[vc_row type=”full_width_background” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” text_color=”light” text_align=”center” scene_position=”center” layer_one_image=”2518″ top_padding=”0″ bottom_padding=”0″ layer_four_image=”2655″][vc_column width=”1/1″][nectar_slider location=”Home” full_width=”true” fullscreen=”true” arrow_navigation=”true” desktop_swipe=”true” loop=”true” slider_transition=”fade” parallax=”true” slider_height=”800″ flexible_slider_height=”true” min_slider_height=”300″ button_sizing=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”30″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

Welcome to Flashpacker HQ!

My name is Travis Ball and these are my images, stories and tips meant to inspire you to travel.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” bottom_padding=”30″][vc_column width=”2/3″ animation=”none” column_padding=”no-extra-padding” background_color_opacity=”1″ column_padding_position=”all”][vc_column_text]My first trip abroad was a 3-month backpacking trip through Europe in 1999.  For the 8 years following that trip I tried out numerous jobs seeking a career that would make me happy.  After some soul searching in 2007 I made the decision to set off for a 5-year trip around the world on the belief that I was happiest while traveling.  With that goal in mind, I picked up a second job and worked hard for two years to pay off my debt, eliminate my possessions and create a travel fund.  I left in May of 2009 and haven’t looked back. Flashpacker HQ initially came into being as a way to keep everyone back home up-to-date with what I was up to while teaching English in Japan.  I stumbled upon the term Flashpacker and instantly knew that described me – a traveler in his early 30s who loved traveling with the mentality of a backpacker but without the dorm rooms or self-made dinners in the hostel kitchen.  My intent with FPHQ is to create a conversation about travel through my photography, tales of travel, guides and resources. [button color=”accent-color” hover_text_color_override=”#fff” size=”medium” url=”http://flashpackerhq.com/about/” text=”More Details” color_override=””][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][image_with_animation image_url=”3141″ alignment=”right” animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self” img_link=”http://flashpackerhq.com/about/”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” bg_position=”left bottom” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” scene_position=”center” text_color=”light” text_align=”center” bg_color=”#000000″ top_padding=”50″ bottom_padding=”40″ bg_image=”3143″ parallax_bg=”true”][vc_column width=”1/1″ animation=”none” column_padding=”padding-7-percent” background_color_opacity=”0.6″ column_padding_position=”all” background_color=”000000″ background_color_hover=”FFFFFF” font_color=”FFFFFF”][vc_column_text]

What is a Flashpacker you ask?

Think of a flashpacker as an evolved backpacker – a traveler who focuses on local experiences and adventure but without the dorm beds and pasta from the hostel kitchen.  More money and more gear leads to a similar, but different, style of travel than your typical backpacker.

[button color=”see-through-2″ hover_text_color_override=”#fff” size=”medium” url=”http://flashpackerhq.com/flashpacker-defined/” text=”Flashpacker Defined” color_override=””][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” vertically_center_columns=”true” bg_position=”left bottom” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” scene_position=”center” text_color=”light” text_align=”left” parallax_bg=”true”][vc_column width=”1/3″ animation=”none” column_padding=”padding-3-percent” column_padding_position=”all” background_color=”#000000″ background_color_opacity=”0.4″ font_color=”#ffffff” background_image=”3139″][image_with_animation image_url=”3100″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][vc_column_text]

[button color=”accent-color” hover_text_color_override=”#fff” size=”large” url=”http://flashpackerhq.com/photography/” text=”My Photography” color_override=”#333333″]

Travel and event photography from home and abroad.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″ animation=”none” column_padding=”padding-3-percent” column_padding_position=”all” background_color=”#000000″ background_color_opacity=”0.4″ background_image=”3137″][image_with_animation image_url=”3100″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][vc_column_text]

[button color=”accent-color” hover_text_color_override=”#fff” size=”large” url=”http://flashpackerhq.com/blog/” text=”My Blog” color_override=”#333333″]

Travel tips and regular updates from my travels.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″ animation=”none” column_padding=”padding-3-percent” column_padding_position=”all” background_color=”#000000″ background_color_opacity=”0.4″ background_image=”3138″][image_with_animation image_url=”3100″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][vc_column_text]

