How well do you know the land down under?

Try your hand at this challenging quiz and see how well you do compared to the other travelers. 

Follow this link http://www.beyondthevacation.com/quiz

Good luck!

3 contestants will be randomly drawn at the end of January to win a Lonely Planet Travel Guide (winners get to choose the guide, and guide will be delivered directly to your door).

It is easy to participate. Just Tweet something that you like about BeyondtheVacation.com and be sure to include #BeyondVacation in the message. You can enter everyday (once a day) until the end of the competition!

Winners will be randomly drawn out of the total pool of tweets, so the more you enter, the better your chances!

Don’t forget to follow BeyondVacation to claim your prize!

Full details can be found at http://www.beyondthevacation.com/twitter-contest

Good Luck Everyone!

Cheap Airfare

Getting a discount airline ticket has its obvious benefits, but is it worth waiting and rearranging your schedule just to save $10, $20, $50, or even $100? I would argue that yes it is. 

If you are anything like me, you get pissed off when you find out that someone paid a much lower (discounted) fare than you did. If I find out that the passenger next to me got a cheap airfare, I think, “Why was that seat so much cheaper than mine?” It looks the same, feels the same, smells the same, but somehow it was worth much less than my cramped aisle seat. That makes me a very unhappy backpacker, especially when I am traveling on a budget.

When you board the airplane you will be sitting next to a variety of travelers, and the likelihood is that there are some who have paid full fare, while others got their tickets seriously discounted, why? It rests on the macro-economic principle of supply and demand. When there is high demand for a certain route, the airline wants you to pay full fare. When the demand is low, they are much more willing to offer discounted airfare.

You may think that if there is low demand then they will simply cancel the flight. Maybe. But not likely. When the flight goes on sale, people begin purchasing tickets almost immediately. Consumers depend on airlines to honor the ticket that they have been issued. For business travelers this is especially important. It would be detrimental if an airline got a reputation for unreliable and unpredictably scheduled flights. I admit, this does happen, but look at the reputation of the airline that does this – likely not very good!

It is illegal to charge different consumers different prices.  So is the volitile pricing system used by the airlines legal? Well technically it is, which I suppose is obvious given that all airline employ this strategy.  Airlines get around the legalities via the supply demand argument, and the fact that they offer fare prices prior to knowing who the purchasing consumer is. Therefore, they are not discriminating against any specific consumer.

Morally, I would argue that this is not appropriate. Not everyone has the time or resources to wait on a pin stack for the discount price to momentarily flash on the screen.

From a business standpoint, I guess it makes sense to ensure the seats are filled. You can decide which side of the fence you sit.

So if you want cheap airfare, you have to be willing to wait until the airline experiences lower demand. When does this happen? During low season, during the middle of the week, on a Saturday night, and on last-minute tickets. It makes the actual flight time and date a bit more inconvenient, but it will ensure that you receive the lowest fare possible.

So is it worth it? Yes, absolutely. Why in the world would you spend almost half of your travel budget for a short 5-12 hour flight over the Pacific. It doesn’t make any sense, especially when you don’t necessarily have to. Just be a bit flexible.

To me this it is incredibly important to get a cheap flight. Actually, I want the whole package to be as discounted as possible. No matter if I am traveling in Canada, the US, Europe, South America, Africa, China, Japan, Australia, or New Zealand, I do not want to pay any more than my neighbor did. I would much rather save my money for the more important adventures that I hope to experiences when I arrive at my destination.

My advice: when you decide to travel overseas, take the time, be patient, and wait for the discounted flights, hotels, tours, and transport. The more you save on your car rental, hotel, hostel, motel, and flight, the more you have to spend in your final destination. To me, that is what is truly important.

You can visit http://www.beyondthevacation.com/hot-travel-deals to find some awesome flight, hotel, hostel, car, books, and tour discounts.

I think that Blink by Malcolm Gladwell is an absolute must-read for any world traveler. It helps you discover the power of thinking without thinking. I read it while I was traveling in New Zealand, and I have to say, it was a very inspirational read.

Here is a quick rundown of the book.

Blink, helps to change the way we understand the world. It is a book that analyzes how we think without thinking. It talks about the choices that seem to be made in an instant; ones that aren’t as straight forward as they may seem. Many famous entrepreneurs claim to know whether a business idea is worth following within the first 30 seconds of it being pitched. Why? Because of the internal knowledge that they already carry within their own minds. This allows them to know, without knowing (if that makes any sense).

