Kara and Nate

[TheyCallMeT]

First time poster, made an account just for them.
Haven't actually "followed" them too long and only saw a couple of videos that popped up on my recommendations. Someone on here (or on Reddit) pointed out before how they actually don't seem to enjoy traveling since they don't really explore and just do the basic touristy stuff and especially this last vlog with the National Park sealed the deal for me.
Nate pointed out how they passed so many places he wanted to visit but they didn't because they couldn't film? really? If he really liked exploring he would jump at the opportunity to go to those places or actually pay the money for the license to film there. But yeah, they are just doing it for the money.
And don't get me started with Kara. What's with the constant baby voice? And how co-dependent she is? When Nate did the bike tour and she was all "usually Nate does this" with literally anything? And don't get me started on those eyebrows...

 

[RJF]

I used to watch these two for years it fell out of the habit around the end of 2018.

I started watching them again around the time they first bought the van as I was curious about how they would adapt to a Covid lifestyle. I didn’t last long.

What amazed me (having had time away from them) was that they have travelled to all of these countries over all of these years but… have seemingly experienced no personal growth whatsoever? You’d think that two people from Middle America would change quite profoundly after being exposed to all of the wonders of the world. But no. They both have those saying “nice but dim and a little bit entitled” personalities that they had since the very beginning.

I do often wonder how many friends they have. I don’t mean that in a pejorative way but they are on the road normally for about 11 or 12 months of the year with just each other for company. Obviously there are WhatsApp groups and whatever but what do they have in common with their friends from back home? What sort of small talk do they make? Have they ever explored this?

 

[Priti]

I've tried to like Kara and Nate as I follow a lot of travelling YouTube couples (Flying the nest, Eamon and Bec, Sailing La Vagabonde) but I can't take to these two. I used to think it was because their personalities irk me with Kara acting like a child and crying whenever they get the slightest bit of (well deserved) backlash and Nate just seems to so arrogant.

I also just couldn't see a genuine passion for travel from either of them? Like they were just ticking countries off their list for the sake of it and staying at unusual places so they could make an attention grabbing video. I have never seen a desire from them to actually experience a country and get to know it's culture.

I think the pandemic really has shown their true colours and how entitled they really are. They rushed into van life with very little thought and complained the entire time because the van kept breaking. Maybe if they'd taken some time to fix it up properly then it would have ran more successfully.

Also in one of their recent videos they said they weren't going to be visiting any US National Parks because they wouldn't be allowed to film there without a permit, meaning they'd have to actually plan their visit and fill out some paper work (Heaven forbid). I've never been to the US but I know there are some incredible parks there that many people would love to visit yet the fact they are so unwilling to put in any effort to go see them shows how little they care about their travels. It's all about getting views and making money.

The final nail in the coffin is the fact that they chose to travel to Vegas in the middle of a pandemic and had to cheek to complain how disappointing it is that there were so many others on the plane! It's ok for these entitled influencers to travel but the rest of us better stay at home so we don't put them at risk and disrupt their plans!

Rant over.

 

[LemonPledge]

They came across so entitled in their last vlog! Nate is more than happy to show off how much they earn by posting income reports on their website, but the concept that they're a commercial enterprise seems lost on them! They want us to think they're just a pair of backpackers who post videos because they love showing us where they visit.

I had a look into the permit for accessing the national parks (I'm trying to procrastinate at work ) and it's a 1 page form which is not nearly as complicated as they made out. It even says if there's up to 2 people just using a camera and tripod there's no charge aside from a $100 application fee per park (which they would easily make back with a bit of AdSense)!

They'll end up doing it as national park videos will bring in loads of views and their current videos are getting really repetitive. I didn't even bother finishing the bike ride vlogs as it seemed to be just Nate complaining the whole time.

I used to enjoy their vlogs but they're becoming more and more money grabbing as they get more successful.

 

[Welshgal]

Well they got the tickets plus an extra for someone to help them make a video about football

Why on earth would I want to watch a video about football from two Americans who never showed an interest nor special knowledge on the subject?
Even if they’ll get some Spaniard to help explain some things I can guarantee they’ll get stuff completely wrong.

 

[DA Stella]

So Nate presents with strong Covid-like symptoms. Instead of lying low until he can get tested he chooses to continue on. Fine. But when he exposed that nice, gracious and unselfish Peruvian family to whatever illness he has??? Selfish. Entitled. Uncaring. It doesn't matter if he has Covid or something else, you do not expose a family to your germs when you have no idea if your illness is contagious.
I don't hate strangers but I have a lot of contempt for this self absorbed, entitled pair. They're awful people.

 

[DaisySims89]

Just some of the comments on their latest story

I miss their budget backpacking days.

They can make videos on whatever they want but they should realise that a lot of people won't like their move into luxury travel.

 

[LemonPledge]

I see on Reddit that they've gone to Las Vegas to stay in / review a $10k a night hotel suite. They're no better than the instagrammers who are in Dubai at the moment!

 

[tylenoal235]

I watched Kara and Nate a lot up until the pandemic. They travelled to a lot of places that are on my bucket list, so they were the easy choice when it came to watching content you know will be relatively good and well edited etc.

When they travelled back during COVID and isolated in that cabin in Nashville, I was genuinely impressed by the responsibility they were showing to their followers - I thought that they were setting a very good example.

Then when they bought the van and started travelling through America, especially through areas that were very badly hit by the virus such as Portland (and commenting on how the amount of homeless people made them feel uncomfortable), that's when I started to be turned off by them.

