I've been traveling around the world without flying for 2.5 years, just crossed the Pacific Ocean on a cargo ship. AMA!

How have you been able to afford everything?

I work online, these days mostly doing freelance web design and some coaching (business and personal development).

Sounds like an amazing ride.

I'm interested to hear how you found passage on a cargo ship. Do you have marine background or did you have to find a vessel willing to accommodate travelers?

If not the Pacific leg, what was the most difficult stretch of your journey in terms of logistics?

Cargo ship travel is easy as long as you have money. You google around from "cargo ship cruises", contact some agents and ask them what's available. I have some agents listed here: http://www.ndoherty.com/cargo-ship-2/

But it's not cheap. Most cargo ship trips are going to cost you at least €100 a day. My 26 days across the Pacific cost me $4.5k (including banking and exchange fees).

As for the most difficult leg of my journey: Getting out of India. That's surprisingly hard to do without flying. I spent $1200 booking a cargo ship to take me from Sri Lanka to Malaysia, only to discover that there's no easy way to get from India to Sri Lanka without flying. I couldn't make the crossing in time and lost that $1200.

In the end I managed to get a free cruise from India to Thailand, via the power of social media :-) More on that here if you're interested: http://www.ndoherty.com/costa-cruises/

To what extent have you been learning languages?

I've done very little language learning. I started learning Thai when I was in Chiang Mai, but then realized that it wasn't a country I could see myself spending a lot of time in in future, and it was very easy to get by with just English. I started learning Spanish before my trip (lived in Spain for a few months in 2011), and now I'm working on that again. I'll try learn some Portuguese too while I'm in Brazil. Those two languages I can see myself using a lot in future.

What's it like being Irish?

It's like being English, only way better :-P

Are you concerned about adjusting to regular life when the mission is complete? Or do you even plan to resume a "regular life"?

I don't plan to resume a regular life :-)

My long-term ideal would be to have a home base in two or three different countries around the world, and I'd spend a few months in each every year or two, between trips to destinations new.

Are you married? Do you plan to? Do you get laid often?

I have a wife and four kids back home. I miss them occasionally.

/kidding

I'm not married. I'll likely commit to a long-term relationship at some point, but it's not a priority for me right now.

I get laid almost as often as I like ;-)

Of any country, which women were your favorite? As in your favorite to date, had the most fun with, found most attractive or intelligent overall..

Hard to generalize. You meet amazing and boring women in every country. I fell in love with an amazing Thai girl, but I also dated several Thai girls who didn't do much for me beyond the physical.

I probably had the most fun dating in Amsterdam, Kathmandu and Bangkok, but that's mostly because I was making an effort to date more while in those places.

Just say what you are really asking - what country is the most spicy in the sack.

Wish I could tell you, but I'm not that much of a stud.

Did you have to save up money to do this? How much money have you spent in total on your trip? It seems like it would still be a lot of money to go around to that many countries even if you weren't going on airplanes

I would say it's a lot more expensive to travel without flying. Flying across the Pacific would have cost me about 1/4 as much money and taken way less time.

I had some savings before starting out, but I work full-time as I travel, mostly doing freelance web design.

I'm not sure how much I've spent in total on this trip, but you could work it out by going through the monthly finance reports I publish on my website. You'd have to sign up to my mailing list to view those though ;-) http://www.ndoherty.com/business/

For more info on how much I've spent on this trip, see my finance reports for the past two years: http://www.ndoherty.com/2012-finances/ http://www.ndoherty.com/2013-finances/

Best food you've had out of any country you've been to?

Place you want to go back to the most?

Best food was in India, especially down in Tamil Nadu. The dosa was to die for!

Place I'd like to go back to most is Istanbul, mainly because I only had four days there and I felt there was so much to see and experience in that city. I'd also love to go back and do more trekking in Nepal.

Place I'd most like to go back and live in though is Amsterdam. I love that city.

How rich do you need to be to do this? Serious.

I hitchhiked across the USA from Washington to New York on 100 bucks, a pack with a sleeping bag, tent, tarp, change of cloths and a couple other random items.

