Independent Travel Tips – Packing Light

The trick with traveling independently is quite simple – light luggage. Keep your gear down to a carry on size and not more than 10kg (22lbs) and suddenly you have the freedom to walk away from the over charging taxi driver, the ability to take the bus not the hire car, to walk 3 or 4 flights of stairs in a budget hotel.

Independent travel is all about freedom – so why do so many people wander the world with over-sized bags – even the backpackers bury themselves under 70litre packs – and there is no way you need that much stuff! If you want to shop – leave it to the end and buy another bag to put it all in.

Photo:nhanusek via flickr.com

I think over packing is basically a symptom of fear and uncertainty - certainly some people’s need to be ready for any medical emergency is a direct reflection of this – and the profit margin.

A minimum of clothes means that you will dress basically the same everyday  but so what? It seems a better option than carrying a week’s worth of dirty washing around the sights of Europe surely? The downside – well you do end up having to do a bit of  hand washing every night and I do carry a pegless travel clothesline with me.

Independent Travel – Do You Need a Guidebook

Yesterday I talked about independent travel and its advantages of it. But where do you start? Guide books? Internet? Today we really have information overload, the trick is finding the useful stuff.

First off ever since Thomas Cook put out his his first guidebook along with inventing the package tourism industry – based on trains in his day – guide books have created the tourist ghettos we love to hate these days. Lonely Planet says Koh Phi Phi is the most beautiful, undiscovered beach in all of Thailand – guess what – yup Koh Phi Phi is trashed with far too many visitors and little infra structure to support them (I mean rubbish collect and sewerage – not 5 star hotels).

 

Ko Phi Phi, Thailand Photo: Shadow or Light via flickr.com

 

But guidebooks take a long time to get to market – probably nearly 2 years from research to publishing. And in that time a lot changes –  often its a matter of doing the opposite – Phi Phi is trashed – head on out – the locals have probably tied up as the tourists started staying away – now you have a nice place and fewer visitors!

I town is written up as not worth stopping at – stop there – you will probably be  surprised. Also recognize the writers bias – if the writer is obsessed with nature and hates cities -and you’re the opposite the guide is probably not going to help very much

Independent travel is about taking the best from guidebooks and overlooking the rest. Guidebooks are useful – for high level initial trip planning – but not for the details – for the stuff like where am I going to stay – well that is best made up on the spot when you can actually see the room you are considering renting!

Independent Travel Tips

Sorry – its been a while since I posted – I will try harder. The trouble with travel is that sometimes I am planning or doing a trip and I am really into talking and writing about travel – and sometimes – well I am stuck working and I really don’t want to know about my favourite drug that I have withdrawal symptoms from !

Donkey Cars waiting for tourists, Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Anyway this is the start of several posts – which I’m sub-titling – independent travel. You know the type you do without booking it all with your agent before you leave home. Don’t get me wrong – I do do tours: I like hop-on-hop-off  type tours for orientation in a large city I don’t know. I like tours on boats so I can dive or snorkel. I will sometimes engage a guide in a place like Angkor Wat so  we can go where we want and get the low down and the transport provided.

I’m not anti-tour – but   I AM anti  the herd mentality of some tourists – it used to parodied as – “oh its Wednesday it must be Rome” but be restricted to older people who could afford package tours.

But more and more in countries like Thailand and Asia – I see the local entrepreneurs putting on “special tourist” buses which might even be cheaper than the already insanely cheap local buses – so that they can make money on the hotels, food and tours along the way. And then the tourists can’t work out why the country is so in your face sell, sell, sell. In fact in Vietnam it was the oder tourists who were travelling independently – and the backpackers who were quite literally being herded from one hostel ghetto to the next – just because they didn’t have the initiative to get off the Lonely Planet trail and do some real travelling.

