Before you leave..

Do you have a general plan mapped out yet? Are you going to volunteer in exchange for food and accommodations? Are you going to couchsurf or hostel it every night? How long do you want to travel?

Backpacking is tight son.

Once you have an idea of where you want to go, it is time to get down to the serious business!  Some of the key things you need to research are:

1. How long am I allowed to stay in the country? (Ex. Americans must leave Western Europe after 90 days)
2. Are there any visa requirements for the destination country? Side note: If no currency is being exchanged, you do NOT need a volunteering visa but because this often brings up a problem at customs,  I would suggest not specifically saying you plan to volunteer but that you are backpacking instead. Nothing illegal here. Pinky promise!
3. Tell your bank and/or credit card company about your travels so they don't shut it down for suspicious activity. I will go into more detail about the best bank and credit cards for travel in a separate post.
4. Scan/email/print all important documents such as your passport, ticket details, insurance policy, emergency numbers (parents, bank theft/fraud, country embassy, etc) in case of theft or loss and keep them in a separate place. 
5. Find a good packing list! BE A MINIMALIST. Here is a good one! Freaking long, but the best and most informative packing list! 
• "Take the lightest suitcase you can find, fill it with the least amount of clothing that your courage will allow, close your eyes and remove half of what you have packed and then rapidly depart." 
6. Leave your shy, TIMID side at home. You are traveling the world, you can be anyone you want! Forget about that embarrassing/awkward thing you did 2 years ago. 
7. Do things that make you uncomfortable and PUSH you outside of your comfort zone. Be able to interestingly share at least 4 of the craziest things you did in that insane country! Make other people jealous! It's fun! <- And that's cruel Rachel. 

This hotel room is damp, dirty, and smells of stale urine and I still can't afford it.

Hotel rooms are just not in my budget and I am guessing that if you're here, on my blog now, it probably isn't in yours either. Do not let this stop you from traveling! There are some cheap, even free alternatives!  Backpacking Hostels

Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Backpacking hostel I worked for in 2012.
Hostels get a bad rep. If you have ever seen the horror movie Hostel you probably want nothing to do with one (severed limbs, no thank you!) but please remember it is just a movie folks. Hostels are actually a fairly ordinary thing in Europe and in many cases, just seem strange and foreign to us Americans. I like to think of it as having a sleep over with a potential friend!  If bringing a towel is an inconvenience you can rent one for a few dollars! HostelWorld is a very well known/popular hostel finder worldwide. Use it too!

Airbnb

San Lorenzo, Italy $67/night 2ppl
If you aren't comfortable sleeping with 4+ others in a single room and can't afford the outrageous prices hostels charge for individual rooms then Airbnb is perfect. You pay for a room in someones home. A private room for less than what it costs to sleep next to several others in a hostel? I'LL TAKE IT!
Couchsurfing

Don't want to pay for a room at all? Sleep on someone's couch (or bed!) This is a groovy travel platform that connects you to other travelers who have a couch to lend! You might even get lucky and sleep in a bed! Stick with people who have good references. But whatever you do, be respectful and don't treat it as you would a hotel room. Create relationships with your hosts, not sleep and leave. 

University Dorms

Trinity College. Dublin, Ireland. Twin ensuite accomodation. While students are away for the summer some universities rent out dorm rooms to travelers at a low cost. Isn't that innovative? Here is a link that will guide you in the right direction for college dorms! I must make a confession: After working at several backpacking hostels, a dirty and damp hotel room doesn't sound half bad if it means privacy!

Cheapo Transportation

The plane ticket over to Europe has to be one of the  most expensive things about my whole travel itinerary.  In 2012, I flew from Phoenix, AZ, USA to Dublin, Ireland  for around $804 USD in September. This year I will be flying from Phoenix, AZ, USA to Dublin, Ireland  for around $944 USD in June.  If I really looked hard enough I could find better deals but these are STILL going to look incredibly cheap next to the price of the same flight from websites like Expedia and Travelocity. 

What do I use?  Hipmunk You won't find cheaper airfare then on Hipmunk. I've compared Hipmunk to other airfare listers such as Expedia and Travelocity, Hipmunk has always been the cheapest.
How can I find the cheapest days to purchase my ticket?  Matrix Airfare Search It is what the travel agents use.   
Other important tips:  - Fly out midweek (cheaper than flying Friday when everyone else wants to) - Buy tickets on Tuesday (when new deals are released) - Allow your dates to be flexible (it could be $1200 on the 25th but $850 the 27th)

Cheap budget airlines: 

Ryanair (Europe)
Easyjet (Europe)
Allegiant Air (USA)  Have a cheap flight from Phoenix to Honolulu, Hawaii for around $300 round-trip (even next day)

Ryanair the Ikea of Airlines? Spain 2012

ALSO one of my favorite websites for traveling cheaply excluding flights is Seat 61 *Highly recommend*

Low cost volunteering program.. finally!

So in my last post I talked of travel dreams and how it is often limited by us being well.. students or non-students with about $5 in our bank accounts. In this post I will talk about the major loophole I found in the travel world which allowed me to travel for months at a time (hell yes!) with about $300 USD/month for spending money.  *No I am not paid by companies to promote their product. (Pssh I wish!) This is 100% me posting about things I love.* 

The Program:

What it is: Volunteering program where a few hours of your work a day is exchanged for accommodations and in most cases, food. *4-5 hours/ 5 days a week.
How much: €20 EUR ($25 USD)/ 2 years
How does it work: 

1. Pay the flat fee (Gives you access to email hosts and read reviews)
2. Create a catchy profile (Make yours stand out. Don't induce yawning!) 
   
3. UPLOAD A HAPPY PICTURE OF YOURSELF (Who wants a grumpy complainer?)
4. Pick a country
5. Find a host that interests you and message them (Hosts receive many messages from other helpers. Personalize each one of your messages. Don't think sending the same message to 5+ hosts is going to get you somewhere. Hosts can tell. They want someone who is interested in their particular offer, not someone who is desperate to get in ANYWHERE **sketchy**)
6. Wait for a reply! If they don't get back to you right away, don't fret. Give it a week before messaging them again. 

Helpxers at Spain Hostel 2012

How can I trust that it is safe:  For 1. I went alone when I was 18. A young female traveling alone.. can we say in unison, sex trafficking! Have you seen the movie Taken? Seems extremely dangerous, I know but here I am. Not dead, not even a scratch. 
2. Hosts have reviews left by other helpxers, if you are really worried, stick with the hosts that have many good reviews. Also, their addresses are on the top left corner (most times), plug that into Google Maps and explore the area, make sure you are happy with it!)

Possible? YES.  A little different? YES.  Are you completely insane? Yeah. But that is what makes life exciting!

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