This is a guest post by Lorraine Aubert. If you want to guest post on Go Backpacking, please read more here.

There is a new addition to iTunes’ line-up of travel apps. The app, called Travel Health, is based on the book, “Travelling Well” by Dr. Deborah Mills, a travel medicine specialist in Australia. While the medical information in the app is accurate, easy to read and understand; there is much room for improvement in 3 key areas.

1. Design: I would like to see the categories organized alphabetically or in a “head to toe” fashion. Searching to find the desired topic would be easier this way. When some of the categories are opened, a pop-up STOP window opens and alerts the reader of potential emergencies. I found this to be irritating. The information is important but I’d rather see it highlighted at the beginning of the description. I also didn’t care for the arrows to open/close the topics of the category.

2. Search function: This is lacking and many symptoms cannot be found using search. For instance, CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) cannot be found in the search box but it is listed under Collapse in the Emergencies category. Searching “yeast” will also not appear but yeast infections are covered under the topic of “Thrush.” Being an international application, I think its important to include additional names for problems in order to find them using search. It would also be nice to be able to search for drugs using the search function.

3. Important missing symptoms: Under Chest Problems there is no mention whatsoever on chest pain or heart palpitations, an important oversight. Since 16.7 million people globally die of cardiac disease, it is vital to include its signs and symptoms.

What I Liked

The feature I really like is the drug reference table. Its design is easy to use and it gives pertinent, relevant information. The lay person can easily look up a drug name and also view other names for the drug which is helpful for the international traveler. The dosing information is really handy also. The information on Altitude Sickness is excellent and I also like the bookmark function to save favorite topics.

As an emergency department registered nurse, I believe this app has a good start. The developers need to work on the design issues a bit, especially the search function and it is imperative to add cardiac symptoms to its Chest Problems category. The app is currently on sale for $2.99 with a regular price of $7.99. I rated the app a 3 out of 5 stars.

________

About the Author: Lorraine Aubert (RN, MSN, CEN) is the travel blogger behind iTraveldame and can be found on Twitter @lorraineya.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Map of Central Africa

For such an exotic, far-flung trip to central Africa, there isn’t a whole lot I need to do in terms of preparing for my Rwandan adventure.

After backpacking for 15 straight months, and always being on the go, the process has become like second nature to me.  I know what I will pack, and how I will pack it.  I know there are a few toiletries and miscellaneous items I’ll want to pick up, but there’s no rush, and none of it is critical.  I could be asked to leave tomorrow morning and I’d chuck my stuff in the ‘ole backpack and know I’d have a great time of it.

After buying the cheapest plane ticket I could find, ensuring my immunizations were up-to-date for that region was the next most important thing I could come up with.  I Google’d “CDC Rwanda” and the first result was the recommendations by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Recommended Immunizations

• Routine (includes Measles, Mumps, & Rubella, Diptheria, Pertussis & Tetanus, Polio)
• Yellow Fever
• Hepatitis A & B
• Typhoid
• Rabies

As a result of all the shots I got before my ’round the world trip back in Fall 2007, I only needed to re-up my Typhoid.  The oral vaccine lasts 5 years, and I had gotten it the first time for my trip to Costa Rica in 2005.

The Rabies vaccine is expensive, and even if you’re bitten by a rabid animal, you still need to get shots.  Instead, I intend to keep a safe distance from all primates, bats, and miscellaneous mammals I come across.

Malaria Prevention

According to the CDC:

All of the following antimalarial drugs are equal options for preventing malaria in Rwanda: Atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, or mefloquine.

Thankfully, my drug of choice, doxycycline, is an option for Rwanda.  No side effects to-date, and since I don’t have prescription drug coverage, the inexpensive cost is also a factor for me.

The Appointment

I made an appointment with a county-run travel clinic, and when I met the nurse who took my info, and said I was going to Rwanda, she responded “where is that?”  I got up and pointed to what seemed like the tiniest country in Africa on the same National Geographic map that I use to have hanging on my apartment wall for years.  Her response was something along the lines of that being a region of the world where all the diseases come from.

Her chat about food and water safety was all a formality, nothing I wasn’t already aware of, though I suppose it’s good to have a reminder from time to time – keep oneself in check and all.

Then the doctor came in and gave me the little box of live Typhoid vaccine, which requires refrigeration, and a doxy prescription.

Cost

• Office visit = $42
• Typhoid (oral) = $60
• Malaria (40 pills) = $30

Total = $132

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

For this, my globetrotting friend and I have decided against a backpacking trip in exchange for a driving one. With my new Garmin, and a world of possibility ahead of us, we intend to spend some graduation money on a cross-country road trip: from New York to San Francisco, and back again. We plan on couchsurfing as well as crashing on our college friends’ couches. Also, I assume an excursion of this magnitude will take a month, maybe longer, and we’ve already factored in the fact that we must take two different routes to include the South and the North of all that is still (personally) considered to be the vague Midwest.

My inspiration, I’ll admit, was not that born from an original idea, however. I attempted to read Doreen Orion’s Queen of the Road over my winter vacation. It is the story of a “princess of the Island of Long” who quite literally takes the ride of her life with her psychiatrist husband and three pets across 47 states.

It certainly sounded entertaining, and yet I could not get over the voice. Doreen is a psychiatrist, like her husband, but unlike his seemingly laid-back and dedicated demeanor, she comes across as the woman she makes herself out to be: pampered, grouchy, and lazy. Perhaps it is just me, but I found this fact, amongst other blatant complaints about their marvelous adventures, quite honestly, annoying.

Although, to be fair, I do understand how others would find her hilarious. And, as I got further into Queen of the Road, I too found the odd couple’s misadventures and the lessons they learned from them (both practically and philosophically) to be inspirational.

I suppose I should work on having more patience; maybe then, I’d be able to finish possibly the most unique travel memoir I have ever gotten my hands on. Until then however, I’ve decided to put all my free time efforts into planning my own cross-country trip.

You wouldn’t happen to have any must-stops in mind, would you?

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Flying over Ethiopia en route to Cape Town

As I announced February 12th, I’m going to Rwanda for the first time in late March.  On my trip around the world, I spent a few months in southern Africa, and a few weeks in Egypt, but I purposefully chose to leave the adventures of the countries in between for a future adventure.

For the record, all of the in-country expenses will be paid for by the country’s tourism bureau, including accommodation, food, transport, tours, and permits.  In exchange, while they have no expectations of me regarding coverage, I intend to do what I do best – write about my experiences on this blog, and spread the word via social media.  While I’ll be responsible for incidentals like alcohol and souvenirs, the big expense on my end is the roundtrip airfare.

Before I could accept the trip, I searched online to ensure I could cover the flight myself.  Since Jen from Kayak had recently introduced herself to me on Twitter, I decided to give them a try.  In the past, I’ve used Orbitz to search for and book airfare, and Air Ninja to scout out routes flown by discount airlines.

On Kayak, I did a quick search from Dulles, Virginia to Kigali, Rwanda, and found the cheapest option to be about $1,500 on Ethiopian Airlines.  The next cheapest listing was a whole $500 higher, so I jumped over to Ethiopian Airlines’ site, and played around with the dates.  $1,477.00 was the going rate, and it was just about as much as I was willing to spend.  It is by far the most expensive flight I’ve ever booked.

Seriously, I don’t hand over that much money to anyone but my dentist, and even that is begrudgingly.

But I already knew from the occasional glimpses at adventure tour company catalogs that such a trip as I was taking would normally cost three times as much.  The permit to see the endangered mountain gorillas alone is $500.

I booked the flight, which initially appeared to have one stopover in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which made sense, only to find that there are actually 3 stopovers!

Dulles, Virginia —> Rome, Italy —> Addis Ababa, Ethiopia —> Entebbe, Uganda —> Kigali, Rwanda

…and then the exact reverse for the return flight.

I also made sure to Google Ethiopian Airlines to get a feel for their safety record.  Remember that plane that went down off the coast of Lebanon January 25,2010?

Yes, that was Ethiopian Airlines.

Suddenly, I felt like I was going to be taking a ride on the Lunatic Express a lot sooner than I expected.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

No traveler can leave their home country without travel health insurance; being injured abroad is an event that no traveler wants to face.  Facing a serious injury abroad without the support net of travel insurance makes an already bad situation worse.

Holiday Extras is a UK-based company that has been serving the travel community for over 25 years. They arrange travel insurance, airport parking and other related services for over 5 million travelers annually. They offer complete coverage for single trips as well as annual policies for frequent travelers.

For example, a one week holiday in the Caribbean, including full health insurance, cancellation insurance, and protection against lost or stolen luggage,  is only £33.

On average, Holiday Extras offers more comprehensive coverage than their leading competitors.  For instance, in the above example, Holiday Extras is both cheaper and offers more coverage than World Nomads. In addition, Holiday Extras offers £5,000,000 in emergency medical insurance while World Nomads only offers £3,000,000.

Holidays Extras exceeded my expectations when it came to understanding their policies; not only do they provide a standard legal document detailing your policy, but they also provide a document describing the key points of your policy so you don’t have to sift through complicated legalese.

Policies are available for all ages under 86, though children and senior citizens may be subject to reduced coverage.  Holiday Extras does not cover any claim relating  excessive alcohol intake, and as a result, they may not be the best choice for wild backpackers, however they are an excellent choice for families traveling abroad as those under 18 are covered free of charge.

One part of Holiday Extras’ policies that I do find troubling is the exemption from cancellation insurance.  If a relative who is not on the trip becomes ill, you are not covered if they required treatment or prescribed medicine in the 90 days prior to departure. Many, if not most of us, have relatives who would fall into this category.  Depending on your situation, this may be a point of concern.

Coverage is only available to those whose main residence is within the UK, but for those eligible, Holiday Extras is an excellent option for not just holiday insurance, but cancellation and theft insurance as well.  In particular, families should seriously consider their policies as the potential cost savings are considerable.

_____

This is a sponsored post.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Vaccines are just one of those things that every traveler needs, but nobody wants to get or pay for.  The farther afield you venture, the more vaccinations you will need.  SouthEast Asia may be a common backpacking destination, but that does not preclude the necessity for preventive vaccinations.

Canada’s universal health care system is truly great for most health issues, and for the most part I wouldn’t change it. But one thing that is not covered is what Manitoba Health considers travel medicine.  This means that any visits to a doctor for vaccinations, prescriptions or consultations are not covered. My trip to a local travel medicine clinic marked the first time in my life I have ever paid to visit a doctor, though it is still hard to argue with a $45 charge for the first visit and $20 for each follow-up.

Through my own research, I had concluded that I would need to be covered for Hepatitis A & B, Typhoid, Polio, Rabies, and Japanese Encephalitis.  In addition, I took the opportunity to be vaccinated against H1N1 and the seasonal flu late last year.

Prior to my visit to the travel clinic, I did talk to a walk-in clinic doctor and was not impressed by his lack of knowledge. He also wasn’t able to prescribe the Japanese Encephalitis vaccine. This is where a travel clinic really becomes useful; not only are they knowledgeable and travel-trained, but they have all the vaccines on hand so there is no need for a trip to the pharmacist.

My goal going in was to be covered against only what I needed, with the ultimate goal of keeping costs down. I received the Twinrix vaccination for both Hepatitis A & B. Though it does appear expensive at first, it does cover me for almost a quarter of my life and is much more cost effective than separate shots for A and B.

I had two options for Typhoid, a shot that would cover me for 3 years, or a few pills that would cover me for 7 years.  At only $5 more, the pills were a bargain.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of using the travel clinic was that I was advised against some vaccines, allowing me to keep costs down. The Rabies vaccine is not only expensive at $800, but not necessary unless I were planning for close contact with wild animals.  I was also advised against the Japanese Encephalitis vaccine, as it shouldn’t effect me, and the vaccine itself may be largely ineffective.

I had overlooked the need for other types of preventative medicine, but the staff at Skylark Medical Clinic made sure that I was aware of the risks for Malaria and travelers diarrhea.  They suggested a daily pill for Malaria prevention, but I refused in order to keep costs down. As a result, I did get  very frank advice on what to do if I develop a fever.  Without this advice, I would have likely just stuck out any illness I contracted rather than seek help; a potentially life saving nugget of information.  If I do start to run a fever in Asia, I will seek medical help within 24 hours, in accordance with her advice.

In the likely event that I am hit with a bout of traveler’s diarrhea, I received a double prescription of Zithromax. Ciprofloxacin is the standard prescription, but is less effective in Cambodia. I hope I never need to use it, but at least I’m covered.

All told, my vaccinations and medicine only cost me about $250, which is much less than I had expected. Much more valuable then even the vaccines was the advice I received. The staff knew what I needed and were familiar with the region I was visiting.  They made sure that I was educated and had the right information.  I can’t recommend the services of a travel clinic enough to anyone planning a trip abroad.

Below is a chart of the vaccinations I received and several online resources for vaccinations.

Links:

• Center for Disease Control
• Travel Canada recommended vaccinations
• Vaccinations for a round the world trip

Notes:

This post does not constitute medical advice. Be sure to consult a medical expert when deciding which vaccinations and/or prescriptions you should get for your trip. All prices in this article are in Canadian Dollars.

___

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28798135@N07/ / CC BY-SA 2.0XX

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

One of the best perks of credit cards these days, particularly for those who travel frequently for work or for pleasure, are the travel rewards points that can be earned for using the card. These travel rewards break down in very different ways. For example, some airline credit cards offer free airfare for an individual or family on hundreds of different airlines. Others allow you to accrue points to use toward “frequent flyer miles,” which may also be used on a number of airlines.

True travel reward cards allow you to use the points that you earn toward flights, hotel stays, cruises, and rentals of vehicles while you’re away on business and vacation. All of these offers sound extremely attractive; however, choosing the best travel rewards card is easier said than done. Consider your options when you think about what credit card to spring for.

What Are You Looking For?

Resist the urge to let your ears perk up every time you heard the words “travel rewards.” The word may mean very different things depending on what card you’re looking at. For example, many cards have relatively expensive yearly fees, but only offer travel rewards on certain expenditures, such as travel charges you put onto your card over the course of a year.

If you’re already traveling frequently, this might work out great for you. However, if you’re trying to save points toward a hotel stay or a flight by putting minimal grocery charges on your card, chances are your savings won’t amount to much.

Also consider the amount of money that you plan on putting on your card. Sometimes, travel rewards amount to a mile for every few dollars that you spend. For a round trip from coast to coast, you’ll have to spend thousands of dollars in a year.

Compare Discounts

If the first credit card you see seems particularly attractive to you, keep it in mind, but keep looking. You could certainly find the best deal right off the bat, but a bit of research will do you better. Compare the rewards programs offered by each card, the APR on each, the monthly fee. Look up reviews online and see what customers have to say about their customer service and security features. Consider the line of credit you’ll be offered. Above all, find the card that caters to your needs. If you make the best choice, the card will work for you, not the other way around.

Don’t Choose Based Only on Rewards

Travel rewards credit cards sound great, until you factor in a 25% interest rate. Many travel card companies will try to reel you in despite an exorbitant annual percentage rate, encouraging you to spend more money than you normally would on your card to try to get the most “savings.” Others have an extremely high annual fee.

Again, sometimes these cards can be worth it—for example, if you put ten, twenty, or thirty thousand dollars a year on your credit card—but for most people, they’re not. If the rewards look too good to be true, they probably are. Check out the interest rate (for the first year and successive years), the annual fee, and the amount of benefits you’ll reap for the cost you’ll have to put out. Use a calculator, don’t estimate. It comes down to dollars and cents.

To be successful with rewards credit cards you MUST pay off your balance in full each month. Carrying a balance, regardless of the interest rate will end up costing you more then any rewards that you can earn. Before applying for a travel rewards card make sure that you will be able to use the card responsibly and when you receive your card make a note of when your payment is due each month.

Considering Your Card Options

While there are literally hundreds of travel rewards cards, here are a few examples of the types of cards you might look at. Notice how the benefits, interest rates, and annual fees stack up against each other.

1. Escape by Discover:  This is one of the best travel cards out there and allows you to earn 2 miles for every dollar you spend on all of your purchases. This card has a fairly low annual fee of $60 (compared to the $140 annual fee of the Visa Signature card). The reason I really like this card is the fact that you can redeem your miles for airline tickets, hotel rooms, OR cash. The rewards program is much more unrestrictive then some of the other travel rewards cards out there.

2. Starwood Preferred Guest Card:  If you go for this credit card, you’ll earn a 10,000 point signup bonus, and $15,000 gets you an extra 15,000 points. You’ll receive free hotel stays for the points that you earn. You can also transfer points to frequent flyer programs.

3. Visa Signature Platinum Class:  While this card has a fee of $140 annually, it also has a number of attractive features to consider: 30,000 miles after only $250 in purchases, and elite qualifying miles (one per dollar spent, $5,000 after opening the card, and other perks).

It’s important to find a card that fits your lifestyle and will allow you to earn the maximum amount of points based on the type of purchases you make on a day to day basis. I know people who are able to pay for most, if not all of their vacation every year with credit card rewards, it’s just a matter of finding the right card and using it responsibly.

________

About the Author: Kevin Fleming runs CreditShout, a personal finance blog dedicated to educating people on how to manage their finances and save money with credit cards.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Nantahala National Forest

Thinking about thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail–that 2,174-mile footpath between Springer Mountain, Georgia, and Maine’s Mt. Katahdin? Great! I highly recommend the journey, which was one of the most soul-satisfying, difficult, wonderful, uncomfortable, inspiring, tiring, exhilarating, challenging, and fun experiences of my life.

Me, I’m quite the anal planner, and I started my A.T. adventure well before passing the first white blaze by attempting to plan every day of it. Once I decided to fulfill my dream, I set out the pens and notebooks and books and calendar. I made lists and more lists and began scheduling to the max. I’d hike 15 miles this day and stay at that campsite or lean-to. I’d send a maildrop with pre-purchased food to such-n-such a town, where I’d arrive on a particular date.

Then one day, I tossed the whole thing.

Sure, planning is good practice even if you do scrap the whole kit and kaboodle before you ever put any of those best laid plans the test. After all, the process can teach you a lot about what you’re setting out to do and help avoid potential problems just by the knowledge and awareness you’ll gain.

At the same time, it’s almost impossible to plan for every situation, every whim, every factor that’s beyond your control, especially when you’re talking about roughly six months of backpacking through 14 states, 6 national parks, and 8 national forests and over more than 400 named peaks.

Most people who do try to stick to a schedule on the Appalachian Trail fail to do so or find it too confining and illogical within the first few weeks, if not the first few days. And many thru-hikers who pre-pack maildrops find they’re sick of certain foods in no time, and leave much of their maildrop contents in hiker donation boxes or, unfortunately, trash cans.

There are, however, certain things you can plan for and count on when setting out for an end-to-end Appalachian Trail hike (or even a really long section), regardless of which direction you hike, your experience level, or what Mother Nature and other forces lay in your path.

You can….

Day 5

Plan to be spontaneous: Follow your heart and sometimes your whims. Drop your pack and sun yourself on that warm slab of rock. Take ten to take in the view. Make that dip in the cool mountain stream. Go get that burger and big salad you’ve been daydreaming about for the past few days as you’ve been rehydrating your dinners. Don’t pass up the chance to do what tickles your fancy just to stay on some predetermined schedule.

Plan to be flexible: A change in the weather? A sore foot that’s giving you grief that day? Whatever it may be–something physical that’s bugging you, someone you want to continue hiking with doesn’t want to go as far on a particular day, a stretch of trail more difficult than you’d expected–it’s okay to bend. Do fewer miles than you may have expected to cover or maybe no miles at all. Or, occasionally, hike a few more miles if you’re up to it.

