It was just another day at the office of my national travel magazine, and I was slated to write two articles—one on how to pick the best African safari for your buck, and another on how to see the iconic pyramids of Egypt. Even though both trips were on my bucket list, I hadn’t actually accomplished either one of them. So I turned in my drafts to my editor, walked out into the brisk New York night, and realized at that moment that I was no longer able to advise readers to do something that I’d never experienced myself. So I quit my job, stashed my goods in a small storage unit, and decided to travel the entire year of 2011 while volunteering in exchange for meals and lodging. This is my story. You’re welcome to it...

A Travel Writer Leaves Her Desk To...Travel!