Round The World Tips (Links to other sites of interest)

If any of these links don't work paste them into your address bar:

http://www.guidearoundtheworld.com/

http://www.guidearoundtheworld.com/links/travel%20guide.htm

http://www.squidoo.com/TravellingEurope

http://wenwang.p1drevolution.com/

http://www.pocket-map.net/thailand_guide.html

http://www.easytour.in/

http://destination.top-site-list.com/

http://tenforty.blogspot.com/

http://prptravel.com/

http://www.bulgariamyprecious.com/

http://www.china-travel-golden-route.com/

http://www.beautifulireland.net/

http://www.extrememotorhomesnz.com/

www.netdoctor.co.uk

Round The World Tips (Haggling)

RTW Tips (Haggling)

OK take a deep breath...

Let's not beat around the bush, haggling is tough! I absolutely hate it and many travelers i know don't even bother after their first few attempts. However, like it or not haggling for the best deals will play a big part in your Round The World trip.

Taxis

Lets begin with Taxis; Taxis or Rickshaws (Tuk Tuks in Thailand) will almost always approach you with their meters off. This means they can set the fare for the entire trip before hand and no matter how long or short the journey you will never know how much it should have cost. Get used to this because 9 out of 10 drivers will do it.

If you've read my previous articles then you'll probably have a set daily budget for transportation expenses. Try your hardest to stick within those boundaries. When approached by a driver they will ask your destination, tell them but keep walking, then they will 90% of the time follow you and offer to take you there. Now you can stop and ask how much; this is when the haggle fest begins.

As you are a foreigner the price will usually be ridiculously inflated, cut it by roughly two thirds and you'll still be paying a lot more then a local, so they may accept this. If not they will continue to push you back up toward the original price given, so obviously the lower you make the first response the harder it is for them to bring it back up to full whack. When this happens take a stand and give them a final price you are willing to pay. (according to your budgeting) If they accept, jump in, if not then walk off. There are hundreds of Taxi's that will happily take another drivers lost custom.

If the price they give you falls well within your budget don't insult them too much by tearing their offer to shreds. At the end of the day the prices you will end up paying will usually be less then a pound. And Trust me, they no that! A lot of people will tell you your countries exchange rate and weigh up how cheap their service is in comparison to what you'd pay at home.

Shopping

Some of the bigger stores in the city will have labels up saying, fixed price, no haggling. Respect that, it will save you embarrassing arguments. But don't be afraid to shop around, ask how much the item is then say you can't afford it and put it back. Chances are, despite the signs the shop keeper will offer you a deal with out the need for haggling.

Food Shopping

This covers restaurants and supermarkets. I wouldn't advise any kind of haggling here, it's not really accepted practice and can cause upset. Plus its not really worth it, if you can't afford the price on the menu/shop shelf, don't buy it.

Gift Shopping

Now this is where you'll save the most money by haggling. These people are geared up for a price battle the minute they open their stalls. If you want to practice your technique do it here, because the mood is lighter and the sellers are used to the skirmish. Plus there are so many places selling EXACTLY the same thing, you're never losing the item. In places like this i've brought prices down from 1500 baht (£21) to 90 baht (£1.28!) so don't be scared, give it your best shot.

Hotels

There is a lot of room for barter here, but still well worth a shot if you are staying in one place for more then 2 nights. Especially during the off season. You'll be surprised how much you can save when you ask for discount on multiple nights.

As a side note, asking hotel staff how much you should be paying for certain items around the city will give you a lot more confidence when bartering with the locals. There's no harm in asking.

Summary

• If the first price offered is very low, don't insult them. Take the deal.
• Get a guideline price from hotel staff and base your bartering confidence on it.
• If the price is extortionate cut it by 2 thirds and work up from there if you want.
• Walking away is a powerful statement. Use it whenever possible.
• Booking hotel rooms in bulk often entitles you to some discount. Ask for it.
• Respect 'No Haggling' signs.

Round The World Tips (Survival)

RTW Tips (Survival)

Whats the main thing that you're going to need to survive on this trip?

The answer is Food! (And water of course) You'd think this would be an easy one, but you're in for a surprise! In poorer countries finding a safe place to eat can be a real challenge. On our first day in Delhi my girlfriend and I got so hungry looking for food, we consumed an entire packet of airwaves to take our minds off of the starvation pangs.

