Backpacking Basics By Andrew Boland Copyright 2014
Introduction Welcome to Backpacking Basics. This short book is designed to prepare anyone for a backpacking adventure, particularly if it s your first. My name is Andrew; I started backpacking in 1999 and since then have been to 69 different countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. I have stayed in various different accommodations from hostels, rooms in people s houses to four-star hotels (once in a blue moon I should add for four star hotels). If this is your first backpacking trip, you are going to need to think about a range of things before you are ready to set off. Even backpackers who don t like itineraries and firm schedules need to think about a few things before they leave budget, what to bring, the best flights, other transport, health and visas. Whatever sort of adventure you re off on a few weeks in Europe, or a year-long round the world spectacular (my favourite kind!) this book will give you hints, ideas, and information and point out the important things you need to consider before you embark upon your journey. Welcome aboard!
What is a backpacker? It seems a simple question, but backpackers come in all shapes and sizes, have different aims and desires, stay in different kinds of accommodation and go to different places. I have been to 69 different countries, but there are a hell of a lot more out there all with different experiences for the visitor. Budget digs in Accra, Ghana What kind of backpacker do you think you are or will be? When you are thinking about travelling, how do you see the experience? Are you trying to get away for as long as possible and just soak up the place where you are? Or do you want to go somewhere and get to everything there is to see regardless of cost? Do you want to eat out regularly, or are you happy self-catering most of the time? Are you comfortable in a dorm? Does others snoring, people coming in through the night, their smells and the like quickly get on your nerves? These are all things you need to think about before you plan your trip, because if you go somewhere and think you ll be fine with a dorm, and discover you hate it after one night, then your options are limited, especially if your budget is. There is no wrong way to be a backpacker. Let s get this straight. Some want to spend a day in each country and rack up the passport stamps, some want to go to just the one place and stay there for weeks. Others (such as myself) see a happy medium between the two. Some people love the experience of trains and buses and overland transport in general. That s part of the point of it all the journey. Others think an overnight bus ride or two days on a train sound like hell and would prefer to take a plane. And that s cool too, and perfectly understandable. There are so many backpacking adventures out there, from hostel hopping in Europe to exploring India on the train network learning about yourself and reassessing what you thought about the world. There are surprises at almost every turn, challenges and above all adventure. To be honest, when people turn their noses up at the idea of backpacking and tell me they prefer a top hotel and a pre-paid tour with all the trimmings, whilst appreciate how comfortable it would be, I feel even more affirmed in the backpacking way of life. Meet more people, see more things, spread more love. All you need is a backpack. In fact, in this modern world, I ve met plenty of backpackers with a wheely-bag. And yes, they are still backpackers, there is no wrong way to be a backpacker!
Where do you want to go? So, you ve decided you re off, but before you embrace backpacking you need to know where you want to go, right? What inspires you to travel? What makes you decide on a destination, or several? Let me start with my first backpacking adventure, something I had been dreaming of for years and planning for well over 12 months before I finally left. It started when I finished school, and I decided I really wanted to visit America. Why? To be honest, I don t know! It took six years to finally leave Australia and head into the big wide world, and plans changed a lot since then. Somebody, somewhere introduced me to a concept I didn t know much about Round the World Ticket. It changed my life. For not that much more than a return ticket to Europe, I could take multiple flights and city hop my way around the world. Suddenly I realised how much I wanted to go to Europe and the UK as well. Wait, what other countries were there? Russia? Can people really go there? Egypt? Is it actually possible to stand next to the pyramids? My mind was racing out of control. Unfortunately the cost for the ticket I paid for back in 1999 has skyrocketed today thanks to fuel costs and airport taxes mostly. Depending on your destinations, you could well do it cheaply via budget airlines though. They virtually didn t exist 15 years ago. My ticket had over 30 flights and had me going from Thailand to India to Egypt to Europe to Iceland to the USA and Canada and home in around eight months (which is when the money ran out), so if you can save the pennies, the sky s not even the limit these days! That s thanks to Mr Branson and his plan for Space Tourism. Some great backpacking experiences: India. When I was there I travelled India the first I did it on $20 a day, including trains and accommodation. There aren t many places on Earth your buck will go further than India. It s the sort of country that is suited to the backpacker. Of course, places are often better if you re not on your own, especially if you are experiencing culture shock, which happens to most westerners to visit India.
