By: Forrest McGuire
When I began my traveling adventures I had no idea what to expect. In the midst of all the anticipation and exhilaration, I didn't ask as many questions as I should have to ease my mind in the weeks before I jumped on my plane abroad. I was stressing myself with minor details such as how to book good hostels, how to book my train tickets, how to avoid being an easy victim of theft, etc. I wish I had asked more questions rather than learning it the hard way but my pride stopped me from fulfilling my curiosity. Whether you are a first time student backpacker on a budget or a well versed traveler staying in fancy hotels, these experiences should still resonate with you.
Hostels
For booking hostels I used hostelworld.com. It which offers great search factors to best suit your needs and the type of hostel you want to stay at. I always go with (prioritized) review ratings, location, amenities (AC, hot water, bar, etc.), cleanliness and usually safety goes hand-in-hand with good ratings.
I can usually book hostels the night before I arrive. (I've even booked around midnight!) But if you're trying to book the day of, you can just arrive and ask if there are any vacant beds/rooms available. Private rooms are harder to book than general dorm beds.
When booking with good rated hostels, I've never had a problem with being trapped in a shady situation. I only book for three or four days at a time and if we want to stay longer I just ask the second day to accommodate more days. This way if we end up not liking the hostel we can cut our loses and go to a better one in town without having to worry about losing a week's worth of accommodation had we had booked longer.
Safety
Keeping your belongings safe is one of the most stressful parts of travel. Worrying causes a lot of unhappiness, especially if you are in a place that has a bad reputation for theft and scams.
For money safety, most people invest in a money belt/phany pack to store their money which is a good way to make sure your it is safe. For me, the thought of going to a bar, asking the waitress for a beer, and having to search around my crotch for money while people are waiting behind me really isn't appealing. I use a simple velcro/zip-close wallet that has a long string usually to wear around your neck and to keep under your shirt. But I put it in my pants pocket and secure the string around my belt loop in a tight knot to make sure if anyone tried to pickpocket me I would feel it instantly.
Good rated hostels will surely have a locker system in place to store your belongings. It would be wise to check online beforehand if they do have lockers just in case. You don't want to book the cheapest hostel in town and realize later that it lacks a safe place to store your belongings. You will be worrying all day about your stuff while you're out exploring.
When traveling on trains it's best that you keep your belongings either at your feet or directly above you. On overnight trains where you will be asleep it's best to keep your bags at your feet or sleep on them. I've heard of people getting their backpacks stolen at night because they stored it overhead and never heard or felt the thief take it from them.
Trains
One of my biggest fears was not knowing how to book a train or what to do when I got to the station. However, it's very straightforward and easy to get the hang of once you book a train or two.
In Europe, I bought a Eurail pass to give me 10 train rides and picked which ones were the longest and most expensive so I could use it then. There's no need to use the Eurail pass on a $20 ride that's thirty minutes away, you might as well just buy a ticket and save the space for a $150 ride that's 8 hours long.
You are able to check online if the train has any available seats for you to book. Some trains have general seating, but overnight trains and long distance trains usually require you to reserve a specific seat. You are able to do the booking online but I really prefer to do it physically at the train station just to make sure I don't screw anything up and end up in another town (which is easy to do if you don't get the transfers right).
Always asking for help and asking which stop to transfer trains at is key to making sure you are prepared to travel and don't sleep through where you should be getting off. For example, when my buddies and I were going from Lisbon to Barcelona, we didn't account for a time change and were prepared to get off at 1:00pm at the transfer stop, but we had already passed the transfer stop an hour before. But the staff on the train (who didn't speak any English) helped us get off at the closest transfer station and book another train to Barcelona.
Buses
Depending on which country you are going to, taking a bus might be a faster, cheaper, and more direct option than taking a train. Most of the time you can book the bus to your next destination through the hostel you are staying at or you can ask them where the closest booking office is located. The buses in Asia for example are very reliable and go daily to many nearby big cities. We just book through the hostel and someone arrives thirty minutes beforehand to take us to where the bus is departing from, or sometimes the bus itself comes to pick us up. In Vietnam we booked ourselves on a "Sleeper Bus" that had beds to sleep in!
Flights
If you don't want to spend 5+ hours on a bus or train and want to get to your next destination as quickly as possible, flying is certainly the best option. A lot of travelers choose land travel primarily due to the cost. Even though flying is more expensive, you can still find cheaper airlines and planning techniques that can help minimize the expenses.