The reason this book is so great for travelers is that it allows you to understand why some decisions do not need to make sense to be correct. Backpackers leave home, often for more than a year at a time, with no real aim, other than seeing the world and meeting new people. Does this make sense from a logical standpoint? Maybe. Does it make sense from a financial standpoint? Probably not. Does this make sense from a personal standpoint? Likely it does. But why? Because you already have the internal knowledge that says, this is the correct thing for you to do at this point in your life.

It is important to know and understand that your gut reactions are usually the correct ones. You don’t need to do months of research and consult with experts to know that backpacking is the right choice for you. So why should it be any different for any other aspect of your life. The answer is, it shouldn’t. You must learn to trust your initial instinct, and find the confidence to make decisions in the “blink” of an eye.

Learning this power of internal trust and understanding will be an awesome tool for your future endeavors. It will help you increase your own personal confidence, strength, and internal locus of control. You will learn to trust yourself and your judgements. This is the ultimate tool for succeeding in life.

Backpacking offers you the opportunity to practice these skills and abilities. The world is at your fingertips, and each decision that you make, is yours and yours alone. There is no one to tell you what to do, or where to go, everything this up to you.

Find this book, and read it cover to cover, you will not regret it. As you travel, try to find an understanding of what Blink represents and how it can be utilized in your own life. The lessons are very real, but the outcome will be up to you. Find the strength to live your dreams, and find the strength to trust the power you hold from within. You can check out the book at: http://astore.amazon.ca/beyothevaca-20

Safe travels my friends.

The greatest part about backpacking is the pure freedom that you experience while traveling in a foreign country. There is no one to tell you what to do, or where to go, or how to go. You are your own boss, with your own ambitions and rules for how the day should progress. Awesome!

The last thing you want is for your finances to begin weighing you down. It is therefore, incredibly important that you find discount travel whenever you can. This ensures that you have a well balanced bank account, as well as extra money in case adventure comes knocking. Plus, it greatly reduces any stress you might experience as you attempt to make the last few dollars stretch.

Below I have included five essential steps on how to find discount travel, with the least amount of effort. Follow them, and you are guaranteed a stress free trip, and a few extra dollars in the bank at the end.

Step 1 – Find 2 or 3 discount travel sites.

It is important to find more than one discount travel site, such as Expedia, and Travelocity, and compare their prices. You would be surprised at how often they quote different prices for the same airfare, or hotel. Once you have found a couple of sites with a good reputation of finding the best deals, create an alert within each. Ask them to notify you when a deal comes up for the route you wish to take. If the discount site does not offer alerts, then find another site, believe me, there are plenty. Now sit back and wait for the alerts to come rolling in.

Step 2 – Be flexible

If you can be flexible with your travel dates, then you are in a much better position. Often flight deals will come very cheap at the last minute. Those who are able to jump ship at a moments notice, often get the best deals. Set aside a 2-4 week time frame, and wait for the specials. They always come rolling in, with the exception of the extremely busy times of year.

Step 3 – Don’t travel on public holidays

The absolute worst thing you can do is try to book a flight or accommodation at the same time as everyone else. The rates are always at the highest. By traveling during ‘off-peak’ times, you will save yourself a bundle

Step 4 – Find an auction

There are numerous travel auction sites that are popping up all over the web, such as priceline.com. You can bid a low amount and wait to see if it is accepted. If not, move on to bidding on another, and another, until you find one that goes low enough. Again, you may have to wait a while, and be flexible with dates, but the bonus is that once you place your bid, you can sit back and relax. No further effort is required!

Step 5 – Be patient

 The worst thing you can do is try to rush booking your flight or accommodation. This is when people make bad choices. Just calm yourself, and wait for the deals to come. They always do. Trust me.

Vacation is all about chilling out and enjoying yourself. So try not to stress too much about money. If it is too expensive to travel on a certain date, then wait a while, until something better comes along.  For every hotel and airline in the world, they rely on filling seats and beds. Catch them at the end of their sales period, and they will dump anything that is left over, at cost. This way, they don’t gain any money, but they don’t lose any either. It does make your travel a bit more ‘unscripted’, but it adds to the adventure, and the overall experience. Plus, you save money!

Safe travels my friends!

