Planning your trip

"If you dont know where you are going, any road will lead you there" - unknown

It has been said that when vagabonding, the best way to break travel plans is to make them in the first place.

This is true, because you will most likely meet people along the way or see things that make you want to change your itinerary entirely. Try not to make the mistake of setting a time line and instead focus on a loose plan to help you get the most out of your trip. It is worth researching things like festivals, wet seasons, etc so that you will have some idea of what to expect and where.

The following guide is just meant to get your mind working in the right direction and to offer help to those that are not comfortable with leaving their fates to the road.

Where to start?

The only 2 things that you have to know for sure to begin your trip is what country you want to start with and when you want to go. Everything else is a bonus.

When you are choosing your destinations, keep these things in mind:

Seasonal Weather - Many tropical areas can have months of continuous rain. It will be hard to get a tan or enjoy any diving if you visit during the wet seasons, although accommodation prices will be rock bottom and there will be few tourists.

Budget considerations - You will get way more bang for your buck in developing regions like Southeast Asia or South America as opposed to Australia, North America, or Europe. If you wish to start with Europe, start in the East where there are still some cheap places to visit.

Time of year - Other than weather considerations, you may want to time your visit around things like huge festivals and crowded tourists seasons. It would be a shame to arrive in a country, just missing a historic festival by days, but still paying the high prices imposed because of the visitors that were drawn to the festival.

Political climate - The mainstream news media seems to play up the dangers of traveling abroad, particularly for Americans, but in reality there are very few places that are too dangerous to travel provided you use common sense and take the necessary precautions. It seems like every day the US State Dept is issuing a new travel advisory, so many travelers opt for the UK's version instead. You can find a list of places to avoid or to be cautious of here.

Language - Don't let the local language, no matter how difficult, be a deterrent to visiting somewhere. English, of varying quality, is spoken almost everywhere that there are tourists. You should try your best to learn the basics in a local language when you get there, do not worry about studying too much before the trip, you will learn it exponentially faster once you arrive.

Guide books

Once you have an idea of where you want to start your journey, go buy only the guidebook for your first destination. Books are too heavy and expensive to carry more than one destination's worth. Besides, you can trade with other travelers that have just come from your next country or buy them locally.

Lonely Planet and Rough Guides are the 2 most popular series that focus more on the needs of a budget traveler and less on the tourist stuff. Moon guides are also a good budget alternative.

Check the date and version. Make sure you are not buying a pre-tsunami book, etc. Once you buy the book, check the publisher's website for updates and write them in on the appropriate pages to save the headache later of looking for a bungalow that is no longer operating, etc.

If you buy one of the gigantic consolidated versions like "Southeast Asia on a Shoestring", feel free to tear out countries that you do not plan to visit. This will conserve precious space and weight in your backpack. Save the pages and staple them together for later just in case.

Do not get guide Book-itus. It is a useful guide, but do not make it your new Bible. Believe it or not, but there are places to eat, stay, and visit that are NOT covered in the guide books. In fact, you can almost count on the top several places listed for accommodations to be full during the busy seasons. If you live and die by the guide book, you will certainly miss out on lots of off-the-beaten-path adventures that you could have otherwise enjoyed had you not been too busy reading the book!

Watch out for the "Lonely Planet effect". The LP effect can also be applied to other popular guidebooks. It is a theory that suggests too many backpackers are using the guidebook, so all the places listed with excellent reviews near the top of each section become saturated with traffic. With so much good business coming in no matter what, the actual quality of service declines at these places because they no longer have to try so hard. Sometimes this is true, so it is best to trust your own judgment about a place and listen to other travelers that have stayed there. The positive side of this is that if you are looking to meet other backpackers, these places are usually where the party is. :)

If you plan to buy a guidebook, please use our link!

Advice from travelers

When planning your trip, take full advantage of the travel forums in places like www.bootsnall.com and our very own Backpacking Forums. Many of the people out there are genuine, have just come from your future destination, and are anxious to help.

Read travel blogs! These people are not being paid to write and you will get an honest, personal glimpse into what a destination was like. Check out some vagabonding blogs here on the site.

Remember that everyone travels in their own style. What you consider a bonus adventure might be someone else's nightmare if they are used to more luxury on the road than you. Take things that people tell you with a grain of salt, as people tend to filter memories through one or two specific events that happened when they were there.

You will get advice from backpackers on the circuit that sometimes contradicts the guidebook. Consider the source, but its usually safer to trust a fellow traveler over a book that may have been written months ago.

Traveling with someone or alone

You will need to decide from the start if you are going to travel alone or with a friend. Needless to say, this will radically change the overall experience of your trip. Many first time backpackers, especially women, feel more comfortable if they have a familiar face from home tagging along. Here are some things to consider:

If you are on any popular backpacking circuit at all, you will most likely have to TRY to be alone sometimes. In fact, you will probably pick up a new travel partner before you even get out of the airport! A majority of people travel alone, and there is a reason for that. You will meet new backpackers and groups of travelers almost everywhere, and there will be many invitations to tag along with them. If you are alone, it is your choice when you part company and go your own way.

Traveling with someone else, even a close friend, can be trying at times. The road will throw all kinds of stressful situations your way, and sometimes it can require an extraordinary amount of patience when dealing with someone in those circumstances.

You will meet far less people if you are traveling in a group already. Many people are more hesitant to approach you and it is easy to end up spending every minute with the same person, which eliminates opportunities to meet new faces.

Traveling solo means you will be less distracted by a friend and more able to take in the culture around you. Also, you will be able to do so on your own time, which means staying an extra day or two in a location just because you "feel like it".

On the positive side, having a reliable partner means sharing accommodations and splitting all costs down the middle, which can extend your budget and the reach of your trip.

Things worth researching

Here are a handful of things worth looking into before you arrive:

Local customs - learn how not to offend someone accidentally. Offenses differ between Buddhists, Muslims, etc.

Currency exchange rate and denominations. A very popular converter tool is here.

Consider booking your very first night at your first destination. You will probably be exhausted after the flight and it provides a good peace of mind knowing that the first night is taken care of. Only book 1 night, then shop around in the morning for something better/cheaper. Most places will let you leave your large pack there behind the desk or locked in a room after you check out, provided that you stayed at least one night with them.

Get advice for booking hostels, hotels, or couches directly from our site here.

Visa considerations - covered in the next section!

Required vaccinations - also covered in a later section, but timing and costs may dictate that you avoid a particular area due to an outbreak.

Be a wanderer!

If you have less time abroad, then plan more, otherwise try to resist the urge to over plan. It is always best just to stay flexible, keep your eyes and mind open for new experiences and opportunities, and let the road take you where it takes you.


Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4	Step 5	Step 6	Step 7	Step 8	Step 9	Step 10	Hit the road!

Step 3 - Getting a visa