As we travel we assume risk, take a look at this article where I give a few tips on managing risks and making better choices. Peter J Smith October 2009
My travel has mostly required that I worked where I could as I had no other means of funding it. This has brought me into many different professions and experiences some of which have been Hotel Manager, Scuba Diving Instructor, IT Director, Musician, Actor, Presenter, Tour Guide, Holiday Rep, Travel Counsellor, pub landlord to name a few.
I travel because I can; I cannot predict the future and believe in living life to the full, now, in the present. I have friends all over the world many of whom share the same ethos and I have to say that thanks to the technology developed recently we can all keep in touch on a regular basis.
Long ago a guidebook was a tome that required deep study, there were no hostels as such and advance reservations were difficult if not impossible to arrange for those on a budget. Phoning home was a major cost and mail followed you around by poste restante. Keeping in touch required actual writing of letters and photographs of the trips were expensive to produce and too easy to lose.
For all that, it was a real experience and a character building exercise for all those pioneers of backpacking and hardy long term travellers.