Cheack out http://www.beyondthevacation.com/hot-travel-deals

There is an unwritten guide that most backpackers live by, but few can definitively describe. It is a guide that offers the world traveler peace of mind, as well as the opportunity for the adventure of a lifetime. Today, I bring that unwritten guide to you.

My intent with this article is not to impose a bunch of rules; rather I hope to offer a guideline that will help you be more successful in your journey. Take it as you will. The adventure is yours and yours alone. At the end, you only have one true responsibility. Show respect for your environment, and the world will forever be at your fingertips.

Living:

Many backpackers begin their journey with a set budget in mind.  They have read books, and/or talked with friends about how to live on $20/day. They  feel confident that they can stick to this regiment.  The harsh reality is that expenses will often get out of control and ruin your budget.  I do know of a few people who have made it work, but on the whole, it is not a sustainable lifestyle, and you will forfeit many special experiences by budgeting so tightly.

Do… Budget, but leave a large amount of leeway for the times when you go over-budget.

Don’t… Panic if you go over budget, find a way to compensate for the extra dollars, or get ready to look for work sooner than you had originally planned.  This allows you to regain control of your finances as you continually re-evaluate how much money you have left and how long it will last.

When searching for a place to stay for the night, be sure to weigh your options carefully. Do not simply commit to one hostel because it is cheap or convenient.  Follow this rule and you will enhance your ability to avoid those awful, smelly, bed bug infested hidden surprises.

Do… Visit a few hostels and compare prices for equivalent living standards e.g., 4 share with en-suite, 4 share with dinner included, 8 share with kitchenette etc.  Weigh the pros and cons of each, and ask to see the room prior to booking.

Don’t… Spend a lot of money in the hopes that a higher price means better accommodation, and don’t book the cheapest just to save money.  If you are unsure about the hostel, don’t be afraid to book for just 1 night. You can always decide what you want to do in the morning.  This is the best way to ensure that you are happy with the accommodation before committing to a week of smelly, moldy, bedbug infested conditions.

Food and clothing are essentials for basic human survival, and your standard is likely much different back home than it will be once you begin to travel.  I would suggest that you limit clothes shopping to only the bare essentials, and the odd discounted item you pass by in the window.  Save your money for the important stuff, like tours, and car rentals to see remote parts of the country.  When you return home from you journey are you going to be excited to tell your friend about all the clothes you bought? Not likely. How about the crazy adventures you went on? Quite likely. With a limited budget, it will be one or the other, so choose wisely.

Do: Go on trips and crazy adventures.

Don’t: Spend more than 2% of your total budget on clothing.  Controlled spending will help you go a lot further with what you have in the bank.

Food is not something that you can bring with you to most foreign countries nor would you want to waste valuable backpack space with it. It must be purchased as you travel, and this expense can vary quite significantly.  The best thing to do is make use of the hostel’s cooking facilities, which virtually every one has.  Buy food that is inexpensive and easy to prepare.  This will save you a lot of time and money for the more important things you have to do that day.

Do: Find the local discount food store and join with some friends to buy and bulk and reduce your costs.

Don’t: Eat out on a regular basis, or purchase expensive foods such as steak and lamb.

Tarra’s first experience buying food

Tarra had just arrived in Cairns, Northern Australia at 2am on a Sunday morning.  She had been in Melbourne for the last 2 weeks, and this was her second stop on her round Australia tour. Having arrived so early she was far too exhausted to do anything but sleep.  She woke up Sunday afternoon and was extremely hungry from having slept through breakfast and lunch. 

In Melbourne she ate out  most of the time and found it was draining her bank account very quickly, so she made a pact with herself to begin buying food to save money.  She strolled down to the local grocery store and purchased a couple bags worth of food. It would last over a week by her calculations and she saved a lot of money by purchasing only discounted items.  Tarra returned to the hostel and put the food into the communal fridge, then headed off for her free hostel dinner. 

The next morning she was so anxious to make her first meal as a backpacker that she woke up unusually early.  She headed off to the kitchen only to find that her bags were no longer where she left them. Tarra searched the fridges, but the food was gone.  She was furious, and despite numerous complaints to reception, Tarra conceded to her bad luck and stormed off to buy more groceries.  This time when she put her groceries in the fridge with a note stating, ‘Do Not Touch!’

The harsh reality is, sometimes things get stolen.  Unfortunately there are backpackers out there who have little respect or courtesy for others.  If your groceries do get stolen, you just have to shrug it off and continue on with your day.  One trick for keeping your groceries safe is to split them up into 4-5 small bags and store the bags in various fridges.  This way if one bag is stolen, hopefully the others will still be there.

