After being settled back in the Atlanta area for coming up on 6 months now, I am looking to really settle back into Atlanta life and take my life in a new direction. I’d like to go back to school and complete and executive MBA program, and then return once again to lay the foundation to eventually become a travel nurse later in life. I think this would really benefit those close to me, allow me to continue to travel, all while making enough money to plan for my retirement and later years.

This idea comes from a recent Uber rider who was a travel nurse, she explained the jobs in’s & out’s to me and the benefits and I gotta say, I’m sold! However, to eventually get there, I will need to take 3-5 years of going back to my career. The idea here being that it will provide a stable and predictable flow of income so that I can better budget and plan out my goals.  

So here I am! Back on the job hunt! Feel free to check out my LinkedIn profile here and pass it on to anyone you may think I would work well with.

A lot of people have asked me why I won’t continue on the self employment grind, and there’s quite a few reasons for that. The main reason being that without stable and predictable income, I cannot accurate plan and fund my future goals. Some weeks I’ll only make $300, other’s I’ll bring home $1000. It can be pretty hit or miss. In the last two years I've been traveling, I have held many odd jobs and roles including;

• Various home renovations; such as flooring, kitchens, bathrooms, etc. 
• Mechanic work; both mobile mechanic and working as a shop tech
• Consulting; building strategic business plans
• Training; mostly focused on sales, generating leads, building sales funnels, etc. 
• Ride share driver; Uber'ing in both Columbus Ohio & Atlanta Georgia
• Affiliate Marketing; selling other's products through affiliate links 
• House Sitting & Pet Sitting
• Moving services
• Busking and other musicianship roles
• Background and Featured Background Acting

Initially, I decided to give this lifestyle a try as I have read how empowering it is and how you are essentially your own boss, setting your own hours, and responsible for your own income. While this is true, it’s eating up so much of my time that I have little time off to work on other projects; such as my photography, this blog, or even more personal hobbies like flow arts or musicianship. Between generating leads, working through the sales cycle, completing the actual job, follow up, tracking various things, etc. I am working more or less 6 or 7 days a week. So as you can see, I don’t get a lot of spare time these days. I would highly suggest this lifestyle for someone who is really passionate about something and wants to spend 5-10 years building a successful business. I realize now that there is not one specific thing that I am that passionate about that I would like to spend that much time building a business around. Instead, I'd like to further my career and education. 

On the plus side, I should have more time to write and edit. I have a whole plethora of ideas and subject I’ve either begun writing about, or want to write out, a few thousand pictures to edit, and a lot of insights and information I’d love to share. So I’m definitely looking forward to this change, and finding out where I wind up!

If you haven’t been following the Facebook, then be sure to check it out. I still keep up on travel trends and blogs focused on backpacking, traveling affordably, and general travel experiences and destinations. As I’ve been slowly working through editing my pictures, I have been posting them onto my Instagram page! Be sure to check it out as well and follow along to see some of the best shots of my trips! Below are some pictures recently uploaded from my trip to Iceland! 

If you have any questions about my career or how I could work with you or your company, please do not hesitate to email me!
 

Click on an image below to enlarge and scroll through the gallery

Hey everyone! I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted any updates, but it’s because I’ve been busy working around Atlanta trying to prepare for our next big adventure. Kylie and I are trying to spend a few months backpacking South East Asia sometime next year. I’ve been out hustling every day Uber’ing, doing odd jobs, mobile mechanic work, and anything I can think of. It’s been a lot of work but it’s already paying off! We're tracking our progress and making good steps towards our goals!

