Brendan: What is Brendan up to Now? After 'retiring' from my original Dream Job of Travel Tour Guide (aka adult babysitting), I ended up as a freelance travel and copywriter, doing my best to be paid--somehow, anyhow--while being on the road. In 2009, I managed to stay put long enough to get married to my travel partner-cum-girlfriend Melanie, and have since tried to keep the travel bug limited to only a few months a year, while maintaining a parallel career in real estate...which, considering we spent almost 3 months of our married life on the road already (including two months in Indonesia and Japan), is going swimmingly well!

Destination: Belize

One of Central America’s anomalies, Belize feels like a piece of the Caribbean grafted to the mainland. The only English speaking country in Central America, Belize’s food, music and culture have much more in common with its island neighbours than its Latin ones. That having been said, it has inherited an interesting mix of influences from its former British colonial overseers, its Latin neighbours and its varied native elements. Not overly cheap and short on ‘wow’ elements, some...

February 26th, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Eating Like Local In… Costa Rica, Vol. 3

The GlobalNomad’s top things to eat (that you might never try) in Costa Rica: horchata. (or-CHA-ta) If you go to a Soda (see Dispatch #1) you may see two big liquid containers, one white and milky, the other a deep, watery red. Depending on how local you are it could be two jugs or two of those big slushy dispensers. The white one is horchata, a delicious, milky, sweet, rice-based drink, usually with a touch of cinnamon. I dream about this stuff…. Rosa de Jamaica. (ha-MY-ka) The Red one is Rosa...

February 23rd, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Dominical, Costa Rica

So my new favourite town in Costa Rica is Dominical, about halfway between Manuel Antonio/Quepos and the Osa Peninsula. It has killer surfing—but so do many places in Costa Rica. The reason I like it so much is more about atmosphere—there is a palpable sense of civic pride, the town is walkable, there’s a good balance of restaurants, bars and stuff to do… the beach is long and beautiful – and uncrowded. Best of all, there is a complete absence of the brutal attitude that seems standard...

February 20th, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Surf's Up, Hombre

Let me be clear about one thing: I am not a surfer. Surfers are a special breed—impossibly tanned, blessed with an uncanny ability to function with their shorts pulled half down, and sporting physiques that are proof that spending time in a gym isn’t always the best way to get six pack abs and killer shoulders. The west coast of Costa Rica has been surfing central since long before the resorts and canopy tours arrived, so what can be more Costa Rican than learning how to surf? Whether it’s...

February 17th, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Living Large in….Costa Rica

Travelling doesn’t always have to be about chicken buses and dingy hostels. Sometimes you just need to live large; and no, I don’t just mean a swanky all-inclusive. If you’ve got a little cash to drop and want to see what Costa Rica has to offer the style-conscious luxury traveller with an adventurous streak, check out these places. Every one is unique, and each one comes with an environmental/sustainability streak—after all, this is Costa Rica. Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort A carbon...

February 15th, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica – Back Door Monkeys

Manuel Antonio is Costa Rica’s second most popular park (the first is a volcano). Right on the coast, it boasts some of the area’s best beaches, protected offshore islands home to thousands of birds, and so many monkeys and sloth you’re virtually guaranteed to run into them. All of which has made the park so popular that a few years ago authorities decided to upgrade facilities, moving the entrance to a more central spot. To get in, you ford a small estuary (rivulet at low tide), and although...

February 13th, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Monte Verde, Costa Rica – Of Bugs and Butterflies

Before you begin to roll your eyes, let me assure you: butterflies are cool. Even if you don’t think you’ll find them cool—and I assure you, I didn’t—this place also has tarantulas, scorpions and seriously crazy-ass bugs you’ve never seen. For those of you who now think there’s no way in hell you’re going anywhere I’m talking about, give me a chance. The Monteverde Butterfly Garden has always been one of my biggest surprises—I wanted to think it wasn’t cool, but every time...