Touring

When you travel in a foreign country, you immediately become the prime target of tour operators.  Backpackers are their target market and easily accessible since you all hang out together in confined hostel areas.  Tours are a great way to meet new people, tour remote areas of the country, engage in leisurely sightseeing, and experience extreme adventure.  But buyers beware, not all tours are created equal, some will offer much greater value for your buck.  Sometimes it is even cheaper and easier to do the tour on your own. If it is just a driving tour, you can often get a few friends together and rent a car for much cheaper.  If the tour is a white water raft down grade 4 rapids in some remote region of France, then this may not be as simple to organize by yourself.

Tour operators will also often try to get you to commit with high pressure sales.  Remember, most of them are on commission, and do not get paid unless you sign up.  Keep your wits about you, and always take time to think about the value of the tour before committing.  The operateors may even tell you that this is a ‘one time deal!’ and if you don’t sign up now you will not be able to go.  Believe me, there is no such, and even if the tour does fill, there is always another to take its place.

Do… Research. This is an important step prior to any tour. Ask around, your fellow backpackers will help you out.  There is always someone to talk to who has no vested interest in whether you go or not. Read the fine print, there are often hidden costs that are not clearly outlined in the brochure.  This will save you a lot of money and frustration by the end of your trip.

Don’t… be intimidated by the tour operator or sales agent.  Their job and income relies on you purchasing their tour, so remember that in this situation, you hold the power.  There are an endless number of add-ons that tour operators will try to offer you, think it through and be sure to only purchase those that have some intrinsic value.

Don’t… make snap decisions because of sales pressure, and don’t be afraid to ask around or look online for what others have said about the tour. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to say NO, even if you have to repeat yourself a number of times.

Many tours purposely offer very little to eat so that you spend money in their café’s or in an affiliated café.  You should make yourself clearly aware of what is offered so that you don’t go hungry or end up spending a fortune at their overpriced café.  If you are worried that the meal will not suffice, bring a bagged lunch.  This again will save you a lot of time and frustration.

Do… be acutely aware of what is and is not included in your tour.  Ask the operators, and more importantly ask others who have been on the tour about their experience.  If you are unsure, bring something to snack on just in case.  This will stop you from buying overpriced items due to starvation, and will put more money in your pocket for a future tour.

Don’t… be afraid to pull out a bagged lunch while on tour.  You are a backpacker on a very limited budget, and at the end of the day, it is the extra dollars saved that really count.  Again, don’t be intimidated by high pressure sales and add-ons, you paid for the tour and have a right to enjoy it in any way that you see fit (within reason of course).

Snorkel your way out of $20

I was on a ferry from Townsville to the Magnetic Island on the North Eastern Coast of Australia.  This would be my home base for completing the level 1 PADI dive course.  The ferry was filled with backpackers who had just got off a tour bus and we were all headed to the same hostel that was owned by the tour operator.  This particular chain of hostels is synonymous with high-pressure add-ons, from the small equipment rentals, to all out adventure tours.  I was aware of this and ready for the first sales-pitch of the journey.

“Hey there Tom Cruise,” the robust Ozzy exclaimed as he approached.  He must have seen Mission Impossible and was referring to the type of sunglasses I wore and the fact that I was wearing a black T-shirt with the sleeves pulled up to my elbows.  A compliment or an insult, I was not sure.  “Just put your name down here, and pass me a $20 for your snorkel gear on the island.”  Snorkel gear? What was he going on about?  I was going to scuba dive, not snorkel.  He got annoyed at my line of questioning and informed me that if I did not sign up for my snorkel gear now, there would be none left and I would be sitting alone on the beach in the evening while everyone else was in the water.  I wasn’t really convinced by his argument and politely decline.  He was not so polite and persisted to pressure me into renting the gear.  At this point I clearly stated, “No thank you, I am not interested!”  He mumbled something under his breathe about me being ignorant and made his way to the next backpacker for his next high-pressure sales pitch. 

There were three things that I observed and took away from this experience.  First, there where about 25 names already signed up on the board by the time he got to me, and only half the tour bus had been approached at this point.  Second, when I arrived at the hostel I noticed a sign about renting snorkel gear, when I inquired, the receptionist said there was plenty of supply and I just needed to come and ask for a rental if I wanted to use them.  Third, in my weeklong stay, I never saw one backpacker enter the water with snorkel gear.  There was simply too many other adventures on the island to be experienced.  There was, however, a very robust Ozzy enjoying a number of drinks at the bar.  He seemed to have plenty of cash on hand.