While we’ve been working, we decided we could use a break and went to Alchemy the Georgia Burn. I installed LED under lights on my faithful little adventure toaster (the Honda Element), a hitch, and bought some supplies and we turned her into a cow. Yes a cow, aka The Moo Mobile! It was a blast having the hay ride in the back and putz’in around the burn. We did a fundraiser and raised money for the booze so that we could hand out white Russians out of pink medical gloves that we were telling folks were udders. It was a huge success! We even partook in being a bar on the pub crawl and pickle run. Unfortunately though, we didn’t snag many pictures while we were there… 

​On the bright side though, I’m just now getting around to editing the pictures I took in Iceland. I went last December and spent about 2 or 3 weeks in a rental car touring the whole island. I’ve also amassed a large list of content I plan to create based off of in general what my Uber rider’s and other's ask me about my adventures. Once I get some real down time, you can expect loads of content and regular updates. Experiences, things I wish I would have known, videos, advise, how-to's, and all kinds of stuff! But I first have to find some real time to write, edit, and etc. Life... Live it! So for now, happy holidays, and enjoy my favorite shot that I took of Iceland's beauty below! Hope we get to see you soon ;)  

As anticipated, I finally got around to editing all 4,000 some odd pictures from the US 2016 Road Trip. That said, it took me a better part of a year to get around to deleting the shots I didn't like, editing the ones I did, and arranging them in chronological order from one destination to another. The shots are currently uploaded to the new Adventures page are the ones only from my Sony RX100M2 and do not include any of the shots from my phone. So who knows, maybe the album will grow further? I know a lot of you keep asking to see all  my pictures, so here's at least one full adventure! Enjoy :) 

• What is an Odd Job?

An odd job is basically any gig that you can get paid for yet you are not going to be doing it long term. The idea here that you are filling a temporary need. An odd job can sometimes be considered contract work. Other times, it’s just a job or chore you do once for someone. Odd jobs often can be hard but if you’re not doing anything else, they’re worth converting time you’re not doing anything with into money. Odd jobs are all over if you have some basic skills and know how!

• How to find odd jobs?

There are many ways once can go about finding odd jobs. But the easiest and safest way to find one is to just ask! On your social media pages, you can simply reach out to your friends and family and see if there’s anything that they need done. I’ve found my most rewarding odd jobs are those that come from friends, we often get to work together, or it may be something you’re doing for them, so that they get to enjoy the results! And who doesn’t like to help their friends?

Facebook has recently implemented it’s use of Marketplace where you can post services offered under different criteria. Recently, I posted about some mobile mechanic work, and within the hour, I had at least 6 replies. I actually had to turn off my FB Messenger Notifications so that I could sleep! Be it baby sitting, lawn care, cleaning, or anything else, consider posting online. CraigsList is another great resource as well was NextDoor.com, ShiftGig.com, local Subreddits, and even local FB Groups!

While on the road, another way to find odd jobs is to just ask. By that I mean, asking an establishment (politely) if there’s anything that they could us assistance with! Often times you’re going to want to talk to the manager or someone who can make decisions. I often hear stories from friends who were backpacking where they were able to work and live in a hostel for free or at a discounted rate for helping out and working there for a period of time. Sometimes they’re able to find a restaurant nearby and do dishes or clean up, just basic things.  There’s a handful of sites that work on the volunteering concept in exchange for free room and board such as HelpX, WorkAway, WWOOF, Servas, and many others! Google your local area to see if there’s anything specific to you!

Odd jobs I’ve done over the years;

• Rat Proofing House’s in Atlanta, Georgia
• Carpentry and Home Renovations
• General Day Laboring – Mostly moving/loading and unloading trucks
• Uber’ing
• Busking (Click here for an article on how to maximize your Busking Tips!)
• Music Lessons
• Flooring
• Running Errands
• Cleaning and Organizing Houses & Business Spaces
• Lawncare
• Extra Work/Background Acting
• Strategic Business Planning & Consulting
• Venue work – Security, Door guy, Tickets, Merch table, Bar Back, Bar Tending, etc.
• Rigging and Audio Engineering
• Fire Spinning Performances
• Mechanic Work
• Roofing
• Dog Sitting
• House Sitting
• Gardening

As you can see, I’ve listed many odd jobs I’ve done. However, there are also many more I’ve not listed as it’s a very, very, long list! That being said, consider some skills you have or some things you know how to do, determine how much your time is worth, then go find some odd jobs.


