Is it ‘traveling’ or ‘travelling’?

What to Know When it comes to spelling the forms of the verb travel , traveled and traveling are more common in the U.S., and travelled and travelling are dominant everywhere else.

Spelling is typically clear-cut in modern English: forty unfailingly betrays four ; the sweet treat after dinner is spelled dessert , not desert .

But some words have two forms that appear often enough in edited text to make it clear that something else is going on. And so it is with forms of the verb travel : traveled and travelled , and traveling and travelling .

woman looking at departures board

It might have a different spelling wherever you're going.

One or Two L 's?

If you look at where the single l forms originate and where the double l forms originate a pattern emerges: in the United States, traveled and traveling predominate, and everywhere else travelled and travelling are preferred.

The reason mostly comes down to one man we at Merriam-Webster hold especially dear: Noah Webster. Our lexicographical father (brothers George and Charles Merriam bought the rights to Noah Webster’s 1841 dictionary after Webster died) was a great believer in spelling reform and wanted English spelling to make more sense—and if the English of his homeland had more logic to it than its British parent, so much the better. He decided that travel needed only one l in its past and present participle forms.

Webster’s logic is the reason behind the spelling of canceled and cancelled as well: in the U.S., they have just one l , but elsewhere two l ’s are the norm.

American English Words that Use 2 L 's

Webster didn’t think all double l ’s needed to be reduced to one, however: in cases in which the accent, or emphasis, is on the syllable with the l , two l ’s are preserved: expelled and expelling ; controlled and controlling ; patrolled and patrolling .

Word of the Day

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Games & Quizzes

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries.  Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Commonly Confused

'canceled' or 'cancelled', is it 'home in' or 'hone in', the difference between 'race' and 'ethnicity', homophones, homographs, and homonyms, on 'biweekly' and 'bimonthly', grammar & usage, primary and caucus: what is the difference, words commonly mispronounced, merriam-webster’s great big list of words you love to hate, more commonly misspelled words, commonly misspelled words, 12 words for signs of spring, 12 more bird names that sound like insults (and sometimes are), 13 unusually long english words, the words of the week - apr. 26, 9 superb owl words.

has been travelling

'Travelling' or 'Traveling': What's the Difference Between the Two?

has been travelling

'Travelling' or 'Traveling': two different ways to spell the same word. But which one is correct? The answer is actually pretty simple. Read on to find out.

In short, 'travelling' is the British English spelling, and 'traveling' is the American English spelling.

The Difference Between 'Travelling' or 'Traveling'

Firstly, let's define 'traveling'. Although I'm sure you're familiar with this word, I want to make sure we've covered all our bases. 'Traveling' is the participle tense of the verb 'to travel.' To travel is to take a journey somewhere, sometimes for the purposes of a holiday, other times it might be for a work trip or to visit family.

Back in 1828, Noah Webster, an American lexicographer, published his famous dictionary, "An American Dictionary of the English Language," hoping to standardize American speech. The man was famous for preferring words to be written the way they sounded. That makes sense, right?

So he spent many years editing the spellings of words that came from British English in order to make them look more like they sound. One of the many changes he made was to remove extra letters where he deemed them to be unnecessary. 'Traveling,' 'traveler,' and 'traveled' were among those. Some other words where the spelling was cut short include:

These words all have alternative spellings in British English that are either longer or don't look exactly as the word is pronounced. Take 'mom,' for instance. The Brits spell it 'mum,' which is pretty close to how you pronounce the word, but the spelling with the 'o' is closer to the American accent.

Remember the Difference - 'Traveling' or 'Travelling'?

As a result of his editing, Mr. Webster cut out a lot of unnecessary 'l's. But not all of them. In words where the pronunciation emphasis is on the syllable with the 'l,' two 'l's remain. For example:

  • controlling

But do you want to know the simplest way to know which spelling the American one is? When looking at the two same words with different spellings, the American one is usually the shorter one. It's true! Let's look at earlier examples as evidence of this:

  • American spelling: color British spelling: colour
  • American spelling: canceled British spelling: cancelled
  • American spelling: totaled British spelling: totalled

And while this logic doesn't apply to the examples 'center' and 'mom', the logic of spelling the word as it's pronounced does.

Therefore, whether to use 'traveling' or 'travelling' depends on your audience. Are you writing for an American audience? Then use 'traveling.' Are you writing for a British or other Commonwealth audience (Canada, Australia...)? Use 'travelling.'

'Traveling' and 'Travelling': Examples

Now that we're clear on the meaning of the word and which spelling to use when it's time to look at some examples of the word used in a sentence. I'll only use the spelling 'traveling,' but bear in mind that both spellings are interchangeable. I'll also cite some examples that use 'traveled' and 'traveler.'

I haven't seen him in ages; he's been traveling since last year. Last year we traveled to Costa Rica for our honeymoon. A true traveler never arrives. Traveling is one of my favorite pastimes. Have you ever traveled solo? I met a bunch of travelers last night; they're touring Central America.

Concluding Thoughts on 'Traveling'

So there you have it. The difference between 'traveling' and 'travelling' is simply based on where you are based or where your audience is based. Other than that, they mean the exact same thing. So don't sweat it if you're unsure which to use; in any case, both are acceptable. But a good way to remember is that the American spelling is usually the shorter one.

To learn about more confusing words , including American vs. British words, visit our blog . We've covered many commonly misspelled and misunderstood words and will continue to cover many more!

