day in the trash dump in Ethiopia from Kelly Putty on Vimeo.

I’m sure this is not the rosy, happy post you wanted to read on Christmas day and I’m rambling a bit — and for that, I apologize. Merry Christmas and be happy for all that you have!

Here are some additional thoughts on culture shock from Caz.

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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Are You Running Away?

If you are a frequent worldwide traveler, I’m sure you’ve heard at least one person ask you what you’re running from. Most travelers are running from something. But I’m with Caz on this — why is that a bad thing?

Are 80 % of travellers on the run? I say 100% are. They are on the run towards life, not away from anything. Sure, they may have skeletons in their closets, as does everyone, but they are leaving them behind not running from them.

I’d highly encourage you to read Caz’ full post on yTravelBlog. It’s right on the mark in more ways than one.

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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Pogosheepo — I Miss You (in Korean)

While talking to my friend living in Seoul on Facebook chat, I just learned that “pogosheepo” means “I miss you” in Korean.

Is that the most awesome word or what? I think so.

Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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