Meaningful Travel With Paulie

Welcome To The Travel Section

This whole section was once an entire blog, name ‘Travel With Paulie’, and perhaps that’s how you arrived here.  I migrated the content to this blog for several reasons, mainly for ease of administration, and the overlap between the topics involved.

All the same content exists and can be found in their respective sections on this site:

I hope you find the content here useful, and please, at any time, please feel free to share what you find, or comment on articles you find interesting or otherwise.

The Why?

This travel section is dedicated to chronicling my experiences that began in January 2010 – a mission to travel around different parts of the earth while partaking in free or minimal fee-based volunteering projects.

After 6 years working in the 9-to-5 rat-race in Japan, I realised that instead of ‘working for the man’, I wanted to work for those who needed a helping hand in lifting themselves up from the gaping maws of poverty.  After reading several books such as ‘Leaving Microsoft to Change the World’, ‘Vagabonding’, and ‘Banker to the Poor’, I knew I had to dedicate at the very least some of my energies to travel and helping those who just needed help to help themselves.

The How?

This journey is one of ignorance and exploration and growth – I have no idea what to expect while I’m out there, and how exactly I’ll find the sorts of the projects I’m looking for.  I don’t want to pay exorbitant “voluntourism” agent fees but instead discover ‘free’ or basic cost-covering fee-based organisations and projects.

I intend this to help other travellers and volunteers, and the wider world.  I want to share the experiences I have along the way with a view to opening up our minds to what’s really out there, sharing travel plans and ideas etc., and providing tips along the way.  Of course, showing you how you too can get involved in volunteering and make your travel/vacation/holiday a more meaningful experience.

I hope you enjoy, and can take something valuable and useful from it.  Please feel free to share what you have learned if you find a particular article informative and/or interesting.

Thank you.

{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }

Trevor Pearson January 7, 2010 at 08:57

Hi Paul.
It was great to meet you at The Spa Samui in September and hear of your plans and ideas for the future. I think it’s great that this has all come to fruition and I wish you well on your journey. All the best.
Trevor

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Lori January 7, 2010 at 12:56

Pauly! Will be with you every step of the way (and even taking some with you in March). Ganbatte yo! xxx

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paulgoodchild January 8, 2010 at 11:59

Thanks guys! I have just arrived in Bangkok and found my first internet cafe. Quickly checking messages and now I’m off to grab some grub! Thanks for the support! 😀

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Neil Gibb January 9, 2010 at 12:01

Hey mate, great to hear you arrived safely. All is well here with us all. A photographer just came round to our house and we had a photo shoot with Jacob! Hope the adventure of a lifetime is off to a great start. We’ve been thinking of you,
Neil, Anna and Jacob x.
PS thanks for the toys you sent him.
PPS looking forward to seeing you’re photos as you go!

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Germain January 9, 2010 at 12:26

Another blog to read? Good to keep us, coach potatoes busy 🙂 Good luck Paulie!

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Jo Rowkins March 15, 2010 at 14:30

It has been a pleasure to have you cross my path Mr Paulie. You are a true gypsy on a magical journey! x

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Georgie May 16, 2010 at 18:38

Hi Paulie
I am heading to Bali on Monday 24th and doing some volunteer work with EBPP hoping to keep up your good work. I would love to pick your brains about it, so please get in touch.
I wondered where you stayed when you were volunteering in Denpasar
Look forward to hearing from you

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Dr Jeremy Hunt September 19, 2011 at 07:37

How do you find Japan? Would love to hear it from you . 🙂

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Paul Goodchild September 19, 2011 at 13:44

I loved Japan… I can’t recommend it enough Jeremy. Are you going to visit?

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