Backpacking

[Laddey]

Hi guys...

Me and my mate wanna go backpacking.

Where do i begin? Where do we travel through? How much coin are we talking about?

Surely somebody from here with have some experience with this.

Maybe Europe? He mentioned Thailand.

We have about 8-10 grand between us.

Thanks dudes

 

[Aoami]

http://www.eurail.com/ is the classic way to get around europe, not sure about the orient, but thailand/vietnam/cambodia are really popular. im sure someone will be able give you advice here about it but if not i'll ask my brother what he did cos he went to thailand for 3 months.

 

[Laddey]

http://www.eurail.com/ is the classic way to get around europe, not sure about the orient, but thailand/vietnam/cambodia are really popular. im sure someone will be able give you advice here about it but if not i'll ask my brother what he did cos he went to thailand for 3 months.

Thanks mate...

He's going more towards Thailand really. But more than open to suggestions!

 

[Ch3tan]

8 -10 grand will see you through over a year easily if you plan and budget correctly. How long are you thinking of going for?

Go see TravelBag or STA travel for some tips and ideas.

 

[Laddey]

We have no ties here in the UK. No time period of which to return in so whatever really.

Cheers again

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Go see somewhere you're *really* interested in.

Don't just go to Thailand because everyone does it and you feel it's a good option. Look around first, decide what interests you and then figure out plans. Just defaulting to Thailand might not be the best option for you.

 

[Laddey]

I want somewhere to go to celebrate the new year in style.

 

[Aoami]

iceland

 

[Gwadien]

I want somewhere to go to celebrate the new year partying naked on a beach producing vomit missiles

Is that what you mean?

Sounds good

iceland

Only mums go there apparently.

 

[Scouse]

If you're backpacking, you'll be celebrating wherever you are in style

Thailand is a very easy option - you can do all the other countries nearby cheaply too. Very very cheaply and unplanned.

 

[Raven]

Only mums go there apparently.

Your mum only tells you that, she is round mine.

 

[Laddey]

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxovE6IE-kc



I'd leave now if i could plan it all. I'm not sure where to begin just yet though.

But Thailand it is i think

 

[cHodAX]

Laddey loves having his 'back packed'.

 

[cHodAX]

Hi guys...

Me and my mate wanna go backpacking.

Where do i begin? Where do we travel through? How much coin are we talking about?

Surely somebody from here with have some experience with this.

Maybe Europe? He mentioned Thailand.

We have about 8-10 grand between us.

Thanks dudes

Europe is a great start, so much to see and do. The far east is good and money goes a long way but the heat and insects can be fucking oppressive. In all honesty you cannot go wrong with Europe, you could easily spend a year just hitting all the cool places and certain things like The Alhambra in Granada should not be missed by anyone, even rough sorts like you Laddey!

 

[megadave]

In Thailand you be surrounded by middle class western students tbh, try south America

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Exactly - travel to see the world and cultures, don't travel to spend time with a bunch of middle class late teens of the same mindsets.

South America is a brilliant option. It's just as (if not more cheap), considerably less touristy with just as much to see and do. Some friends recently came back from that part of the world, spent a good 9 months or so going country to country. They saw some awesome things. They've also done the Thailand/Asia backpacking stuff and from what I've seen South America is FAR more interesting and varied. Everyone I know who's done the Thailand thing has done *exactly* the same stuff as everyone else and it sounds really fucking awful tbh.

 

[DaGaffer]

In Thailand you be surrounded by middle class western students tbh, try south America

Agreed. Although to be fair, you'll be surrounded by middle class western students in South America as well. They'll just be wearing ponchos.

Thailand is easy, but the rest of South East Asia is more interesting. Full Moon is a great party, but Vietnam and Cambodia are great experiences.

Personally I'd avoid Australia unless you're going to work because your money will be gone three times as fast (especially with the Aussie dollar so strong). Europe, expensive, US and Canada, expensive. NZ, still expensive but worth it. South America is fantastic and still pretty cheap in the main.

My main tip would be to travel overland as much as you can; you meet more people and see more stuff.

 

[cHodAX]

Have fancied going to Patagonia for a long time, also right down to the tip of south america to see the glaciers.

http://www.patagonia-argentina.com/en/

 

[opticle]

Thailand is awesome, a great variety of different places to go - it isn't just full moon parties (though they're sweet, as are half moon, crescent moon and black moon parties ) - though it is becoming much more commercial and expensive these days. If I were going with any decent amount of time I'd "do" South East Asia - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos - they're all amazing.

I've heard great things about Indonesia and Bali / the Gilly Islands too.

Australia is a great place to travel, but much more expensive and your money won't go as far; I haven't been to New Zealand but everyone I know that's been has loved it - and I'm planning to ASAP

 

[DaGaffer]

8 -10 grand will see you through over a year easily if you plan and budget correctly. How long are you thinking of going for?

Go see TravelBag or STA travel for some tips and ideas.