Plan to be cold: Yes, you’ll get chilled, at least for short periods till you can retreat to your sleeping bag or put on those extra layers.  As long as you’re prepared for it, though, and don’t leave out vital insulation because it happens to be warm while you’re packing and you’re trying to go ultra-light, you should be able to handle the cold just fine.

Plan to be hot: And plan to be that way for days at a time. Embrace the sweat dripping into your eyes and off the tip of your nose. Be one with your body odor and that of other thru-hikers who come anywhere near.  Just don’t short yourself on water.  Take a siesta during the hottest part of the day, and hike early and hike late. Take a bandanna bath or use a refreshing wet wipe when you get to where you’ll camp. Just think about how cold you’ve sometimes been and enjoy the heat!

Plan to be wet and dirty:  There’s nothing like hiking in a downpour or sloshing through the mud for miles, and you’ll certainly do both on an A.T. thru-hike. So, keep a spare set of clothing deep in your pack in a big Zip-Loc baggie and/or a garbage bag or Sil-nylon stuff sack, so you know you’ll have something dry to put on when you’re finished hiking for the day. It’s comforting to know the dry and at least somewhat cleaner clothes are in there, not to mention a physical relief when it’s time to put them on.

Day 38

Plan to have sore feet:  Breaking in boots before hitting the trail will certainly help, but I haven’t met a single thru-hiker who never experienced blisters, bunions, at least a multi-colored toenail or two (if not the whole set), and just plain ol’ foot pain during the trek.  But, hey, sore feet show-and-tell is a great way to bond with your fellow hikers.

Plan to have new aches and pains: It’s not just the feet. Maybe you’ll get some cool chafing from your backpack or clothing or even skin rubbing against skin for hours on end. Your back and your neck might ache, especially if you’re not used to carrying a full pack for eight or twelve hours a day and sleeping on hard, uneven ground or the planks of a shelter floor. And the knees–even with trekking poles, your knees will be put to the test. You’ll perfect the art of the “hiker hobble.”

Plan to be at least a little scared: Lightning, bears, boogie monsters, oh my! Rattlesnakes and copperheads that don’t let you know they’re there until you almost step on them. The occasional bit of terrain that gives you the willies. Or maybe that was just me?

Plan to be really tired: But it’s a good kind of tired. It’s an “I really lived today” tired. It’s a twenty-miles-on-my-feet-up-and-down-five-mountains-today kind of tired.  But I loved it! And if you enjoy physically putting yourself to the test like I do, you’ll love it, too.

Plan to laugh: Even things that aren’t normally funny will probably be funny, like being filthy and soaked and smelling like a very rotten peach. There are lots of things to laugh at about life on the trail. So laugh and laugh often.

Plan to live for the moment: Be here, now, on the Appalachian Trail. Hiking a long-distance trail is a chance to slow down and suck the juice out of life.

Plan to be part of a great community: If you want to be alone, you can find the solitude. But the friendships are out there if you want them. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from, whether you’re shy or outgoing or what your background is. The common experience of hiking the Appalachian Trail creates a bond that surpasses most differences that otherwise might make a difference off the trail.

A moment of celebration

And plan to be fulfilled:  It just gets under your skin–the fresh air, the sheer physical exertion, the camaraderie with others who walk with packs on their backs. That 2,174-mile footpath, marked with 165,000 painted white blazes as it winds and climbs and descends its way from Georgia to Maine, has this way of grabbing hold of your psyche and your heart and not letting go.

Further Reading

• Hiking The Appalachian Trail: What You Really Need To Know
• Life Lessons On The Appalachian Trail
• TrailJournals
• The Appalachian Trail Conservancy/Home.htm

_________

About the Author: Deb Lauman, the long-distance backpacker known as “Ramkitten,” is also a writer and a member of a Search & Rescue team based in Flagstaff, Arizona. You can read about her SAR experiences on her blog, Deb’s Search & Rescue Stories.

Deb will be spending three months in Nepal, learning about the country’s only rescue squad so she can write a book about them and the many lives they’ve touched. Find out more about the Himalaya Rescue Dog Squad Nepal Book Project on Kickstarter.

Photo Credits

Day 5 / A moment of celebration by Deb Lauman.

Home page image (blue skies, green mountains) by http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterbc/ / CC BY 2.0

Nantahala National Forest by http://www.flickr.com/photos/uuzinger/ / CC BY 2.0

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Jackie Chan's shampoo and Israel Locks conditioner, courtesy of the Chinese grocery store

I knew when I packed to move to China for half a year that I only wanted to bring one backpack, assuming that at some point I’d want to be mobile for backpacking.

Plus, you can’t take the cheap buses to and from airports if you have to lug a lot of luggage– and I have a total and complete aversion to the cost of cabs, even when they are cheap in China.

So, what should you bring, if you just bring one bag?

First, bring the things you can’t buy in China (outside of an expensive expat-oriented grocery store, which only exists in the big cities): razors, tampons, deodorant, and Western medicine.

Seriously– none of those exist in my small town at all. To all those who are curious– yes, there is a market for deodorant here that’s going untapped. The people here also have BO, they just seem less concerned about it than we do in the US. So pack two Old Spices or Secret cause you’re not going to find it here.

Don’t pack toothpaste, shampoo, face wash, loofahs, etc.– even Qtips are readily available here, so as long as you can shake your brand loyalties, you can find those things in abundance and quite cheaply.

I personally traded in Pantene Pro-V (which you can find here at a reasonable price) for Jake Chan’s Anti-Falling Shampoo (maybe they mean anti-balding?) and Israel Locks Conditioner (which I take to mean “good for curly hair!”).

Speaking of buying locally, if you are moving to a cold climate, as I did, I recommend you buy some of your cold weather items here. Why bother to pack gloves, a coat, and boots, since they take up a ton of space, when you can buy them?

I am proudly sporting a pair of fingerless gloves (5 RMB), a coat (90 RMB), and a pair of boots that kind of look like space shoes (40 RMB). For those keeping track at home, this means I was winter-outfitted for $20. I admit, I had little choice on the shoes because I have bigger feet than most Chinese, and my coat is a XXXL (ugh. I feel huge in this country) and the zipper leaves something to be desired, at times, but hey. Good deals abound.

Other than that, here are the three smartest items I packed:

• Leggings- they can be worn under skirts in the fall, under jeans in the winter as long underwear, and for sleeping. Multi-purpose is key if you just have one backpack.
• Fleece items- a fleece travel pillow and blanket have been great since it’s freezing, as have fleece pants and a fleece jacket. The jacket has been a saving grace.
• Photos of my family and friends- they’re nice to have in your room and office and are fun to bring to show people when your computer is not handy.

Most of the other things I brought are quite standard, but when in doubt, assume that it’s available in China. I probably didn’t need that umbrella since one here would be $1. Why did I pack a large Nalgene from the States, which takes up an annoying amount of space on the airplane and can’t even have liquid? That’s available here cheaply. Oops. But hey, you live, you learn.

What I’ve mostly learned is that next time I travel, I need a Kindle– running out of books in rural China means that you’d better learn to read characters. Fast.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Country: Malaysia

Entry Point: Rail System coming from Singapore to Malaysia.

Exit Point: Rail system from Butterworth to Surat Thani, Thailand.

When: I’ll be arriving on the 15th of April and will be spending a total of ten nights in Malaysia.

Looking Forward to: I’m planning for Kuala Lumpur to be my first experience with couchsurfing in Southeast Asia. It will be a big advantage for me as I’ll only be spending a small amount of time in Malaysia, and staying with a local will allow me to engage with Malay culture.

I’ll be spending my birthday in Taman Negara.  Taman Negara literally translates to “National Park” and is the world’s oldest tropical rainforest. I love the outdoors so Taman Negara will be right up my alley.  My birthday present to myself will be to go fishing in the park, hopefully I don’t get skunked. The park is also host to the world’s longest suspension walking bridge, which is suspended up to 40m above the forest floor.

Malaysia is a predominately Muslim country with two sets of laws, one for Muslims and one for non-Muslims. It’ll be my first experience with a Muslim country, and I want to try and focus on this when I visit.  Currently, there is tension between religious groups, and churches have been fire-bombed this week.  Hopefully this will settle down before I arrive.  Islamic culture will be my focus when I’m in Malaysia.

Not Looking forward to: I know I will feel rushed in Malaysia as I only have a small amount of time in which to experience this country, and as a result, I will miss almost everything. Its a necessary evil if I want to make my deadline for the Full Moon Party in Thailand. I’ll have to focus on the important things to get enough out of my time in Malaysia.

Even though its a big tourist attraction, I can’t wait to see and photograph the Petronas Towers at night.  Every shot I’ve seen of the buildings looks absolutely fabulous.

Notes: If it wasn’t for me starting in Singapore to visit a travel buddy, I would never have considered Malaysia. It simply wasn’t on my radar.  That said, I’m extremely pleased that I will be visiting and I can’t wait to experience my first Islamic country.

Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are linked by an excellent and modern rail system. I won’t be fulfilling my dream of riding on the top of a train here, but it will allow me to see more of Malaysia then if I had to rely on buses.  Without it, I would experience even less.

___

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Singapore

In the coming months I’ll be writing a series of posts that will highlight each country I’ll be visiting, a little about the country and why I’m going there. We’ll start with my first destination, Singapore.

Country: Singapore

When: After a jaunt over the international date line I’ll be arriving on April 12th and staying for 3 nights.

Entry Point: Singapore’s Changi International Airport

Exit Point: I’ll be exiting via the rail system to Malaysia, heading to Kuala Lumpor.

Looking forward to: The reason I considered Singapore and peninsular Malaysia was to visit a friend I had first met in Europe. Glen and I met in Berlin and along with a group of our fellow travelers had some great adventures.  To this day, Berlin remains my social highlight of Europe.  I’ll be staying with Glenn when I arrive, which should ease me into my trip with a local guide.

The hawker centers, which are really big food courts, are on my top things to do not only because they’re cheap but they will challenge my North American palate – no doubt I’ll be pushing myself here.

One great advantage of my trip to Singapore is the proximity to Indonesia.  I’m looking forward to taking a day trip to the island of Pulau Batam, the perfect day trip for any passport stamp hunting traveler.

Even though bungee jumping is illegal in Singapore, reverse bungee jumping is not and I’ll be crossing it off my List of Things to do Before I Die here in Singapore. I’ve posted a video below showing what I’m in for.

Not Looking forward to: Singapore has some laws that appear quite insane by western standards, many are for minor infractions or even breaking social norms yet carry heavy fines.  I’m sure I won’t have a problem, but it is tempting to jaywalk.

I’ll be fingerprinted upon arrival which shouldn’t be a big deal but this still makes me uneasy, regardless of how harmless it is.

The waves of anxiety come and go when you travel but they are at their worst when you are just starting your trip, its  worth it in the end, but still not fun when they occur.

Notes: As a backpacker with a tight budget, Singapore may be a challenge, but it’s it one that I’m looking forward to tackling. Singapore is a developed nation, and is far more western in culture than any of my other destinations, which should make for any easy introduction. I’m interested in seeing how the three distinct cultures of Singapore (Indian, Malay, and Chinese) coexist and what the resulting culture is truly like. Go Backpacking’s Dave has already visited Singapore and you can read about his travels here.

___

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheeweng/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

After my confession of getting bed bugs myself, I thought I would at least post some tips from the research I did after getting them in Asia.  In the last 10 years, bed bug infestations has quadrupled.  It’s not just hostels either, as 4-5 star hotels are getting hit with the same problem too.  Bed bugs do not discriminate and the traveler is the most susceptible to getting a case of them.  Since most countries in the world have outlawed the chemical DDT, bed bugs are coming back in a whole new way!

To be honest, there really isn’t a full proof way of detecting bed bugs in a room…I know that’s not what you wanted to hear, is it.  They can be hiding anywhere, strike anytime and it almost takes a case of them infecting someone before you can diagnose what it was.  Bed bugs can live as long as 18 months without having to feed.  Odds are, you might have stayed in a bug infested room already but nothing happened because they weren’t out on the prowl the night you slept.

That being said, you can still check for signs.  A good traveler should always ask to see the room first, but before you go straight to the bathroom once you hit the light, go to the bed first.  The bugs are nocturnal and only move around when it’s dark, so the best time for seeing signs (or one) of them is right after the light is turned on.

Things to look for when inspecting a room:

• Check under the bed mattress first.  Look for stains of black or brown fecal mater.  You will normally find this around their nesting area.  Be sure to also check out the mattress tag, they love to hide their for some reason.
• Check the sheets and pillow cases by pulling them back.  Try to see signs of tiny blood stains that they leave after feeding.
• Check the back of the headboard for nesting areas as well.  You may also see translucent light brown skins in this area.
• Check along the walls for cracks where you might see signs of fecal mater.  Most bed bugs nest in an area of 10-15ft from the bed.
• If the room has furniture (couch or chairs) lift the cushions and inspect for the same signs as above.  Bed bugs can just as easily nest their.

Tips on how to avoid bed bugs:

• Inspection on your part is the best thing.  Hotels/hostels aren’t going to tell you on a scale of 1-10 if there are bed bugs in the room they’re trying to sell you.
• Never leave your bag or suitcase on the floor or bed.  Always store bags at an elevated area and if the room has a nightstand or luggage rack, use it.  Even on top of the TV is better then nothing.
• If you suspect an infestation, immediately grab all your stuff and go to the front counter.  Inform the management of what you saw and request a room change or refund.  I, personally, would go with the refund as to me if one room is infested, then I assume the whole place is.  Believe me, the place your staying isn’t that great for the risk of getting torn up.  If you don’t believe me, see my other article I wrote here.
• Note: if you paid $5 for your room in some 3rd world-country… just leave.  Getting huffy with the owner and making demands will do you little good.

What to do if you get infested:

• Don’t mistake mosquito bites for bed bugs.  Bed bug bites normally come in rows of 3 and will not have a blood dot in the middle of the bite like a mosquito bite would leave.  When in doubt, ask!
• HEAT, HEAT and more HEAT!  Wash your clothes and anything you can afford to get wet in the hottest water you can find.  I boiled hot water and dipped all my clothes into the pot 3x.  Bed bugs can take temperatures up to 100°F (38°c), so you need your water to be at least 120°F (49°c) plus.  It’s the only 100% way of making sure you rid your clothes of them and not take any home with you.
• Don’t bother with freezing or chemicals.  Freezing them only puts the bug into hibernation and chemicals are sketchy at best.  If chemicals are your only option seek a professional.  He’ll have access to the good stuff that you can’t get over the counter.
• See a doctor and get some meds to help with the healing.  It will speed up the recovery time of the bites and it’s better then having to walk around, say Thailand, in the middle of the summer with a long sleeve shirt.
• Try to convince yourself afterward that every time you go to sleep something is not eating you.  It took me 3 months before I could get a good nights sleep after I got bitten, and it was all psychological.

Links to sites with good info on this subject:

• Mahalo: How to Get Ride of Bed Bugs
• Student Travel: Travel Myth- Hostels Will Have Bed Bugs

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Below is what I wrote 6 months ago while waiting at the train station to leave Chiang Mai for Bangkok, Thailand.  Steve is the guy who I was doing photography work with in Bangkok.

“Today has been a new one for me here in Chiang Mai.  I came up here with a friend to shoot some photos of the area.  We had been staying at a recently renovated hotel called The Mercure and were using it as a base for going out to sites in extreme northern Thailand.

We had gotten to Chiang Mai late evening and for 800 baht per night ($22.50 USD) it came with 4 stars and breakfast.  Normally this would be over my budget but Steve wanted to stay there because he knew a friend who was a teacher from Bangkok that was bringing her class, 100+ students, to do a music show there for a week.  She made all the arrangements and we were given the same discounted price as the school was getting.  So for a little more and being such a nice hotel I was ok with it.  After all I was thinking it’s ok sometimes to splurge and not stay in a $5, steamy hot, hostel room.

Hotel Room in Chiang Mai

The second night we went to the night market and shot the flowers there, which Chiang Mai is known famously for.  Steve wasn’t up for much walking that night and since it was my first night out I went out on my own to see the rest of the market.  I got rained in and took cover at a little bar for a few hours, then made my way back to the hotel.  It put me back kind of late but overall I had a good night and got some great pictures.

The next morning, I woke up with a whole bunch of sores on my upper body.  Mainly along my arms/back and to me it looked like mosquito bites.  The thing that got me was that the night before I never really remember the little zappers bothering me much.  They itched like hell the next morning and I decided I would take some precautions when out at night again (something I hardly ever do).

I told Steve about the bites that morning and he said maybe they were bed bugs.  Never really thought it was that but that night while laying in bed it had me freaked…was I sleeping with a 1,000 little body munchers???  It freaked me so much that I ended up sleeping in my clothes that night and every time a hair on my body twitched I was turning on the light.  Made for a long night and the next day I just chopped it up as a “Steve story.”

We got out early the next day and headed further north to Changi Rai and spent the day shooting The White Temple (fantastic place by the way!).  Got back and had a ton of pictures to edit.  When done I decided to watch a season of Dexter and hit the sack.  I’m lying there watching a movie on my laptop and somehow I saw this little bug the size of a pinhead move on the bed (I guess I have 15/20 vision).  I got on all fours and scooped it up and put it into a glass.  Was this me being paranoid?  Had to find out so I started tearing the bed apart, first the sheets, then the under sheets, pillows flipped, then flipped the bed too and after 20min I had 8 bugs in my glass.  A few the size of a small lady bug but there isn’t anything cute about them.

This was the evidence I was hoping I wouldn’t find.  I knew 100% what had eaten me up 2 nights before.  I went into the bathroom and started counting the bites…I stopped at 98!!!  I wasn’t so much mad as I just didn’t want to be there.  My plan was to go to the hospital and confirm for sure what it was, then confront the hotel about it the next day.  One thing for sure was that I wasn’t lying in that bed again.

34 bites just on this side of the arm

Stayed up for as long as I could but just couldn’t make it and ended up curling up in the corner of the room, on a chair like a crack head, using a bathrobe as a blanket.  I felt like some bum on the street in my own hotel room that I was paying good money for the night’s stay.

Called Steve the next morning in his room and we went to the hospital.  Within 5sec the doctor confirmed what I thought.  She told me things like this happen but not to worry, as they carry no diseases that I wasn’t already vaccinated for.   Total cost for doctors visit was about 500 baht ($15 USD) and with the cream and meds she prescribed for me it came to about 1,500 baht ($42 USD) total.  Pretty cheap doctor visit and was happy about that.

Went back to the hotel and Steve told me the hotel would pay for all the doctor costs and move me into a new “clean” room.  Screw that I thought!  You don’t eat twice at a restaurant that gets you sick, because if it happens again it’s your own fault for knowing.   I loaded all my clothes into one bag (had to get them all washed with some really hot scolding water, as I had bought some new ones on the way back from the hospital) and was ready to get out of that place.  Steve kept trying to get me to stay but what sane person would and in the end I decided to just leave and head back to Bangkok early.  We were supposed to leave the next day but I didn’t see the point of renting another hotel room (no way in hell I was staying in that hotel another night) just to ride back with him.

So as I write this now I’m at the Chiang Mai train station and getting ready for an over night train ride in a seat….errrr!  It’s going to be murder but a seat was all they had left and the thought of sleeping in my safe bed was enough to merit the cost.” ~ Written 29May09

Hope this doesn’t discourage people from traveling.  I have been on every continent in the world (except for Antarctica), stayed in some really nice hotels to some really dodgy hostels and this is the first time anything like this has happened.  It happened in a place I thought it wouldn’t,  as if it had occurred in a $4 hostel bed I could at least say it was a cheap room and that’s what I get for being cheap.  It won’t stop me from traveling but I think I’ll invest in a silk blanket to give me a buffer zone.  The joys of traveling outweigh anything like this but it’s not something I want to experience again.