Learn More:

  • ‘Center' or 'Centre': What's the Difference?
  • 'Tonne' vs 'Ton': What's the Difference Between the Two?
  • 'Pass Time' or 'Pastime': What's the Difference Between the Two?
  • 'Spoilt' vs 'Spoiled': What's the Difference Between the Two?
  • 'Practise' or 'Practice': What's the Difference Between the Two? 
  • ‘Enquiry' vs 'Inquiry': What's the Difference?
  • ‘Aeroplane' vs 'Airplane': What's the Difference?
  • 'Autumn' vs 'Fall' What's the Difference?
  • 'Cancelled' vs 'Canceled': Which is Correct?
  • 'By Jove': Meaning, Definition, Origin
  • ‘Loss' vs 'Lost': What's the Difference Between the Two?
  • ‘Truly' or 'Truely': What's the Difference Between the Two?
  • 'Spelt' or 'Spelled': What's the Difference Between the Two?
  • ‘Pyjamas' or 'Pajamas': What's the Difference Between the Two?
  • ‘Theatre' vs 'Theater': What's the Difference Between the Two?

We encourage you to share this article on Twitter and Facebook . Just click those two links - you'll see why.

It's important to share the news to spread the truth. Most people won't.

Add new comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post Comment

has been travelling

has been travelling

Is it Traveling or Travelling—Correct Spelling Guide

traveling or travelling

What is the correct way to spell “traveling?” Can you spell it “travelling” if you want?

To travel the world and visit other countries is often seen as an enjoyable way to spend one’s free time.

But how do you spell “traveling,” the verb form of “travel”?

Don’t search anywhere else; here is everything you need to know about the term “travel.”

has been travelling

“Traveling” or “travelling”

The difference between the two terms is your audience.

That said, “traveling” is the preferred way to spell the word in the United States.

You will find this correct spelling in the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

However, if your readers are located in the United Kingdom in the Commonwealth , the term is spelled “travelling.”

The subtle distinction of one “L” versus two simply depends on what country you are writing in/for.

Therefore , “travelers” and “traveled” are the U.S. forms, while “travellers” and “travelled” are the UK forms.

No matter the country, the present tense form of the word “travel” is spelled the same and does not require a second “L” at the end.

has been travelling

Root word: travel

Travel can serve as a verb or a noun .

As an intransitive verb , “travel” is defined as “To go on a trip or tour to a destination.”

Similarly, as a transitive verb, “travel” is defined as “to journey through or over.”

The definition for “travel” in its noun form is “a journey, especially to a distance or unfamiliar place.”

Be aware that the noun version of the word is often used as a plural.

has been travelling

Travelers definition

Another term that comes from “travel” is “traveler” or, in its plural version, “travelers.”

That said, a traveler is commonly referred to as “one that goes on a trip or journey.”

Essentially, “traveler” can be used to describe a person who is taking a trip by car, train, plane, etc.

If subjects in a sentence are going on a journey through different countries or simply to the grocery store, they are “travelers.”

has been travelling

What type of word is “traveling?”

Verbs ending in “-ing” are either present participles or gerunds .

The two styles of words look the same, but their functions in a sentence are different.

Further , present participles can be used in all continuous verb formations ( past , present, future, etc.).

With verbs ending in “-ing,” the helping verb will tell the reader the tense (acting as a link) while the present participles remain unchanged.

Take the below examples, for instance:

  • “The boy is watching the trains.”
  • “Shelia was waiting for her survey.”
  • “My family will be coming to Canada in July.”
  • “The group would be moving to Germany if the cost wasn’t an issue.”
  • “I would have been picking out my free ice cream flavor by now.”

Intransitive vs. transitive verbs

According to the Merriam-Webster definition, “traveling” can act as both a transitive and intransitive verb .

Transitive verbs will always have a noun that receives the action described by the verb; this noun is called the direct object .

has been travelling

“Tommy lifts the weight.”

In the previous example, “lifts” is the verb and “the weight” is the object receiving the verb’s action.

Therefore, “lifts” is a transitive verb.

On the other hand, intransitive verbs never have a direct or indirect object.

There is no object that receives an intransitive verb’s action.

“The group walks quickly to their destination.”

In this case, the verb is “walks,” and the modifying phrase is “quickly to their destination.”

As you will notice, no object receives the action that “walks” describes.

When to use traveling in writing

Recall that verbs ending in “-ing,” like “traveling,” can be used in the present, future, and past tense.

This present participles rely on the helping verb to indicate the tense of the sentence.

has been travelling

So, you can use the term to say the same thing, just in different tenses .

“He is traveling abroad” can also begin the following ways and still be grammatically correct.

  • “He was…”
  • “He will be…”
  • “He would be…”
  • “He would have been…”

You use this term to describe a subject who is, will be, was on their way to a different area than where they came from.

Examples of traveling in a sentence

If you have the correct spelling of the term down but are having a tough time using the term in a sentence, take a look at these sentences.

Using travel/traveling as a verb

  • “If traveling were free, most people would take several trips a year.”
  • “After traveling all day, all Lucy wanted to do was rest.”
  • “I would like to travel and not get lost this time.”
  • “Mark was only traveling for fun and leisure, not for work.”
  • “All my life, I wanted to travel the world for fun, and now I finally get to!”
  • “Before I travel, I must obtain a fishing license.”

Using travel as a noun

“At this time, international travel is banned for safety reasons.”

“He wanted to obtain a free travel license from the site, but the page wouldn’t load.”

“Safety was the top priority for Lisa after she would arrive at her travel excursion.”

“My travels demanded that I use services associated with the train to see my sister.”

“All her life, Katy was never oriented with foreign travel.”

“The new social movement talked about the future of crime and travel in the country.”

