Leon Logothetis in Moscow. (Credit: Shankly Productions)There’s travel, there’s frugal travel and then there’s Leon Logothetis. In his television show, “Amazing Adventures of a Nobody,” which airs on the Fox Reality Channel (an all-reality channel on cable and satellite), Mr. Logothetis, a bald 31-year-old Briton, roams the world on an inconceivably low budget: He circled the United Kingdom on £5 a day, and got from Times Square to the Hollywood sign on $5 a day. And in the third season beginning Jan. 25, he journeys from Paris to Moscow on just 5 euros a day. Mr. Logothetis spoke about his no-budget travel strategies by telephone from Las Vegas, where he’d just spent an atypically unexciting New Year’s Eve.
What’s the greatest challenge of traveling on $5 a day?
When you travel with that kind of money, you are entirely at the mercy of strangers. Because $5 doesn’t get you anywhere. You can’t really do anything.
How do you work up the nerve to ask for help?
One of the ways that I approach people is by using humor. Humor, it’s — what’s the word? — it breaks the ice. I don’t take myself too seriously; I put all the power in their hands. And if they don’t want to help, O.K., no worry, thanks, have a nice day, and I understand: I wouldn’t help me, either.
What’s the most stunning act of generosity you’ve received?
I arrived in Indianapolis. I’d met an old lady on the train with her husband, and they put me up in a hotel. But that wasn’t the act. I woke up the next morning and I was chatting with this younger lady who had a 1-year-old son, and it turns out that she lived in Chicago. And she said to me — and this was within the first five minutes, I’m not exaggerating — she said to me, “If you can find your way to Chicago, I will give you the only set of keys to my house. You can stay in my house. I will be back the next day. Leave the keys in the flowerpot, and you can stay in my house. There’s chili in the fridge.” At the end, when she gave me her keys, she then said to me, “So, sorry, what’s your name?”
Leon in Innsbruck, Austria. (Credit: Shankly Productions) Do you find you get more help from tourists or from locals?
In America, it was primarily locals. And in England. In Europe, it was primarily tourists. American tourists, believe it or not, they saved me so many times, to the point that I would wake up in the morning and I’d be like, “O.K. guys, we’ve gotta find some Americans.”
Where’s the best place to travel cheaply?
The farther east you get in Europe, the cheaper things become. Once I crossed the old Iron Curtain — Poland, Lithuania, Latvia — money stretched a long way. But then again, 5 euros doesn’t stretch far wherever you are.
What’s the best deal you’ve ever gotten for 5 euros?
When I was in a small seaside village called Whitby [U.K.], I managed to wrangle my way into a three-star hotel that was £120 a night for £1.47.
What’s the worst 5 dollars you’ve ever spent?
When I was on the American trip, I — you’ve been to Vegas, right?
Not yet.
Well, let me give you one word of advice: Don’t jaywalk. When you’re in Vegas, you’ll see that everyone jaywalks. Everyone. Every single person jaywalks. But for some reason, old Leon decided to jaywalk and he got a $190 jaywalking ticket. So, that was the worst spending of my $5.
How do you deal with all the rejection?
The only way I found to deal with it was the knowledge that there was going to be that one person that was going to help me. And when that one person helped me, it was such a high that all the negative stuff that happened previously was just washed away.
Are you frugal in real life as well?
I am to a certain degree, but I have my moments of not being. And specifically after the trip. When the trip’s done, I’m like, “That’s it.” My post-trip binge consists of going to the best restaurants, going shopping, staying in a very, very nice hotel, ordering five-course room-service meals and just not caring, really.
Are you going to do Asia, Africa, South America, the Middle East?
My aim is either Asia or South America. We’re in discussions about which ones to do next. If I did it in India, it would be 5 rupees. Five rupees is basically, like, you know it’s nothing. So, it gets harder and harder.
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“My post-trip binge consists of going to the best restaurants, going shopping, staying in a very, very nice hotel, ordering five-course room-service meals and just not caring, really.”
Wow! So you are just slumming it to see how the “other half” travel? Repulsive.
I have traveled through asia and america and eurpoe on about the same budget, but when i got to my destination, instead of going to 5 star hotels, i would take the first job i could find. Sometimes taking a job while traveling (the Minnisota state fair or shoveling snow in jackson hole or teaching english in Beijing) is the best thing you can do to experience the culture.
— Alex MillerSo we’re not really talking about budget travel here. We’re talking about hitchhiking, right?
— MikeAhhh…I wish I was young and just go off and do as Logothetis does. Interesting to find out how it is for him though when the weaether is extremely cold and he’s left tring to find a place to stay for such little money. Where does he stay if he doesn’t find a room? In the street? That question should have been asked.
— SteamboaterI thought “wow, how cool would it be to travel the Western hemisphere on a shoestring budget by depending on the benevolence of strangers?” Then I remembered that I am Black and that it wouldn’t strike people as quirky and bohemian as much as panhandling. Interesting article. Double your travels and your standards all at once.