Skyscanner.com and Kayak.com
As I've mentioned in an earlier blog, these two websites are the best to find the cheapest option to any destination. Looking at certain budget airlines in your area helps too, such as RyanAir for Europe or Air Asia for Asia. But be cautious if you are flying with lots of baggage; these cheap airlines sometimes only provide for one checked bag and one carry-on. It's best to check their policies before buying a plane ticket because you might end up having to pay outrageous fees for stowing away extra bags. Kayak offers a really cool world map to show you the cheapest flight destinations from your location and it's very useful if you have flexible traveling plans.
Traveling Solo vs. Pair vs. Group
Solo:
Pros- You are on your own schedule, anything you do is completely up to you. It's very easy to meet new people and it's a good developmental period discovering yourself and what makes you happiest. You find out a lot about yourself traveling solo that you wouldn't have to chance to find out if you traveled in a pair or group.
Cons- For women especially, safety is a top concern when traveling alone. Sometimes it can get lonely but head to a nearby bar or your hostel hangout area and you can fix that quickly. Also, anything that goes wrong you can only be blamed on yourself.
Pair:
Pros- Always have someone there to share the experience with you. It's rewarding going through the same adventures with someone else by your side. Safety is always there so if you go missing or something happens your travel partner is by your side.
Cons- Unlike traveling alone, you have to check with you travel partner about almost every decision (where to go, what to eat, what to do, etc.)
Group:
Pros- Sharing costs of rooms and having at least one person to go with you anywhere is a plus. You are super super safe traveling in a group compared to alone or with just one other. In addition, you will have a broader knowledge base to the areas you visit as well as the option to delegate tasks so as to not overwhelm yourself.
Cons- Accommodation for five might be harder than trying to find just one bed. The planning and acting process is also slower because you need a consensus on everything you do together. Meeting new people is also more difficult because a solo traveler approaching a group of five close friends is harder than approaching another solo traveler.
Saving Money
-Withdrawing cash: Check to see if there are any banks around that don't have a cash withdraw fee. Always take out the maximum amount of money you can safely carry so there will be less visits to the ATM.
-Currency Exchange: Don't get your currency exchanged at the airport, they're almost always going to be less favorable with their rates than ones downtown or at your hostel.
-Eating Locations: Don't eat at the tourist trap areas (unless there's a specific restaurant or you are about to collapse from hunger). Eating at a restaurant next to the Roman Colosseum is going to be twice as expensive as a great local restaurant you can find just a few block away from the touristy areas.
-Souvenirs: Ask yourself before you buy any, "Do I really need this and will I actually get good use out of it?". Buying a t-shirt might be more practical than buying a massive Mariachi hat. People tend to buy too many useless junk items that burden them by having to get extra bags to stow them.
-Overnight Travel: When possible, try and book an overnight bus/train to your next destination. It will save you having to pay extra for a place to sleep while getting you to the next city by the time you wake up.
-Eating: Cooking your own meals after going on a grocery run is usually cheaper than eating out at restaurants for every meal. Many hostels will have a kitchen for you to cook in but check online first before booking if you think you will be utilizing it.
Smart Tips
-Photo copy passport & credit cards: if you lose either of them you have a backup to help file a police report or call your credit card company's number to cancel it.
-Suck up your pride and ask: Even if you're 90% sure a local don't speak English, just ask. It's better to get pointed a general direction than wandering around aimlessly looking like a hopeless tourist.
-Stick to your gut feeling: If something doesn't seem or feel right, just don't do it. If there's a train ride you think looks sketchy or a hostel you've already booked, just cut your loses and go somewhere else. You'll be surprised how many times your gut feeling is actually right.
-Passport: Keep your passport locked up with your bag at the hostel, don't take your passport to the bars unless you really don't have any other forms of ID. And if you do, guard it with your life.
-Use your student card: If you still can; lots of places and historical sites in Europe give great student discounts. Even if you have graduated, bring your student card just in case and try to use it. Most of the time I just flashed mine and they never checked the graduation date.
-Travel Insurance: This is handy to have. Alissa opted for the full-time student insurance ISIC card that was only $25 and covered the basics plus gives great benefits and discounts. Most travel insurance policies will cover emergency accident and sickness expenses, trip interruption, cancellation or delay, lost baggage, accidental death, etc.
