It's so funny that I just now heard of the term "overlanding", which is word used to describe off-road camping. I've been doing this for years now, and are you telling me that it's cool now?? =) I thought it was pretty cool before! =)
I was introduced to this concept of "roughing it" when I started to travel a lot on the road to film various obstacle course racing events in North America. I was looking for the most economical way to travel without spending a lot of my hard earned cash on fancy hotels. I was at a race one weekend, and someone asked me where I was staying, and I told him that I'm not sure yet, I haven't booked anything, and he said why book when you have an SUV like what you have here?
I was like, sleep in my truck? Are you crazy!!!
The funny thing is that I couldn't find any accommodations that was within my budget, and that was near the event site, so I ended up sleeping in my truck that night.
I woke up and said, wow, that wasn't that bad, and I saved some money, now I can eat a steak ha ha!! From that point forward, I ended up getting more creative and learning about really using the resources that I had to save me the most money to take me to the next destination. I bought camping supplies, a cooler, some workout equipment, and I officially became an OVERLANDER! A minimalist now for almost 3 years, this way of travel was just right up my alley, and I loved it.
OVER TWO YEARS LATER
I'm still traveling the roads as a nomad, saving money, and enjoying the outdoors. My overland vehicle (which is a lender vehicle mind you) is not all decked out with a TEMPUI tent on the roof, but I am keeping things simple. I occasionally book rooms at budget hotels, hostels and Airbnb's when I need to get some work done with some fast internet, but you will mostly find me at camp sites.
The fact that I love working out with nature as well, just makes this lifestyle perfect for me. Thanks to my Beachbody on Demand Digital library, my gym comes with me everywhere!!
I will be on the road starting from Florida (tomorrow), and heading to the west coast as far as California, and then up to Canada, and then back to Florida before heading to Asia mid-November. The plan is to visit various state and national parks during the week, and then work on film projects on the weekend. I will also be working my online coaching business because heck, without that, I would not be able to travel all the time =). Besides, being able to help people while I am going through my own life journey is priceless! I still can't believe that I help people get fit for a living by using my smartphone, it's so surreal!
Anyways, my trip begins tomorrow morning after I spend some quality time with my daughter today! She is still in class as I am writing this post =) I will also be stopping by north west Florida to see my parents for a day, but after that, the adventure begins, so excited!! =)
So if you see me on the road, camp site, working out, race event etc., feel free to hop on and hop off with me. Life is not so much about the places that you visit, but the people that you meet along the way.
So I just came back from a trip in South America and I heard about all of the things that were going on with Houston Texas. I was like WHOA, how can I help, and is it safe for me to go to Texas for my next film project in Mountain Home, TX?
I don't watch the news too often, because heck I don't even own a TV, so when the news hits social media, you know it's big! The amazing thing is that once there is a natural disaster, the options for helping is in the hundreds. SO HOW DO YOU GIVE BACK RIGHT?
And it doesn't matter what you do, everything counts! Whether you are making a trip to help out hands on, donating food and/or supplies to your favorite charity, or giving through monetary ways, it's whatever you can do to help.
So where do I start with this?
Before all the craziness started, and Harvey hit the fan, I originally announced that I would be starting a new online test group for this new upcoming challenge called "5 Days of Hard Labor". The online test group is set to begin on September 5th, and I'm not really going to get into what it is, but you can get more details by clicking here.
This post is focused on how we can help HOUSTON.
This is the exciting part, I just found out that the CEO of the company that I work with (Beachbody) will be donating $1 to America Red Cross Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief for everyone who does ONLY 1 WORKOUT from the "5 Days of Labor" challenge. How cool is that!!! In fact, up to $100,000 will be donated. One of the coolest things about what I do, there are always wonderful ways to giving back to the community =)
So now instead of me just being able to rip people off the couch like you and your friends through my online test group, I am now able to give back to the people of Houston, now how's that for killing two birds with one stone!!! =) The best part is that YOU CAN JOIN ME on this FAB mission! =)
SO HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE AND HELP HOUSTON
It's very simple. If I am already your Free Coach, and you have a Beachbody on Demand account, then you're all set, just message me and let me know that you are ready to start the "5 Days of Hard Labor" on September 5th, and the CEO Carl will donate on your behalf. You just have to make sure that you do at least one workout, I'm sure that you can do that! =) Up to $100,000 will be donated to Houston, and all you have to do is make a decision to do one workout!