“I’d like to use this travel to connect with as many people as possible.”

Why is traveling commonly misspelled?

Why does “traveling” have two different ways of spelling the term?

Most of this is credited to Noah Webster , one link of the famous dictionary we frequently use today.

As a lexicographer and linguist, Webster influenced American English more than most people realize.

That said, he preferred the shorter version of most words that had multiple different ways of spelling.

After including the shorter version of terms in his dictionary, these words became dominant in the United States.

The rest of the English-speaking countries out there preferred the longer spellings of terms.

That said, countries like Australia, Canada, and the UK spell the term “travelling” with two “L”s instead of one.

How to remember which word to use

In the case of the present participle version of “travel,” remember that shorter is better.

“Travelling” is the proper spelling in British English.

So, if that is your audience, use that version.

However, American English demands the spelling “traveling.”

External links to sources

  • Present participles: The -ing forms – EF.edu
  • Traveler definition – Merriam-Webster
  • Verb Tenses – Grammarly
  • Types of Verbs – UVU.edu
  • Travel definition – Merriam-Webster
  • Traveling or Travelling? – Grammarly
  • Noah Webster | American lexicographer | Britannica
  • lexicographer – definition and examples – ThoughtCo

Inside this article

has been travelling

Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

has been travelling

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

Core lessons

  • Abstract Noun
  • Accusative Case
  • Active Sentence
  • Alliteration
  • Adjective Clause
  • Adjective Phrase
  • Adverbial Clause
  • Appositive Phrase
  • Body Paragraph
  • Compound Adjective
  • Complex Sentence
  • Compound Words
  • Compound Predicate
  • Common Noun
  • Comparative Adjective
  • Comparative and Superlative
  • Compound Noun
  • Compound Subject
  • Compound Sentence
  • Copular Verb
  • Collective Noun
  • Colloquialism
  • Conciseness
  • Conditional
  • Concrete Noun
  • Conjunction
  • Conjugation
  • Conditional Sentence
  • Comma Splice
  • Correlative Conjunction
  • Coordinating Conjunction
  • Coordinate Adjective
  • Cumulative Adjective
  • Dative Case
  • Declarative Statement
  • Direct Object Pronoun
  • Direct Object
  • Dangling Modifier
  • Demonstrative Pronoun
  • Demonstrative Adjective
  • Direct Characterization
  • Definite Article
  • Doublespeak
  • Equivocation Fallacy
  • Future Perfect Progressive
  • Future Simple
  • Future Perfect Continuous
  • Future Perfect
  • First Conditional
  • Gerund Phrase
  • Genitive Case
  • Helping Verb
  • Irregular Adjective
  • Irregular Verb
  • Imperative Sentence
  • Indefinite Article
  • Intransitive Verb
  • Introductory Phrase
  • Indefinite Pronoun
  • Indirect Characterization
  • Interrogative Sentence
  • Intensive Pronoun
  • Inanimate Object
  • Indefinite Tense
  • Infinitive Phrase
  • Interjection
  • Intensifier
  • Indicative Mood
  • Juxtaposition
  • Linking Verb
  • Misplaced Modifier
  • Nominative Case
  • Noun Adjective
  • Object Pronoun
  • Object Complement
  • Order of Adjectives
  • Parallelism
  • Prepositional Phrase
  • Past Simple Tense
  • Past Continuous Tense
  • Past Perfect Tense
  • Past Progressive Tense
  • Present Simple Tense
  • Present Perfect Tense
  • Personal Pronoun
  • Personification
  • Persuasive Writing
  • Parallel Structure
  • Phrasal Verb
  • Predicate Adjective
  • Predicate Nominative
  • Phonetic Language
  • Plural Noun
  • Punctuation
  • Punctuation Marks
  • Preposition
  • Preposition of Place
  • Parts of Speech
  • Possessive Adjective
  • Possessive Determiner
  • Possessive Case
  • Possessive Noun
  • Proper Adjective
  • Proper Noun
  • Present Participle
  • Quotation Marks
  • Relative Pronoun
  • Reflexive Pronoun
  • Reciprocal Pronoun
  • Subordinating Conjunction
  • Simple Future Tense
  • Stative Verb
  • Subjunctive
  • Subject Complement
  • Subject of a Sentence
  • Sentence Variety
  • Second Conditional
  • Superlative Adjective
  • Slash Symbol
  • Topic Sentence
  • Types of Nouns
  • Types of Sentences
  • Uncountable Noun
  • Vowels and Consonants

Popular lessons

has been travelling

Stay awhile. Your weekly dose of grammar and English fun.

has been travelling

The world's best online resource for learning English. Understand words, phrases, slang terms, and all other variations of the English language.

  • Abbreviations
  • Editorial Policy

Verb "travel"

For the settings to take effect, you must restart the trainer Restart

Conjugation

Simple tense.

