THOSEWHO
Date
WANDER
KEEP WONDERING - KEEP WANDERING
FEBRUARY 2016
HOWTOTAKEABREATHTAKING
SOLOSELFIE
by SHUOHUANG
HOWTO
STAY
HEALTHY
ONTHEROAD
with Madeline Shaw
7THINGS THAT
HAPPENED WHEN
I DECIDED TO
TRAVEL THE
WORLD FULL TIM E
PLUS
Little Wanderlust Stories
Mapping Megan
Two Scots Abroad
We Are Wanderers
& #DestofDay
Page
Those Who Wander has always been about
creating a vibrant and active community of
like-minded travellers and wanderers. Just how
vibrant and active it is was proven when we
sought articles and contributions for this month?s
edition. We were inundated with creative content,
spectacular photos and beautiful stories ? far too
many to include in one edition! We hope we have
included something for everyone and that you?ll
enjoy this edition.
We?d also like to thank those partners who have
gotten behind us to make it a possibility ?
especially High Sierra who surprised us with a
giveaway for the best # destofday competition for
one lucky wanderer and have blown us away by
offering the same pack for our March competition
? check out page xx for details on how you can
win.
It is such a joy to talk to community members
each week, hear about their adventures or where
they are off to and what some time away from the
?real world? has given them. We hope to hear
from more of you in the future, especially with big
things in the pipeline such as our official
wanderer wares that our ambassadors will be
showing off over the next few weeks.
A proportion of all proceeds of Those Who
Wander projects go to our friends at Casa
Guatemala. Heather and her team work tirelessly
to look after 250+ children day in and out,
providing them with medical care, education and
a safe space. Our aim in 2016 is to pay for a
teacher?s annual salary ? so if you like this edition
share it with your friends! The more readers the
more companies we can work with to make this a
reality.
Enjoy the read and as always please reach out to
us ? if you have something you?d like to share, a
blog to promote or a story you think could
resonate with the community. Your input is what
makes this the community it is.
Happy Travels & Much Love ,
Jess x
5 HEALTHYTRAVELSNACKS
I am currently in Africa on safari and
having the most amazing time.
Travelling means going on an
adventure, but also plane food.
I am often asked how to stay healthy
while travelling. For me its all about
pre-planning and having great
selection of snacks to hand.
I?ve got a handy list below, of the best
travel snacks to eat whilst on the road.
CRISPYWASABI WHEATGRASSKALECHIPS
Kale chips are a great alternative to crisps.
They are crunchy like crisps and they come
in so many different flavours, I love the
wasabi ones! Kale is high in protein, which
will fill you up during your travels. It
contains fibre and sulfur, which are great for
detoxifying and keep your liver healthy. It?s
also really high in iron, so make sure you
munch away on these tasty little treats to
keep your body healthy while on holiday!
NAKDCASHEWCOOKIEBAR
These are gluten free, and made only from
raw fruit and nuts. They are 100% natural
and will keep you filled up until your next
meal!
SAVSESUPERORANGE
So although you can?t take liquids through
airport security, I love fuelling myself up for
a flight with a Savse smoothie. The nutrients
from the cold pressed and HPP preserved
drink will keep you full, and your skin
hydrated and full of vitamins! Flights tend to
be very dehydrating so it?s a great way to up
your nutrients before you fly.
LOVERAWCOCONUTANDCHIAORGANIC
BAR
This amazing superfood bar contains Chia
seeds, which absorb 10-12 their weight in
water. They will keep your body super
hydrated, which is great whether you?re on
the beach or a plane.
RUDEHEALTH, THEBEETROOT
Free of refined sugar and gluten, this little
powerhouse bar is full of veggie goodness.
It?s made from dates, nuts and beetroot. The
dates and nuts will give you energy keep
you feeling full, and the beetroot is a great
antioxidant, containing potassium,
magnesium and vitamins A, B6 and C.
HEALTHYTRAVELSNACKS
THEULTIMATE
SELFIE
Nothing beats a good selfie when you?re travelling, but you can be so
much more creative than just holding up your phone and grinning into it.
Here?s howto get holiday selfies that everyone will remember, from
intrepid traveller Shuo Huang.
