Drop Bear in action!
The fact that this story is coming out on April 1st shouldn’t make it any less real or serious. Right? Because I remember when I was backpacking around Australia, pretty much every tour guide I had warned us about Drop Bears. And tour guides never tease.
Drop Bears Prefer Travellers, Says Study
DROP BEARS TARGET PEOPLE with foreign accents more often than those who are Australian-born, according to new research. Read more from Australian Geographic
Happy Monday!
This week’s photo that makes me want to pack my bag and run to the airport? This one, from G Adventures:
It’s Kakadu National Park in Australia. I was there about five years ago but after seeing this I’m ready to return to the Outback. The whole world just seems bigger there.
G Adventures has a three day Kakadu camping adventure, but there are other backpacker tours that go from Darwin, Alice Springs and down to Adelaide as well. Chat up a Travel CUTS guru to find out what your options are and how many sunsets like this one you can enjoy.
A sheep comes running up to me to be friends.
A while back I wrote about WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) as an alternative, or supplement, to the more common bus/hostel/spending your parent’s money option to backpacking.
As a WWOOFer, you work the land by day in exchange for room and board, although every agreement is different. It takes time to find places to work, and the work itself can be hard, but it can save you money, maybe even earn you some money, and gives you a chance to make a deeper connection with the locations you visit.
Matador Network has a nice article by a WWOOFer who worked around New Zealand. Check out her tips and consider getting some dirt under your nails on your next trip.
The Telegraph recently ran a story about a man who’s backpacking Europe alone at the age of 95. He started backpacking at the age of 85, after his wife passed away, and he’s still going strong.
I know there are times when I’m travelling and I’m exhausted and can’t even think about getting on another train or bus, so the fact that someone three times my age is still able to see the world on his own is pretty impressive to me.
Will you still be travelling when you’re his age? Where would you go? And could you do it alone?
If you’re in Sydney sometime before the end of January, hop on a ferry from Circular Quay to Cockatoo Island for a drink at sunset.
Cockatoo Island is home to the Island Bar, an outdoor venue built using recycled shipping containers that serves food and cocktails. Prices are a bit higher than you’ll get in a backpacker bar, but cheap places with sticky floors don’t have this kind of view.
I suggest you go for one drink and some evening air, then take the ferry back to Circular Quay to continue your night out. Drinks will be cheaper closer to the backpacker venues on Pitt Street, and you won’t have to worry about whether you can stomach a boat ride while drunk.
What are your recommended hangouts for Sydney?
La Tomatina: Your laundry's worst nightmare
I’ve known for about six months now that I was going to Spain in August. I knew I was going for La Tomatina. I knew hundreds, maybe thousands of other people were also going, and that they would all need to get there somehow.
But I waited until today to book my Barcelona to Valencia flight. My options? Pay several hundred dollars or have an 8-11 hour layover somewhere.
I’ve often said that it’s fun to be spontaneous, but that during peak travel times and around large events you should plan IN ADVANCE.
So why didn’t anyone remind me of that?
Looks like I may have a long train ride in my future. Any other suggestions?
Sangria,
Lisa
How many days did you spend traveling this year? Whether it was five or 50, you probably wish it had been more. Make it easier to get where you want to go in 2011 by being prepared to hit the road at a moment’s notice. Think of these things as a traveler’s kit of necessities, and put them on your holiday wish list:
Passport – Without it, you’re facing some serious delays in trip planning. Don’t let a lack of identification keep you from joining friends on a last-minute run across the border, or from passing up an unbeatble airfare to Paris or London or Tokyo. Passports are good for 10 years in the U.S. and five years in Canada, so once you have it in hand you won’t have to think about it again for a while. Visit the U.S. State Department’s passport website or the official Canadian passport website for the forms.
ISIC, IYTC, or ITIC – Whether you’re a full-time student, a teacher, or a youth under the age of 26, there are thousands of different types of identification out there. Only one is internationally recognized as proof of your student, teacher or youth status. Get this card at a Travel CUTS store or order online and start saving money on museums, bus, airline, and train tickets, restaurants, and activities in more than 90 countries (and in your home town).
Hostelling International Card – This card will get you:
Luggage that won’t cause you pain – Find yourself a few different pieces (small carry-on, mid-size backpack, larger rolling duffel) that you can afford, that you won’t be devastated if they get lost or damaged, and that are comfortable to pack and carry. A good backpack is essential and one that has the ability to expand or shrink will work for weekends away or longer backpacking trips. You don’t have to spend a fortune on luggage. Check garage sales, thrift stores and discount shops for great deals.