Pro Tips

• For more expensive odd jobs or performances, take deposits
• When dealing with high ticket items (such as Audio Gear or Vehicles) get a liability waiver
• Your time is worth whatever you determine it is, if someone isn’t willing to pay you your rates, walk away and find another customer/client (though your rates should be somewhat comparable to whatever industry standard)
• If you need tools, buy good tools. If you buy cheap tools, you’ll buy them twice or more
• Never pay to play. Never use your own money. Have the customer buy the parts, etc. You’re only exchanging your time for money. Not making investments…
• Consider the amount of physical energy it takes to do the jobs, don’t over book yourself. You’ll run yourself ragged in no time.
• If something seems sketchy or off, don’t accept the job. No reason to get caught up in drug trafficking, stolen vehicles, etc. It’s not worth it...

​
Whelp, that’s about all I can think of. Odd jobs are an easy way to make a living or a few extra bucks! Be sure to check out www.Facebook.com/BobbyTaylorAdventures to keep up with blog posts, pictures, and what I’m up to! If you want to check out some pictures, head on over to www.instagram.com/BobbyTaylorAdventures There’s a few shots of some odd jobs on there as well as the Facebook. And as always, if you have any questions, please comment below or reach out to me! I’d be happy to answer any questions!

Safe Travels!
-Bobby

Well, looking at my blog, I see my last post was from Cuba. I landed in Cuba in April. It’s August now. Since then I have traveled through Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica, across the US, through Canada, up to Alaska, and now I’m settling pretty happily back in Atlanta. I’ll be around these parts for at least another six months or so, and ideally working though a lot of this content, posting more, etc. I’ve got a whole lot of ideas for content, and once I catch up on some bills, I’ll have a whole lot more free time. Check out the Facebook (www.Facebook.com/BobbyTaylorAdventures) to keep more up to date on where I am and what I’m doing! I post a lot to there from my phone. Unfortunately I have to use my laptop to post on my site here…

So in light of all of that, here’s some sneak peek shots from different places I’ve been traveling (Central America only, it'll take way too long to also upload the shots from Atlanta to Alaska and back)! I’ll admit it, I got stuck traveling! I got so caught up in the moment, I can’t really believe it’s August now… I’ve learned so much about so many different things, had many revelations, and otherwise grown in many ways I never even considered I would. I learned a lot of Spanish, met amazing people, was humbled by so many experiences, saw so many amazing things, really connected with nature, the flow of life, myself, and even living in the moment. There’s a new found confidence that’s beyond what I would even consider confidence. There’s a sort of hope, or even a faith, that everything will be alright. It will work out. And if it gets difficult, I’ll figure it out. Regardless of what happens. I have a lot of thoughts, lessons, and all kinds of things I can’t wait to share with you! So keep an eye out, I’ll be getting around to putting out some more content! I’m even revamping the website to have portfolios of all the places I’ve been!!
 
 Click on the images to view the gallery and scroll. Separated by location/gallery
All images below are unedited, pop over to www.Instagram.com/BobbyTaylorAdventures for an edited gallery of the 2016 US Road Trip!

Havana

Vinales

Cancun & Isla Mujeres

Tulum

Cozumel (Where I learned to dive!)

Bacalar

Caye Caulker

Tikal

Lanquin & Semuc Champey

Spending an entire day (18 hours) on buses trying to get to Antigua! ...

Antigua

Hiking a dormant volcano, Acatenango! 13,045 feet...

La Fortuna

Monte Verde

Rain forest (Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve)

Tamarindo

So my buddy Dan let me use his bar, Old Fields North Fourth Tavern, as a backdrop for a video application I needed to make. So in return, I came back to see my other buddy Dave with Excess Karaoke for their Karaoke night and made this video for them! Check it out below and be sure to check out their pages!