Shuo Huang is an intrepid visual storyteller supplying imagery, stories
and undertaking commissions for a wide range of business clients.
Shuo is currently based in London, UK, from where he travels
extensively. His diverse portfolio includes images from nearly 60
countries throughout the world ranging from the mountainous Andes
in South America to the enigmatic Far East. Specialising in landscape
photography, he has photographed six of the seven continents.
A dramatic selfie in
front of the Eiffel
Tower
Striking a pose at Shoshone
Point over the Grand
Canyon
Striking a pose at Shoshone Point over the Grand Canyon
Cuba is a sexy place! It has the
typical Caribbean atmosphere
with some additional Latino
pizzazz mixed in, and copious
amounts of ridiculously cheap
?ron?(rum) and salsa on every
corner! It is rightly so, high up
on most bucket lists.
We?ve only managed to visit half of the
country?s highlights but that?s not through a
lack of trying. Cuba isn?t an easy place to
navigate, no one seems to know the bus
times but everyone has a friend (that pays
commission) who is a taxi driver willing to
take you most places for $25 U.S. each (our
daily budget).
We desperately wanted to see the real Cuba
but have only succeeded in making our way
to the places geared up for tourists (Havana,
Viñales, Trinidad and the less touristy Bay of
Pigs.) I spoke to an Aussie who hired a car to
see the island but was frustrated at the
lackof road signs; he had to rely on
directions of locals. The locals are friendly
and would happily point you in the right
direction, as well as offering their friend?s
casa particular (a room), a restaurant, cigars,
even a female escort etc.
Here lies my problem with Cuba, nothing is,
as it seems. Everything and everyone felt to
us like a hustle aimed at emptying your
wallet. People on vacation are always a lot
more relaxed about spending their money;
holidays are all about enjoying yourself after
all. However, some Cubans are very aware of
this and are all too eager to help you waste
your hard earned cash at every turn!
After quite literally spending three weeks,
I?ve compiled a list of the 10 scams to avoid
in Cuba. Follow these tips to help you keep
some of that the CUC in your pockets whilst
having a great time but also giving the lovely
Cuban people a fair price for their services.
WHENDIDYOUARRIVE, SIR?
If you answer ?today? expect the response to
be along the lines of? "What a great day to
arrive, it?s the national day of ? whatever
black market goods / service he is selling" ? at
an over inflated price, of course!
LECHE?CON!?
Spanish speakers will get my word play here.
We?ve met two clever guys who fell for this
one as well as having it tried on us! A
jinetero (hustler) will plea with you to buy
his baby some milk (leche.) When you arrive
in the supermarket the milk will be
prepackaged in a bag ready to go and you?ll
be charged $20-30! Once you leave the
shop, the milk is returned and shopkeeper
and the tag team hustlers split their loot!
Don?t cry over spilled milk ? apologise and
move on.
$6 COFFEE? WHATASTIR
Some shops sell overpriced coffee, please don?t
be surprised when a local ?kindly?offers to buy it
for you in local currency (CUP) at a fraction of
the cost in exchange for a dollar. Another scam!
Coffee is about 50 cents ? $1. If you are
particularly gullible this scam will be extended.
Your new friend will now wander through the
streets with you sharing friendly local
knowledge. Do expect a bill for a private tour at
the end. This happened to a mature couple we
met.
BLOWINGSMOKE
Everyone seems to sell cheap knocked off
cigars. Don?t buy them, the sealed box
normally contains banana leaves. Only buy
from plantations or shops, fakes and no duty
paid will be confiscated at customs. There is
even a great difference in price between
authentic Cuban cigars. Cigars in the official
shop in Viñales were three times cheaper
than the official shop in Havana.
7THINGSTHATHAPPE
TOTRAVELTHEW
JANEYBRECHIN
LITTLEWANDERLUSTSTORIES.COM
Howmany times a day, week, month or
year do you dreamof packing it all in?
Giving up that job, walking out, going
home and packing a bag, turning up at
the airport check in desk ? after
playinga game of ?duck duck goose?
withdestinationchoices ? buying that
ticket ? toanywhere. Anywhere but
here ? stepping onto that plane for a
magical adventure which will only lead
to good things.
We all dream it, rarely we do it and that?s
okay. Maybe you just had a bad day?