So what does being an independent tourist involve. Well call me simple – but involves being informed and thinking for yourself. If the guidebooks says XYZ is the THE place to stay – you can be guranteed that it is over run with tourist hoards, over priced and poor value for money by the time you see the book, because of the thousands who have already acted on that very recommendation.

I often get off a bus and go with a hotel tout in Asia – the best ones are when they are working directly for the hotel – often the only thing wrong with the hotel is that its new or for some reason got missed from the guidebook. This generally means you pay the same or less than the popular place, but get a much cleaner, quieter and generally more pleasant stay.

7 Reasons A Long Vacation is Good for Your Health

I’ve already talked about how a long trip can save you money. Here’s another take on it.

We all need a vacation from time to time. While you may think that you just need some down time, a long vacation can actually be good for your health. Let’s take a look at how a long vacation can help with your mental and physical well being.

Relaxing is good for you!

1. Helps to Reduce Stress: As stress is the root cause of so many of our physical and mental ailments, anything that helps to reduce stress is good for us. Long vacations allow us to clear our heads and escape the very things that are stressing us out. So this is good for every aspect of our health and well being imaginable!

2. You Tend to Get More Sleep: Most of us run around with too much to do and too little time, so a long vacation forces us to slow down. One of the biggest health benefits that comes about from this is that we actually get a good night of sleep. Sleep is good for our health and helps our bodies to function at their optimal state, so this is an excellent and very enjoyable benefit from a long vacation.

3. Helps to Lower Blood Pressure: As we experience stress and anxiety in our daily lives, this can cause our blood pressure to spike. A long vacation away not only helps us to relax, but it can bring our blood pressure back to a normal and healthy range. This is important for good health so it’s an excellent benefit!

4. You Are Far Less Likely to Get Sick: When you actually take the time to rest and relax, this is good for your health and can even help to boost your immune system. As your body winds down and takes in all the benefits you gain from extra sleep and relaxation, you reap the rewards by warding off illness. When you are run down and exhausted, and even running on empty you are far more likely to get sick.

5. You’re Eating Good Food: Though the health benefits may be a bit more indirect, you are actually more likely to eat a couple of solid meals a day. When we’re busy and on the go constantly we tend to shove food in and oftentimes skip meals in the interest of time. When you’re on a long vacation, you may not only get in actual meals but may fill them with varieties that are good for you such as fresh fruits and vegetables. These in and of themselves provide health benefits through their nutrients, and this is all good for your health.

6. You Are Getting Exercise: Whether you are swimming in the ocean, hitting the hotel gym, or walking around for sightseeing, you are likely to get in some level of exercise. This gets your heart pumping and burns off some of the calories that you may have stuffed yourself. More importantly it works towards better health and that’s good for you in every sense.

7. You Get to Bond with Your Loved Ones: This may not seem like an actual health benefit, but when you’re happy you’re healthy. The pleasure you get through bonding with your loved ones is along the same lines as the relaxation you get from putting your stress behind you. This helps your mental health and that contributes to your physical well being in the process.

As if you needed a reason to get away, we’ve provided several that prove a long vacation is good for your health. If you want to get some time away, escape the stress of everyday life, and actually improve your health in the process, we’ve given you the perfect ways to do just that.

This was a guest post by Mary Frederick blogs about how to choose the ultrasound tech school for you.

Saving Money on a Long Trip – Less is More!

I recently wrote about saving money on a long trip but one of the most important things to do is to avoid taking too much stuff with you. The lighter you can travel the more money you will save – let me explain!

If you take a large case – you won’t want to carry it far. I don’t care if its the latest beautifully designed backpack or roll-along – if thing weights 20kg – you will take a cab -guaranteed. You will find it hard to get it on and off public transport – thru turnstiles and in general it will be a pain the back and the arm. In Vietnam the standard transfer is by scooter – you on the back the bag between the driver’s legs – would your luggage fit on a scooter with a tiny 40kg diver? If not downsize.