Happy travels!
When I began my traveling adventures I had no idea what to expect. In the midst of all the anticipation and exhilaration, I didn't ask as many questions as I should have to ease my mind in the weeks before I jumped on my plane abroad. I was stressing myself with minor details such as how to book good hostels, how to book my train tickets, how to avoid being an easy victim of theft, etc. I wish I had asked more questions rather than learning it the hard way but my pride stopped me from fulfilling my curiosity. Whether you are a first time student backpacker on a budget or a well versed traveler staying in fancy hotels, these experiences should still resonate with you.
Hostels
For booking hostels I used hostelworld.com. It which offers great search factors to best suit your needs and the type of hostel you want to stay at. I always go with (prioritized) review ratings, location, amenities (AC, hot water, bar, etc.), cleanliness and usually safety goes hand-in-hand with good ratings.
I can usually book hostels the night before I arrive. (I've even booked around midnight!) But if you're trying to book the day of, you can just arrive and ask if there are any vacant beds/rooms available. Private rooms are harder to book than general dorm beds.
When booking with good rated hostels, I've never had a problem with being trapped in a shady situation. I only book for three or four days at a time and if we want to stay longer I just ask the second day to accommodate more days. This way if we end up not liking the hostel we can cut our loses and go to a better one in town without having to worry about losing a week's worth of accommodation had we had booked longer.
Safety
Keeping your belongings safe is one of the most stressful parts of travel. Worrying causes a lot of unhappiness, especially if you are in a place that has a bad reputation for theft and scams.
For money safety, most people invest in a money belt/phany pack to store their money which is a good way to make sure your it is safe. For me, the thought of going to a bar, asking the waitress for a beer, and having to search around my crotch for money while people are waiting behind me really isn't appealing. I use a simple velcro/zip-close wallet that has a long string usually to wear around your neck and to keep under your shirt. But I put it in my pants pocket and secure the string around my belt loop in a tight knot to make sure if anyone tried to pickpocket me I would feel it instantly.
Good rated hostels will surely have a locker system in place to store your belongings. It would be wise to check online beforehand if they do have lockers just in case. You don't want to book the cheapest hostel in town and realize later that it lacks a safe place to store your belongings. You will be worrying all day about your stuff while you're out exploring.
When traveling on trains it's best that you keep your belongings either at your feet or directly above you. On overnight trains where you will be asleep it's best to keep your bags at your feet or sleep on them. I've heard of people getting their backpacks stolen at night because they stored it overhead and never heard or felt the thief take it from them.
Trains
One of my biggest fears was not knowing how to book a train or what to do when I got to the station. However, it's very straightforward and easy to get the hang of once you book a train or two.
In Europe, I bought a Eurail pass to give me 10 train rides and picked which ones were the longest and most expensive so I could use it then. There's no need to use the Eurail pass on a $20 ride that's thirty minutes away, you might as well just buy a ticket and save the space for a $150 ride that's 8 hours long.
You are able to check online if the train has any available seats for you to book. Some trains have general seating, but overnight trains and long distance trains usually require you to reserve a specific seat. You are able to do the booking online but I really prefer to do it physically at the train station just to make sure I don't screw anything up and end up in another town (which is easy to do if you don't get the transfers right).
Always asking for help and asking which stop to transfer trains at is key to making sure you are prepared to travel and don't sleep through where you should be getting off. For example, when my buddies and I were going from Lisbon to Barcelona, we didn't account for a time change and were prepared to get off at 1:00pm at the transfer stop, but we had already passed the transfer stop an hour before. But the staff on the train (who didn't speak any English) helped us get off at the closest transfer station and book another train to Barcelona.
Buses
Depending on which country you are going to, taking a bus might be a faster, cheaper, and more direct option than taking a train. Most of the time you can book the bus to your next destination through the hostel you are staying at or you can ask them where the closest booking office is located. The buses in Asia for example are very reliable and go daily to many nearby big cities. We just book through the hostel and someone arrives thirty minutes beforehand to take us to where the bus is departing from, or sometimes the bus itself comes to pick us up. In Vietnam we booked ourselves on a "Sleeper Bus" that had beds to sleep in!
Flights
If you don't want to spend 5+ hours on a bus or train and want to get to your next destination as quickly as possible, flying is certainly the best option. A lot of travelers choose land travel primarily due to the cost. Even though flying is more expensive, you can still find cheaper airlines and planning techniques that can help minimize the expenses.