Walking the searingly hot suburbs of the inner city we figured it wouldn't take long to find an eating establishment. We weren't wrong, street vendors line every available inch of land aside the main roads. But when we saw the child helpers washing the cooking utensils in an open sewer it was time to move on. So we were a little worried at this point, not to mention spaced out by a menthol and eucalyptus overload from the nasal clearing gum. We actually gave up on food for the day after a 2 hour search turned up no results.

So upon returning to our hotel, in desperation we turned to the reception desk of hotel Ajanta. It turned out that just metres from where we stood was a top quality restaurant that oozed pure hygiene. We ate well that eve...

This is my essential eating tip; almost every hotel will have a restaurant somewhere inside it. These places don't want their consumers to get sick, because they're staying right above them. This would not be good for business and provides you with an unwritten guarantee for piece of mind. Of course I'd be lying if i told you we didn't get violently sick during our travels through Asia. It's going to happen, accept it, but only once or twice before those anti bodies kick right in. Then you're pretty much set for the rest of the year.

Wait until after you've powered through the bursts of vomiting and loose stools before sampling the culinary delights from street vendors. Its here that you'll get a real taste of cheap local cuisine in its most basic format.

The 'Rough Guide' Travel books for whichever country or city you visit list detailed descriptions of hotels and restaurants in every area that you are likely to visit. These snippets of information even advise you on the price ranges of an average meal and cleanliness of the the establishment. Refer to the guide book often.

Personal Safety

Now this is a tricky subject for me: I'll explain. Obviously my primary concern for when we traveled the world was our personal safety. There's no denying there are thousands of dangerous influences on this planet. But at the same time you can't always follow the 'safest' path on your journey.

For example when you first arrive there will be scavengers just waiting to pick off the weak, scared individuals. Not for any sinister reasons as such, but to exploit their fear. I met quite a few people who took a guided Taxi tour across a third of the country, paying for the drivers food and accommodation throughout the trip just because they were scared to get on a train and explore themselves. These tours aren't cheap, but the people who sell them to you are very good at making you think they are.

In my opinion sometimes its the not knowing what will happen to you that fuels your desire to continue exploring. This doesn't mean you should follow adventure blindly, use your common sense, don't walk down a dark alleyway with all your valuables into a gambling ring of youth gang brethren! But don't be afraid to take calculated risks. Every time we checked out from our hotel with the intention of moving on, we never booked a room in the next destination. We'd jump on a train and deal with the problems that arose when we got there. However we always tried to arrive in the morning or during the day so we didn't have to search for accommodation amongst the people of the night.

Hitch Hiking

Hitch Hiking is something that i never done and never will do. Truck drivers across Asia are notoriously dodgy and powered by a lethal concoction of energy drinks and narcotics. They will most definitely stop for you, especially if you are Caucasian and female. But god knows how that story will end. Public transport is so cheap and available that i don't feel you will ever find a need to hitch hike. Avoid it at all costs.

If you are a lone female traveler try to latch on to other tourists whenever you can. Or book your guided tours through your hotel reception rather than finding them on the street. Try not to look lost even when you are, this will attract so much unwanted attention you won't believe it. Also dress respectfully, this will help you to avoid stepping on any toes or give out the wrong message. Dressing inappropriately can also restrict your access to certain tourist attractions.

As general rule the old tried and tested saying, 'There is safety in numbers' rings true for any traveler. The more man power you have the bigger calculated risks you can take. Just remember to use your common sense, it's not your country and you aren't invincible.

Summary

• Eating at hotel restaurants is a safe, hygienic option.
• Wait until after you have adjusted to the local cuisine before eating from street vendors.
• Check your 'Rough Guide' for tested places to eat out.
• Taking calculated risks can enrich your traveling experience.
• Use your common sense.
• Never Hitch Hike, it's not worth it.
• Individual travelers should befriend fellow travelers when possible.
• Booking tours through the hotel reception is safer than street tour guides.
• Lone females try not to look lost, you'll invite unwanted attention.
• Dress appropriately. Respect local culture.
• There's Safety in numbers.
  

Round The World Tips (Arrival)

RTW Tips (Arrival)

Information based on Asian Countries

You've landed at your first destination. You wouldn't be alone if your feeling a little nervous. Why wouldn't you be? This is it! The journey you spent so long planning and saving for. From this point onward your life becomes a blank canvas... So go get it Filthy!