Old Field's Facebook
Old Field's Instagram
Excess Karaoke Facebook

Hello friends! This is my first update in a while. I spent the Holidays with friends and family, then wound up working in Atlanta for a few months and planning the current trip that I am on. Backpacking through Central and South America for a few months. My first desitnation? CUBA! I just got back, it was amazing! Here are a handful of notes about Cuba that nobody really told me about, and I hope you find them helpful yourself!

• Most people in America told me not to go to Cuba. “You’ll be killed, you’ll be thrown in jail, you’ll be mugged, it’s so dangerous” This could not be further from the truth. For the most part, the people there are so nice and really want to help. They are welcoming to the tourism and looking forward to how it will help their country. I made many friends in Cuba and I really enjoyed my time there.
• If you come in the dry seasons, the countryside may be on fire with wildfires. Do not be alarmed. This is normal and nobody really tells you about it.
• Havana and other cities are much like New Orleans where the buildings may be rundown and dilapidated on the outside, but many of the homes are beautiful and nice on the inside.
• Havana is extremely dirty in the streets and many buildings are destroyed or unkempt. It reminds me of if New York and New Orleans had a baby and left it to fend for itself in the middle of the Caribbean. I would suggest closed toed shoes in the streets.
• There are animals everywhere. Some stray, some pets, some livestock, it’s all there. Do not be alarmed. It’s probably best not to feed or pet the animals unless it is someone’s pet and they say it is okay to do so.
• Most of the locals speak very little English or broken English. I’d highly suggest learning Spanish or brining an English to Spanish Dictionary…
• As an American, at the time of this writing, you cannot withdrawal money from your bank accounts in Cuba. If you plan to stay in Casa Particualres, I would suggest a budget of $50 a day, and then throw an extra $100 or $200 on top of that. Almost every American I met was running low on money and was having difficulties trying to figure out their money situation. If extremely needed, you can go online via AirBnB and book your rooms so that you can keep what little cash you may have left on hand. A room in a Casa Particulares should be $20-30 CUC/night, if you eat food where the locals eat it should be about $5CUC per plate (or less), Packs of Cigarettes and Beer are roughly 1-2CUC/each, and the beer is stronger than in America. Typically 4-8% alcohol. Tourist plates of food typically cost $10-20CUC
• Internet is expensive (About $10 for 5-6 hours of use), unreliable, and extremely slow. Do not plan to have use of internet or cell phones while in Cuba. Also, if a Casa or Hotel says they have internet, what they mean is that they have ACCESS to internet. You will still be required to purchase an internet card to use the internet. You will need your passport to purchase an internet card and the stores often sell out, so get there early to ensure you can purchase one. There are also “internet parks” all over where people sit and use the internet outside. These are also good places to sit down, have a drink, and meet people. Again, you will need your internet card to log onto the internet.
  

• You will be required to purchase a Visa or Tourist Card to enter the Country. You will also need Travel insurance and have an exiting flight out of the country. They will check these things so do not think you can get around it...
  
• Get your vaccinations, Hep A, Hep B, Typhoid, Tetanus, and Yellow Fever. They will not check these and it is not a requirement, but it is smart to have if you’re someone who cares about your health…
  
• There is a surprising lack of bugs in Cuba, at least in the dry season. Bring bug spray, but you will not need much.
  
• Outside the tourist areas, food and accommodations are very affordable. I paid $20CUC a night for a large room with a bed, fridge, bathroom, shower, and a very nice family that gives me free Cuban Café & Breakfast in the mornings and free water.
  
• You must boil the tap water if you plan to drink it. I met a Hungarian guy who was just drinking the tap water straight and he did not get sick, but I would highly suggest not doing that. There is no water sanitation system there. Bottled water, life straws, or boiling water are the only safe ways to consume water in Cuba.
  
