For us we didn't have a time limit on our travels so we probably spent a lot longer in places than some backpackers usually would. When we started looking into travelling we had a rough idea where we wanted to go and in which direction. Thailand - Laos - Vietnam- Cambodia, but we never had set plans, we just made it up as we went along. I think spending long lengths of times in places helps as you can research and bargain hunt on where you want to go next and how you want to get there. We also didn't know what we wanted to see in each place which is fine you don't have to have it all written down, that's the great thing about travelling you learn new things and plans change. We took the Lonely Planet book on Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia with us which we used on occasion to get an idea of what is going to be in the different places but you don't really need one as WIFI is readily available, even in Laos. Google is a great thing and hotels will provide you with information and leaflets. Talk to other travellers they are in the same boat as you, new exciting environment so you can help each other.
Packing:
Do you need a backpack? Like most people when you decide to go travelling you think about the type of backpack you want to get, and you rush out to the shops to purchase one. There are various sizes to choose and we went for the mid range 65 litre, which is pretty big when you open it up. This was our first mistake! They were very heavy, awkward and unnecessary.If you are only staying in one place for a couple of days you have to either pack strategically or pull everything out and repack. We would strongly recommend buying a suitcase, you will be much happier. Some people we met on the way agreed you didn’t need a backpack. Most people will say they are easier but even changing boats in the middle of the sea with a suitcase was easy and the staff on board will help move them for you.
Don't take too much. We definitely over packed. If we were to start again we would take 2 pair of shorts, and 5 t-shirts and that would be all. Also when your leaving home wear what you want to take, we wore thick jeans and hoodies because it was cold in England but have never worn them since so they are kind of a dead weight and costing us in luggage prices. You can wear an outfit for 2 days before it needs changing. We did our washing every 2 weeks, and you will find yourself wearing the same things over and over as they are comfy, and remember you can buy things while your travelling especially around South East Asia you can pick up some great bargains.
Important things to pack are:
- Microfiber Towels - They are light weight and fast drying.
- A pair of good walk shoes. - Although we only wore them on moving days you need something sturdy when carrying your backpack (unless you are brilliant and bought a suitcase) but a lot of activities do require enclosed shoes.
- Rain Coats - You will need these on your travels as you can not predict the weather, make sure you can roll them up small.
- Combination locks - We've all heard about peoples cases being tampered with and being pulled up at customs so don't take the risk. Get a TSA (Transport Security Administration) approved lock which can be opened by security with a master key. Other locks will just be broken open. We only put these on our hand luggage where our laptops were kept.
- First aid kit - I'm not going to list the thing to take as everyone is different but we took plasters, bandage, safety pins, antibiotics, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, (but Aspirin is a good substitute for both these painkillers), anti-diarrhea pills, latex free gloves and ladies don't forget your contraceptive pills. These will need to be declared as the limit varies for each country. You can buy them in Australia but it can be a little expensive $80 for a doctors appointment and then $60 upwards for the pill. We didn't think we would need sickness tablets but you never know so take some with you. There are loads of chemists/pharmacies in each country that sell western brands so don't panic if you forget anything.
- Sewing Kit - Everyone laughed at me when I was looking for a sewing kit but it has played a very important roll as some washing machine eat your clothes so repairs need to be made.
- Mosquito repellent - DO NOT FORGET THIS. Mosquitoes and flies (which are the worst), love us and even though the repellent helps it doesn't stop but we have seen people with terrible bites on their legs and you can tell they have never used a repellent.
- Sun Glasses - The sun is a lot more intense than in England so these are an essential when travelling.
- Sun Cream - A BIG MUST - The best sun cream we found is Calypso once a day. You put it on 15 minutes before going outside and you do not need to re-apply it again. (unless of course your swimming). They sell this in Wilkinsons in England but we found it for cheaper in Aldi so shop around.
- Electronics - We each took laptops with us, maybe download music and movies to put on before you leave on your trip as the TV is not great in some countries.
- External Hard Drive - Back up your photo's, the last thing you want to find when you get home is you've lost all your pictures.
- MP3 player - Trains and Bus journeys can be quiet long and usually through the night so take some entertainment.
- PS Vita - My partner took a PS Vita to play on bus/train journeys, but i got jealous so ended up buying one myself in Australia.
- Camera - We took a Samsung camera and our Iphone's for pictures as we didn't want to carry around heavy cameras and the camera is pretty good quality. Most of our picture are taken on the Iphone though. We would have liked a Go Pro on our travels as the seem light weight, small and easy to us, but we did not look into this before we left.
