Round The World Tips (Who to go with)

Round the world tips (Who to go with)

This is an important section that I should have mentioned earlier. As who you take with you on your round the world trip will greatly influence the content of your adventure. I decided to go with my girlfriend the first time, after making this decision people from all directions were telling me that I’d made a huge mistake and we’d never come back together. That the trip would expose all our flaws and irritations and it would break us. Obviously this had me a little worried as I’d been with my girlfriend for 6 years up to that point. In reality the journey had the complete opposite effect, it strengthened the relationship and opened our eyes to a number of new joint hobbies.

Now I can’t say for certain that this will happen for everyone, obviously every relationship is different and if you already have problems with each others company then the round the world experience probably will break you. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it, as if you’ve both got enough passion to travel the world together then chances are you will find other similarities along the way.

Going with your girlfriend/boyfriend will change the way in which you interact with other travellers. Because you already have a travel partner it is easy to fall into a comfort zone and distance yourself from other like minded people. This was true of my journey and resulted in us not making many friends along the way. In some senses I liked the way this worked as after 6 months or so, having to answer the same questions of where you have been and what you have done up to that point was getting quite tiresome. As a couple you are more likely to experience a lot of romantic moments, watching sunsets/sunrises on a cliff precipice, lying under a vast expanse of stars in the desert and other similar occurances.

Travelling alone or with your mates is a completely different experience, especially for boys who will tend to take a lot more risks to get that story telling experience. Going alone is so different that even if you visited the same places for a whole year you’d bring back with you an entire new spin on the appeal of round the world travel. Other single travellers latch onto you quickly as a way of gaining new experiences of their own and also for finding travel partners to share excursion and transport costs with. You’ll find yourself with a books worth of new friends from all around the world and in some crazy situations you’d never believe happened in real life. Even if you find it hard to converse with strangers the travelling experience make things so much easier, as you all have common ground in the sense that everyone is on their own journey with their own adventures to tell.

My friends that travel alone consistently say that it is a great way to experience an holiday romance, as like minded adventure seekers will often incorporate that exotic sun fuelled relationship into their list of experiences. I believe the sun is the earths most effective aphrodisiac!

So choose a travelling method that suits you best.

Round The World Tips (Working in Australia)

Round the world tips (Working in Australia)

For those of you who don’t possess ridiculous amounts of spare cash, it may be required that you work for part of the duration of your round the world journey. If the thought of this bums you out, fear not, as this little necessity can become an adventure of its own. In fact I know a few travellers who reluctantly took paid employment to supplement their travel and in doing so have never left the land down under because they loved it so much.

There are some procedures you’ll have to follow if you plan on working in Australia, these are best explored before you leave on your round the world trip. First of all and most importantly you will need to purchase yourself a working holiday visa. There are a few ways in which this can be done; independently or through a travel agent. Personally I would suggest booking your working holiday visa through the travel agent you have booked your round the world ticket with, assuming they offer this service. STA travel have clued up staff that can tell you everything you need to know and also apply for and book the visa right before your eyes. I paid £90 for my working holiday visa and Tax file number (more on TFN later) and everything was arranged so that when I arrived in the country the visa would begin from that point.

Some information about the Australian working holiday visa and Tax file number (TFN): The visa itself is valid for one year starting when you arrive in Australia and you can only work for any one employer over a 3 month period, then you have to change job unless your are sponsored to stay on the payroll. There is a separate desk at the airport that you’ll have to visit signed visitors with working holiday visas. As the paperwork will already have been arranged from home, all you have to do is answer a few simple questions about where you will stay and how you will support yourself until you find paid employment. After this a large sticker gets plastered into your passport stating that you have entitlement to work in Australia for one year. Make note though; Only apply for a working holiday visa if you actually plan to use it. This is because the Australian government will only give you one chance to use this visa in your entire lifetime. So once its in your passport you’ve got just that one year and then that’s it for life, unless the company your working for sponsors you to continue working past the 12 month cut-off point. So don’t waste it!

A Tax file number is required by all employers in Australia so that they can manage your tax paying records for the duration of your employment. If you have paid for your TFN with your visa then upon arriving in Australia all you have to do is wait for an email. Its all done automatically and this method is much faster than applying for one when you arrive. Even then, it still took around 6 weeks before my TFN email arrived so I dread to think how long it would have taken if I applied manually in the country. As soon as you have received your little piece of code you have all you need to start applying for work and at agencies.

Australia sees a large traffic of working travellers so there is no shortage of agencies offering their services. These agencies are free and work much the same as the ones in Britain. Just send in your CV with a short covering email stating what kind of employment you desire and let them contact you. In my personal experience these agencies can get you a lot of work but they aren’t the most desirable jobs in the world. For a better quality of life and much faster turnaround you are better off walking into establishments you would like to work for, even if there are not advertising for staff, and just asking if they need workers. Australia seems to have a great need for skilled workmen and women, like welders, bricklayers, plasterers and road workers. Also Nurses are in demand out there and will get employment almost instantly. However there is also plenty of bar work but some companies require that you take a short course in hospitality which will cost you around $60-$90. In late 2005 the exchange rate for the British pound was $2.5 to the pound.

