So here’s the deal. Airbnb is trying to promote it’s self by offering 40$ credit towards your first stay anywhere in the world. Not only do you get 40$ but they’ll also send me 20$! Help keep me traveling, click this link to make an account, www.airbnb.com/c/lharum. Just so you know, Airbnb didn’t contact me and ask […]
Top 6 European Cities For Cheap Living & Good Times
Europe’s not easy for budget backpackers. In 2014, 6 of the top 10 most expensive cities in the world went to European cities. These include Oslo, London, Geneva, Paris and Amsterdam to name a few. They’re awesome cities and great stops on any European tour, but they’re also serious budget killers. Fortunately, Europe is home to […]
Where To Stay & Things To Do In Catania, Sicily
I know, I know, Catania sounds like some fictional town in “Game Of Thrones,” but it’s actually a real place! While it’s not as mystical as it sounds, there’s definitely something enchanting about it. Located on the North East coast of Sicily, Catania commands captivating views of the Mediterranean sea as well as the magnificent Mount Etna, which […]
If A Few Hundred Die On The Boats Then So Be It
Every year for more than 50 years, thousands of young African men and women leave their homes. They trek across desserts and seas, and subject themselves to the cruelty of professional smugglers for months and even years. They risk it all, including their lives, for the chance of a better life in Europe. In the past […]
Operation African Asylum: Meeting Survivors (Part 3)
We had heard that the Italians were rescuing boats when they got close enough. They pick up people in their navy ships and bring them to Sicily. I hope they find us soon. I know we’re close, we have to be close, but just how close no one knows. Least of all our 15 year old Egyptian fisherman turned […]
Operation African Asylum: The Backstory (Part 1)
February 7th 2014 Skype Session (Guatemala – Sudan) Champion: I decided to go to Libya and then to Italiya. Hope we will meet in Norway. Leif: I’m coming with you then. When are you going to do this? Champion: hahahaha great thanks habibi. Leif Harum: I’m serious. I’m ready to meet you in Egypt/Libya. Champion: March […]
Operation African Asylum: The Search (Part 2)
Just hours before I departed from JFK, I was put in contact with a a documentary film maker named Filippo. He and his wife had just completed the first portion of a UN sponsored documentary on the plight of African asylum seekers. Having done an exceptional amount of research, Filippo offered me loads of up to […]
A Relaxing Retreat In The Sicilian Countryside (26$/night!)
The last time I was in Italy, my bag was ransacked on a train while I went to the bathroom, I got scammed into a fake iPad by a Houdini, and saw a man get pick pocketed by a group of gypsy kids. Needless to say, I had an awful time and I wasn’t planning on returning anytime soon. […]
How To Get A Visa For Europe
One of the most impressive accomplishments of the EU is relative freedom of movement among member states. This is known as the Schengen Zone, and it includes a few non-EU countries as well. Within Schengen, US, CA & AU citizens, as well as many others, do not require a tourist visa to enter or travel around. Although […]
How To Avoid Being Robbed On The Road
When I ran away and lived on the streets of Europe and the Middle East, I acquired certain survival skills. I learned which dumpsters would yield the best food. I learned how to jump trains, hitchhike and travel for free. And although it took me many fights, I also learned how to outsmart and avoid […]
