Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 2026

Overview

The Bearded Vagabond is a personal travel and history site at thebeardedvagabond.com. This Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use, and protect information when you visit. I take your privacy seriously and will never sell your personal information.

Information I Collect

Information you provide

I may collect your name and email address when you contact me through the contact form or sign up to be notified about app launches. I use this information only to respond to your inquiry or send the updates you requested.

Automatically collected information

Like most websites, I collect standard log data including your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on the site. When you consent, this data is also collected by Google Analytics to help me understand how visitors use the site and improve content.

Cookies & Tracking

This site uses cookies for the following purposes, only after you give consent via the banner shown on your first visit:

  • Analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4) — help me understand which content resonates, how long people read, and where visitors come from. No personal data is sold.
  • Advertising cookies (Google AdSense) — allow Google to display relevant ads. Google may use your browsing data to personalise ads across the web.
  • YouTube embed cookies — set by Google when you interact with embedded videos, regardless of cookie consent.

If you decline cookies, no analytics or advertising cookies will be set. You can change your preference at any time by clearing your browser's local storage for this site. You can also opt out of Google advertising personalisation at adssettings.google.com.

VagaPlan App

VagaPlan (vagaplan.thebeardedvagabond.com) is a separate travel planning tool operated under The Bearded Vagabond. VagaPlan has its own privacy policy which governs the data collected during your use of that application, including trip questionnaire responses, account information, and payment details processed through our payment provider.

When you sign up for the VagaPlan waitlist on this site, your email address is stored in Brevo and used only to notify you of the app launch and relevant updates. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email we send.

Affiliate Disclosure

The Bearded Vagabond participates in affiliate marketing programs. This means I may earn a commission when you click on certain links and make a purchase — at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships never influence my editorial opinions or content. See the full Affiliate Disclaimer.

Third-Party Services

This site uses or links to third-party services with their own privacy policies:

  • Google Analytics 4 — website analytics (consent required)
  • Google AdSense — advertising (consent required)
  • YouTube / Google — embedded video content
  • Vercel Analytics — privacy-friendly performance monitoring (no cookies)
  • Brevo — email waitlist management
  • Amazon, Booking.com, Expedia, and other affiliates — travel affiliate links
  • World Nomads — travel insurance quotes (we receive a fee when you get a quote)

How I Use Your Information

  • Respond to messages and inquiries you send
  • Send updates you have specifically requested
  • Improve the site and content based on aggregate analytics
  • Display relevant advertising to help fund the site (consent required)

I do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties.

Your Rights

You have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of any personal information I hold about you. To do so, contact me at rexthebeardedvagabond@gmail.com.

Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. Changes will be posted here with an updated date. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

Questions about this policy? Reach out via the contact page.