Announcing My "Ten Years a Nomad" Summer Book Tour

Posted: 6/19/2019 | June 19th, 2019

Last month, I announced the release of my next book, Ten Years a Nomad: A Traveler’s Journey Home.

It’s about how I became a traveler, my life as a backpacker, all the lessons I learned, and what those lessons mean for travelers. It features stories I’ve never told and goes deeper into my philosophy on travel than I ever have on this blog.

This book follows the “emotional” journey of a trip around the world: getting the bug, the planning, setting off, the highs, the lows, the friends, what happens when you come back — and the lessons and advice that come with all that.

And the early reviews have been pretty good!

“In his heartfelt explanation and exploration, Matt runs through just why he’s been out there, backpacking the world for 10 years. By the end we’ve definitely realized, like Matt, how important travel is and how getting out there, on the road, can make you, me and the world a better place. It’s a great pity certain people at the very top of the world’s power pyramid never had just a little taste of the nomadic experience.” – Tony Wheeler, founder of Lonely Planet

“Throughout his ruminations on how travel affected him, Kepnes interweaves his tales of friends, girlfriends, and great loves discovered among exotic backdrops and how starting a blog (nomadicmatt.com) about his adventures altered the way he traveled. His story is one of heartbreak, self-discovery, and the constant travel itch he had to scratch in order to become the man he was supposed to be. An entertaining, quick read by a man who did what many of us only dream about.” – Kirkus Book Reviews

The book comes out July 16th and I’ll be doing a book tour across the United States and Canada over the course of the summer!

If you want to join the book tour, here are our dates:

Ten Years a Nomad Book Tour

P.S. – There will be an afterparty in NYC after the initial book launch. It will be at Solas. Click here for details!

Hope to see you on the tour! It’s my first one in over four years and I’m very excited about it. It’s going to be a whirlwind!

And, as a reminder, I’m doing a pre-sale bonus so if you order the book in advance you can get free copies of my other books, one-on-one travel planning advice, free attendance at TravelCon, blogging courses, free hostel stays and flights, and more!

The packages are listed below. All you need to do to claim your bonuses is email me a copy of your receipt at matt@nomadicmatt.com.

The Basic Package (cost: $18, value: $48)
Purchase one copy of the book and get:

• How to Build a Travel Blog ebook (value: $9.99)
• The Ultimate Guide to Travel Hacking ebook (value: $9.99)
• 27 Ways to Be a Master Traveler PDF (value: $5)
• 50 Inspiring Travel Books and Movies PDF (value: $5)

***BEST VALUE*** The Tenner (cost: $182, value: $794)
Buy 10 copies of my book and get ALL THE ABOVE plus:

• My 12 city and country guides (value: $150)
• A signed copy of my book How to Travel the World on $50 a Day (value: $15)
• A 15-minute planning call with me (ask me anything)! (value: $200)
• The Business of Blogging course (value: $199)

The Bullseye (cost: $900, value: $2,493)
Buy 50 copies of my book and get ALL THE ABOVE plus:

• One ticket to TravelCon in Boston (value: $399)
• A 30-minute planning call with me (ask me anything)! (value: $400)

SUPER BONUS! The Centennial (cost: $1,800, value: $7,193)
Buy 100 copies of my book and get ALL THE ABOVE plus:

• Lunch on me! I’ll come to your city and we’ll have lunch on me! (limited to those in the United States and Canada) (value: $2,000)
• Round-trip airfare to TravelCon in Boston (from within the US and Canada) (value: $500)
• One additional ticket to TravelCon in Boston (value: $399)

Conversely, if you’re not a blogger and don’t care about TravelCon, you’ll get four nights at any hostel in the United States and one round-trip domestic airfare.

SUPER BONUS! The Big Kahuna (cost: $4,500, value: $19,293)
Buy 250 copies of my book and get ALL THE ABOVE plus:

• I’ll come to speak at your event for free! (value: $5,000)
• You’ll be flown to NYC (from within the US and Canada) the book launch party, put up in a hotel for two nights, and get dinner with me! (value: $3,000)

Note: All digital bonuses will be sent when you send the receipt. Travel arrangements will be worked out between you and me and are valid for six months after purchase (i.e., you have to make a booking by then).

Order the book today, get your bonuses, and share your love of travel!

 

Want to Help Me Spread the Word About This Book?

I’m always looking for more opportunities to talk travel. Here’s how you can help me spread the word about the new book:

Want to interview me?
If you have a blog, podcast, vlog, or Instagram channel and want to interview me about the book and travel, let me know at matt@nomadicmatt.com using the subject line “Book Interview.” I’d love to talk with you!

Are you in the media and want to cover the book?
If you work for a major media outlet and want to interview me about the book or would like to review the book, let me know at matt@nomadicmatt.com using the subject line “Media Request.”

Know anyone that I should reach out to for promotion?
If you have suggestions on people who would love a copy of this book and would be a good fit for promoting the book, let me know in the comments, or feel to email me at matt@nomadicmatt.com with the subject line “Book Promotion Help.”

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and that will save you time and money too!

Why this Independent Backpacking Nomad is Going Cruising

Posted: 06/14/2012 | June 14th, 2012

A lot of people hate cruises. “Oversized boats filled with oversized people.” There’s a particular disdain for them among backpackers and other “real” travelers. “Cruises aren’t travel,” people say. “You don’t get to experience the local culture. You don’t get to explore the places you visit. You’re shuttled from place to place in pre-fabricated tours in gigantic groups.” Cruises are considered fake travel for people who want to pretend they’re traveling some place without having to do any actual traveling.