After New York we went to Virginia where I spent some time with a friend I met online. Later I ended up getting super sick and got a staph infection and had to abort mission and got a bus ride home, took 4 days, fucking horrible time.

I am jealous of your multinational experience.

Agent Capslock. lol

You don't need to be rich. Look up a guy named Graham Hughes. He visited every country in the world without flying (only guy ever to do it), and he had a shoestring budget, did a lot of Couchsurfing. I think you could do it pretty comfortably on $15k a year as long as you're not expecting to live the high life.

And hey, reading the rest of your comment, sounds like you know more about budget travel than I do! Sucks about the staph infection though :-/

Thanks for reading my book :-)

Had anything really unexpected happened so far?

None of my bank cards worked in Iran, and I arrived there with only $100 in case for ten days. That led to many an unexpected adventure!

Also, I was originally supposed to get on a cargo ship in Korea to cross the Pacific Ocean, had everything arranged months in advance, but when I showed up at the port the customs officers told me there was a new law forbidding civilians to leave the country by cargo ship.

Dock blocked!

I then had to rush to Japan and hop on a different ship a couple of weeks later.

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It's not all exciting and fun. I work pretty much full-time from my laptop to fund my travels, so it's definitely not like I'm on one big holiday. I often have to miss out on doing cool stuff other travelers do because of work commitments.

That said, most other travelers have to go home after a few weeks or months, while I get to stay on the road indefinitely. I try to travel pretty slow, so I feel like I'm actually living in a place for a while and not just passing through. My ideal is to rent an apartment for a few weeks and find a few local coffee shops and restaurants to call my own.

Sometimes it gets lonely traveling solo for so long, but I'm lucky in that I'm well-connected online and I make friends pretty easily.

As for what inspired me, see my reply to steviesky above :-)

You mentioned you work from your laptop. What job do you do?

These days it's mostly freelance web design and a bit of coaching.

How do you keep connected to the internet? Especially in places like the middle of the pacific?

I was offline while on the cargo ship. Internet was a challenge in places like Iran and Laos, and it can be stressful when I need to get work done. I try plan ahead to make sure I'll have good Internet access wherever I'll be staying.

I was offline while on the cargo ship

Oh god

It was good for me. I'll try do a month offline every year from now on.

You're basically a "hobo 2.0", you're my hero.

haha, thanks!

What made you choose to not fly? Fear? Expenses?

I decided not to fly because I figured it would make my travels more interesting/challenging/adventurous.

I flew quite frequently before I started this trip and have no fears about it. And from my experience, most of the time it's actually much cheaper to fly than to travel overland or by sea.

Have you gotten any illness related to travel? Also do you have health travel insurance for perpetual traveling?

Worst illness I've had on this trip was a severe case of diarrhea while in Kathmandu. That sucked.

For insurance I use http://worldnomads.com. They're pretty useless for small claims, but if you get in big trouble they should come through.

What is the first name of the coolest person you have met so far? What was his or her story?

A guy named Gholam in Isfahan in Iran. Probably the most kind-hearted man I've ever had the pleasure to meet. He didn't speak great English but hosted me for a few nights when I was desperately in need of a place to stay (none of my bank cards would work in Iran so I couldn't always afford accommodation there). He also gifted me several meals, introduced me to many of his friends, and brought me on tours of his city. He had a beautiful curiosity and vibrance about him. It's illegal to dance in Iran, but Gholam couldn't stop his shoulders ashakin' and his feet atappin' :-)

Do you ever get lonely? I imagine always moving from one place to the next it's hard to establish and maintain any kind of longterm relationships (both romantically and friendships). Could you see yourself doing what you're doing together with a friend/partner?

I do sometimes get lonely, but I suspect less than most people would doing this sort of thing. There are definitely times when I wish I had someone special to share certain moments with, but I'm quite happy in my own company and overall I prefer traveling solo.

At a certain point though I think I'll start making relationships a higher priority in my life. Pretty sure I'd be miserable if I was still jumping around so much five years from now.

Saw your 'things i own'.. Is that all? I mean, no place of your own at home? Only those things?? What is your workday like? How much do you earn? You are inspiring man! Ive always traveled in breaks, not in a full flow like you..