Everyone over packs on their first trip – I remember seriously considering a ball dress on my first trip – seriously Fortunately a more experienced friend talked me out of that. I do generally carry a dres up out fit though – just because I am staying at hostel or cheap hotel doesn’t mean that I don’t want to go to a local ball or casino – Seriously!

So what size bag should you take? I say 25-30 litres – carry on size. I used to carry on my bag – but can’t anymore because of liquid restriction. In addition I have a fold away day bag – which I now carry on – and a small purse which will carry my camera and guide book. I have travelled for up to 6 months at a time and yes my clothing takes a battering, falls to pieces and I get bored with wearing the same thing every day – but its not hard to do – and the benefits are enormous.

Its so quick to get out of a hotel room when you don’t have much stuff to pack. Its so easy to keep a bag safe when you carry it on board th bus not have to check it. Its easier to deal with taxis when you can take your bag with you, inside the cab not have it in the boot.Save your back and and save money on your next trip – and take very little with you!

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carolinadoug/

Saving Money on a Long Trip

Its the time of the year in Australia where many of the travel companies start with their advertising for cheap airfares and other deals for backpackers on their way to Europe for a gap year . Ignoring the information on student work visas though – most of it will suit the older traveller who is looking for a good deal.

Getting a cheap airfare deal in the early part of the year should be easy -  Europeans are leaving for the southern hemisphere in droves to avoid their winter. So the plans fly 1/2 empty on the way back to Europe – and those are the cheap tickets.

Youth hostels no longer have age restrictions – except in southern Germany so yes you can stay in the them and yes they will save you an enormous amount of money particularly in Western Europe and the UK.

Hiring a car gets cheaper with age – thank goodness – its still not cheap but long term leasing arrangements in Europe can be a good deal if you are a small group. Its also a lot less time wasting than buying and selling a vehicle.

The best way though to save money on a long trip is to travel more slowly. Fast travel eats your cash – well fast! Slow down – take slower forms of transport – walk or cycle – and you will not only see more of the country but you will save a huge amount of money. Short-term, traditional tourists pay a lot for convenience because time is money for them. But if you are travelling for a long time than fast travel will burn you out – and and burn your budget.

Slow down – the more closely to living as a local you can manage the cheaper it will be. Many locals in Asia eat at the street stalls rather than cooking at home – that’s why they are so cheap. If you leave the air-conditioned, English-menu tourist restaraunts and join the locals you will find great food, ambience and very cheap prices!

Take a local bus or train rather than a hire car and experience life at the ground level. The only thing you lose by saving money on long-term travel is time – but that’s the whole point isn’t it?

Debit Cards Better Than Travel Money Cards ?

Yes i think debit cards are the way of the future and a much better deal than the over-prices travelwx travel money cards which you see advertised all over the place. Basically the travel money card is a pre-loaded credit card i.e. a debit card – except you get to pay to add money to it and even to check the balance.

In contrast I was sent a debit card by my bank as a replacement for an ordinary EFTPOS card. The debit card isa mastercard branded card which will work anywhere that Mastercard is accepted – which is pretty much anywhere! The mrechant may think its a credit card – and that’s the button you push on the machine – but in fact its a debit card because you are using your funds direct out of transaction account.

Makes sense to me – although you need to check what fees are being charged particularly for cash withdrawals from ATMs using the card for direct purchases makes a whole lot of sense. You can keep track of your account using your normal online banking as well – no need to try to remember yet another password!

One thing is for sure I think I have bought my last traveller’s cheque – they really have gone the way of the horse and carriage! These days I travel with a mixture of cash and the debit card will be joining my credit card along for the journey so I have a mixture of Mastercard and Visa – yes there is the odd country swhere one is much more commonly accepted than the other.

Cash is still king in a lot of circumstances and I use a mixture of clean, non-damaged $100 bills for the bulk of it and some $10′s for the odd border official or taxi driver on arrival. Yes all US$ I am afraid – still the world currency dispite its battering in recent years.