Welcome
If you’ve found this site, chances are you’ve come seeking something more out of travel. Yes, you do enjoy the occasional cathedral and don’t mind visiting museums. It is only when you visit the 6th church and 9th museum that things start to get a bit… repetitive. Then you ask yourself an important question: Is there something more?
Photo Credit: Joshua Earle
You’ve searched the travel books on Amazon and even scoured travel websites for different experiences, but time and time again, the same locations pop up. You try your best to find what you can, but it just seems like the amount of time invested in a “decent” list is just not worth it. You just want to experience the culture a bit more than from the middle seat of a tour bus.
Well then,
Let’s Try Something Different
Here, I dedicate my writing to traveling in a slightly different way. Instead of being the 43rd person telling you to go check out the Eiffel Tower, I am going to tell you to mix it up with the locals on Rue Mouffetard. Trade up a night of partying in the Gaslamp District for a skydive above Mission Bay. Forget the hotel bars and grab a craft cocktail with the transplant Portuguese bartenders in the Vesterbro. Basically, I am the facilitator of doing something new.
Now I am going to make a controversial statement: “experiencing the culture” doesn’t really mean anything.
Culture itself is ineffable. It is created by people who are, themselves, infinitely complex. By saying you want to experience the culture, this is so broad that you aren’t really saying anything at all. I don’t think this is a bad thing! It gives you, the traveler, the freedom to define what culture means to you and what parts you care about.
So what is Distilled Nomad’s part in this?
While drinking and alcohol seem like another cliche of traveling, it doesn’t have to be. Across the world, people go out to have beers with their buddies or meet over cocktails. I enjoy exploring the drinking scene in different countries and find it easy to discuss my passion with the people I meet in that scene. Through the people I meet, I get to experience this sliver of culture I enjoy.
Maybe you don’t drink. That’s fine, the point here is the mindset behind it. The first part of a traveler’s growth is learning what they like. Once you understand what you enjoy, that’s where you can explore how to meet people that appreciate that same thing abroad and connect with them through your love for something in common. That brings me to…
My goal
It’s pretty simple, I want to empower you as a traveler to define what “experiencing the culture” means to you. In addition to the bar scene, I will be exploring other passions such as:
- Traditional Cuisine
- Exploration of the Urban and Natural Environment
- Social Life
- Psychology and Philosophy
- etc.
If you’re new to my site, here are some of the most popular post categories.
Featured Categories
To get you started, I’ve included a list of featured categories and a description. From here, you can get tips on cities you are going to, ideas on how to approach travel in general, and maybe even learn something about your own city.
How To
These articles are a bit more technical in nature and give advice on how to handle certain aspects of travel. This is the first place to look if you feel like you don’t know how to do something and need it broken down into a step-by-step process.
C3 – Coffee, Cuisine, & Cocktails
Three things I love and enjoy: Coffee, Food, and Alcohol 😉
This series is simple: each article focuses on a city or specific district and recommends one coffee shop, one restaurant, and one cocktail bar. Browse this category if you are looking for a quick suggestion on any of the three.
Weekend Wanderer
Not all of us have lavish multi-week vacations, so we need to make due with a quick weekend trip. This series is full of whirlwind itineraries for those visiting a city for 48 hours or so. Those who like a well-structured introduction to cities will find solace in these articles.
City Spirit
We all have a weakness for that particular spirit. While cocktails are great, sometimes a sip of that particular liquor is exactly what you need while resting your tired legs from exploring. Whether your poison of choice is rum or whiskey, these articles will have something for you.
Travelosophy
Traveling can be hard at times. There is the financial stress, the discomfort of being in a foreign country, and fear can sometimes consume and paralyze you. These articles explore the philosophy of travel and how to approach it on a psychological level to get the most out of your adventures.
Beyond Adventure
Leave behind the comfort of museums and take up hiking, skydiving, and other fun and perhaps outlandish experiences. These articles will take you on an adventure and may even push your comfort zone.