Thanks :-)

http://www.ndoherty.com/possessions

That's everything I own, yeah. I set out from my parents house in Ireland. I don't have any possessions there, or at least nothing that I can recall. Maybe an old jacket or two, but anything like that has probably been thrown out by now.

I don't really have a typical workday. Right now though I'm working pretty much 9-5 on my laptop here in Peru.

How much I earn varies. Right now, not very much at all. Last year, quite a lot. You can see my finance reports from the last two years here: http://www.ndoherty.com/2012-finances/ http://www.ndoherty.com/2013-finances/

Top three experiences during your travels???

I'll give you a top four:

Flirting with 100+ women in Amsterdam http://www.ndoherty.com/flirt/

Running out of money in Iran: http://www.ndoherty.com/iran/

Falling in love in Siam: http://www.ndoherty.com/love/

Crossing the Pacific Ocean on a cargo ship: http://www.ndoherty.com/books/cargo/

Did Jules Verne lie about the 80 days part?

Methinks no. These days you could probably do it in six weeks if you lined everything up right and nothing fell through. Just stick to the northern hemisphere, take the trans-Siberian from Europe to Asia, get a freighter across the North Pacific, and then a cruise liner across the North Atlantic.

You can find really cheap cruise deals here, btw: http://cruisesheet.com/

I've always wondered how it'd be to take a cross oceanic ship voyage. Is it difficult to get a seat on a ship? Do they still take passengers?

It's not difficult, but it is expensive. Cost me about $4.5k for 26 days, including banking and exchange fees. Most cargo ship trips are going to cost you at least €100 per day.

To book passage on a cargo ship, reach out to the agents I have listed at the link below and they'll tell you what's available. Many of them have listings on their websites, too.

http://www.ndoherty.com/cargo-ship-2/

Why is it so expensive? How big of a demand can there really be for that sort of thing? What is it really costing them?

What's life like aboard a cargo ship? Can you walk/ run around the ship?

My best guess as to why it's so expensive: They don't give a shit. That is, carrying passengers isn't their primary business. They're hauling multi-million dollar cargoes, and I guess they figure that if they're going to take a passenger every now and then, they might as well charge a high price and make it worth their while.

Life aboard the ship was great. This video should give you a good idea of what it was like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj9yA7KjIuw

How long do you stay at a place.. Do you plan your itinerary.. S'ppose you are in say India, how do you decide what you want to see and do?

I stay different amounts of time in different places.

I spent 2 months in Budapest, 5 months in Nepal, 3 months in India, 7 months in Bangkok, 2 months in Hong Kong, 1 month in Korea.

But I only spent one day in Austria, a few days in Cambodia, one day in Lima, etc.

I usually have places in mind to settle down and live in for a while, and tend to speed through other places to get there. I'd rather see a lot of a little than a little of a lot. Plus, I have to work, and changing location every week isn't good for my productivity.

As for deciding what to see or do, it usually depends on who I'm with. I don't much enjoy doing touristy things alone, but if I meet some cool people we'll often go off exploring together.

Alright guys, I've got a Skype call now for an hour, but keep the questions coming and I'll jump right back in as soon as I can.

Did you parents procreate just so they could have a child that looked like Adrien Brody?

Adrien Brody's parents procreated just so they could have a child that looked like me.

Great AMA - I really enjoyed this. I checked out the blog post you listed above and liked the concept of the 'pain period' that you have to go through when trying something new. I was thinking of this recently as I learn to snowboard. But it applies equally to starting a new business etc. Enjoy your travels!

Thanks for reading, glad that resonated with you. And yeah, absolutely, it applies to many things. Learning a new language is a good example as well.

What was the interaction with the crew like? Did they enjoy having a passenger or were you more the annoying guy dancing around the ship?

They never saw me dancing. I was pretty sneaky about it, because I was only given permission to shoot video to show to family and friends, not the whole Internet.

But the crew was really cool overall. I got tours of the deck and engine room, and was allowed up on the bridge whenever I wanted.

