Just an extraordinarily pretentious English major who loves to wander. Why should I get a full set of silverware when I can save up to visit the Taj Mahal instead?
I’ve been lucky enough to have done a whole lot of traveling, but the world is big enough that I’ll never feel finished. I just want to see it all.
The name’s Eytan, and it rhymes with Akon. Someday I’ll thank him for making introductions so much smoother. In the meantime, hopefully you’ll enjoy my budget travel tips, ultralight gear obsessions, and other mundane nonsense, as I share my sometimes awesome, sometimes awkward international adventures.
Fun fact time!
- I was thrown off a horse in Ecuador. It was totally not my fault.
- I got locked inside an Italian train station for a whole winter night.
- I somehow managed to do a voiceover for a Colombian TV show.
- I am proudly Ravenclaw.
- I got to #1 on reddit. Bask in my greatness. BASK.
- I started a snowball fight in Turkey that turned into a street-wide snowbrawl.
- I like the little models of buildings more than the real buildings.
- I could eat Asian food forever and never get tired of it.
- I only know one card trick and I suck at it.
More fun facts to follow as I do more interesting things worth discussing!
If you can’t get enough of me, you can also find me on:
Which travel pants are you wearing in the profile pic on the righthand side?
Ordinary cotton pants, but from Arcteryx. They were good, but just cotton, so nothing special in terms of drying time or weather resistance. I couldn’t find anything ideal at the time, so I took what I had. I’m currently advocating heavily for soft shells.
Hi Snarky Nomad! I love your blog and want to thank you again for all your advice in the past about travel pants. I’m soon going to get a pair of Ministry of Supply Aviator Chinos on a trip back to the USA (they weren’t available in my size the last time I was back home). I’m also wondering if you have any opinion on the Proof NY Blueprint Jeans. They look pretty good to me but I haven’t been able to find a single review online about them. All the best! -Rob
I haven’t seen them in person, but they look great, and the fabric blend is pretty much guaranteed to make them dry faster and last longer. I think they’d probably be great. Prana just released something this year called the Bridger, which should do something kind of similar, but they’re a bigger company and can bring down the price.
Ok, good to know, thanks!
As a self-proclaimed pretentious English major imbued with snark, you may enjoy this comic panel about such a state of being. And I didn’t draw it (this ain’t self-advertising). I just like to share funny stuff I come across.
http://forlackofabettercomic.com/?id=35
Yup, I know that one. It’s pretty great.
I’m glad that your pretension (or English major) doesn’t lend itself to ostentation. I admire lean writing that doesn’t forfeit style or value.
Makes it easy to actually learn something along the way. Looking forward to checking in more!
Hi I liked your article, and used it as a source in a paper, can you tell your full name so I can add it in the APA citation, I prefer not putting Snarky Nomad
Yeah, it’s Eytan Levy. Don’t worry, nobody else can pronounce it either.
Excellent information here, Eytan! Thanks for the great writing and extremely helpful tips. Subscribed.
Hey,
I’ve really been enjoying your blog. I’ve always wanted to travel lighter and still manage to pack way too much, so I’m hoping your blog can help me turn that around. I also had a question, would you ever consider a trench coat instead of a raincoat for travel?
They take up more space than a regular raincoat, so the only time I’d do that is if you’re planning on wearing it the whole time, like if it’s in the winter or fall, and it’s cold enough to wear it every day. But if there’s no hood, then you probably need an umbrella too. Trench coats do look great, though, so it’s not such a bad idea if you’re traveling under those conditions.
I recently bought a pair of ‘5-11 Stryke pants, light weight, utilitarian, dynamite! Have you tried these, if not grab a pair I would appreciate your thoughts…Toby, Pittsburgh PA
Hi there,
i was just wondering, are you still travelling around? Where are you right now? I am from Belgium, living in the Canary Islands for 5 years now. Longing to travel to Guatemala, Costa Rica and Colombia. Any tips for a single travelling woman are always welcome.
Thanks !
I have a home base and I travel maybe once a year. I was never a full-time traveler, except for one trip, but it’s working out for me since I really love talking about gear, so I have to go find those things in stores or order them online, so it’s good to be home for at least some of the time. Plus I’ve accidentally adopted a cat.
I found Central and South America to be extremely well developed in terms of its tourist infrastructure. Hostels are all over the place, with everything from basic accommodation to luxury establishments. The only thing that was annoying was how the bus system can be unreliable, but at least it’s cheap. Just the regular safety tips would apply. Stay away from dark alleyways, and I think you’ll be fine.
Have you ever reviewed clothes at railriders.com?
That would be new for me, but maybe someday.