Present Simple

  • he, she travels
  • they travel

Past Simple

  • I traveled ; travelled
  • you traveled ; travelled
  • he, she traveled ; travelled
  • we traveled ; travelled
  • they traveled ; travelled

Future Simple

  • I will travel
  • you will travel
  • he, she will travel
  • we will travel
  • they will travel

Continuous Tense

Present Simple Continuous

  • I am traveling ; travelling
  • you are traveling ; travelling
  • he, she is traveling ; travelling
  • we are traveling ; travelling
  • they are traveling ; travelling

Past Simple Continuous

  • I was traveling ; travelling
  • you were traveling ; travelling
  • he, she was traveling ; travelling
  • we were traveling ; travelling
  • they were traveling ; travelling

Future Simple Continuous

  • I will be traveling ; travelling
  • you will be traveling ; travelling
  • he, she will be traveling ; travelling
  • we will be traveling ; travelling
  • they will be traveling ; travelling

Perfect Tense

Present Perfect

  • I have traveled ; travelled
  • you have traveled ; travelled
  • he, she has traveled ; travelled
  • we have traveled ; travelled
  • they have traveled ; travelled

Past Perfect

  • I had traveled ; travelled
  • you had traveled ; travelled
  • he, she had traveled ; travelled
  • we had traveled ; travelled
  • they had traveled ; travelled

Future Perfect

  • I will have traveled ; travelled
  • you will have traveled ; travelled
  • he, she will have traveled ; travelled
  • we will have traveled ; travelled
  • they will have traveled ; travelled

Perfect Continuous Tense

Present Perfect Continuous

  • I have been traveling ; travelling
  • you have been traveling ; travelling
  • he, she has been traveling ; travelling
  • we have been traveling ; travelling
  • they have been traveling ; travelling

Past Perfect Continuous

  • I had been traveling ; travelling
  • you had been traveling ; travelling
  • he, she had been traveling ; travelling
  • we had been traveling ; travelling
  • they had been traveling ; travelling

Future Perfect Continuous

  • I will have been traveling ; travelling
  • you will have been traveling ; travelling
  • he, she will have been traveling ; travelling
  • we will have been traveling ; travelling
  • they will have been traveling ; travelling

Conditional

  • I would travel
  • you would travel
  • he, she would travel
  • we would travel
  • they would travel
  • I would have traveled ; travelled
  • you would have traveled ; travelled
  • he, she would have traveled ; travelled
  • we would have traveled ; travelled
  • they would have traveled ; travelled

Present Continuous

  • I would be traveling ; travelling
  • you would be traveling ; travelling
  • he, she would be traveling ; travelling
  • we would be traveling ; travelling
  • they would be traveling ; travelling

Perfect Continuous

  • I would have been traveling ; travelling
  • you would have been traveling ; travelling
  • he, she would have been traveling ; travelling
  • we would have been traveling ; travelling
  • they would have been traveling ; travelling
  • we Let's travel

Other verbs

Be the first to comment.

Add comment

Go to the homepage

'travel' conjugation table in English

Past participle, present participle, present continuous, present perfect, present perfect continuous, past continuous, past perfect, past perfect continuous, future continuous, future perfect, future perfect continuous.

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Score: 0 / 5

Image

All ENGLISH words that begin with 'T'

  • Credit cards
  • View all credit cards
  • Banking guide
  • Loans guide
  • Insurance guide
  • Personal finance
  • View all personal finance
  • Small business
  • Small business guide
  • View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

Where Americans Are Traveling in 2024: By the Numbers

Sam Kemmis

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Americans are traveling abroad in droves.

The number of U.S. citizens flying to international destinations reached nearly 6.5 million passengers in March, according to the International Trade Administration. That’s the highest March total in over five years and shows that the post-pandemic “revenge travel” trend is the new normal.

It wasn’t just March, which usually sees a spike in international departures for spring break. In every month of 2024 so far, more Americans left the country than last year and 2019. These trends point to a blockbuster summer for overseas travel.

Nearly half of Americans (45%) plan to travel by air and/or stay in a hotel this summer and expect to spend $3,594 on average, on these expenses, according to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, conducted online by The Harris Poll and commissioned by NerdWallet.

That's despite rising travel prices that have caused some hesitancy among would-be travelers. About 22% of those choosing not to travel this summer cite inflation making travel too expensive as a reason for staying home, according to the poll.

So where are traveling Americans going? And what does it mean for those looking to avoid crowds of tourists and higher travel prices?

New travel patterns

Nearly every region in the world saw an increase in U.S. visitors in March 2024 compared with March 2023, according to International Trade Administration data. Only the Middle East saw a decline of 9%. Yet not every region saw the same year-over-year bump. U.S. visitors to Asia saw a 33% jump, while Oceania and Central America each saw a 30% increase.

Comparing 2024 with 2023 only tells part of the story, however. The new patterns really emerge when comparing international travel trends to 2019. For example, Central America received 50% more U.S. visitors in March 2024 compared with March 2019. Nearly 1.5 million Americans visited Mexico, up 39% compared with before the pandemic. That’s almost as many visitors as the entire continent of Europe, which has seen a more modest 10% increase since 2019.

Only Canada and Oceania saw fewer visitors in March 2024 than in 2019, suggesting that interest in these locations has not rebounded. Indeed, the trends indicate a kind of tourism inertia from COVID-19 pandemic-era lockdowns: Those destinations that were more open to U.S. visitors during the pandemic, such as Mexico, have remained popular, while those that were closed, such as Australia, have fallen off travelers’ radars.

Price pressures

How these trends play out throughout the rest of the year will depend on a host of factors. Yet, none will likely prove more important than affordability. After months of steadiness, the cost of travel, including airfare, hotels and rental cars, has begun to sneak up again.

About 45% of U.S. travelers say cost is their main consideration when planning their summer vacation, according to a survey of 2,000 Americans by the travel booking platform Skyscanner.

That’s likely to weigh further on U.S. travelers’ appetite for visiting expensive destinations such as Europe, while encouraging travel to budget-friendly countries. It could also depress overall international travel as well, yet so far, Americans seem to be traveling more.

For those looking to avoid crowds while maintaining a budget, Skyscanner travel trends expert Laura Lindsay offered a recommendation many of us might need help finding on a map.

