Backpacks and updates!

Hi you!  So it has been a few days since I posted last. I hit it off with a bang and then kind of forgot pushed aside my blog for awhile because I have been very busy! My birthday was the 13th, I got a tattoo ouch on the 15th, my boss is going out of town for 10 days, meaning I am the new gelato master and had to perfect my skills the past couple of days, so it has been a bit hectic lately, not to mention I leave for my 3 month backpacking trip in 12 days! 

People lie when they say tattoos don't hurt *FYI* Thank you Kay! :)

Anyways, I wanted to write about backpacks and if it is really necessary to have one when.. well backpacking. The answer is no, well maybe. It all depends on the trip. If you are going to camp like cavemen and sleep in tents then YES. If you are helpxing, where you will stay at a location from 2 weeks - 3+ months, then no.

My sister and I's luggage.

I will be bringing a laptop backpack and a carry on roller suitcase and my sister will have a medium sized roller suitcase as well. The rollers don't do damage on your back like the backpacking-backpacks do and you don't have to shove everything down into it. Easy! We may not look like real backpackers but i'll let my experiences do the talking not my luggage! This is a judgement free zone people! 

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!

Should I stay or should I go?

I haven't met a single person whose dream didn't involve packing up their clothes and getting the hell out of town. I speak for myself and possibly a thousand others when I say this offer is 100% appealing:

London, United Kingdom 2012

They say "follow your dreams", I say "with what money." 

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That is the problem, I'm young and to be honest, my dad still pays for my phone bill. I don't have a bottomless bank account or a trust fund from the rich side of the family. I have my paychecks from working at part-time job at a frozen yogurt shop and that is about it. So how do you chase after your dreams when money is the biggest factor and you well... don't have it? 

Loop holes! 

I researched hours before I found many loop holes around the traditional way of travel. This blog is where I will share all of them with you because keeping them to myself seems a little selfish. 

If you are stuck on whether traveling is the right thing for you, please read this beautiful story, shared by http://solotravelerblog.com, which inspired me to go.