The worst part for me wasn’t the scars I had to wear for a month…it was the physiological part that took hold of my mind.  I didn’t sleep in my own bed back in Bangkok for the rest of the time and it really did take me about 3 months before I could get a good nights sleep again.

Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite… brings a whole new meaning to me now.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Egyptian Visa

Some things about Asia make me miss Europe. For backpackers, Europe is simple, easy and accessible. For myself as a Canadian, I had no visa requirements and for the most part, I only had to deal with one currency. It made moving around and seeing multiple countries easy.

I have been spoiled so far, not only have I never needed to apply for a visa, but I’ve rarely been scrutinized at border crossings, and all entries were free of charge. This is far from the case in SouthEast Asia, though I enjoy more lax requirements than other nationalities, I still have to pay fees for visas in multiple countries, apply in advance for my Burmese and Vietnamese visas, and there is no such thing as an unguarded border in SouthEast Asia.

The most important thing is to be knowledgeable about the requirements before you go, and to know which crossing you will likely be using. Which crossing is especially important, as different border crossings have different options available; some may offer visas on arrival, while others may not. Select crossings may only be open in one direction, and nothing is worse than making your way to the border only to find out your trip was in vain.

In addition, some countries have other requirements such as proof of onward travel, proof of funds, required vaccinations, or finger printings. It is important to check requirements for your specific nationality as it can vary greatly.

Two of the best tools that you have at your disposal for researching the status of border crossings are a Google search organized by most recent entries, and Wikitravel. Wikitravel is written by travelers and it is likely that if a backpacker had a bad border experience, it will be added to the site. Use Google to search for individual crossing and be sure to organize the search by date.  You will get a lot of bad results, but are much more likely to find relevant information.

The first place to check is your home country’s website for your visa requirements. Most countries will make this information available online. The information isn’t automatically updated when visa requirements change, so it isn’t infallible, but it’s an excellent start.

As with most countries around the world, your passport needs to be valid for 6 months after your enter into a country. Burma and Vietnam require me to apply for a visa in advance, which I will do in Bangkok, and Sihanoukville respectively.

Thailand offers its own visa conundrum, and really epitomizes why visas are such a hassle. For a country with such a developed tourism industry, it sure seems like Thailand doesn’t want any visitors to stay. The country’s visa rules have changed multiple times in recent years, and as a result, I am only able to receive a 15-day visa when entering Thailand at a land border crossing, while a 30-day visa is issued only at airports.

This is not so much a problem for me as I will be splitting my time in Thailand with a trip to Burma. I did however have to adjust my schedule slightly to fit under the 15-day limit, and if I decide to spend more time in southern Thailand, I may end up overstaying my visa, at the cost of 500 Baht a day.   30-day visas as a bare minimum, are extremely common around the world.  For a country such as Thailand to restrict tourism like this is acutely frustrating, but what can you expect from a government that seized power via a military coup?

Most of the countries charge fees for a visa.  This is important to note as it can easily make an impact on your budget depending on your citizenship. I’ve budgeted $150-$200 USD as there are visa costs associated with entering Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia. The baffling reality is that visa costs vary depending on where and how you obtain one. For this reason, and the possibility of border shakedowns, I have to budget for a range of costs and not an exact amount. Its not all bad, a person from Israel would certainly face more red tape, fees and hassle then a Canadian with a golden passport.

It is important to remember that visa information is subject to change at any time, so be sure to double check your information before you depart. Below are links to the visa requirements for common backpacker countries.

Resources:

• Travel Canada
• U.S. State Department
• British Foreign & Commonwealth Office
• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Project Visa

______

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/71502646@N00/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

On vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

This is a guest post by Steve Roll. If you want to guest post on Go Backpacking, please read more here.

In Dave’s e-book Dare Me!, he describes the dares his readers put him up to during his trip around the world. In exchange for performing a dare, Dave received a small cash gift.

Despite Dave’s best efforts he couldn’t accomplish some of the challenges because he found them to be either too socially awkward or dangerous.

While Dave sometimes came up short, I believe his willingness to take risks enhanced his travel experience.

Traveling can be risky. Plenty of news outlets will tell you the world is a dangerous place. In Latin America—the area of the world I blog about—2009 was marked by saturation coverage of the drug cartel crisis in Mexico, followed by wide-spread hysteria over the H1N1 virus.

Red Carpet Treatment

But that didn’t keep my family and I from taking a 10-day vacation in Mexico soon after the Centers for Disease Control lifted its non-essential travel warning. I’m glad we did. Besides finding incredibly low room rates and a peso that was at historic lows against the dollar, we received the red-carpet treatment from nearly everyone we met.

The trip reaffirmed my relatively new-found belief that avoiding risk at all costs can be just as ruinous to a person’s quality of life as illness or being victimized by crime.

Our attitude about risk shapes many aspects of our lives, including how we handle our finances. In the volatile economy at the outset of 2009, it seemed only prudent to remove your retirement savings from the stock market. But doing so would have meant missing out on the gains the market recorded by the end of the year.

Not so long ago, when it came to travel, my risk tolerance level was about as low as the interest rate on a U.S. savings bond. I believed it was best to play it safe by restricting my travels to the U.S., Canada or major European destinations such as London or Paris.

Guadalajara's Centro Historico near Plaza Tapatia

Orchid Thief

But my attitude about risk began to change after I read The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean. The book is a biography of orchid enthusiast John Laroche. Orlean begins writing about Laroche soon after he is prosecuted for picking rare orchids in a protected wetland in south Florida.

What makes the book special is that Orlean will stop at nothing in doing what it takes to describe the orchids and the subculture that is so passionate about them. At one point, she wades neck deep in an alligator infested swamp in search of a rare Ghost Orchid. Her only protection is two machete wielding convicts who wade in with her. The book is filled with accounts of Orchid enthusiasts who have taken far greater risks throughout history.

The Orchid Thief prodded me to accept a little more risk in my life. This means taking vacations in Mexico or Costa Rica instead of Disney World—even if it means fending off warnings from the latest news reports.

So far, the returns have been very good.

______

Steve Roll writes about traveling to Mexico and Latin America on his blog Travelojos. Follow him on Twitter at @Travelojos

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Drafting a travel itinerary

A side effect of having a thirst for travel is that it will always be unquenchable. You will never be able to see everything, experience everything; there will always be so much you miss.  That is why your itinerary is so important and yet so difficult to set.

If you read my article on how to research for a trip you’ll know that I go through a great number of resources and have a lot of travel content coming to me on a daily basis.  As a result, my visit list for any given locale is longer than most from the outset.  This is both good and bad.  On one hand I have a great start for my itinerary, yet when it comes time for cuts to be made it makes it that much harder to skip over destinations you’ve dreamt about for months, maybe even years.  Such is the life of a budget backpacker.

Create a Map

The first step is always to add my destinations to Google Maps so you get a map similar to mine.  There is one main advantage to this exercise; you can see very easily what a suitable route would be.  Look for where to start, where to end, how to eliminate backtracking and find any destinations that aren’t reachable from your other destinations.

There is something to be said for travelers without a strict itinerary, but you still need to have a general idea of how you are going to travel the region.  You do not want to end up like a backpacker friend of mine whose route after 6 months in Europe looked similar to several Stars of David.  He wasted a lot of time criss-crossing the continent several times. You should try to choose a route that flows and doesn’t require retracing your steps. If you decide on a round trip plane ticket, a circle of some sort is often ideal.

Use Paper

I always start by writing my newly created itinerary down on paper. Using paper makes it much easier to brainstorm and adjust the first iteration of your plan.  Above you can see what my first draft looked like. Pretty? Not in the least, but it’s functional and allowed me to plan freely. Use a guidebook to look at the activities and sights for each destination, and make an educated guess on how many nights you will spend there.  A good tip is to plan by the number of nights you will stay rather than days, as they can get confusing if you move around a lot or go on day trips.

For my South-East Asia trip, I was trying to stuff a little too much into my time frame, though this was exaggerated as I have a full week of unbudgeted time built into my proposed 120-day schedule.  This was one of the biggest problems with my trip to Europe, I was tightly budgeted and although it was an excellent itinerary, not too fast or too slow, it afforded me no flexibility, and I wasn’t able to stay long in the German Alps like I wanted.

Ask for Feedback

Slimming down your route is full of hard choices but you can make it easier on yourself.  You’re not alone; if you’re going there, then someone else has already been there.  Now is the time to bounce your itinerary off as many other travelers as possible.  The Boots’n All forums as well as other location specific travel forums are a great start; any feedback will help you grasp the situation.

One of my biggest problems was that I couldn’t get a handle on how much time I should be spending in the major cities of the region, unlike Europe where a 4-5 day rule is fairly universal.  I was lost so I turned to my fellow travelers on Boots’n All, and they responded in spades, with more detail then I would have expected.

Just like reading an essay out loud will help you find typos, explaining an itinerary in detail to a travel partner or friend will help you bring holes and unnecessary destinations to light.  This is what I did when I bounced my proposed itinerary off my buddy Richard who will be joining me for some of the time I’m in South-East Asia.

Prioritize

If you’re looking to make cuts, then focus on destinations that you don’t immediately gush about. If you’re not excited at home, what are the chances that it’ll be any better on the ground?  This is exactly what I did with Railay Bay, a beautiful destination known as a rock climbing mecca.  Me and heights aren’t always on speaking terms, so that was an easy decision.

Any place that only has one reason for you to going may need reconsideration; if it’s not a major reason then it’s probably not worth your time.  Phuket got cut down to one night because of this. The only real reason for going is to witness the spectacle of the sex tourism industry;  the entire stop is basically an exercise in laughing at sex tourists.  Even at one night, I’m still considering just axing the whole island.

Relax

It is important to remember through the whole process that even if you must cut some destinations, you will return with nothing but good memories, and any disappointment will fade quickly when you remember what you did experience.

Though mostly set, my itinerary is still in flux, and will likely stay that way until I leave. Once I’m on the ground it will change drastically:  travel mishaps happen, my usually ironclad stomach may fail me, a civil war could escalate, or the proposed elections in Burma could throw the country into turmoil.  The flexibility I have built into my plan should allow me to bounce back from setbacks, and with any luck I’ll finish my stint in Hanoi with time to visit another tiny South-East Asian country.

You can review current iteration of my schedule on Google Docs.  Feel free to comment or ask questions.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

“Andy, let’s take a trip!”

This phrase comes out of my mouth at least 3 times a week.

Andy is a pro by now and takes it in stride. Most of the time I think he is humoring me because we never get further than choosing a place to go before he distracts me with another task at hand. Lately though, we both have been seriously looking into a long weekend trip. The one catch is we want to take our 110lb dog.

Where should we go?

Perhaps the most exciting question any traveler can ask. The possibilities are endless and the adventures, numerous. Although, when traveling with a dog the problems tend be endless and the restrictions, numerous. So, what does one do in this situation?

Plan, plan, plan!

Personally, I think the word “plan” is a dirty word. I’d much rather fly by the seat of my pants if you will, but the thought of leaving our Tucker behind is all the encouragement I need to get my butt in gear and plan out a trip.

Andy and I started out by surfing the web for the United States’ most dog friendly cities. Unbeknown to us, there are  many websites dedicated to traveling dog lovers. After sorting through the websites, we found the closest “Dog Friendly” city to Des Moines was Chicago.

A trip to Chicago could easily be accomplished in a 4-day weekend. No flights needed here! Just Andy, Tucker, Myself, and the open road. Being able to drive to our destination is a must with Tucker. I’m an over-protective mother, and do not like the idea of loading him onto a plane.

Tucker playing on a playground

So, we found a place to go. Now we need a hotel and things the 3 of us can do together! Lucky for us, we have relatives who live in Chicago and are more then happy to accept us, and Tucker, free of charge. For those of you who are not as lucky, I recommend looking at some of these sites which list pet friendly hotels:

• Official Pet Hotels
• Bring Fido
• Petravel

Do not be surprised if there are fees involved in bringing your pet to stay with you. I found it to be frustrating that most hotels would not accept a dog as big as Tucker, but I know with a bit of  persistence, and phone calls, I would be able to find a hotel willing to take him. That is if my relatives were unable to have us!

Finally, what the heck can we do with a dog in Chicago? Plenty!

We were pleasantly surprised at the variety of businesses and activities that catered to dogs and their humans, most of which are recommend for the Spring, Summer and early Fall. Let’s be honest, no one wants to wander around the “Windy City” in the dead of winter.

I recommend Dog Friendly to see what cities offer for you and your dog. We found out there is a company in Chicago that allows you and your dog to take a horse drawn carriage ride around the city.

There are so many opportunities to travel around the United States with your pets! Andy and I would love to hear of other people’s experiences while traveling across the U.S. with their dogs!

We would also like to know if anyone has ever successfully traveled abroad with their animals? How did you do it? What steps did you take?

(Side note: we recently found out that Tucker has to have shoulder surgery due to his fast pace in growing. Sadly, we are sidelined when it comes time to take trips with him for the next few months. Keep him in your thoughts for a safe surgery and a speedy recovery!)

________

Photo Credit:  Fail dog

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Long term backpacking often comes with a strict budget and I am no exception.  This means scrimping for many months, doing without and cutting expenses where you can.  With today’s rising cost of air travel, a round trip ticket will take a large percentage out of every traveler’s coffers.  Finding the cheapest airfare to your destination is one of the most confusing and frustrating processes that a traveler will go through prior to his/her trip.

I take the view that spending a dozen hours researching insider strategies, and trying to apply every trick in the book only to shave off an additional $100, isn’t worth my time.  However, there is one factor that will make a huge difference in the price of your airfare, and this is when you buy your ticket.

Airfares bounce up and down without warning or reason, so it’s important to have a read on average prices before you buy.  This starts long before you plan to take your trip. Sites like Kayak and Bing Travel Search are a traveler’s best friends.  Not only will they search multiple travel sites like Expedia and Orbitz, but they will monitor prices for you and send you emails at regular intervals to keep you updated.

When I first started planning around a year ago, prices for a round trip from Winnipeg to Singapore were around the $1,250 dollar mark.  Expensive to be sure, but at the time, I had no idea of average prices for the trip, and didn’t buy at that time.  When I returned to my airfare search this past summer, prices had risen substantially to around $1400.  This is when I set up weekly fare alerts with both Kayak and Bing. Over recent months, much to my wallet’s dismay, prices continued to rise.  That $1,500 ticket was equal to about two months of daily budget in Asia.

Staving off my own fears that the price would continue to rise I held out until recently when my inbox revealed a substantial $411 drop in price. As I tweaked my search dates slightly, I was able to find an extremely cheap price of $1,173 (taxes included). I jumped at the opportunity and bought the tickets through Orbitz via Kayak.

Sweetening the deal was the fact that the airlines I would be flying with had changed.  Up until recently the most inexpensive airlines had been Northwest or Cathay Pacific.  Having heard less than stellar reviews of Northwest, I was thrilled to find I would be flying with Air Canada and Singapore Airlines.  There isn’t a prize for being uncomfortable.

Most importantly, by flying with Air Canada, I am assured a back-of-the-seat entertainment system which is worth its weight in gold when you’re in the air for around 50 hours. Singapore Airlines is also consistently ranked among the best in the world.

There were several ways I could have dropped my fare a little further.  Because I was directed to Orbitz from Kayak, a portion of my fare was paid to Kayak as a finder’s fee.  I may have been able to save a small amount by going directly through the Orbitz website. However, I have no problem supporting a relatively new startup, without which I would have certainly wasted many hours and eventually paid more for my tickets.

Because budget airline profit margins are so slim, many do not offer a referral fee to a search service like Kayak, and therefore are not included in Kayak’s search.  I may have been able to save some money by amending my destination to Hong Kong (my flight’s connection) and searching with a regional budget carrier like Air Asia.  Ultimately, convenience and a flight with Singapore Airlines kept me from trying this strategy.

If you are a traveler that is concerned with your impact on the world, you can give something back when you buy your airfare.  If the cheapest option is through either Priceline or Travelocity, you can support an excellent charity called Hands on Disaster Response (HODR).

HODR is often one of the first reconstruction charities into the sites of natural disasters in the US, and all around the World.  They take volunteers and provide room and board for them as they work to help locals rebuild.  I’ve been following HODR for some time, and have been eagerly awaiting a time that I  can volunteer with them.

Much like Kayak, if you search and buy through the Priceline or Travelocity search modules on their flights page, HODR will receive a small amount of compensation that will be put towards a good cause.  Be sure to remember them when you book your next trip.

No matter how much prep I do for a trip, it only becomes real to me after I buy my tickets.

Now I have a countdown in my head, and the clock is ticking.

_______________

Photo Credit:  Boy in canoe by David Lee

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

What’s better than visiting Europe?  Visiting Europe and have a free place to stay!

A&O Hotels and Hostels has announced that they are giving away free accommodation to people with the most common baby names used in 1989.  For the month of January if your name is listed below you can stay for free , up to a week, at these locations:  Hamburg, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Leipzig, Cologne, Munich, Dresden, Prague and Vienna.

• Michael & Sarah:                    04/Jan/2010 -- 10/Jan/2010
• Christopher & Jennifer:     11/Jan/2010 -- 17/Jan/2010
• Matthew & Lauren:              18/Jan/2010 -- 24/Jan/2010
• Joshua & Amanda:               25/Jan/2010 -- 31/Jan/2010

A&O Hostels in Europe

* only bookable through our U.S. Service Center, valid for stays up to one week. Booking has to be made before Dec 31st. Free Stay available only in dorm rooms .Breakfast and linen are not included. Vacancy is limited, may not be available on all dates. **VAT and fees are included- prices are subject to change based on currency exchange rates.

I don’t need to go into detail on how much it would cost to stay a week in Europe, as this is a sweet deal.  Who can argue that?  Then again, if your name isn’t on the list I guess you could, but don’t worry as you can still get 10% off of your stay during this promotion even if you name isn’t listed above.

So Tweet this to everyone and be sure to send it to anyone you know with the above name.  It could double as a free Christmas gift if you present it right.

For more information, click here, and to see videos of each hotel/hostel on YouTube, click here.  For bookings call the reservation center in the US toll free: 0800 888-0200 or email them at ahostels@amsusa.net.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

What is the catch you ask:

• $75 annual fee
• 50,000 miles upon your first purchase with the card (so buy a Coke and get a flight to Europe).
• 50,000 more miles if you spend $2,000 more in the first 3 months.
• The miles are good for 2 flights from America to one of the following countries: the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Switzerland.
• All tickets are subject to availability (so flying to London for New Years might not happen).
• All reward flights are subject to taxes, fees, charges and surcharges, including airline surcharges.
• After qualifying, please allow 6 to 8 weeks for bonus BA Miles to post to your account.

Note:  I didn’t see in the contract if you could fly from Europe to America on this deal (so I assume one could and spend their miles however they want).  It did not clarify if the whole US was included (ie: Alaska and Hawaii). “which can be redeemed for 1 transatlantic reward flight in World Traveller, economy class from the USA to Europe Zone 1, or choose to redeem for another qualifying flight.“

That pretty much sums up the fine print but before you walk away and say “I can’t afford to get another credit card” think about this:  Why not just sign-up, get approved, pay the $75, take a flight to Europe and cancel the card when you get back?  Then the cost of going only cost you $75 plus airport taxes.