If you're really curious about what my day-to-day life was like on there, and my impressions of the crew, I wrote plenty about it in my book: http://www.ndoherty.com/books/cargo/

Where did you come up with the money to travel so much?

I work online, doing freelance web design mostly.

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With my right hand.

Where did you get the idea to do this or was it just a random thought?

I knew I wanted to travel the world for a few years, and I was trying to think of a way to make my travels more interesting, challenging, and adventurous. I hit upon the no-fly idea and ran with it.

I was in Peru for a month or so a couple of years back, met this old guy and his wife who were covering all of the Americas in their land rover. Cool people, good luck to you!

Very cool. While in India I randomly met an Argentinian family who had been traveling the world in a vintage car for 13 years or so. They had four kids along the way! I believe they're in Africa now, don't know how they do it. I find it hard enough just to look after myself!

What's been your least favorite more of transportation?

Least favorite? I don't think there's one mode of transport I particularly dislike, but the bus to Kathmandu was a nightmare, squashed into a tiny seat (I'm 6'3), overnight on mountain roads, the driver overtaking on blind hairpin bends.

The bus from Luang Prabang in Laos to Kunming in China wasn't much better.

What country have you had the most fun in? Why was it fun?

Hard to pick just one. I've had fun in many places. But Amsterdam probably takes the cake. I did a little experiment there where I made myself go out and try flirt with 100+ women in two weeks: http://www.ndoherty.com/flirt/

Is it hard entering any countries because of the fact that you are working while you're there? What do you say when you cross a border?

Technically I'm not working there, because all my work is online. So I never need work visas for the countries I visit.

At the borders I just tell them that I'm a tourist. Not entirely true, but not entirely false either.

I'll be in cusco in a couple if weeks. Got any tips? ?

Stay at The Wild Rover :-)

How much do you miss basketball?

Haha. I still watch NBA highlights on YouTube most days, but I don't miss being immersed in basketball like I once was. It will be nice to return to New Orleans next year and catch a Pelicans game, but I doubt I'll be able to recognize even three guys on the team!

Which countries are you planning to travel to in South America? How much time are you going to spend in SA? Do you have a bucketlist?

I'm in Peru now and plan to travel through Bolivia later this month, then live in Brazil for three months (World Cup, baby!). After that I'll start working my way up to North America. I want to be in New Orleans in time for Mardi Gras next February, but along the way I'll likely stop off in Colombia for a month or two, and somewhere in Central America, too.

And no, I don't have a bucket list. Although I would like to ride a horse someday. Still haven't done that :-(

Where do you go when you travel to a new country? Do you hit up the local tourist attractions or just explore and try to experience the culture as a local? if the latter, have you ever had a guide?

My ideal is to get set up with an apartment in a central part of town, then try settle into a routine with work/exercise/social. I mostly stay in cities as everything is more convenient and it's usually better for Internet access so I can work.

I usually avoid tourist attractions unless I have some cool people to experience them with. It can be very lonely being at an amazing tourist attraction all by yourself. I'm lucky though in that I have a blog that's read by people all over the world and I'll often meet with readers or friends of readers in the countries I visit. So in that sense I've had many guides :-)

Do you think you'll ever go back to Veganism?

Also, what about alcohol, absolutely nothing? Or do you see it being as flexible as you were with veganism?

Also, no women on the ship? That would be a challenge...

I doubt I'll ever go back to veganism. I don't have any moral problem with killing animals. I'm just not in favor of the way most meat is produced. Most food animals never get to eat their natural food or live in open space. They're treated horribly and pumped full of chemicals. I don't eat a lot of meat nowadays but I don't go out of my way to avoid it either.

I may go back drinking again sometime. Drinking is awesome. But not drinking is still more awesome for me.

Is there anywhere you haven't visited yet that you would really like to?

Lots of places. Brazil and Canada are pretty high on my list.

I've come to accept though that I'll never see it all. The world is too big. I think you're better off trying to see a lot of a little rather than a little of a lot.

I'll give you credit, you need to sacrifice a lot to do what you're doing, but at the same time, I can't say I envy you. I like the stability of my life here at home, and I still get to travel and see the world often and enjoy it without all the hardships you've taken on.