Social Interaction

This is one of the greatest and most rewarding aspects of travel, but can also become dizzying and uncontrolled when different cultures come together in the frantic environment of a hostel or bar.  At first, you may find it intimidating to meet people, but in time you will see that everyone is travelling for similar reasons as you, and have much more in common than you had originally anticipated.  Be open to saying hello as you pass, and don’t be afraid to play a good old game of 20 questions to break the ice.  Not everyone is into it, but you will soon get a sense of who is good for a laugh and who should be left alone. So go ahead and approach someone for a chat.  Wars have never started over how you say hello, they are usually started over how you say goodbye.

Do… practice introducing yourself to strangers, and see what is best for striking up a quick chat.

Don’t… be afraid. People are much more friendly and outgoing in the backpacker world than you might think.

There are a number of conversation topics that I regard as off-limits.  This is the only section of the book that I would recommend you follow to a tee.  Don’t talk about Religion, Politics, Cultural Stereotypes and/or Sporting Team Dominance.  On the surface they may seem harmless, and often times they are.  But… it only takes one person to become personally offended for the conversation to go horribly wrong.  I know that you can imagine numerous offensive comments for each of these topics which would personally offend you.  Such as:

• “Your home team is crap! And anyone who cheers for them is a bit retarded”
• “Why does your Prime Minister always bend over to be done up the ass by the rest of the world?’
• “Why does everyone from your country drink so much?”
• “If I practiced your faith, I would be just as narrow-minded as you are.”

I have personally heard all of these, and even if joking, it can escalate quite quickly.  Even if you would not make comments like these, someone may interpret as though you had.  Save the inquisition for a time when you are with someone whom you trust, and there is no chance of alcohol being involved.  If you bring up any of these topics over beers with a bunch of strangers, you are asking for trouble.  Backpacking offers so many other conversation points, so please save any thoughts, or even superiority comments on these topics for back home. 

Do… practice talking with people about the simple things, like where they are from, where they are going and why they decided to travel.  These are great openers and you will find a lot in common with people at this level.

Don’t… engage in conversation regarding any of the following:

• Religion
• Politics
• Cultural Stereotypes
• Sporting Team Dominance

Even when you are not engaged in social conversation, there are a number of courtesies that you can extend to your fellow traveler.  This section is specifically important to me. The backpacking circuit is only as strong as those who live inside it. Nothing makes me more upset then when other backpackers show a complete disrespect for our amazing community. We need to look out for one another, and take care of each other. This will hold our community strong and safe. And remember, what goes around comes around.

Do… clean up after yourself in the bedroom, kitchen, lounge room, bathroom and any other place that you may be sharing with others.

Don’t… leave your mess for others to clean up.  You must take responsibility for yourself, and show a respectable level of maturity.

Do… watch out for your fellow backpackers belongings, and question anyone who looks suspicious.

Don’t… steal.  It is as simple as that, if you need something, ask, others will help you out if they can.  Often other travelers will even offer you more than you need.

Do… be quiet as you enter your share room in the middle of the night.

Don’t… walk in as if you own the place and wake everyone up.  And at all costs try not to have sex in your share room.  Believe me, it happens way more than you would think and it makes the environment smelly and uncomfortable.

Do… Limit your time in the shower, on computers, with the TV remote and any other activity that is shared, so that everyone has a turn at it.

Don’t… Hoard.  This is a bad habit that we have learned from our materialistic society.  Learn to share with the world, and the world will share with you.

Lastly, always remember to follow your intuition. The last thing you want to do is get yourself into a heap of trouble, unnecessarily.

Do: Analyze those in your surroundings, and listen to your intuition.  If it tells you that something is wrong, or you feel uncomfortable in any way.  Do something to correct the situation.  Walk, run, scream, duck into a café, call the police, do whatever it takes to bring yourself back to a comfortable level.

Don’t: Ignore your intuition.  This is important, as most attack victims will claim to have known something bad was going to happen, moments before it actually happened.  And don’t be afraid to make someone else feel bad.  For example, if the elevator doors open and there is a man standing inside who makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t be afraid to smile politely and say, “I’ll catch the next one.”  This may make the man feel bad about himself, but more important than that is your comfort, and returning your body to s state of positive feelings.  Don’t sacrifice your safety and security for sameness ego.