OneWorld Airline Partners

If you decided it was such a good deal the first time, spend the next 3 months paying for your gas, bills, groceries, etc. with your card and you get another flight.  They even have a few more bonuses for you:

• Spend $30,000 in a single calendar year and you get a companion voucher good for any class of service (which means you can fly a friend for free).
• Get 1.25 miles rather than the usual one for each dollar charged to the card.
• Earn 2.5 miles for each $1 you spend at British Airways.

Other things can you get with a 100,000 miles:

• 60,000 miles: Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Gibraltar, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden
• 65,000 miles: Albania, Algeria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Israel, Libya, Romania, Russian Federation, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine
• 80,000 miles: Bahrain, Egypt, Ghana, Kuwait, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
• 90,000 miles: Angola, Kenya, India, Maldives, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

For the tightfisted backpacker, this is a sweet deal that can really save you some dough.  I just looked up the cost for a flight from St. Louis to London Heathrow from January 14 – January 28 and the total on BA was $1,098.  Humm $1,000+ or $75… not a hard choice!  And don’t get me started on endless journeys one could make using an Open Jaw ticket.

13.9 For return journeys, outbound and return flights must be booked at the same time. Travel to one destination from a point of origin and returning from another city to the same point of origin (or vice versa) is permitted.

Open Jaw example:  You could fly from New York to Sweden.  Then travel on your own overland to Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Hungry, Croatia and end in Serbia.  Then fly from Serbia back to New York.  60,000 miles used, 9 countries traveled and you could space the time out up to 12 months apart from departure and return.

Ok seriously, if British Airways knew the backpack community was going to abuse this, they might cancel the offer or change the rules on it… but I’m not waiting around for them to do so.  Act while ya can and happy travels!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Cuban license plate

Is it wise for an American to travel to Cuba, and is it legal for them…officially no.

According to the US State Department:

“Transactions related to tourist travel are not licensable. This restriction includes tourist travel to Cuba from or through a third country such as Mexico or Canada. U.S. law enforcement authorities enforce  these regulations at U.S. airports and pre-clearance facilities in third countries. Travelers who fail to comply with Department of the Treasury regulations could face civil penalties and criminal prosecution upon return to the United States.”

Officially by the State Department, only American citizens who met the below requirements are authorized:

1. U.S. persons with close relatives (any individual related to a person by blood, marriage, or adoption who is no more than three generations removed from that person or from a common ancestor with that person) who are nationals of Cuba and persons who share the same dwelling as a family with the person who has the relatives in Cuba may currently travel to Cuba once per 12 months for unlimited length of stay. (According to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, third country nationals who reside in Cuba are considered to be Cuban nationals.) For additional trips to Cuba, a specific license may be issued.
2. Journalists and supporting broadcasting or technical personnel (regularly employed in that capacity by a news reporting organization and traveling for journalistic activities).
3. Official government travelers on official business.
4. Members of international organizations of which the United States is also a member (traveling on official business).
5. Full-time professionals, whose travel transactions are directly related to research in their professional areas, provided that their research: 1) is of a noncommercial, academic nature; 2) comprises a full work schedule in Cuba; and 3) has a substantial likelihood of public dissemination.
6. Full-time professionals whose travel transactions are directly related to attendance at professional meetings or conferences in Cuba that are organized by an international professional organization, institution, or association that regularly sponsors such meetings or conferences in other countries. An organization, institution, or association headquartered in the United States may not sponsor such a meeting or conference unless it has been specifically licensed to sponsor it. The purpose of the meeting or conference cannot be the promotion of tourism in Cuba or other commercial activities involving Cuba, or to foster production of any bio-technological products.

Cuban cigars that I bought for $15 (for the whole box... cha-ching!)

There are many things on the internet talking about this subject and the inherent risk of it.  Is it doable for the regular traveler, yes!  Is it legal, yes and no, according to which government you’re talking with and how you read the above requirements.

According to the American government, you can actually travel to Cuba as an American, but you can’t spend any money there because of the embargo.  Which means there is no legal way of traveling there, as there is a clause in the law that says if you spend more than 24hrs in Cuba that one would have to spend some kind of monetary money to sustain oneself.  If you ask the Cuban government, their stance is “…the more the merry, we love tourist because they have tourist money!’

So the bottom line for a backpacker or traveler is…what???

You won’t be able to fly direct from the USA to Cuba, and would need to do a multi-stop trip.  Something like USA, Mexico, then Cuba.  I say it’s officially ok, and went with the information on #5 because:

1. I travel full time and go to the school of life.
2. I worked the whole time while there, 24/7 learning as much as I could.
3. Have a website/blog and “a substantial likelihood of public dissemination” (that’s if people read my website, hint hint).

So I thought I could go to Cuba on a general license.  With a general license you do not have to apply to OFAC (Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control) for permission.  The only time that an American would is if they don’t meet the above requirements and would need to obtain a “specific license.”

That being said, I still didn’t get my passport stamped and I won’t proudly tell the US Immigration that I was ever in Cuba.  If they ask I’ll simply say “Yes and that I fell under requirements for a general license and wish to invoke my constitutional right of the 5th Amendment.”  By doing so you aren’t incriminating yourself and it’s the burden of the American government to prove you did spend money in Cuba.  Now think about this; they can’t send the FBI to Cuba to every bar/hotel/restaurant to see if you did, and the OFAC has little authority either because you can’t use credit cards in Cuba.

So in essence, the only way you can get into trouble is by incriminating yourself.  Don’t lie, don’t cross your stories…just simply be quiet.  Odds are the government isn’t going to railroad you over it, because frankly, that will take a lot of paperwork.  Just do yourself a favor and don’t bring any goods, rum or cigars, back!

I’ll be posting more on Cuba this week, about the pro’s & con’s of going to Cuba, street life, and overall thoughts.

What do you think, should Americans be allowed to go?  Is it fair that one race can, Cuban-Americans, and not the rest of the US population (I thought we’re all created equal)?  Would you travel to Cuba as the law stands?

-

[Editor's note:  This article does not constitute legal advice.  Proceed to Cuba at your own risk!]

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Florence Italy

I know, I know, this is all very unexpected. Why would a book reviewer, and travel book reviewer at that, suggest not to bring along those books on my own trips? And, my gosh, let’s not even begin questioning why on earth she would think it sound advice to tell me not to bring a guide. Or even a map. Ha!

Well, I’m not exactly telling you that you should or shouldn’t do anything. But please consider my proposition.

Why?

Because some of my best travel experiences have been spent without any of the three.

I know that studying abroad is supposed to be an academic joke. Most universities do not equate the credit to that of their courses offered on the main campus, which translates to an easy class, a pass/fail grading system, or a little bit of both.

Studying abroad was not like that for me. By the time midterms came around last semester, I was stressed and in desperate need of a vacation. Thankfully, spring break began the day after my last exam.

Arklow, Ireland

My best traveling companion and I had previously booked hostels in our three destinations (Dublin, Budapest, Florence) and bought plane tickets to and from each random European city. We had the essentials covered. And before we knew it, we kissed our classes goodbye (for a week) and hopped on our plane from Baden-Baden to the Dublin airport without a care or worry in the world.

There was some method to our madness: All we had wanted to do was go to Budapest to visit my neighbor’s family and see the city from the inside out, through the eyes of the Hungarian locals. But you, of all people, most understand the way that discount airlines work… without any logic.

And so, I placed my perfectionism and planning tendencies behind me as we found the cheapest flight in (and out of Dublin) and the cheapest flight out (to Florence). We “planned” our entire 8 days of traveling without an agenda, and yet we achieved everything and more that we had set out to do.

We saw the sights in Dublin as we walked aimlessly through the streets. But we also got to know Arklow, a small coastal town that we chose randomly on the train map in hopes of finding the essence of Ireland. We visited all of the historically- and contemporary-influential places in Budapest. But we also tasted the best hot chocolate we had ever had, and realized the beauty in tragically forgotten buildings.

We took the tour of Florence offered by our hostel, and even spent a long morning in the world famous Uffizi. But? It was raining, we were tired of tourists, we walked up the hill before us, higher and higher until we found it. We soon learned that “it” was the Bardini Garden, and we were, at that moment in time, it’s sole visitors. We continued on to the Boboli gardens after, of course, but we remember our secret garden most fondly.

Budapest, Hungary

“How, then, find the courage for action? By slipping a little into unconsciousness, spontaneity, instinct which holds one to the earth and dictates the relatively good and useful. By accepting the human condition more simply, and candidly, by dreading troubles less, calculating less, hoping more.” -Hendric Freder Amiel

Be spontaneous.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

What do I mean when I say I’ll be packing ultra-light? Well I’m trading in my 65 litre Eagle Creek Explorer LT for a Futura 28 Day Pack, and that is the only bag I’ll be taking on my 4 month trip to South-East Asia. OK, so now you think I’m an idiot too, don’t you?

It’s not an original idea and it has been done successfully before.  I first heard of this style of travel through a series of blog posts on Gadling called Life Nomadic.  I was intrigued to the learn of author Tyan, who has been a huge proponent of this style of travel, having traveled this way for years.

I’ve always traveled light.  On my first trip, my backpack weighed in at under 20lbs, fully loaded. I smirked every time another traveler would walk into my hostel wearing a 90L monster packed to the brim with whatever didn’t fit hanging off the side like a traveling salesman.

Scaling down my gear to a 28L pack may seem impossible but really it’s not,  the golden rule is light, thin clothes and less of them.  That coupled with upgrading my gear to the smallest option available will make it possible. For example, instead of taking a day pack I’ll be taking a Kiva Key Chain Pack, which is a full day pack that will scrunch up into a little zippered package small enough to fit on a key chain.

For my trip to Cuba, I used an even smaller bag as a test.  Though I was staying in one place throughout the entire trip, it wasn’t a true test, but it did assure me that my plan was plausible.

But why would I want to put myself through the strain of having to do without?

Besides the obvious advantage of not hauling around the extra weight, I will enjoy several other benefits, mainly that I can take everything I own everywhere. I probably won’t always, but if I ever feel that my room isn’t secure then I won’t suffer when I take it with me.  I will also be taking my pack on treks with me.  In particular, if there is a trek that follows a point A to point B route, then usually guest houses will arrange for your bags to be sent to your destination.

Maybe it’s just my obsession with reading horror stories, but I don’t like the idea of parting with my only possessions on the continent for extended periods of time.  By packing ultra-light, I won’t have to.

Considering I’ll be on approximately 11 flights in the next year, across multiple countries and carriers, packing this light will allow me to keep my possessions within arm’s reach at all times.  If my bag were to get lost even for a few days it would be a monumental setback.  Doesn’t skipping the baggage claim after a long flight sound like a little slice of heaven?

The most enticing reason for me to travel ultra-light is the sheer challenge.  It will make me a more disciplined, and efficient traveler. Even when I want nothing more then the roomy comfort of me old bag, I will have no choice but to persevere.

Travel is all about pushing yourself and your comfort zones, and what better way is there to do that than by taking the road less traveled? Below is the video explaining how to pack ultra-light that inspired me to push myself.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Tucker takes in the scenery

Traveling with a dog has its ups and downs, highs and lows, fun times, and frustrating times. More then often, the joy of being able to go for a walk with your dog in a new city, watch them smell all the new smells available, and seeing another side of the city is well worth the effort.

We are going to start small and build up with our talks about Traveling with Tucker. The best luck we have had in introducing Tucker to a life on the road is short trips around Iowa.

The majority of his mileage and socialization have come from Andy loading him up into his ’92 Beretta and traveling 3 hours to visit Shelly on movie sets across Iowa. Tucker has been going on small road trips since he was 3 months old.

Prior to taking the big leap and cooping him up in the car for 3 plus hours we tried small car rides around town. Most of which ended badly with Tucker attempting to bail out the passenger side window while the car was in motion. Needless to say, we were nervous on how he would handle his first cross-Iowa expedition.

Tucker took his first long trip in the back of Shelly’s Escape in his kennel. He was given toys, treats, and towels to keep him busy. He cried nonstop for the first hour and a half of the three-hour ride. He got a break from his kennel to eat at a rest stop/park. Like any good dad, Andy walked Tucker around for him to go potty trying to prevent any accidents from happening in the car. Forty-five minutes later, still walking, no potty. So, Tucker was loaded back up into the car where he proceeded to whine for another thirty minutes. Thankfully, Tucker made it to the hotel without any accidents! The rest of the weekend went so smooth that we have continually brought Tucker across Iowa for the past four months.

Tucker's first hotel experience - he promptly crashed in front of air conditioning for an afternoon nap.

Andy deserves the credit for figuring out the magic combination to getting Tucker to sit in the car and not try to break out. Tucker ALWAYS has to go for a long walk before we go on a trip otherwise he will be the worst backseat driver known to man. He has a tendency to wiggle his way up onto the center counsel and lick anything or anyone within his reach. As you can imagine, it’s a bit distracting to have such a large dog licking the side of your head while driving.

We also find it best to take Tucker directly to a park after such a long car ride. We would rather he exercise his legs and empty his bladder somewhere other then our hotel room.

In our short time with Tucker, we have learned to look at hotels in a completely different way:

• The air conditiong is always better in the hotel then it is at home.
• The best way to make new friends at a MOTEL; let your dog wander into their room.
• The most interesting things about hotels can be found in the parking lots.
• If you are curious about your new surroundings, simply explore!

What type of road trip you take greatly depends on the personality of your dog.  Knowing your dog’s limitations and temperament will determine where and what type of trip you will take. We suggest things based off of the knowledge of our dog. We know that all dogs are not the same so please don’t get discouraged if your dogs don’t react the same way as Tucker in situations!

Short road trips are a great way to teach your dog how to handle new situations and build up to longer even more exciting adventures!

A dog's life

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Noteworthy Travel Books

So you’ve decided to travel to a far away corner of the Earth, but you have a lot of planning ahead of you and you’re lost on how to start.  Well I can help, I may have been called over prepared on several occasions but I’ve never been caught with my pants down, so to speak. When you’re traveling, you want to be surprised by only the good things that happen around you, not when you unintentionally anger the locals by mistakenly calling the Czech Republic Czechoslovakia.

Before I can nail down a single detail I need to get a feel of the country or region that I’ll be exploring.  Luckily in the digital age, travel information has never been easier to come by and generally has never been of a higher quality, if you look in the right places. The problem is that there is simply too much information for one person to effectively wade through.  I take the spaghetti approach to travel research, throw everything at a wall and see what sticks.  All the resources in this article stuck.

Wikitravel

The Holy Grail of travel information is Wikitravel, like Wikipedia for all things travel this site is written by other travelers all over the world and constantly amazes me by how accurate and insightful its content is. 99% percent of destinations are covered and if your destination isn’t, then add it for other travelers to build upon. If you need to know the top destinations in the country, and what they have to offer, Wikitravel is your Sherpa.  With Wikitravel at your side the need for a guidebook is greatly diminished, though I would still suggest getting one for your pre-trip planning.

Lonely Planet has never steered me wrong and I’ve been using Southeast Asia: On a Shoestring as my planning guide. One of the most valuable sections will be the “Get in” section, unlike guidebooks which often offer only a few options and outdated prices, Wikitravel will often cover travel options that you won’t find elsewhere.

Lonely Planet

Speaking of Lonely Planet, they offer several other services that are valuable to say the least.  The Lonely Planet website is an excellent resource for basic information, and they are constantly adding articles and other valuable content.  Without it I would never have planned a three day moto trip in Northern Thailand. Be sure to check it every once in a while for new content.  It is also an excellent guide for seasonal weather information.

Exponentially more valuable than their website, is Lonely Planet’s Twitter feed.  Users submit travel related articles by tagging a tweet with #lp and a team of Lonely Planet staffers review all the links and post the best of the best through their Twitter Feed.  This opens a whole new world of resources as you will find articles that would be lost in the noise of the blogosphere, let Lonely Planet do the filtering for you. Be warned that if you follow their tweets, your do-before-you-die list will become substantially longer in a short amount of time.

UNESCO

UNESCO is a special agency of the United Nations and as part of its duties UNESCO designates locales around the world as Word Heritage Sites.  These sites are named for their cultural, historical or natural significance, and are always a great day out on the road.   If you’re looking for the best attractions in a country the UNSECO website is a great place to start. I’ve never been disappointed by a UNESCO site. Though sites aren’t present in every country there are 890 sites worldwide so chances are that the country your visiting has several on offer.

Whatsonwhen

Some of the most memorable when times traveling are found at festivals when the locals are out and are exuding their culture. Whatsonwhen.com is basically a global directory of festivals and events. I dare you to do a search the amount of information they have is stunning.  If you can alter your plans slightly to attend a festival I doubt that you would regret it.

Travel Etiquette

Every country has different customs and cultural norms, unless you’re traveling with a local then you may get caught in a few sticky situations.  Travel Etiquette aims to help you act like a farang just a little less.  Travel Etiquette has a host of articles detailing the norms and no-nos for countries all around the world.  If you dropped a coin in Thailand would you step on it to stop it from rolling? I would hope not, that coin bears the effigy of the King of Thailand and even the smallest sign of disrespect towards him will land you in hot water.

BootsnAll

The best information that you will ever get is from your fellow travelers, that is why travel forums like BootsnAll are so important. All travelers love to share their experiences and wisdom, and as a result these forums are a bottomless pit of information. If you can’t find the answer to your question with a search then by all means sign-up and ask away, your fellow travelers are willing and able to answer.

Bloggers

Before you can make any decisions you’ll need to be aware of the costs associated with a trip, both Dave’s and Megan’s cost sheets are excellent ways to understand the financial responsibilities of travel for your destination.  [Editor's Note:  Megan's excellent cost info is unavailable due to technical issues - hopefully she'll get her site online again soon.]

Travel Books

Of course the web is not the end all be all of information, books still offer a wealth of quality of information.  In addition to my guidebook, books such as 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List are an excellent reference, though personally, I would skip the hotel suggestions.  Books that focus on other travelers experiences are a valuable way to learn about life in another country, Travelers’ Tales Thailand: True Stories gave me a unique perception of what it’s like to be a traveler in Thailand, but only time will tell if it checks out.

As a political person, books like Confessions of an Economic HitMan and The Black Book of Canadian Foreign Policy provide a uncommon and in depth understanding of the West’s involvement in the region and the repercussions that those actions had. For instance The Suharto dictatorship in Indonesia received aid from Canada and after the fall of the Khmer Rouge Canada supported a coalition government in Cambodia that would have included the former brutal dictators.  Though not pretty, I’d much rather be an informed traveler, over a blissfully ignorant one.

If your still short on information, Wikipedia and Flickr are great backups.  Flickr is especially valuable as a simple search will bring out the true beauty of any destination, even Winnipeg.

Here are a few other good resources:

• Recommended vaccinations for travelers
• Information on corruption around the world
• Quick visa information and travel warnings for every country
• World’s best data on train travel around the world

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Why are you going? When are you going? Where are you going?

These are always the first questions I’m asked when I tell someone I’m planning a trip. The when and the where are the easy parts, the why is somewhat more complicated.  As with any big decision there were multiple factors involved.

When I returned from Europe in June, 2008 the only thing I could think about was travel: where, when, how? My initial intentions were of returning to Eastern Europe or trekking through Central Asia. Unfortunately Central Asia is too volatile right now and getting even more so.

Eastern Europe was thrown to the wayside when a backpacker friend of mine suggested South East Asia.

His answer to Why? The full moon party on Ko Pha Ngan, and treks in the jungle were the first things he mentioned, both of which perked my ears right up.  I knew that South East Asia had a well worn backpacker trail and that it had ample amounts of everything I was looking for: wilderness, an alien culture, a handful of countries that can be traveled overland, danger, and a great party scene.

