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Art of Backpacking: Independent Experience and Adventure

Art of Backpacking: Independent Experience and Adventure
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Round the World Fare 18,521 daily flights. 1,321 destinations. 193 countries. One Round the World Fare. While other people plan holidays, do you plan adventures? Is lying on a beach only part of the experience – along with sampling a mix of fascinating cultures, adrenaline-fuelled activities and other once-in-a-lifetime opportunities? Whatever you dream of doing, and wherever you dream of going, the Star Alliance™ Round the World Fare is your ticket to the world. That's because the Star Alliance Round the World Fare offers you 27 airlines flying to more than 1,321 airport destinations in 193 countries. Star Alliance Book and Fly is a powerful booking tool to help you plan and book multi-destination fares online*. *Credit Cards accepted: Master Card, Visa, American Express, Diners, JCB and UATP/Airplus Please note that JCB can only be accepted, if you select Germany, Japan, Republic of Korea or United Kingdom as country of residence in the Book and Fly process.

Couchsurfing Alternatives | Two Go Round-The-World Today’s post picks up and expands on some of the resources mentioned in Monday’s article, “How To Burst The Tourist Bubble“. The theory that almost everyone on Earth is connected to anyone else via a small number of acquaintances seems to hold true for backpackers, too. The rapid uptake and access to the world wide web has helped people become better acquainted with their world—and with one another. Backpackers and independet travelers have proved to be quick to adopt new means of communicating and meeting with one another. Photo by Luc Legay (Creative Commons) In the years following our time spent abroad (we worked in Asia in the period 2002–04), a number of online services sprung up to illustrate this interconnectedness and help fellow travelers escape the tourist bubble. Chief among them was the CouchSurfing project. Below is a list of websites and services similar to CouchSurfing, with which you may already be familiar. Hospitality organizations Related Posts Tags: Interesting links

10 Safety Hacks Every Woman Who Travels Alone Should Know You’re a woman traveling alone. Perhaps you’re traveling on business or you’re just finding yourself. Keep your wits about you and you could have an adventure worth telling. 1. An obvious band of gold signifies that you’re not interested and, even more important, that your burly husband is somewhere close by. 2. You don’t want to be traipsing through a dark parking garage or left hanging around a deserted airport. 3. Have them track your flight using an app like Flightaware, so they’ll know when your plane has landed and when they should be hearing from you. 4. It can be thwarted with radio-frequency identification (RFID) blocking shields. 5. Let’s say you are taking $500 dollars on your physical person as you gambol about the city. 6. Fear can be paralyzing. 7. In fact, it’s a good idea to have a plausible, but completely fictional, story to tell those who are overly curious. 8. Bottled water is always safest and probably better tasting. 9. 10.

Why you should travel young - Converge As I write this, I’m flying. It’s an incredible concept: to be suspended in the air, moving at two hundred miles an hour — while I read a magazine. Amazing, isn’t it? I woke up at three a.m. this morning. As I sit, waiting for the flight attendant to bring my ginger ale, I’m left wondering why I travel at all. I was leading a missions trip in Puerto Rico. “Do you think I should go to graduate school or move to Africa?” I don’t think she was talking to me. I told her to travel. She sighed, nodding. I had heard this excuse before, and I didn’t buy it. Yeah, but … … what about debt? … what about my job? … what about my boyfriend? This phrase is lethal. Most people I know who waited to travel the world never did it. It reminded me of Dr. Dr. I was about to start working out, and he had just finished. “You come here often?” “Um, yeah, I guess,” I said, still wiping the crusted pieces of whatever out of my eyes. “That’s great,” he said. I nodded, not really paying attention. “Great,” Dr. Ouch.

40 Budget Travel Tips Every Wanderlust Should Know If you’re missing the road, what better time than now to begin preparations for the next great adventure? But before you get too far into your planning, be sure to check out these great tips and websites to avoid paying too much. These will make saving cash a breeze! General Budget Travel Advice 1. Stay far away from touristy restaurants and instead go down a few blocks and eat where the locals do. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Budget Websites 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. Apps 38. 39. 40. Featured photo credit: Siim Teller via flickr.com No Cost Volunteering - Volunteer In Cambodia First things first: We never charge volunteers to participate in our program. Compared to other volunteer programs, both in Cambodia and elsewhere which require thousands in fees per week or month just to participate, you’ll find this is a pretty good deal. Are you sure I don’t have to pay anything to you? If you volunteer with us and live independently, you don’t pay us a cent. What will it cost me to come to Cambodia? You will need to pay for airfares, travel and health insurance, Business (E-Type) visa and renewals, day to day expenses, travel, and personal expenses. So what should I budget for? Everyone has different needs, so we can’t give everyone a precise amount they should budget. Insurance - US$150-200 (get an 8% discount using the coupon code CWF8 at World Nomads)Airfares - US$500 – 1500Visas - US$25 (visa on arrival), plus US$74 (3 month renewal )Police Check - Varies by country, please consult your local authority.Vaccinations - Consult your travel doctor. Visas & Orientation

Five secrets only good travellers know Date/Time: 2009:06:23 06:56:31 Source: Supplied THE best travel experiences are always the ones that almost didn't happen. That bar you found around the corner, down the alley and up the lane, or the city you got stuck in because you missed your flight. Well, now you can cultivate a serendipitous experience with these hidden gem-finding tools. NearMe is a mobile app guide to help you get the most out of ending up in an unplanned city. Every would-be traveller should have an oft-tripped friends who can drop restaurant recommendations for London at the same time as they give you the best hotel for a New York stay. Here’s one for the domestic traveller. There’s nothing quite like a local guide to help you navigate the tourist traps to find the authentic gem in a foreign city. More of a best ticket gem finder, Pintrip is a Google Chrome extension that takes the pain out of finding the best price for your next overseas trip.

