Backpacker travel gear. Kit idea's post No.3.

"What you carry with you, reflects the way you travel."

International travel rule No7:- Buy your 'kit/stuff' only on sales.
(Buy the way, very expensive kit also gets damaged when on the road.)

In France I found a great outdoor/camping shop called
Decathlon. These prices are from May 2011.

A 50Liter backpack for 50.95Euro. A 60L for 60.95Euro

The ultimate tent: -2 Man, 'one pole only', weight 2kg. Only 90 Euros.



A good raincoat/all in one jacket for 14.95Euro

A tent can help you save on accommodation cost's in expensive countries.

Europe is hard to beat

When it comes to history and culture, it's hard to rival Europe.
'Mindblowing' is the best word to describe the overall experience.

Fortified city of Carcassone, France

Inside the Vatican



The high speed trains are scary.

St Peter's Square, Vatican

One has to mention the food.
Food is a major part of culture.

Cheese, Basque region

Catalan delicacies

    

                             




Wow, and we thought we know about 'meat' in South Africa.

One section in a supermarket in Andora

Back from Europe

Just arrived back in South Africa, from Europe.
Did 5 Countries in 24 days. April/May 2011
- Italy, Vatican City
- France, Spain and the beautiful small tax free Andorra.

  Europe = History around every corner.

Carcassonne, France  

Only 2.00euros a photo, the Colosseum, Rome

Paris

Vatican

Inside the Vatican

Andorra.

Food - A journey of taste, South Africa.

"Food is one of the most important aspects of travel."

'Food is the foundation of a culture and defines a country.'
So, always make a effort to taste local/National foods in each country you visit.
There are may countries where 'the highlight' is the food.

Some National food's of South Africa:-
                                                                                                                         

Pap

If you have not tasted 'pap'
you cannot say you have
been to South Africa.
It's like going to China
and not eating rice!



Pap (maize meal) is the staple food of South Africa
and the staple food for many other countries in Africa.



Biltong, dried meat

Boerewors, sausage

It's sad how may tourists I've met, that did not

taste the 'real local' food while in South Africa.
When you travel, be adventurous and try new things, like a 'Bunny Chow'.
Check out the complete South African National SA food list in a post, above this.
 

Pap & wors with sauce

Backpacker travel food.

 A backpacker eats cheap -to be able to see and do more.

The backpacker staple - Baked beans.Cheap, quick, no cooking needed, ready to eat meal.



The best.

When travelling, ask a local to show you the food
that they eat and give it a try.

When on the road always keep an eye for:
-Places where local's eat
-The 'soup of the day' in restaurants
-Happy hour and pub specials
-Back street cafe's and hidden tavern's
-All you can eat buffet's

Fact: An average person spends 6 years of their life eating.

How to plan a round the world ticket.

'Success comes from plans that mature slowly
 and with persistence'

Fact: The 2 biggest hurdles, to travel = Time & Money.

Bangkok

A RTW ticket with 8/14 stops is cheaper than some tickets
with only one stop.
You can circumnavigate the entire Globe in 1 month or
12 months. I recommend 2 - 6 months.
(A full year can be a bit long.)

The great thing about a RTW ticket, is you can invent/choose
your own itinerary, even with overland routes in between stops.

Plan your route and 'your stops' with a travel agency that
specializes in round the world trips. Eg: Travelmood
They help with the cheapest price at the right time of year.
(Weather/seasons play an important role in a RTWT.)

I still like the traditional travel agency, were one can sit with
them and plan dates etc. When things go wrong they are there
to help. I booked a flight with 'cheap, no frills' on-line travel
company called Travelstart in South Africa, they had no airline
failure protection, the airline went bust and I lost all my money.


Try include some of the '7 wonders of the world'
on your route, Eg:-
   - The Grand Canyon, USA
   - The Great Wall of China
   - The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
   - The Pyramids, Egypt
   - The Amazon river

Research/learn about the countries you want to see.
Check info on visa's, vaccination's and insurance.

Set the dates for each stop, then don't change them.

Work out a budget.
Note: costs change depending on the region.
E.g: India is much, much cheaper than Australia.
A large part of ones on the road costs, are the activities you
take part in at each location. Eg: Day tours, Bungi jumping etc.

So, each person's budget will be different.

Ave $1800.00USD for the ticket, visa's, jabs, insurance.
Ave $65.00USD for daily expenses.
(Very basic accom, transport, food + drink)
 Extra funds for emergencies: min $800.00USD

Work out the time needed in each country:
-Very small country: eg: Singapore - 2 -7 days
-Medium size country: 2 weeks
-Larger country: 3 weeks
-Very large country: 4 weeks plus

Example:
The USA is so big, that 1 month can hardly give you
a taste of the entire country. But it's better than nothing.

Check www.roundtheworldticket.com

Round the world ticket, planning tips

More RTW backpacking tips.

A round the world trip needs proper planning.
Incorrect planing and preparation can be costly.
Make sure your passport has many empty visa pages.
- Choose your destination/ route and set your dates.

The only pub in the world, in a tree. Baobab Bar, South Africa

Try a 6 to 10 Stop RTW ticket, but do it in 3- 6 months.
I did a 10 Stop RTW ticket over 12 months.
It was great but, I ran out of money near the end.
So, it was a bit long and budgeting was very tough.

Tip to see more: Maximise
-Just because you have a ticket with 7 stops, does not
 have to mean that you only see or do 7 countries.
Example:- Let's say one of your stops is Singapore,
this means you could try 'pop' over the border to Indonesia
and or Malaysia, (overland).
So, from your 'one flight stop', you then get to see 3 countries.
Now your adventure only starts!

For inspiration check: http://www.riaanmanser.com/ 
The world's 'Ultimate adventurer'.

Make track round the world. Travel kit ideas, post No.2

Remember, a RTW trip is not a normal holiday, it is actually an 'extreme holiday'.
You have to be organized and the right 'kit' is important.

Ave dorm room in a hostel. Note the 'bag cage' to lock up your stuff.
(This is in Rome, Italy)



Buy your your travel kit on sales.

Travel kit extra's:
1 -Always have Vaccine Passport that's up to date
2 -International Drivers Licence
3 -Make your own Medical card: (Keep it on you)
4 -Make your own dog tags.
5 -Two small strong travel padlocks


Stuff you don't need:
-Never pack high expectations
-Lap top
-A big, expensive camera (Think small and compact)
-Camping stove
-Hiking boots (Good trainers are fine)
-Hairdryer
-Binoculars
-Umbrella

Hardcore backpacker travel rules.

"Happiness is a way of travel, not a destination"

 

- Trust only yourself
- Never pack high expectations
- Go overland - to see more, try not take internal flights
- Always split/hide your money 3x ways
- Pack only half the clothes and double the money
- Real backpackers never book accommodation -
  part of the adventure is to see where you end up.
- Always pay your own way - don't be a 'leech'
- If you find a 'secret place', tell only those you love,
   (That way you keep it secret).
- The journey and not the destination is the 'true experience'

Road Trip, South Africa

 Not much can beat a basic 'road trip'.
 Going overland on your own or with family and friends, 
 can be an amazing experience.   Definitely the best way to see the country.


Cederberg Mt's



                                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                      

                                                      The road side, offers great photo opportunities.

                   And don't forget the great 'Road Food'

Sunrise over wheat fields, West coast










 





Keurbooms lagoon, Plett









Train from the N7.
Piketberg











The tree of shoes, Natures Valley