The flight to Vegas, and then the subsequent travelling to get content has really really put me off. They are showing no real interest in their van or in showing van life content anymore. Their travelling shows a lack of respect to health care workers on the front line of this pandemic, and isn't setting a good example to their followers.

 

[LemonPledge]

Haven't actually "followed" them too long and only saw a couple of videos that popped up on my recommendations. Someone on here (or on Reddit) pointed out before how they actually don't seem to enjoy traveling since they don't really explore and just do the basic touristy stuff and especially this last vlog with the National Park sealed the deal for me.

Agree, I remember their London vlogs they were basically just ticking off the big sights rather than trying to experience London. They made a big thing about trying fish and chips, but the pub they ate in was a Wetherspoons!

 

[neevee]

I think a lot of the luxury travel is them pushing their faredrop website and all their tips on using credit cards and airline points to pay very little for flights etc. it doesn’t come across that way to people though (and outside of America getting airline points on credit cards isn’t very common).

We lived in NZ for years and have friends and family there. We haven’t been back in a long time as we’d be paying for a family of 4 and it is just too costly. I’ve done that emirates Auckland to Dubai 17 hour flight a few times, stuffed in a seat in economy so it didn’t feel great watching them celebrate their first class seats when I’d love it if we could even go economy to visit the people we love.

I’m not begrudging them, they can do what they want but it’s not inspirational for me, just depressing to watch.

Oh and I’ve just seen the latest swimming with orcas boat trip all those kind of trips they go on are sponsored. They are not paying for them.

Again, good for them if they have managed to travel the world getting freebies but it’s not something I want to spend my precious free time watching.

 

[Colonel Angus]

Not much happening with Kara and Nate….last post about them was October 17!

Well then maybe we keep it that way and find a new thread for the fellers up there, eh?

 

[Guacamole123]

Anyone else stopped watching them as soon as they started the van series?! I think I realised it’s not really them I like, it’s just the escapism that I enjoy, being able to watch them travel the world. Looking back now though they’re just typical tourists, like when they went to WETHERSPOONS for fish and chips in London, and how they did the Trans-siberian and didn’t even really get off the train and explore.

 

[DA Stella]

I'm so tired of these American (and a few Canadian) travel vloggers who go to countries where masks are still very much in use but they refuse to wear them. I don't care if the mask muffles their voices, be respectful to the countries you're visiting and the people who live there and put on an mf-ing mask.
I've also noticed these travel vloggers mysteriously disappearing for a week or two, then claiming they they "took some time off" or "were feeling tired", then they let it slip that they actually had Covid. Yeah, when you're traveling all over and refuse to wear masks, what do you think is going to happen And I get that wearing a mask is more to protect others than yourself but it's still a layer of protection they're not using. Except when they're forced to.
Nate mentioned that masks are "still a thing" in Japan yet they still didn't wear them in a lot of places where everyone else was. Even on public transportation.
You would think they'd notice they're the ONLY people not wearing them but either they don't care or they think they're entitled to not wear one because they're filming. It's so disrespectful.
One couple I do enjoy watching is One Pack Wanderers. They seem like a nice, down to earth couple. Although they have also been guilty of not wearing masks in countries where they're still widely in use and also got Covid in a foreign country. So there's a bit of that entitled attitude but I like them because they truly seem to be on a budget and like to immerse themselves in the countries they visit. Not just hitting the "touristy" spots.

 

[SheStunned]

I’ve just unfollowed Kara and Nate, I can no longer tolerate how fake and smug they have become. We’re in a cost of living crisis and their basically showing off travelling around the world in first class and luxury, it’s not reality they really need to wake up and start smelling the coffee instead of drinking it.

 

[whydoesitbugmesomuch]

Maybe stop booking flights to places you haven’t got visas for yet?!

 

[bunnyboo]

Wow, they literally admitted in their latest video that they had to cut out a rant where they were complaining that the homeless community are not good ambassadors for a city

2020 is a tough time for all, economies are in decline and people are losing their jobs, homes and lives to Covid-19. But typical self-absorbed and narcissistic travel vloggers are upset because it doesn't produce enough pretty b-roll footage.

Also the sheer irony of them complaining about homeless people. Van-lifers literally glamourise homelessness.

 

[Priti]

Has anyone watched the interview they did on The Unplanned Podcast? They actually came across really well there. It was refreshing to see Kara without the constant baby voices and crying.

I thought their comments on not having kids was interesting, it sounds like Kara would like to have them but doesn't think it's possible with their lifestyle which is largely driven by Nate. I kind of felt sorry for her as she seems to have come to terms with fact they might never have them. At least that's how I read it.

 

[katabaticwind]

Their latest video is basically one long advert for that capsule hotel chain.

I think every video they do these days is a giant commercial masquerading as a travel video. It’s always some hotel or AirBNB or some adventure activities operator advertising. There is no authenticity in their content at all and they just sing and dance on the camera for their pay lords.

 

[DA Stella]

And, there they are again in Japan with literally everyone around them wearing masks but no masks on them! No consideration whatsoever for the people who actually live in Japan, those who make them food, serve them, transport them...just so self centered.
I actually think they have some good content but I get so aggravated by their entitled attitudes. And Kara's voice screeching "I'M SO PROUD OF YOOOUUUUUU!!!" Ugh.
Maybe I just need to stop watching?