But good for you doing what you like. Keep on keepin' on.

Yeah, it's definitely not for everyone. There's a big trade-off. Long-term, I'll probably end up with a home base like you, and take off on frequent travel adventures from there.

Thanks for the comment :-)

Do you feel that sense of freedom each day, waking up with the whole world and an expanse of ocean in front of you?

When I was on the ship, yeah. Not having Internet on there helped as well. It was very calming. No hurry, no scarcity.

Why wouldn't you take a cruise ship? Surely there had to be ships that make the same routes? No?

Repositioning cruises are an option, but I was looking to get to South America from East Asia. I couldn't find any cruise ships going that route.

Conas ata tu?

Muy bien.

What do you think of Anthony Davis' development? Do you still follow the Pelicans?

I watch the NBA daily top ten on YouTube but that's all the basketball I see nowadays. I'd have a hard time naming another three players for the Pelicans.

What's your take on investing? I mean you have spent some time fretting about the financials. - I suppose you are not saving something for retirement either?

No, not saving for retirement. I'd love to invest but I don't have much money to do so right now. Definitely don't look to me for financial advice!

Are you afraid of flying?

No. See my response to HotTeen69 below.

Do you have any kids?

I aim to leave one in each country I pass through.

/kidding

No, I don't have any kids.

When you make it to NOLA next year for mardi gras, I'd enjoy grabbing a cup of coffee with you to ask how you do it. I definitely want to do something like this in the future. I live in mid-city, close to Endymion.

Definitely. Add me on Facebook and we'll keep in touch: http://www.facebook.com/ndoherty13

Have you seen the movie Life of Pi? What did you think of it?

Loved it. A feast for the eyes. Did you like it?

What do you think is the best way to get places without having to pay?

Hitchhiking and Couchsurfing. I haven't done much of either though. I find hitchhiking to be too much time wasted on the side of a road, and I hesitate to Couchsurf because I need a place to work as well as sleep, and it seems a little rude to be invited into someone's house only to then ignore them for a few hours while I stare at my laptop.

So I usually pay for trains/buses/boats and hotels/hostels/guesthouses.

I did manage to score a free cruise from India to Thailand though. Details here: http://www.ndoherty.com/costa-cruises

Awesome thanks! Yeah being a student i probably would be leaning towards cutting my right arm opposed to paying for anything, so this is really helpful

Did you ever have any luck with the whole "waiting around at airports and paying next to nothing for a last minute flight to anywhere" ?

Well not at airports, since I don't fly.

But I did try hanging around the docks in Dubai, trying to find a fishing boat to take me to India. No takers, unfortunately.

What transportation do you use the most? Bus, train, hitchhiking, taxi?

I'm a little obsessed with tracking so I actually keep stats on that. Excluding local transport, so far on this trip I've taken 36 taxis, 45 buses and 77 trains. I haven't done any hitchhiking on this trip. A few months before I started I hitchhiked from Spain to Ireland and didn't enjoy the experience very much. Too much standing around on the side of the road.

I've also crossed the Pacific on a cargo ship. My father used to be a merchant marine, and certain companies a low their family members to come aboard for free passage. We went from Oakland to San Diego to Oahu to Japan, and then back. It really was a once in a life time opportunity for me. I'll never forget about that trip. It can get pretty boring on a cargo ship...

I agree. I'm really glad I did it, and it was a great experience, but I have no desire to do it again.

I've always wanted to travel the world but always lacked the funds to do so do you have any tips to help out one like myself?

My buddy Graham Hughes has you covered: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAbCgr6jJ_0

He visited every country in the world without flying (only person ever to do so) on a shoestring budget.

Hello ndoherty13! I've removed your submission from IAmA because it's best to post your AMA when you are ready to start answering, otherwise it will lose visibility too quickly. Feel free to make a new post (don't forget proof) when you can join us for a couple of hours.

Thanks! I'm new to this so not sure exactly how it works. I'll be here answering questions now for the evening, so if you see fit to move this again, please do :-)