[Ed. Note: Today’s guest post comes to us from John Rarity, author of the new book-  “Working Beach Bum“, now available at Amazon.com.  John’s giving away a copy of his book to one of our lucky readers- check out our facebook page on Monday, November 7th for giveaway rules and instructions!  Contest ends November 21st!]

Why does anybody do anything worth doing? This was a question posed to me by my favorite college History professor.  I suppose he had plenty of examples to choose from, in terms of people having done something worth doing.  They made history, after all.

So, there I was, boarding a one-way flight from Texas to Maui. Not sure what to expect but full of expectations, I at least knew one thing for certain – there were definitely going to be a few sweet ass beaches there when I arrived.  And there were.

I launched on the development of “Working Beach Bum” because I was curious and enthralled with picturesque beach scene, and too young and broke to want to wait for the right time.  I’d forgone the law degree in lieu of one that actually appealed to me – freelance work, i.e. semi-employment, or unemployment, depending on how you looked at it.  Bottom line, I worked for myself, and although the financial consequences of doing so were to live primarily a frugal lifestyle, the freedom and liberty of calling my own shots emboldened me.  This combined with a love affair with writing and travel, and developing “Working Beach Bum” was a no brainer!  I was off, but it wasn’t easy.

I had started with only $1,000, barely enough to cover my first month’s rent plus expenses when I arrived in Maui.  At least until I could cash my first paycheck from a job that was, as of the moment of my departure, undetermined.  Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t completely oblivious to the powers of the internet and in fact did use it to email my dad’s cousin and help line-up a few job opportunities.  Regardless, knowing what my options were and acting on them would have to wait until I was on the island.

After a couple of months on Maui, I set off for Oahu, where I wasn’t as lucky in the job department – but there were sweet ass beaches there too!  The book eventually chronicles how I landed jobs and managed to put a roof over my head, as I explored the shorelines of my dream U.S. beach destinations: Hawaii, California, Florida and Puerto Rico.  I’d done it.  I had set off with a beach bum’s budget and not only survived, but in the end thrived my way from the middle of the Pacific Ocean to the emerald green shores of the Caribbean Sea.  I had met people, shared experiences and most of all proved to myself that living a dream – regardless of the practicality – is a worthy endeavor of the highest calling.

My ultimate hope is that “Working Beach Bum” manages to amuse and inspires its readers to take the leap and experience the trip of their lives.  I did, and I’ll never regret it.

You can check out John’s book, now for sale on Amazon.com.

Bio: John Rarity has covered beach destinations all over the U.S., Thailand, Australia and beyond, developing his knowledge and skills in budget travel.  He is also founder and currently heads GoStayPlay.com, a social travel deals and events website.  Check him out on his Blog, Twitter or on Facebook.