General well being

Now that you have spent time looking after those around you, be sure to take time to look after yourself.  It is important that you find time to reflect on the journey, and reminisce about how it has helped shape your experience.  This is by far the most important part of the journey and should not be ignored.

Do… bring a journal to write in.  Document your experiences and share how they have made you feel and how they have shaped your life.

Don’t… neglect taking time for quiet self reflection.  It is the most important aspect of your journey.

Safe Travels my Friends!

So you have spent time traveling, and now you want to inspire your friends to travel as well. This is certainly no easy task, especially if they have absolutely no desire to travel. However, for your friends who are sitting on the fence, here are a few simple ways to inspire the traveler that lies within.

1. Show them pictures from your own journey

- everyone has seen TV programs, and brochures, but none of it ever seems very real. When you show your friends real pictures, taken with your low-end digital camera, out of focus and unscripted, it brings a reality to the adventure. It shows them the amazing things you did, and sights that you saw. Nothing get’s people thinking ‘travel’ more than living vicariously through other peoples photos.

2. Share your stories

- Tell your friends some of the more interesting stories that you have from your travels. Like the remote village that you camped out at, or the beautiful hike that you took to the top of a cavern. Make sure you tell them when everyone’s energy is high. The higher the energy in the room, the easier it is to excite people. Just be sure to limit the number of stories you tell, and how many times you tell them. The last thing you want to do is have them go, “Oh great, here we go again…”

3. Point out how safe it is

- Many people shy away from travel because they are afraid. Lots of people think that travel is a dangerous and risky activity. Spend the time to talk them through their fears, and help them see how safe and enjoyable travel can be.

4. Read some of your journal entries

- This can be a great way of opening the travel experience up, and showing the more personal, emotional, and spiritual side to the journey. Allow your friend to see how much travel helped shape you, and realize things about yourself that you never knew before. By far, this can be one of the most powerful ways to encourage others to travel.

5. Tell them you will come along

- Why not!? Any excuse to go traveling again, is a good excuse in my opinion.

Remember, travel will mean something different to every person who decides to engage in the activity. It is important to make the journey your own, and allow your friends to do the same.  Help them, encourage them, and nurture the inner traveler that lies within. But never force someone to see the world as you see it. Each human is unique, and each human’s experiences are unique as well. Diversity, open-mindedness, compassion, and love are what make us strong. Embrace the world… and each other.

Safe Travels my Friends!

The modern representation of what it means to be a backpacker certainly seems to follow this credo. Everything we see on television and in the brochures definitely adds weight to this argument. Even the people you meet who have been traveling will tell you that this is how they spent most of their time.

The reality is that yes, partying is a huge part of the travel experience … for many people. For others, it never really factors in. I would argue that the pendulum has begun to swing, and far too much of the backpacking experience is dedicated to drinking. Why is this a problem? The more time you spend in the bar, the less time you have for discovery, growth, and fulfillment. Backpacking just becomes a party tour, deminishing the soul enriching experience.

Still don’t see this as a problem? One day you will. Imagine coming home after backpacking all over Europe, and all you have to show for it is a bunch of drunken pub stories, a few touristy snapshots of iconic landmarks like Big Ben, and the Eifel Tower, and the world’s largest hangover. I could have done all of that in a two week holiday, and for half the price. Whereas it took you 6 months, and almost your entire life savings.

What you neglected to realise is that the journey offers a wealth of experiences beyond the bars, and clubs. And to be honest, I have never been inside a bar that looked significantly different from the ones I have been to back home. The accent is different, but most of the drinks, and most of the patrons are the same.

What I can’t get back home is the unique opportunity to take time and reflect on my life. To sit atop the ancient gardens in Japan, to take a river cruise to a remote region in Africa, to live with the locals in Brazil, or to climb atop Ayres Rock in central Australia. Travel takes you to a place that is foreign, exciting, inspiring, and most of all unique… but only if you let it be.  Drinking the same beers and vodkas in the same Irish bar is not an experience, it is a death sentence. A death sentence to your soul.

I think it is vital that you take the time to look inside yourself. Evaluate your priorities, and negotiate a fare mix between party, experience, and adventure. I have written much more about this in my upcoming book Beyond the Vacation. More details on the release coming soon.