Although I had the time of my life in Europe I had an immediate drive to top it.  When I stood in the German Alps, I told myself that I would find a place even more beautiful before it was all over. I’m still looking…

After watching an episode of Top Gear which featured Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, I knew Asia was in my future.  Europe lacked the danger and adventure that I now crave, and to cure that I would need to push my limits with a venture into Burma.

Asia will be a trip of many firsts for me both in culture and length, which I think is what ultimately drew me away from Europe and set my compass towards Asia­. In my mind, Europe will always be there but Asia is currently in the middle of a tourism boom and rapid industrialization, much like Cuba.  I consider it necessary to see Asia now, before its countries become further developed and industrialized.

Then the questions turned to when to go and where to go. My departure in April of 2010 made sense as I’m taking a second gap year from university along with several other factors. The length of my time off will allow me to accumulate enough funds for a 4 month trip and allow me to make another small trip in February.

After reading about the area and finding this blog, I started to get a good feel of the region and what each country had to offer.  I formulated a route that would take me through Thailand, Burma, Laos and Cambodia.  As I began to plan, I reconnected with a friend I had first met in Berlin, who conveniently lives in Singapore.  With a open invitation from my friend, Malaysia and Singapore were both added to my route. As these things go, the trip continued to expand in my mind to include Vietnam and balloon to 4 full months abroad.

Often after I answer these three questions, people ask me what I’m going to be doing, almost with a tone of disbelief at the amount of time I will be away from home. Although my answer is usually a simple “backpacking around” my mind always starts to race from destinations to adventures: trekking in the Lao jungle, fishing in the world’s oldest forest, exploring ruins in Cambodia, volunteering in Laos, and so many more.

As a traveler I’ll always seek the next experience, the next story.  To experience is to grow, to grow is to live. I hope you`ll follow along with me over the coming weeks as I dive into the details.

Next week, I`ll be writing about how to research a country you know little about.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

A little over two years ago, I read and reviewed my first travel book aimed squarely at the female population.  Despite having “lipstick” and “women” in the title, I found it to be perfectly suitable for men as well.

When I was offered the chance to review Chelsea Duke’s first book, High Heels and a Head Torch:  The Essential Guide for Girls Who Backpack, I figured why not?  Since I’d learned with the lipstick book to take titles with a grain of salt, it wasn’t Duke’s cover which tipped me off that this would truly be a book geared for women.  Nor was it the feminine, cursive typography sprinkled throughout the text.  Not even the little pair of illustrated, strappy high heels underneath the page numbers gave me that ah-ha moment.

It was when I started chapter one, “First Things First,” which details putting one’s kit (or backpack and belongings) together, that I realized I’m in for a steady dose of the female perspective.  I noticed there was an inordinate amount of time spent on clothing and accessories, and not just which items to bring, but how to ensure maximum opportunities for coordination.  I learned, among other things, that make-up can melt and make a mess in hot weather.

Sure, guys think about what clothes to take, but I’ve never seen so much time and care devoted to the topic in a backpacking guidebook.  Perhaps most writers, even the female ones, assume femininity is sacrificed on the backpacker trail.  Chelsea Duke disagrees.  For example, she suggests women “take a skirt and/or heels and/or make-up – something to make you feel a bit girlie and sexy.”

As I continued to read, I started to realize that while a man can effortlessly build a rugged persona during a backpacking trip, a woman has to be creative in order to maintain her sense of sex appeal (which we all know is required to attract a man – a fact not at all lost on Duke given the number of condom and safe sex references).  I also learned women have built-in money belts in the form of their bras.  Duke regularly recommended stashing stuff there for safekeeping.

I appreciated the author’s tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, and could clearly tell she was passionate about sharing her lessons learned from a trip around the world.  Duke weaves plenty of anecdotes from her adventures in Asia, Australia, Africa and South America into the book, offering lists of Do’s and Don’ts at the end of every chapter to sum up her best advice.

She covers the typical budget travel stuff like managing a good night’s sleep in hostels, and how to meet new people.  In addition, she humorously touches on topics you’d be hard-pressed to find in other guidebooks, such as tricks for ensuring you can use squat toilets effectively, and how to go about bush peeing without making a mess.

I imagine reading High Heels and a Head Torch:  The Essential Guide for Girls Who Backpack would be like reading a backpacking column in the pages of Cosmopolitan.  Perfect for women, but guys best look elsewhere.

______________

High Heels and a Head Torch:  The Essential Guide for Girls Who Backpack by Chelsea Duke is currently available in UK bookstores and via Amazon.com UK for £4.94.  Plans are being formalized for its release in the USA as well.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

My Gregory Chaos Pack - Vientiane, Laos 2008

Backpack – Gregory “Chaos” (Medium, Red, 2,700 cubic inches)
I purposely bought a small backpack to help limit me in what I brought on the trip. This mentality worked very well, and I recommend it highly. When buying a pack, go to an outdoor store that specializes in camping, etc. Ask a lot of questions and shop around. Make sure your pack fits well, and be willing to return it if you have any problems packing it.

It is very important that you spend some time walking or hiking with your pack fully loaded before you leave. This will get you comfortable with how to load/unload it and how to adjust the straps for ultimate performance and comfort. I tested mine out by walking with it on a tread mill for two miles per day, the whole week before my trip. Remember that if you buy a quality backpack, you should be able to use it for more than one trip.  [Author's Note:  My Chaos is now 11 years old.  I've taken it to 29 countries, and my brother borrowed it for his own post-grad Summer in Europe.  It still fits and works perfectly.]

Daypack – Jansport (Green, Standard school size)
I wasn’t quite sure of what a “daypack” was when I kept running across it in books. The term is actually a catch-all that describes whatever smaller backpack you use to carry around your things during the day, like your camera, journal, food, water, etc. I brought the backpack I used in college, and it turned out work just fine.

Me and my pack - Blarney Castle, Ireland - 1998

Clothing – see below

Pants: bring 1 pair in the Summer, 2 in the Winter. Don’t bring jeans – they take too long to dry, and they are very heavy. Do bring khaki pants. They will match all your clothes, they are lighter, and compress better in packing. I bought a pair of North Face pants for my trip. They were very expensive, and I should have just brought a normal pair of khakis. Cargo pants are helpful for their extra pockets. [Author's Note:  I used the same pairs of North Face pants and shorts on my RTW trip as I did in Europe 11 years earlier.  Don't be cheap - make the investment in a few pieces of quality gear and clothes!]

Shorts: bring 1 or 2 pair in the Summer, none in the Winter. Bring a pair of shorts that either is a bathing suit, or is light enough that it can double as one. You might not even have a need for shorts during your trip.  The only time I wore my shorts was during my time in Italy and Nice. If you only plan on visiting the British Isles, you definetly do not need shorts. Check out what the averages temperatures are for the places you are going, and pack accordingly. Only bring what you need.

Shirts: 2 short sleeve, 1 long sleeve. What kind of shirts you bring really depends on where you are going and when. I think it is the biggest variable for clothing. I brought 3 short sleeve t-shirts and 2 long sleeve shirts. I ended up wearing one of my shirts (a polyester Addidas soccer shirt) for 90% of my trip. I threw out one of the long sleeve shirts and one of the short sleeve shirts. I would have gotten rid of a second short sleeve shirt, but it was one of my favorites, and I ended up having to carry it for the rest of my trip. Bring less than what you think you’ll need. And only bring shirts that you would be willing to throw away. This isn’t a fashion show, you won’t even be seeing the same person for more than a day or two anyway.

Sweatshirt or sweater: none in summer, 1 in winter. These articles of clothing really do take up a lot of space. I seriously considered bringing a hooded sweatshirt during my trip, and I’m really glad I didn’t. Even when I encountered cold weather in Ireland, I kept warm by simply layering my clothes. A t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, and windbreaker worked just as well as a sweater.

Footwear: 1 pair of all-terrain sneakers, sandals and shoes optional. Your choice of footwear is an area where you don’t want to be cheap. I bought a pair of all-terrain New Balances (801). They were expensive at $80, but unbelievably comfortable during the whole trip. Plus, I’m still using them after the trip. Don’t bring boots unless it is winter and you plan on hiking through the woods a lot. They are too bulky and heavy. Sandals are good if you are worried about the dirty showers like me. In reality, I ended up using them at the beach and during the warm weather parts of my trip, and almost never used them in the showers. Only bring dress shoes if you are interested in getting into the expensive, trendy clubs of Paris and London. Otherwise, they are a big waste of space.

During my trip, I saw an unbelievable range of footwear. I couldn’t believe some of the girls would bring 2-3 inch platform shoes with them. Others wore converse sneakers which offer no support, and fall apart quickly. Whatever you decide to bring, break them in before you leave. Trust me, if your feet are happy, you are happy.

Costa Rica - 2005

Socks: bring 3-5 pairs. I brought 4 pairs of hiking socks with me. They were expensive at $10 a pair, but they were padded, and dried very quickly. Don’t skimp when it comes to your feet. There is no quicker way to problems, than lack of mobility. I attribute my lack of foot problems to my choice of socks and sneakers. Oddly enough, I got giant blisters on my toes, but they never hurt to walk on.

Underwear: bring 3-5 pairs. I brought 3 pairs, and ended up throwing them out for about a week, then bought 2 more pairs. Traveling commando is an effective way to cut down on clothes, as long as you are comfortable. I found that all the walking I did daily led to chaffing, and decided I was pro-underwear on the whole. But be willing to go without, on those dreaded laundry days.

Jacket: 1 windbreaker in Summer and Winter. Don’t bring heavy jackets! To stay warm, whatever the temperature, layer your clothes. Then, all you have to do is put your light jacket on to keep you dry. Make sure to bring a jacket during the summer too, in case of rain and cool nights. Bring a jacket that is packable, or compresses easily.

Hat: optional. I brought a Columbia hat with a 360 degree rim. I only wore it at the beach to help fight the sun, but even then it wasn’t necessary. No one seems to wear hats like these in Europe. For that reason, I stuck out like the biggest tourist when I would walk around a city like Rome. For that reason, I recommend sun tan lotion, and a hat only if you can’t live without it.

Sleep Sack: I don’t recommend bringing a sleep sack. About 90% of the hostels I stayed at had sheets, and you could rent sheets at the places that didn’t provide them. Even the cheapest hotels have clean sheets.  One of my friends did say he used it at a campground in Greece. But, I don’t see how a sheet can provide comfort against the ground? Anyway, I thought about throwing mine out several times during the trip, and probably should have. Even when I did need to use it, I was too lazy to take it out from the bottom of my pack, and ended up just wrapping myself in the blanket provided. They are a waste of space, and a giant part of your dirty laundry.

Towel: Everyone has a different opinion when it comes to this. I bought a packtowel and cut it down to about the size of an 8 1/2 by 11 inch piece of paper. Although at times, I longed for a normal cotton towel, my approach worked just fine. The best part was that I could use it in the shower as a washcloth, then ring it out, and dry myself off. These things are amazing! If you are not as gung-ho about saving space as I am, then you’ll probably want a hand towel. Anything bigger is not really needed.

Swiss Army Knife: This is the easiest way to carry a corkscrew. Everyone drinks wine in Europe, and you’ll find yourself coming to the rescue of many people. The knife was also helpful in fixing meals, especially when it came to slicing cheese. It doesn’t pay to buy cheap imitations. My friend had one with a corkscrew that broke when we tried to uncork a bottle!

First Aid Kit: You can assemble your own kit, but I found it useful to buy a small one at an outdoor store and then supplement it with more medicine and band aids. I think the price alone was worth it for the little booklet that describes the common travel ailments and their recommended cures. You should bring a lot of band-aids since they tend to fall off (especially when on your feet). Tweezers are good for splinters.

Bring several types of over the counter medications for coughing, fever, headaches, muscle cramps, diarrhea, and general pain. Don’t bring full bottles, you only need enough to last you a day or two, thereby giving you time to find a pharmacy. I found the pharmacist I talked to in Venice to be very helpful, I just pointed to the problem areas (throat, nose and head) and he was able to recommend some medicines. You should also make sure to bring supplies of any medication you take on a normal basis.

Soap/Shampoo: I brought two small bottles of all purpose Campsuds. It worked well as shampoo and soap, but was not very helpful in doing the laundry. I also tried using it for shaving, which turned out to be a masochistic experience. When I lost my Campsuds, I was forced to buy a bar of soap, which I ended up preferring. But that meant I had to buy a bottle of shampoo too, and I could only get a bigger than I needed bottle. Whatever you bring, make sure to keep it in a ziploc bag.

Shaving Cream: One travel size bottle will last you two months, and you probably won’t even be shaving every day.

Toothpaste and Toothbrush: Bring a medium sized tube and a normal toothbrush will do. You might want to invest in one of those little protective covers if you are squeamish about your bristles getting dirty.

Tampons: For all the female readers, I doubt you’d forget this but I’ve received many e-mails to add it to the list.

Sun Tan Lotion: Bring a big bottle in the summer, and a small one in the winter (good if you are going skiing?). Of course this is an optional item for the lucky people that don’t burn (not me).

Journal: I brought an almost standard size composition book. It was a little big, and I could never just carry it in my pocket. I suggest a pocket size book with no lines. This will allow you to whip it out at any time, while at a restaurant or museum, and make a quick note of something. Remember to draw pictures! And bring a couple of pens too.

Camera w/film: I brought a mid-priced auto-zoom Minolta camera that worked just great. I brought 12 roles of 24 exposure film, and used 10 of them in 7 weeks. Don’t bring more than one role of film per week . You’ll just end up with a lot of crappy pictures. Instead, try and budget your film, and only take worthwhile pictures. Whatever you do, don’t bring a video camera. I’ve seen people’s vacation video, and I’ve talked to people that have edited them It always turns out duller than when you took it, and you’ll probably never watch it. Plus, you’d have to deal with all the voltage differences and the constant charging of batteries.  [Author's Note:  Remember, this was in 1998 before the advent of cheap digital cameras.  I definitely was opinionated back then.]

Back-up glasses or contacts: I brought a back-up pair of glasses, but never needed them. Still, go out and buy a cheap pair if you don’t already have one. I can’t imagine what I would do if I lost or broke my glasses, and didn’t have a second pair readily available. It would also be helpful to bring a copy of your current prescription, so you wouldn’t have to pay for a new exam.

Miscellaneous – see below

Spoon: One of the most valuable tools you can bring on your trip. There were countless times I wanted to buy yogurt, but couldn’t due to my lack of this utensil. A knife and fork are a distant second to the spoon.

Cups: Not necessary. Just drink from the bottle. In Italy they give you free Dixie cups when you buy a bottle of wine. Sometimes you need to ask for them.

Ziploc Bags: Bring a lot of these things. They were great on my trip. The gallon sized ones are great for keeping wet clothes separated in your pack. They are also good for storing food, and packing up meals for picnics. Cheeses belong in these bags. They are also handy for keeping spillable liquids like soap and detergent contained.

Packing for Belize & Guatemala - 2006

Optional Items

Walkman w/8-10 AA batteries: Bring a cheap walkman, and 2-3 110 minute mix tapes. This was one item I didn’t mind carrying around. I used it most when I was traveling between locations. My friends would listen to theirs while walking around the cities. I think that isolates you from your surroundings. You can’t fully experience a new culture like that. A bonus is your ability to receive foreign radio broadcasts, which can either be an interesting or boring experience.  [Author's Note:  Remember, it was still the 90's.  These days, bring an mp3 player of course.]

Books: Don’t carry more than one small paperback at a time. There are plenty of people willing to trade books, and most major cities have large book stores. If you are reading an interesting author, it’s also a good way for strangers to start conversations with you. This happened to me more than once. I suggest “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac.

Rope and clothespins: You definitely don’t need to bring these items unless you take great pride in doing your laundry. Don’t worry, there is always something to hang your clothes from, normally it’s your bunk bed.

Sunglasses: Either you wear them or you don’t. I didn’t before I went, and I ended up not wearing the ones I brought.

Toilet Paper: Looking back, I think I took all the threats of bad toilet paper a little too seriously. The only country’s toilet paper I had a problem with was the Czech Republic. Even then, it was bearable for a few days. I ended up using the toilet paper I brought for my cold. After running out, I never had a problem since I would just steal some from a hostel or restaurant.

Multivitamins: Since you’ll be on the road for an extended period of time, you’re regular diet will most likely be interrupted. Vitamins are a good way to help make sure you stay healthy on your trip.

Condoms: Always be prepared.

Sachet: A small packet of perfumed powder used to scent clothes. Probably a good idea for girls to carry something like this to help keep their (dirty) clothes smelling good while confined to their backpacks. Available at Victoria’s Secret.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Twin Statues - Luxor, Egypt 2008

The morning of September 11, 2001 is well-ingrained in my memory.  Within a few days of the attack, I called Adventure Center and verified my October trip was still scheduled, which meant I had to decide whether or not to head for The Middle East.  My parent’s definitely did not want me to go.  My brother, on the other hand, took the opposing view.

Deep down, I knew fear alone was not a reason to cancel my plans, however the 24/7 media coverage of death and destruction was effective at swaying me.  And then there was a sign, in the form of Delta canceling their service to Cairo.  Suddenly, I would be due a full refund on my airfare, which made giving up my $200 tour deposit seem inconsequential.

Life seemed to sway me away from international travel, thereafter, as it wasn’t until several years later in 2005 that I would dust off my passport and board a flight to Costa Rica.  If it weren’t for that complete lack of travel in my early 20’s, I might not have decided to make up for it with a big trip around the world in my early 30’s.

And it was on that RTW trip that I made sure to visit Egypt – Cairo, the Pyramids, Luxor, and Aswan – complete with Nile River cruise and several felucca rides to make up for 2001.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Old Islamic Cairo - Egypt 2008

After I had enough money for the initial deposit, I called Adventure Center back. I spoke to the same woman as before, Maz. Since my trip is one of the least expensive, the $300 deposit was more than 3/4 of the total cost. I planned on paying the remaining $90 in another few weeks. I printed out copies of the forms from the web site, and faxed them off. I also asked Maz to find the best airfare possible for my trip.

While the advertisement for the trip states you’re flying in and out of Cairo, the truth is that is only if you take the 16 day trip. In my case, with the 10 day trip, I will be ending in Luxor and therefore need to find a way back to Cairo. Maz estimated the airfare from Luxor to Cairo to be $125.

The next communication I received from Maz included confirmation of my trip booking, and reservations for a round-trip flight, including the Luxor-Cairo trip and all applicable taxes. The total cost came to $1075. I saw that as a great price, however I wanted to dig around on my own as I had yet to purchase an airline ticket online.

After checking out big sites like Expedia and Cheap Tickets I realized I wasn’t going to beat Maz’s price unless I found a budget-minded site. I searched Yahoo for consolidator sites and came across Airlineconsolidator.net. I entered my trip dates, and came up with some great results. The cheapest airfare was offered by TWA. Next, I called the consolidator and asked for the details of the flight (times, cost including taxes, layovers). A day later I received a phone call that the flight I was interested in wasn’t available, however there was another one with space but at a higher cost (about $200 higher). Since I still had to buy a separate ticket for the Luxor to Cairo leg, I knew it wouldn’t be worthwhile to take that ticket. Also, like the flights Maz found, this one had layovers in European airports. That was something I wanted to avoid, if at all possible.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Luxor Temple - Egypt 2008

By now I’m convinced I need to go visit Egypt, and soon! After reading the ad, I wanted to check and see if the tour operator, Adventure Center, had a web site. I went to http://www.adventurecenter.com and sure enough it was the tour operator’s site. I clicked on the About Us link first. I was excited to see they had been running small tours, to destinations around the world, for 24 years. I began to feel much more comfortable about giving them my money.