But what happens when you do decide to do
it? Maybe not in such an extreme fashion as
simple ?quitting life?as I call it ? even though
it would be pretty awesome to do so ? for the
average joe it will take a lot more time to get
on that plane, sadly we don?t all have a
limitless bank account.
Over a year ago I made the decision to travel
the world full-time (you can read more about
that here). It took me over a year to get
everything ready for heading off.
The internet is filled with tantalising and
beautiful articles on how we should all ?quit
our jobs and travel the world?but some (if
not most) don?t explain the real cost of
making the decision to travel full-time ? and
7THINGSTHATHAPPE
TOTRAVELTHEW
Howmany times a day, week, month or
year do you dreamof packing it all in?
Giving up that job, walking out, going
home and packing a bag, turning up at
the airport check in desk ? after
playinga game of ?duck duck goose?
withdestinationchoices ? buying that
ticket ? toanywhere. Anywhere but
here ? stepping onto that plane for a
magical adventure which will only lead
to good things.
We all dream it, rarely we do it and that?s
okay. Maybe you just had a bad day?
But what happens when you do decide to do
it? Maybe not in such an extreme fashion as
simple ?quitting life?as I call it ? even though
it would be pretty awesome to do so ? for the
average joe it will take a lot more time to get
on that plane, sadly we don?t all have a
limitless bank account.
Over a year ago I made the decision to travel
the world full-time (you can read more about
that here). It took me over a year to get
everything ready for heading off.
The internet is filled with tantalising and
beautiful articles on how we should all ?quit
our jobs and travel the world?but some (if
not most) don?t explain the real cost of
making the decision to travel full-time ? and
It is amazing what you can actually achieve
when you put your mind to it. Within
months I had paid it off, had more money
than I bargained for and was well on my
way of putting my trip together. I didn?t
work crazy hours (at this point), I don?t have
a high-flying fancy job, I didn?t win the
lottery ? although, I did win a fiver once or
twice, success! ? the secret? Budgeting? .
YOULEARNVERYQUICKLYHOWMUCHMATERIAL
WEALTHYOUDON?TNEED?.
Budgeting pretty much leads you to
breaking habits you once clung to. No more
pay-day splurges on clothes I?d never wear,
no more gadgets just because they?re the
new model, that christmas coffee special?
nope I?m good with instant (well, not really
but I?ll cope).
Months down the line and I sold most
things I owned, gave away clothes I didn?t
wear (if I couldn?t sell them) and realised
that I actually felt better without having so
much ?stuff?, not feeling the pressure to buy
new ?stuff?and the disappointment when I
didn?t have it was almost liberating (almost,
you can not crave shopping sometime).
YOULEARNTHATSAYING?NO?DOESN?TMAKE
YOUABADPERSON?
Before deciding to travel and finalising
budgets I found it almost impossible to say
?No?to people.
I went out when I didn?t feel like it because
I was too sacred to let people down, I would
go to the expensive restaurant, nights out,
I?d buy that expensive purse, go to places I
hated, hang out with you when I wanted to
be alone you name it. I couldn?t stop
myself.
I was so scared of letting people down, I
never wanted to be someone who you
couldn?t rely on. But being this way doesn?t
make you appreciated, or respected.
When I started to say No to things I would
justify them to people with alternative
excuses, eventually moving to the ?I?m
going to travel I need to save money, sorry?
then to eventually, just saying No. I became
a stronger person, happier too believe it or
not.
Saying ?No?made me appreciate the time I
did go and do things. I did what I wanted to
do rather than feeling obliged to do
something. It saved me a heck of a lot of
money too! Saying ?No?kind of liberates
you a little.
I WASQUESTIONED(MORETHANONCE) IFI HAD
ANYMATERNALINSTINCTSATALL?
Hold. The. Phone. Are you serious!?
Yes I am, believe it or not this is a question I
was asked a few times before taking off? .
Never for a second did I think that making
the decision to travel the world solo at 24
meant that I had to justify a life I hadn?t
even began to think of. A pretty personal
question which all of sudden became open
for conversation. At 23/ 24 I can?t say the
whole marriage and babies part of life was
anywhere near being open for
conversation.
MYPETSHADTOFINDANEWFOREVERHOME?
This was the hardest decision to make.
