Preface

This intro has been included as one of first thing you might read so it may perhaps provide inspiration and so I /we may communicate the motives for creating this site. That 'I' word is used a few times in this intro, but nowhere else. The rest of the site is not about personal travels or inflating a sense of achievement. It's created with contributions from many, grows weekly and is about sharing knowledge that makes any trip achievable and enjoyable. If you are planning to go travelling independently (short or long term) and are perhaps a little apprehensive, this site is for you. So please read on through this section as something to bear in mind when looking at the following pages.

Everything you need to know (about independent travel, aka. backpacking)? That's what we came up with...

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Everything you need to know (about independent travel, aka. backpacking)? That's what we came up with, to the ends of sharing everything learnt from thousands of accumulated very busy days travelling in more than two-thirds of the world's countries spread across the globe. Also it sums up the whole site when it comes to independent travel and backpacking. This site is about sharing all the information that is so very obvious to anyone who has experienced it, but can be so frightening to a first timer and a real inhibitor to good planning in the way of time, money and what you carry on your back. It's hoped the site fills a gap encountered when I tried to research this information on the Internet myself before setting out for the first time (loads of travelogues, but no real information). You won't find this site treading around any issues. For example most travellers come across contraband, vice or beggars while abroad and wonder about toilets - that's covered. More questions? Is Colombia/Iran safe? Should I go to Timbuktu? Is Angkor really that great? It's all here and a lot more besides. Maybe the title should be: here are the mistakes I made and what it's like - learn from them/it.

Why the budget travel thing?

Because most don't have unlimited funds, but maybe 'affordable' is a better term. Far from being the only choice available to the typical adventurous traveller, it is a sacred doctrine for many: to get the most out of what they have. Understand that no one is advocating hardcore '$10-a-day' travel; there are times when splashing out and/or taking a local tour is appropriate. Independent travel allows you to do more and see more, since it puts you in direct contact with locals and offers greater challenges.

Any suffering on bumpy buses or in the odd crappy hotel room will only make your experience seem more real and give you that extra sense of achievement and personal satisfaction (every pleasure has got to have an inch of pain - so buy your ticket and don't complain!).

The number one thing conveyed is that backpacking travel is in no way esoteric, and in pretty much all countries, very easy. It is not really difficult at all. Frustrating at times, yes - difficult, no. All you really need is a measure of gumption and you are away. Of course travelling and place names like Lhasa and Istanbul, sound adventurous, but my grandmother could find her way round most of them (backpackers don't have to be young) and would not be alone in doing so.

Tourism is the world's biggest industry and all but a very, very few places (normally the ones of no real interest or recently struck by war or a natural disaster) are well on the beaten track with the subsequent support industries plentiful. The information on this site is not what you would normally come across in often ambiguous guidebooks. It consists mainly of tips, backpacker relevant information and details on more alternative subjects avoided by published guides. Anyway, trying to duplicate information that is found easily in guidebooks would be rather pointless.

Second to that, demonstrated is just how accessible the world has become - perhaps heading solely to Australia/Europe to work for a year with a stop-off in Thailand or America on the way back is not exactly travelling and a little bit of a cop-out. It's your choice but those who do so are missing out on so much. Let's face it - how often in your life are you going to have the chance, time or money to do this? Did you want to travel or have a holiday? Please, please, still do that (Oz, Thailand et al. are great places) but be aware that so much more is available to you and there is no reason why you should not give it a go. Even if it is not for you, at least try getting to some interesting places, talk to some interesting people and do some interesting things. At worst you will save some money and leave early. The world really is your oyster: you can go pretty much anywhere you like. Try to understand that repeatedly the less appealing a place seems at home, the more appealing it often is there - because you are doing something unique for yourself and have limited expectations.

And the independent thing? So often abroad, you see groups on tours - and they are always a certain type of people - sure China sounded really exotic at home, but now you're here its not exactly the wilderness. Well the succinct answer is either that a tour really is right for them (for whatever reason), that they are a little lazy or that they didn't know what is being shared here! (don't take my word for it - readers' comments).