Nora Dunn
Nora Dunn

Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.

Name: Nora Dunn

Occupation: Professional hobo, writer, vlogger, blogger, former financial guru, and actress (for good measure)

Hometown: Toronto

Residence: No fixed address

Websitetheprofessionalhobo.com

Twitter: @hobonora

Facebook: The Professional Hobo 

YouTube: Nora Dunn

Short bio: Sold everything I owned in 2006 to embrace my dreams of long-term travel. Been on the road ever since, traveling through/living in 55+ countries. Figured out how to make a living along the way, and now I teach people how to travel full-time in a financially sustainable way.

How often do you fly? Varies dramatically. This year will be at least 19 times.

How many countries have you been to? Honestly I keep losing count. Something over 55.

How many continents have you been to? 6

Earliest travel memory: Taking the train 400 miles to spend every summer with my grandparents. (Hence my evangelical love of trains).

Favorite international city: Hong Kong.

Least favorite country: A close race between India and Russia. At the moment India wins.

Friendliest people in the world: New Zealanders.

Country with the meanest immigration officers: A close tie between USA and UK. But I’ve also had the friendliest in these same countries so make of it what you will.

Favorite World Heritage Site: Cuenca, Ecuador—the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Favorite airline: Thai Airways—simply because it was my first-ever long-haul business class flight. You never forget your first.

Aisle or window: Window. Gotta have something to lean on for sleeping, and look out. Also, I hate getting up from my aisle seat for fidgety window sitters.

Favorite hotel: Had an epic time at the Art’otel in Amsterdam.

Favorite fruit: Pineapple? Mango? Passion Fruit? Must I decide?

Favorite food: It’s a tie between lobster, sushi, and popcorn. Random, I know.

Least favorite food: Raw bananas (I’m allergic).

Drink of choice (in the air and on the ground): Water. Really.

Favorite travel movie(s): Bagdad Cafe. It’s not a travel movie, but it kind of is.

Favorite travel show(s): Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown (Anthony, if you’re reading this: you’re my hero).

Favorite travel book(s): “Shantaram,” or anything by J. Maarten Troost.

5 things you bring on a plane: Water bottle, laptop, scarf, kindle, iPhone/earbuds.

What do you always seem to forget? I’m too organized for that. (And with that, I’ve likely jinxed myself).

What do you like least about travel? Booking flights/accommodation, and packing up everything I own into a bag and schlepping it around (it gets old after a while; I’m happier once I’ve arrived and unpacked).

Worst travel moment: Surviving a near-fatal accident in the Caribbean. No wait…having my passport and $10k stolen by a con-man. No wait…surviving three natural disasters. No wait…surviving three diseases. No wait…

Favorite travel charity: Rotary.

Best travel tip: Get free accommodation. It provides a much more immersive and culturally rewarding experience, and it saves you a ton of cash. In 10 years I saved over $100k by house-sitting, volunteering, living on boats, and more. I wrote a book about it: “How to Get Free Accommodation Around the World.”

 

3 Comments On "Travel Style: Nora Dunn"
  1. Anonymous|

    wasn’t she on SNL

    1. Nora|

      That was a different Nora Dunn. I’d say she was my namesake, but she’s a bit older than I… ;-)

  2. Elyse|

    Is there a discount code for book? Thanks

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