February 11th, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Skip the Potholes – Monteverde/Montezuma, Costa Rica

A few years ago, when a Costa Rican presidential candidate made reference to his past success at halving the number of potholes in the country (in itself an indication of how much of an issue the road conditions are), the opposition retorted: “of course there are half as many potholes—every two small ones grew into one big one.”Alternative transport in Costa Rica makes even more sense once you’ve had some experience of the roads. If you can take a shortcut, do it. Here are two great shortcuts...

February 7th, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Manufacturing Adventure

As Costa Rica slowly edges towards becoming a victim of its own popularity, and nature becomes gradually more and more packaged for tourist consumption (think Cancun’s Disney-esque shuttle buses to go visit Nature™!) it’s nice to know there’s still plenty of the real thing around. While the idea of a canopy tour (flying from tree to tree high in the forest canopy by means of a zip line and climbing harness) may have started out pretty hard core, today the country is flooded with them. Not...

February 2nd, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Eating Like a Local in… Costa Rica (Vol. 2)

Driving through the towns and mountains of Costa Rica you are likely to be bombarded by mostly unrecognizable food options, first at stoplights, speed bumps or construction stops, and later as you inevitably pass scores of roadside stalls selling local products. Some common (and delicious) options: sliced green mango (in season), dangled in little bags as cars slow down to pay the toll to exit San Jose. Toronja, candied grapefruit also sold in small clear bags, usually hanging above the counter...

January 29th, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Partying Like a Local in… Costa Rica (Vol. 1)

San Jose nightlife unfortunately has sometimes been associated with the seedier side of entertainment (prostitution is legal and closely regulated in Costa Rica). This—for me at least—has created an uncomfortable situation where as a single male you no longer trust the motives of otherwise normal, friendly ticas (Costa Ricans) you might meet on a night on the town; I am sure the situation causes its own unique irritations for foreign women travellers as well. (If you are a male travelling alone...

January 26th, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Eating Like a Local in… Costa Rica (Vol. 1)

The Soda Most travellers’ introduction to Costa Rica will be its much-maligned capital San Jose. For all its shortcomings, San Jose is actually quite a liveable city, with a decent nightlife and any service you could possibly need. It’s also home to easily the country’s best collection of international restaurants, with everything from sushi to Denny’s. For the purposes of this series, I plan to completely ignore every one of them. I mean really, did you fly 5000 miles to eat at the same...

January 24th, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Stop One: Costa Rica

An eco-tourist’s dream, Costa Rica has become synonymous with all an unspoiled tropical paradise can be. Rarely does reality measure up to hype, but Costa Rica certainly comes close. The country’s quiet history as a backwater free of colonial excesses has today become a boon, and Costa Rica has cashed in on its purity. And not without merit: blessed with beaches and biodiversity to spare, this is a verdant land of misty volcanoes, roaring rivers and screeching jungles teeming with exotic fauna....

January 18th, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Do Yourself a Solid Packing Job

Ahh, the life of a nomad. Free as a bird…or at least one with 20 kilos of crap strapped to its back. Before you leave home, keep in mind the three key factors to consider when packing for long-term travel: weight, volume and number (you could also add value, but that will mostly impact you when you lose or break something.) Keep these three under control and you won’t be cursing your backpack by the end of week one. Before you commit to carrying any item in your bag for months on end, ask yourself:...

January 15th, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More

Introducing the PlanetEye Global Nomad

Welcome to the PlanetEye Global Nomad! Through this space I aim to enlighten, entertain and basically get your travel juices flowing. What I hope to pass on are insider tips, tricks and insights, some gleaned from years of travel and leading tours as a guide, others fresh discoveries, but always with the goal of helping the reader learn or experience a little more of a place than they might not otherwise. Check in whenever you need a shot of life on the road, or follow along on my year-long, ’round...

January 1st, 2008 | Global Nomad | Read More