Make sure to request to be added to my exclusive mobile app group if you're not already added, this is optional of course, and always free!
If you would like to participate, and I am NOT your Free Coach yet, you can simply go here and just click on the FREE TRIAL link. When you do that, I will automatically be your Free Coach, and you will be able to try out the "5 Days of Hard Labor" workouts for free on Beachbody on Demand. Being that the free trial is for 14 days, you will be able to actually do the workouts twice if you wanted to, along with the other $6,000 worth of workouts inside the digital library. You will love it, I promise you!
Being your Free Coach simply means that I will be able to give you advice, motivate you, keep you accountable to your goals, and just be there for you, online anytime! HOUSTON, WE NOW HAVE A SOLUTION!
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
That's okay too =) Just connect with me here on Facebook, or simply message me!
So there are a lot of ways to visit the Sacred Valley, and although I feel that the best way to experience Machu Picchu is by partaking in one of the 1-11 day treks, there are far easier ways for the non-hikers. If you are the adventurous kind like myself, there are about 6 off the beaten treks to take, anywhere from the Inca Trail (1-4 days), to the Salcantay Route - 5 to 8 days (Mount Salcantay reaches up to 20,500 feet high), to even the Lodge Trek where you rough it during the day, and sleep in lodges at night (7 to 11 days). I didn't have that much time unfortunately, but I just wanted share with you my little journey on how I visited the Sacred Valley, and how I did it on a budget. If you're rich with FAT POCKETS, then that's great, take me with you because I would love to go back! One day I plan go back and do the Salcantay Route!
I arrived in Lima, Peru via bus from Guayaquil, Ecuador. Of course you can fly, but like I said before, I do things on a budget so that I can travel 7+ months out of the year. You can of course fly straight into Lima which I will do next time, but I actually had a film project in Ecuador, so that is why I was there. Ecuador was amazing btw, if you ever go there, you must visit Banos!
From Lima, you can either fly or take a bus to Cusco, which was once the capital of the Inca Empire, and now the main hub to Machu Picchu. I took the bus and it ran me only about $28 USD, which I booked via a website called Busbud.com. It took 21 hours, so if you don't have much time, you may want to fly. You will find various bus companies, but I chose CIVA because it was much cheaper, but still had good reviews, and it ended up beating my expectations. CIVA also has different categories of buses such as ECONO, SUPER, and if you have a little bit of extra money to spend, EXCLUCIVA is where it's at! Just FYI, the buses in Peru are known to sometimes be better than a lot of the airlines! I mean, the buses will feed you up to 3-4 meals depending on the distance. You'll be lucky to get pretzels from an airline these days! I don't mind taking the buses because you are able to see more of the country, and I really enjoy seeing different parts of the places I visit. With flying, you miss out on a lot of amazing scenery.
Cusco ended up being a lot bigger than I expected, which I really didn't like. I gravitate towards the smaller towns and villages. Although I didn't care for Cusco as much, there is still plenty to do, and activities to book prior to visiting Machu Picchu. One thing that I wasn't able to do, but wished I did was visit Rainbow Mountain. It's about 2-3 hours outside of Cusco, but definitely worth the trip if you have the time. Just to warn you, the trek is about 6 days if you want to do it the right way, and get this, some people say the level of difficulty is MUCH higher than trekking up Machu Picchu! There are also one day treks to Rainbow Mountain, but I only recommend that if you have limited time.
Rainbow Mountain - Photo Credit: Forbes
GETTING BACK ON TRACK
From Cusco, the goal is to get to Aguas Calientes, which is the main town at the bottom of Machu Picchu. Yes, it is that tough to reach Machu Picchu, that's why it's one of those places that you have to visit. There is NO DIRECT way to visit the Sacred Valley, it's a journey, and one that you can customize yourself.
I recommend buying your Machu Picchu Tickets at least a week in advanced!
Okay, so prior to Cusco, I originally purchased a train ticket to get me from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, but come to find out, the train station that I booked with (Inca Rail) was about 2 hours away in a place called Ollantaytambo. I think there is a rail company in Cusco (Peru Rail) that goes from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, but not sure, if there is one, it is definitely going to be pricey, because the train option is not cheap, unless of course you're rich =).