• I have yet to meet a single local who favored Fidel. In fact, I would go as far to say that Cuba is so safe because the people are very very afraid of the government. Because of this, people in the stores will not try to rip you off; at least in terms of returning the proper change and not pocketing extra. If you’re having a hard time converting the different currencies, just hand them some cash and they’ll likely hand you back the proper amount. I’ve tried this a few times with a local friend where I ordered my own food, handed them money because I did not understand the conversions, they give me back the change, then I check with him if it’s correct. It always was. As tourism increases, I’m not sure this will always be true, but at the time of this writing, it is.
  
• You need your passport for nearly everything. To rent a room, to buy an internet card, etc. And yes, the Government is tracking it all.
• It’s okay to eat the veggies and everything else. I was told by a travel consultant in America not to eat anything that is not thoroughly cooked or that cannot be peeled (like bananas, oranges, lemons, onion are okay because you can peel them- supposedly apples, lettuce, etc should not be eaten). I decided to try a salad with cabbage, cucumber, carrots, and tomatoes on my first day. My friends (from Brooklyn) I was dining with said that they had been eating the salads and that it was not a problem for them, so I trusted them and ate some myself. After that, I typically had a salad with nearly every meal and I was fine.
  
• The currency is very confusing. In short, a CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso) is the tourist money/currency. The CUP is the local currency. 1 CUC = roughly 24 or 25 CUP so it is a 1:25 ratio or a quarter. Most of the stores and restaurants will have labeled the food and beverages with CUC. Otherwise it you see just a number, that is likely CUP. Example would be like “Platano - 1CUC” v “Platano - $24”
  
• Cuban Spanish is not textbook Spanish. Simple as that. They speak faster, a handful of words are different, and they have some slang that you will not learn in Central or South America.
  
• Because of the inability to use phones, I’d highly suggest to bring a map with you and some offline activities to keep you occupied. Another traveler used Maps.me (offline app) which worked well in Cuba. Each Casa or Hotel should give you a card (like a business card) that has directions, phone numbers, names, and on the back a small map to give to your taxis or drivers.
  

• Regular yellow taxis are expensive, if you can speak Spanish, try to get yourself a “Collective Taxi” aka Taxi Collectiva – these are essentially ride shares like Uber or Lyft, but without the internet. You just stand on the street, put your hand out, a car drives up, you ask them if they can take you to where you are going, and be sure to confirm the price BEFORE getting in and taking the ride. Most Collectivas are just 1-3CUC while regular yellow Taxi’s are about 5-10CUC
  
• Pal around with the locals! They’re amazing people, full of happiness, dance, energy, and stories. Even if you do not speak their language, they will still want to walk around and hang out with you. They love to joke and really know how to enjoy life in Cuba with what they have. They often know a lot about the cities and will tell you where their friends & family stay, introduce you to them, take you to clubs and the real nightlife scene, help you find the beaches, and otherwise really make your stay that much more enjoyable. Their way of life and their perspectives are very infectious, I have already decided that I will come back to Cuba and visit the friend’s I have made again as soon as I can.
  
• Bring cultural things to share and maybe a handful of thumb drives. Many Cubans I met have no notion of rock and roll, popular movies, tv shows, etc. They cannot get any of that there and with the internet just being developed there, they do not know much about it. When I return, I will bring a bunch of thumb drives to give away with music and movies and such on them. I have a hardrive I can pull movies, music, and all kinds of things off of for them and did when I could. I know my friends I met are really excited to get more upon my return!
  
• You cannot mail packages to Cuba, so if you want to bring gifts and do any sort of tangible cultural exchange, bring it with you!
  
• Havana is a big city and very much what I think normal Cuban City life is like; Trinidad is touristy yet small and cultural, same with Vinales. I did not get a chance to go to Santiago, but I heard it is somewhat clean, touristy, but enjoyable!  
  
• If you can, do not check a bag while flying in, it takes a really long time to get it after you land and the whole process is quite confusing. Also if you do check a bag, put everything IN the bag. I had a few carabineers/clips on the outside of my bag go missing.
  
• Bring what you will need to Cuba, many things here are difficult to get or find that may be easier to find in more developed countries.
• The more touristy areas use pressure sales it's expensive, and it’s tiresome. Havana is very laid back and relaxed.
  