Currency

If you haven't already brought local currency with you from your point of origin. You'll need to visit a money exchange counter. Luckily Airports in all countries are full of these and are the most trustworthy sources. Also the exchange is usually very decent as the exchangers will often compete for your custom. I'd suggest changing up half of the cash you brought with you into local currency and keeping that in your wallet. The rest of the original currency can be stored in your valuable front pack which nestles neatly between the protection of both of your arms at all times.

Now you should have enough money to see you into the comfort of your first hotel room. From this point onwards you won't be desperate for local currency, so you can shop around for the best deal on the exchange of the rest of your cash. Keep your eyes peeled for money exchange centres. (They're Everywhere)

Your first Taxi

Its highly unlikely that you'll be ready for public transport at this point so that leaves the old faithful taxi. Now this little scenario you're about to face will probably be your first taste of the countries finest con men. Leading toward the exit of the airport you'll have to face the gauntlet of Taxi desks, rows of men offering their transportation services. Be sure to approach at least two desks near each other, near enough so that each can here the others offer and beat it. This will allow you to sit back at watch the auto haggling process complete itself.

After letting this play out, choose your taxi and ask for a non A/C car. They are about half price and there is a good chance that all the taxis come with A/C anyway. This means the driver is unlikely to drive for an hour in the stifling heat just to make you uncomfortable. Also sometimes if you pay for A/C its so mild that you'll get cooler from sticking your head out the window anyway.

PrePay for your ticket and follow the relevant representative to the assigned vehicle. Don't let anyone touch your case, load it into the boot of the Taxi yourself or literally everyone who skimmed their fingertips across your bag will expect a tip.

During your journey the driver will probably make feeble attempts at conversation with you. Play this however you want but take note that some drivers even expect a tip for this sorry excuse for banter. My advise at this point is to sort your smaller change from the bigger notes before you arrive at the destination. Take out a two or 3 low denomination notes and roll them up or fold them messily together. Keep this in your hand or somewhere you can whip it out swiftly and move on.

When you arrive at your booked hotel, make sure the name and street correspond with the booking details you'll have with you. Many hotels steal each others names when one particular place is doing good business. (Its a very clever trick and got me at least 3 times) Grab your own bag from the back (if your fast enough) and slap the rolled/folded notes into the drivers hand before turning your back and entering the hotel. This Procedure saved me hundreds of Rupees in India once I'd worked out how to master it effectively. The Asian people are culturally VERY different from the British, and have no problem telling you that your tip is stingy and quite simply not enough. Prepare for this rudeness.

And that my friend was your first Taxi ride complete! A complicated process that you'll face several times a day so get used to it.

Prebooked hotels

Don't relax just yet, even prebooked hotels will try and swindle money from you. Make sure you have brought every single document to do with the booking with you. If you don't, somehow it will be that very piece of paper that you needed the most. If the hotel can get you to pay twice or upgrade to a more expensive room they will. So stand firm with your documents, eventually they will back down and give you what you've already paid for.

When you get inside the room make sure it's the one you booked. Then you can relax.

Round the World Preparation (Check list)

RTW Checklist

Okay so you've managed all the technical stuff, the rest is easy right? (Wrong)

Now it's time to pack your back pack my friend, wait a minute, YOU DON'T HAVE ONE YET!

So that's the next step, remember this bag will be your life line of supplies for an entire year or longer. It has to be large but not bulky, sturdy but lightweight. Trendy but inconspicuous. (well that's a personal preference)

All these characteristics may seem a little far fetched but there are a few stores you can rely on for top quality merchandise at budget prices. Millets for example stock dozens of different styles, shapes and brands. That's where i got mine from, it was a Eurohike bag with a 60 litre capacity. Came with a load of pockets and compartments and was just perfect for world travel. Check for chunky zips, preferably two zips on each rail will help in case one packs up. And make sure it has a waterproof cover that you can slip over the top and tie up. Absolutely perfect for the monsoon season and a useful deterrent to thieves who may consider dipping their hand into all those juicy compartments in that crowded train station ticket line. (Yes it does happen)

At just £40 for mine and £35 for my girlfriends 50 litre equivalent. It certainly didn't break the bank. Be sure to check often into stores like Millets as they often have random sales where you can pick up that pen knife you've always wanted a chance to use. (Boy did i use mine)

Blacks is also a good store although a little dearer, and don't forget to check online for web priced goods that can save you plenty of money. People on Ebay often sell their backpacks once they have returned from their trip, but i find they are so sturdy and nimble i still use mine even for weekend breaks!