Sadly my family were in no position to take
care of my two kitties while I hopped on a
one way ticket to the other side of the
world, with no return date.
A month before I left I managed to find
them a home, I can?t begin to explain how
much I was beginning to worry that I would
have to make the guilty trip to the Rescue
Centre and drop them off.
Thankfully, an old colleague of mine took
them in. I can?t begin to express how
grateful I was? . even though I was (and
am) completely heartbroken to have to
give them away.
It is an amazing feeling to take
control of your own life and this is
what I had to do to travel the world.
Alot of sacrifices were made a long
the way. Would I go back and do
anything differently? No I would not.
I BECAMETHEBESTVERSIONOFMYSELFI HAD
EVERKNOWN?
Yes it is true. When I made the decision to
travel I had debt, was unhappy with where I
was in life, had no long-term goals and
only knew that I didn?t want to just drift
through life.
Once I had firmly decided to travel I had a
very BIG goal to work toward, I worked
hard and even took on an extra job at one
point ? hello 60+ hour weeks, I hate you ?
but I was happy. I paid off all my debt but
had no money to play with, but I was richer
than I had been in years. I began to say ?no?
to people and put myself and my needs
first for a change, it was liberating. I wore
old clothes and outfits over again but I
really didn?t care ? and quickly realised, no
one else did either.
10 (FREE) MUSTHAVE
FREETRAVELAPPS
AILEENADALID
IAMAILEEN.COM
10 (FREE) MUSTHAVE
FREETRAVELAPPS
# 5 ? TripVerse
Let?s say that after browsing through TripAdvisor?s
city guides, you decided that you want to create your
own itinerary based from their top lists. You surely
wouldn?t want to go through the hassle of making
notes or excel sheets since you would definitely
want a more systematized and easy way of creating
your personal itinerary? Well then this app,
TripVerse, can do that job for you!
WHY I LOVE IT:
Creating a travel plan is so easy since activities or
locations can easily be mapped. This is because
TripVerse is integrated with Google Maps, Flickr, and
Foursquare so once you fill in the location, the app
will provide you the address, phone numbers,
pictures, and more!Once you finish creating your
itinerary, you can read and use the app offline! You
can also store an offline map of your destination for
free.You?re free to share your itinerary with other
users of the app, and you can also see theirs!
DOWNLOAD: iOS / Android
# 6 ? Here
Whenever someone thinks of travel apps with
integrated maps to bring with them in their travels,
Google Maps immediately comes to mind. This is a
natural ?response?since it?s a really helpful app to
have on your phone. Everybody uses it ? I use it too,
of course! However, for those who would want
to use a map app that can be used offline or without
WiFi, that?s when Google Maps become an
unfriendly companion? so thankfully, there?s the
travel app ?Here?!
WHY I LOVE IT:
With maps for over 100 countries around the world,
you can never be lost with Here! Besides, as long as
you download beforehand your destination?s map,
you can use it freely afterwards for offline use.It?s
helpful when you?re in a new city and in the verge of
getting lost since it functions as your personal GPS.
No matter if you?d like to walk or use public
transportation, with its voice-guided turn-by-turn
navigation, you will be guided right to your
destination! (It follows therefore, that this app can
function as a car GPS if you?re driving).Real-time
traffic and incident information for more than 40
countries.Public transit maps, directions and
information for more than 900 cities
DOWNLOAD: iOS / Android
ALTERNATIVE: Google Maps (iOS / Android).
# 7 ? Google Translate
For cities and towns that don?t generally speak
English, it?s very helpful to have a language guide on
hand. Surely you can?t bring around with you all
those heavy phrasebooks, if for example, you?re
planning on traveling to several countries. That?s
why we can all agree how we are all so thankful for
Google Translate!
WHY I LOVE IT:
It?s now possible download languages into your
phone through the Google Translate app so that you
can use it offline.After Google seemingly acquired
the technology of a previous app called ?Word Lens?,
Google Translate can now instantly translate printed
texts in 26 new languages with the use of your
phone camera! It?s pure genius, especially when it
comes to languages that use special
characters.There is a two-way automatic speech
translation in 40 languages.