I’ve been on three cruises my entire life. The first was when I was 16 and went with my family around the Caribbean. I remember going to Cozumel, Mexico, and sneaking off to drink Kahlúa on the beach. (Sorry, Mom and Dad. I guess you had to find out sometime!)

The next cruise was a Dave Matthews Cruise with some friends (I’m a huge Dave Matthews fan). It was three days to the Bahamas and watching Dave Matthews Band play on a boat. It was epic.

My last cruise was five years ago. I went with my family up the inside passage of Alaska. It was gorgeous seeing glaciers, and I even got to see killer whales chase, kill, and eat a porpoise. The whole trip was a lot of fun.

I love cruises for the same reason that everyone else hates them: because cruises are not travel.

A cruise is an adult playground on the sea. It’s like Las Vegas except on water. It’s a giant buffet, pool, random activities, tall glasses of fruity drinks, and sheer gluttony. It’s bacchanalian fun.

A cruise is a vacation.

To me, the definition of travel is going out, exploring, and learning about the world and the cultures that inhabit it. It’s about discovery. A vacation, on the other hand, is simply a break from day-to-day life where you can relax and not do anything.

And I think that distinction is often missed by the cruise haters. Getting away from home doesn’t always have to be about exploring unknown lands, trekking through primordial forest, or navigating the bus system of Calcutta. No, sometimes all you want to do is relax. You don’t want to deal with anything or plan anything. You want a break. You want to shut your mind off for a bit.

If you view a cruise as travel, you’re going to be disappointed. If you view it as a vacation, then I think it’s easier to accept the Disney-like atmosphere of it all.

After all, all travel serves a purpose.

So, next week, I’ll be going on a Royal Caribbean cruise with my friend Jason, my intention being to just sit by the pool, cocktail in hand, and work on my tan. I plan to gain 10 pounds at the buffet and then work it off at the gym. I’m going to mini-golf on a boat and sleep late. I’m going to keep my computer closed.

I am going on vacation.

And I’m really looking forward to it. I could use a break. I’m a bit burnt out. Between three conferences in the last month, my final book edits, traveling back and forth from Asia, a tour in Japan, running this website, and just trying to live life, I’m frazzled.

A lot of people think travel and what I do is a 24/7 vacation. It’s not. It takes work trying to figure out your way around the world. It’s fun work — but it’s still work. Throw in running a business on top of that, and you find yourself running nonstop from dawn until the wee hours of the morning. It drains you, especially when you do it 365 days per year.

So, tired and exhausted, I’m going on vacation to recharge my batteries.

I’ll admit that it’s been a long time since I’ve been on a cruise. I have no idea what to expect. I’ve never been an adult on a normal cruise just trying to relax and be a “tourist.” This is new territory for me.

I may hate it. I already know that I’m not looking forward to the land excursions. I hate those things. I see them around Europe, and it’s just a large mass of people. Try seeing the Acropolis in Athens when 937,439,282,349 tour groups from the cruise ship are also there. It’s aggravating. I plan to make my own ship excursions.

Moreover, I’m going on the largest boat in the world — the Oasis of the Seas — and I may find that to be just too large and too overwhelming. Who can say? All I know right now is that I’m giddy with excitement about my vacation.

But I’m not going to pretend that a cruise is anything more than it really is: a vacation. It’s a week where your mind can shut down, someone else can plan your life, and your only concern is what time the buffet starts.

Because we all need a vacation sometime.

So that is why this intrepid nomad is taking a cruise — and who knows, I may even enjoy myself.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Home: The Death of a Nomad

Posted: 10/29/2013 | October 29th, 2013

When I decided to move to New York City, I had this vision of what would happen: I would settle down into my own amazing apartment, decorate it with lots of cool stuff, join a gym, take cooking classes, and — in between all that — take numerous trips to JFK airport and jet-set around the world. I’d come back, stay for a few weeks, and do it all over again.

I’d be able to balance my twin desires: settling down and my love of travel.

But I was naïve.

Since moving here in January, I never managed to spend more than a couple weeks in New York City before having to leave again. When I moved into my own apartment in July, I left the next day. I came back for a week before leaving again for two months.

I never got to settle down.

I never took those cooking classes.

I never joined that gym.

My apartment is still bare, with curtainless windows, books longing for a bookcase, and walls lacking art and paintings.

The famed — and much desired — end to my travels never really materialized, as I’ve spent much of the last year on the road.

“I thought you were slowing down,” people would say to me.

“I’m trying. I’m trying,” I’d reply.

No matter how hard I tried, slowing down never seemed to happen. There were, though, many false starts.

But last month while in Europe, I began to feel really homesick. I was tired of traveling and just wanted to be home in my comfy bed.

I realized I was tired of delaying my roots.

Roots, after all, can only take hold if they’re in the ground. I’ve been trying to develop habits and routines without giving my roots time to grow. I keep uprooting them and then trying to replant them in hopes they’ll grow.

But it doesn’t work that way.

You need to till the earth, plant the seed, and let the roots take hold.

You can’t uproot them.

It’s time I give my roots a chance.

I’m tired of saying “OK, I’ll do it next time.” So I’m not traveling until the end of December when I go to the Philippines. There’s a lot to do in NYC, and it’s finally time to do it.

I’ve purposely filled my schedule with things that will keep me in the city. This week I joined a gym, got a trainer, and paid for a desk at a co-working space. I’m having friends visit.

I’m here. I’m home.

It’s time to grow some roots.

Nothing will stop me now.

Related articles:

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!