Ollantaytambo is where most of the 4 day treks start from. The best way to get to Ollantaytambo if you are on a budget is to take one of the combi buses (local passenger mini vans) from Cusco. Yes, you can take a taxi, but you will get ripped off. Even if you find a good deal with a taxi ($20-40), it WILL NOT beat the price of only 10 soles ($3 USD) if you take the local mini van. Again, the ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo is about 2 hours. There is also a bus that can take you from Cusco to a stop called "Hydroelectrica" just a bit before Aguas Calientes for about $30+ R/T (you can probably find cheaper rate at $20 I heard), but you still have to trek about 2 hours to get to Aguas Calientes, the trek isn't that difficult, mostly flat dirt and gravel road.
To get to the combi mini buses in Cusco, they are located at the corner of Ave Grau and Calle Pavitos. There is no specific time they leave, they try to fill up the buses to make more bang for the buck. The mini buses leave as early as 2:30 am daily, no reservations needed, just show up with your 10 soles!
From Ollantaytambo, I took the Inca Rail to Aguas Calientes, and this was the most expensive part of my journey, it was about $116 R/T, and that was the cheapest (Executive Ticket). Inca Rail does provide a complimentary beverage, snack, and a piece of chocolate for the 55 minute or so journey. If you chose a different ticket such as the Presidential, I think you get a fancy meal, and some cocktails.
Ollantaytambo is a really cool place, I would stay here over Cusco, they even have their own National Park (costs 70 soles, about $20 USD) and various hikes.
The Inca Rail dropped me off right in the middle of Aguas Calientes, where it was only a 5 minute walk to my guesthouse that I stayed at which set me back only $17 per night (Don Andre). Yes, there are some fancier places to stay, but my ass isn't going to be in the hotel, my plan was to explore, not to admire my bed linens.
Have a better Machu Picchu Experience, get in shape before hiking up!
Now if you read this far, you saw that I recommended that you purchase your Machu Tickets at least one week in advanced right, well I didn't ha ha. I actually purchased mine the day before. Here's the reason why. The main website (see above) that you purchase the tickets from is really crappy, and what I mean by that, it is very difficult to navigate, and if you are not spanish, the website does not work very well in english. I even tried to book my ticket in spanish format, but it still didn't work. Come to find out, it was my Visa Card. They only take certain visa cards, and mine happened to be the wrong one =) At that point, I tried booking with a ticket agency just to get it over, but even they were horrible to deal with, and charged outrageous booking fees, up to $20 more than what the original tickets cost. So what did I do? As soon as I arrived to Aguas Clientes, I went straight to the offices of the Regional Directorate of Culture, and I bought my ticket directly from them, with no fees! Just FYI, they only take cash, so make sure that you have some SOLES, or get some at an ATM which is near the main plaza. There is also an office in Cusco where you can purchase your tickets directly as well, that is if you are having issues with the website. But again, please do not do what I did, because you might not be so lucky. Get your tickets at least one week in advance =).
I recommend getting the Machu Picchu + Mountain Ticket, it only costs $61
There are two mountains to choose from, either one is great!
The mountain views are amazing, and you get some serious extreme exercise!
I recommend spending at least two nights in Aguas Calientes because depending on how you make it to Machu Picchu, you may need some time to recover.
SO YOU FINALLY MADE IT TO AGUAS CLIENTES!
Aguas Calientes is where most of the 4 day treks end up before heading up to the hike up to Machu Picchu. If you are doing the same thing that I did, you can start hiking up from Aguas Calientes (the hike from Aguas Clientes to the entrance of Machu Picchu is FREE). The hike is about 1 1/2 hours on average if you are taking your time, or you are out of shape. It is pretty much straight vertical with some flats that crossover some of the shuttle bus double tracks. If you do not want to do the hike up from Aguas Calientes, you can take the shuttle bus which is about $10-12 each way. Be warned though, there is a long line for the shuttle buses no matter if you have a shuttle ticket or not. Let's put it this way, it was faster for me to hike up and down versus waiting in line for a shuttle.