• Nearly everything is negotiable. In my Casa in Vinales, beer was around 1CUC each. They were 1.50CUC at a corner store and 1CUC at the gas station. I was able to get beer from the corner store for 1CUC each by mentioning I can get it cheaper 3 blocks down the road. Other times, this did not work. Don't be afraid to negotiate and haggle!
  
• Water bottles are typically 1CUC each for a 1 or 1.5L bottle, this should be able to last you a whole day if you are drinking enough water as you walk around. Cuba is very hot, I went in the dry season/their winter and it was still 85-90°F daily...
  
• There are very few (if no) places for camping and only a handful of national parks. I did not see anyone camping anywhere my entire visit. That said, the national parks are beautiful and often offer rock climbing due to the Limestone Mountains. These are the same formations you’ll find in somewhere like Malaysia. Camping wise, I heard that you can ask locals to camp on their land for just a few CUC, but I did not meet anyone who had done so or who was doing that. The Casa Particulares are very comfortable and well worth the small price. In more touristy areas, the Cuban Cafe and meals will cost you to eat with their families. You can typically get a better deal right around the corner though... An example, in Vinales, my Casa's meals were 5-10CUC while on the small strip of shops, I could get a very filling plate of food for 3.5CUC
  
• Don’t get Stuck in Cuba!! I met a German girl who was supposed to stay for a week and wound up staying for 3 weeks because her VISA through the US was revoked and her flight took her through there. She wound up having to fly to another country before continuing on her way to her final destination. Many Americans I met were running out of money and trying to figure out how to get back to the airport without enough money, etc. You need to prepare for Cuba, to sum it up, it’s a complicated and difficult place. Bring extra money, plan for the worst, hope for the best, and work with whatever you get!
  
• Get yourself an international power converter; in Cuba they use a combination of 110 and 220 outlets. Often you will have both outlets in the same rooms...
  

• Lastly, here is the link to Casa De Dario that I stayed at. His best friend Victor is super helpful and speaks English, so does Dario’s Mother. They will help you find other accommodations, help you find things to do, arrange safe taxi’s, their Casa is safe, and it’s affordable! I would highly suggest staying there!

That’s about all I can think of for now! Be sure to keep up on the Facebook Page for more recent updates. I am still working through editing the pictures from the US Road Trip and the trip to Iceland to upload galleries here! Soon I will also be making an "Articles" page since I keep having to look up the most relevant and used articles, such as Health Insurance, How to Sell Everything You Own, and others...

Until next time, safe travels! <3

Got around to getting the bones of the Gear Page up and published! I decided to make this page as one of the main questions I get all the time is about my gear. Where do I find it, what do I use, etc. For now, the gear page will serve as a place to find gear that I've used and found at good prices. Most of the gear is supplementing other things I already have. However, it's all pretty good deals and stuff that work well.  All of the things listed has lasted me while traveling thus far and served me well. Eventually, I'll get around to sprucing it up with specific reviews and reasons why I bought each, but until then, if you have any questions, just ask!  In the meantime, I'll continue working away at all the pictures I've acquired to make another page about my various trips.

If you'd like to check out more pictures, be sure to follow the Instagram or Facebook pages.

Check out the newly published Gear Page here!

So it's been over a month since I last updated this blog. I've been spending my time in Atlanta, doing odd jobs and redoing this entire site. That said, I'm halfway through editing all of my pictures I've acquired over the past year. It's a monumental task that takes up a whole lot of time... On top of that I have a few video projects I'm working on and I'm also redesigning this entire site. I get a lot of questions so I plan to make a FAQ page, a Gear page, and a Destinations page where I will share all the pictures I've acquired in galleries and stories about the trip.

So please be patient with me! If you're interested in seeing sneak peaks of the pictures as I edit them, like and follow either my Instagram or Facebook pages.

http://www.Instagram.com/BobbyTaylorAdventures

http://www.Facebook.com/BobbyTaylorAdventures