Newsletter - Backpacking - Backpacking This week, my travel advice covers: Backpacking Accommodation Hostels aren’t the smelly dorm rooms they used to be. Or, rather, some are, but in today’s competitive market you’ll find hostels with a variety of rooms (12-bed down to singles), excellent facilities, wifi, games rooms and, most importantly, other travellers – the best resource while you’re on the road. Pre-Planning Travel planning can help or hurt you, depending how far you take it. Try not to make the mistake of setting a strict timeline; instead, focus on a loose plan to help you get the most out of your trip. Extreme flexibility beats extreme preparation any day! The only two things that you have to know for sure to begin your trip: what country you want to start with and when you want to go. When choosing your destinations, keep these things in mind: Seasonal Weather: Many tropical areas can have months of continuous rain. 6: Don’t forget your flip-flops; these really are an essential item when it comes to travelling.

40 Most Useful Travel Websites That Can Save You a Fortune Welcome Stumbled Upon & Delicious Users: You may also want to check out our 180+ Best Money Saving Tools. Traveling doesn't have to break the bank (in fact, you can travel for free), and there are plenty of places that'll help you find the best vacation for your budget. Get discounts and the insider scoop with these great resources. Don't forget to ask for free travel upgrades. (See also: 5 Essential Travel Tools) Cheap Flights and Accommodations Find the best rates for airlines and places to stay, no matter what type of traveler you are. CouchSurfing - Bum a night's sleep on somebody's couch and save hundreds of dollars on hotel costs! Farecast - Farecast gathers data from all over the web so you can find out if airfare for a trip is rising or dropping over the next 7 days, if a hotel rate is the best deal based on past rates, and if there's a better travel offer on another site. Home Exchange - The most comprehensive listing of home listings. Destination Guides and Travel Communities

The Backpacking Site Backpacking is increasingly a popular way to travel. It allows you an almost unlimited level of flexibility with your itinerary and keeps you costs down much more than booking into expensive hotels. Within this section you will find tips for backpacking wherever you are going from what to take with you to useful tips and tricks. Packing :: Clothing :: Essentials :: Useful Items :: Backpack What not to take :: Caveat Emptor :: Useful Links Packing One of the key issues when embarking on a backpacking trip is what to take with you. It is essential to pack as lightly as possible, your backpack will need to be carried with you everywhere and having a large bulky pack can hamper you boarding buses and trains and will also tire you out to carry around all day. Clothing You will need to cut down to the bare minimum when packing clothes, you will need to get used to wearing the same clothes for long periods of time although you will normally be able to wash and dry clothes overnight in most places.

Travel insurance, Get the best quote on international travel insurance – Lonely Planet Lonely Planet's travel insurance essentials It's the final countdown to your next big adventure. You’ve got your passport and tickets, every pair of socks you own, and enough mosquito repellent to cover an elephant. But aren’t you forgetting something? Travel insurance, a safety net if things go wrong, should be right at the top of your list. Travelling wouldn’t be fun without surprises. Reading through your policy won’t get your pulse racing, but it’s essential to check how you’re covered, what’s not covered and any conditions that apply before you set out – whether you bought annual travel insurance or cover for a short trip. You might think it’s ‘fine print’ but you really don’t need that magnifying glass. Medical insurance. Make sure you compare insurance plans to get the right policy for you, whether you’re a carefree student, trekking across Canada with your family, or relaxing on a cruise. This service is provided by WorldNomads.com Pty Ltd under an agreement with Lonely Planet.

Travel Cheap And Travel Young: 10 Countries You Can Visit On A College Budget With the travel season upon us, it’s time to begin exploring again and creating memories that last. Like everyone else, I’m pretty much broke and can’t afford to go on a luxury trip across Europe, but just because the university takes all my cash doesn’t mean I can’t still travel. Here is a list of 10 countries that rank on the low-end for cost right now: Bolivia Home to many activities and sites, this cheap country will have you living like a king for less than you would think. Thailand Thailand has been trying to revamp its tourism as of late and many tourism companies have been offering excellent deals. If you are open to bunks, you can easily get by for an entire day on that price. Greece With the state of the economic condition in Greece, prices are low and the tourism will help bring in some more much-needed money. This is one of the best locations in all of Europe for cheap travel. Spain Spain is having similar issues to Greece and could use the extra money from tourism. Costa Rica Vietnam

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