I purchased the Machu Picchu + Mountain Ticket (Montana Mountain or "Old Mountain") because the more popular one "Huayna Mountain" was all booked up way before I started looking at tickets. If I am not mistaken, the Huayna Mountain is shorter but steeper, and has some actual ruins, versus the "Old Mountain" is longer, still very treacherous, but without any ruins atop the mountain. The average hike time to the top of the "Old Mountain" is about 2-3 hours. If you are in pretty good condition, you can do it in far less time, my buddy and I did it in exactly one hour.
If you are not doing a multi-day trek to Machu Picchu, I recommend doing the hike up from Machu Picchu, then one of the mountain peaks, the Inca Bridge, the village, and then hike back down to Aguas Calientes. After that, you'll be craving a CusQuena Beer, maybe a few of them!
And that's how I did Machu Picchu on a budget. You don't have to spend a lot of money to see this "Wonder of the World", you just have to be adventurous, do a little bit of research, and be willing to be independent of tour companies to save some cash. If you have any questions, feel free to message me, but most of all, go out and explore, it's a beautiful world out there! =)
I've encourage this many, many times, and I will continue to say this time and time again =)...Free Walking Tours are one of the best ways to explore a city for the first time, and here are some TOP reasons why:
1. You'll get a chance to learn more about the city, the people and their culture.
2. Sometimes you will get free samples of the local food, wine and beers.
3. You will get some great exercise! Most walking tours last from 2-3+ hours
4. Most of the Walking Tours are FREE!
5. You will have the opportunity to meet other like-minded travelers.
With that being said, I always try to make a point to take a Walking Tour in every city that I visit. Don't know how to find one? Just google "Free Walking Tours" =) It's just that simple!
Here was a quick video that I made from my last Free Walking Tour in Lima, Peru. I booked a free tour with a company called Free Walking Tour Lima, you can visit their site by clicking here! You can also visit them on Facebook here.
Ok, so by now, most of you have heard of Beachbody's NEWEST Trainer Chris Downing right? Well, I met him for the first time at this past Coach Summit event in New Orleans when the program Shift Shop was launched, and I have to tell you that he is one of the nicest, genuine, most motivational people that I've ever met!
Sometimes what we think about Celebrity Trainers is that they are just "too big", and they just don't have time for us little folk =), but boy was I wrong! He genuinely made time to talk to myself and my team, I couldn't believe it, but it was a great first impression that I didn't honestly expect, and one that I will never forget. And that is why I was so excited to start the Shift Shop Challenge over 3 weeks ago with some of my friends and fellow coaches. The program reminded me a little bit of one of my all time favorite Beachbody Workouts, "Insanity Asylum", whoa....that's a good one!
(My recommendation: The All Access Beachbody on Demand Challenge Pack)
Anyhow, not to get off topic or anything, but I just wanted to let you know that the trainer behind Shift Shop is not your typical trainer "guy", he is really passionate about what he does, and it truly shows. If you want to meet him, feel free to message me, because my team has some events lined up where Chris himself "in the flesh" will be a guest speaker, pretty darn cool right! =)
Now for some even more EXCITING STUFF, I wanted to share with you some real results from my Coach Team. These people here are so amazing that they don't just coach their friends, family, and challengers through the programs, they actually do it with them, and that right there is just flat out admirable! When was the last time your Personal Trainer did a full workout program with you?
Feel free to connect with any of the Coaches below for any tips, motivation, or advice, and even some free coaching. I am available as well (make me your FREE Coach here), but I definitely want to make sure that you receive coaching from someone who you totally relate with, because hey...that's what coaches do, we provide the best possible options for you, even if we're not part of it. =) Check out these awesome people below, I am proud to have them on my team, and they would love to meet you!
There you have it my friends! There are many more people just like my team who are getting fantastic results and helping others. So, if you are in a rut, and what you're doing is just not working, or maybe you just need to try something new, then feel free to message any of the coaches above or myself, and we would love to help you! Looking forward to your success, and excited to meet ya!!! =)
So I've been wanting to write about this topic for sometime now, but just didn't know where to start. Since becoming a Beachbody Coach back in 2010, I have ventured to find a place in this sometimes overwhelming industry, and I've finally found it.
I will start with this.