Skyscanner.com and Kayak.com
As I've mentioned in an earlier blog, these two websites are the best to find the cheapest option to any destination. Looking at certain budget airlines in your area helps too, such as RyanAir for Europe or Air Asia for Asia. But be cautious if you are flying with lots of baggage; these cheap airlines sometimes only provide for one checked bag and one carry-on. It's best to check their policies before buying a plane ticket because you might end up having to pay outrageous fees for stowing away extra bags. Kayak offers a really cool world map to show you the cheapest flight destinations from your location and it's very useful if you have flexible traveling plans.
Traveling Solo vs. Pair vs. Group
Solo:
Pros- You are on your own schedule, anything you do is completely up to you. It's very easy to meet new people and it's a good developmental period discovering yourself and what makes you happiest. You find out a lot about yourself traveling solo that you wouldn't have to chance to find out if you traveled in a pair or group.
Cons- For women especially, safety is a top concern when traveling alone. Sometimes it can get lonely but head to a nearby bar or your hostel hangout area and you can fix that quickly. Also, anything that goes wrong you can only be blamed on yourself.
Pair:
Pros- Always have someone there to share the experience with you. It's rewarding going through the same adventures with someone else by your side. Safety is always there so if you go missing or something happens your travel partner is by your side.
Cons- Unlike traveling alone, you have to check with you travel partner about almost every decision (where to go, what to eat, what to do, etc.)
Group:
Pros- Sharing costs of rooms and having at least one person to go with you anywhere is a plus. You are super super safe traveling in a group compared to alone or with just one other. In addition, you will have a broader knowledge base to the areas you visit as well as the option to delegate tasks so as to not overwhelm yourself.
Cons- Accommodation for five might be harder than trying to find just one bed. The planning and acting process is also slower because you need a consensus on everything you do together. Meeting new people is also more difficult because a solo traveler approaching a group of five close friends is harder than approaching another solo traveler.
Saving Money
-Withdrawing cash: Check to see if there are any banks around that don't have a cash withdraw fee. Always take out the maximum amount of money you can safely carry so there will be less visits to the ATM.
-Currency Exchange: Don't get your currency exchanged at the airport, they're almost always going to be less favorable with their rates than ones downtown or at your hostel.
-Eating Locations: Don't eat at the tourist trap areas (unless there's a specific restaurant or you are about to collapse from hunger). Eating at a restaurant next to the Roman Colosseum is going to be twice as expensive as a great local restaurant you can find just a few block away from the touristy areas.
-Souvenirs: Ask yourself before you buy any, "Do I really need this and will I actually get good use out of it?". Buying a t-shirt might be more practical than buying a massive Mariachi hat. People tend to buy too many useless junk items that burden them by having to get extra bags to stow them.
-Overnight Travel: When possible, try and book an overnight bus/train to your next destination. It will save you having to pay extra for a place to sleep while getting you to the next city by the time you wake up.
-Eating: Cooking your own meals after going on a grocery run is usually cheaper than eating out at restaurants for every meal. Many hostels will have a kitchen for you to cook in but check online first before booking if you think you will be utilizing it.
Smart Tips
-Photo copy passport & credit cards: if you lose either of them you have a backup to help file a police report or call your credit card company's number to cancel it.
-Suck up your pride and ask: Even if you're 90% sure a local don't speak English, just ask. It's better to get pointed a general direction than wandering around aimlessly looking like a hopeless tourist.
-Stick to your gut feeling: If something doesn't seem or feel right, just don't do it. If there's a train ride you think looks sketchy or a hostel you've already booked, just cut your loses and go somewhere else. You'll be surprised how many times your gut feeling is actually right.
-Passport: Keep your passport locked up with your bag at the hostel, don't take your passport to the bars unless you really don't have any other forms of ID. And if you do, guard it with your life.
-Use your student card: If you still can; lots of places and historical sites in Europe give great student discounts. Even if you have graduated, bring your student card just in case and try to use it. Most of the time I just flashed mine and they never checked the graduation date.
-Travel Insurance: This is handy to have. Alissa opted for the full-time student insurance ISIC card that was only $25 and covered the basics plus gives great benefits and discounts. Most travel insurance policies will cover emergency accident and sickness expenses, trip interruption, cancellation or delay, lost baggage, accidental death, etc.
Happy travels!