— iduknoweitherTo bad about Las Vegas. Its probably the best place in the states to travel for cheap. Lots of hotels under $50 - with some deals that give you some gambling chips for free. Bet on red and black a few times and cash them in.
Was selected by NYT as “Frugal Destination of the Year” -
http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/travel/11frugal.html?scp=1&sq=las%20vegas&st=cse
And still a good family destination - with lots of free stuff for kids:
— kobyhttp://www.tripcart.com/usa-regions/Las-Vegas,Places-to-Visit.aspx
I wonder if a single woman could get away with this.
— ShellieTraveled on the cheap a lot when younger, but now have kids to put through school - but when I’m FREE again, Leon, watch out!
If you want tips on how to travel the length of Japan on five yen a day (it can be done), Skype me at Kaonashi.
— KaonashiYou’d have to be nuts to try travelling with five bucks a day in India. Five Indian rupees, in terms of purchasing power parity is closer to $1, not $5. So, try with something like Rupees 25, that would be somewhat more “reasonable”.
— Dev AbhishekTraveler or beggar?
— Bill MFinally a traveler within my budget range!
People really are good, most anywhere. As long as you don’t ASK for it, you can get anything.
And don’t forget the power of flirting. A little romance can take you a long way.
— arneThat cigar costs more than $5.
— sudeticThank you for the story. In the interview you were asked about your future plans. What about Australia? It was manageable for me on $au 10 per day on a bicycle. Surely, you can halve that. Best wishes on your next adventure!
— MaxI just cant belive what I read. I do recomend reading this! If you feel like me, you won’t belive either!!! What I’ve read in papers is that rich people don’t help nor give money, but poor peole do it.
I like it!
Silas Valle
— silas valleI don’t like the idea of someone who clearly has the means to travel on a less-than-spartan budget doing so just for the sake of experience. It is one thing to travel extremely inexpensively, and it is another to save money by having old ladies pay for your hotel rooms. To me this is not an admirable feat - it is an egotistical abuse of other people’s generosity.
— ADLScam your way for $5 per day.
— Yougotta B. KiddinHe seems more like those nickel and dime con artists that you see in urban centers everywhere. The guy with the gas can that needs a few dollars for his car around the corner. They guy outside the fast food restaurant looking for a piece of chicken. The guy at the gas station that just needs a few dollars for his Acura. I don’t mind helping people, but if your shoes are nicer that mine, you don’t get my handout for pretending to be helpless.
Ug. Please stop glorifying camera-crew-toting exhibitionists. This is not travel, this is a freak show.
— Dawny ChambersFortunately for Leon, we as a society are fascinated by people that shun the security of where our next meal will come from or a reliable roof over our head.
— JustinIt would be one thing if Leon was relying on $5/day and not reaping the royalties off his quasi-celebrity. Leon is no more than a glorified beggar, having fun traveling at the (literal) expense of everyone else.
If you want to observe the kindness and generosity of strangers, volunteer alongside your neighbors instead of supporting this mooch with a camera crew.
I’m not sure what the point is here. Is the point to get others to fund his vacations, so that more than $5 is being spent, just not by him? What can you say about the places you’ve been if you’ve only alighted there and not delved into the cultural and culinary offerings that make each place unique? Is it to connect? Well, I can understand that one.
As a pretty broad traveler, I have no objections to saving money along the way, but at some point, to savor one’s visit, one has to pay. Usually it’s more than $5/day, although in Vietnam that was theoretically possible until you add the hotel…
— Ellen THow wonderful. I will definitely look for your show.
— mleepI do have more questions though. Like, do you have a film crew of one or more, or is it just you? Or does your crew get a larger budget?
It’s still a good idea and by the looks of things, Austria was a very good stop.
Hmm, sorry, but this is kind of despicable. Let’s not mince words - he begs his way through his travels. He looks fit enough, so he takes advantage of kindness that might best be given to someone who really is needy. And he does this for what, to be on a reality TV show? This is finally pathetic, and symptomatic of our self-centered, egoistic culture. That’s entertainment?
— MattPeople purposely leaning upon the generousity (and charity) of others displace resources otherwise provided those truely in need. Leon is a parasite.
— Steve HI would love to see tips on London on 5 pounds a day. Could it be safe? A lot of travelers are willing to take risks, yet safety is a concern. Paris?
What exactly, and how, does he say to people?
Is it only Americans who want to help people, and do? I hope not!
Congratulations!
Carole
— Carolehttp://www.Americans-Away-From-Home.com
Quick tip. A guaranted way to may your 5 whatever go farther, Leon go to any Sikh Gurdawara (temple) and they will give you a 5 course meal for free regardless the time of day or night or anywhere in the world.
— vindiI admire the cleverness, but this really _isn’t_ going to all these places on a budget of $5 a day. It’s $5 of his money every day, _and_ a whole lot of other people’s money and kindness during that time.
When I am looking at travel guides, I’m expecting to learn what I can do on a genuine budget, not one that requires constant supplements from strangers. So this seems more a form of collaborative performance art to me.
— LF VelezChange the name of the article to ” professional begger
— Gusabroad” seriously whats the point