My background before becoming a Beachbody Coach was in hospitality, specifically in the night club industry. I basically hosted and organized parties for a living. Instead of helping people get healthy and fit, I actually helped thousands of people get drunk, I know, crazy right! =) I wore $300 jeans, $100 Tees and Ball Caps, drove a Range Rover, and spent hundreds to thousands of dollars per week buying friends drinks at my events. This was my life over 7 years ago.
With that being said, I can honestly say that I've lived the lavish life.
Here's the thing. I don't regret any of the things that I've done in the past. I've met some wonderful friends, and have learned so much which has helped me get to where I am today. And where that is, I can't say that it's too impressive, but I'm happy. A lot happier than where I was several years ago. The thing is, it's not about impressing people anymore, it's about creating real relationships with real people, and just being me.
My $13 per night shack in Guayaquil where I eat, sleep, work, and train
I first heard of minimalism when I hit rock bottom during the time I was building my Beachbody Business and working 3 other jobs. Mind you, I have hit rock bottom multiple times. Being that I was always used to eating at fancy restaurants and buying anything that I wanted, it was very difficult to pinch pennies and live. I thought that I would die! I said to myself, how could anyone live without money?
I chose to leave the night life business for personal reasons, but primarily to be a better father and role model to my daughter.
Long story short, when you're broke and desperate, you learn a lot. Some people quit on their dreams, and some people adjust....that's what I did...."adjust". But during this learning experience, I discovered a lot about me, who I am, and what makes me happy. I learned that it wasn't all about the material things, and what made me excited was the life experiences without "things".
I learned better ways of eating healthy. I found creative ways to workout with limited equipment. I started to appreciate nature and wanted to be outdoors more than ever.
I think sometimes in our lives we take a path that we were not supposed to, so that we can appreciate the path that was meant for us.
7 years later, I am in a much better place. I am able to travel the world and see things that I've always dreamed of. I am not distracted by fancy cars, houses, gadgets and gizmos, and other entrepreneurs showing off their "bling", I am distracted by how beautiful life really is without all of that.
Some people think that minimalism is for people who are not wealthy, and I can tell you that, that is absolutely false. Wealth is not all about FLASH. Wealth is about goals....your own goals, and what and how you would like to spend it. And in my case, how much I want to give away.
I know some Beachbody Coaches who purchase extravagant homes and exotic cars, and go on these "rich and famous type" of luxury trips. And that's so awesome for them, but that just not for me. I love the fact that this Beachbody Coaching business allows people to choose their own path, and if you choose to keep it simple, you can!
I choose to be a minimalist because it makes me happy. It helps bring out the creativity in me, and frankly, it just makes perfect sense =).
My minimalist approach to Beachbody Coaching may not be relatable to everyone, where in today's society, people are distracted by glitz and glamour, and that's ok, it's your life. I didn't become a Beachbody Coach to sell people, and/or try to impress anyone, I didn't even do it for the money! The wealth just comes natural when you truly love and BELIEVE in what you do. And if you haven't yet noticed, I LOVE being a Beachbody Coach!
I do what I do because it has made an impact in my life, and my mission is to share this opportunity with anyone and everyone who wants to simply LIVE THEIR LIFE NOW. Everyone deserves to be happy in their own right.
I love what the CEO of Beachbody once said, "Beachbody shouldn't be your life, it should give you a life", and that it has.
Munich, Germany - Sharing Beachbody Love all over the world
*Stay tuned for more posts on my minimalist entrepreneur lifestyle. Any questions, feel free to message me =)
You Friggin Work, and quit listening to the people who don't matter!
When I first listened to Gary Vee, I thought that he was an A-Hole =) But the more I listened (you have to have an open mind), he really started to hit home with me.
When Gary Vee talks, I listen!
You see, we all get lazy and start to procrastinate. When that happens, and when it happens a lot, we become very comfortable. When we get comfortable, that's when we forget about what our GOALS were in the first place......F that!!! I wasn't put on this planet to be MEDIOCRE, and you weren't either.
There were so many times that I just wanted to quit what I was doing, and then I flipped on some Gary Vee, and he really got me back on track! Now I'm not saying that he will be the person that does it for you, heck....my daughter does it for me most of the time, if not 99.9 percent of the time. What I'm saying is this, find someone who won't let you quit on your future, because I don't care what you say, no one can be successful on their own.