Delhi Station. The trains - life blood of India. The trains are a great adventure, and you are exposed to amazing highs and lows. There s a healthy dose of reality in store for anyone who heads to India, but that s an important part of the experience. The hotels there vary, and for the main cities such as Delhi and particularly Mumbai they are not as cheap as other places, but on the whole they represent excellent value for money. If you need the security of other backpackers, Goa is teeming with them, and a good place to get away from some of the crazier cities. Mumbai is perhaps the nicest and most interesting city, Varanasi is breathtaking, and Agra has the Taj Mahal. Europe Europe is where you ll probably find yourself in hostels. In Western Europe it s the only way to keep accommodation prices in check if you are headed to the big cities and the popular tourist sites. Having said that, you can always find a bargain if you look for it. Hostel life on its own can be a great experience. Self catering saves on restaurant bills but also allows you to connect with and meet other backpackers, share experiences and recommendations as well. You can sense that backpackers are a real community at times. There s so much to see and do in Europe, and it s not all expensive. Some museums are free on certain Sundays, churches and the like are often free too. Transport is not always cheap, but it is usually efficient and reliable. You ll find a lot of young people at the hostels in Europe, which may be good or may be bad. The European summer sees a big influx of tourists and of backpackers as holidays coincide. If you re looking to head to Europe to drink and party then you ll find plenty of that at the right hostels in summer. If that s not what you are looking for, then another time of the year might be better, otherwise choose your hostels wisely.
Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin And of course Europe is full of some of the world s most famous sites the Eiffel Tower, the Vatican Museum, Checkpoint Charlie, Tower Bridge and La Sagrada Familia. So you are never short of something to see. Then there s countless quality restaurants, bars, nightlife, Europe never stops giving. There are plenty of other places around the world to backpack in. Japan has a range of hostels, many of them are really good, and represent good value for money in a country that s not exactly cheap. Partying can be a bit expensive in Japan, as can the trains, but the country is friendly and welcoming and many of the hostels are spotless. China is slowly getting more hostels and similar sort of accommodation. I stayed in a single room for a little more than ten dollars in a Shanghai hostel with a great common area and an international crowd. Thailand and South-East Asia are backpacking Meccas these days, with full-moon parties, relaxing beaches, adventure and treks aplenty, and great weather. It s certainly a great place to go and the costs are still pretty cheap in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Vietnam has some of the best budget-digs around, and as long as you are not needing the cheapest of the cheap, then you can get your own room and maintain a pretty tight budget from day to day. Plus there is so much to see and do in Vietnam you could pass a month easily without knowing it! The US and Canada have a good network of hostels too, not too badly priced as well. They have variable facilities but a great atmosphere. Ottawa, Canada s capital, has a hostel built into an old jail. You can be an inmate for a night. Thankfully your cell-mates won t be hardened crims! Africa is a little tougher on the backpacker. Transport is not so reliable and can, at times, be quite uncomfortable, depending what part of the continent you are on. I have mainly travelled in West Africa, where it s probably less organised than the East. Still, the shared taxis and minibuses are part of the adventure, that s for sure. Accommodation is very varied and the budget range is not consistent from country to country, however it s not like India at all. It doesn t represent, generally, the same value for money and if you want to maintain a budget you probably need to sacrifice comfort. South Africa has a network of
hostels though, and you ll find hostels in most of the main East-African countries that get visited like Uganda and Kenya. I can t speak for Central and South America, but they are, from many backpackers I have met who visited either or both, fantastic places to backpack and represent good bang for your buck. So. The world is your oyster. Choose you location and go for it!