A Beginner’s Guide to Travelling

I usually start the planning for a trip ages before I actually go away. I work as much as I can and save as much money up as I can, so the planning part is the only thing that keeps me sane. I work a bit over 300 hours in 2 jobs and this probably for over 6 months. But I know all this work will have an end eventually and my goal (going travelling) is keeping me motivated.
So I have a lot of time on my hands in which I can think about what to take with me, where to go first, what to do, who to meet up with, and so on.

Here’s some points you might want to consider, especially if you’re a firsttimer:

1. The Decision to go Travelling:

   This might seem to be quite an easy point. Believe me, the first time you decide to go on a long-haul trip is the hardest. You might have an apartment, a car, an unwilling partner, parents, friends and/or relatives that want to discourage you from going away or a well paid job. It might seem quite daunting as well to leave all your familiar surroundings for an extended length of time.
   All these things are quite easily solved though:

   • Rent out your apartment (it’s an extra income, while on the road or it continues to pay for your morgage). Maybe the new tenant wants to rent the place fully furnished. If not you can store your stuff someplace, or sell off as much as you can. You can always buy new things when you get back home.
   • Sell your car or find a place somewhere to store it.
   • If you managed to secure a great job once, then you can do it again. A sabbatical is quite common now as well, plus visiting different countries and cultures can only look good on your cv.
   • If you have a partner that does not want to join you, then this might be a problem. You can always compromise and cut the length of the trip. A strong relationship should withstand being a few months apart. Think of it that way. If you don’t go travelling, although you really want to, then this can’t be good for the relationship, can it?
   • As for the last point, just take a few pictures of your family with you and maybe some other things that remind you of home. Ask friends and family to come see you at some point. Call home from time to time and keep in contact with emails.

2. Setting a date for Departure

   should be the next point on the agenda! Many people just talk about going away. They tell you that they want to do the exact thing like you and tell you stories about how they almost went travelling. What they probably did wrong was not setting a date. Make sure to give you enough time to sort out your stuff. Pick a realistic date. Make sure you know how much money you want to take with you and how long it will take you to save up that amount.

3. Book your Flight

   This is an important step. It basically means that you’re committed to going away. Either that or throwing away the money paid for your ticket. You should do this as soon as you’ve picked a date. Remember that tickets are only valid for maximum one year, so if you stay longer then book one way. Doing this is usually a bit more expensive, but at the same time it gives you more flexibility. Plans always change and you might end up somewhere you never thought you’d visit. Then one way tickets might actually save you some money!!
   I’ve found STA Travel a good place to start hunting for good flight deals, but there’s loads of other options out there on the net. Take your time to shop around and grab the best offer.

4. Get a Visa

   You might actually want to do this before you book a flight. Then again, depending on where you go, you might not even need a visa or you can get a visa on arrival. Just to be on the safe side, see for yourself. Consulate or immigration web pages should have the relevant information. Nowadays you can even get online working holiday visas within a day, so don’t worry too much about it, unless you have reason to believe there might be some problems. Let’s have a look at some of these problems:

   • You might not get a visa for some Muslim countries if you have an Israeli visa in your passport. Harsh, I know.
   • If you’ve been to a TBC high risk country for more than 3 months, then you need to supply a chest x-ray for working holiday visas to Australia and New Zealand.
   • Depending on your country of origin you might need to provide proof that you are able to finance your stay (if you’re from one of the so-called industry-nations then don’t worry about this)
   • It’s been known that Irish people could not get a visa on arrival for Indonesia and were not allowed to board the plane unless they could provide an Indonesian visa stamp in their passports.
   • For most countries your passport needs to be valid for at least another 6 months. It’s probably better getting a new one if you only have a year or so left on it.
   • Regulations change, so if you are unsure about anything, go online and check it out…

5. Get some Shots!

   Make sure all your regular vaccinations, tetanus for example, are up to date. Then, depending on where you’re headed, you need to get some special shots:

   • You definitely need Hepatitis A+B. This is a combo shot and consists of 3 separate jabs. You need to leave 4 weeks between the first and the second and to get a 10year protection you need a third shot 6 months after that.
   • If you intend to go to rural areas in Asia then you should consider getting inoculated against Japanese Enzephalitis. Also consists of 3 separate jabs. The second one needs to be done either 7 or 14 days after the first and the last on day 28 after the first.
   • Going to northern Africa, India or Southeast Asia? If you answered yes, then you probably need a jab for Typhoid. It’s only one shot and it gives 80% protection. I was one of the unlucky 20%. Believe me, you do not want to get sick with typhoid fever, unless you like pain.
   • If you’re visiting tropical Africa or South America, then Yellow Fever inoculation is a must. It’s only one shot, protection starts 10 days after the shot and lasts for 10 years.
   • As for malaria medication: I don’t take it. I usually have some emergency pills with me, that will get me to the next hospital. taking them regularly made me always feel hungover, paranoid and borderline schizophrenic for a few days. It’s my own personal choice though.
   • IMPORTANT: You need to see a properly certified doctor. He or she will tell you what shots you really need. In some countries, like Germany, there are tropical institutes that are specialized on travel inoculations. After a shot you might feel a bit dizzy, unwell or even sick and the spot where you were injected might hurt for a few days.

6. Pack your Gear!!

   Personally I think a backpack is the only viable option to carry around your stuff, so make sure to get a sturdy one. One that withstands the forces of nature, being thrown around, sat on, rained on, stomped on by angry water buffaloes or peed on by silly dogs. The smaller the size of the thing the healthier your back will be after a long walk searching for a spare guesthouse room. Less is more! If in doubt don’t take it with you. It’s better to wash your shirts more often than to carry a supply for 2 whole weeks. This is hard to do if you’re a girl, I understand that *Evil grin, which immediately gets followed by realization that one made grave mistake writing this, but now has to live with the consequences*, but try to keep everything to a minimum. Here’s some more stuff you should consider:

   • Pack some medical supplies. Just the basics should be enough. You can buy whatever else you’ll need when you actually need it.
   • A large sarong type thingy is a good alternative to your usual towel. It’s lightweight and dries within 5 minutes in the sun.
   • Pack a deck of cards, a small chess set or something similar. You’d be surprised how much need you’ll have for that.
   • A small wine opener is a must.
   • Well, these were just some suggestions. It’s up to you what to pack, but remember that you have to lug it around as well.

7. Miscellaneous Stuff

   Almost there. Just a few more bits of advice.

   • If you carry dive equipment or other bulky stuff, then you’re likely to carry more weight than is allowed by your carrier. You can always scam your way on board without having to pay for excess luggage. Just tell the check-in guy that you called their hotline a couple days ago and they said it was alright. Check in early as well, as the check-in people have more leeway then.
   • Don’t forget your passport or tickets!
   • Fly late afternoon or early evening. That way you won’t feel so guilty about emptying the plane’s alcohol supplies.
   • Don’t listen to me on that last one. Alcohol dehydrates you and you’ll be a lot more jetlagged, not to mention the hangover. But still, it’s for free…
   • Take some tissues with you to the airport. There’s probably people needing those. The longer you stay away the more you’ll be needing.
   • Have at least a vague idea about where you’ll be staying for the next few days and how to get from the airport to the guesthouse

So, that’s it but keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive. Plans change. All the time. So just go with the flow and enjoy yourself.

See you out there, people…