DOWNLOAD: iOS / Android
# 8? Trail Wallet
I adore Trail Wallet. It?s certainly one of my favorite
travel apps especially when it comes to tracking
travel expenses. Built by travelers, you can easily
organize your expenses in this app by trip or by
month. You can also set yourself a daily budget limit
and then easily add expenses as you go.
WHY I LOVE IT:
Designed for ease and fast use, whenever you incur
an expense, you can just simply launch the app, add
the amount using its ?Quick Add?screen and you?re
done! It?s a no-frill experience so you don?t have to
spend so much time on it while you?re on the
road.You can set categories, themes, colors,
breakdowns, etc. And at the end of your trip, you will
have interactive + comprehensive charts and reports
showing how your spending behavior went.As you
can see from the screenshots above, the app?s
interface is very modern and organized. Plus, it has
fun customizable characters that will alert you if
you?re ever going over your budget. (And would
even coax you to relax if you?re under your budget).
DOWNLOAD: iOS
# 5 ? TripVerse
Let?s say that after browsing through TripAdvisor?s
city guides, you decided that you want to create your
own itinerary based from their top lists. You surely
wouldn?t want to go through the hassle of making
notes or excel sheets since you would definitely
want a more systematized and easy way of creating
your personal itinerary? Well then this app,
TripVerse, can do that job for you!
WHY I LOVE IT:
Creating a travel plan is so easy since activities or
locations can easily be mapped. This is because
TripVerse is integrated with Google Maps, Flickr, and
Foursquare so once you fill in the location, the app
will provide you the address, phone numbers,
pictures, and more!Once you finish creating your
itinerary, you can read and use the app offline! You
can also store an offline map of your destination for
free.You?re free to share your itinerary with other
users of the app, and you can also see theirs!
DOWNLOAD: iOS / Android
# 6 ? Here
Whenever someone thinks of travel apps with
integrated maps to bring with them in their travels,
Google Maps immediately comes to mind. This is a
natural ?response?since it?s a really helpful app to
have on your phone. Everybody uses it ? I use it too,
of course! However, for those who would want
to use a map app that can be used offline or without
WiFi, that?s when Google Maps become an
unfriendly companion? so thankfully, there?s the
travel app ?Here?!
WHY I LOVE IT:
With maps for over 100 countries around the world,
you can never be lost with Here! Besides, as long as
you download beforehand your destination?s map,
you can use it freely afterwards for offline use.It?s
helpful when you?re in a new city and in the verge of
getting lost since it functions as your personal GPS.
No matter if you?d like to walk or use public
transportation, with its voice-guided turn-by-turn
navigation, you will be guided right to your
destination! (It follows therefore, that this app can
function as a car GPS if you?re driving).Real-time
traffic and incident information for more than 40
countries.Public transit maps, directions and
information for more than 900 cities
DOWNLOAD: iOS / Android
ALTERNATIVE: Google Maps (iOS / Android).
# 7 ? Google Translate
For cities and towns that don?t generally speak
English, it?s very helpful to have a language guide on
hand. Surely you can?t bring around with you all
those heavy phrasebooks, if for example, you?re
planning on traveling to several countries. That?s
why we can all agree how we are all so thankful for
Google Translate!
WHY I LOVE IT:
It?s now possible download languages into your
phone through the Google Translate app so that you
can use it offline.After Google seemingly acquired
the technology of a previous app called ?Word Lens?,
Google Translate can now instantly translate printed
texts in 26 new languages with the use of your
phone camera! It?s pure genius, especially when it
comes to languages that use special
characters.There is a two-way automatic speech
translation in 40 languages.
DOWNLOAD: iOS / Android
# 8? Trail Wallet
I adore Trail Wallet. It?s certainly one of my favorite
travel apps especially when it comes to tracking
travel expenses. Built by travelers, you can easily
organize your expenses in this app by trip or by
month. You can also set yourself a daily budget limit
and then easily add expenses as you go.
WHY I LOVE IT:
Designed for ease and fast use, whenever you incur
an expense, you can just simply launch the app, add
the amount using its ?Quick Add?screen and you?re
done! It?s a no-frill experience so you don?t have to
spend so much time on it while you?re on the
road.You can set categories, themes, colors,
breakdowns, etc. And at the end of your trip, you will
have interactive + comprehensive charts and reports
showing how your spending behavior went.As you
can see from the screenshots above, the app?s
interface is very modern and organized. Plus, it has
fun customizable characters that will alert you if
you?re ever going over your budget. (And would
even coax you to relax if you?re under your budget).