Next, I wanted to find the specific trip that was advertised, so I clicked on the Our World link, and then the continent of Africa. I was surprised to see so many different trips being offered. I began reading about all kinds of different trips, but I realized I better focus in on what I can afford, so I found the trip that was advertised on the Frommer’s site. At first glance, there was a lot of great information including:

• Day by day tour itinerary
• Methods of transportation
• Accommodations and Meals included
• Size of the group
• Tour staff and support
• Departure dates
• Cost
• Picture of the sailboat we are to take down the Nile

Still hungry for information, I clicked on the site’s FAQ link. I cruised through about 20 questions and answers, and decided the next step would be to call and find out about the availability of my trip. After work, I called Adventure Center. The woman who answered had a strong English accent. Adventure Center was located in California, so this raised my curiosity.

Feluccas on the Nile - Aswan, Egypt 2008

I mentioned the specific trip that interested me, as well as where I saw the ad for it. I commented on the fact that there seemed to be a trip leaving every week of the year. She replied that while that is true, they tend to fill up quickly. After mentioning the time period I was interested in traveling (October/November 2001), she ran through the dates that were available.

We went to Adventure Center’s web site together, and she pointed out additional information was available for the trip. I clicked on the View Dossier link on the left hand side of the page, and Adobe Acrobat opened to show a more detailed itinerary.  I asked the woman if she had ever taken a trip through her company, to which she replied “yes.”  We spoke briefly about what the experience is like. She mentioned that most of the people on the tour groups are English, as it was an English company. There were however some Canadian and Americans as well.

For some reason, I found the idea of taking a trip through them even more appealing. Not that I have anything against us American travelers, but sometimes we can be a bit obnoxious and less interesting than our foreign counterparts. I asked about the general age range for the travelers that choose this trip. She said they tend to be of varying ages, but on the younger side since you will have to sleep on the deck of the sailboat for part of the trip. The thought of sailing down the Nile, asleep on the deck of a sailboat, under the Egyptian sky, quickly filled my mind.

I was about out of questions, so I told her I would call back when I was ready to book my trip.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

The Great Pyramids - Giza, Egypt 2008

Wednesday, August 8, 2001 was a day like any other. I woke up and went to work. As I was spending some downtime checking out travel sites, I came across a deal that caught my eye on the Frommer’s site. My decision was instantaneous – I was going to Egypt, and soon! Things seemed to come together for me, as if stars were coming into alignment for some great event. First, I had some money coming my way thanks to a bonus at work, a tax refund, and some auctions on Ebay. Second, I had over three weeks of vacation time saved, and had yet to go anywhere in the year 2001. Third, the deal just seemed too good to pass up. Here is the exact text I saw that morning:

If there is one indispensable visit, it is to the ancient culture of Egypt. And a famous tour operator has now created a nine-night visit there for only $390 plus the cost of round-trip air to Cairo. You visit the Pyramids the Sphinx, and the Egyptian Museum downtown, and then go by overnight train to Aswan where you board an Egyptian felucca–a sail driven riverboat–for a three night cruise to all the classic sights of Upper Egypt and back to Cairo. Since a round-trip ticket to Cairo can be purchased for about $700 from various airfare consolidators, you enjoy the entire experience for about a thousand dollars, as low as such costs go.  — Adventure Center

It wasn’t only the price that attracted me. Let’s take a closer look at the well written ad that helped convince me to go to Egypt for the first time. The first sentence refers to the trip as “indispensable” which makes it sound like I’m less than a world traveler if I never make it to Egypt.

Second, the words “ancient culture” bring forth images of a time long past. Culture is a buzzword for us travelers. We love immersing ourselves in foreign culture. Why else would we travel! The second sentence helps build my confidence in the deal by stating that it’s not just a normal tour operator offering the trip, but a “famous” one. By now I’m feeling safe that this is a reputable operator, even though I will do some homework on them later. The second sentence also states the length of the trip, nine days, which seems like a good period of time to spend there considering the distance I will have to travel. It also states the cost, and what is not included (airfare), as well as the destination city (Cairo).

The third sentence gives me a feel for some of the things I will see and do on the trip, as well as our modes of transportation (rail, river). The fourth sentence helps push the deal by giving an estimate of how much airfare will cost, which helped me estimate the total budget I will need for the trip. The sentence ends by reinforcing the fact that the trip is a great deal. The last piece of information is the name of the tour operator and a phone number to call so that I can follow up.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Michael Bolton: Peter, you’re in deep shit. You were supposed to come in on Saturday. What were you doing?
Peter Gibbons: Michael, I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be.  – Office Space

My name is Richard. So what else do you need to know? Stuff about my family, or where I’m from? None of that matters. Not once you cross the ocean and cut yourself loose, looking for something more beautiful, something more exciting and yes, I admit, something more dangerous. So after eighteen hours in the back of an airplane, three dumb movies, two plastic meals, six beers and absolutely no sleep, I finally touch down; in Bangkok. – Richard, The Beach

There are so many things I want to do, but I end up doing not much. – Celine, Before Sunset

Warning: If you are reading this then this warning is for you. Every word you read of this useless fine print is another second off your life. Don’t you have other things to do? Is your life so empty that you honestly can’t think of a better way to spend these moments? Or are you so impressed with authority that you give respect and credence to all that claim it? Do you read everything you’re supposed to read? Do you think every thing you’re supposed to think? Buy what you’re told to want? Get out of your apartment. Meet a member of the opposite sex. Stop the excessive shopping and masturbation. Quit your job. Start a fight. Prove you’re alive. If you don’t claim your humanity you will become a statistic. You have been warned.  – Tyler Durden, Fight Club

The older you get, the more rules they are going to try and get you to follow. You just gotta keep on livin’, man. L-I-V-I-N. – Wooderson, Dazed and Confused

George Hanson: They’re not scared of you. They’re scared of what you represent to ‘em.
Billy: Hey, man. All we represent to them, man, is somebody who needs a haircut.
George Hanson: Oh, no. What you represent to them is freedom.
Billy: What the hell is wrong with freedom? That’s what it’s all about.
George Hanson: Oh, yeah, that’s right. That’s what’s it’s all about, all right. But talkin’ about it and bein’ it, that’s two different things. I mean, it’s real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace. Of course, don’t ever tell anybody that they’re not free, ’cause then they’re gonna get real busy killin’ and maimin’ to prove to you that they are. Oh, yeah, they’re gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it’s gonna scare ‘em. – Easy Rider

Trust me, it’s paradise. This is where the hungry come to feed. From mine it’s a generation that circles the globe and searches for something we haven’t tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, you know what? It’s probably worth it. – Richard, The Beach

Hello, and welcome to Amsterdam’s finest and most luxurious youth hostel. We feature one medium sized room containing 70 beds which can sleep up to 375 bodies a night. There is no bathroom. Nor is there one nearby. If you do not wish to have your valuables stolen I suggest destroying them or discarding them right now. You can also try hiding your valuables. In your anus. This will deter some but of course not all thieves. Once you are inside, the doors are chained and locked from the outside. They will not be opened again until morning, no matter what. Should a fire occur due to our faulty wiring or, uh, the fireworks factory upstairs you will be incinerated along with the valuables that you have hidden in your anus. Tips are greatly appreciated. – Hostel Clerk, Eurotrip

…..and my favorite…..

And me, I still believe in paradise. But now at least I know it’s not some place you can look for, ’cause it’s not where you go. It’s how you feel for a moment in your life when you’re a part of something, and if you find that moment… it lasts forever… – Richard, The Beach

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

BlackBerry Curve 8900 Phone, Black (AT&T)

This post might surprise you coming from a guy who purposefully traveled the world sans cell phone, however I’m starting to experience a change of heart.

My curiosity was irrevocably piqued when I met Jim on the Nile River cruise last year.  Whether it was tracking us on Google Maps as we motored toward the next temple complex, or adding us to Facebook without missing a beat in the conversation, he was using modern technology to enhance his travel experience.  I realize some may say such constant connectivity is what we try to escape by taking on a vagabonding journey, however I think it is safe to say the pro’s are beginning to outweigh the con’s in the equation.

I had every intention of buying a $10 phone upon my return home, but when it arrived in the mail and I went to activate it, I learned despite the intent to use my parent’s minutes on their plan, I would still be signing up for a 2-year commitment.  So I went to the nearest AT&T phone and paid extra to buy the BlackBerry Curve 8900.  Jim’s enthusiastic reference for how well it worked on his trip around the world sealed the deal for me.

Here are a few key features which might seal it for you too:

Snapping photos with my BlackBerry in NYC

1.  World Phone Coverage – The technical details are beyond my comprehension, but the quad-band GSM coverage for voice and GPRS/EDGE connectivity for receiving data mean you can operate your phone in the vast majority of countries in the world.  Whether you’re headed for Turkmenistan or the Turks & Caicos Islands, this phone with AT&T service will cover you.  In Jim’s year-long RTW trip, he said there were only two countries where he couldn’t use his data access, South Korea and another Asian country.  Otherwise, he said  connectivity was dependable everywhere else!  See the full list of countries on the BlackBerry site.

2. Wi-Fi Access – Currently, some countries are better than others when it comes to wi-fi hotspots, however just as internet cafes have sprung up everywhere a traveler might go, it is only a matter of time before wi-fi access is adopted to the same extent.  If all you want to do is check your e-mail at the ice cream shop on a Thai beach beaming out free wi-fi to draw in new customers, there’s no need to carry a laptop down from your bungalow.  With the Curve, searching for and setting up wireless networks is extremely simple.  You’ll be checking your email, tracking your location by GPS, and twittering faster than you can say “2 scoops of chocolate ice cream, please.”

3.  GPS and BlackBerry Maps – Built in GPS allows you to follow maps – either helping you reach a destination more easily or allowing you to feel a little more comfortable getting lost  in the back alleys of Cairo. Of all the smartphone’s capabilities, this is the one that sold me (as a world traveler) on making the investment. BlackBerry Maps currently cover North America, much of Europe, and quite a few countries in Asia, Africa, and The Middle East.

4.  Camera and Video Recording – A 3.2-megapixel camera with auto flash, auto focus, and image stabilization offers the opportunity to take print-quality photos and geotag them too.  I tested out the camera in a variety of settings during my recent visit to New York City, and I was seriously impressed.  Specifically, the flash is powerful enough to ensure you get good close-up photos in low-light places such as bars. In order to store more than 20 or so photos plus video, the Curve requires a microSD card (up to 16 GB).   

5.  Media Player – A built-in media player allows you to listen to music in stereo and watch videos on the 2.4-inch, high resolution 480 x 360-pixel LCD screen.

I’ve only scratched the surface of all the features jam-packed into this slender, lightweight device.  It fits comfortably in the front pocket of my jeans, and is quickly on the road to displacing my HP laptop as my favorite gadget.

The BlackBerry Curve 8900 is available on Amazon for $0.01 with an AT&T service plan.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Methodology

I believe my record keeping was fairly accurate for the trip.  I tried to find a balance between providing current and useful data with not being too nerdy and spending all my time calculating exchange rates and accounting for every penny.  I rounded all expenses to the nearest $0.05 and after losing a little pocket exchange calculator in the beginning, I decided to use rough exchange rates to do the calculations in my head instead.

I categorized my spending into six buckets:

• Visas – solely the cost of visas, not inclusive of related administrative expenses
• Lodging – hostels, cheap hotels
• Transport – metros, trains, buses, taxis, rickshaws, ferries, boats
• Food – meals, water, alcohol, snacks
• Sightseeing – admission tickets, all-inclusive packages (rafting in Nepal, cruise in Egypt)
• Miscellaneous – internet, phone, guidebooks, clothes, souvenirs, shipping (of souvenirs) home

Some activities included meals and/or lodging for a night or more, such as my treks in Nepal and India.  I did not attempt to separate those costs.  I also did not factor travel between most countries into my daily costs.  This would include international flights, though not the trains and buses I used between countries in Europe.

Daily Expenses

• French Polynesia – 5 days – $66 per day – $330 total
• New Zealand -26 days – $116 per day – $3,005 total
• Australia – 28 days – $98 per day – $2,743 total
• Indonesia – 21 days – $55 per day – $1,151  total
• Singapore – 4 days – $51 per day – $204  total
• Hong Kong/Macau – 11 days – $65 per day – $711  total
• China – 20 days – $55 per day – $1,095  total
• Tibet – 0 days – $N/A per day – $150 total (cost of permit I never received, and loss of money on train ticket)
• Nepal – 42 days – $54 per day – $2,275  total
• India – 43 days – $51 per day – $2,179  total
• Thailand – 68 days – $55 per day – $3,760  total
• Cambodia – 18 days – $63 per day – $1,139  total
• Laos – 18 days – $61 per day – $1,095  total
• South Africa – 55 days – $77 per day – $4,223  total
• Botswana – 7 days – $110 per day – $771  total
• Egypt – 11 days – $90 per day – $992  total
• Europe (Belgium, Holland, France, Switzerland, Spain) – 27 days – $81 per day – $2,176  total
• Colombia – 49 days – $44 per day – $2,163  total

Total for Daily Spending = $30,162

Inter-country Flights

• $2,000 – Air Tahiti flights – Washington, DC to Auckland, via French Polynesia (Tahiti).  Jetstar flights – Christchurch to Brisbane, Melbourne to Bali*
• $127 – Jetstar Asia flight from Singapore to Hong Kong
• $476 – Air China flight from Chengdu to Kathmandu, via Lhasa, Tibet
• $247 – THAI Air flight from New Delhi to Bangkok
• $124 – Laos Airlines flight from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai
• $673 – Air Qatar flight from Bangkok to Cape Town*
• $593 – Air Egypt flight from Johannesburg to Cairo
• $122 – Jetairfly.com flight from Cairo to Brussels
• $505 – Iberia flight from Madrid to Bogota

Total for Inter-country Flights = $4,867

* Flights purchased through AirTreks.com

____________________
Cost of my 15-month trip around the world = $35,029**

Fulfilling a personal dream = priceless!

____________________

** This figure does not include pre/post-trip expenses like storage, health insurance, immunizations, etc.  Check out my pre-trip plan for an idea of those expenses.

For further details, you can review my online spreadsheet.

PS – Through online advertising, Dares, donations, and gifts, I was able to travel longer than I otherwise would’ve been able to on my own.  Thank you to everyone who contributed, whether it was offering a donation or simply reading this blog!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

The Facts: It’s September 25th. It’s my birthday. I’m a Libra.

Thoughtful dares (with much appreciated rewards) would make my day so far from home. To all my family, friends, former coworkers, and readers everywhere, now is your chance to speak up!

If you’re having trouble thinking of something entertaining (relevant, funny, weird, embarrassing, or just plain gross), check out the dares I’ve completed or still have pending. And here’s my personal travel wish list for the remainder of my time abroad:

• Laos – see what the fuss is about, rock-climbing, river tubing
• Northern Thailand – cooking class, short jungle trek
• South Africa – show up at Warren’s (Koh Phangan) door in Cape Town for a locals’ perspective, cage dive with Great White’s, safari to see the Big 5, survive Johannesburg, contemplate further overland travel (Mozambique anyone?)
• Ethiopia – I don’t know why, but it appeals to me
• Egypt – Cairo, The Great Pyramids, Sphinx, sailing down the Nile, lots of old stuff I’m sure is cool, riding a camel, not getting kidnapped and held for ransom
• Jordan – photo-op with Petra (preferably Nemcova, but I’ll settle for the archaeological site)
• Italy – stand on the Grand Canal in Venice 10 years after I first fell in love with the city, eat pizza and gelato, drink copious amounts of (cheap if necessary) red wine
• Switzerland – mountains, lakes, cleanliness, order, meeting Swiss Miss, chocolate, and the couches of the people I met in Pokhara
• Germany – Berlin, beer, and more couches
• Holland – go on a bicycle ride with Gela, my one and only trekking buddy from Nepal
• Belgium – chocolate
• Paris – more couches, Jim Morrison’s grave, the catacombs, delicious food
• London – English-speaking couches (or floor space if I see Adam from Hong Kong), attend an English Premier League soccer match (preferably involving Chelsea, Arsenal, or Man United)
• Brazil – Rio, beaches with cool names like Copacabana and Ipanema, drinking caparinhas, samba lessons, Carnival, trekking in the Amazon, Sao Paulo, meeting my future wife :)
• Bolivia – salt flats, mountains, who knows – it’s cheap and politically unstable
• Peru – trekking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu
• Colombia – hang out in cool, scary sounding (but now relatively safe though yet to become touristy) cities like Bogotá, Medellin, Cartagena, exploring the countryside while avoiding narco-terrorists
• Panama – swinging in a hammock on Bocas del Toro (islands), A man a plan a canal Panama (living the palindrome!)
• California – Los Angeles, Take the “OC” tour which I’m sure exists by now, Beverly Hills 90210, San Diego to see my good friend Bob
• Colorado – tap the Rockies
• Florida – gettin’ jiggy wit it in Miami, eat a Cuban sandwich in Little Havana, hang out at my parent’s condo near Tampa Bay
• Canada – Montreal…Canadian couches (my favorite, though I’m not sure I’m invited yet)
• New York City – come full circle by visiting my friend Kai at his office, backpack having been around the world and back

I admit after 10 months, it looks ambitious in list form, but that’s why I need your support!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

It’s one thing to say you’ll pack light, and another to actually manage it once traveling.  Just in case you need a few reminders why it pays to pack lighter….

1.  Ease of movement – less physical/mental stress when you’re on the move.

2.  Less stuff means you’re better able to account for what you do have (before leaving that bus terminal/hostel/couchsurf/etc).

3.  It’s easier to pack up in a dark hostel room at 5am for that early bus/ferry/flight without waking up the whole room.

4.  You’ll garner compliments and envy from the 99% of people with more stuff than you.

5.  You can take your pack as carry-on luggage for flights – negating any concern about misdirected/lost luggage during air travel.

6.  Leaving home with the bare minimum means you leave room to carry food or souvenirs without breaking your back (and spirit).

If I truly wanted to go superlight, I think I could drop down to just a medium size daypack, however I’m not *that* hardcore.  Happy Packing!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

So far, I’m quite pleased with the things I brought, and hope to share some feedback on what’s working especially well.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Going forward, I’ll be updating my new spreadsheet, RTW Actual Costs, which should be very valuable info for those planning to visit similar countries in the near future.

