Things You Did Not Know
The Small Mistakes That Quietly Derail a Trip
It usually starts the way most trips do. A quick search, a familiar hotel name, a link that looks right…
Long-form essays about movement, money, and what freedom actually costs.
Hostel Dorm Rules: The Unwritten Etiquette Every Backpacker Should Know
You think living with one partner can be complicated? Try sharing a room the size of a garage with six to eight people you…
About this website
Read the Manifesto →
Somebody Had To Do It
There are enough travel blogs.
This is not one of them.
Freedom is unstable.
Mobility is lonely.
Reinvention is expensive.
No one builds a brand around that.
So I will.
Backpacking
Sri Lanka Is Not What The Headlines Told You
If you followed the news in the past years, Sri Lanka looked like a country folding in on itself. Fuel…
Backpacking
Tomorrow, Someone Else Will Sit Here
Travel constantly reminds us how infinitely rich the world is. It’s four o’clock in the morning and I am in…
Backpacking
Backpacking in 2026: 12 Places That Still Make Sense
Backpacking hasn’t disappeared. It has simply shed its illusions. Flights cost more. Borders feel tighter. Money runs out faster. And…
The Traveller Behind the Blog
Ramon Stoppelenburg
I've been moving for more than two decades. I built income online. Lost it. Built it again.
I've crossed 50 countries, stayed too long in some, left too early from others.
Somebody Had To Do It exists because I got tired of the fantasy version of this life.
I write what travel does to a person — financially, psychologically, culturally. Not the brochure version. The long version.
Read My Story →Latest Stories
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Backpacking
The Art of Budget Travel in 2026
How I Learned to Travel the World Without Pretending to Be Rich Let me tell you about the…
Digital Nomadism
“I Also Want To Become A Digital Nomad!”
Every few weeks, someone writes to me with that sentence. Sometimes it’s a university student. Sometimes it’s a…
Backpacking
2026: If You’re Going to Go Backpacking, Go Now
There are years when leaving feels reckless. Flights spike. Visas tighten. Currencies punish you. Remote work is viewed…
Travel Gear
Best Travel Apps for 2026: Your Ultimate Guide
There was a time when travel meant printed confirmations, folded maps, and hoping your debit card would work…
Digital Nomadism
The Infrastructure That Makes Nomadic Life Possible
This isn’t a listicle. It’s the scaffolding behind the nomad life, built from real disasters and the tools…
Travel Health
Why Travel Vaccinations Matter More Than Ever
There is a particular kind of optimism that comes with booking a flight. You imagine the streets, the…
Travel Gear
Road Trip Essentials: Must-Have Items for Your Next Adventure By Car
Road Trip Essentials: What Actually Matters When You Live From a Car There is a romantic version of…
Ethical Travel
Ethical Travel Practices in Australia: Nurture Nature and Support Communities
In the vast expanse of Australia’s diverse landscapes, from the ancient Outback to the pristine coastlines and vibrant…
Things You Did Not Know
We need to talk about your in-flight farting
There is a moment on every long-haul flight when the cabin goes quiet. The engines level out. The…
Travel Health
Travel Fitness: What the Road Actually Does to Your Body
Travel does strange things to your body. You sit more than you think. Airports, buses, trains, cafés, co-working…
Luxury Travel
Where Billionaires Go to Unwind: 4 Private Island & Mountain Escapes
After experiencing the heights of luxury in these diverse destinations, you might want to unwind in a serene…
Luxury Travel
Where you should go if you were absolutely rich?
* The Ultimate Splurge * How about the Top 10 Luxury Destinations for the World’s Richest Backpacker in…
Things You Did Not Know
Embrace Climate-Conscious Travel: A Sustainable Journey
by Ramon Stoppelenburg – In an era where climate change is at the forefront of global concerns, the…
Digital Nomadism
“I Wish I Could Travel That Much Too!”
It happens to me every time I travel. I talk with people who hear about what I am…
Digital Nomadism
So you want to become a Digital Nomad?
Fact: Digital nomads are people who live in a nomadic way while working remotely using technology and the…
Digital Nomadism
What I learned as a remote worker
This month marks the end of my first 8 months as a person who only works remotely, doing…
Backpacking
Get Vaccinated
I’m fully vaccinated and got boostered last week. No, I don’t know “what’s in it”. Neither this vaccine…
Photography
It’s not the material stuff that makes a rich life.
It’s not the material stuff that makes a rich life. It’s the experiences and the people you meet…
Things You Did Not Know
Seven Countries That Don’t Really Exist
You want to really go off the beaten track? I have found these seven “countries” that are not…
Travel Gear
What to bring for the longest flights in the world
There are long flights and there are really long flights. Whether you’re on a plane for almost 19…
Digital Nomadism
For me traveling doesn’t always mean going somewhere all the time
For me traveling doesn’t always mean going somewhere all the time, or always being on the move. Most…
Travel Stories
Date A Man Who Travels
Date a man who treasures experience over toys, a hand-woven bracelet over a Rolex. Date the man who…
Travel Stories
I am not done with Sri Lanka yet!
I did not expect that a country as Sri Lanka would take me by surprise THAT much! I…