Round the world trip?

Drogman

Alright folks, I'm sure this has been asked already but is there anyone who has done an around the world trip on the cheap?

Myself and a few others are thinking of doing it in a while and have an idea of heading from Canada all the down through the West coast of the US, then through Central/South America, onto Oz/NZ and then up to Asia.

I've got a few books on how to do it on a shoe string but I'd like to hear some stories or advice from others, if any.

Fabrizio

Hey,

Im in the same situation, myself and two other guys are heading in late March. We are going the opposite way of yourself though - Europe, Asia, Oz and USA. I need alot of information.

1. How much would we need to travel for say 6months and work say another 2?
2. Where is the best place in Asia to visit? Ive heard that u can live over in Asia for buttons. 4 Star Hotels for like €25 a night etc. where are these places? i cant find them online!
3. Hong Kong or Japan?
4. Whats rent like in Australia and is it easy to get jobs?
5. Where is the best place to book round the world flight?

Just a few questions, if anyone has any ideas! Thanks, much appreciated.

Im think of bringing about €7000 and im going from March till October.

StandnDeliver

a great site is hostelworld.com if thats any help to you

Drogman

Cool I'll have a look at that site. Well we'll be going with the intention of just travelling for the year and not working, so we reckon that about 10K should cover us for the year, but then we'll need to pay for the flights and jabs and visa's.

maccarthy

OK everyone hears about traveling in Asia for $10 a day but that figure only counts if you are not Irish. Beer is expensive!! Ok I'm sort of kidding. But it is one of the things that adds up. Transport is another big one. $10 for a bus here and there, Visas around $30 per country. Costs $10 just to fly out of Thailand (departure tax). Also if go to Chaing Mai you might go hiking, $40 for 2 day hike to see the hill tribes. Learn to cook one day course, $12 or something.

You will probably have a beer or (2,3,4,5) in a backbacking type bar (heart of darkness, Foreign Corresspondants bar, Angkor What!!, the elephant bar) and they are always over the odds. Taxis and ferrys and tuktuks all cost money!

A pass for Angkor Wat in Cambodia costs $40 for 3 days. A driver to bring you around about another $10 a day. You can rent a bike for cheaper, but you see less. BUT WORTH EVERY PENNY!!! Royal palaces etc, coast about $5 in Asia, more for a guide.

Little things, Malaria tablets $1-5 a day depends on your choice of poison.
Bottled water, you buy a lot of this! Shopping !!! Washing clothes $1/2 every few days.

Anyway I'll give you some type of idea on my last Asia trip , Cambodia and Thailand Aug 2005. This is for one person, if you are sharing you can cut these in half.

Accom.

€1.80 a night, on Koh Chang. Nice little hut. Shared bucket shower. Paradise.
$3 dollars for hut in Siem Reap (dorms for 1.50)
About €4 for a room in Bangkok
Hotel in Phnom penh I stayed in First night $15 rip off!

Cheapest beer, 50cent a beer in Seim Reap, on a rooftop bar.
Most expensive, 9 euro for a pint in Singapore.

Transport
Night train to Chang Mai 600 baht
Bus phnom penh/Siem reap $6
Bus Siem Reap to BKK $11

Food is pretty cheap if you stay away from the tourist places. Eating on the street can be great. Beer costs vary. Double pricing for tourists on the trains in Thailand, get a local to bug it for you!!! Share!!

How to keep cost down
If you are on a budget, choose you battles, drink less, eat like the locals, don't use Tourist buses, watch out for money changers at the borders, (check out talesofasia.com for good info), look for dorms at hostels, (they always show you nost expensive first and dorms last), look for bargains in advance (esp. last and first days of trip, as you know where you will be!!!) Share guides to places, bring a card/paper sign in your daypack that says
"Poor Backpacker, Share An English Guide???" . The guides are what often make hundred different temples unique.

Of course you can always sell your shoes on the Kao San road!

Non asia advice

You can often get cheap or free transport in OZ/ New Zealand.
OzLifts.com and needaride.com.au work, as do travel forums everywhere.

You can even sleep free http://www.globalfreeloaders.com/

HTH

Insert name____

Sorry to drag the original posters thread back up, but has anyone got anymore advice for people like me in a similar position. I'm hoping to head off in April and I'm trying to decide how much to bring. Hoping to work somewhere too, it'll probably be teaching english or somehting if I'm cut out for it. We'll only be in Oz and New Zealand for 2 months max so we dont wanna waste a whole visa there if you know what I mean, so we'll have to work for a month of too in either Asia or South Africa.

Any advice (on money especially) would be appreciated.

Sorry again for ressuerecting this topic, but I thought that would be better than starting a new one.

Also, thats great advice you gave there McCarthy. (That Angkor What!? bar is great though, worth the more expensive prices!)