DOWNLOAD: iOS
A year ago, I started dating
a hiker. Our first date was
normal enough ? we
walked around Prague?s
Old Town and the castle
grounds and had ice cream
and pilsner like a cute new
couple. But our second date
was a bit outside my
comfort zone. With just a
small backpack each, we
rode a train and a bus to
Cesky Svycarsko and spent
the next two days hiking,
and hiking, and hiking some
more.
Since then, I?ve been to
many more hikes with him,
and this is what I?ve
learned:
LEARNTOPACKVERY, VERYLIGHT
On that first hike, I had in my bag: two shirts,
two scarves, two pairs of pants, extra shoes,
two towels, a week?s worth of toiletries, two
cameras, a tripod, an iPad, chargers and
connectors, and lots of food. All he had in his
bag was a jacket (which I ended up using), a
bottle of water (which I ended up drinking),
and a bottle of wine (which we emptied that
night).
Though he was the perfect gentleman and
carried both our bags the whole 20-KM hike
that first time, I have since learned to need
less, make do, and appreciate more.
LEARNTOTRUSTANDYIELDCONTROL
As a self-confessed Type A control freak, this
was one of the hardest lessons I had to learn.
I always had itineraries and lists and always
knew where I was going and what I was
going to see and do. Take me to a strange
city and I can make my way around. I can
even drive hundreds of kilometers in a
strange country. Just give me a few days and
Google maps to figure it out.
But going into the forests and the mountains
is a different thing all together. Sometimes,
you just have to follow the path ? and the
boy who seems to know what he?s doing ?
and see where it leads you.
BEPREPAREDTOHAVETIREDLEGSAND
BURNINGLUNGS.
Before I met my hiker boyfriend, holidays
meant lying on the beach reading a good
book in between sips of daiquiri. So it?s no
surprise that, being as unfit as I was and
having way shorter legs than him, it took me
great efforts to fall in step with him. This is
still an ongoing process, but every new hike,
I get better and better at it.
JUSTSWEATITOUT.
The good thing about hikers is that they?re
not easily grossed out. No need to be
self-conscious waking up or sweating next to
them. Chances are, they?ve seen much
worse.
REDEFINEYOURLIMITS.
I never thought I could hike 30 KM until I did.
I never thought I could go through a forest at
night until I did. I never thought I could dip
into a freezing lake until I trekked until my
legs were burning and it was just crazy not
to. Every peak is reached through a journey
of self-discovery.
CASHONLY? PAYFORYOURTRAVELUP
FRONT
The most important thing to consider when
aiming to travel while paying off your debt is
if you can actually afford to do it. This means
not putting travel on your credit cards, and
paying for everything up front, in cash.
If you can?t afford to pay for your trip upfront
and still make payments towards your debt,
you shouldn?t travel. If you can afford to pay
for it with cash, while still having enough
for your monthly repayments, then travel
away!
This may mean traveling differently than you
have in the past, and possibly making
sacrifices to save. For example, your idea of a
vacation could be 5 star hotels. Instead,
consider options for free accommodation like
house-sitting, home exchange, or
couch-surfing. How much debt is too much
If you can?t afford international travel, think
about short weekend trips and staycations;
local travel to discover your home state
instead of jumping on a 24 hour flight.
Shorter trips count as travel too. The
excitement is in experiencing something
new.
There are many people traveling the world
on less than $25 a day, so while you may
have to travel differently to achieve it, there
are endless opportunities out there for
budget travelers while keeping a manageable
hold on your debt.
Read: How to Travel Cheap. The Ultimate
Money Hacking Guide For International
Travel
DOYOURRESEARCH
Traveling while in debt means you need to do
extensive research. You?re going to have to
stick to a tight budget, and that means
completing hard research on your desired
destination. How much is the average cost of
food? What is the average cost of
accommodation? Are there free attractions
and cheap things to do? Can I still travel if I?m
in debt? Should I put travel on my credit
cards?
