Global Goose: Start Here

I want to…

You know you want to travel the world. Now it’s time to find out HOW.

I get it, you’re feeling overwhelmed.

You have this deep urge inside of you to see the world.

To go outside your comfort zone. Experience something new. Immerse yourself in a culture different to your own.

Maybe even to learn how to work on the road so that you can travel even longer.

So you listen to that little voice inside and you start surfing the web to plan your trip.

The next thing you know, you’re sucked down an endless rabbit hole of beach selfies and fluffy blog posts that have pretty pictures but don’t really tell you much.

You don’t need #inspiration.

You already KNOW you want to travel. The urge is strong. You are already convinced, you just need to know how to make it happen.

You need information. Details. Practical tips. You need helpful advice to plan your trip and turn your travel dream into a reality.

That’s where we come in.

On Global Goose you will find plenty of travel inspiration of course – but it’s also backed up with the helpful tips you need to plan your own trip.

(Oh, and you won’t find any annoying pop-up ads, affiliate links or sponsored posts. Global Goose is ad free.)

This site is named after Branta Canadensis because they fly in a V-formation. This very clever trick allows the lead goose to take the majority of the wind resistance, making it easier for the geese behind it to fly.

We hope for a parallel of this idea within the travel community. Experienced travelers share their knowledge with first-timers, making their journey easier and less scary. We offer practical tips so you can make your travel dream a reality.

During the migration, the geese rotate so they each take a turn being the leader (which is why we sometimes publish guest posts by travellers who have been to places we haven’t.)

Wild geese are strong and tough animals on their own, but when they are united they can rely on each other and fly farther than they ever could alone. We travelers are birds of a feather, so we should flock together.

“Two passionate travellers providing first-hand information and seeds of inspiration for the global travel community… Prepare to be inspired!” – Backpacker Guides

Hiking in the Rocky Mountains, Alberta, Canada

My name is Kelly Dunning and I’m from a small town in Alberta, Canada. In 2009 I went on a working holiday in New Zealand, without knowing that it would change my life. I thought I would just be travelling for six months, but it turned into a much bigger adventure.

While working as a tour guide at a creepy haunted prison by the sea in New Zealand I met a brilliant English guy called Lee and together we built this website. We filled it with travel guides, information and inspiration for others like us with an incurable case of wanderlust.

Lee and I have been traveling since 2008 (almost a decade now!) and we have been full time digital nomads since 2011. We make our living online, which grants us the freedom to roam the world as much as possible.

We’ve been to over 50 countries. That’s a lot of overnight buses, hostel rooms, street food meals, airport terminals, tuk tuk rides, border crossings and passport stamps!

We’ve had amazing moments (such as watching the sunrise at Angkor Wat), horrible moments (such as vomiting from food poisoning on a train platform in India) and everything in between. (You can read about our worst travel fails here.)

We have learned a lot along the way – about saving money, staying safe, finding great things to do, making friends and getting the most out of your trip. We have been writing on Global Goose since 2010 and we have hundreds of posts about how to travel the world. Our goal is to share our stories and tips with you, to help make your travels better.

Planning your trip can be pretty exciting. The more you read about your destination, the more your pre-trip anxiety melts away and your anticipation builds. (Feeling nervous butterflies in your stomach? Read this first.)

There are a lot of ways to find out about your destination before you get there, so we have created the ultimate list:

20 Ways to Research a Travel Destination Before You Go

However, be careful that you don’t cram too much into your travel plans. Read my thoughts on this here: Slow Down – Don’t Squeeze Too Much Into Your Travels

Also, you don’t have to have it all planned out completely. My thoughts on this: No Plan, No Problem: Why You Should Trust Your Future Self.

Other posts that will be helpful when planning your trip:

Our Top Ten Online Travel Resources

Advice for First-Time Travelers

How Hostels Work and How You Can Be a Good Guest

What to Look For In a Hostel

Helpful Websites for Planning a Cross Canada Trip

It’s a huge world out there, so how do you narrow it down and choose where you want to go?

Start with this post:

The Five Most Awesome Gap Year Destinations

It outlines the pros and cons of five major destinations perfect for first-time travelers.

If you’re on a tight budget, take a look at these 25 Amazing Cheap Travel Destinations Under $25 Per Night. Yes, that’s right… you can stay in a hotel in any of these locations for less than $25 USD per night. Travel doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think!

Then, once you have narrowed it down to the region you want to visit, you can take a look at our posts by continent to read more.

Want to travel the world, but don’t have the money for it yet? Looking for some tips for squirreling away your cash so that you can build up your travel fund?

The good news is that travel doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think. In fact, we discovered that we actually spent less money while traveling than we would if we lived in one place.

This post is a great place to start:

I Want to Travel But I Can’t Afford It

It offers some real practical tips about how to save up for your trip.

Also, to know exactly how much you need to save, check out How Much Money Should I Take Traveling?

Now that you have saved up your travel fund and you are on the road, how can you make sure that your budget takes you as far as possible?

We have written a lot about saving money on the road, here are some of the best posts:

25 Frugal Travel Tips Learned From 7 Years on the Road

How We Saved a Thousand Dollars by Getting Our Immunizations in Bangkok

Tips for Managing Your Money While Traveling

25 Amazing Cheap Travel Destinations Under $25 Per Night

How Hostels Work and How You Can Be a Good Guest

I Had a Wonderful Time in Vietnam… for $13 Per Day

Why You Should Give Couchsurfing a Try

How to Get a Cheaper Stay in a Hostel

5 Websites Frugal Travelers Should Know About

Travel visas are very important. If you don’t meet the visa requirements you won’t be let into the country and your travel dreams will be squashed at the immigration desk.

When it comes to travel visas, we have some big juicy guides that contain everything you need to know about the visa requirements for each country in a region.

Check out our Ultimate Backpacker Visa Guides to:

South America

Central America

Southeast Asia

(More Coming Soon)

Plus, we have written a TON about Working Holiday Visas. These are visas that allow you to stay for a year in another country and work while you travel. I think they are the best thing ever, because you will be able to earn money while abroad so that you can travel longer. Also, they allow you to live the life of a local rather than just traveling through.

Here are some of the best resources about working holidays.

What is a Working Holiday Visa?

Which Countries Offer Working Holiday Visas?

More Specific

We have also written a few guides for people on applying for working holiday visas. If you have recently applied for one and would be willing to contribute a post to this site detailing the process, please contact us.

How To Get A Canadian Working Holiday Visa

How Canadians Can Get a Working Holiday Visa for Ireland

Everything You Need to Know About Your Working Holiday in Australia