“Albania has been on the radar of travelers looking for something different,” Lindsay said. "Most people have yet to discover it, but flights and tourism infrastructure are in place, and there are fewer crowds in comparison to trending European destinations like Italy, Greece, or Portugal.”

On the flip side, American travelers looking to avoid crowds of compatriots would do well to avoid Japan, which has seen a staggering 50% increase in U.S. tourists between March 2019 and 2024.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

has been travelling

National Geographic content straight to your inbox—sign up for our popular newsletters here

A view of a beach from a height. The water is a nright blue, and these are rocks on either end of the deserted beach

"Rocky, wild and unpredictable" — why Baja California is ideal offroading country

Unfurling for more than 750 miles down a stick-thin peninsula, Baja California has long been known for water adventures — but new off-roading tours help travellers see it from a different perspective.

Gripping the roof handle and staring silently over the dashboard, I avert my gaze from the 160ft drop to my left. There’s just six inches of dirt road standing between us and the cliff edge: one wrong move from our driver, and the pickup truck we’re in is going straight into the Sea of Cortez.

The first time I visited Mexico’s Baja California, the world’s second-longest peninsula, it was on a backpacking trip through Central America. I hitchhiked and bussed over 650 miles from Tijuana, on the border with the US, to Todos Santos, just short of Baja’s most southerly point, Cabo San Lucas. Travelling along the Carretera Transpeninsular, I stopped at every major town along Baja’s main highway, wine-tasting in Ensenada, whale-watching in Guerrero Negro and swimming with sea lions on Espiritu Santo Island.

During those long drives, I’d stare out at the stark desert landscape for hours: salt-encrusted greasewood shrubs and giant cardón cacti sprouted from swathes of sand and clay-red mountains, which often turned candyfloss pink at sunset. But what caught my eye were the narrow dirt tracks, hundreds of them crisscrossing the desert like a map drawn in the sand, veering off the highway towards sun-baked sierras and hidden turquoise coves. One day, I thought to myself, I’d return to Baja California to see where those roads led.

Five years on, I’ve come to La Paz, in the south of the Baja California peninsula, to join Baja Expeditions’ first-ever overlanding trip. The company has specialised in whale-watching, kayaking and wild camping in the state since the 1970s, but has recently branched out with off-roading tours to encourage visitors to explore the peninsula’s less-visited interior.

A mobula ray jumping out of the ocean into view of the camera.

“People think Baja is just beaches and whales,” says our driver Mike Thorneycroft, a Canadian who moved to Baja California in 2020. “But it’s more than that. These trips are about getting people out of the resorts and into Baja’s least-visited communities, and learning some of their history and culture.”

Mike gets us past the cliff edge safely, manoeuvring around asteroid-sized potholes and boulders with ease as we climb up and over Sierra de la Laguna, part of a mountain range that connects Baja California Sur, the southern state of Baja California, with southern California in the US.  

On slightly wider roads, I start to relax and take in the views: unlike the parched desert I’d seen from the highway years ago, these mountains are lush from recent hurricane rains, flourishing with lime-green mesquite trees and pink and yellow wildflowers. We cross arroyos — dry riverbeds that fill up after heavy rainfall — flowing with crystalline water, where orange butterflies and free-roaming piglets from a nearby ranch are taking a drink. A vulture and a flaming red cardinal bird join soon after.

“Baja California is perfect for off-roading,” says Mike, who organises and competes in long-distance off-road rallies across the state. “The roads are rocky, wild and unpredictable, changing quickly in the rainy season. But that’s what makes it exciting.”

Near the former silver-mining town of   El Triunfo, we stop at the Santuario de los Cactus, a community-run garden with some   of the oldest and rarest cacti on earth, including the cardón, the world’s largest cactus. The garden’s grey-moustached volunteer caretaker, Guadalupe ‘Lupe’ Gonzalez, shows us around, pointing out which cacti fruits are edible and how to extract water from their flesh. He also shows us cacti species used to treat kidney stones, stomach aches and open wounds.

“I learnt about the medicinal properties of cacti from the rancheros (ranchers),” says Lupe, caressing the spines of a 400-year-old cactus as if they were whiskers. He’s been caring for the plants here for more than 30 years and offers guided tours of the garden for a small donation. “But this knowledge comes from the Indians. There are none left here now, but we know how to survive in the desert because of them.”

A lone cacti in the desert in Mexico.

Before the Spanish arrived, Baja California was inhabited by three major Indigenous groups: the Cochimí, the Guaycura and the Pericú. Ancient rock paintings in Sierra de San Francisco, around 465 miles north of where I am and described by UNESCO as some of the most impressive collections of rock paintings in the world, suggest that these tribes had lived on the peninsula for at least 10,000 years.  

Although the Spanish colonised Baja California much later than Mexico’s mainland, around the late 17th century, the culture and history of these local Indigenous groups was erased more quickly than in the rest of Mexico. Some experts believe this is because the region’s Indigenous groups were nomadic hunter-gatherers, who lacked the big cities and societal structures that helped preserve the legacies of the Mayans and Aztecs in other Mexican states. Today, very few Indigenous groups remain, with most living in the north of Baja California.

After a few hours of driving along the spectacular Barriles Santa Teresa coastal road, we make the steep descent to Palo Blanquito beach, where we’ll be spending the night. It’s a wild strip of sand, where milky-red cliffs crumble into a dazzling turquoise sea studded with volcanic rock. Come sunset, it’s just our truck on the beach and a flock of pelicans floating on the dead-still water, like rubber ducks in a jade-coloured bath. We eat refried beans and chicken burritos under the stars, watching a brilliant-white crescent moon rise over the water. That night, I sleep to the sound of the waves lapping gently at the shoreline.