Travel Insurance:
Make sure you research your travel insurance and read the small print as we noticed a lot said they were for 365 days but you could only be out the country for 3 months at a time. There are specialised insurance companies for backpackers but we found these to be expensive so compare different ones. We went with Alpha Insurance which ticked all the boxes we needed.
Accommodation:
As a couple we wanted privacy while travelling and felt hostels would not give us this, so we stayed in hotels. I know what your thinking expensive, but you will be surprised some of the hotels we stayed in have been cheaper than hostels and they have offered us breakfast, swimming pools and privacy. We used Booking.com and just booked as we went along. We found this website to be reliable and secure and if we had any problems one phone call to them sorted it all out. Most hotels will provide a laundry service but these at times can be expensive so look around and see what the locals offer. (I will mention where we washed our clothes in each country as I go along). If you staying in one place for a while and want to change hotels walk around and ask to see rooms before booking and even ask if the hotel will do better deals than what is online many will. I will name the hotels we stayed in as we go along.
Visa's:
Check what visas and how to apply for the countries your visiting as they are all different and some require you to apply in advance and others let you get your visa from the border. In each country as we go along in the blog we have talked about the visa for that country.
Airlines and booking flights:
We found the app Sky Scanner to be very helpful to find which airlines are the cheapest and what dates. Booking through airlines own sites seems to be cheaper but CHECK the add on's. Many will automatically add extras on so you need to read everything. We found baggage to be expensive but I guess it is needed otherwise you wont have any luggage. What shocked us the most is the size of hand luggage people take on, we saw a lot of people taking 65 litre backpacks on as hand luggage. We just don't know how they got away with it and it was also frustrating because we paid for our luggage and they hadn't. Its a big thing we think needs to reviewed. We also found airlines don't space you out even though there are empty seats so don't be afraid to ask to move. As we go along we will let you know which airlines we used.
Apps:
We would recommend to download before you go (it is on iTunes and android) are:
- XE Currency. This is great as you can use multiple currencies at once.
- Sky Scanner. Checking and comparing flights
- Booking.com. Easy to find hotels on the move.
- Skype. A way to make everyone back home jealous.
- Google Maps. Handy to see where you are on those night buses or trains.
- Navmii. A Sat Nav for Australia and New Zealand which works off line.
- TripAdvisor. If your like me and love writing reviews this is brilliant.
Money:
Before you travel make sure you tell your bank otherwise they might cut you off. We are with HSBC and it is very easy to navigate online banking and you can also update your travel plans as you go along. There are several HSBC banks around Asia so if there is any problems you can speak to someone face to face. We will say which banks we used in each country as we go along so you know which banks charge to withdrawal. HSBC does charge a non-sterling transaction fee on withdrawals so check your bank.
DON'T be afraid to complain:
If the service you are getting is not what they advertise or what you expected then let them know. We have had numbers of discounts on hotels because of this. Remember its more money in your pocket to travel for longer or to do more activities.
Barter, Barter, Barter:
The locals obviously want to make the most they can when selling their products but these can sometimes be too pricey so always offer them a lower price. You will usually find that if they don’t accept your offer and you walk away they will come after you agreeing. So no harm trying to get things for cheap, again more money in your pocket.
The best kept secrets are kept to last, although I guess its no longer a secret but the best way in which we have saved money is joined Trustedhousesitters.com For those of you who don't know about this website, it is a MUST for you to join before you leave. We have saved hundreds of pounds joining this website and our only regret is that we didn't join it sooner.
So what is it? Trustedhousesitters.com is a website where people advertise their house and or pets to be looked after while they take their own adventure. As a person looking for a house sit we search the location we are in (currently Australia) and any house sit we find interesting or in the place we want to go to, and we apply to the home owner with a simple email telling them who we are and what we have previously done. With each house sit you do you are given references and the more your profile builds the better and bigger chance of securing a house sit.
What to do? You subscribe to the site for as little at £6.60 per month or £79.20 for a year and create a profile about yourself and who ever your travelling with. Make it an honest profile and let people know who you are, likes/dislikes, job etc. Add pictures, a friendly face can go along way and you can add videos of yourself if you wish, we haven't because I'm rubbish in front of a camera.
We have so far done 4 house sits currently on our 5th and it has been amazing. We have met some great people and made friends for life and looked after some great cuddly animals along the way. We will never stay in hotels again with this website available i can not stress enough how great it is. If you do decided to join this site before your travels please let them know who recommended you as we both might get some discounts. Our name is Travelers2015.
If you have any questions please leave a comment below.
Thank you for reading and please stay tuned as my next blog will start off in Bangkok.
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