When you leave Australia you can claim back all of the tax you have paid the government. This can add up to a decent figure so I strongly recommend claiming what is rightfully yours. There are twos ways to do this; the ridiculously hard and long way, or the easy and quick way. If you try and make a claim for your tax money yourself it requires filling out dozens of complicated forms that take months to exchange hands. Also you can only start applying for your money back when you have left the country, so imagine the difficultly you will experience trying to manage this amount of paperwork.

It is much, much easier to get the specialised tax return companies to retrieve your money for you. You don’t have to pay them anything up front as they take a percentage out of the money they retrieve for you. Also they sort it all out when you have left the country saving you months worth of letter sending. In the 3 months that I worked for one particular company part time, I received back 750 dollars in tax refunds after the percentage fee had been taken. Not bad!

A lot of the information in this article applies to the New Zealand Working holiday visa as well, but it is worth looking up the differences if you plan on working in NZ as well.

For recent information on booking your round the world ticket and visa, visit STA travel or any other RTW specialist company on this site.

Round The World Tips (Hiking)

RTW Tips (Hiking)

Some travelers would agree that their round the world trip would not be complete without some serious hiking. Catching public transport from town to town is a great experience but until you've hiked off the beaten track you may never really see a country's true beauty. However some forms of Hiking can be dangerous and certain precautions should be observed when embarking on such a voyage. The following information applies mainly to New Zealand as Hiking is a massive part of their culture, therefore a good basis for hiking hints and tips. However the general theme of hike preparation can be applied to any country.

Experience

If you lack Hiking experience it would be wise to start with easy, summer tracks that avoid the mountainous regions. This will give you a good indication as to what level of fitness you are currently at. Many aspects of Hiking can be learnt through experience, but it would help greatly to take along somebody who has been hiking in the conditions you will face in the past. It is recommended that hikers travel in groups of two or more. Remember if you are inexperienced, hiking can be a dangerous pursuit and if the facilities exist you should inform a warden or ranger of your intended route and time plan.

Conditions and Altitude Sickness

In New Zealand weather conditions can vary unpredictably so hikers should be well prepared for environmental shifts. The higher the altitudes you will reach on your hike will also effect the conditions. Tall mountains will get colder as you ascend and can be below freezing even in the summer season. Also the atmosphere thins out at high altitude and can cause altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness. (AMS) Almost everyone who climbs above 4000 metres or more will experience some form of mild symptoms, but descent is an immediate cure for these ailments.


AMS is caused by there being less oxygen in the air and a lower atmospheric pressure. The body can react to this in a series of strange ways: The brain can swell and lungs fill with fluid, and you can even experience uncontrollable passing of wind. Other symptoms include breathlessness, headaches and dizziness, nausea, appetite loss and difficulty sleeping. Rare extreme cases may involve disorientation, loss of balance and the coughing up of pink frothy phlegm.


A golden rule for adjusting to these conditions is not to climb too high, too fast. Above 3000m one should not climb more then 500m a day paying particular attention to 3500m and 4000m altitudes.


Diamox is a drug that can suppress AMS but it is not advisable to take this as it can block the early signs of AMS and lead to a fatal outcome. Staying stationary for a day is a better method, eat high carbohydrate foods and drink at least three litres of water a day. Take paracetemol or aspirin for headaches and descend if AMS symptoms worsen.

Equipment and tips

• Carry a large scale topographical map, a recent description of your track or route and a compass.
• Find out weather conditions that will effect your route before you set off, in NZ the DOC centre can provide this information.
• Watch the weather as you walk, ascertain if it will be safe to continue.
• Carry water with you if there is none available on your route. Take extra, high energy food : You may be out longer then you plan to be.
• Take layers of clothing to protect you from cold, wind and rain. If you stop walking, put on extra clothing. Synthetic clothing such as nylon, polyester, and polypropylene dries quicker than wool and cotton. Nylon shorts and polyester tee shirts are good for summer hiking, along with polypropylene or merino thermal wear, fleece mid layers, and windproof and rainproof outer layers.
• Take survival bags or a tent fly for emergency shelter. Survival bags are available from outdoors stores.
• In New Zealand you can fill out an intentions card at the nearest DOC Field Centre or a visitor centre; remember to sign out when you return.
  

Round The World Tips (Scams)

RTW Tips (Scams)

Think you can survive the whole year without getting scammed? Good Luck! Believe it or not getting scammed is a big part of world travel, especially in India, the far east and other economically challenged countries. So i'm going to compile a selection of things to be on the look out for during your trip. Eyes open people!