The next morning, I watch the beach come to life from my tent. As the sun rises above the horizon, the sea turns from liquid silver to light pink, illuminating the inside of the tent with a warm glow. A family of pelicans — each one resembling a light aircraft — skim across the water with mouths agape, hoping to catch one of the flying fish backflipping through the air. Eager to join the action, I roll out of the tent and into the sea, plunging head first into the crystal-clear water with my mask and snorkel. Below the surface is an underwater city made of coral and volcanic rock, and colourful fish: I see a long, translucent cornetfish; a tiny cortez rainbow wrasse; and an enormous shoal of California yellowtail, the soft morning light bouncing off their tinfoil-like skin. It’s tempting to stay longer on this wild, empty beach, lounging on the rocks and floating in the warm turquoise waters as the resident pelicans do. But Mike has packed up camp and started the engine — it’s time to continue our journey through the desert roads of Baja California. “That’s the thing with overlanding,” says Mike, opening the passenger door for me to get in. “There’s always one more road to explore.”

Related Topics

You may also like.

has been travelling

Here are the best ways to get outdoors in all 50 states

has been travelling

Visiting Scotland? Here’s what the locals love

Free bonus issue.

has been travelling

10 best things to do in Alaska

has been travelling

8 campervanning essentials you must have

has been travelling

An ‘impenetrable’ wildlife sanctuary in Argentina opens to the world

has been travelling

Essential kit for cold-weather camping

has been travelling

The top 3 adventures in The Florida Keys & Key West

  • Environment
  • Perpetual Planet

History & Culture

  • History & Culture
  • History Magazine
  • Mind, Body, Wonder
  • Paid Content
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • About Nielsen Measurement
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Nat Geo Home
  • Attend a Live Event
  • Book a Trip
  • Inspire Your Kids
  • Shop Nat Geo
  • Visit the D.C. Museum
  • Learn About Our Impact
  • Support Our Mission
  • Advertise With Us
  • Customer Service
  • Renew Subscription
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Work at Nat Geo
  • Sign Up for Our Newsletters
  • Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

I spent 9 months traveling the world. I had a great time, but I'd never do it again.

  • I spent nine months traveling the world , and I wouldn't do it again despite having a great time.
  • Because I was on a tight budget, I often found myself turning down cool experiences to save money.
  • I also struggled to make genuine friendships and missed having a space to call my own.

Insider Today

When I was working remotely in 2021, my boyfriend and I packed up and traveled to 22 countries across Europe and Latin America.

Although these were some of the best days of my life, I quickly learned that a lot of the videos I saw on social media that glorified full-time travel didn't always showcase the downfalls of the lifestyle.

More and more people are becoming digital nomads — countries like Italy have even implemented specific visas for remote workers. But during my nine months abroad, I learned that the lifestyle isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Here's why I wouldn't travel full time again.

I found myself constantly looking for places and experiences that felt like home

While traveling full time, I found myself constantly looking for places and experiences that felt like home.

In some ways, it was cool to feel like a local in a new city. However, when I returned home and took shorter vacations, I started to value the places I was visiting for their differences rather than trying to find some semblance of home.

Related stories

Nowadays, I like having a home base. Shorter trips help me to break up the monotony of life without sacrificing the comfort of home.

It felt like I was constantly thinking about money

When I was traveling full-time, I was on a strict budget . I either drained my wallet or ate cheap food to maintain some sort of financial security while on the road.

I talked myself out of going to every museum I wanted to and purchased cheap meals for dinner instead of indulging in local cuisine that might have been out of my budget.

The moments I would slip up on my spending were when I forgot this wasn't a never-ending vacation, but rather, my new everyday life.

During the first two weeks of our trip, I wanted to go to all of the must-try restaurants in Paris . However, I soon realized that came at the cost of establishing a strict daily budget for the remainder of our three weeks there.

Of course, it was worth it in the end to save money so that I could travel for nine months. However, now that I take a few shorter trips a year, I have more flexibility to make them everything I want them to be.

My friendships at home changed, and the new ones I made were fleeting

I think what travelers yearn for the most is community. When I was traveling, it was really hard to find the same quality of friends that I have at home.

When I did meet friends abroad, it was often short-lived. I found that many people traveling full time were only in a city for a few days. Even when I did find someone I connected with, it was hard to maintain a long-distance friendship.

Traveling full time also took a lot out of my friendships at home, as it seemed like they learned to live without me.

When I returned home, it felt like we didn't have as much in common as we used to. It took me months to get my friendships back to where they were before I left.

I missed having a space to call my own

While traveling, I stayed in 25 different places across nine months. Although seeing so many new places was cool, I missed having a space to call my own.

After spending so many nights in beds that weren't my own, it was an indescribable feeling to come back home. In fact, when I got back, I was able to create a space that took inspiration from the places I'd been.

I think traveling is something everyone should prioritize, but there are ways to see the world that don't involve doing it full time.

Nowadays, I plan to take at least four international trips a year, ranging from one to two weeks. This allows me to live a travel-filled life without giving up the comforts of home, career, and relationships.

Watch: Exclusive interview with Elon Musk on Twitter fame, loneliness, and the future of AI

has been travelling

  • Main content

WordReference Forums

  • Rules/Help/FAQ Help/FAQ
  • Members Current visitors
  • Interface Language

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

  • English Only

Will have been traveling / will have travelled

  • Thread starter vladv
  • Start date Mar 5, 2020

vladv

  • Mar 5, 2020

If I say " when I arrive here tomorrow , I will have been traveling for 14 hours / will have travelled for 14 hours ". As I see it , " will have traveled " is the right one because " continuous " can not denote an action that is finished . Comment please  

lingobingo

Senior Member

You wouldn’t say here unless you were in that place at the time, so the statement makes little sense (you can’t travel from here to here!). As for whether you should use the future perfect in the simple or the continuous aspect, it really doesn’t matter. Either is fine if it’s already clear that you’ve now arrived.  

