In Summary On our 2019 first visit to B&H, we barreled through the popular tourist destinations of Mostar, Trebinje and Sarajevo in 10 days. This year, we returned to Sarajevo for five weeks, and chose it as our annual Medical Month destination, having put it on our list of “Known Knowns.” Turns out, that wasn’t […]
Read MoreDo you have an insatiable wanderlust, an incurable urge to seek out what lies beyond your horizon, or a restlessness for discovery? It’s not FOMO driving these feelings, pushing you to travel and explore your world. The answer might lie in your genes! An estimated 20% of humans have an actual “explorer gene” embedded within their DNA. The good news is you don’t need genetic testing to confirm if you possess this gene. If you, like us, have the nagging curiosity to explore your environment then you very likely test positive for the Explorer Gene too.
After many years trying to hopelessly suppress our explorer genes, in 2018 we finally gave in to them, sold or gave away our possessions, left behind our careers, and set out with our new homes on our backs. We spent years planning and saving like mad to prepare for our leap to become fully nomadic. Along the way we’ve discovered financial independence, countless connections to people and places, and have fallen in love with home-free slow travel.
The Explorer Genes blog is the story of our unique journey, with quirky snapshots of our life slowmading the globe on a $50 (combined) budget per day. We love to geek out and write about all the fun insights and facts we uncover, make history not boring, and share obscure or off-beat discoveries as we go. We are also culture hounds, avid hikers and walkers, and try to seek out adventure on a budget whenever and wherever possible. We truly believe that travel isn’t simply what you read in guidebooks, or is something found only in a lists of “must do’s”, “must see’s”, or “top ten’s.” Instead, we create a by-the-seat-of-our-pants itinerary that comes from slow travel, meeting and living with locals, and finding wondrous and off-beat travel opportunities when we can.
– Mandy & Greg Chase
Our Latest Posts
Our Latest Posts
Medieval Magic and a Storybook Setting in Jajce, Bosnia & Herzegovina
We certainly didn’t get to explore as many small towns or natural attractions as we had originally anticipated during our six-week stay in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Thus, for our last and coincidentally my birthday week, it became the top priority to seek out its wonder as we headed to the charming town of Jajce from […]
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Finding Comfort & Simplicity in Banja Luka, Bosnia & Herzegovina
From Sarajevo to Banja Luka It was time to head north from Bosnia & Herzegovina’s first biggest city, Sarajevo, to its second biggest city of Banka Luka, which feels like a whole other country thanks to to its position as the capital of the “Republic of Srpska.” Now, one might think going from Big City 1 […]
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The Oldest Pyramids in the World You’ve Never Heard of in Visoko, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Despite being next door neighbors, the train experience in Bosnia & Herzegovina versus the train experience in Serbia could not be more dissimilar. In Serbia, everything is now easy, modern and requires little effort. Here, it’s a bit more convoluted, vintage and backpacker-y, despite the tremendous potential for train travel in this mountainous and beautiful terrain. […]
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Daily Life and Fun Adventures During Five Weeks in Sarajevo
The 1984 Olympics Bob Sled Track On July 4th, we arrived to another “Known Known” of Sarajevo with the plan of camping out five weeks. We first visited in 2019 for about five days, and really appreciated the East meets West vibe tucked into a spectacular setting encompassed by rolling mountains…an ideal escape from a […]
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A Worthwhile Pause in the Border Town of Zvornik, B&H
Arriving to Zvornik from Valjevo From Valjevo, our next destination was Sarajevo, where we’d be spending the next five weeks. Unfortunately, there was no train option. The railway heads southwest into Montenegro, not Bosnia & Herzegovina, so for the first time in Serbia we had to rely on buses. We figured getting to the border—and […]
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Destinations
Destinations
Want to explore by specific destination? This map displays every country we have visited since becoming nomadic in 2018. It’s color coded with green colored countries linking to anything we’ve written on them. And, all those uncolored countries… well, those are all our upcoming adventures; so stay tuned as we color them green!
It's a Wrap!
In our country wraps series, we summarize the upsides and downsides of our time in a country, breaking down expenses, sharing insights, and offering general impressions to help you plan your own adventures.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: It’s a Wrap!
In Summary On our 2019 first visit to B&H, we barreled through the popular tourist destinations of Mostar, Trebinje and Sarajevo in 10 days. This year, we returned to Sarajevo for five weeks, and chose it as our annual Medical...
Read More
Serbia: It’s a Wrap!
In Summary… On our 2019 first visit to Serbia, we only got a small taste of the country in the cities of Belgrade, Niš and Novi Sad. To be frank, we weren’t enamored, which is not surprising given our affinity...
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It’s a Wrap: Lac Leman Region, France
It’s no secret that France is the most visited country in the world. And, like many dreamy teenagers, it positively beckoned me. That shimmering iconic tower…that sexy intonation…Audrey Hepburn’s influence and of course….the possibility of amour. All this is pretty much why...
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Keep Updated!
Keep Updated!
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