So you've got the packs! Now you need to fill it.

I found it difficult to find information on what kind of clothes I'd need for my Round the World journey. Some travel forums would say take this and that and others would say take nothing but a bandanna and buy the rest when you arrive.

So in the end i grabbed one medium weight zip up cardigan, around ten Plain T-Shirts. Two pairs of combats that unzipped into three quarter lengths and shorts. A pair of actual shorts and some swimming gear. I took one pair of adventuring trainers and that was it. The rest of my pack was packed to the brim with travel toiletries, a mosquito net (Essential) and a first aid kit. (Also essential)

Everything i had packed into my big backpack was stuff i could replace easily. Stuff that wouldn't spell the end of my trip if it got lost, broken or stolen. This is an important strategy as your back pack gets man handled and thrown around by many untrustworthy hands. Carry your valuables in a smaller back pack that your can wear as a front pack. (Worn on your chest) while still being able to carry the bigger case on your back.

So you've packed your case and its ridiculously full! don't worry, as the days go by your bag packing skills will increase rapidly, double in efficiency and by your second week away you'll wonder where half of your stuff is gone. (it's all still in there) Except in my case where by day 4 my trainers were stolen from the Taj Mahal, and guess what, no spare pairs!

As for money, take your first countries budget with you in cash. I.E if you have budgeted £300 for one months accommodation, food and transport in India take £300 cash. You can change this into local currency when you arrive at the airport. The rest of the money can sit happily in your current account at home, it seemed that every country with the technology for a cash point supplied plenty slots to stick your Switch/Maestro card. But more on this later!

Check List:

Passport
Tickets (you'll have to guard these with your life all year)
Insurance documents
Money (Take your first countries budget with you in cash, rest on your Switch)
Camera (My god DON'T forget this)
Notepads and pens
calculator (prob got one on your phone though)
Mobile phone (Check that it'll work in the countries you visit)
Chargers for electrical equipment
I Pod or MP3 player (Some overland travel lasts for over 2 days!)
Plug Converters (Although you can buy these abroad)
First Aid Kit
Mosquito net (I found this more useful for keeping out cockroaches)
Cap (Sunstroke can really slow you down)
Pen knife (If your good with your hands you'll use this A LOT)
Suncream Factor 15 upward (Try carrying two 20 kilo backpacks with sunburn)

Clothing:

(Suggestion)
1 medium weight garment
10 lightweight garments
2 lightweight bottoms
2 shorts
1 Pair or Flip Flops
1 pair of sturdy trainers
7 pairs of underwear for daily rotation

There are probably plenty of things I've forgotten to mention so use this as a guideline for you own check list.

So the preparations are pretty much taken care of and your probably so excited that it feels like experiencing a new emotion altogether. Take some time walk around your room, your town or anywhere else you call home. Because in the next couple of days you are about to see things that will change how you look at the world for life.

Good Luck...

Round the World Preparation (Vaccinations)

RTW Vaccinations

There are a few ways to sort this out. The internet and Google are obvious sources of information but sometimes views can conflict. Matters concerning your health are obviously important and critical so the most accurate information is essential.

Your local GP will know exactly what to suggest and have a list of clinics at hand. Some GP's will offer a vaccination service themselves. Write down the countries and areas within those countries that you are going to visit. The clinic can then check against a database which countries require which vaccination.

Some will be injections and others will be in tablet form. Malaria protection is most often taken orally and come in different strengths. Some you will have to take one week before you travel to the infected area and others that have to be taken daily for months.

Be sure to read the side effects of whichever brand of tablets you are consuming. It is important to know what symptoms to expect in case some arise. In my case the tablets i was taking stated that if consumed for durations longer than one month side effects such as rashes and weeping sores may occur. This actually happened after the second week of the second month in india. Take the packaging and instructions with you on your round the world trip so that doctors abroad can refer to them in emergencies.

Set aside around £80-£100 for injections and tablets before you fly to your first destination. Yellow fever vaccinations are the most expensive but when you add up the countries you are visiting, and the amount of ways you can catch an infection its worth the expense; budget for it.