TheWrathful

As @lingobingo mentioned, it pretty much conveys the same meaning, although I find that it is more natural to say with future perfect continuous.  

Cenzontle

Both are grammatical. I think "will have been travel ing " better conveys the idea of your fatigue.  

So , future perfect continuous can denote and action which is finished ?  

vladv said: So , future perfect continuous can denote and action which is finished ? Click to expand...
lingobingo said: You wouldn’t say here unless you were in that place at the time, so the statement makes little sense (you can’t travel from here to here!). As for whether you should use the future perfect in the simple or the continuous aspect, it really doesn’t matter. Either is fine if it’s already clear that you’ve now arrived. Click to expand...

dojibear

vladv said: If I have just arrived and the action of " traveling " is finished , I may nevertheless say " I have been traveling for 14 hours"? Click to expand...
vladv said: The same is true for present perfect continuous ? If I have just arrived and the action of " traveling " is finished , I may nevertheless say " I have been traveling for 14 hours"? Click to expand...
dojibear said: Yes. That is correct. That is the best way to say it. This focuses on your current state (I have been in a "traveling" state for the last 14 hours) rather than your recent action (I have travelled for the last 14 hours). So it probably implies, or is followed by, other comments about your state. Of course I am tired, hungry, and dirty! Click to expand...
  • Mar 6, 2020
  • Election 2024
  • Entertainment
  • Newsletters
  • Photography
  • Personal Finance
  • AP Investigations
  • AP Buyline Personal Finance
  • AP Buyline Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Israel-Hamas War
  • Russia-Ukraine War
  • Global elections
  • Asia Pacific
  • Latin America
  • Middle East
  • Election Results
  • Delegate Tracker
  • AP & Elections
  • Auto Racing
  • 2024 Paris Olympic Games
  • Movie reviews
  • Book reviews
  • Personal finance
  • Financial Markets
  • Business Highlights
  • Financial wellness
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Social Media

Ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels damage Panama-flagged oil tanker in Red Sea

This is a locator map for Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. (AP Photo)

This is a locator map for Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. (AP Photo)

XXXXX in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. XXXXX. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

  • Copy Link copied

JERUSALEM (AP) — Ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels caused “minor damage” to a Panama-flagged oil tanker traveling through the Red Sea on Friday, authorities said.

The attack follows an uptick in assaults launched by the Houthis in recent days after a relative lull in their monthslong campaign over Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The rebels fired three missiles in the attack, one of which damaged the Panama-flagged, Seychelles-registered Andromeda Star, the U.S. military’s Central Command said. The private security firm Ambrey described the tanker as being “engaged in Russia-linked trade.” The vessel was traveling from Primorsk, Russia, to Vadinar, India, Ambrey said.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree later claimed the attack early Saturday in a prerecorded statement aired by the rebels. He described the tanker as being “directly hit.”

Another vessel, the Antiqua-Barbados-flagged, Liberia-operated Maisha, was also nearby at the time of the assault, the U.S. said. The attack occurred off Mocha, Yemen, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Georgia State Patrol officers detain a demonstrator on the campus of Emory University during a pro-Palestinian demonstration, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat. American officials have speculated that the rebels may be running out of weapons as a result of the U.S.-led campaign against them and after firing drones and missiles steadily in the last months.

However, since Wednesday, there have been at least two other attacks claimed by the Houthis. The first targeted the MV Yorktown , a U.S.-flagged, owned and operated vessel with 18 U.S. and four Greek crew members. Another targeted the MSC Darwin .

The Houthis have said they will continue their attacks until Israel ends its war in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.

Most of the ships targeted by the Houthis have had little or no direct connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.

Find more of AP’s Israel-Hamas coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

JON GAMBRELL

IMAGES

  1. 7 Personal Benefits of Travel: Why Travel?

    has been travelling

  2. Seven underrated benefits of travelling you should know

    has been travelling

  3. 10 Most Amazing Benefits of Traveling Abroad

    has been travelling

  4. Since 2018, How This Couple Has Been Travelling The World For Free

    has been travelling

  5. Why Travel is Good for You: 10 Surprising Benefits of Travelling

    has been travelling

  6. 10 Benefits of Travelling

    has been travelling

COMMENTS

  1. "I have been travelling" or "I had been..." or "I was..."?

    My teacher asked me where had I been because I was very late. What would be the best answer? I have been travelling from my hometown to here, so I have came late ; I had been travelling from… I was in travel / travelling from… (Note: that morning I was in my hometown where is far away from my university .. so it took me 1.5hr to come to my ...

  2. has been travelling

    1. The Economist. He has been travelling with the circus since age eleven. 2. The New Yorker. Monteleone has been travelling to Chechnya since 2001. 3. The Guardian. His mum has been travelling with him ever since.

  3. Traveling vs Travelling: Which is it?

    A tale of two variants. What to Know. When it comes to spelling the forms of the verb travel, traveled and traveling are more common in the U.S., and travelled and travelling are dominant everywhere else. Spelling is typically clear-cut in modern English: forty unfailingly betrays four; the sweet treat after dinner is spelled dessert, not desert.

