8 Years On The Road.... How?
You may be wondering if it is possible to travel for 8 years without winning the lottery? Absolutely! Here's how...
START IN CHEAP COUNTRIES
Places where you can easily live on $25/day or less. Examples: India, Nepal, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Morocco, Portugal, Montenegro, etc. Traveling/living in cheap countries allows you to stay longer (lower average cost per day), reduces worry about finances, and often means you are in local communities. LANGUAGE We are all linguists - enjoy the challenge and the smiles from locals when you make an effort to speak the local language. It is my #1 first priority when arriving in a new country - learn greetings, salutations, numbers, directions, bargaining etc. If that doesn't work - smile a lot : ) I speak enough of the following languages to greet people, find food, ask directions, barter, offer thanks, have a chat... Italian, Spanish, French, Arabic, Croatian, Hindi, Nepali, Bahasa (Indo/Malay), Thai, Bislama. In Europe, print out a handy 1 page language guide from single-serving.com and hit the road with confidence. FOOD WHERE: Eat where the locals (not the tourists) eat. Make friends, ask around with locals. See which cafes/dhabas/restaurants/street stalls are packed with locals - give it a go! They know where to find good/cheap eats. WHAT: Eat local! Eat noodles in China, sardines in Croatia, baguettes in France, yogurt in Mongolia. WHEN: Eat EXPIRING food. In most supermarkets (around the perimeter) check the fresh foods/deli/dairy department for food expiring, or about to expire. You can save yourself 50-90% and the food is perfectly fit for human consumption! Also, eat what you find ON SALE in shops/supermarkets (grandma taught me well). WATER Filter and drink - don't buy plastic bottles! One of my biggest frustrations with travellers is seeing the endless trail of plastic litter some create when they choose to buy bottled water. In remote islands they end up in the sea, in the Himalayas they end up in the rivers, in Morocco they end up everywhere. SOLUTION - Carry your own water filter. Filter local water. Stay hydrated. SAVE hundreds of dollars a year! My filter of choice is a Steripen Classic. It requires 4 AA (I recommend rechargeable) batteries and will produce 5-6 liters a day for 3-4 weeks. I carry a Brunton Freedom solar panel and tiny Freeloader AA/AAA USB charger so even without power (but I do need sunlight) I have safe water. Also charges my headlight and bike light rechargeables. I traveled for a couple years with an MSR Miniworks filter but found it clogged too often for my liking in the mountains and traded it along the way. BARGAIN Learn your local numbers, what locals pay, smile often, make bargaining a fun game. Not all cultures bargain, but give it a go. You have nothing to lose, except some of your money. |
COST OF COUNTRIES VISITED
Financial rank of countries I have visited - this is often camping and making my own food. Costs can rise considerably if you need to book a B&B in Switzerland, for example. Very Expensive ($40+/day): Switzerland, France, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong Expensive ($25-40/day): Kazakhstan, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium, France Moderate ($15-25/day): Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzevogina, China, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Mongolia, Malaysia, Vanuatu, American Samoa, New Zealand Cheap ($10-15/day): Thailand, Western Samoa Wonderfully Cheap (Below $10/day): Nepal, India, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia ACCOMODATION Stay in places you enjoy for extended periods of time (weeks or months). Visit in shoulder seasons (see below) when it is usually cooler and less crowded. In the past 24 months I have paid for a total of 12 nights of accommodation (does not including camping). HOSTS As a traveler, you offer a unique perspective, funny stories, and variety from the every day. Social networks exist to host you. See "Get Hosted" page. VOLUNTEER "Work" usually 4-5 hours a day for your food and accommodation, stay with wonderful local families, learn the local language, dig into the culture. Good sites: Workaway.info WWOOF: World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms Helpx CAMPING Carry a tent. Make sure it is lightweight so you enjoy carrying it. My tent of choice is a Tarptent Double Rainbow which weighs 1.17kg (2.5 lbs). It has saved me thousands of dollars in accommodation costs plus I enjoy nights under the Milky Way or on a deserted Pacific beach or next to a babbling brook filled with trout. HOUSESITTING Costs $20-50 per year and can score you some incredible properties to look after during your adventures. Free lodging! Some good websites are: Housecarers, MindMyHouse, etc. Go to "Get Hosted" page. SHOULDER SEASON Try to explore places in the shoulder season (often Spring and Autumn). For example, avoid the Mediterranean in July/August, Ladakh in summer, Nepal in Oct/Nov, New Zealand during summer school holidays (Dec/Jan), etc. Prices can be 50-75% cheaper (and always negotiable) when rooms are empty. |