However, before I end , I will leave you with this final thought. When you do decide to backpack the world, take a moment and let your soul breathe, you wont regret it. And while your at it, let your liver breathe as well.

No matter where you travel, you must always be aware of the potential for natural disasters. Specifically, which ones are common in that particular part of the world. Anytime you are near the coast, particularly the Pacific Rim, there is the potential for tsunami. This being said, the likelihood of getting struck by a tsunami is incredibly slim. However, you should always remain prepared.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind, in case the worst should happen.

1. Know your Region

- Find out whether you are backpacking in a region that is at risk for being struck by a tsunami

- Understand whether tsunamis have struck in the past

2. Look for warning signs

- Are there signs on the beach that warn of tsunami danger

- Look for signs that point which direction to run in case of a tsunami

3.  Prepare

- Get information on the elevation of where you are staying

- Get information on what spots offer a safe elevation in case a tsunami were to occur

- Develop a plan for escape for the worst case scenario (mentally prepare yourself for the emergency). The last thing you want to do is panic

4. Watch for Natural Warnings

- Earthquakes, rumbling ground, ocean receding, panicked animals, are all signs that something is not right.

- And of course, if the siren goes off, or people start yelling for you to “run”, then run.

- Don’t be afraid to look like a fool. if you sense dnager, then run. The worst thing that will happen is you get a little bit of excercise.

5. Mobilise

- Run – head inland and uphill as fast as you can. Climb cliffs, trees, anything that will get you as far off the ground as possible.

- Ideally, you want to find solid land to stand on, but if you are out of time, then you need to find anything that will get you up and away from the water.

- Abandon your belongings. Often times there is only a few minutes of warning before the tsunami strikes. Every second is precious.

6. Swim

- If you are caught by the wave, do anything you can to stay above the water. Grab something that floats and hang on.

7. Stay Away

- Tsunamis will often come in sets of waves. Do not go back near the coast until local authorities issue an all clear.

8. Help

- When the tsunami is over, there will likely be a great amount of destruction. Find any way that you can to help those in need. Backpackers are young, fit, strong, compassionate, and caring. Show the world what you can do to help in the event of a disaster. Show the world that you care.

Safe travels my friends!

When I did my first backpacking trip to Australia, I went alone.  None of my friends wanted to come with me, and frankly, I wanted to experience the adventure on my own. When I first arrived in Sydney, I had no idea what to expect. I had no idea what the hostels would be like, I had no idea what the food would be like, worst of all I had no idea what the people would be like. To be perfectly honest, I was a little bit afraid.

The reality was that everyone and everything worked out to be awesomely unique experiences. The hostels were good, the food was great, and the people were fantastic. The only thing I didn’t count on was how much time I would end up spending on my own.

Even though I met a number of people in my travels, it was usually only temporary. Everyone was always bouncing around so quickly. The friends that I did make, seemed to come and go in an instant. It was a totally different experience from back home. It took a couple of weeks for me to get used to this, but soon I was addicted to the process. I was meeting new people every single day!

Even though I was constantly meeting new people, I still found myself alone – a lot! It is the casualty of the process. When people move on, or when you move on, you start all over again, without anyone to converse with (until you meet your next friends of course). At first it can seem really boring, but after a while you get used to it. It actually becomes somewhat addictive. I loved the fact that everyday, every decision , and every moment was completely within my realm of control. At no other point in my life have I felt so liberated… so free. It is an awesome experience and if youhave the courage to go it alone, you will not regret it one bit.

The only down side is that if you find yourself alone, you are REALLY alone, with no one to talk to (except yourself of course). However, I loved it. I spent time writing in myjournal, meditating, and simply relaxing by the beach. I took tours, went on hikes, and chatted up the other backpackers in my hostels. It was everything I had dreamed a backpacking journey would be – and more!  It was a fantastic experience! It gave me time to connect with my inner-self. It gave me time to appreciate my thoughts. Something I hadn’t done for years.

I got so used to spending time on my own that I actually went to my first movie by myself. It was an awesome experience. An experience that is described in detail in my upcoming book: Beyond the Vacation.

My advice is: whatever circumstance you find yourself in, find a way to make the most of it. If you find yourself alone for a short while, use the opportunity to become best friends with yourself again. Backpacking can offer so many wonderful things, so be open, and find ways to enjoy the world solo – if only for a while.