Its worth noting that if you are slightly ill before receiving your flurry of jabs, the combination of all those injections concentrated over a short time can make you feel extremely sick. But this is normal and passes quickly, so there is no need to cancel your round the world trip! None the less, if this happens to you like it did to me, consult your GP anyway.

Some Recommended Vaccinations

Africa:

Tuberculosis (3 months before travel)
Hepatitis B (2 months before travel)
Rabies (1 month before travel)
Meningococcal meningitis (2-3 weeks before travel)

India:

As above but also including:

Japanese B encephilitis (1 month before travel)

China:

Typhoid (1o days before travel)
Tuberculosis (3 months before travel)
Hepatitis B (2 months before travel)
Rabies (1 month before travel)
Tick-borne encephilitis
Japanese B encephilitis (1 month before travel)

Thailand:

Tuberculosis (3 months before travel)
Hepatitis B (2 months before travel)
Rabies (1 month before travel)
Japanese B encephilitis (1 month before travel)

Australia:

Japanese B encephilitis (1 month before travel)

For more information check out www.netdoctor.co.uk

Round the World Preparation (Saving and Planning)

RTW Saving and Planning

Saving your money is always tough. Especially when you are always tempted to buy something else with all the hard earned cash you've already saved! I could foresee this happening with myself as well, which is why i booked the trip and paid for the ticket FIRST. Take Heed!

Saving and Planning

The ticket was booked at the beginning of February and the the flight to Delhi left Heathrow on may the 5Th. That gave me just 3 months to save up for an entire year away from home. (Not wise?) Without planning yes this would have been very irresponsible of me. But before i made that decision my girlfriend and i sat down to make a legendary budget which traveled the world with us until torn and stained beyond recognition.

The best and most accurate way to work out how much money you will need for your RTW trip is to purchase a guidebook for EVERY COUNTRY you visit. (I know what your thinking, that's a lot of weight to carry around!) Very true.

So to avoid this and just for initial budgeting sake go to any big bookshop with a large travel section like Waterstones, borders or WHsmith. Browse the 'Rough Guides' of every country you are booked up to visit, in my opinion the Rough Guide travel books are a travelers bible. You won't believe how detailed they are, so much better than Lonely Planet in layout and content. Check the accommodation prices of every city you will visit, if you've already planned which sub towns you'll pass through check the prices of those locations too. (Believe me its all in there)

Now decide whether you can afford only budget, mid-range or if you can splash out on luxury accommodation. Average out the cost of a room for each country and make a price per day itinerary for your RTW sleeping arrangements, do the same for overland travel costs and the price of food. (All listed in detail in Rough Guide)

This is your primary budget triangle. Accommodation, Food and Transport. Sometimes you can save on accommodation by traveling overnight on sleeper trains and buses meaning you can spend the money you saved on more food or better hotels at your next destination. (More on this later)

Once you have worked out how much you will be spending on average per day in each country you will know roughly how much money you will need to take with you. Buy the first two country Rough Guides you will be visiting at the beginning of your trip and study them thoroughly. They are gold mines of information. When you have left each country there are many places that buy used books from you, but if you are like me, those battered old relics look 100 times better when they've seen action and been placed on your shelf upon your return home. So send them back to your home in the post! Your families will love browsing through the torn, pen marked pages marking your epic journey they wish they'd taken themselves!

When you need a new book head for the airport book stores before you venture into the country, most will have a rough guide. If not, get some public transport to the bigger cities and you will eventually find one.

This budgeting method really works and i would definitely recommend it, especially if you want to last the whole year away.

In the end my girlfriend and i needed £3250 each based on the budget we had planned and including working in Australia for 3 months. The £3250 was allocated to last the beginning part of our trip up until we started working mid year. Then that money became savings while we worked and supported ourselves with our australian money. And then we used what was left for the following months after leaving oz and heading toward home.

The reason why we gave ourselves 3 months to get that money was because we knew we could. My girlfriend had most of it already and i had a motorbike to sell which made up the bulk of it. Weigh up your own situation before you decide how long you'll need to save.



SUMMARY:

• Buy your ticket and insurance before you REALLY start saving.
  
• Give yourself a decent amount of time to actually get the saving done.
• Get an accurate budget by researching the Rough Guide Travel books.
• Remember the RTW Primary Budget Triangle, Accommodation, Food, Transport.

