The Secret of Free Travel

International Living Postcards--your daily escape

Thursday, Nov. 3, 2005
Tallinn, Estonia

Dear International Living Reader,

Hope you enjoyed the Postcard about Tallinn's ghost stories (see: Europe's Spookiest City) I sent three days ago. As I adore "the dark side" of cities, it was great to spend half the day walking around Estonia's capital accompanied by a private guide who specialized in legends (I could have shared many more spooky stories…but I didn't want you to have nightmares.)

It's hard to put a price on this private tour, as it was specially tailored to my interests (and I didn't have to pay anything)…but to put it in context, you'll pay $16 for the official two-hour sightseeing tour where you're herded around Tallinn in a tourist group.

Estonians love saunas, and when I visited one of Tallinn's top spas (which I'll tell you about soon) my steamy session was free of charge, too.

You'll pay $9 to get into Club Hollywood, one of Tallinn's hottest nightclubs. What do I pay? Yeah, you guessed it--nothing.

Tallinn's tourist office was only too happy to give me a VIP card that allowed free entrance into dozens of top sights (plus discounts on shopping and eating).

I wish I had more time to take advantage of everything on offer--I was especially tempted by the free ice-skating, but I've an all-expenses-paid trip to Malaysia coming up. Hobbling around Southeast Asia on broken bones could be difficult…

I'm not trying to make you jealous, but if you like the idea of being treated like a VIP when you travel--I know I do--the life of a travel writer could be for you. Plus (and don't tell my boss I said this) travel writing is easier than you think. Take a look.

Steenie Harvey
Roving Europe Editor, International Living

P.S. Travel writing isn't a full-time job (unless that's what you want). Even if you don't want to be on "permanent vacation," you can still enjoy the many excellent perks of the travel writer's life: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/il/iljob/

Editor's note: If you want to fire your boss…and live anywhere in the world you choose…becoming a travel writer isn't your only option. Check out these nine ways you can easily fund your new life abroad.