see matt run

Think about all the stuff in your life – the apartment, the furniture, the clothes, the books, the gadgets, the toys. Now imagine tossing out everything that doesn’t fit into a large backpack. It sounds almost like a nightmare, doesn’t it? But for some people, living out of a bag and with no permanent address is a dream come true. I call these people permanent travelers.

Pius Lee was a programmer for CNET Networks and all-around tech guru, but his lifelong goal was to backpack around the world. Lee cut most of the ties to his old life in New York City and bought a one-way ticket to Casablanca, Morocco. (Why Casablanca? Perhaps it was the waters.)  Since then Lee has continued to travel from one country to the next for more than seven years. Right now, Lee rests his hat in Thailand, but he told me that he’ll be uprooting again very soon.

Lee’s incurable wanderlust is far from being an isolated case. It wasn’t hard to find other permanent travelers with sites on the Internet that are probably the closest thing they have to a permanent address. Some, like Lee, support themselves by peddling pictures of their travels, though I have no doubt that more than a few cracked piggy banks also play a role in this very unique lifestyle. Another case in point: One fellow I found online has been travelling through parts of Europe, Africa and the Middle East for more than five years. But while Lee is searching for the next horizon, this other fellow is looking for a place to call home.

These are fascinating individuals with incredible stories. I’ve already begun talking to Lee and I hope to learn more of his story as well as those of his fellow travelers. My goal is to craft a piece that illustrates why and how these people do what they do. Check back from time to time and I’ll be sure to share some of what I learn.

Until then, safe travels.