Ch3t, they have 8 to 10 grand between them. No way is that enough for a year unless misery is your thing.

 

[rynnor]

Mongolia - fly into Ulan Bator and drive out accross the incredible steppes or visit some of the nomadic festivals - its amazing there - Thailand is just capitalism with gaudy temples tbh.

Edit - you could get incredibly cheap tickets on the Trans Mongolian railway backpacker stylee.

 

[Nate]

Eurail, hmm...visit 23 countries for 358 euros...or..go to london on the train for 23 pounds and see people from 358 different countries...hmmm.......

If you're confident you'll like it go far and book a round the world ticket! If you just wanna taste the water do Europe since it's easy to get back whenever you want.


STA travel looked pretty good to me, I decided to fly with qantas instead though. But STA iirc would let you change your flights without cost..I'm not sure if that's right. They have quite a few different packages and they were pretty cheap too.

If you wanna work while you're out there Australia is a good place for it, they employ lots of travellers in their fruit farms. Not nice work mind but it'll pay a few bills and they often put you up while you do it.

Book your flights, plan what you want to do/where you want to go but don't book trips they are always cheaper when you get there. Someone always has a better deal then the Internets. Read up on Visas if you need them and how you get them, they're a bit of a polava. Some countries won't let you just turn up, you have to apply while out of the country, this can be done online in some places or in the Embassies.

 

[DaGaffer]

One more thing, don't discount Africa. You can get some really good deals for SA/Namibia/Botswana, and its not as dangerous as the media would have you believe, certainly no more so than large chunks of South America (I've only ever felt nervous in Brazil and Honduras, never had a worry in South Africa).

 

[old.Tohtori]

Grab a small diamond worth half a grand, or gold, hide it well so that if you get robbed/lose your stuff you still have something to trade in so you can get home.

 

[Everz]

I did America last year and it was an experience I wouldn't ever forget, though not so much for the historic value or doing something 'unique' (though seeing the Grand Canyon is an awesome sight). To go to about 30 different states and by train including food/hotels/flights it cost me around 4.5 grand to give you an estimate, and that was nowhere near stopping in luxury but we were easily able to do stuff in every place.. even had me a nightout on the poker tables in Vegas at Caesars (never felt like such a don). Obviously other places might be cheaper but i'd put the pricing scale on something similiar to Europe.

As for booking things, we never used anything like TravelBag but more booked things for ourselves on the go. The only thing we sorted out before hand were the locations we wished to visit and the train route in which we needed to take in order to get there. It saved us quite a bit of money doing it this way we found as we able to get some sterling last minute deals on hotels ($10 a night in Ramada inn just off Flamengo.. happy days!) and also some great deals on touristy stuff to do.

That said, me and the gf are heading off to Europe this summer so the planning process starts again.

 

[TdC]

Dude, all I can say is : it pays to plan and be informed.

Buying a ticket to where ever and leaving tomorrow is throwing money away. Last time I went to Australia my tickets were around 700 eur, and a lady mate of mine is going in December and her's are well in excess of 1k euros. that's 300e bacon money right there mate. Also, re flights: it can pay to not book your trip fully through...meaning you book your next hop from where you are at the time. May be worth looking in to. The internets does wonders these days. Contact people directly too. example: I could have booked a camper van from here in the NL, but what I did was find a decent rental firm in New Zealand and fired off an email to them. They gave me a fat discount and a free upgrade to a larger camper van because me and my mate were travelling the country in the opposite direction than most tourists, so effectively we were bringing the van back for them. Everyone had a good deal.

I would say this (and sound like an old fart but hey ho): decide very carefully what you want to do. Culture, party, beaches, mix it up a little, etc. Tbh I would weigh carefully what is awesome and what can be had at home. Someone mentioned Patagonia; I also have a dream to go visit Argentina (ride horses, visit the mountains, drink wine, eat steak, etc). I have a friend who recently went to Greenland: she reported there's literally f* all to do there except sit about and soak up nature and race snow scooters. According to her it was awesome. Choices, choices.

 

[Nate]

A few good posts in here too if you want to read laddey https://forums.freddyshouse.com/threads/travel-planning.244386/#post-3746005

 

[Hawkwind]

Around the world Air Ticket - Usually under a grand with 8 stops sometimes more. This site is a good planner and price guide. Big Airlines like BA do them.

http://www.roundtheworldexperts.co.uk/flights/budget/under-1000?gclid=CIqsuYXrh7MCFWLHtAodKHQAXA

Looks back fondly on a year of travelling back in my youth, yes they had airplanes back then!

 

[Laddey]

Thanks guys. Really helpful info.


We both have half decent careers (tree surgeon and crane operator) so working in Australia wouldn't be a problem.

Choices...

We wanna see things, historical things but also we wanna party for days and spread the love to lucky women.

I've got all the info where and how to plan the route, but what things would you take? Like all the little things?

Phone charger, converter, first aid kid etc?

 

[Laddey]

How many sets of clothes etc?

we're both absolutely new to this and we know nothing.