Government Gift Shop visits

This will get very irritating very quickly as it happens almost EVERY day. Whenever you book a guided tour through any means, it is almost 100% guarnteed that en route back to the hotel the driver or tour guide will take you, against your will to an over priced air conditioned government building stacked to the brim with stuff you really wont want to buy.

You'd think it would be easy enough to just say no to this, but prepare yourself for a guilt trip that will overshadow any trip you've ever experienced! I've heard lines like, ' Don't worry you don't have to buy anything, just spend 10 minutes inside the building and I will get food tokens for my children. Can you do this for me?... Please!' and all kinds of similar groveling. Now i am not an argumentative person, but after 4 weeks of these mind games i just couldn't handle it any longer: It was time to devise a escape tactic.

My Round the world tip for escaping this kind of situation is to ask a local rickshaw/taxi driver to follow the same landmark route that the tour would've taken. Agree on a decent price or move on to the next driver. (See Round The World Haggling Tips) Once you've settled on an acceptable figure which will most likely be cheaper than the tour, crack on with the days events safe in the knowledge that you won't be bundled off into the nearest money trap.

However this method isn't always 100% effective and even local drivers will try to take you to government gift shops without your consent. The easiest way to get out of this is to confirm with the driver after the haggling process that he will not take you to one of these places. In return tell him you will be extremely happy with his services and perhaps he will even get a tip! Just make sure you give them a tip after this promise and you end the day satisfied that everyone got what they wanted.

Friendly Strangers

There will be days when you wish to tackle the sights of the world on foot, braving the scorching temperatures to acquire that true sense of cultural blending. As much as i love walking my way around town, it comes with its own set of irritations. Local shop keepers will jump at the chance of having a foreigner in their store, or more accurately put, a foreigners cash. Therefore prepare to be mobbed by over friendly strangers asking where you are from. (under the pretense of practicing their English) This harmless banter will soon evolve into an invitation to visit their friends/brothers/cousins workshop, which will in turn lead to you being laid under another heavy guilt trip.

If you have a strong personality this kind of scam is easily turned down. But those of you looking to find inner strength on your journey will find this a true test of your patience, and bank balance. Be aware, most friendly strangers will want something from you.

Shoe Polishers/Cleaners

One of the more amusing scams. Some ingenious little children in some parts of the world have devised a form of trickery you'd almost never expect. Imagine you are walking the streets and all of a sudden, whoops you've stepped in some cow poo. It's just bad luck right? how about if that little child thats been secretly following you had thrown it in your path? only to notice your dilema and guide you to his shoe cleaning emporium! How convenient!...

Medicine men

Of all the scams this has to be the worst i have heard of on my travels. In some rare cases travelers dining at certain restaurants became extremely ill with painful stomach difficulties. Restaurant staff would then come to aid the traveler and offer to call a doctor. These doctors provided the patient with medicine which they claimed would cure the illness. Instead these very doctors were keeping the travelers ill with the medication they were prescribing, and the restaurant they had eaten at had purposefully made them ill. The doctors would then claim medical expenses off of the travelers insurance policy for as long as they could keep them ill. The scam artists behind this operation have since been arrested, but never the less one should be wary of such trickery.

Travel Agencies

This applies to the travel agencies in hotels as well as independent establishments. Whenever you allow someone other than yourself to book bus,train or air tickets, always check the value of the tickets that you have been charged for. Agencies will often give you an inflated rate and say that the extra charge is for booking fees. This just means you are paying for them to stand in a queue for a few minutes that you could have stood in yourself. So don't let them over charge you for this. The actual value of the ticket is stated on the ticket itself usually at the bottom on the right.

On one occasion my girlfriend and I were desperate to leave a certain town as soon as possible. We visited a travel agent and asked for a ticket leaving the following day. We were charged close to £100 for a third class carriage. The travel agent was extremely convincing and made us think that we had to travel an emergency line so we paid the money. It was only after noticing the actual price of the ticket, which was about £4 each that we went back to the agency and demanded how they justified spending £92 on booking fees. The agent looked embarrassed and tried to explain that he was planning to give us back the overpayment when we returned. Even though he knew full well that we had booked single outbound tickets and were not returning.

This round the world tip will come in extremely handy as you are almost certainly likely to fall victim to this scam at least once.

Street Children

Not so much a scam but an attempt at taking your money none the less, street children will often follow you for MILES asking for you to buy them a chocolate bar or something of equal value. Once you give in and purchase that chocolate, hoards of children will mob you expecting the same treatment. Remember these children are never alone, they are always part of a group of more children governed by a smaller group of adults. You won't see the adults until they suspect that you may cause the children harm, but they are there.

Removing your shoes at temples

Almost all temples are considered holy ground, therefore you must remove footwear before entering them. Many temples will have facilities to leave your shoes under guard until you return. Locals will choose not to use this service and leave them elsewhere, DON'T copy them or your shoes will get stolen. This actually happened to me, on the fourth day of my round the world trip! And if you've read my 'what to bring with you' checklist you'll already know I only had one pair of shoes! Nightmare...

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.