[button color=”accent-color” hover_text_color_override=”#fff” size=”large” url=”http://flashpackerhq.com/planning/” text=”Travel Resources” color_override=”#333333″]

Everything from planning your trip to working abroad and more.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_color=”#ffffff” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”center” top_padding=”40″ bottom_padding=”50″][vc_column width=”1/1″ animation=”none” column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color=”#ffffff” background_color_opacity=”1″][carousel easing=”linear” scroll_speed=”800″ autorotate=”true”][item id=”1421062441-1-98″ title=”Item” tab_id=”1427682326881-10″][image_with_animation image_url=”3089″ animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][/item][item id=”1421062441-2-38″ title=”Item” tab_id=”1427682326948-1″][image_with_animation image_url=”3088″ animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][/item][item id=”1421062441-3-90″ title=”Item” tab_id=”1427682326990-0″][image_with_animation image_url=”3087″ animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][/item][item title=”Item” id=”1421063328475-0-8″ tab_id=”1427682327032-10″][image_with_animation image_url=”3096″ animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][/item][item title=”Item” id=”1421064837147-0-1″ tab_id=”1427682327071-9″][image_with_animation image_url=”3097″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][/item][item title=”Item” id=”1421064871961-0-8″ tab_id=”1427682327122-4″][image_with_animation image_url=”3093″ animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][/item][item title=”Item” id=”1421064896538-0-3″ tab_id=”1427682327160-9″][image_with_animation image_url=”3095″ animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][/item][item title=”Item” id=”1421064917050-0-2″ tab_id=”1427682327207-9″][image_with_animation image_url=”3098″ animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][/item][item title=”Item” id=”1421064933620-0-5″ tab_id=”1427682327248-10″][image_with_animation image_url=”3092″ animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][/item][item title=”Item” id=”1421064951956-0-10″ tab_id=”1427682327297-2″][image_with_animation image_url=”3091″ animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][/item][/carousel][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left”][vc_column width=”1/1″][nectar_portfolio layout=”fullwidth” category=”photo-essay” starting_category=”default” project_style=”3″ masonry_style=”true” pagination_type=”default” projects_per_page=”4″ constrain_max_cols=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”30″ bottom_padding=”30″ bg_color=”#d0e6ea”][vc_column width=”1/1″ animation=”none” column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″][recent_posts category=”all” columns=”3″ posts_per_page=”3″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” bg_position=”left center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_color=”#000000″ scene_position=”center” text_color=”light” text_align=”left” top_padding=”10″ bottom_padding=”10″ bg_image=”3142″ parallax_bg=”true”][vc_column width=”1/1″ animation=”none” column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”0.4″ font_color=”#ffffff” background_color=”#000000″][testimonial_slider autorotate=”8000″ disable_height_animation=”true”][testimonial title=”Testimonial” id=”1421062030296-0-3″ name=”Mark Twain” quote=”Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” tab_id=”1427682327444-5″][/testimonial][testimonial title=”Testimonial” id=”1421061730-2-69″ name=”Burt Robertson” quote=”The more places I travel to the more I see, the more I learn, the less I know, and I love it!” tab_id=”1427682327482-0″] Click the edit button to add your testimonial. [/testimonial][testimonial title=”Testimonial” id=”1421062028114-0-0″ name=”Paul Theroux” quote=”Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travelers don’t know where they’re going.” tab_id=”1427682327508-3″][/testimonial][testimonial title=”Testimonial” id=”1421062029115-0-1″ name=”Hans Christian Anderson” quote=”To move, to breathe, to fly, to float, to gain all while you give, to roam the roads of lands remote. To travel is to live.” tab_id=”1427682327539-7″][/testimonial][testimonial title=”Testimonial” id=”1421061730-1-25″ name=”Milton Glaser” quote=”Travel penetrates your consciousness, but not in a rational way.” tab_id=”1427682327566-1″] Click the edit button to add your testimonial. [/testimonial][/testimonial_slider][/vc_column][/vc_row]