I’m heading to Grand Central to catch a train to JFK airport in 3 hours.  My next update will be from the middle of the Pacific Ocean (even if just to say “I made it” again)!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Packing List

Trip Inventory (all pictured unless otherwise noted, including the clothing I’ll wear)

** Items marked “new” were bought in 2007 for this RTW trip. Items from previous adventures are noted as such.

Clothes and Packs

• Gregory Chaos backpack (2,800 cubic inches, from Summer ‘98 Europe)
• Patagonia daypack (new, not pictured, replaces green Jansport canvas bag)
• Merrell hiking boots (I might regret taking these, from Spring ‘05 Costa Rica)
• Saucony running sneakers w/custom molded orthotics
• Brazilian flip flops (from Spring ‘05 Costa Rica)
• North Face windbreaker (from Spring ‘05 Costa Rica)
• North Face khaki cargo pants (from Summer ‘98 Europe)
• North Face khaki cargo shorts (from Summer ‘98 Europe)
• Bathing suit
• 2 T-shirts
• 3 pairs of socks (2 new crew Smart Wool, and 1 Ingenius liner hybrid)
• 3 boxers
• 2 bandannas (from Spring ‘05 Costa Rica and ‘06 Belize)
• Baseball cap – DC Nationals camo (new, not a fan of the team – just like the design)
• Eagle Creek money belt (from Summer ‘98 Europe)
• Oakley sunglasses
• Prescription glasses w/case (new, though I have 20/20 vision)

Toiletries and First Aid

• Small paktowel (from Spring ‘05 Costa Rica)
• First Aid Kit – homemade w/Tupperware. Includes assorted band aids, gauze, Q-tips, digital thermometer, Sudafed, Imodium, Gas-x, Benadryl, moleskin, healthy travel and first aid booklets.
• Toiletry bag – toothbrush, dental floss, nail clippers, Motrin, Aleve, Gold Bond powder, Centrum vitamins, 2 safety razors, 1 roll toilet paper.
• 1 quart Ziploc bag with <3oz/bottle – Campsuds, suntan lotion, Neosporin, Cortizone, shaving cream, toothpaste, eye drops, bug spray, skin lotion, Prep-H

Electronic Gear (I think I crossed into official flashpacker territory)

• Canon PowerShot Digital Elph SD700IS camera w/soft case (new)
• 2 camera batteries and 2 memory cards (new, 2gb each)
• Canon battery charger (new)
• Petzl Zipka LED headlamp w/2 AAA batteries (new)
• Casio Pathfinder digital watch (new, love it!)
• Creative Zen V Plus 8gb MP3 player w/headphones, cloth pouch (new)
• Universal Adapter/Power Converter (new)
• Universal Charger by Creative (new, specific to mp3 player)
• Card reader (new)
• E*Trade digital security token (new)
• SanDisk Cruzer Micro 1gb Flash Stick (new, loaded w/Skype and Firefox + my personal bookmarks)
• Cheap headset/mic for Skype (new)

Documents and Money (all items to be scanned and e-mailed to self, copies left at home too)

• Passport w/Chinese Visa
• Photocopy of passport info page
• Printout of Australian electronic Visa
• 9 extra photos (for Visas)
• Driver’s License
• Anthem health insurance card
• WHO Immunization card
• 4 flight e-ticket receipts, NYC bus reservation
• Lonely Planet Tahiti, Rough Guides New Zealand
• E*Trade Visa debit card
• Suntrust Visa debit card (back-up, expires 9/08)
• Capital One Visa credit card
• 3 paper E*Trade checks
• $150 in travelers checks
• $300 cash (USD)

Miscellaneous

• Notebook and pen
• Camera and watch manuals
• ~ 70 Moo/Flickr mini cards w/blog and e-mail address
• Sewing kit (from Summer ‘98 Europe – yet to be used!)
• Gum

Things I might have done differently:

• Picked 1 debit or credit card to be MasterCard instead of all Visa
• Bought Merrell crossover-type trail runners instead of full-fledged boots (thus not needing to bring a separate pair of sneakers)

Am I forgetting anything????

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

If I could pick a theme song for today, it was “Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta” by Geto Boys off the Office Space soundtrack. It’s from a montage scene where Peter appears to be living a care-free life at work, knocking over his cubicle walls, and outside work, fishing with Jennifer Aniston.

I slept in on my first weekday without a job, woke up feeling as though I’m 99% complete with trip preparations, drove (traffic-free) into DC to apply for my Chinese Visa, pulled into a parking spot a 1/2 block away, was the last person in the queue to submit my application by the 11:30am cutoff (for same-day service), spent the next 2.5 hours exploring Georgetown (see below for details), picked up a great new Patagonia daypack, paid $130 to get my passport back (w/12-month multi-entry Visa), drove home with little traffic, and was all but sold on keeping Sprint service with only their $4/month flat fee for international calls (plus local international rates, and no contract, for emergency use only).

Exploring Georgetown

After dropping off my passport, I drove the short distance down Wisconsin Ave to Georgetown. I seemed to automatically slip into curious, observant backpacker/vagabond mode, slowing my pace down, walking along the empty waterfront in the chilly drizzle. I came across the House of Sweden (aka Swedish Embassy) which had fantastic architectural qualities like glass exterior panels which served absolutely no structural purpose. I happened across Citronelle restaurant (one of the best in DC, if not the USA), and curiosity lead me to look inside, along the windows, which allowed me to catch a glance of world-renowned chef Michel Richard conversing over papers on the lower level (perhaps picking out the menu for the evening?)!

As I criss-crossed streets, memories of past experiences in the neighborhood came back to me. I bought a sourdough Asagio pretzel and coffee at Barnes and Noble, over which I read a few funny short stories in a Lonely Planet compilation “By the Seat of My Pants,” edited by Don George (who was also in the same NBC news bit I was part of).  I made use of the restroom too.

I stopped in the Patagonia store, and came across a great little daypack which I bought. I had planned to stay with my Jansport canvas bag after returning a small messenger-style bag from REI (because it was too small, heavy and not as comfortable), however the Patagonia one fit my litmus test: 1.5-liter bottle of water, my jacket, with room for a notebook, guidebook, and camera. It has padded back support, and two adjustable support straps, which will make it more comfortable than the Jansport, plus while slightly heavier, it rolls up about the same. At $50 it was a little steep, however I’m confident it presented itself to me today for a reason!

With new daypack and water in hand, I stopped into Dean & Delucca to ever-so-briefly contemplate the purchase of 1-ounce of white Italian truffle for the cost of a month in India ($437). I made my way back up Wisconsin Ave, ducked into Whole Foods for a few free samples of cheese, and then to the Visa office which had a short line for payment and pick-up of passports.

Earlier, upon applying, the lady had only one question – was I employed? I had listed “independent traveler” as my occupation. :) I responded that I was unemployed, and traveling for 12 months, and that’s all there was to it!

Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta (lyrics)

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

I’ve had employees who had to choose whether to take their children to the doctor, or themselves, yet I didn’t really get the rub until now. The underwriter said I could reapply in 6 months if the knee problem doesn’t persist, nor do I seek treatment for it. Of course there’s no guarantee they’ll cover me then either!

So on to Plan B, paying COBRA premiums month-to-month to maintain my employer-based plan. It’s 3-4 times as expensive as the IMG policy, however it also covers a lot more, and I have the added security of knowing if my knee problem recurs, and self-treatment doesn’t help, I don’t have to assume the whole cost of further treatment myself. I still intend to reapply for an IMG policy after 6 months. Luckily, I obtained all the necessary medical records myself rather than having them sent to the company. I can scan them all, e-mail them to myself, and have them readily available to forward next May. Just don’t tell IMG – I’m still mad at them.

While I have access to the BlueCard Worldwide network outside of the United States, it’s geared more toward trying to ensure I’m using an “in-network” provider or facility, versus emergency evacuation support. For that reason, I just paid for 6 months worth of travel insurance through World Nomads at a cost of $238.

It still surprises me how many people seem to rely on travel insurance alone. I was recently reminded by a wise man that if I ended up in a worst case scenario (such as a cancer diagnosis) without medical insurance, it’s not just me that’d be financially impacted, it’d be my parents as well.

Despite the unforeseen (and souring) cost of insurance for this trip, I’m so close to leaving it’s hard to be upset. I quickly passed the anger phase and moved on to acceptance. There are still a few ways I can make up for it along the way:

• Dares! – I know readers are hard at work coming up with weird and embarrassing things for me to do, such as pick my nose in front of the Sky Tower in Auckland.
• Couchsurf – I’m batting 0 for 8 in Tahiti and Auckland, however I know there’s a couch out there with my name on it!
• Advertising – I constantly run a full inventory of 10 Text Link Ads, so contact me directly if you’d like to advertise on this popular PR 4 travel blog.
• Donations – While Dares are interactive, I’m fully prepared for a no-strings donation or two! :)

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

In the meantime, I can answer your question because I’m decidedly low maintenance (or so I like to think). You can probably get more for your money today than when I got the camera last Christmas and mp3 player over the summer.

• $300 cannon sd700 powershot digital camera – 6 megapixels (+ two 2gb memory cards, 2 batteries, wall charger)
• $150 creative 8gb mp3 player
• $50 universal power adapter/charger (x2 – I got one specific to my mp3 player, meaning the other is for my camera charger)
• $40 petzl zipka LED headlamp

I think that’s it from the technology end. If I find a cell phone would be helpful, I might get one along the way, however I’m going to start off without one. Lots of people have asked about a laptop – I just don’t have the will to lug even a small one around, let alone worry about it.

I’ve already got the backpack, daypack, North Face khaki cargo shorts/pants (from ‘98 summer in Europe), socks, boxers, etc. I do think I’m going to buy a new t-shirt or two given I’ll be living in them for quite awhile (it’d be nice to start off with something new to wear). I have to put together a little medical kit too, though because I want my pack to be carry-on, I’ll have to leave out a bunch of items.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

DRINKS – Thursday is my “goodbye” happy hour at work. I’ve shared this blog address with a few people so far, however I won’t be ready to send it to a wider audience of coworkers until I’m literally ready to walk out the door.

MAPS -If you only read these posts through a feed reader, be sure to check out my Maps page from time to time – once I hit the road, I’ll start posting “Map Views” which will take you directly to the location on Google Maps, however you won’t see the link through the feed.

SOCCER – MLS Cup 2007 is Sunday, and though DC United didn’t make it, I’m still excited to see the match in person.

VIDEO – I owe readers a video of me taking a shot of Absinthe next Wednesday, to celebrate my last day of work.

INSURANCE – Trying to collect medical records from various providers to submit to an underwriter who will decide whether the insurance company will cover me SUCKS! I did not leave myself enough time.

MY JOB – I’ve worked for Lumenos, a start-up health insurance company, for the past 5 years, though 2 of those years were technically after we were bought by behemoth Wellpoint (owner of 14 state BlueCross/Blue Shield plans). Feels good to share my company name, however don’t worry, I won’t mention it again!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

I just e-mailed my first couchsurfer from the guest perspective. I’m suddenly even *more* excited to head to the island paradise, if that is possible. While saving a little money would be nice, I’m thinking more about how the experience of staying with a local could enrich my stay. I’ll let you know if I get the green light.

Fun Facts About Tahiti from my Lonely Planet guide (as costly as any other with far fewer pages):

• birthplace of surfing
• lacks malaria (though dengue fever is a risk)
• no poisonous snakes
• December is the rainy season
• I’m going to freakin’ Tahiti in 16 days!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

• Read and follow the directions given in online “How to’s.” Read the selling version AND the buyer’s version, so you know what the people coming to buy your car have been looking at as well. My favorite was Kelley Blue Book’s 10 Steps to Selling Your Car. I also referenced Guide to Selling Your Car and AutoTrader’s How to Sell Your Car.
• Post, or re-post, your ad on Friday evening. I posted my ad on Monday (probably the worst day) and started to feel anxious when the inquiries didn’t roll in. I even started to lower my asking price. I thought people would schedule time to test drive for the weekend, however I received the majority of inquiries between Friday night and Saturday afternoon. This might have been because daylight savings time is over so people wouldn’t be able to really see the car on the weeknights, or people were simply wrapped up with school/work.
• If you’re in a major metro area, allow your Craig’s List ad to stay up over at least one weekend before shelling out $30+ for an ad on AutoTrader. All of my leads came from Craig’s List (which is free).
• Of the 6 people who responded, 5 wanted a test drive. I accepted the offer made by the first person to test drive it (early bird gets the worm). I politely canceled the remaining appointments once I accepted a cash deposit and a handwritten note with the “terms” of the deal and both parties’ signatures.
• If you only have 2.5 weeks before leaving the country on a trip around the world, your car’s sale price will make up more than 30% of your budget, and you receive an offer within your range from a friendly man who holds a senior position at your own bank, TAKE IT!

What a relief! I was as transparent as a windshield, and didn’t negotiate worth a hoot, however he offered me the exact figure I had in my mind (which was definitely more than I’d get at Carmax), and I felt completely comfortable dealing with him (and his daughter, for whom he is buying the car).

My last hurdle is getting approved for new medical insurance. More on the company/plan I applied for later!

__________

PS – I’ve always based my savings plan on a conservative value for my car (what I expected to get at Carmax). Now that I’ve made a private deal, the difference is like a bonus! It could buy me a extra few weeks in any country on my list, or perhaps something big like a helicopter ride. Perhaps a multi-day sail in Australia’s Whitsundays, or the more expensive trek in Nepal to Everest Base Camp!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Malaria doesn’t exist in Tahiti, New Zealand or Australia, so I won’t need to start popping pills until about January 27, 2009 – two days before I fly to Bali. I’ll then be on them until Europe, which is a long time.

After much research online, I settled on Doxycycline (1x/day). It’s side effects are tied to the digestive system, and sun exposure, which I can manage. It also happens to be the cheapest option (judging by costs in the USA, and we all know we’ve got the highest in the world), and most widely available (at least from what I could tell on the BootsnAll forums).

My findings on Lariam (Mefloquin, 1x/week) were startling and quite scary. Side effects include anxiety (I’m already an anxious guy), nightmares, strange, dreams, depression, and many people believe it has lead loved ones to psychotic episodes, and even suicide. The first article/investigation I read was “The Dark Side of Lariam” on CBS’ 60 Minutes website (2003). I continued to read more, and found some scary comments left in the Guestbook of To Lariam or not to Lariam. Below are a few of the more recent ones:

Thanks for the site … been a year since I have taken Lariam and finally am beginning to feel 100% normal; Can’t believe that they prescribe this drug. — Tim 10/20/07

Suffered similar side effects as described here minus the vomiting and diarrhea. Only took three tablets but the severe effects lasted 5 weeks after the last while dizziness, weakness, memory loss, mood swings and delirium seems to have lasted up to 3 months from last tablet. It was very reassuring to read the story and see somebody else had gone through what I’m experiencing. I felt I was going crazy as the side effects are so weird. My advice to anyone, don’t take Lariam when there is safe alternatives such as Malarone or Doxycycline. — Andy 10/16/07

If you’re planning a trip, do a Google search for “lariam” before picking a malaria medication.

Malarone (1x/day) is a newer drug, however it is cost prohibitive for someone like me planning to be away for a long period of time, at least based on US costs.

Chloroquin (1x/week) gave me no side effects when I took it on my past two trips to Central America, however it has been so widely used, the malaria has become resistant to it in much of the world.

Do you have a preference for malaria medication?

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

I posted my car for sale on Craig’s List, AutoTrader (and its affiliates), and VWVortex.  My goal is to have a committed buyer in place no later than Thanksgiving (Nov 22), given I leave the DC area on Nov 29.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

It made sense to me, and I cut it real close. Last Friday, I bought the following itinerary through the friendly people at AirTreks.com to kick off my world tour:

• Nov 30 – New York City to Tahiti (direct, with a short stopover in Los Angeles)
• Dec 6 – Tahiti to Auckland, New Zealand
• Jan 2 – Christchurch, New Zealand to Brisbane, Australia
• Jan 29 – Melbourne, Australia to Bali, Indonesia

To get to NYC, I’ll take a $20 bus ride, and then spend my last night in the USA couchsurfing at my friend Kai’s/brother’s apartment. And before I get to Indonesia, I’ll have to buy my next ticket or two so I can show proof of onward travel. The discount Asian airlines seem to have reasonable prices from that point forward. I’ll probably hop to Singapore for a few days, and then on to Hong Kong and beyond.

Oh, and if you’re wondering how much those 4 flights cost, it came out to $2091 (tax included). Given it will get me to the other side of the world during New Zealand’s peak tourism season (summer), I’m fairly satisfied. Once I hit mainland Asia, I plan to rough it overland via trains and buses for awhile.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

After a busy final day of packing, an uncomfortable night of sleeping on the floor listening to a domestic dispute at 2am, and a nightmare about large scorpions emerging from under my oven, I awoke to the unpleasant task of picking up my 14′ Uhaul truck.

Around 8:15am, I drove to the local Uhaul location, where upon exiting my car, I was surrounded by guys who didn’t speak English well, and seemed to be looking for work. I made it into the office, where I had the opportunity to hear a woman get in a loud dispute with the staff about a dolly (the response she got was rather rude). Luckily, everything was in order for me. As I got in my truck, the guy who accosted me earlier showed up again. He and another guy put something in the back. Perturbed, I got out, opened the rear, and found a small dolly. I told them I didn’t want it, and took it out. I got in again to review my map, and the guy began to adjust my passenger side mirror, and though I appreciated the help, I’m still not sure why he proceeded to open the passenger door. I decided to look at the map elsewhere and sped off.

The two movers (hired via emove.com) showed up a few minutes early, and went straight to work. They were about my size, and rather young, however very courteous, friendly, and efficient. Once my stuff was loaded, I realized I could’ve gotten by with a 10′ truck. I also could’ve gotten by with a 25 square foot (vs 50) storage space, though it would’ve been tight. I think the reduction of possessions threw me off. After unloading at the storage unit, we dropped off two pieces of furniture at my friend Phil’s basement, and made it to my parent’s house to unload my TV and clothes with a few minutes to spare (I had hired/paid them for 4 hours).

I managed to drive the rolling deathtrap back to where I got it, and was happy to get into my comfortable VW so I too could speed past the meandering amateurs driving Uhauls. I picked up a few things at my apartment, dropped off the keys, returned the cable equipment, and headed back to my parent’s house for R&R (and a Guinness).

By 10pm, I was completely exhausted, and fell right to sleep. The kind of sleep which you deserve after a hard day’s work.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

This might be my busiest day off ever. It began Thursday night with DC United’s home playoff game. Sadly, they lost the 2-game series by a goal, and their season is over, however it was not for lack of screaming my lungs off and cursing like a madman. Yes, I was in the crazy Barra Brava section 136 again, inhaling smoke bombs and dripping with beer thrown in the air after DC’s two come-from-behind goals in the second half. My friend said his friend saw us on the ESPN2 broadcast, however I accidently deleted my recording of the game!

8am Friday – windshield replaced for $77 less than the previous time, in half the time, and according to the guys, with far better workmanship (the previous replacement sounded like it was a botched surgery to the trained eye)

9am – cancel cable TV/internet and corporate credit card

10am – physical therapy

12pm – sell snowboard bag for $20

12pm – 4pm – pay AirTreks for my first few flights (Dept Nov 30 – NYC to Tahiti to New Zealand to Australia to Bali), get exterior of car detailed, laundry, pack

4pm – photograph exterior of car for advertisements

5pm – 12am – finish packing, drop some stuff off at parent’s house

Bedtime – mentally prepare for driving the big-ass 14′ Uhaul Saturday to 3 different locations in northern Virginia, and pinch myself to ensure this is all really happening!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. — Helen Keller

The “Short and Sweet” Version

I did it! I submitted my notice to my boss at work Monday morning. It was hard, though after I got it all out, I felt a HUGE sense of relief. I agreed to stay on a few days longer than initially planned, through November 21 (the day before Thanksgiving). My boss was both surprised and supportive. He said his boss, peer, and the HR VP were all happy for me. “You’re only young once,” he said. It should start to become public knowledge in the next few days.

The Long “Play by Play” Version

I woke up and went through my normal morning routine. I wrote “Just Do It” on my whiteboard before jumping in the shower. Once in there, I said some affirmations. After getting dressed, I played a few of my favorite Pennywise songs from the DVD I created the night before. I stepped outside of my warm apartment into the chilly 38-degree air. The sky was a brilliant and complete blue – not a cloud in sight (sadly, such morning skies remind me of 9/11).

I continued to listen to Pennywise on the way to work, until I started feeling as though my heart was going to beat through the wall of my chest. I realized mellow music was called for to relax me, and popped on Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” which put me at ease.

After about 15 minutes of settling into my cubicle as usual, I called my boss and asked if he had time to meet with me. He was available immediately. I tend to be diplomatic, and sometimes take awhile to get to my bottom line message. I chose a different approach for this situation, opening with “This is really hard for me, so I’m going to get straight to it.” I then proceeded to tell him about the decision I had made to make a big change in my life, and pursue my passion for travel by embarking on a trip around the world. He responded with surprise, support and curiosity.

