Hello, Adventure & Travel Lovers
My name is Tim, purveyor of the Roaming Sparrow — a former entertainment company and circus owner who put down the top hat to travel the world. (Yes, that’s me on the side, juggling some sickles.)
You're Not Alone If You've Ever Asked…
- I want to see the world but am not sure of the first steps?
- How can I find some great deals on travel?
- What is some of the best and most affordable gear to use?
- Planning a trip seems hard — where do I start?
- Is it expensive to travel, and how can I pay for it?
Even after years of planning shows and trips, I’ve had these same questions — and wondered if it’s all doable, to live a life of travel. That’s why I started the Roaming Sparrow: to make a go at living a life of travel, and document the journey for others to follow.
From Circus Owner to Travel Writer
Life has a funny way of taking you places you never expected. When I was a kid, I wanted to make video games and earned a BFA in Computer Animation, eventually landing a job in film working on special effects. But life threw me a curveball, and I ended up running away with Cirque du Soleil — I worked on the Kooza show for over a year as a photographer.
While touring with Cirque, I fell in love with the art form and decided to start my own circus company in Atlanta. For years, I poured myself into learning the business, building skills, and running shows. But somewhere along the way, the desire for travel kept growing stronger. In September 2014, I finally took a month off to explore Southeast Asia solo. That trip changed everything.
WOW. This rekindled my deep desire to see more of the world.
Southeast Asia Was Amazing
This was my first big solo adventure. Landing in Bangkok, stepping off the plane into a world I knew nothing about, was equal parts exhilarating and terrifying.
I think it’s in those moments that we define who we’re going to be. Will we let fear win out over discovery and adventure, or will we embrace the unknown? To this day, I’m glad I didn’t let fear win — that adventure created incredible memories with amazing people from around the world.
I had no idea at the time that I’d meet someone who would inspire me toward even greater adventures in the years to come.
The Tipping Point
In the winter of 2018, several travel friends I’d met in Southeast Asia came to stay with me and Anika here in Atlanta. Over a bottle of wine, I realized they were living a dream I wanted to live as well. I never said it out loud, but thank you, Anika and Diego — you stirred my heart.
It was hard to give up the dream of owning a circus, to walk away from so many hours of training and a successful company to chase a different desire. Frankly, I’m still a little sad, and the “what-ifs” pop into my mind now and again. But when the road calls, you must listen.
It turns out that circus and travel are closely aligned:
- Few people run away to join a circus, and few want to travel far for their lives
- You must do both with your full heart — like performing in a ring
- You must meet and accept people of all types, in circus and on the road
- Travel and circus are the same: one plays out in a round ring, one in a round world
What You'll Find Here
Simple as that. As I travel, this site fills up with my latest findings. When I meet interesting people with great stories, I share their wisdom here. I review gear and give you honest recommendations. My goal is to make this your go-to source for travel advice — or at least to inspire you to travel a little more.
I’m grateful you took the time to stop by. I hope we meet someday on the road, to swap stories about fantastic places.