For accommodation, use third party booking
sites to find the most competitive rates. And
compare prices across 3 or 4 sites. Don?t
forget about renting houses or condos
through sites like Airbnb, and make sure to
also look up the prices at hostels. Do people
travel the world while paying off debt?
Hostels have come a long way with private
rooms, and are usually available for a bargain
price. You?re only looking for a place to sleep
after-all; as long as you?re getting a room
which is clean, it doesn?t have to be first rate.
Once you have your accommodation
arranged, do the same for your travel
transportation. After comparing prices on
third party websites, and identifying
companies with the cheapest rates, then pull
up their websites directly, to see if they offer
the same rates. Possible to travel while in a
lot of debt?
Before you leave for your trip, tap into your
social media network. Post a status update on
Facebook or send out a tweet on Twitter,
letting your friends know where you are
going and that you?d love their
recommendations on the best cheap eats and
free things to do. If your friends don?t have
any tips to share with you, chances are they
will know someone who does.
Only use the credit card with purchases you will
pay off that same day. No more charging up new
debt to be able to travel.
CASHONLY? PAYFORYOURTRAVELUP
FRONT
The most important thing to consider when
aiming to travel while paying off your debt is
if you can actually afford to do it. This means
not putting travel on your credit cards, and
paying for everything up front, in cash.
If you can?t afford to pay for your trip upfront
and still make payments towards your debt,
you shouldn?t travel. If you can afford to pay
for it with cash, while still having enough
for your monthly repayments, then travel
away!
This may mean traveling differently than you
have in the past, and possibly making
sacrifices to save. For example, your idea of a
vacation could be 5 star hotels. Instead,
consider options for free accommodation like
house-sitting, home exchange, or
couch-surfing. How much debt is too much
If you can?t afford international travel, think
about short weekend trips and staycations;
local travel to discover your home state
instead of jumping on a 24 hour flight.
Shorter trips count as travel too. The
excitement is in experiencing something
new.
There are many people traveling the world
on less than $25 a day, so while you may
have to travel differently to achieve it, there
are endless opportunities out there for
budget travelers while keeping a manageable
hold on your debt.
Read: How to Travel Cheap. The Ultimate
Money Hacking Guide For International
Travel
DOYOURRESEARCH
Traveling while in debt means you need to do
extensive research. You?re going to have to
stick to a tight budget, and that means
completing hard research on your desired
destination. How much is the average cost of
food? What is the average cost of
accommodation? Are there free attractions
and cheap things to do? Can I still travel if I?m
in debt? Should I put travel on my credit
cards?
For accommodation, use third party booking
sites to find the most competitive rates. And
compare prices across 3 or 4 sites. Don?t
forget about renting houses or condos
through sites like Airbnb, and make sure to
also look up the prices at hostels. Do people
travel the world while paying off debt?
Hostels have come a long way with private
rooms, and are usually available for a bargain
price. You?re only looking for a place to sleep
after-all; as long as you?re getting a room
which is clean, it doesn?t have to be first rate.
Once you have your accommodation
arranged, do the same for your travel
transportation. After comparing prices on
third party websites, and identifying
companies with the cheapest rates, then pull
up their websites directly, to see if they offer
the same rates. Possible to travel while in a
lot of debt?
Before you leave for your trip, tap into your
social media network. Post a status update on
Facebook or send out a tweet on Twitter,
letting your friends know where you are
going and that you?d love their
recommendations on the best cheap eats and
free things to do. If your friends don?t have
any tips to share with you, chances are they
will know someone who does.
EATLOCALLY
One of the biggest travel expenditures while
traveling is eating. Especially, touristy
destinations. To save your pennies, eat better,
and have a truly authentic experience, eat
with the locals. If an eatery is filled with local
people, you can count on the food to be tasty
and affordable.
Food trucks or carts are another delicious
budget option. They usually offer quick and
local favorites at a fraction of the price. Look
them up on-line to find out their hours and
where they will be located. Many of them
even tweet out their current location. Possible
to travel with student loans?
Street food is the tastiest, cheapest and
easiest way to get a taste for local cuisine, and
is generally the most direct route to forming a
sense of a country?s culture. It?s an
inexpensive way to eat, and will present you
with foreign flavors which will blow your
mind. And it?s very safe ? direct those who tell
you never to eat the street food to my post on
the worst travel tips of all time.