When I indicated November 15th as my last day, he suggested a little more time might behoove me given my managerial role and the time of year (we’re busier than normal through Thanksgiving). Four extra days before a holiday would be easy enough, so I agreed to make November 21st my last day instead. Glad I hadn’t bought a plane ticket yet – I want to leave the company in good standing!

I immediately felt a sense of relief and excitement, updated my good friends and parents, and went about knocking tasks off my pre-trip “to-do” list at lightening speed with a clear mind and a satiated soul.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

I ate like there was no tomorrow – danced like no one was watching – and sang a surprise karaoke rendition of Billy Joel’s “It’s Still Rock ‘n Roll To Me.”

I have one week left in my Arlington apartment, and it feels like I have so much to do in the next 7 days:

• Continue giving away and selling stuff
• Draft and deliver my resignation (Monday)
• Reserve and buy my first few flights (via AirTreks.com – thus committing to a departure date)
• Apply for health insurance (leaning toward IMG Global – probably going to skip travel insurance)
• Finalize my MP3 player
• Complete final 3 physical therapy visits and get my new orthotics fitted
• Attend DC United playoff game #2 (Nov 1)
• Get packing supplies and pack (Nov 2), and move (Nov 3)
• Get my windshield replaced, car detailed and photographed, and start advertising it online

I think it’ll all be downhill once I let the cat out of the bag at work Monday morning. Short of telling them I’m joining the Marines like my brother, I think the message that I’m quitting to travel around the world in 5 weeks is about as shocking a message as I could deliver. Especially coming from someone like me who presents a straight-laced personality in the office!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Lately, it’s been ideal for tracking people who are buying or picking up freecycled stuff. Speaking of material possessions, last night I literally sold my computer desk from under my computer, sold my snowboarding gear, and gave away 5 guided meditation tapes.

Each item that leaves my apartment has me feeling a little lighter. The extra cash is nice too. The last two big items are a set of curtains, and a night table. Then the rest is going to my parents or storage.

I have 3 full days of work left before I wrap up my leadership training, and turn in my resignation. Living la vida loca!

PS – for those with eagle eyes, note 10/30 marks the start of “Everest 2″ on the Discovery Channel at 10pm. I watched the first Everest about 10 times (all 6 episodes). Check it out if you can!

PSS – looks like I’ll also be around to catch the second half of the Man vs. Wild season airing in November (in the USA), featuring 2-hour episodes, including the one where Bear Grylls flies over Everest using a super-powered fan strapped to his back!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

I reviewed the current features of the money market account, and I’m quite sure the policy must’ve changed under my nose. I’d have to keep $5,000 in the account, which is too much for my purposes, or I’d have to meet some rather high standards ($50,000 in E*Trade linked accounts, or 30+ stock trades/year). You can read E*Trade’s current policy on ATM refunds here.

So, it looks like I’ll be going with a run of the mill checking account to compliment my high-yield E*Trade savings account. I’m using my previously established ING Direct savings account to tuck away the money I saved to re-establish myself upon returning home.

Based on my reading, ATM bank fees are *not* the norm outside the United States, so hopefully this will all be a non-issue. And if I’m able to arrive back in the US with some travel money to spare (as planned), then I should be able to use my debit card with most merchants, thus limiting the need for cash via ATM’s.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

If you’ve checked out my list of material possessions lately, then you’ve probably noticed it’s slowly shrinking as I give away and sell much of it. The remainder will be divvied up between my storage space, my friend’s basement, and my parent’s house. And that’s where eMove.com enters the picture.

In my twenties, I managed 3 separate DIY moves, and after the last one, told myself I would start paying for help in the future. Well the future is now, and I’m so glad I learned about eMove. It was purely by happenstance too. I picked up a local moving company’s business card at my storage location, Google’d them, and found a message board with a few positive reviews and a reference to eMove.com.

eMove.com helps you rent moving equipment/supplies and storage space, and obtain labor to physically haul your stuff. I’ve rented a Uhaul before, so that was on the back burner compared to locking in the human help. I entered my zip code and move date, and up came a long list of local movers. Each moving company’s profile included a ranking (based on 5 stars), hourly rates, and list of customer reviews. When you make a decision, you fill out an online form with details about your move, estimated number of hours required, and payment information in the form of a credit card. The company is responsible for approving/declining your request within 24 hours.

True to form, within 24 hours I had received an acceptance of my 3-stop moving adventure scheduled for Saturday, November 3. The family-owned company I chose rated 5 of 5 on the star-meter, had 945 (mostly glowing) customer reviews, was on the less expensive end of the scale ($40/hour for 2 people + $25 flat travel fee), and ironically, was the company whose card I had picked up at the storage place. Ascertaining their help with the heavy lifting is a huge burden off my back (literally).

Now to wrangle myself a Uhaul truck!  Yee-haw!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

It took me 6 days to obtain the title to my Jetta from VW Credit. I got a cashier’s check from my bank for the remainder of my loan, printed a payoff quote from the website, overnighted them both to VW, and paid extra for them to send the title back via FedEx.

I now have the pleasure of owning the first car I’ve completely paid for on my own, and will bask in this anti-climactic feeling for a full 5 weeks before I sign it over to a new driver!

I’m completely debt-free at this point, for probably the first time in 13 years.  Saving for my backpacking trip around the world has taught me to be financially disciplined, a trait I hope to carry with me for the rest of my life.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

In less than a week, I’ve given away:

• a plant
• watch (with dead battery)
• swimming goggles
• meditation tapes
• books
• pictures
• scale
• clock

Each person has been friendly, grateful, and dependable. I’ve had a dad and his kids stop by, a young guy just getting started, a guy who works for Amtrak, and some older women. Some people grab and go, while a few have chatted for a bit.

It is a nice, new way to connect with others in the community, as well as meet the people who intend to use my stuff (as opposed to dropping it all off at the Salvation Army as I’ve done until now). It’s working so well, my apartment is starting to feel increasingly empty.

Welcome! The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,138 groups with 3,948,000 members across the globe. It’s a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them’s good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on “Browse Groups” above the search box. Have fun!

Find your community through the Freecycle Network today, and start giving (or taking, if you’re in that mode)!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Late last week, I applied online for E*Trade Checking and Complete Savings accounts. Ironically, after talking to a representative on the phone who helped me come to a decision, I learned E*Trade is headquartered in none other than my home town of Arlington, Virginia! I’ve had Brokerage and Employee Stock Purchase Plan accounts with them for about 7 years, so I’m already a little familiar with their website design.

Below are some deciding factors on E*Trade as my online banking choice for my travels abroad.

Checking Account

• Free ATM/VISA debit card
• E*TRADE Bank will not charge a fee for withdrawing funds from any institution’s ATM nationwide (in USA) but the owner/operator of the ATM may. These fees will automatically be credited to your account.
• E*TRADE Bank does impose a charge equal to 1% of the transaction amount for non-U.S. currency transactions (1% is about as low as I could find)
• No monthly account fees
• No minimum balance required
• Free, unlimited online bill payments
• Online access protected by Digital Security ID (“It makes unauthorized login virtually impossible.”)
• Clear and comprehensive fraud protection

Complete Savings Account

• Current APY (interest rate) is 5.05% – This is 0.75% higher than my ING Direct savings account.
• No minimum balance required
• Ability to do Quick Transfers (i.e. “real time”) with my E*Trade Checking Account
• Online access protected by Digital Security ID (only one ID is required to access both accounts)
• Clear and comprehensive fraud protection
• Downside – “Withdrawal limits apply. Under Federal regulations related to these types of accounts, account holders are allowed up to six withdrawals or transfers (for example, using Quick Transfer) from their account in any calendar month. Inbound Quick Transfers are not subject to any limits.”

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Initially, I had settled on a 5′x5′ climate-controlled space, however my Dad had recently put the idea in my head that I should keep my queen-size Sealy mattress and box spring (bought new less than 10 months ago). Perhaps it was thinking about whether to keep them, while comfortably laying on them each night, that did me in. At any rate, there was only a $17/month difference between the 5′x5′ and 10′x5′ units, so after a few quick calculations, I doubled my order to 50 square feet.

The space will cost me $90/month, however by signing a 12-month lease and paying up front, I can get the first 2 months free. Total cost for the first year is then $900.

My friend Phil has graciously agreed to store my kitchen table/chairs (which was a gift from my parents) and leather love seat in his basement. My parent’s expressed an interest in my TV (also a gift from them), which makes for one less thing to sell. I put my headboard (sorry mom) up for sale on Craig’s List and had 3 responses within the first 30 minutes, so there’s certainly a feisty group of shoppers out there. No such luck with my carpet steam cleaner!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

After filling out some paperwork, the therapist evaluated my knees and gait (how I walk). He pointed out how flat-footed I am, and that new orthotics are definitely in order to correct my biomechanics. Later, when I asked him what was the most effective thing I could do to get better in the next 8 weeks, he immediately mentioned the orthotics again. I’m set to get that process started during tomorrow’s visit.

I did 10 minutes of warm-up on a stationary bike, followed by 15 repetitions of 10 new stretching/strengthening exercises. My homework is to do the exercises every day. Then it was on to electrical stimulation of the knees, which is meant to increase blood flow and promote healing. Once the tingly stimulation began, giant bags of ice were dropped on each knee (on top of the 4 electrodes) for about 10 minutes. During this time, I went through a long list of questions from whether to buy new sneakers to the effectiveness of glucosamine/chondroitin supplements.

After seeing two doctors this year, and not really walking away feeling confident, I was glad my new therapist took the time to answer ALL of my questions in a confident and clear manner. By the end of our hour, I told him I felt really optimistic about getting better, and he was upbeat about my potential for improvement as well.  Early on, I had made sure to share with him my goal to get better in time for my RTW trip.

Earlier in the day, I had seen my ophthalmologist who said my eyes look great, and I continue to have stable vision 8 years to the month after having LASIK surgery. Looks like I’m still at 20/20! I asked her about whether I could experience any problems at high altitudes, to which she confidently responded “no.” I saw my dentist for a final routine cleaning, and was reminded one last time to floss every day.

I feel like a million bucks!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Unlike the last quarter, I just barely met my savings goal over the past 3 months. You can see the details on my ‘Round the World Trip Plan.

To celebrate, I went out for a massage. I also convinced myself this would be therapeutic for my ailing knees!

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Back in 1998, I visited Prague where Absinthe is readily available, though I didn’t get a chance to try it. Ironically, it was at a coworker’s party a few years ago in northern Virginia that I took my one and only shot. I remember it was very strong, and reminded me of Rumple Minz (100 proof peppermint schnapps).

Still, the prospect of video recording my experience leaves me with a few butterflies, though I’m sure they’ll quickly die of alcohol poisoning once I down the liquor!

Which occasion should I celebrate with a shot of Absinthe (140 proof, I will post video)?

• Last day of work (~Nov 13) (35%, 8 Votes)
• 31st birthday (Sept 25) (30%, 7 Votes)
• Giving notice to resign at work (Oct 4) (17%, 4 Votes)
• Last day in USA (~Nov 27) (17%, 4 Votes)
• Last night in apartment (Nov 2) (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 23

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

In May 2006, I came to this realization when I tried to use my trusted Mini Maglite on a pre-dawn hike to the top of Temple IV in Tikal, Guatemala to watch the sun rise over the awakening jungle. I was staying at the Jaguar Inn, one of the three lodges inside the park…a park that turns off the electricity every night. I first ran into challenges trying to use the bathroom with just a small flashlight.

The experience was later trumped by having to carry the thing on a 30-minute walk in the dark, followed by a very steep climb of the old, wooden staircase that leads up the temple. I looked on with envy at my fellow travelers wearing headlamps. I could only use one hand to steady myself on the way up those stairs, while they had both, and a far brighter light to boot.

As I continue to gather the few and essential items for my trip around the world, I was excited to purchase an LED headlamp and join the 21st century. I headed to a local REI store, and quickly found plenty of options in the headlamp section.

There were two options by Petzl, which I debated back and forth for 20 minutes. Headband (Tikka Plus), or no headband (Zipka Plus)?

• Headband = security (+), adjustable mount (+), $5 cheaper (+), 78 grams/extra weight (-), extra size (-)
• No headband (spring-loaded, retractable string) = 65 grams/lighter (+), smaller (+), easily worn on wrist (+), $5 more (-), no adjustable mount (-), questionable durability of retracting mechanism/string prone to fraying (-)

I found it difficult to make a decision, so I fell on the side of less weight being better, and went with the Zipka Plus, which uses a retractable, spring-loaded string to hold the headlamp to one’s head, versus a normal stretch headband. Both headlamps take 3 AAA batteries, and are far more efficient than a regular flashlight. Both models are water resistant and have 4 settings (maximum – 100 hours life, optimum – 120 hours life, economic – 150 hours life, and strobe).

Below is my not-so-scientific comparison with the Mini Maglite on left, and Petzl Zipka Plus on right:

____________________

REI.com offers the full line of Petzl headlamps and products, including user reviews and detailed expert advice. The Tikka Plus (headband) retails for $34.95, while the Zipka Plus goes for $39.95.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

The $98 Yellow Fever shot felt like all the rest. Unfortunately, my health insurance won’t cover this one, as it’s probably considered a “travel immunization” which is specifically excluded. At least I’ve got 100% coverage on all the others I’m getting as part of my preventive benefits.

I’m down to needing a third Hepatitis B shot (late October), and if I’m feeling frisky, the Meningococcal vaccine. While the maps indicate the disease is only a serious threat in the middle of Africa, I was advised that sleeping in dorm style rooms might be sufficient risk to make it a worthwhile jab. I have little interest in spinal meningitis, so I’ll probably get it on my fourth and final visit to the clinic.

I also picked up a 2-week prescription for Doxycycline, an antibiotic used to prevent Malaria. I wanted to test it out while I’m still in the USA to ensure I don’t have any adverse reactions. Next week, I’ll share more about the reason I chose this drug over the 3 others (Chloroquine, Malarone, and Lariam).

___________________

Additional Resources: SmarTravel Profiles on 220 countries. USA Center for Disease Control – Traveler’s Health section. Immunization Action Coalition – Vaccination Information for Healthcare Professionals.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

1. One Country At A Time – With 194 countries in the world today, few people will reach them all in a single lifetime, yet visiting them one by one remains the most popular approach, at least in the United States. Pacing oneself at a trip, or two if you’re lucky, per year can slowly build up one’s experience abroad over the course of a lifetime.

2. Circuits – The world’s geography can be broken up into circuits, or well worn backpacker trails, on each of the continents. Traveling by circuit usually requires more time and money, however the reward is a much greater sense of freedom. I experienced traveling my first circuit when I spent the Summer after college graduation backpacking around Europe (in a clockwise rotation from Paris). Currently, Central America and Southeast Asia are two very popular circuits due to beneficial exchange rates.

3. ‘Round the World by Circuit – If the idea of non-stop, boots to the ground, travel seems less appealing, then consider a more unique strategy. The idea is to stop back at home between circuits. The duration at home can be as little as a few weeks to rest, relax, and rebuild stamina or health, or longer to earn more money. Last year in Guatemala, I met a Brit who spent 6 months working, followed by 6 months traveling a different circuit, each year. He had taken this approach for 5 years in a row!

4. Non-stop ‘Round the World – The ultimate option in terms of freedom, traveling around the world non-stop is for those who truly have a passion for being on the road, and can effectively manage the added physical, mental and emotional stresses that go along with it. The world is your very large oyster!

5. Employment/Education/Volunteering – Possibly the smartest approach to seeing the world, if you can swing it, is to work, learn, or volunteer abroad. Such a strategy can allow you to use your new home base as a launching pad for exploration of the countries in that circuit. Not only are you closer to the countries, thus making them less costly to visit, you are immersed in a new culture when not traveling! My friend Charlie has been living in China for 2.5 years, earning his living as a DJ, which allows him to work his way around China, while taking side trips to Russia and Southeast Asia in his free time.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

At first, I couldn’t believe the fact that I was experiencing chrondomalacia (an overuse syndrome, aka “Runner’s knee”) from trying to walk an extra 30 minutes a day (15-minute morning and afternoon breaks at work). After all, I bought a nice pair of motion-controlled Saucony running sneakers this past Spring, and I couldn’t be *that* out of shape at the young age of 30!

When the pain of needles stabbing the underside of my kneecaps didn’t dissipate, I caved and went to a sports doctor/podiatrist I had seen 5 years prior when I was feeling the same pain after actually running several miles a day. He gave me the same message he did back then – ice, isometric exercises, stretching, and wearing supportive sneakers 7 days a week. He said to give it 6-8 weeks of this routine. I did, though didn’t ice my knees much out of laziness, and am continuing to feel the pain 3 months later.

Over the weekend, I started to feel down about it. I keep trying to picture what it would be like if I take off on this trip around the world, only to find myself in chronic pain from simply walking a lot! And my plans for a 3-week trek of the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal would be squashed like the cartilage in my knees.

Eventually, I picked myself out of this downward spiral when I went to meet Ed, a local Virginian who had mentioned ’round the world travel on a recent post to the BootsnAll message boards. When I returned to my apartment, I decided to double my efforts to improve my poor knees:

• icing them twice a day
• increasing the number of daily stretching exercises
• start wearing my custom molded orthotics again
• take the full recommend dosage of Glucosamine/Chrondroitin/MSM supplement (vs a lesser amount to be cheap)
• limiting my walking until I’m in better shape

I’m hopeful this will be something I can easily get past if I commit to all of these steps. When I went to Costa Rica in 2005 and Belize in 2006, I didn’t have any knee pain, despite a moderate amount of activity. I think it can only help that a lot of my walking and hiking was on sand, mud, and dirt, which are notably softer than the concrete and asphalt jungles of modern America.

I’d love to hear from anyone with tips on nursing knees back to health! 

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

A few weeks after getting my Creative Zen V Plus mp3 player, I’ve filled it with over 7 gigs of the best music I own, plus a few hundred more songs I downloaded from from Napster during a free 30-day trial. When I started to run out of A-list music, I turned to photos.

The player’s screen is only 1.5 inches, so the quality leaves much to be desired, however I quickly set up and filled the following folders:

• Friends and Family
• Food – photos of tasty restaurant meals and home cooking
• Just for Fun (aka Random) – satellite photo of my office building, totaled Jetta from ‘05, kickflip (above), etc
• Sports – a few shots from DC United and NY Yankees games
• Travel – some of my favorite photos from Washington, DC (home), Europe and Central America

As I transferred the photos, I realized the importance they may play for me on the road. In the olden days, I’m quite sure backpackers would carry a few photos of home and family to keep them company while away for long periods of time. Given we’ve entered the digital age, it makes sense to use the photo viewer feature of mp3 players (and digital cameras if you prefer). Also, I realized it will make it easier to share a little more about me with others (should someone feign interest of course).

Setting a bunch of photos to slide show mode, while a sappy song plays along, will surely be a comfort when I’m feeling lonely.

PS – When I bought the player, I thought I’d be able to store photos from my camera on it, as well as add music during my travels. While there is a drag and drop feature, the music, photos, and video I store in this manner will not be accessible from the player. Basically, it functions as extra storage capacity unless I have access to the Creative software.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.

At first, I was amused by the puzzle like nature of the various configurations. My amusement dissipated when I realized my mp3 player wasn’t charging when I hooked it up. The AC part worked just fine. So, I’m back to square one if my goal is to take one travel adapter.

Creative offers its own travel adapter (sans AC connection), however the thought of carrying two sets of adapters around with me seems silly.

Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog.

Membership includes 12 core lessons, a community forum for asking questions and receiving personalized feedback, plus audio interviews and a blog.