A library card – Great travels require great planning. You don’t have to put together a daily itinerary, but a basic understanding of the region you’re visiting, the languages you’re going to encounter, and the major sights you want to see will help a lot.
Rather than spending your money on heavy books to lug with you, do your reading before you go for free, photocopy any maps or helpful language charts, and then buy a small pocket-sized guide to go with you. (Yes, there’s an app for that, but when your batter is dead you’ll be thankful for the backup plan.) If you’re an AAA member, take advantage of their free roadmaps and books.
With all of these things ready, 2011 could be your best travel year yet. Get out there!
Hola! Wie geht es Ihnen? Molto bene!
I do love a good yard sale. I love picking through other people’s stuff and finding something bizarre or tacky or perfect and paying 50 cents for it then gifting it to a friend or adding it to my collection of weird and wonderful nicknacks and do-dads.
Sometimes though you can find something really useful that will help you save some money on your next trip. Backpacks, camping equipment and travel books are always great, and the previous owner might even give you some tips on where they went and what they did.
Last weekend I hit just a few sales and found the language tapes and CDs you see here for $1 or less each. I don’t even have plans to go to Italy or Germany any time soon, but I know I’ll go eventually, and while I don’t expect to be fluent, I’ll at least be able to manage basic shopping and getting around.
A good find might even inspire your next trip. A set of old postcards from Paris might get you thinking about a semester abroad, or a book on the Incas could have you considering a trip to Peru.
The first step in travel is deciding where you want to go, then it’s just a matter of getting there. Simple, right?
How about staying in a boat/hostel for a few nights? Try the Eastern Comfort hostel in Berlin.
If you’re headed out of town for a short-term stay, say two weeks or less, a hostel is an ideal place to crash. There are plenty of other travellers to socialize with, generally clean restrooms, a kitchen for preparing your own cheap meals, and sometimes they offer perks like television, free Internet access, laundry or sightseeing discounts.
In a large city you’ll likely have a dozen or more hostels to choose from, ranging from huge hotel-like structures with their own bars and restaurants, to the smaller, mom-and-pop places that may not offer as many amenities, or even hot water. In smaller locations, say deep in the Australian outback or in out-of-the-way South American villages, your choices will be more limited, but not necessarily less comfortable. One of the nicest hostels I’ve ever come across is the Prarie Hotel in Parachilna, South Australia; population: 7.
Your best bet for finding a good hostel is to ask other backpackers for recommendations. If you don’t have time though, go through Hostelling International, as they only give their seal of approval to places that meet their standards. (Although those standards do seem to vary here and there.)
You need to have a HI card to get a discounted price, but if you’re going to be traveling for more than three weeks during a year, it will pay for itself in discounts. You can pick one up at any Travel CUTS shop, or online. The HI website has a list of hostels by city, so you can get addresses and plan ahead. There are other discount cards for other chains, like VIP Backpackers, so you do have options.
When packing for your hostel stay, there are a few essentials:
When choosing a place to stay, also remember that you have the right to look a hostel over and see a room before you hand over any money. If you walk into a place that feels sketchy or makes you uncomfortable, walk back out and look for something else.
The hostel culture is perfect for travelers who can eat, sleep, and shower anywhere. But even if you’re not sure that sounds like you, give it a try for a few nights. It’s laid-back, friendly, and you’ll meet people and have experiences that you’ll remember forever. You’ll probably get some great stories out of it too, so share the best, and worst, of what you find.
Ah, summer. Time for sitting on lawns and staring at castles.
No summer plans? No problem. There’s still time to book a summer trip to Europe with Contiki.
You pack a bag and they handle pretty much everything else, so no need to stress over train times, bus maps hostel reservations or all of the other planning that a big trip requires.
On a Contiki tour, you get to see all the important sights, but with plenty of time to have fun too.
Your guide will be happy to give you ideas on where to spent your evenings, and might help you organize them as well, but you’re also free to do your own thing. Hit some of Europe’s hot nightclubs, catch an opera, or take an evening off to check your email and watch a movie.
You can visit London, Paris, the French Riviera, Pisa, Florence, Rome, Vatican City, Corfu, Venice, Vienna, Cesky Krumlov, Prague, Munich, Liechtenstein, Lucerne, Heidelberg, Rhine Valley, Amsterdam and a bunch of places in between.
Have a look at some of the tours being offered this summer, or talk to a student travel expert for a full list of possibilities. Summer’s just getting started! Make the most of it!