Another great way to save some cash is to pick
up in-season foods at a farmers or local
market. It?s the perfect way to put together a
low-cost and easy meal. Buy a bottle of
sparkling water, some fresh fruit, a baguette,
and cheeses to throw together a gourmet
picnic to take with you on your day of free
sightseeing. afford to travel with student
loans? Travel while paying off debt
Shopping at local markets will not only save
you some green, but you will also be
contributing to the local economy. Travel with
student loans
EATLOCALLY
One of the biggest travel expenditures while
traveling is eating. Especially, touristy
destinations. To save your pennies, eat better,
and have a truly authentic experience, eat
with the locals. If an eatery is filled with local
people, you can count on the food to be tasty
and affordable.
Food trucks or carts are another delicious
budget option. They usually offer quick and
local favorites at a fraction of the price. Look
them up on-line to find out their hours and
where they will be located. Many of them
even tweet out their current location. Possible
to travel with student loans?
Street food is the tastiest, cheapest and
easiest way to get a taste for local cuisine, and
is generally the most direct route to forming a
sense of a country?s culture. It?s an
inexpensive way to eat, and will present you
with foreign flavors which will blow your
mind. And it?s very safe ? direct those who tell
you never to eat the street food to my post on
the worst travel tips of all time.
Another great way to save some cash is to pick
up in-season foods at a farmers or local
market. It?s the perfect way to put together a
low-cost and easy meal. Buy a bottle of
sparkling water, some fresh fruit, a baguette,
and cheeses to throw together a gourmet
picnic to take with you on your day of free
sightseeing. afford to travel with student
loans? Travel while paying off debt
Shopping at local markets will not only save
you some green, but you will also be
contributing to the local economy. Travel with
student loans
"I've ticked a lot off my bucket list in the last 4
months, I celebrated Christmas on a beach on
Magnetic Island, took a selfie with a kangaroo,
went diving on the Great Barrier Reef, went to a
surf camp in Arrawarra, visited the
Whitsundays, hiked the Tongariro Crossing
through the mountains for 22 kilometres and
visited Mt Doom from Lord from the rings - I
couldn?t help but cry when I got to the top
because it was so beautiful. I?ve been kayaking
at Abel Tasman, climbed a glacier, skydived at
Mission Beach, danced at a silent disco on the
beach in Byron Bay, watched a ping pong show
in Bangkok (which is crazy!). We hired a scooter
in Pai, drank beers on the Mekong River, went
tubing in Vang Vieng and did mushroom shake. I
was ripped off pretty badly at the Cambodian
border but I got to visit Angkor Wat which was
incredible.
I had to sign up to couch surfing because my
travel agent booked my hostel a week late and I
had nowhere to go. I ended up having the best
time! He took us to secluded areas and beaches,
introduced us to his friends and I had such a
local experience. It was amazing. I am so
grateful"
"We met online on a website which helps you
find a travel buddy. We hung out a few times
and even met each others parents first! We
have definitley learnt and overcome a lot the
past two months. We have crashed two
scooters, broken a big toe and come down
with a stomach flu. Then my wallet and phone
were stolen while skinny dipping; leaving us
with only one cash card, which we then broke
in Java so we didn't have any money for 4
days. We've had to escape an army of bed
bugs in the middle of the night & have been
taken on a 3 hour journey on the back of a
police scooter only to realise they could not
help us because they didn't have a form in
English. Unfortunately I (pictured right)
punctured my lung in our last scooter crash
and have to fly home to Denmark today. I'm
sad to be leaving but we have had so much
fun despite everything that's happened! Its
been quite an adventure to say the least"
HIGHLYCOMMENDED
Kathy's Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Japan
Paige in Gatton, Queensland , Australia
Jono at the Brandenburg Gates, Berlin
Hannah at San Blas Islands
MARCH # DESTOFDAY
HOW TO ENTER
1. Like the Those Who Wander and High Sierra Facebook Pages
2. Wait for the # DestofDay announcement
3. Comment with your best travel photo and a "Thanks
@HighSierraAustraliaNewZealand
4. Visit thosewhowander.org for full terms and conditions
MARCH # DESTOFDAY
HOW TO ENTER
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