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My girlfriend, Corissa, and I were still living in Calgary, Canada, this time last year. Anyone who has ever been to Alberta in winter will tell you how cold it gets in this part of the world—25 F below zero is not uncommon in Calgary. Therefore, we both decided to pack our bags and drive Read more...: I Moved to Panama and Switched Snow for Sunshine
Imagine living in Europe, Africa, or Australia and earning a living while traveling around and discovering the continent. Sounds too good to be true? Well this is exactly what I have been doing for about six years now. I started off in Africa because I had always wanted to go on a safari but could never afford it.
I live an idyllic life on a Spanish island, named Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands, off the coast of Africa. Here, the temperatures are between 70 F and 85 F all year round, with 350 days of sun. I am surrounded by beautiful, white-sand beaches and I get to surf the waves every day. This is the ideal base for me. And in just four hours I can be back in Central Europe, where I do a lot of my "work." As a travel videographer being on the road is just like being a tourist with a list of attractions to visit, the only difference being that I am getting paid for it. In fact, I can get paid up to $4,000 or more per trip by making short videos for tourist boards, hotels, tour companies, spas, and anyone looking to promote a tourist attraction on a website.
I found a way of traveling to the most amazing places in the world...going on safari in Africa...floating over Australian vineyards in a hot-air balloon...mingling with the rich and glamorous in Europe. I've been doing this now for four years...and all along the way I was making money.
It's true that you need some video equipment in order to shoot travel videos...but it's not nearly as much as you might think. Some folks get started with just a simple camera or smart phone.
When I signed up to produce a travel video of my hike to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro—followed by a luxury safari and a beach vacation—I had no idea how much people pay for this kind of adventure...and how truly life-changing it is.