Guesstimate of how much you'll need:

With work during trip- £3000-£5000 (Depending on level of comfort)
Without work during trip- £5000-£10000

Ps For those of you who don't want to work during your RTW trip i reckon i could've done this trip with £6000 spending money each after tickets. Thats the living mid range all the way, (ie always having our own room with bathroom ensuite) No crazy insects on your face in the middle of the night kind of traveling.

Round the World Preparation (Tickets and insurance)

RTW Tickets and Insurance

Before you begin any kind of preparation ask yourself these simple questions:

Which Countries would i like to visit?

How long do i want to be away?

&

What is the purpose of my trip?

There are many different reasons for wanting to buy that RTW ticket and jet off for months. Some people are looking to find themselves. Others just want to see more of this earth before they die. Whatever yours may be can influence the content of your trip so have a purpose in mind before purchasing your ticket.

After you have decided where, why and for how long you want to be away its time to begin the search for the best deal on a RTW ticket.

Buying the ticket and Insurance

I began by searching several websites to get an idea of the price of a RTW trip. There were many different results. Most of the travel agencies that specialise in RTW tickets like www.statravel.co.uk , www.airtreks.com and www.roundtheworldexperts.co.uk displayed prices ranging between £600-£1500 plus taxes.

These websites are great for gathering information on pricing and destinations, but the world route planning sections on their websites can prove very confusing. This is mainly due to the fact that some countries restrict access to travellers flying in from certain areas. I.E i wasn't allowed to travel from south Africa to India because of quarantine matters. You can spend ages clicking different combinations of destinations only to be told at the end of the process that your route is impossible.

So the next best option was to find a travel agent that i could speak to. STA travel has many branches across the UK and i already had an idea of what kind of prices they charged. So a visit to the covent garden branch proved very insightful.

The upside to visiting the branch in person is that you can sit with a tour operator who is required to have traveled extensively to get a job there. So the knowledge they share is from first hand experience. It is best to visit STA during the day mid week to save on queuing times which can be suprisingly long on weekends. Just tell the operator where you want to go, what you want to see and when you want to go. They will provide you with a list of different routing options and even suggest extra places you can stop at along the way for no extra charge because of overland travel possibilities.

After just 40 minutes at STA, my girlfriend and i had worked out and booked the exact route for seven seperate flights. Each one a different airline arriving and departing from opposites sides of each country, allowing for overland travel across the mainland to maximise the amount to things seen and done. Also as a bonus, we only had to supply the start and end date of our trip. All the flight dates in between were genuinely flexible meaning we could stay or leave whenever we pleased. All the taxes were included and the first 2 nights accommodation in Delhi sorted and paid for. They also arranged working visas for us both so that when we arrived in Australia 4 months into the trip we could find jobs there almost immediately. This entire trip cost just £1100 each including taxes, visas and 2 nights accommodation.

Before leaving the operator showed us the different travel insurance options they had to offer. We didn't take this at first as we believed we could find it cheaper elsewhere. After extensive searching with little promising results we decided to get the premium cover from STA. Although it was never needed it helps to have the insurance and trip booked at the same location. Especially because STA have branches all over the world.

The price of premium insurance which covers absolutely everything including extreme sports (Apart from Zorbing for some reason) and even vehicle hire up to certain engine sizes, was around £450 for the both of us. So £225 each for a years cover. DON'T GO WITHOUT INSURANCE!

SUMMARY:

Round The World TICKET- £500-£1500 PLUS TAX (My ticket- £1100 inc tax)
INSURANCE- £150- £450 (My insurance- £450 for two people)

Urban Lejendz round the world tips.

Welcome to my Blog; Urban Lejendz Round the World tips. Here you will learn about how to prepare and make the most out of your Round the World trip.

If it's your first time preparing for a RTW trip you'll probably be experiencing a mixture of emotions right now. There will be hundreds of questions running through your head.

How many T-Shirts will i need for a years holiday?

Have i taken all the right jabs?

Have i got enough money for this kind of trip duration?

Will i be safe?

Where the hell is my passport!?

These kind of thoughts are completely natural and hopefully my Blog will help to reassure you that anyone can do this, including YOU.

The journey you are about to embark on will change your life forever; add new meaning to your purpose in life and open your eyes to the wonders this world beholds.