Going Travelling

[ktej]

Have made up my mind to go travelling by the end of the year just having a bit of trouble knowing where to start (apart from the saving bit) just wondering if anyone had any advice or guidance they are willing to share?

thanks!

[chappiepunk]

I started travelling in september of last year. Was amazingly unplanned and had hardly saved up at all in comparison to others ive met.

I was just in the position where I couldnt stand my job and longer, I quit my job and booked my flight to New Zealand in the same day, and havent looked back from there.

In terms of advice.... it depends where your planning on going.. how long for.. whether you plan on wokring or not.. and of course your budget!

[lost]

I'm looking at something similar maybe this year, I'd be interested in what people think are decent budgets for different parts of the world and if anyones been since the pound took a nose dive, I've been quoted everything from £8k to £24k a year by colleagues that have done a year out.

[amaidment]

I know a few people that have done it, including one who's now decided just to live in Buenos Aires for a while! There is no 'right' cost, you can get away with 8k for a year (if you really budget and visit cheap places) and you can easily spend £24k if you want to do it in more style.

I'd choose the places you really want to go then just do some quick and easy research online. Use somewhere like hostels.com to get hostel prices, food prices can be found from travel forums (try thorntree on Lonely Planet) and travel you can usually find online (bahn.de for trains etc).

For example, you can get dorm rooms in good rated hostels in Beijing for the same price now as 4 years ago when I was there (under £5/night - I stayed at the Red Lantern). You could easily stay there, eat well, and see sights for under £15/day (so under £500/month) and travel across Beijing should be pretty cheap.

Another example is Lisbon where you can get dorm rooms in good rated hostels for the same price now as 3 years ago when I was there (around £16/night. Its less in Euros than it was, but about the same in £s - I stayed at Travellers House). Staying there, eating well and seeing sights would cost you around £35-40/day (so £1000-1200/month).

[ktej]

i guess more details may have been useful - probably looking at the smaller end of the 8k - 24k budget and ideally for a year. Wouldnt be adverse to working whilst travelling. Anyone have experience of Teaching english for an example worthwhile or no? denstination - currently looking at asia, japan & nepal to be exact. but also really want to see russia and the south americas

edited to add countries if interest

Edited January 4, 2010 by ktej

[philipsteak]

I'm looking at something similar maybe this year, I'd be interested in what people think are decent budgets for different parts of the world and if anyones been since the pound took a nose dive, I've been quoted everything from £8k to £24k a year by colleagues that have done a year out.

[theampersanddevil]

I would recommend Nepal and India. Very cheap to travel around, great food and just amazing people.

I would say have a look on lonelyplanet.com and look at the thorn tree forum in particular to answer your more specific questions.

Your bound to have loads and you will need to see about visas (India, pre bought, Nepal on arrival for example). Also vacinations and insurance.

[Katster]

Me and my bloke are doing the same. We're currently deciding exactly where we want to go and trying to get some sort of itinery together. Following on from that we will find out about things like visas and jabs and following on from that will come the more serious stuff like deciding what to do with our properties here, booking flights etc before finally handing in our notice at work.

I signed up to the Lonely Planet yesterday. I've always found their books useful when travelling in the past.

Other than that I have no advice to give you because I'm in the exact same boat as you. Perhaps I'll see you in Malaysia so we can compare plans

[ktej]

cheers for the replies guys - will check out the lonely planet website

[chappiepunk]

Just booked my ticket to sydney, cannot bloody wait!

[ktej]

found this on the LP forum - not got to the end yet but seems to be a good starting point travel questions

[ronaldo]

I did Australia, NZ and Thailand a few years ago.

Reckon can survive on about £1k a month (depending how much you want to do and basically how much drinking you do). I found when you are working you spend a lot less then when you are not so is good that you are not only earning but spending less so your money lasts a lot longer

SE Asia countries are much cheaper that Australia etc so money goes a bit further over there, and in my opinion much better places to visit. If I was to do it again i'd book myself a cheap airasia.com flight from Heathrow to KL and take it from there. They do dead cheap internal ones as well so prob get an internal one to Bangkok and travel round Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambdia, Malaysia pretty much back to KL then get another airasia to Australia. Try pick up some bar/labour work (cash in hand) jobs while over there and travel round using what you earn.

My brother is off travelling in 2 weeks (lucky fecker), and he looked into the teaching English thing, I think you can get a £200 grant to do the course. Which he has done but says was quite intense and has put him off the TEFL thing a bit.

[sifi]

I've seen and been around the huge parts of the planet.

It's rubbish.

[dakyras]

Try to avoid using UK-based booking agents as much as possible, also look into using non-aeroplane methods of transport. A train from Ashford to Beijing shouldn't cost more than £600, and is far more exciting. Also, you can survive easily in China on less than £500 a month. Takeaway meals cost me about 50p when I was at university in Shanghai in Easter 2009, and it's the most expensive city in China. Beers are 30p a bottle from a supermarket.

[ktej]

My brother is off travelling in 2 weeks (lucky fecker), and he looked into the teaching English thing, I think you can get a £200 grant to do the course. Which he has done but says was quite intense and has put him off the TEFL thing a bit.

[dakyras]

hadnt actually thought about using overland methods at the start of the trip - what a great idea - will look into!

[-pogo-]

Try to avoid using UK-based booking agents as much as possible, also look into using non-aeroplane methods of transport. A train from Ashford to Beijing shouldn't cost more than £600, and is far more exciting. Also, you can survive easily in China on less than £500 a month. Takeaway meals cost me about 50p when I was at university in Shanghai in Easter 2009, and it's the most expensive city in China. Beers are 30p a bottle from a supermarket.

[Alcatraz]

How do you book a train from the UK to China?

I'm thinking of a few jobs in China but hate flying.

[dakyras]

How do you book a train from the UK to China?

I'm thinking of a few jobs in China but hate flying.

[ronaldo]

your brother is indeed lucky! do you happen to know which course/insitution he did the course through? am a bit wary of doing it and then ending up with something that is essentially useless

hadnt actually thought about using overland methods at the start of the trip - what a great idea - will look into!

[Katster]

Try to avoid using UK-based booking agents as much as possible, also look into using non-aeroplane methods of transport. A train from Ashford to Beijing shouldn't cost more than £600, and is far more exciting. Also, you can survive easily in China on less than £500 a month. Takeaway meals cost me about 50p when I was at university in Shanghai in Easter 2009, and it's the most expensive city in China. Beers are 30p a bottle from a supermarket.

[ktej]

The Man In Seat 61 is the website you need. Gives you all the info on the best local booking agents to use to get cheaper tickets, timetables, average prices etc...

[FunkyDenz]

This thread is irritating, as I've just spent the last two hours planning a possible 6 month career break rather than doing the paperwork I am supposed to do.

I'm thinking Africa and South America at present.

[chappiepunk]

This thread is irritating, as I've just spent the last two hours planning a possible 6 month career break rather than doing the paperwork I am supposed to do.

I'm thinking Africa and South America at present.

[beadfc]

In August, my girlfriend and I bought two tickets with BA from Heathrow to Sydney really cheaply (£215!) and went in September to Oz for three weeks. Now that we are back, we are planning a massive trip at the end of next year. Loving the idea of going by train, I really want to leave from St Pancras, rather than an airport.