  4. When and How to Use Have Been or Has Been

    As you can see, have been and has been have the same related usage and meaning. The main difference between them is the form that is determined by the subject performing the action. When and How to Use Had Been. Had been is similar to have been and has been, except that it identifies actions that both began and ended in the past. It is used in ...

  5. has been traveling

    The phrase 'has been traveling' is correct and usable in written English. It is used in the present perfect continuous tense, which is used to talk about actions that started in the past and are still continuing in the present. For example: "My friend has been traveling around the world for the past 5 years.". exact ( 56 )

  6. 'Travelling' or 'Traveling': What's the Difference Between the Two?

    Concluding Thoughts on 'Traveling' So there you have it. The difference between 'traveling' and 'travelling' is simply based on where you are based or where your audience is based. ... Carly Forsaith is one of the lead freelance writers for WritingTips.org. Carly is a copywriter who has been writing about the English language for over 3 years ...

  7. Is it Traveling or Travelling—Correct Spelling Guide

    Root word: travel. Travel can serve as a verb or a noun.. As an intransitive verb, "travel" is defined as "To go on a trip or tour to a destination.". Similarly, as a transitive verb, "travel" is defined as "to journey through or over.". The definition for "travel" in its noun form is "a journey, especially to a distance or unfamiliar place."

  8. Conjugation Travel Verb in all tenses and forms

    Future Simple. I will travel. you will travel. he, she will travel. we will travel. you will travel. they will travel.

  9. she has been travelling

    3. The Guardian - Travel. Although Wang grew up on the Upper East Side, she has been travelling to France since she was six years old. 4. The New Yorker. She would rather talk about initiatives such as the Lean In circles, which she has been travelling the world promoting for the last year. 5. The Guardian - Lifestyle.

  10. TRAVEL conjugation table

    I will have been travelling or traveling you will have been travelling or traveling he/she/it will have been travelling or traveling we will have been travelling or traveling you will have been travelling or traveling they will have been travelling or traveling. New from Collins Quick word challenge. Quiz Review. Question: 1 -

  11. present perfect

    It is now 1 p.m and I've been travelling for 4 hours and have just arrived. The journey was quite exhausting so I say: "I'm tired because I've just been travelling for 4 hours. At 4 p.m I'm still tired of the journey, but a couple of hours have passed.

  12. I have been traveling vs. i traveled

    Korean- Republic of Korea. Sep 27, 2020. #1. Hello, I have question between the use of "have been traveling" and "traveled". <Given text>. Traveling to places where you have never been can be exciting, but challenging. I [have been traveling / traveled] in Europe for the last six months. Two weeks ago, I had my worst nightmare.

  13. had been travelling or had travelled

    Current Location. Ukraine. Dec 14, 2011. #4. 5jj said: If he had not long returned from his travels, then 'had been travelling' is the more natural form. If the travels were not recent, then 'had travelled' is the more natural. Do I understand it correctly that if Jack was telling about his journeys made in the 90s, I'd have to use "had travelled"?

  14. I'm travelling/I've been travelling

    Dec 25, 2013. #2. Offroad, you've been a member long enough to know that a better title would have been 'I'm travelling/I've been travelling'. 'Thread titles should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.'. The difference is that #1 (if you'd numbered them) means that you are still travelling, and #2 means you no longer travel ...

  15. i have been travelling a lot

    The sentence "I have been travelling a lot" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when you are writing about recent activities that involve travelling. For example: "Recently, I have been travelling a lot for my work, visiting many different cities in the region.". exact ( 3 ) "I have been travelling a lot," he said.

  16. Where Americans Are Traveling in 2024

    Sam's work has been featured by Fast Company, The Associated Press and The Onion. He has spoken about travel rewards at CardCon, the Altitude conference and AwardWallet's Award Travel 101 podcast ...

  17. New off-road adventures in Baja California, Mexico

    Unfurling for more than 750 miles down a stick-thin peninsula, Baja California has long been known for water adventures — but new off-roading tours help travellers see it from a different ...

  18. Traveling Full-Time Isn't Worth It, Says Girl Who Spent 9 Months Abroad

    An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url. Copy Link When I was working remotely in 2021, my boyfriend and I packed up and traveled to 22 countries across Europe and Latin ...

  19. Will have been traveling / will have travelled

    A. dojibear said: Yes. That is correct. That is the best way to say it. This focuses on your current state (I have been in a "traveling" state for the last 14 hours) rather than your recent action (I have travelled for the last 14 hours). So it probably implies, or is followed by, other comments about your state.

  20. has been travelled

    The Economist. He has been travelling with the circus since age eleven. 2. The New Yorker. Monteleone has been travelling to Chechnya since 2001. 3. The Guardian. Show more... High quality example sentences with "has been travelled" in context from reliable sources - Ludwig is the linguistic search engine that helps you to write better in ...

  21. Tanzania flooding: 155 dead and at least 236 injured

    Flooding in Tanzania has killed 155 people and left at least 236 injured, the country's Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said on Thursday. More than 10,000 houses have been damaged and upwards of ...

  22. Best No-Annual-Fee Travel Credit Cards Of April 2024

    Using a travel rewards credit card has long been celebrated as an easy strategy to travel the world for less. Consumers can apply for rewards credit cards and earn points and miles on everyday ...

  23. i have been travelling since

    5. The New Yorker. Duguid, however, had been travelling since childhood — first with her family, and then, as a student after her father died, on a legacy from a great-aunt who "saw to it that I didn't owe". 6. The New Yorker. For those who've been travelling since childhood, though, this may be a distant memory. 7.

  24. Ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels damage Panama-flagged

    The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.. Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat.