RFC: Request for Comments ---------------------------- ROUND-THE-WORLD TRAVEL GUIDE ---------------------------- Version x -- August 30, 1994 Please mail comments, suggestions, questions, and corrections to Marc Brosius in Melbourne, Florida, USA. This guide WILL BE available when COMPLETE at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/round-the-world (130.179.16.24) Copyright (c) 1994 by Marc Brosius. All rights reserved. Permission is expressly granted for this document to be made available for file transfer from installations offering unrestricted anonymous file transfer on the Internet. Use and copying of this information and preparation of derivative works based upon this information are permitted, as long as the following conditions are met: o this information is not sold for profit or incorporated in commercial documents (e.g., published for sale on CD-ROM, floppy disks, books, magazines, or other print form). o authors are contacted for permission when using quoted material. o this copyright notice is included intact on material not in quotes. This article is provided AS IS without any express or implied warranty. Version History --------------- v1.0 ? 1994 Released ============================================================================ TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------- I. INTRODUCTION II. SEVEN MAJOR DECISIONS 1. Goal or Purpose 2. Destinations 3. Route 4. Direction 5. Duration 6. Weather 7. Cost III. TRANSPORTATION 1. Airlines 2. Consolidators and Bucket Shops 3. Arranged RTW Tours 4. Railroads 5. Bus/Coach 6. Car 7. Motorcycle 8. Bicycling 9. Freighters 10. Cruise Ships 11. Sailing 12. Hitchhiking 13. Hiking 14. Animal IV. ACCOMMODATIONS V. MONEY MATTERS 1. Working 2. Travel Writing and Photography 3. Financial Strategies 4. Leave-of-Absence or Resignation 5. Home Finances & Income Taxes 6. Bargaining VI. VISAS VII. HEALTH VIII. TRAVEL INSURANCE IX. PEOPLE 1. Companions 2. Women 3. Contacts X. COMMUNICATIONS 1. Headquarters 2. Telephone 3. Postal Drops 4. Shipping/Mailing 5. Electronic Mail 6. Facsimile 7. Ham Radios 8. Languages 9. Customs, Traditions, and Cultural Taboos XI. PACKING XII. SAFETY AND SCAMS XIII. RETURNING XIV. INFORMATION SOURCES 1. Books - Online and Offline 2. Travel Catalogs 3. Television Shows and Video Rental 4. Online Travel Archives 5. Online Discussion Groups 6. Internet Search Tools 7. People Willing to Answer RTW Questions 8. Credits for Quotes ============================================================================ Background ---------- In September 1993, I was staring at my world-map on the wall, contemplating all the places Karin and I planned on seeing in the next 20 years of short excursions. I suddenly realized that we could make a continuous path out of the trips. I immediately justified it by saying that the separate trips would not leave enough time to see much, and would be more expensive. Six years of rec.travel allow you to think this way! Discussing this with Russell Gilbert and other travellers became time consuming, so I organized this guide as a starting point for further discussion, and as my small contribution to fellow travellers. Note that we have not gone on this trip yet, and I am not even sure all the routing is possible. All comments are welcome. Our 'current' plan is a two-year trip. Path: Florida --> San Francisco, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, SE China, Japan, Korea, NE China (Silk Route) to NW China to SW China, Karakorum Highway into Pakistan, N. India, Nepal, S. India, Tanzania, Kenya, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Europe, Morocco, Caribbean --> Florida. ================================= Definition: RTW = Round The World ================================= ============================================================================ I. INTRODUCTION Ask people what they would do if they were to win the lottery, and you will often hear them say they would just "travel the world". In reality, most never get past their small vacations. Some see RTWs as the ultimate quest or challenge, a way to spice up a boring life, perhaps. Others see it as a way to learn about themselves and the world by broadening their outlook and understanding. And, of course, we should not forget about those postponing the responsibilities of career and family. This guide is a work-in-progress. The original intention was to answer a few basic questions that were frequently being asked in rec.travel, and to point to the existing resources, whether online or in print, since an RTW does require some planning and preparation. It was started from a US viewpoint, and is slowly expanding to accommodate other perspectives as well. When reading the quotes, you will see a variety of opinions that are very different and sometimes contrary, which shows that there are many ways and options in planning and doing an RTW trip. This is also why I will avoid making generalizations or trying to be concise. The focus remains on RTW, and covers the extreme case of long-term budget travel (for those who will drop everything for a year or more), as well as short-term travel. The initial comments I received were generous, diverse, and very enlightening. These sent me in many new directions. The collective wisdom of travellers definitely surpasses the experience of any one author. I never have been very good at throwing things away, and since recycling is popular now, I decided not to let the comments go to waste by letting the guide grow as a repository of information. Many sections have been added from the comments I have received, some are still very small and only contain references to sources of information (I could research all these topics to make them thorough, but I just do not seem to find the time). There is a reference section for general travel information at the end of the guide. For destination information, refer to the travel catalogs or online information. This guide also tries to make maximum use of existing online archives using World Wide Web, gopher, ftp, and e-mail. Gopher and World Wide Web have proven to be the best way to navigate the Internet for travel information, since you do not have to retrieve files using ftp. After the comments settle down, I will put this in Digest format, and create a hypertext version to directly access online information from this file. Hopefully, there will be volunteers to assemble separate guides for some of the sections that are often discussed on the net such as weather, working, health, bargaining, scams, and visas. Short summaries about books would also be appreciated. If you send comments, please let me know if you do NOT want to be quoted, or have your name or address in the credits. Please include only the immediate paragraph, or section title, that you are commenting on. All ideas and criticisms are welcome. Please feel free to add or rewrite paragraphs. "Long-term travelling is different from any vacation you have ever been on. It is work. Your new job will be to learn new currency, new local transportation, new languages, new places to sleep, new types of people, and new types of food. Every day, instead of driving to work, you will do these things. But the moments in between make it all worth it." You can also expect stress due to different cultures and languages, and financial, safety, and health problems. Cold showers, squat toilets, and no air conditioning will be accepted as normal. In some places, a bottle of water and a left hand are used instead of toilet paper. Bottled water, malaria pills, and mosquito nets will be your best friends. Of course, it is possible to avoid these "inconveniences" by limiting your travel to certain countries. There is no better time than now! "So many people told us we were crazy for leaving our jobs when the economy was so bad. DON'T LISTEN TO THEM!!! Go! You'll never regret it, even if you have a hard time finding a job when you get back. The trip was the best thing I've ever done in my life." ============================================================================ II. SEVEN MAJOR DECISIONS 1. GOAL OR PURPOSE An RTW usually starts out as a wild dream, then it sounds like something fun to do, and finally you have justified and reinforced it with actual reasons. Setting certain goals for yourself will give you a sense of purpose, if you need one. This is not meant to be too serious in the beginning, just a way to help you better determine your destinations from the endless number of places to see and things to do. Your goal may be to experience the most fascinating and unusual places in the world, or just see those romantic places you thought you would never get to. Do you want to move slower, stay close to the ground, get off the beaten path? Or do you want to fly from city to city sightseeing? Do you want to visit 100 cities at a relaxed pace, or race through the highlights of 200 cities under the effects of jet-lag? Trying to do too much can exhaust you and end up defeating the purpose of the trip, while going slower will lend itself to different experiences like meeting more people, and learning more about the cultures. "People travel for many different reasons, with many different interests in many different ways. It is quite important in the planning, especially if you are travelling with a companion, to get some things established up front. What (if anything) do you want to achieve by this trip? For most this is quite simply to satisfy curiosity, see things while you have the means and energy, take the opportunity to broaden your knowledge of people, places, cultures etc.. For others there is a more specific goal - to seek employment abroad, or to gather material for a book or article, or photography, or conquering mountains, or diving ... It is good to have similar goals to that of your companion, or at least an understanding. Then even those whose goals are fairly vague, will probably have a bias towards a certain type of travel - some prefer cities, museums, galleries, shops, nightlife; others are looking for remote wilderness with few amenities; some are looking to trek and camp; some have interest in natural wonders, some in history, some in places; some want to participate in activities (e.g. diving, bungy jumping, white water rafting, etc.)." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. DESTINATIONS Now, the fun part. Break out the maps. Make 20 copies of a small world map. Libraries are good sources of maps and atlases in a variety of sizes. [Need instructions for using online maps.] DoMap is available by anonymous ftp from wuarchive.wustl.edu, in graphics/graphics/objects/earth/World_Map. Vplot and DoMap are available at sepftp.stanford.edu. "Categorize the countries/cities: 1 = always wanted to see, 2 = neutral, 3 = never want to see. Now, put this map/list away for reference AFTER you return home from your RTW trip, so that you can see for yourself just how much you have changed." Identify all the destinations you would like to go to, then start reading to get more ideas. Try not to confine yourself, or impose limits based on the areas you are familiar with. You may be surprised at how many places get added to your list as you become more familiar with travel literature. Take into consideration whether you will be planning adventures, like diving, rafting, skiing, desert treks, or rainforest hikes. Resist the temptation to start connecting the dots :-) Some Popular (Heavily-Touristed) Stops: New Zealand, Australia, Bali, Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Nepal, Dehli (Taj Mahal in Agra), Kenya, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris, Amsterdam, London, New York, Washington D.C., Orlando, San Francisco, and Hawaii. "India -- because of the special role of English, among other factors -- is one of the easier countries in Asia in which to travel. Notably more difficult are Russia (the largest country in Asia, remember), China, and the countries of Central Asia, among places I have been. I haven not travelled in most of the Asian countries west of India (only Pakistan), but I suspect travel throughout West Asia (Iran, Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula, Kurdistan, Afghanistan, the Caucasian and Trans-Caucasian states, etc.) is not easy. Travel in most of Africa is generally regarded as harder than Asia." "Try not to concentrate on cities too much. There are few really unique and interesting cities in the world (Paris, Istanbul, Fez, and Hanoi stand out as examples). In the third world, cities are often hasty affairs of concrete and cinderblock. To see the traditional life of most of the world you must travel to the towns, villages, and countryside." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. ROUTE Okay, go ahead, play connect-the-dots! Do not let the choice of destinations determine your route. An RTW travel specialist will always have plenty of options on which to base the routing decision, such as available flights, transportation connections, and affordability. "Keep your options open! Do NOT get locked into an itinerary with non-refundable, no-changes-allowed tickets. On a long trip, you never know what to expect. That is the fun of it! You may be bored by the ballyhooed 'must see' tourist sensation which is teeming with tourists, and fall in love with a small village 'off the beaten track' where the local people are excited to see you and may even invite you into their homes. By 'off the beaten track' I do not mean Lonely Planet's travel guide destinations. Anything mentioned in a widely read book is definitely not an unspoiled travel destination. Remember, this is YOUR trip, make your own marks. If you can go overland, do it. You do not get to experience places too well from your seat in an airplane, but often you have to cross a big amount of water or avoid a country that is off limits to travelers (like present Rwanda and Somalia). Sometimes (like in Africa) the connections from one place to another are just too hard to make. In those cases, buy an airline ticket." "A common planning mistake is locking in a route that is not really necessary, desirable, or optimal. Another one is eliminating destinations because of false assumptions about possible routes. Many travellers prefer crossing large stretches by land, since water is rarely feasible, but then those stretches (e.g. the Karakoram Highway), become destinations in themselves. Another mistake is to pass up stretches, like the KKH, based on the false assumption that RTW tickets require an unbroken route by air. It is not necessary to backtrack by land to resume the air itinerary. Moreover, focusing on routes distracts people from thinking about the reality of what life (and travel) will be like in the places they will be passing through, and thus living in." Examples of RTW routes: o US, Hawaii, Fiji (or Cook Islands or Tahiti), New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, India, and Europe. o Trans-Siberian railroad from Moscow to Vladivostok. o Trans-Siberian from Moscow to Mongolia, and then the Trans-Mongolian railroad to Beijing. [Would appreciate examples of routes that cover other paths, if there are common ones through S. America, Africa, and Russia. May start a section or separate file for this. See the bottom of this guide for more information.] Travelling can wear a person down, so you may want to give yourself the advantage of good health, and gradually increase the levels of difficulty. If you get extremely sick in the beginning, you would still have money to return home, recover, and resume your trip. "Other considerations for route and directions are that it may be a good idea to alternate time spent in third world countries versus 'civilized' nations. This has a number of benefits and is not difficult to incorporate into most routes. For one, if you are struggling with health or dietary problems, it allows your body some recovery time. Secondly, it provides greater contrast in cultures, giving you greater appreciation of the differences. Third, it allows periods where you can be better contacted by friends or relatives. Fourth, it may be easier to renew travel insurance, vaccinations, change plane tickets, etc., in a more familiar environment. There are numerous other benefits, although spending extended periods in either environment is certainly not to be discouraged!!" "It is true that to travel to third world countries it is good to be refreshed beforehand, but a few months in Australia before Asia, Europe before Africa, or the US before South America will do this for you, amongst unlimited other possibilities. It is not necessary (or possibly even desirable) to go to Asia first. Your insurance should cover your return home in the event of sickness WHEREVER you are, and whenever it happens. Also, increasing the levels of difficulty is not necessarily a good idea. It can be good (we found) to plunge into the most difficult at full strength when you are most alert, rather than when you may be worn down a bit." There are a thousand ways to do Western Europe, due to open borders and many transportation options. Your choices for routes through Asia are more limited, and there is the possibility of dead-ends that can cause you to backtrack long distances. There is a traveller's track (in either direction) from Bali through Singapore and Malaysia, then up into Thailand. If you are using published RTW airline tickets, you might find yourself moving through countries in Southeast Asia in the same order as others, due to the nature of travelling there, and the availability of flights in that area. If you want to trace western history, you might start in Egypt, head up through Israel, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, then wander around the rest of Europe. Another frequent path is from Europe to India by passing through Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan. If your nationality prevents you from crossing through Iran, you might be able to go south in a variety of paths, or fly across. There are two main routes down through Africa. The eastern route starts in Egypt, and splits after Sudan to the Central African Republic (CAR), Uganda, or Kenya. The Uganda leg can pass into Kenya, Rwanda, or Zaire. The Kenya leg can pass through Tanzania into Zaire by boat, or into Zambia, with a possible side-trip to Malawi. The western route starts in Algeria, and passes through Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, CAR and Zaire. The route from Zambia to South Africa can pass through either Zimbabwe or Botswana, or both. Recent civil wars in Algeria and Rwanda make many things very uncertain. Bangui (CAR) is one of the many places where the routes meet, and is a great place to pick up news from other travellers. "If you want to see places that tourists (even backpackers) usually do not visit - especially in Africa - you may want to consider buying a full price one-way ticket. This allows you all the stopovers en-route that you can think of. I put together trips from London to Capetown with stops in places like Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Zaire, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Even though such a ticket is not cheap, it beats having to buy individual tickets in those countries or traveling back and forth to Europe. Such a ticket is quite flexible too, in terms of changes and refunds." South America and Africa are not covered very well by published RTW airline tickets. They can be very expensive, are mostly just a drop-off and pick-up due to the major airlines using the hub and spoke system. For example, British Airways flies round-trips from London to just a few cities in Southern Africa, without stopping in the Mideast or Egypt. They fly in and out of Casablanca, Ghana-Nigeria, Uganda-Kenya-Tanzania, Seychelles- Mauritius, and South Africa on separate round-trips. In general, flights into Africa are cheaper from Europe. "South America is usually cheapest as a side trip from North America, but that is not necessarily a reason not to include it, especially for those starting or ending their trip outside the Americas. It is fairly common for them to go Europe-East Coast USA-Central/South America-West Coast USA-Asia/Pacific or vice versa. As for Africa, it is not always 'very' expensive; it depends greatly on the exact itinerary. Sometimes adding one particular African stop could add $1500 to an itinerary; sometimes you could add 6 African stops for less than that." Most routes change on the road just from the advice and stories you hear from fellow travellers, and new friends you make along the way. As you cross paths with those travelling in the opposite direction, you will exchange the most up-to-date information. In addition, opportunities arise and political climates change. The more prior planning you do, the more flexibility you will have. Some places are so nice, you will stay longer than planned, others too expensive to stay as long as planned. "Your perception of a country before you get there, and your notions of how long it might take to do things will continually change. Once you are there you will know whether you want to rush through or linger, and you will hear of things that you want to see that you didn't even know existed. We found also that at the start of our trip we just wanted to see everything (it was all so exciting) then as the trip lengthened although we still wanted to see everything we found oursleves preferring not to move quite so much, but to base ourselves in one place and more thoroughly explore a particular area." "Nothing is worse than having a great time and then realizing that you HAVE to catch a flight in x number of days ... bummer. Stay away from strict schedules. It is probably one of my main pieces of advice to give to others. I take that back, it is *the* single most important piece of advice I can give." "I am not a big believer in planning out a route in advance. There really is no way to predict which country or culture will compel you to take a closer look. We went to Bali for a week and stayed a month. In 1984 I went to Istanbul for 3 days and stayed for 10, leaving then only because I had to be in Bulgaria according to my self-imposed schedule. Had I not restricted myself so, I might have spent a month or two in Turkey, discovering the country before its huge tourist boom, and extending my 5 month trip because of the lower costs in Turkey. I have met a great many people with RTW air tickets scrambling to get their money back on segments they did not use, or could not get to in time. One German fellow with a 1-year RTW ticket made New Zealand his first stop; when we met him he had been there for 9 months. For every traveler with the courage to break from his or her planned, prepaid itinerary there must be a hundred who just go on with the trip, full of regrets about the places they did not linger. In the third world, the traveling, rather than the destination, is the most interesting part of the trip. You can usually cover large areas overland, relying on planes only for crossing highly unstable areas (Iraq, Afganistan) or the ocean. By shrinking distances and enveloping the traveller in a standard, artificial atmosphere, airplanes are the great destroyers of adventure in the 20th century. So, my advice is: buy a discount, one-way ticket to your first destination and wing it from there. Wherever possible, travel overland and you will find that you need to do a lot less flying than you thought. In the end, you may not even go all the way around the world. You may spend a little more on airfare than you would buying the tickets all up front, but the trip will be your own and not the routing of some airline or travel agent." Keep in mind that published RTW airline tickets try to keep you in one hemisphere or allow one crossing for places like Australia, and most do not allow any backtracking. You can get around this by going on side-trips at your own expense. Most RTW fares require that your routing destinations be declared, but only the first flight date must be firmly set. Sometimes, the airline rules can make it difficult to change the routing after you have started. Include as many cities as possible on a published-RTW ticket since you can travel past some of them on the ground, to the next airport, without paying a fee to re-issue the ticket. "If you are going to research the published RTW airline ticket routing yourself, you will find that it is the most difficult and time-consuming portion of RTW planning. Getting accurate information can be difficult. You may find that limited stops on long-range flights will eliminate most Middle Eastern stop-overs from Asia to Europe." "Recent articles in Consumer Reports Travel Letter (CRTL) list the major airline partnerships and the cities they service IN ORDER East-West and West-East. See the September 1988, December 1991, September 1993 issues. Most US and Canadian libraries carry this. Otherwise, back issues can be ordered from CTRL, 2506 Washington Street, Mt. Vernon, NY 10553 ($5 per issue as of 1991). Prices may have changed since then. Overseas orders are surely more. Sorry, no phone number)" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. DIRECTION: East vs. West This section has been started only because it is a common question. The information in the routing section shows that direction is basically a personal decision, however the weather may decide travel direction, depending on your duration and route. Western Europe, Japan, and North America can be the most expensive part of your trip, and will change little compared to the rapid westernization of Asia. Eastern Europe can be both one of the cheapest and most rapidly- changing parts of the world. Also, consider that if you miss some parts of Europe, they may be the easiest countries to return to, especially when you are older. However, do not base your trip on expenses alone, or you might let many once-in-a-lifetime opportunities pass you by. "A major factor in deciding which direction you take can be the speed with which you plan to travel. If you are on a quick round-the-world trip, then going westward is important, because you do not have to keep getting up 'early' to catch the next plane. (I once had to go around in a week or so, and going westward made a tremendous difference.)" "I found travelling west to be much easier as far as jet lag goes. For taking reasonable length flights, such as LA to Hawaii, or NZ to Australia, you end up adding 3 or 4 hours to your day. For most people, this is much less disruptive to sleep patterns than trying to go to sleep 4 hours earlier than usual. More noticeable for the longer flights, of course." See travel archives for information on jetlag prevention. "Most European travellers start with Asia, and you may find you get on a bit of a track. We found it refreshing to be going the other way to most people, and it also leads to a more productive exchange of information." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. DURATION The short-term traveller can usually get a Leave-of-Absence for a "sabbatical", and return to the old job and living conditions, if the company has such a program and will approve it. This may be a necessity to prevent disrupting the family. Do consider the option of Leave-Without- Pay if you do not have the vacation time for short-term travel. Long-term travellers usually quit their job, sell or lend most possessions, place the rest in storage, and return when the funds run dry. Many restrict themselves to the 1-year limitation on published RTW airline tickets. To get a realistic idea of the length of your trip, list all the cities or countries vertically. Then give each the number of days you would like to spend there, taking travel time between cities into account. Consult travel books for reasonable estimates on ground travel time between locations. You can use a calculator, however a spreadsheet will add the days for you. A word processor is also handy, because it allows you to easily rearrange your destinations as you prepare for the trip, and to create a Things-To-Do list. This will also get you to look at the geographical and political ramifications of your choices. "Another way to approach this is to have a more detailed idea for the start of your trip, with probably more accurate (but still wildly wrong) estimates for time; and then vaguer plans for the rest of the trip, with maybe not even all the countries, except those you really do not want to miss. I strongly recommend flexibility as the key to planning. You generally need to know some imminent plans - but the long term can be more flexible. Just guess at about how long you want to be away - most likely this will change as you either get very sick and are forced to return home; or have such a great time that you need a lot longer; or you run out of money." "I do not think you can or should plan the duration of your trip by adding up a schedule of time at each destination, unless you have a limited and precisely dictated amount of time for the trip (say 2 or 3 months). Instead, decide how long you want the trip to be, then let the trip expand to fill the allotted time once you are on the road. The idea of seeing the world in a year strikes me as ridiculous, even a lifetime would not suffice. Take all the time you have, and realize everyone spends more time than they plan. Remember to pace yourself slowly enough to actually experience the places you are passing through. The best times I have had are when I just hung on someplace for a much longer period of time than I had planned, or than I needed to see the sights." "One time consuming task that we did not anticipate was running errands. At least once a week we would spend half a day or even a full day running errands: refill first aid kit, check on flights, phone home, shop for clothes (e.g. socks, underwear) and toiletries, buy postcards, buy patches (for our backpacks), buy notebook and/or pen, plan where we were going next and what we wanted to see, buy bus tickets, get maps, mail stuff home, buy traveler's cheques, buy food, etc.. You do not do all these things each week, but there is *something* that needs doing each week. :-)" If you are not able to leave work for a long trip, you do not have enough money, or you do not want to race through a few cities, you can always decide later to separate a slow, expensive, long trip into segments. By planning to see the whole world, you will also realize which places you want to see first. If you miss places during your trip, you will already be prepared for future trips. "Man, I'm jealous!!! About 3 years ago my wife and I went on a 6 month round-the-world trip - WAYYYY too short, even a year might seem not enough." "I started off surfing in Indonesia and visiting friends on Java and Sumatra. After about five months I knew that I could not go home so soon. There were so many interesting places to visit, I was spending so little money, and having such a great time that I decided to extend my trip. I was gone about 10 months before I seriously thought about turning my trip into an RTW." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. WEATHER The daydreaming is over. A very strong factor in many travellers' plans is how to avoid winter weather, summer heat, and monsoons. Compounding the problem is the lack of reliable weather information. Reported temperatures may be just the average for the day. You will rarely hear two people predict the monsoon season the same for any area, and you cannot assume that the weather is the same just because two places are near each other. One person's idea of "comfortable" weather can be unbearable for another. Many travel books have charts and information, but there are also books specifically for weather. "Not everyone wants to avoid winter. We hit New Zealand in mid-winter and it was spectacular. And a great contrast to the previous two months on South Pacific islands in the sun. Monsoons, tropical rain storms and other unusual weather conditions just need to be taken into consideration as it may slow your progress, prevent you seeing certain sights etc; but to see places in only good weather is like assuming you will only ever see your wife with make up. It isn't natural and doesn't give you a true picture. Sure, be aware that there are times when trekking is difficult to impossible, and that roads may get washed away, or closed due to snow." "We worried about the weather too, but that was plain not necessary. If you travel for a very long time (longer than 6 months), you will end up having bad weather some time, BUT since you will be going for so long it will all average out. In our case we ended up in the Southern Hemisphere in Winter, and a lot of people told us to avoid it. As it turned out we had the greatest time in New Zealand, since there were very few other tourists and travellers about. OK, the weather was rather wet and stormy for 3/4 of our time in New Zealand, but when it did get finally sunny (in Milford Sound of all places, with only an average of 21 sunny days a year), the bad weather was quickly forgotten! Yet we also heard that when it rains, you get these waterfalls that seem to fall out of heaven. So never mind the weather!! Experiencing a country in the off-season had its own rewards, just be prepared with the right clothing (which you can ALWAYS buy, as we did in New Zealand) and HAVE FUN! :-) Sometimes, because you do not have the right clothing with you, you end up buying your greatest gifts of the trip -- in our case this happened to be sheepskin boots from NZ, because we froze our little toes off." "It is probably worth (loosely) planning your route according to the seasons. I agree that off-season can be a boon but some places (esp. mountains) become impossible at the 'wrong' time of year. The Karakoram Highway closes (officially) between October & June, as does the road between Srinigar and Leh (Kashmir->Ladakh). You MIGHT get through off-season but there will be no regular transport and it will probably take MUCH longer. Travelling by truck in Africa (e.g. Tanzania) in the rainy season can mean a LOT of waiting around for trucks to be dug out of a quagmire of mud. Double/treble the time it takes to get anywhere. You are not going to be able to completely avoid rough weather, but if you are planning to take a beach break in Thailand in August or go trekking in Nepal in July, you will be dissapointed." "Some places are impossible to reach or pass during some parts of the year. I read that going from Sudan to the Central African Republic is nearly impossible in the rainy season, since the ground becomes two feet of mud because of the rain. Another impassable part of the world is the road from Gilgit in northern Pakistan to Chitral in the western parts of northern Pakistan. That road is said to be open just a few months each year. Passing through western Sahara in northern hemisphere summer is also hard." Europe is still pretty cold until April or May, however it is crowded from mid-June to mid-August. Cool weather returns in September or October. In Nepal, weather is very important, especially if you are considering trekking. "International Traveler's Weather Guide" by Tom Loffman & Randy Mann (1991). "The Traveler's Almanac: Planning Your Vacation Around the Weather" by Harold Bernard (1987). "World Traveller: What's the Climate? What to Wear?" by Edward Dickson (1989) "The Times Books World Weather Guide" by E.A. Pearce & C.J. Smith, published by Hutchinson (1984). [Do you know of a good source of historical weather information/maps on the Internet?] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. COST: How long can you afford to be away? Cost Estimating: Add flights, rail/bus passes, ground transportation, rooms, food, health insurance, visas, vaccinations, entertainment, storage fees, shipping souvenirs and photos, and miscellany (entrance fees, snacks, bottled water, postcards, postage, bike rentals, tuk-tuk taxis, laundry). Do not forget to reserve money for extra activities, such as diving, bungee jumping, or skiing. Once you are on the road, living on a daily budget, you may find it difficult to spend that kind of money during the trip, if you have not pre-budgeted it. Keep in mind that airport taxes will generally be $10-$30 every time you leave a country by plane, and that there are sometimes departure taxes for domestic flights. Realistic figures for these numbers depend on your preferences, and should account for inflation. Make sure you have enough money reserved to cover returning expenses for a car, room, electricity, water, phone, food, and miscellany. Working your way around the world is covered later. Available Funds: Add your assets, subtract your debts. If you have a house, renting through a broker is strongly recommended, since they can deposit the rent into your bank account. "I met two couples on my trip who rented their house to `friends'. When they arrived back home they: - had to wait for the `friends' to move out of their house; - had to pay a lot of mortgage because their `friends' had not paid their rent; - had to repaint and repair a *lot*." All continents have both expensive and inexpensive areas, therefore broad generalizations may not be accurate, but they are a good start for estimating purposes early in the planning stages. Australia is a little more expensive than the US, and you know about Japan. Taiwan and Tahiti can also surprise you. Asia can be very cheap. Outside of the big cities in SE Asia, the "budget" RTW will average $15-$20 per day. Europe averages $50 per day. A good overall number to estimate expenses without airfare is $35 per day. [These costs are just a starting point for discussion. I may delete them if enough samples are added to the section at the very end of the guide, like the ones in the paragraph below.] "I found India and Nepal to be cheaper than Southeast Asia. I spent about $8 per day in India, about $10 in Nepal, and about $15-$20 in Thailand and Malaysia." "An interesting pattern I saw on our trip was that no matter where in the world we were, one night's lodging cost the same as 3 meals. For example, in Thailand we spent $15 on a bungalow and $15 on food (3 meals each). In Europe, we would spend $15 each for a bunk in a youth hostel ($30 lodging) and $30 for food (3 meals each)." In Europe, the key to staying inexpensive is to stay south or east. The cheapest will probably be Spain, Portugal, Greece, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and the former-USSR. England, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and all of Scandinavia can eat your budget quickly. Paris, London, and Rome can shock your budget. North America is asexpensive as Europe. "In Africa, I can say that Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe, and the Central African Republic, are expensive compared to many other parts of Africa. Sudan was very cheap, as well as Zaire and Tanzania." There is no good "rule of thumb" for estimating the total cost of any given travel time. It really depends on your spending habits, the relative cost of each country, the season, and the amount of time you spend there. Because transportation is such a large factor, the cost will NOT be half as much if you travel for half the time. You will still need to reserve a few thousand dollars to get your life back together when you return home. "Drinking alcohol in Asia will increase your daily budget by 33% - 50%, but it sure is hard to refuse a cold beer on a hot sunny beach. In fact, I met quite a few travelers (mostly Australian) who swear by drinking only beer to avoid contaminated water. I tried this method while island hopping in Greece and whether it helps or not - it sure was fun!" "This is dangerous and misleading advice. Alcohol is a dreadfully dehydrating substance, in spite of its advantages. Dehydration can be subtle and damaging and weaken your immune system somewhat on top of it." ============================================================================== III. TRANSPORTATION 1. AIRLINES Buying all your tickets separately, or 3 to 4 at a time as you go, will allow greater flexibility. It generally works out the same as the package prices in the end. You can always change the dates in your itinerary depending on your interests. London, New York, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok are popular places to buy cheap tickets. Amsterdam, Istanbul, Nairobi, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and Athens are other places for cheap tickets. In Amsterdam have a look in the classifieds of "De Volkskrant" and "De Telegraaf". The rec.travel.air FAQ, "How to Get Cheap Air Tickets" is available at: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/travel/air/top.html (164.107.12.1) ftp://ftp.rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/travel/air/cheap-tickets/ top.html (18.70.0.209) ftp://ftp.rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/travel/air/cheap-tickets/ part1 ftp://ftp.rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/travel/air/cheap-tickets/ part2 (18.70.0.209) via mail: address: mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu (18.70.0.209) msg body: send usenet/news.answers/travel/air/cheap-tickets/part1 send usenet/news.answers/travel/air/cheap-tickets/part2 The Official Airline Guide (OAG) for routing information is available at most libraries. Easy Sabre and OAG are also available online for a fee. The file "Online Reservations" explains how to access these and is available: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/travel/air/online-info/ faq.html (164.107.12.1) ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/general/air-travel/online-reservations (130.179.16.24) via mail: address: mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu (18.70.0.209) msg body: send pub/usenet/news.answers/travel/air/online-info "EAASY SABRE is not well designed for planning a leisurely RTW. It is best for checking schedules when you know the date and the end-points of your travel. If you just want to see what flights there might be in a week, for instance, you have to try each day in the week (and then might miss a schedule change the next week). Travel agents have access to Sabre itself, which gives the full picture. Unless you have a lot of time to spare (and free access to EAASY SABRE) you are better off finding the printed OAG, which shows all the flights for the next several months at a glance. The OAG is pretty hard to find in libraries (it is expensive) but an airline office may have the printed version." Over 40 airlines on 6 continents participate in partnerships for RTW tickets. Programs and regulations vary considerably. You will usually have to supplement RTW with other tickets to satisfy your specific interests. Even those on business trips can fly cheaper using first-class and business-class RTW tickets, rather than regular long-haul and full-fare point-to-point tickets. Areas not covered can usually be added as a discounted side-trip. Flights in the southern hemishere are $5,000 to $6,744 for first-class, $4,500 to $5,200 for business-class, and $3,000 to $3,300 for economy. Flights in the northern hemishere are $4,300 to $5,100 for first-class, $3,000 to $3,700 for business-class, and $2,200 to $2,600 for economy. (April 1994) RULES FOR PUBLISHED RTW TICKETS: . 14-day or 21-day advance purchase for first leg. . Usually, only the first date and destination must be firmly set, but some require the first few be set. . Specify destinations, and usually the dates at the time of booking. . Date changes are free, but each destination change costs a small fee ($25). Some allow one free destination change. . Most are valid for 1 year from the date issued, not the date of the first flight, some only for 6-months, and a few for only 3 months. Factor in the time for advance purchase and for checks to clear the bank. . Must continue in one direction, east or west, with no backtracking. There are exceptions in the US, Canada, and Australia. . Most have unlimited number of stops, some limit you to 4-6 stops in the US. . Most require a minimum of 3 stops. . Some require a minimum stay of 6-14 days. . Some have a maximum allowable miles restriction, like NW/KLM 20,000 miles. . Flat rate price for each seating class. . Children's fare is usually 67% of full adult fare. . Infants (less than 2 years old) fly for 10% of full adult fare. . Refund is 100% if cancelled two weeks or more before departure. . Refund is 75% minus the value of the flights taken within two weeks of departure. "For most RTW fares, it is OK to miss a reserved flight. Your tickets are issued for departure cities - NOT TIME (this is the opposite for bucket shops). Just call the airline and make a new reservation (and hope they have room). To actually change your itinerary, you pay a 're-ticket' fee (mine was $50 in 1992) where they actually take your old tickets back and re-issue a new set of tickets. Make as many changes as you want, but try to do them together since the re-ticket fee is fixed regardless of how many stops are altered. You *must* have your tickets re-issued by the airline who sold the RTW fare. I used a NorthWest/KLM partnership RTW fare, issued by NorthWest, and KLM *COULD NOT* re-ticket my itinerary - only NorthWest could. Unfortunately, I found this out in a city not serviced by NorthWest." "Missing a reserved flight is usually not a problem. Usually they will put you on the next available flight. However, if it is a seldom travelled route or high tourist season, you may end up waiting days or even weeks for the next flight! Usually a good idea to double-check the time and date. I've heard of people showing up at 3:00pm for a flight leaving at 3:00am." ADVANTAGES: . One less financial worry on the road. . No worries about whether you will be able to get to the next destination. . You always have proof of onward passage, required in many countries before they will grant you a visa or allow entry. . Frequent flyer miles. Even more if charged with a credit card that gives FF miles. Some have a 50% mileage bonus in business-class which may justify the extra cost. (Delta Medallion Status example: 35,000 miles, plus 17,500 mile business-class bonus, plus 3,500 miles for credit card matching, equals 56,000 FF miles). FF miles depend on the carrier and class. DISADVANTAGES: . Rarely the best deal. . Limited stops due to airline routes. . Some airlines deadend in the Mideast and India, leaving you with no connection eastward to the rest of Asia. For example, many people buy a one-way ticket between Bangkok and Nepal. . Many try to restrict you to the North or South side of the equator. . Infrequent flight schedules. . Some have $25-$50 fees for changes in itinerary. . Backtracking and side-trips can be very costly, but necessary if you want to see most of Asia. . The least flexible since plans may constantly change. PUBLISHED RTW PROGRAMS: Programs and prices differ depending on the country you purchase tickets in, and where you start your trip from. Sometimes it is cheapest to start with a one-way ticket from your starting point to a country where it is cheaper to originate an RTW fare. The following programs are available in the US, and are here only as examples of what is available from the airline industry. The list starts with British Airways programs, then US airline programs in alphabetical order, and finally non-US airline programs that are available in the US. If there is a demand for separate lists of programs originating in other countries, I will pull this one out (including the toll- free numbers) and put it with them, and reference the supplement in this guide. For programs originating in Britain, the travel agency Hogg Robinson has a brochure called "Around the World Fares Planner", which lists published-fare tickets as well as combinations they have put together. o BritishAir/Qantas/USAir "Global Explorer" is valid for 1 year. Limited to 28,500 miles and 6 free stops, one of which must be in Europe (maximum of 4 in Australia and two in the US.) After that, it is $75 per stop for economy, and $150 for business and first class. A stop is defined as any landing and takeoff along the flight, not just your origin-destination, so look out for non-direct flights. Backtracking is permitted. One departure/arrival per country. The first time you change the routing, reissuing the ticket is free, all other reissues cost $100. Only one trans-Atlantic flight is permitted. First Class = $6,600, Bus. Class = $5,000, Economy = $2,999 in June 1994. o BritishAir/Qantas/USAir/EmiratesAir Southern Hemisphere covering: US, Europe, Saudi Arabia, UAE, India, Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, and Hawaii. Side-trip options in Europe. First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. o BritishAir/USAir/AirNewZealand Southern Hemisphere covering: US, Bermuda, Europe, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Islamabad, India, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Raratonga, Tahiti, and Hawaii. Maximum mileage: 27,000. May side-trip through a city only two times. First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. o BritishAir/Qantas/UnitedAirlines Southern Hemisphere covering: US, Europe, Saudi Arabia, UAE, India, Japan, Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, and Hawaii. Side-trip options in Europe and Africa. First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. 1991 Sample: Dallas to Los Angeles, Hawaii, Fiji, Auckland (NZ), Cairns (Aus.), Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Kathmandu (Nepal), Delhi (India), London, Athens, London, Dallas for $3,400 due to the $345 Royal Nepal Bangkok-Nepal-Delhi flights, and $128 BA round-trip from London to Athens. o BritishAir/Qantas/AirNewZealand Southern Hemisphere covering: US, Europe, Saudi Arabia, UAE, India, Tokyo, Taipai, Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Raratonga, Tahiti, and Hawaii. Side-trip options in Europe. First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. Fare is $3,023 if itinerary does not include domestic US travel on United. o BritishAir/UnitedAirlines Southern Hemisphere covering: US, Europe, Saudi Arabia, UAE, India, HK, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Australia, Auckland, and Hawaii. Side-trip options in Europe. Backtracking from Australia/New Zealand to Bangkok/Singapore to Hong Kong. First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. o BritishAir/UnitedAirlines Northern Hemisphere covering: US, Europe, Saudi Arabia, UAE, India, Beijing, seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Hawaii. Side-trip options in Europe, South America (economy fare), and Hawaii. First Class = $5,020, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. 1992 Sample: An RTW ticket for $2241 from United covered: Newark, Beijing, Tokyo, Manila, Taipei, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Delhi, London, Munich, Berlin, Paris, Athens, Washington DC, Newark. This gets a lot more of the Orient and Europe, but none of the Pacific, like Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia. ----------------------------------- o American/ChinaAir: First Class = $4,299, Bus. Class = $3,099, Economy = $2,199 in Apr. 1994. o American/JAL: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o American/KoreanAir: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = N/A, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o American/Qantas: First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. o American/SingaporeAir: First Class = $4,835, Bus. Class = $3,485, Economy = $2,476 in Apr. 1994. o American/ThaiAirline: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o American/ThaiAirline/SouthAfrican: First Class = $6,506, Bus. Class = $5,451, Economy = $3,515 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o Continental/AirIndia: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o Continental/CathayPacific: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o Continental/KLM Northern Hemisphere: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o Continental/KLM Southern Hemisphere: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,198 in Apr. 1994. o Continental/MalaysianAir: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o Continental/ThaiAir: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o Delta/CathayPacific: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o Delta/JAL: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = N/A, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o Delta/PhilippineAir: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o Delta/Qantas: First Class = $6,682, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,217 in Apr. 1994. o Delta/SingaporeAir/SwissAir covering: US, Vancouver, Seoul, Taipei, Singapore, Mauritius, Johannesburg, Nice, and Prague. Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o Delta/SouthAfrican: Only valid for six months. First Class = $6,506, Bus. Class = $5,451, Economy = $3,516 in Apr. 1994. o Delta/ThaiAir: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o NorthWest/AirFrance: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/AirIndia: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/CathayPacific: Only valid for six months. First Class = $4,493, Bus. Class = $3,316, Economy = $2,353 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/CathayPacific/SouthAfrica Northern Hemisphere: First Class = $6,506, Bus. Class = $5,451, Economy = $3,516 in Apr. 1994. Only valid for six months. o NorthWest/CathayPacific/SouthAfrica Southern Hemisphere: First Class = $8,154, Bus. Class = $6,814, Economy = $4,363 in Apr. 1994. Only valid for six months. o NorthWest/GarudaAir: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/GulfAir: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/KLM Northern Hemisphere: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $5,132, Economy = $3,217 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/KLM Southern Hemisphere: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/KLM/EmiratesAir: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $4,458, Economy = $3,139 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/MalaysianAir Northern Hemisphere: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/MalaysianAir Southern Hemisphere: First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,250 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/PakistanAir: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/Qantas: First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/SaudiAir: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/SingaporeAir Northern Hemisphere: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/SingaporeAir Southern Hemisphere: First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/SouthAfricanAir Northern Hemisphere: First Class = $4,928, Bus. Class = $4,042, Economy = $3,278 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/SouthAfricanAir Southern Hemisphere: First Class = $6,620, Bus. Class = $5,085, Economy = $3,449 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/SwissAir: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o NorthWest/ThaiAir: First Class = $5,701, Bus. Class = $4,035, Economy = $4,629 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o TWA/CathayPacific: First Class = $4,493, Bus. Class = $3,316, Economy = $2,353 in Apr. 1994. o TWA/ChinaAir: First Class = $4,619, Bus. Class = $3,149, Economy = $2,087 in Apr. 1994. o TWA/JAL: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = N/A, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o TWA/KoreanAir: First Class = $4,619, Bus. Class = $3,149, Economy = $2,087 in Apr. 1994. o TWA/MalaysianAir: First Class = $4,299, Bus. Class = $3,099, Economy = $2,199 in Apr. 1994. o TWA/Qantas: First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. o TWA/SingaporeAir: First Class = $4,605, Bus. Class = $3,319, Economy = $2,358 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o United/AirFrance: First Class = $4,974, Bus. Class = $3,586, Economy = $2,548 in Apr. 1994. o United/AirIndia: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o United/Alitalia: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o United/CathayPacific: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o United/EmiratesAir: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o United/KLM Northern Hemisphere: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o United/KLM Southern Hemisphere: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $5,132, Economy = $3,217 in Apr. 1994. o United/KoreanAir: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o United/Lufthansa Northern Hemisphere: First Class = $4,947, Bus. Class = $3,586, Economy = $2,548 in Apr. 1994. o United/Lufthansa Southern Hemisphere: First Class = $6,682, Bus. Class = $5,132, Economy = $3,217 in Apr. 1994. o United/ScandinavianAir: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = N/A, Economy = $2,358 in Apr. 1994. o United/ScandinavianAir/ThaiAir: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. o United/ScandinavianAir/Varig: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = N/A, Economy = $2,837 in Apr. 1994. o United/SouthAfricanAir: First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. o United/SwissAir: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o USAir/CathayPacific/Kuwait covering: USA, Canada, UK, Switzerland, France, Bahrain, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. First Class = $4,493, Bus. Class = $3,319, Economy = $2,358 in Apr. 1994. o USAir/AllNipponAir/Finnair: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o AirCanada/AllNipponAir: First Class = $4,605, Bus. Class = $3,319, Economy = $2,358 in Apr. 1994. o AirCanada/CathayPacific: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = N/A, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o AirCanada/CathayPacific/AirSeychelles: First Class = $5,892, Bus. Class = $4,754, Economy = $3,103 in Apr. 1994. o AirCanada/CathayPacific/KenyaAir: Only valid for three months. First Class = $5,892, Bus. Class = $4,754, Economy = $3,103 in Apr. 1994. o AirCanada/JAL: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = N/A, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o AirCanada/MalaysianAir: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o AirCanada/SingaporeAir: First Class = $4,605, Bus. Class = $3,319, Economy = $2,358 in Apr. 1994. o AirCanada/SwissAir: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,154, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o AirNewZealand/AirArgentina: First Class = $6,239, Bus. Class = $4,795, Economy = $3,154 in Apr. 1994. o AirNewZealand/AirMauritius: First Class = $6,682, Bus. Class = $5,133, Economy = $3,217 in Apr. 1994. o AirNewZealand/Alitalia: First Class = $6,682, Bus. Class = $5,133, Economy = $3,272 in Apr. 1994. o AirNewZealand/CathayPacific: First Class = $5,892, Bus. Class = $4,452, Economy = $2,979 in Apr. 1994. o AirNewZealand/KLM: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $4,796, Economy = $2,853 in Apr. 1994. o AirNewZealand/SingaporeAir: First Class = $5,782, Bus. Class = $4,441, Economy = $2,592 in Apr. 1994. o AirNewZealand/SwissAir: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = N/A, Economy = $2,995 in Apr. 1994. o AirNewZealand/ThaiAir: First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,274 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o CandianAirIntl/Alitalia Northern Hemisphere: First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/Alitalia Southern Hemisphere: First Class = $6,682, Bus. Class = $5,133, Economy = $3,272 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/CathayPacific/AirFiji: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,019, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/EmiratesAir: First Class = $4,621, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/KLM Northern Hemisphere: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/KLM Southern Hemisphere: First Class = $6,682, Bus. Class = $5,133, Economy = $3,272 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/Lauda: Northern Hemisphere First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $3,316, Economy = $2,353 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/Lauda: Southern Hemisphere First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $4,752, Economy = $2,979 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/PhillipineAir: Northern Hemisphere First Class = $4,621, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/PhillipineAir: Southern Hemisphere First Class = $6,239, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,217 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/SingaporeAir/SilkAir: First Class = $6,620, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,198 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/SouthAfricanAir: First Class = $5,599, Bus. Class = $4,599, Economy = $2,999 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/SwissAir: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,154, Bus. Class = $3,581, Economy = $2,541 in Apr. 1994. o CandianAirIntl/ThaiAir: First Class = $5,138, Bus. Class = $4,195, Economy = $2,654 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o CathayPacific/AirArgentina: Only valid for six months. First Class = $5,892, Bus. Class = $4,751, Economy = $2,979 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o Qantas/AirCanada: First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. o Qantas/AirFrance: First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. o Qantas/KLM: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $4,841, Economy = $3,092 in Apr. 1994. o Qantas/CathayPacific: First Class = $6,744, Bus. Class = $5,180, Economy = $3,247 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o SingaporeAir/AirArgentina: First Class = $6,181, Bus. Class = N/A, Economy = N/A in Apr. 1994. o SingaporeAir/KLM: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o Varig/AllNipponAir: First Class = $6,879, Bus. Class = $5,284, Economy = $3,312 in Apr. 1994. o Varig/ThaiAir: First Class = $5,815, Bus. Class = $4,115, Economy = $2,702 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- o VirginAtlantic/AllNipponAir: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = $3,618, Economy = $2,570 in Apr. 1994. o VirginAtlantic/MalaysianAir: First Class = N/A, Bus. Class = N/A, Economy = $5,140 in Apr. 1994. ----------------------------------- Toll free numbers in the US from the toll-free operator at (800)555-1212 Aer Lingus (800)223-6537 Aerolineas Argentinas (800)333-0276 Aeromexico (800)237-6639 Air Canada (800)776-3000 Air France (800)237-2747 Air India (800)223-2250, (800)223-2420 Air Jamaica (800)523-5585 Air New Zealand (800)262-1234, (800)262-2468 Alitalia (800)223-5730 All Nippon Air (800)235-9262 American Air (800)433-7300 ask for RTW desk,M-F 9am-8pmEST,(817)267-1151 America West (800)247-5692 Avianca (800)284-2622 British Airways (800)247-9297 BWIA Intl (800)327-7401 Canadian Air Intl (800)426-7000 (was Canadian Pacific) Cathay Pacific (HK) (800)233-2742 China Air (800)227-5118 Continental (800)231-0856 (Intl), (800)525-0280 (Dom), (404)436-3300 Delta (800)241-4141 (Intl), (800)221-1212 (Dom), (404)765-5000 Dominicana (800)327-7240 Ecuatoriana (800)328-2367 Egyptair (800)334-6787 El Al Israel Air (800)223-6700 Emirates Air (800)777-3999 Finnair (800)950-5000 Garuda Indonesia (800)342-7832 Gulf Air (800)553-2824 Iberia (800)772-4642 Icelandair (800)223-5500 JAL (Japan) (800)525-3663 Kenya Air (800)343-2506 KLM Royal Dutch (800)374-7747 Korean Air (800)421-8200, (800)438-5000 Kuwait Airways (800)252-2064 Lufthansa (800)645-3880 Malaysian Air (800)421-8641, (800)245-0050 Malev Hungarian (800)223-6884 Mexicana (800)531-7921 Midway Airlines (800)621-5700 Midwest Express (800)452-2022 Northwest (800)447-4747 Olympic Airways (800)223-1226 Philippine Air (800)435-9725 Polish Air-Lot (800)223-0593 Qantas (800)227-4500 Royal Jordanian (800)223-0470 Royal Nepal(RA) (800)266-3725 Saudi Arabian Air (800)472-8342 Sabena Belgian (800)955-2000 Scandinavian (SAS) (800)221-2350 Silk Air (800)745-5247 Singapore Air (800)742-3333 Sky Bus (800)755-9287 South African (800)722-9675 Southwest Air (800)531-5601 Swissair (800)221-4750 TAP Air Portugal (800)221-7370 Thai Air (800)426-5204 Tower Air(FF) (800)348-6937 MF 8am-10pm eastern, sat 8:30-5 pm TWA (800)221-2000, (404)522-5738 United (800)538-2929 (Intl), (800)241-6522 (Dom), (312)825-2525 USAir (800)622-1015 (Intl), (800)428-4322 (Dom), (412)922-7500 Varig (Brazil) (800)468-2744 Virgin Atlantic (800)862-8621 When calling for general information (not prices), avoid calling airlines during the business hours of 8am - 8pm EST. Short, or no waiting on Sunday. Request a timetable, which has all the stops, to see if they cover your areas of interest. British Airways also publishes an RTW brochure. Most international desks can answer RTW questions. They like to ask you for the destinations you are interested in, because their goal is to send it to the "rate desk" to manually determine the price. Just tell them you need some details about their RTW program. Each agent and airline will give you slightly different information, so call each a few times. The "rate desk" can take many days to get a quote back to you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. CONSOLIDATORS AND BUCKET SHOPS "Airline Ticket Consolidators and Bucket Shops" is available at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/general/air-travel/consolidators (130.179.16.24) "Round-the-world tickets are the epitome of the bucket shop agent's art. Do not be fooled by published round-the-world fares. They restrict you to the extremely limited routes of just one or two airlines. Only rarely are they the best deal; to put it another way, only the rare itinerary can be shoe-horned into such a fare without mangling it. Most round-the-world itineraries can be best and most cheaply ticketed as a series of one way tickets from point to point. Constructing a round-the-world fare requires both deciding at what points to break the circle into segments, and getting the best price for each segment (where each ticket may actually, with stopovers, cover several legs of the journey). On top of that, most people are not sure, when they start planning a round-the-world trip, exactly which stops they want, or in what order. Good round-the-world agents are rare, even in bucket shops -- but your average travel agent does not even know where to begin." Consolidators use a large variety of carriers and usually require that all reservations be made when booking the ticket. Some of the carriers allow changes in dates for free, some charge a $25 fee, and some will make no changes for any reason, not even for death. This can lock you into a fairly strict schedule, which is not always desirable in long-term travel. The ticket will be considerably cheaper, but be careful of cancellation penalties. Trip cancellation insurance is recommended. "Some portions of your RTW ticket may be open and unrestricted (mine between Nairobi and Bangkok, for example, was good on any Y-class flight on any airline). If you have such a ticket, be careful not to have it re-written for a particular airline and flight until you are sure that is what you want. And check the latest schedule before the ticket is re-written." "Quite a few travellers used London as their base and did multiple trips out and back. The final price was generally the same as RTW fares if you followed the travel season. A second benefit for British Commonwealth citizens is that they could work in the UK in-between hops to either gain more cash, or to wait for the next bargain travel season." o Aereo Travel Group, 731 Market St., Ste. 401, San Francisco, CA 94103 (800)642-8747 (toll free in the U.S.A.), (415)981-8747 fax (415)247-8737, telex 49577256 AERO UD Specializes in RTW fares. Accept checks. Take VISA, Mastercard, and AmEx with 4% surcharge. o Air Brokers International, 323 Geary Street, Suite 411, San Francisco, CA 94102 USA (800)883-3273 (415) 397-1383 office, (415) 397-4767 (fax) Monday-Saturday 9am-5:30pm. Call for their RTW brochure "Get Up & Go", which has examples with prices for their most popular routing combinations. Accept checks. Take AmEx with 3% surcharge. Contact: Eimard ("eye-merd"). o CIEE Council Travel (Council on International Educational Exchange) Many offices - see travel books. o Global Access in San Francisco Specializes in Asia, but also does RTW's. May refuse credit cards. Contacts: Angela, Danielle. o Pan Express in New York (212)719-9292 Take Mastercard/Visa with 3% surcharge. o STA (Student Travel Australasia) Offices worldwide - see travel books. o Sterling Travel in Los Angeles? o Travel Time Edward Hasbrouck 1 Hallidie Plaza, Suite 406, San Francisco, CA 94102, U.S.A. (415)677-0799, fax 1-415-391-1856 (800)956-9327 (1-800-9-LOW-FARE) toll-free in the U.S.A. Specializes in RTW fares. Accept checks. Take VISA, Mastercard, and AmEx with 4% surcharge. o Trailfinders Travel Center 42-48 Earls Court Road, London, UK W8 6EJ 071-938-3366 (Worldwide), 071-937-5400 (USA) [Need more agencies specializing in RTW travel] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. ARRANGED RTW TOURS There are all types of travellers, and although this may not be useful to most, it is RTW information :-) o Quantum Tours: Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Delhi, Bombay, Nairobi (2-day safari), Aberdare, Cairo, Athens, and London in 29 days for $10,229. o Southern Cross Tours: Maui, Nadi, Christchurch, Hamilton Island, Bali, Bangkok, Malidives, Nairobi, Istanbul, Florence, London, Bermuda, in 35 days (11/11 - 12/15) for $17,420 on a private Boeing 757 from Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver. Accommodations and meals included. Once per year tour. 206 Indiana Ave, Ste. B-3, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 o Travcoa Private Jet Around the World: Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Bali, Perth, Fremantle, Mauritius, United Arab Emirates, Istanbul, then board a cruise ship for Canakkale, Lesbos, Aegean Islands, Ionian Islands, Malta, and Gozo, then fly to New York. This is a once per year, all-inclusive, 28-day tour on an 82-passenger private L-1011 for $41,995, starting on October 11. PO Box 2630, Newport Beach, CA 92658, (800)992-2003 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. RAILROADS "Australia by Rail" by C. Taylor "Camp Europe by Train" by L. Baken "Eastern Europe by Rail" by R. Dodson "Eurail Guide" by by Kathryn Saltzmann Turpin and Marvin Saltzmann "Europe by Eurail" by G. Ferguson "Europe by Train" by K. Wood "India by Rail" by R. Ellis "Rail Ventures: The Comprehensive Guide to Train Travel in North America" by J. Swanson "Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore by Rail" by B. McPhee "Thomas Cook European Timetable: Railway, Road, and Shipping Services Throughout Europe" "Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable: Railway, Road, and Shipping Services Outside Europe" "Trans-Siberian Handbook" by Bryn Thomas "Trans-Siberian Rail Guide" by Robert Strauss ISBN 3-922965-54-7 (1987) RTW airline tickets will get you in and out of Europe, but are not very useful for getting around in Europe. This is where Eurail tickets, or passes for specific countries, are useful. They must be started within 6 months of purchase. This is not meant to imply that Europe is the only place that has rail passes. "Fact: Anyone can purchase Eurail passes at EurAid stations inside Europe. I bought mine at Schipol airport in Amsterdam. There is a $20 surcharge. Technically, it is like re-issuing a lost ticket, hence the surcharge." "The prices are fixed once a year as far as I can tell, and depending entirely upon what the exchange rates do in the meantime, it can in fact be cheaper to buy one in Europe with the penalty than at home. I did this twice. Of course, it might also be all the more expensive if the exchange rates change the other way." See the newsgroup rec.railroads "European Rail Travel and the Eurail Pass" is available at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/europe/eurail (130.179.16.24) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. BUS/COACH "Many people overland for most of their trip, only using planes where they have to. Much of a traveller's time is spent on rickety buses used by the locals as a primary means of transport. In particular we experimented with travelling on buses overnight, which meant that we saved money on accommo- dations, and did not waste a day travelling. The drawbacks to this are that you can miss a lot of great scenery and talking with fellow passengers, and you may find that sleeping on buses is close to impossible - depending on how many animals are on board, whether you have a seat, etc.." "On the other hand, you can fall asleep and miss your stop. I met a couple whose driver had forgotten to wake them, so they ended up several hundred miles away from their destination!" "There are generally different levels of bus service in every country, with excellent, airconditioned buses with stewardess service available in some places you might not expect them. Turkey and Thailand both have excellent bus systems, as does Mexico. Of course, the slower, less comfortable buses that travel to remote areas are much more fun. If you object to such things as seating 4 people on a 2 person bench seat, sitting on a stool in the aisle, or the presence of animals in the bus, you had best stick to the fancy buses in the countries that have them. The buses in Vietnam are all excruciatingly uncomfortable." "Australia is the epitome of bus travel; it has the best bus service that we had ever seen. For example, there are videos on the bus since the times between stops can be very long; the buses tend to be very comfortable as far as buses go; some drivers seem to have fun in scaring their passengers by driving like complete mad people, this is especially true when on long stretches without any cities or towns along the way. The buses are the cheapest public transit available in Australia, and to mention there is NO comparison to bus travel in the USA -- the Australian buses are extremely luxurious." "It is also important to not confuse Australia's Greyhound with the firm of the same name in the us; all they share is a name and a trademark. The busses are quite comfortable, with long-haul coaches being fitted for video (several features are run on long trips, just like on an airline). The places where the bus stops for rest/fuel/food are often not the nicest, but they're not at all bad, and you get to hang out." "Iran and Turkey have good and cheap buses. Many parts of Pakistan also have frequent, but maybe not so luxurious, bus traffic. Sri Lanka has thousands of small mini-buses crossing the country in all directions. Former Jugoslavia had good bus-connections, but that is diferent now, I suppose. Algeria is about the same; good buses some years ago - very dangerous today." "Some countries have show-up-and-get-a-seat deals, some you need to book the day before, some are efficient, some are not. For the height of efficieny, I think we rate the Chilean long distance buses as the best." "Greyhound is not luxury but does get people where they are going in the U.S., is cheap, and offers the one month Ameripass. Check out the book 'The Great American Bus Ride' by Irma Kurtz, a description of 3 months traveling by Greyhound." "There is an alternative bus company called Green Tortoise in the U.S. that is of interest to budget travellers. Their main runs are Seattle - San Francisco - Los Angeles, and San Francisco - Boston. Their price is quite a bit cheaper than Greyhound and I have heard good things from friends who have travelled with them." "Green Tortoise transports mostly younger people across the U.S., and up and down the west coast. They also have trips to Mexico. They use old buses which they have fixed up with bunks in the back, you sleep while they drive at night and see places during the day. Everyone cooks communally. The price for the 'long' 14-day trip across the U.S. is about $400 including the money for the food. Their phone number is (415) 956-7500." [The availablility of bus passes in some places may be of interest.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. CAR "Some friends of mine went on a RTW trip and spent six months in Australia. At the beginning of their stay they bought a van, used it for transportation and slept in it most of the time, and sold it at the end of their stay, thereby recovering a good part of their expenses. I realize that there are complications relating to registration and insurance, and that there are risks, but it is an option worth considering." "If you have someone to share the cost, a rental car can sometimes be well worth the expense as it gives you great flexibility, both in sights to see and in accommodations off the beaten track. I found rental cars in several places running $17 to $20 US per day, unlimited mileage plus petrol. These varied from an old clunker with virtually no tread on the tires and a wonky turn signal (Sri Lanka) to a brand-new car (Maui), but all ran well and were acceptably safe." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. MOTORCYCLE "I rented almost everywhere that had sane accident laws. No one asked me for an international driver's license (or any license at all!) - certainly not a motorcycle license. Beware, no one seems to rent (or care) about safety helmets. Definitely something to think about." "Read the fine print in your insurance policy and theirs. Almost every policy I have seen excludes motorcycle riding completely, and the rest I have seen exclude it if you are unlicenced. If you are uninsured and end up in the hospital in the wrong country, either your life or your financial status could be seriously threatened." "Many people go motorcycling through Africa. It seems like the best thing you can do in your life, but one dutch guy told me that roads are often so bad that instead of looking at the beautiful scenery, you end up looking at the road to avoid holes, sometimes big enough to swallow a truck." "Jupiter's Travels" by Ted Simon (1980) See the newsgroup rec.motorcycles. [Need info, such as: Are they easy to rent in some places, impossible in others? Better to buy, then sell?] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. BICYCLING Bicycles are available for rent in many places. You may want to consider doing this for a short period of time in places where you do not need to cover huge distances (Europe), or as an occasional recreational activity. Rentals are almost as a rule in dreadful condition. "You might want to take your own saddle and buy a used bike and then sell it when you leave the country. Prices in China for a used bike start at $20, then $10 more to have it overhauled." "According to two friends of ours, this is THE best way to see the world. They said that sometimes getting from place to place was difficult because people would invite them to stay with them all the time. In Fiji our friends said most of the time they would just wave and not stop, otherwise they would end up having to stay in every village and house along the road. Nevertheless, they have met many more local people on their 8 month trip than we did going by public transportation." "I would back this up, and add further that you DON'T need to be fit or strong to do it. A good cycle will cater for almost anyone, and your fitness will improve en-route. You can really fall in love with the pace and the feeling. I cycle Sydney to Brisbane with no cycling experience to talk of, extremely unfit, arthritic knees and aheadwind all the way. I spent a month doing it, working along the way at organic farms, and I would not trade the experience for anything. It took me 28 days at a relaxed and comfortable pace. Great country by the way!" "Around the World on a Bicycle" by Thomas Stevens (1984). "Bicycle Touring International: The Complete Book on Adventure Cycling" by K. Nasr. "Journey: A Bicycle Odyssey Through Central Asia" by Alan Nichols (1991). "Miles From Nowhere: A Round-The-World Bicycle Adventure" by Barbara Savage. "Pedaling the Ends of the Earth" by David Duncan ISBN 0-671-49289-6 (1985). "The Road of Dreams: A Two-Year Bicycling & Hiking Adventure Around the World" by Bruce Junek (1991). "Round the World on a Wheel: Being a Narrative of a Bicycle Ride" by John Foster Fraser (1982). See the rec.bicycle newsgroups. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. FREIGHTERS Freighter World Cruises (818)449-3106. TravLtips Association (800)872-8584 in US, (800)548-7823 in Canada. "Ford's Freighter Travel Guide... & Waterways of the World" by Judith Howard (Updated quarterly). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10. CRUISE SHIPS Rarely cheap and not really affordable on an RTW budget. The "rec.travel.cruises archive" is available at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/cruises ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. SAILING "Around the World Single-Handed: the Cruise of the Islander" by Harry Pigeon (1989). "Round the World Non-Stop" by John Ridgeway (1985). "World Cruising Handbook" by Jimmy Cornell. See the newsgroup rec.boats. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12. HITCHHIKING "Universal Packing List Hitching Supplement" is available at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/general/packing_list_hitching (130.179.16.24) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13. HIKING "There are popular trail systems in the U.K. and Europe. For example, an entire book has been written on just one of the 'megawalking' trails that goes through Holland/Belgium/Luxembourg/Switzerland/France called 'Walking Europe From Top to Bottom', published by the Sierra Club. There are several long trails in England, including one that is called the Coast-to-Coast Walk." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14. ANIMAL Camel caravans, elephant treks, and mules are alternative modes of travel. "A popular place to do an elephant trek is in Chiang Mai (northern Thailand). This can be combined with a hiking trip, staying in tribal villages, and with a day of bamboo rafting. Most people do about a 3 day trip, which can easily be booked from Bangkok or Chiang Mai. By the way, 2 hours is more than long enough for an elephant trek. They are quite uncomfortable, 2 hours was a lot tougher than a day on a camel. A popular place to do a camel trek is from Jaisalmer, in the Thar Desert in Rajasthan (northwest India). Lots of trekking companies who will try anything to get your business, especially in off-season. I did a 4-day trip for 750 rupees (about $25)." [Please expand on this if you can] ============================================================================== IV. ACCOMMODATIONS "For RTW travellers, hotel reservations are an option, if you can call ahead to the next city. They are usually only necessary during the summer in Europe, if you are looking for a particular place. Travelling without reservations is pretty simple. Just use the books or tourist offices to call places when you arrive at the airport or train station, or go with one of the 'touts' who hang out trying to get people to come stay at their hotel or hostel. It is a good way to get a free ride to the place, but be sure about its location and price first." "The tourist offices will always find you something, though it may be in an outlying area. In some countries, if they 'run out' of hostels and hotels, they will put you with a family; this is especially true in Scandinavia." "Be sure to check out the accommodations offered before committing, and do not be afraid to say no to accommodations which are not clean or unsafe." "Most hotel and guest house staff will willingly call ahead for you if you do not speak the language, if you pay for the call and perhaps leave a small tip. Most people in the tourist industry speak English so calling ahead yourself need not be daunting. Some National tourist offices (e.g. UK, Switzerland and Sri Lanka) have excellent, highly detailed, free information about budget hotels, B&B and guest houses. Telephone numbers and current rates are always included. In some countries (notably Thailand) it is cheaper to make a hotel reservation through a travel agent than to do it yourself, as the agents share some of their discount with you." "A hostel usually has 4-6 bunkbeds in a room, with communal bathrooms. They often have kitchens equipped with pots, pans, utensils, and dishes, and a common room (some with a TV.) They cost about $15 for a bed for one night." For further information, see the general travel literature. "Hostels are great in Europe, but harder to find in Asia, where you will mostly stay in cheap hotels. Get a Youth Hostel Association (YHA) membership and a worldwide listing of their locations. There are many private hostels, which are usually cheaper, and have fewer rules. They are great places to meet intriguing people and exchange travel information." In SE Asia, it is common for a room for two to cost twice the price of a room for one. "The Backpackers chain, which are mostly in Australia/New Zealand, have become more popular than YHAs. The price is reasonable, no chores, lockouts, and no curfews that I recall. I highly recommend buying a VIP card, which costs about $15 or $20 and gives you a dollar or two discount each night, along with lots of discounts on trips, bus tickets, etc.. Anyone who has travelled around there will back me up on this. You can also buy a VIP card at any Backpackers." "In Australia especially no matter what time of day or night the bus arrives a town, there will be 'touts' trying to get you to their backpacker place. BEWARE -- they get a little bit of money or free accomodation for bringing in new residents. A lot of them are DUMPS, party hangouts for teenagers gone berserk. This seems especially troublesome on the East Coast. The touts do have their place though, if one just wants a place to crash for the night and does not like it, it is always possible to move on the next morning; or as we did one day, around midnight since we just could not stand the noise anymore. We ended up in a youth hostel instead ... ooohhh, the peace and quiet! This was in Brisbane, Australia, and the backpacker place was called Paddington Backpacker. One last tip, ask the tout if his backpacker place has an enforced curfew, if they do not and you like your sleep, move on." "People in the third world are often very generous and invitations to stay in their house are common. Such invitations are probably more common when one is travelling solo. In some places where hotels are relatively expensive, locals sometimes rent out extra rooms in their houses." If you are on an RTW budget, you probably want to avoid "resorts". Tents are a trade-off, since you have more weight and volume, and have to find a campsite. "There are many places where camping is a great idea - especially the South Pacific (it makes Tahiti costs bearable), and New Zealand has a great hostel network and also many camp sites. It may be cheaper to camp in Australia too, but the sites are sometimes a little out of town. If you are going to do a lot of trekking (e.g. in South America) it may be worth having your own tent rather than relying on rentals. It is advisable to carry a sleeping bag, in any case, and maybe a bivvy bag in the event that you do find yourself stranded. A camping mat can be useful also for long journeys on ship decks, etc.." Alternatives: YMCA/YWCA, pensiones, churches, missions, and temples. In the summer you can often get a room at a college (or even a boarding school) residence hall. "Hospitality Clubs" is available at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/general/hospitality_clubs (130.179.16.24) Note: I keep hearing good things about SERVAS, which has an excellent reputation for staying for a week with guest families. "Home Exchange Clubs" is available at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/general/home_exchange_clubs (130.179.16.24) ============================================================================== V. MONEY MATTERS 1. WORKING "The Almanac of International Jobs and Careers" by Ronald Krannich (1994) "Building an Import-Export Business" by Kenneth Weiss "The Complete Guide to International Jobs and Careers" by Ronald Krannich (1992) "Directory of Jobs and Careers Abroad" by Andre DeVries (1993) "How to Be an Importer and Pay for Your World Travel" by Mary Green & Stanley Gillmar (1993) "International Jobs: Where They Are and How to Get Them" by Eric Kocher (1993) "Jobs in Paradise: The Definitive Guide to Exotic Jobs Everywhere" by Jeffrey Maltzman (1993) "Jobs Worldwide" by David Lay and Benedict Leerburger (1994) "Teaching English Abroad: Talk Your Way Around the World" by Susan Griffith (1994) "Trips Abroad: A Directory of Travel, Work and Study Opportunities" published by Renaissance (1993) "Work Your Away Around The World" by Susan Griffith (1983) "Work, Study, Travel Abroad" by CIEE (Council for International Education Exchange) Working is a good way to take a necessary break from the road, without having to return home. Many long-term travellers get a burned out feeling from the stress, hassles, decreasing health, and increased boredom from constant travel. Taking a variety of jobs in different locations will make the journey much more interesting, and allow you to understand the different cultures better than someone just travelling through. You might also learn a few things about yourself. Finding a job is not that easy, as work permits are hard to come by. An EC passport may make finding a job much easier. It is possible to obtain work visas (e.g. for Australians going to Europe and British citizens going to Australia - on a temporary basis and restricted by age). Deportation is not the only danger, if you are caught working illegally. Fines, jail time, or a caning are other possibilities. Most of the jobs you will be able to get will pay for your basic needs, but will not allow you to save much. It is hard to quickly find a temporary job that pays well in a foreign country, even if you have a professional skill. The more professional it is, the more likely they will want you for long-term, and the more they will have to follow the work laws of the country. You will have to wear nice clothes, which are hard to come by when you are backpacking. "What do you mean, I can't wear the same T-shirt and shorts every day, sir?" It is not easy to arrange jobs in advance. A common way is to just show up in the town and start asking. Occasionally, hostels can help. Fellow travellers and people you meet in hostels, are excellent contacts for short-term work. "Computer jobs are easy to get - though only temporary and rarely arranged in advance." Teaching English in Japan or Taiwan for a while can be very profitable. Ask other traveller-teachers how to go about getting students. In some places, people even walk up to you, name a price, and ask you to teach them English. Schools will pay more for "English as a Foreign Language (EFL)" or "English as a Second Language (ESL)" credentials. You might look for seasonal jobs like fruitpicking, or tourism/hospitality related jobs, like tour guide, translator, waiter, bartender, or hotel desk clerk. "I did market research work in London and Sydney. Casual work, mostly backpackers, and it paid a decent hourly wage in Sydney. Usually, no experience necessary, and not half as bad as phone sales!" "If you take good pictures you can find jobs lecturing on your trip. Obviously not something you can do during the first month." Other odd jobs: wash dishes, pick berries, smash grapes, shear sheep, deliver mail, chop wood, crew on a yacht, dive boat assistant, photography, import goods to your home country, Note: buying items in one country and selling in another can be risky. Another option is to do volunteer work in exchange for food and lodging, even at the hostel. These jobs are commonly available in developing nations, if you have real skills. "Volunteer Organisations" is available at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/general/volunteer_orgs (130.179.16.24) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. TRAVEL WRITING & PHOTOGRAPHY Submitting short articles or photos to a newspaper or magazine is very competitive, but it is an excellent way to make your trip a tax write-off! "A Guide to Travel Writing and Photography" by Ann & Carl Purcell (1991). "How to Make Living As a Travel Writer" by Susan Farewell (1992). "How to Make Money from Travel Writing" by Curtis Casewit (1991). "They Went: The Art and Craft of Travel Writing" by William Zinsser (1991). "The Travel Writer's Guide: How to Earn At Least Twice What You Spend on Travel By Writing Newspaper and Magazine Articles" by Gordon Burgett (1991). "Travel Photography: A Complete Guide to How to Shoot & Sell" by Susan McCartney (1992). "Travel Writer's Handbook" by Louise Zobel (1992). "Travel Writer's Markets: Where to Sell Your Travel Articles and Place Press Releases" by O'Gara. "Travel Writing for Profit and Pleasure" by Perry Garfinkel (1989). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. FINANCIAL STRATEGIES It is possible to set up accounts with large international banks to make withdrawals or money transfers. You can also arrange for money to be wired to you at regular intervals, if you will be in one spot for a while, however others have said this can be difficult. "I strongly recommend setting up overdraft protection on your checking account and also, if possible, arranging for automatic payment of the minimum amount due on your credit card so that you do not find your card suspended because some payment was late or got lost in the mail, which can happen. I set up automatic payment of the maximum amount that the minimum required payment can be (usually 3 or 4 percent of my credit limit) so that as long as I do not exceed my credit limit I will be covered. If the total due on your account is less that your authorized payment, the credit card company will only take out the amount due. Also, before leaving home, get the latest number to call collect to find out the balance due and to check if everything is in order. For international calls, this is not a toll-free number (you can now call toll-free numbers from outside the US, but you pay for the call). (I suspect that collect calls from overseas will not be available much longer, as they must be costing the companies a lot, but use them while you can.) Ask when the next bill closes out and call back a day or two after that; you will have time to mail a payment in time. If you think the payment might be late, tell the person and they will make a note in your record. Be aware, however, that you may not be able to place a collect call from where you are (none allowed from Nepal, for example!)." Major credit cards are widely accepted and allow you to cash checks and obtain cash advances. Money that you have saved, can be left in a interest- bearing money market account, which transfers funds at a low cost. Checks can be written against the account at AmEx offices. "Before we left, we added Russell's mom to our bank accounts. Then on our trip, every so often we would buy $3,000-$4,000 worth of traveler's cheques. We would pay for the cheques by getting a cash advance on our credit card. Then back at home, Russell's mom would pay the credit card bill by writing a check from our account. Worked great. Occasionally however, we would be in a place where we had to get the cash advance at one bank (one that took VISA) and buy the traveler's cheques at another bank (one that sold American Express traveler's cheques)." "You may be asked to pay for an authorizing telephone call to the US in order to get a cash advance (e.g., in Cambodia)." "On our recent 19 month trip we set up a bank account with Laura's mother, who paid all our bills from it. This works great for a long trip, but only if your business manager back home is reliable. We found that we could get cash advances on VISA in all kinds of unusual places, including the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia. I highly recommend this as a way of handling money in those areas where banks are plentiful, providing someone is paying off the card back home (otherwise the interest adds up very quickly)." "Contrary to the propaganda of the credit card companies, credit cards are NOT widely accepted outside the First World, and almost never at any but the most outlandishly expensive establishments. I have seen many a traveller stranded for lack of money because they counted on being able to use, or get a cash advance with, a credit or ASM card. Remember that if your bank says, 'Of course this card is accepted in that country', that means (if it is true at all) that there is at least one place somewhere in the entire country that accepts it, not that it is accepted everywhere. The only card to count on is American Express, and only at their offices, not banks." "I travel using Visa and Mastercard and have had no problems." MCO - Miscellaneous Charges Order from travel agents or airlines can be used to purchase full-tickets or ship items, like Travellers Cheques. "Refunds can take months, and if you are travelling for a long time the refund deadline of an an MCO may have expired before you get back to where you bought it." They are commonly used to show proof of onward transport when entering a country, but many countries will not accept them for this purpose. "The most useful thing to have when in a bind is cash in US dollars. This is quite a commodity in places in Asia especially. I would recommend taking a few twenties along at least, in case of emergency. Also, this will get you the best rate on the black market." "A small wad of $1 bills is also very useful, if you do not want to change a $20 travellers' cheque, or if you need to pay a departure tax or visa fee in US Dollars (visa fees in Nepal are collected in US dollars, for example)." "I think it is real important to mention the availability of $500 denomination traveler checks. These can be broken down into smaller denominations at any AmEx office world wide, free of charge. Many people I met while traveling wished they had done this, instead of carrying a thick wad of $100 checks." "I would also recommend only AmEx travellers cheques. The difference is that if you lose them, you will be dealing direct with an AmEx office. Any other traveller's cheques, and you will be dealing with a local bank acting as an agent, whose problem you are not! Generally all TCs are equally acceptable wherever you are - it is the replacement of lost or stolen ones where AmEx scores heavily. I have known people to wait weeks for telexes to fly back and forth between the local bank and Europe or the USA before they get their replacement TCs. Even in major tourist places like Kathmandu and New Delhi." "I have had mt Thomas Cook travellers checks refunded quickly and gracefully (though admittedly not AS quickly as AmEx)." "The AmEx card can be used to cash personal checks up to $1000 every 21 days (up to $200 in local currency and the rest in travellers cheques). This is a great way to maintain liquidity while avoiding the bills back home, and is much better than wiring or other methods. I do not believe other cards provide this service." "Caution: Although in 1992 AmEx increased the amounts of money you can get with a personal check and your AmEx card, they also recently changed their policy about cashing counter checks at their offices. They formerly supplied counter checks useable for the full amount that you were entitled to cash using your AmEx card. Now, they will only allow emergency check cashing with a counter check for a very small amount of money, not even enough to get out of the country, if you have a hotel bill pending! So, if you lose your personal checks, you can be in trouble. Best to keep one or two sets of personal checks stashed away separately, in case of theft. Bank wire transfers can be very expensive, and replacement checks can take weeks to reach you from home. It is necessary to think carefully about how many checks you should take with you for cash and for paying any US bills you want to pay from overseas; it may take a long time to get more, especially if some of your mail gets lost from time to time, as happened to me repeatedly." "The American Express card comes in several different colours and flavors (green, gold, platinum, corporate in the USA; your mileage may vary elsewhere); the type of card you have (combined with AmEx's knowledge of your financial situation, your past experience with the card, etc.) determines how much and how often you may cash personal checks at their office. Specific limits are specified for each type of card; if you get your AmEx right before you travel you should not be surprised if AmEx will not approve cashing larger cheques right away; they want some proof through experience that you are not going to run off with their money before they sign on for the big bucks. In short, if you plan on getting 'the card' to use these benefits, then you should get the card several months in advance of your travel and use it a few times, just to establish your credit with AmEx." Do not quit your job before applying for a card, they will not give you one based on past history, just your current ability to pay. "It pays to think carefully about your cash flow on the trip and, if necessary, get a second AmEx card for your companion (they get their own check-cashing limit, even if they have an Associate Card on your account). You may want to try for a Gold card instead of a Green one, if the Green check-cashing limit is not enough. The same holds true if you plan to use a Visa or other cash-advance card. And watch the expiration dates carefully, as some credit card companies will not issue new cards in advance. It is wise to have more that one card available, in case of theft or loss, or expiration of one of them (allow many weeks to get the renewal or replacement card overseas, especially if the first one does not arrive). (American Express cards get replaced on the spot.)" "This also works in reverse; when you return to your home country, you can use your AmEx to cash non-home-country checks drawn in their currency for payment in your local currency. After I returned from Australia, I had a checking account with the National Australia Bank, which I kept open for one year. When I received my Australian tax refund (several thousand Australian dollars), I deposited that cheque by mail, and drew off that account by writing and cashing checks at the AmEx offices in the Boston area." "If you are spending an extended period in a locale, then you can often arrange to pay your AmEx bill in local currency. During a six month period, I paid my US dollar AmEx account in Australian dollars at an Australian AmEx office. Be sure to calculate your bill in the local currency and round up a bit (to cover for currency fluctuation - it takes longer than average to process your payment this way) and SAVE THE RECEIPT which says you have paid into your account." The "Money Abroad" FAQ is available at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/general/money-general (130.179.16.24) "Travel Tips for Less Developed Countries" is available at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/general/less_devel_tips-misc (130.179.16.24) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. OBTAINING A LEAVE-OF-ABSENCE OR ANNOUNCING RESIGNATION Contact personnel concerning the company's leave-of-absence policy before you speak with your manager. Find out what the time limit is for a sabbatical. Companies usually authorize LOA's for the following reasons: illness or injury, maternity, military service, and education. Initially, you can tell them that you are considering going to school. It's best to take an LOA, even if you will be gone longer than the allowable time, in case you must return early. They may hold the position open for you, even if you are a few months late, as long as you stay in touch. Beware of announcing a resignation too soon. Bosses are famous for major changes in attitude, and also finding your replacement quickly. Besides, you are never really sure that you are leaving until the last few months before departure. There are many last minute hitches or nerves that could stall or prevent your trip. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. HOME FINANCES & INCOME TAXES o Do not neglect home insurance and property taxes. o You may want to give a trustworthy friend or relative access to your funds, so that they can deal with unforeseen situations. o Make arrangements to file your Income Tax Return, if you will be gone when it is due. "For travellers with homes to maintain or with quite a few other monthly bills, these need to be attended to also. I set up automatic payment of all my recurring bills, using one of the billpaying services now available (I used BillPay USA, available through Prodigy, because it used my normal checking account; most banks that offer this service want you to have your checking account with them and the price is about the same). I gave a friend access to the BillPay account and was glad I did, as several payments had to be changed during the 13 months I was gone. I set up the payments so that they were slightly more than the amount I expected to be due; this gradually built up small credit balances, which tied up some funds but had a nice benefit: when I came home I had credit balances in all my accounts and could skip most of the next month's payments. This provided the 'nest egg' that is recommended above." "If you have to maintain a home while you are gone, do not neglect any Social Security Taxes you owe for household employees, the man who cuts the lawn, etc.. The billpaying services mentioned above usually will not pay taxes of any kind for you." "One thing did not work well: I had my friends send me my bills so that I could monitor how things were going. This was a nuisance for my friends, took a remarkable amount of postage, and did not work at all well. First, much of my mail was lost, so there were gaps. Second, by the time I found out there was a problem, it was rather late to fix it (Shell had suspended my credit card by the time I found there was a problem and cancelled it before my letter explaining got to them. When they understood what had happened, they were very good about restoring everything to normal, but it proved a lot of trouble for them, for my friends, and for me.) A better solution: Have someone open your bills and monitor the success of the automatic payments, making adjustments where necessary. If you do not have friends or relatives who can do this, you can hire a bank, but that is very expensive." "If you have someone you can trust with access to your funds, it is an excellent thing to do. Even if you set up automatic payments for your accounts, the amounts due may change while you are away, or other unexpected events are almost certain to arise. If you have not anyone you can trust with complete access, you might open a small checking account for them or just give them an emergency fund to operate with. Even if the emergency fund is not enough to cover the needed expense, most firms will accept the amount available as evidence of good faith while your friend contacts you for the rest." "You do not have to file Income Tax Return on time if you are out of the country. But you have to request an extension (and pay any interest due when you file). Some extensions are automatic, others require IRS Form 4868. IRS Publication 17 explains the ins and outs of this. Some States give an automatic extension, so ask before you leave. These are usually extensions to file, not extensions to pay, so there may be penalties if you have not paid the correct amount of estimated tax. It is probably best to file for the extension before you leave home, and is certainly easier." "If you have any shares of stock, you may want to open a margin account with your stockbroker and put the stock in it. Then, get checks to write on the margin account. This creates an instant loan against the value of the stock, but at very low interest, so can be good for emergency situations. You may also be able to arrange in advance for a bank wire of the money to an overseas bank, should you need to telephone for it from your hospital bed. . ." "People leaving their house empty should check their fire insurance: there may be requirements for someone to enter the premises every 60 days or so to check for water, leaks, etc.; otherwise you may find you do not have any coverage. People leaving a car behind may want to discontinue car insurance except for comprehensive (theft). However, some States have special rules that should be understood: In California, if someone steals your uninsured car and has an accident, you are liable and you will not have any coverage whatsoever! This could be financially catastrophic, if the accident is really serious. The exception is if the car is up on blocks in locked storage, then you are not liable." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. BARGAINING Could use a separate FAQ to list them all, any volunteers. ============================================================================== VI. VISAS Visa requirements are one of the things to talk to a travel agent about fairly early in your planning, as they can be real roadblocks. For long trips it is better to get your visas as you go, since they can expire after a certain period of time, and are cheaper. Be sure you are not required to obtain them in your home country, and you are able to obtain them from the neighboring countries along the way. Those you must have before you leave should be obtained in reverse order from when you will need them to ensure you can follow your route. Also, you will have to put down exactly when you will be in the country, which may change during the trip. You may need to renew your passport, as some countries require you to have a certain number of empty pages. Request extra pages when you get a new passport. A passport near expiration can be a greater problem because some customs officials view them with great suspicion. You can save yourself a few hassles if your passport is valid for at least six months longer than the duration of your trip. Keeping them in a ziploc will prevent the stamps from smearing in case you are in a rainstorm or fall in the water. "Sometimes you need to know what approach is likely to get you a visa BEFORE you talk to the embassy. Some countries do not like foreign businessmen, so business people have to say they are going as tourists. Other countries do not give visas to tourists, so tourists have to arrange a sponsor who claims they have business in the country. It is very hard to get a visa to India for research purposes, very hard to get a visa to Iran except for research purposes... If you do not know the proper line with which to approach the particular consulate or embassy, you may blow your chances prematurely." "Don't ever put work as the reason for your trip, or even mention you might try it unless you are certain you will get issued a visa on this basis. It is the surest way to get refused a visa." "A guy I met made a big mistake when entering Malawi: he wrote 'Photographer' and was more or less expelled from the country a few days later, after endless hassles, when he tried to explain that he was just taking photographs of nature, and was not a journalist bringing home articles about the political situation in Malawi. Never EVER put down 'photographer', 'journalist', 'author' or anything similar." If you need visas at the beginning of the trip, get them before you leave. The rest you can easily get as you go from the embassies or consulates in big cities, though this can take many days, especially if they have to contact your home country. "Be sure to find out what days and hours embassies are open. Some embassies and consulates are open for visa applications only one or a few days a week, and then for only a couple of hours. In some countries the requirements change frequently. Talking to travellers who have visited the country recently provides the best information." Some Muslim countries, like Saudi Arabia, do not issue visas to single women, or issue tourist visas. You will get better specific advice by contacting the embassy in the country of your citizenship. Many countries will not let you enter unless you have an airline ticket out of the country, and a visa to the next one. Some ask for proof of available funds, or require you to buy a minimum amount of their currency. A credit card sometimes works. It is possible to get extensions. Do not overstay your visa without renewing, unless you want to pay fines and possibly go to court. "Caution: Some countries, such as Thailand and Indonesia, will not allow you to extend your visa from inside the country -- you have to leave and then return again with a new visa, which may or may not be available at the border crossing. For trips to Thailand involving exits to other countries and returns, it is best to figure out how many entries you need (not forgetting the first one) and apply for a multiple-entry visa covering all the trips before you get there. Each of the entries is valid for a specified time period, but the overall duration of all the Thai trips is also limited, so you will need to consult with the appropriate Thai embassy for details. You can get a 15-day visa for Thailand at the Bangkok airport, etc., so this is not a problem for short stays in-country. In Nepal, multiple-entry visas or visa extensions are really rather expensive (about $40 to $100 US, as I recall). You can get an extension in-country." "For proof of funds you can either have wadges of travellers cheques, references from banks or building societies, or photocopies of recent statements amongst other things. Be careful when an embassy asks you to provide evidence - some are getting wise to the trick of getting a relative or friend to deposit money in your account temporarily." While embassies and travel agents are the surest source of information, travel guide books (introductory sections of the Lonely Planet Guide series for example) also have information. Provided the book is reasonably up to date, and no coups or civil wars have since occurred, they are generally correct. Be prepared for entry requirements to change while you are on the road. Take 10 or 20 small photos with you, they may come in handy. "Good places to get visas in Europe are London, Paris, Bern, and Bonn. There are companies that specialize in walking your passport around between different embassies, filling in forms and all such stuff for you. I got the impression they are rather expensive." "If you need a lot of visas, do not underestimate the time (and expense of Registered Mail) needed to get them all sequentially." ============================================================================== VII. HEALTH [Looking for a volunteer for this FAQ] There are a number of books on the market, and rec.travel always has a discussion on the most up-to-date ways of preventing malaria. Do not wait to the last minute to get your vaccinations. There is a waiting period between certain types of shots. Your system will take a while to get used to foreign food. Enduring the initial illnes, as your body adapts, can take a few months, but will prepare you for the rest of the trip. A long excerpt from "Staying Healthy in Asia, Africa, and Latin America" is available at: gopher://gopher.moon.com:7000/11s/travel.health (166.90.1.200) ============================================================================== VIII. TRAVEL INSURANCE "Travel health insurance is prohibitively expensive for long (more than a month or so) trips. Keep coverage in your home country for catastrophic illness and self-insure for any treatment you need while travelling (such treatment as is available locally is usually cheap; if you need major treatment you will probably want to come home)." "In Australia I pay AUS $700 for one year's good travel insurance (that's about $2 a day). I do not find that prohibitively expensive, not cheap, but by no means prohibitive. Australian domestic insurance is not valid overseas and you are running appreciable risks to travel without some insurance." "There are different levels of coverage, and different rates based on parts of the world covered, length of trip, participation in high risk sports etc.. It is often best to buy coverage from whoever you get your ticket with rather than separately - dunno why." "Considerations when economising on insurance: (1) Be honest about high-risk sports. You will pay more, but if you need it you will really need it. (2) Look at what you are getting, especially in terms of if you need to fly home through illness, is your partner's return covered too; is your health covered under only restrictive conditions; what level of insurance is there against stolen cash, belongings etc. - what is the excess. Is replacement of documents (e.g. passport and visas) covered? (3) How long will it take to process a claim. (4) Will you be able to extend/alter/replace/renew this policy from abroad if the need arises. (5) Read the fine print!" "Yes, read the fine print. I cannot believe the number of people I meet that do not. Just take a short look at all the exclusions before you start feeling comfortable. "Trip cancellation/interruption insurance does not depend on the time duration of the trip, only the cost of your tickets; it will cover the cost of tickets home if you need to come home." "If you are using an RTW ticket, it is useful to understand clearly if it is good for an early return, and especially if there are frequent flights available on which it can be used." If you have health insurance with your current employer and you will not be able to obtain a leave-of-absence, you usually have the option of continuing the same coverage under the COBRA plan in the US. COBRA seems to be a term for "continuing insurance", not a specific insurance company. It is available for the first 18 months after you quit working, and covers overseas claims, like hospitalization, etc., as long as you have the receipts. Normal, independent insurance policies are much higher than COBRA. Medicare does not provide overseas coverage, but many Medi-Gap policies do. Access America International, PO Box 90315, Richmond, VA 23230. (800)284-8300, (800)654-1908. (Blue Cross & Blue Shield subsidiary) American Express Travel Protection Plan, PO Box 919010, San Diego, CA 92191-9970. (800)234-0675, (800)234-0375. Carefree Travel Insurance, The Berekeley Group, PO Box 310, 120 Mineola Blvd, Mineola, NY 11501. (800)645-2424, (800)323-3149, (516)294-0220. CIEE (Council on Intl Educ Exchange), 205 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017. (212)661-1414. (for students, teachers, and youths) Edmund A Cocco/Globalcare Travel Insurance, 220 Broadway #201, Lynnfield, MA 01940. (800) 821-2488. IAMAT (Intl Assoc for Medical Assistance to Travelers), 417 Center St, Lewiston, NY 14092. (716)754-4883. International SOS Assistance, Inc., One Neshaminy Interplex, Tervose, PA 19047. (800)523-8930, (215)244-1500. MEDEX/TravMed, International Travelers Assistance Association (ITAA), PO Box 10623, Baltimore, MD 21285-0623. (800)732-5309. Mutual of Omaha/Tele-Trip/TravelAssure, Mutual of Omaha Plaza, Box 31685, 3201 Farnam St, Omaha, NB 68175. (800)228-7669, (800)228-9792. STA - Student Travel Association Travel Assistance International, 1133 15th St NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005. (800)821-2828. (202)331-1609. Travel Care International, PO Box 846, Eagle River, WI 54521. (800)524-7633, (715)479-8881. Travel Guard International, 1145 Clark St, Stevens Point, WI 54481-2980. (800)826-5850. (800)826-1300. (715)345-0505. Travel Insurance Programs Corp., 243 Church St, West Vienna, VA 22180. (703)448-2472. Travelers Emergency Network, PO Box 238, Hyattsville, MD 20797-8109. (800)278-4836. The Travelers Insurance Co., Travel Pak, One Tower Square, Hartford, CT 06115-5040. (800)243-3174, (203)277-0111. Wallach & Co., Health Care Abroad/Health Care Global, 107 W Federal St, PO Box 480, Middleburg, VA 22117-0480. (800)237-6615, (703)687-3172. WorldCare Travel Assistance Association Inc., 605 Market St, Ste 1300, San Francisco, CA 94105. (800)666-4993, (800)253-1877, (415)541-4991. or 2000 Pennsylvania Ave NW, #7600, Washington, DC 20006. (800)521-4822, (202)293-0335. [I haven't called for rates yet, but will gladly add them if anyone has them. May separate this companies out to a US Supplement with the airline programs] ============================================================================== IX. PEOPLE 1. COMPANIONS The following section contains valid arguments for travelling alone or with others. Travelling with others provides added security, lower accommodation costs when sharing rooms, and less weight when packing shared equipment. "Having a companion to stay with the luggage while you try to find that great, cheap guest house can be a real boon. You are not in a good position to bargain for rates if you have been slogging 10 kilometers in the rain with a heavy pack." Choose your partner(s) well, because you will probably spend every moment together from start to finish. This may seem obvious, but there will be times when feelings get hurt in the decision-making process. More importantly, do you trust them when the going gets rough? You may have to rely on them if your health deteriorates, or an "unsafe" situation arises. There are plenty of travel partners who have been abandoned in the middle of the trip. Always be sure that you could cope on your own if need be - it may happen through argument, sickness or any number of other factors. Be prepared. Note: If your companion has a different passport-nationality, both of you may not be able to get the same visas. Make sure you have compatible personalities, objectives, interests, budgets, spending patterns, and similar levels of fitness long before you leave. They should be able to carry their own load, unless you want to carry it. Read the section on "Goal or Purpose" in chapter 1 again. You will need to spend some time together, like a whole weekend living out of your backpacks and travelling around your city for 8+ hours a day using public transportation, or go on a camping trip. Discuss objectives and how problems will be solved. "Discuss in advance what happens if you want to split. Would it be possible? A couple may end up with a male travelling alone (no trouble), and a woman having to go home since she does not feel comfortable travelling alone." "Make sure you understand how to do a 'time out'. There *will* be times when your interests will not be satisfied doing things with your companion. Plan for a day or two when you travel separately in the same city, doing things which you would not do with the other person. It works wonders." "This is harder to do than it sounds for the very reason it is so necessary: you become dependent on each other, unable to experience the culture alone. Do it even if you do not feel the need, you will not be sorry." "Another big compatibility issue is how to handle hooking up with yet another person, especially if there is a potential romance in the offing." If you do not have a travel partner, there are organizations that will help you find travel mates. "Travel Clubs" is available at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/general/travel_clubs (130.179.16.24) "Pen-Pal Clubs" is available at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/general/penpals (130.179.16.24) You could always go alone, and pick up partners along the way provided you are a good judge of character. One good thing about travelling alone is that you will have more exposure to the cultures. It also gives you more flexibility and freedom in your plans, since you can go wherever you want, whenever you want. "You are forced to meet more people for any sort of social interaction. Many people who travel in groups, even a group of two, find much of their time is spent dealing with the group and not the people of the country you are in. My wife and I decided to travel separately, she travelled, and when she came home I left. This made sure bills were paid, lawn was watered, investments looked after, etc.." "If you do travel alone successfully, you will return with such an enormous feeling of accomplishment and self confidence that I sometimes recommend a solo trip to friends as therapy. The downside is occasional loneliness and the lack of someone to help you out of jams, but once you move beyond this and find your own inner strengths and abilities you will be exhilarated." "I have done a LOT of travelling throughout Africa & Asia and met a lot of other travellers on the way, and would say the most important bit of advice to give someone setting off, THE golden rule, is GO ALONE! Travelling is a very individual thing - a companion forces you to make compromises. The dynamics between yourself and your companion intrude on the travelling and diminish the experience. A companion isolates you from others - you become a social unit that excludes others joining in. Plus you will inevitably part company sooner or later anyway - save youself the grief and the wasted opportunities. There are many others on the road with whom you will team up for short periods anyway. There are plenty of watering holes en-route where you can meet up with other travellers when you find yourself needing social intercourse. There will always be others whith whom you can share expenses (i.e. renting a car or guide) for short (< 1 month) excursions. Go on your own - it's MUCH more fun. The only exception I would make to the above is if you have a wife/husband/partner without whom you would not want to be anywhere: and even then the travelling itself is still diminished - but the relationship is more important." You will meet plenty of people in the hostels, guest houses, and hotels. It is easy to get to know people in this situation. At times, you will probably travel with one or more people you meet along the way for days or months. The key is to realize everyone has widely differing interests and budgets, even though you enjoy each other's company. Know when and how to gracefully separate, even if just for the day, so you may remain friends after the trip. "After talking to many travellers along the way, the common conclusion has been that, no matter who you leave home with, it is a good idea to plan for doing some parts of the trip separately, if each person is comfortable with that. Just because you are interested in doing different things at certain stages of the trip should not mean you have to part on bad terms and never meet up again. Besides, a few days apart does wonders if you're getting sick of each other!" "I found the best time to meet others was during the transportation phase between cities. Travelers usually band together for the 'duration' and commonly need the same types of shelter at the destination point. Once others have moved into town and setup their accommodations, it is harder to join their party than if you were all in it since the moment you stepped off the bus/train/boat." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. WOMEN "I am always surprised at the large number of women who, respectful of foreign cultures in every other way, still believe that western ideas about men and women should and do apply in other cultures. It just is not so, and pretending otherwise will only bring heartache. Women ought to dress conservatively in most places, and limit their relations with men to what is appropriate in the culture. In return, they will receive respect and a degree of access to the women of that culture that is denied to men." "Some parts of the world can be difficult for solo women travelers. There is this myth, gleamed from Western movies, that Western women LOVE sex, NEED sex, and WANT sex. If a woman is traveling alone, then she must obviously WANT, NEED, and LOVE sex from every man she meets." "A Journey of One's Own: Uncommon Advice for the Independant Woman Traveler" by Thalia Zapatos (1992). "MsAdventures - Worldwide Travelguide for Independent Women" by Gail Rubin Sereny. "Nothing to Declare: Memoirs of A Woman Traveling Alone" by Mary Morris. "Real Guide for Women Travelling" by Natania Jansz (1990). "The Traveling Woman" by Dena Kaye. "Women Travel: Adventures, Advice, and Experience" edited by N. Jansz. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. CONTACTS The most rewarding experience is to see other people's city and country from their point of view. Contacts can also be very comforting, in cases of an emergency. Be prepared to reciprocate for their hospitality and expect many penpals. Sources - college students and teachers. Write to them, tell them who you are, when you will be in the area, and let them know that any consideration or hospitality they can extend you would be greatly appreciated. When you get there, call and see if you can have lunch together. "This advice should be used very cautiously, as it can unintentionally be very unfair. There are some cultures, especially in the Middle East, where the laws of hospitality are so strong that people will beggar themselves to provide the level of hospitality that they feel tradition requires. I had friends working in Iran who had occasion to be on mountaintops frequently. They had to be very cautious for fear that the lonely shepherd and his family would kill their only milk-giving sheep to provide a sumptuous meal for their guests, etc.. So asking for 'consideration or hospitality' may be just the wrong thing to do. Surely OK in Western cultures, however, particularly amongst students or professionals. Although I am not sure what I would think if I got a note like that: probably that my family's traditions of hospitality obliged me to provide accommodation, meals and tours, etc. even if it were not convenient or easily affordable. So the concept is not necessarily limited to the Middle East." You will make many friends while travelling, and will probably also visit them when you get to their country. Likewise they will probably want to visit you. "When traveling, have business cards to give to others - most fellow travelers will be crossing your home country at some point. Besides, it gives them a convenient way to keep your address (rather than on a scrap of paper)." "I have a personal calling card - just my name, address, and phone number. If I ever meet someone in a non-work related way, it is convenient to give to them. But you might need business cards for another reason; I have been asked for mine by airport security in Rome, and passport control/customs/immigration types see them as more proof of financial responsibility." 4. BON VOYAGE PARTY Invite your boss! ============================================================================== X. COMMUNICATIONS 1. HEADQUARTERS It is best to have a friend or family member back home, to serve as a 'permanent address' for mail and financial matters. Leave small care-packages with a trusted individual back home, who will send them in times of need. You may be able to give their phone number and address to others who need to contact you. "Leave a record of all important information here including but not limited to, known itinerary (as far as is possible); lists of poste restantes that you will check with approximate dates; copies of important documents, e.g. passport, visas, insurance papers; numbers of travellers cheques, bank accounts, credit cards and so on. [Watch out for expiry dates on credit cards - will you get caught out?]" "We wrote one 2 to 4 page letter every 6 to 8 weeks to all our friends and relatives. We sent the letter to our designated mailer, who we equipped with mailing labels before we left. All our friends were thrilled to get these continuous dispatches about our trip." "Be sure your care-packages have some blank checks, including ones for any line of credit you may have (including the one on your credit card, if checks are available)." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. TELEPHONE "I recommend scheduling a certain time each week that you *may* call home. I chose early Sunday morning (home time) so as to catch someone at home. If there were any important messages, I could pick them up that way." AT&T has a USADirect service, which allows you to reach US operators from foreign phones by dialing local access numbers. (800)874-4000 or (800)321-1140 x707. Globalcom 2000 is a US-based telecommunications company offering prepaid calling cards and long distance service. They offer a worldwide International Callback service. When you dial a toll free number, you receive a busy signal. The system calls you back, giving you access to US lines and low rates. -- All rates are per minute, at any time of day. -- Rates apply to calls placed from the listed country to the U.S. as well as for calling the listed country from the U.S. Calling a 1-800 number is charged at the same rate as other calls to the U.S. -- For calling to another country besides the U.S., you are charged for calling the U.S., and then again for calling outside the U.S. -- For example: To call from the UK to the U.S. is $0.44/min. To call Germany from the UK is $0.44 + the German rate of $0.57, for a total of $1.01/min. -- There are no additional charges besides these rates. The $100 prepayment is applied to calls only, this is not a "start up" fee. There is no minimum amount of usage after this initial payment. -- If you pay by credit card, once the $100 pre-payment is used, any additional usage will be charged to your credit card account. The $25 deposit guarentees that you will receieve uninterrupted service during the time it takes to charge the credit card. -- Sampling: Malaysia $1.48, Singapore $0.65, Australia $0.88. Compiled by scb@netcom.com, April 23, 1994. Scott Bundren, Independent Globalcom Representative International Telecom Ltd is a US-based company offering Kallback Direct. You dial an assigned number in Seattle, let it ring once, and hang up. The computer then calls you back; by answering you are plugged into a standard US phone line. Your credit card is billed monthly. Matrix Communications is a callback service provider. To make a phone call, first call the trigger number. You will hear a busy signal and will not be charged for this call. Hang-up the phone, and you will immediately be called back with a U.S. dial tone, enabling you to take advantage of low U.S. rates for international calling. Features: Speed Dialing, "Pound" key Re-dial, Multi-lingual Operator Services, Fax Broadcast, and Three-Way Conference Calling. A travel card is available that allows you to easily change your callback number as you move around the world. There is a one-time charge of $100 for activation. There is also a minimum monthly usage of $25 on each Passport trigger number. Detailed usage statements are mailed or faxed monthly. (408)761-5500, (408)761-6284 fax, e-mail: callback@netcom.com ftp: ftp.netcom.com pub/callback/callback.txt MCI has a CallUSA service, which allows you to reach US operators from foreign phones by dialing local access numbers. (800)888-0800 or (800)444-3333. "MCI charges a premium to use the 800 numbers for local dialup access from the different countries. I used MCI's CallUSA to call the US from Malaysia in July 1993, and found out that the average call per minute was $5.75 for the first minute and for calls over 2 minutes, it was close to $3.65 per minute. Regular rate is .77/min called directly from USA (with MCI's Friends Around the World) 800-782-1236." "USADirect, like other competing companies, has a number of other services, including World Connect (calls from one foreign country to another, not available everywhere); translation service; a nice message service (whereby your recorded message is left for your contact at a time convenient for you, delivered at a time convenient for them; they have a minute or two to record an answer, then you listen to it later), and other features. USA Direct and particularly World Connect are rather expensive (more so that making a call at the local PTT Office). Get a calling card or telephone credit card before you leave home and a list of the numbers to call from within the foreign countries. The general term for this kind of service is 'Home Country Direct.' From some telephones in some countries, you can call most of the major nations and speak directly to their operators in their language, using their credit cards. In some countries, such as Thailand and Indonesia and Seychelles, it is very difficult to find a public telephone that offers this service, although most hotels will place the call at an extra charge of $2 or so. In other countries (e.g., India) you may have to go to a private telephone office to place your call, but these are easy to find." "Do not assume you can place your call and get through at all times. Some countries have very few external circuits and they are often busy for long periods. Do not assume you can use touch-tone equipment to communicate with the US end (answering services, etc.) even if you carry a touch-tone beeper with you. You may be able to reach the answering service (and pay for that call), only to find that the international circuit is not good enough to work properly. This varies widely from country to country and from day to day." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. POSTAL DROPS Poste Restante in most countries (General Delivery in the US, Lista Corr? in South America) will hold mail for a few months before returning it to sender (or throwing it away). These addresses are available in many travel books. Have the sender indicate Poste Restante on the address, capitalize and underline your last or family name in large block letters (to prevent mail from being misfiled under your first name). "Most post offices will ignore (or not understand) a 'Hold until' note on mail. Besides, travel plans change and you may arrive months later than planned. If there is a travel 'season' for that country, most packages unclaimed are returned after that season." LASTNAME, Firstname -------- Poste Restante GPO City Country "In some English-based countries following the above advice will get your mail filed under your first name. In too many countries do not expect anything in a letter to arrive. Any enclosure in a letter may lead to delay or loss of the letter and or the item enclosed. This is especially true for money, checks, and credit cards. Even letters with only photos enclosed have been opened. If you are mailing a number of first class letters or postcards from a poor country hand them directly to a clerk and watch the clerk cancel the stamps. This is because in many countries the price of a first-class stamp is equal to a day's wage so stealing them and reselling stamps is a lucrative sideline for postal workers." Airmail can take anywhere from 7 to 30 days to get to you. Surface mail can take three months or more. Before going to the central or main post office, call to see if your package has arrived, what the hours are, how to get there, and if there is a pick-up fee. "Calling will not work in 90% of places. It may be impossible to establish the phone number, they may not have a clue what you are talking about, and they probably do not care. When you go to the post office, use whatever system is there (DIY computer-checking in Sydney, efficient queues in La Paz, possible lengthy waits in the US). Some places have lists you check to see if there is anything for you. It all works in the end - patience is the key. It is a great feeling when you get that bundle in your hand!" Sometimes identification, such as a passport, is required. If you have to leave the area and are still expecting mail, they can forward it or hold it for you, if you will be returning. American Express offers mail drop service (letters and cards only, no packages in general) at many of their offices. It is free for AmEx customers (just show them an AmEx card or unused AmEx Travelers Cheque), otherwise there is a charge (e.g. $2.00 per pickup). They have offices world-wide. Call their 800 number for exact addresses, or see their free pamphlet "American Express Traveler's Companion" which includes a worldwide listing. The pamphlet has some other useful information and is worth taking with you on an extended trip. American Express offices sometimes charge to forward mail. Note: US embassies and consulates do not handle private mail. "I suggest those who write to you regularly number there letters and reference back to them as well as reference to your letter (e.g. I received your letter from Hong Kong dated April 22, Number #4 on May 10). That way you can see any gaps in the numbers. Another tip is to bring some first class postage stamps. Then you give simple letters to missionary groups who use a courier to bring mail to the US with local stamps already on them. You can also do this with people you meet in the airport going to the US. As long as it is a simple letter with no other contents most people will not object. I have also gone to big hotel lobbies and found little old ladies in tour groups, and by picking out someone with a California accent, I ask them if they are going home soon, and would like call my parents to tell them they saw me. This way your family has an independent observer relaying that you are alive and well." "A few airmail postage stamps may also prove handy, if you need to write to a US firm and prepay their reply (International Reply Coupons are more expensive)." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. SHIPPING/MAILING Ask about special wrapping requirements, and if it must be inspected before wrapping. Ask the postal clerk to postmark your mail in your presence. Use registered mail for important documents. "Packages are almost always inspected before they are sealed - do not seal them until the post office has said to do so. Of course, this tips off the postal worker to what is of value, so do not send anything of value without using insurance. Also note, that packages sent to your home country will be inspected and possibly tariffed upon arrival. Private materials can be sent to your home address. Mark as 'private - do not open' any packages you do not want your family or home base people to open (like personal journals). If you take photos and develop them as you travel, consider mailing them home too. However, send the negatives separately using first class mail." "Many countries, especially in SE Asia, have a special 'small package' rate which can save you 60% or more on shipping things home. Sometimes you must ask about it to find out, some post offices may honor it and some may not. In Indonesia, it is called Registered Letter, and is good up to 2 kilograms." "If you are a journal writer, consider sending to your homebase a travel summary for each country. This can later be collected into a mini-journal and also can be copied and passed around to friends and family while you are gone. Try to use 'local' stationary or whatever for that special ambience. I used it to great effect. I also did not have to worry about the safety of my journal when traveling. A last recommendation - use those exotic beer coasters as postcards - all my friends loved them - especially the ones with Chinese characters on them. Just use regular postcard postage. All but one made it home safe and sound." "In my experience, most of the post is very reliable, and in some places (e.g. Fiji) exceptionally cheap; expect one or two things to go astray and remember you will likely not be around to investigate what happened. Do not post really important or valuable things if you are in doubt or cannot afford the loss." "International rates vary widely. Nepal is exceptionally cheap, Thailand noticeably higher (more like US rates which are among the lowest in the world). A single First Class letter mailed abroad from Germany costs 3 DM ($1.80)(!) but that covers up to 50 grams. Oddly, Express Mail is not necessarily faster than normal Air Mail (to Bali, for example; the Express Mail is probably sent to Jakarta first, while the regular Air Mail goes direct). Unfortunately, international mail service is becoming less and less reliable. Major portions of my mail to Nepal, Thailand and Indonesia were lost. Using Registered Mail should help, but that can be exceptionally slow (and the international indemnity is limited to a few Swiss Francs ($32.35 US))" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. ELECTRONIC MAIL Access is becoming more available world-wide, but hasn't quite gotten to the point of being able to pop in to the nearest GPO and send e-mail. Just drop in to a system admin at a college computer lab and explain what you are doing. You will probably get a temporary account. Offer to buy the sys admin a beer! Else, hang out near the college bars in Boston, meet some of the students, and they will probably let you e-mail from their account. If your company has an Internet connection, you might convince them to leave your account open as a way for you to read their important questions for you that they cannot solve. Then people can e-mail you there, and you could respond. They may not disable your account, even after 1-year, if you stay in contact with them. Send them friendly e-mail once in awhile. I did this on my last vacation and everyone in the office loved it. They can live their dreams out through you. Carl Malamud roamed the world three times, and was able to telnet back to his system in Denver, or connect to his MCIMail account, from many colleges and businesses. He wrote a book about it, called "Exploring the Internet, A Technical Travelogue". [Need online references to archive and newsgroups for the international traveller and the laptop group] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. FACSIMILE (FAX) "Privately operated fax facilities are ubiquitous (common), especially in third world countries. Sending a fax is often cheaper than making a telephone call, because it takes less time. But you do not have the convenience of getting an immediate answer and some hotels, etc. may not want to pay to send you an answering fax." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. HAM RADIOS "One great reason to get a ham license, even a 'no-code tech', is that you get a call sign. You only need to read the question-and-answer book by Gordon West. Even if you never own a radio, in the US you can use your local radio club radio. If someone else acts as control operator, you can even do long-distance (longer than 6 meter wavelength bands). Once you are a licensed ham, every other ham in the world is your friend and will do whatever to help you, both on and off the radio. It is great for just talking while stuck in traffic or getting advice on anything, there is always someone out there. If you have an emergency, a ham on the air will stick with you until help arrives or, if necessary, will rescue you themself. Unlike 911 you can generally get through somewhere since there are so many frequencies. In LA there is a frequency I can call and have a sheriff dispatched by someone who monitors the frequencies for traffic disasters and other emergencies. You can generally spot hams in foreign countries by their large array of antennas. The cost of the exam is about $6 and the license is free. Last time I checked the only thing you could get for free was a certificate of death from the consulate if you died abroad. I guess they have not found a way yet to collect if you are dead. Threats are not very effective against dead people, nor is jail time." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. LANGUAGES "Knowing some other languages (not fluently, just a couple dozen please and thank-you variety words) opens even more doors for you. The locals appreciate your effort, even if the majority speaks English, and it can help you even more in bargaining, getting directions while away from the tourist areas, reading menus, etc.. Picking up a limited vocabulary is usually quite easy while you are in the country as long as you make the effort." "It is almost impossible to find places in the world today where an English speaker cannot be produced to translate for you within a few minutes. But if you cannot be bothered to do people the courtesy of learning at least a few words of their language, you probably ought not to be travelling in that country. A basic vocabulary can be gotten very quickly and will open doors and hearts that are closed to others. The secret to getting along in a foreign country with a few words and sign language is not to be afraid of making a fool of yourself. The people may laugh, but they are laughing with you, in the joy that here is someone willing to meet them on their own terms. The worse you sound and the harder you try, the more they will respect your effort. Laura says that she does better in foreign languages if she concetrates on the face of the person speaking, and the overall meaning they are trying to convey, rather than getting hung up on individual words or keeping her nose in the phrasebook." "If you want to be able to communicate with the locals you must either know the language or go to countries were your language is spoken by more than just people who deal with tourists. So a list of countries where English is spoken by the locals would be nice. Here are some: USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Vietnam (especially in the south, French in the north), South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Israel, UK, Ireland." Others: Malaysia (at least on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula), Fiji, Cook Islands, French is a language a lot of travellers know, or would like to learn. Countries where French is spoken widely: Europe - Belgium, France, Switzerland; South Pacific - French Polynesia (Tahiti), New Caledonia, Vanuatu; French West Indies - Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique; Africa - Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Seychelles, Togo, Zaire; South America - French Guiana. "For any travel to Central/South America it is beneficial to make some effort to learn Spanish unless you are restricting yourself to Brazil (which is vast!), in which case Portuguese would be better! In other places, for the most part English is widely understood to some degree; although we found in Indonesia, that it was quite easy to pick up the language, and very useful on many of the less touristy islands. This knowledge also is helpful in Malaysia and Singapore." "Esperanto is an artificial language, with more than three million speakers worldwide, in every conceivable country, and a strong sense of cohesion and friendship if at times eccentricity. You can learn it quickly, and it is very expressive with an incredible body of original literature, poetry and music (including rock, folk, easy listening). If language interests you in any way and you would like to make contacts worldwide, learn this one. Check soc.culture.esperanto out and write Derk Ederveen (derk@saluton.hacktic.nl) for a free correspondence course on the net." Learn to say common words and phrases: hello, good bye, please, thank you, yes, no, excuse me, good, bad, where, how much, too much, and the numbers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. CUSTOMS, TRADITIONS, AND CULTURAL TABOOS The "Culture Shock! A Guide to Customs and Etiquette" series are written by people from the country the guide is about, and gives a unique look at customs, manners, mores, traditions, and other pitfalls that await foreign visitors. "Do's and Taboos Around The World: a Guide to International Behavior" by Roger Axtell (1993). "Do's and Taboos of Preparing for Your Trip Abroad" by Roger Axtell and John Healy (1994). "Do's and Taboos of Using English Around The World" by Roger Axtell (1994). "European Customs and Manners: How to Make Friends and Do Business in Europe" by Elizabeth Devine and Nancy Braganti (1992). "Gestures: The Do's and Taboos of Body Language Around The World" by Roger Axtell (1991). "Traveler's Guide to Asian Customs and Manners" by Elizabeth Devine and Nancy Braganti (1986). "Traveler's Guide to Latin American Customs and Manners" by Elizabeth Devine and Nancy Braganti (1988). "Traveler's Guide to Middle Eastern and North African Customs and Manners" by Elizabeth Devine and Nancy Braganti (1991). "Shorts and T-shirts may be OK if you are just going to hang around beaches but throughout Asia your choice of clothing is seen as a mark of the respect in which you hold the people of the countries you are visiting. If you wish to be accorded respect then you should dress at least as well as you would at home." ============================================================================== XI. PACKING To travel light, collect everything you think you need, then cut it in half. You will still have more than you need. The pack should not be full, since you will inevitably acquire things along the way, and you will need room for extra water and food in remote areas. There are only a few important things, since most items obtained overseas (except X-Large clothing). You can buy and sell, or rent, cold weather-gear as you need it. As a general rule, the longer you are going the less you should take. "I have yet to find anyplace in the world where you could not buy clothing, low to middle quality footwear, and toiletries, although it costs more in Europe and Scandinavia. Next time I travel to the third world, I will take an empty pack and fill it up with cheap clothing on arrival. Do not carry all the clothes you will need for the whole trip, but wear them out and replace them along the way. Do not take stuff you *might* need, but could acquire along the way (like a set of dress-up clothes). And do not take a lot of technological garbage intended to isolate you from the very places you want to experience, like walkmen, fancy cameras, etc.." "Oh, one more thing, do not worry about fitting everything into your pack -- there seems to be some magical expansion and contraction going on as you add and delete items from the pack. Our universal rule after the trip was that your pack will adjust to however much stuff you end up having in your pack. A corollary to that is -- do not pack more than you REALLY need, because your pack will adjust and forever get heavier. This is especially true as one moves from a colder climate to a much warmer one -- the weight and size of the pack is inversely proportional to the climate! ;-)" You will not find a packing list here! Please refer to the "Universal Packing List" by Mats Henricson, available at: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/general/packing_list (130.179.16.24) e-mail: mats.henricson@eua.ericsson.se If you have a radio or electric shaver, you will need to determine if batteries will be readily available, or decide whether you are willing to carry a battery charger and adapters. "You only need to take information for the first few destinations, then have the rest mailed to you, or buy it along the way. Books are usually more expensive outside the US, but you can look for used ones. You can also trade books with those travelling in the opposite direction. In Bangkok, Khao San Road is the famous backpacker's area, and there are lots of used travel books. You can even buy fake press cards and student ID cards, the latter being useful in Europe." "India was an excellent place to buy books, either new or used. Very cheap, and lots of selection!" The same is true in Nepal. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BACKPACKS Many travellers carry large backpacks and check them in, without any problems. However, most recommend that you resist the temptation to carry large packs, since you can live indefinitely out of a single carry-on. They save you a lot of hassles at airports, and you always have all your possessions with you. There are times when you may have to check them due to airline regulations. Also, if you are carrying a tent or sleeping bag, you may not be able to fit it all into a small pack. A small backpack is no greater than 114cm (45") when the length, width, and height are added. A pack with dimensions of 53x38x25cm (21"x15"x10") will qualify as carry-on luggage and still fit under your seat. Many travellers are using small, internal frame backpacks, that distribute the weight to their hips. These have wide, well-padded waistbelts and shoulder straps. Two of the many packs that meet these criteria are: The Eagle Creek "Solo Journey Pack". It has an outside pocket and a panel-opening main compartment, of maximum legal carry-on size 51x38x25cm (20"x15"x10"), weighs 3.4 pounds, and has an internal aluminum frame, foam padding, shoulder straps, and hip belt. The straps tuck away to convert to a conventional suitcase. Very high quality Cordura construction, true lockable zippers, tie-downs, and is dressy enough to look like formal luggage when the occasion calls for it (it comes in Evergreen, Black, and an insipid Harbor Blue). It sells for around $100. The Eagle Creek "Continental Journey" 53x38x25cm (21"x15"x9") is the "Solo Journey" with a zip-on daypack 41x30x15cm (16x12x6"). It weighs 4 pounds and lists for around $210, but Magellan's carries it for $165, and REI sells it for $150. Note: There have been comments that the daypack can give you an awkward feeling due to the extra weight farther from your back, the security problem of someone stealing the daypack, and another potential zipper failure. Carry a supply of monofilament fishing line, and a needle with an eye big enough to take the line, to repair a pack while on the road. Use the internal and external compression straps on the pack once it is closed to take the load almost entirely off the zipper. The Backcountry newsgroup archives are available at: http://io.datasys.swri.edu (129.162.50.220) via news: rec.backcountry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ OTHER FORMS OF LUGGAGE Whether you carry a backpack or a normal suitcase can be influenced by the types of transportation you take, as well as security con- siderations: anyone can easily break into either a backpack or a suitcase, but sometimes the suitcase takes longer to get into and also offers more protection for fragile contents, and better protec- tion from dust and rain. No zippers to get jammed, either. Although you are entitled to two suitcases on transatlantic and transpacific flights (the second one maximum 55" length, width & height combined), the limit for checked luggage elsewhere is only 20 kilos (however, I checked 27 kilos everywhere RTW and was never charged excess except where the in-country airline allowance was only 10 or 15 kilos, which occurred several places). The 20 kilo allo- wance goes into effect after your first stopover in a foreign coun- try. Luggage that is easy to handle at airports and on airplanes may be difficult on trains or busses. For example, the largest suitcase officially permitted on a transatlantic/transpacific flight (62" length, width & height combined) is too large for most First Class train compartments in Europe (the place a Eurail pass allows you to sit) and may be impractical for bus travel as well. When changing trains, you may find you have to manage several flights of steps with your luggage, which can be a chore, especially if you are travelling alone. Most places you stay will keep luggage for you at low cost, so you may want also to carry or buy a smaller pack or duffel bag for in- country excursions, leaving your souvenirs and other excess items behind. ============================================================================== XII. SAFETY AND SCAMS Could use a separate FAQ to list them all, any volunteers? [How heavy were your backpacks, and how did you deal with the security aspect when leaving them in a room to go to the beach or wander the city?] ============================================================================== XIII. RETURNING The world is suddenly a smaller place for you. You may have a feeling of despair, culture shock, or alienation when you return to your home, job, and friends, especially if you spent much time immersed in other cultures and environments. "Plan on at least a one-week vacation in your hometown before you have to do anything like return to work or look for a job." "Have a great big Welcome Home party planned. I know I was writing home weeks ahead of time fantasizing of the perfect home made meal (backyard BBQ with corn on the cob, Doritos and Salsa dip - for those of you interested). Expect a slight depression to set in after the initial excitement wears off your friends and family and they return to their normal lives. My cure was to take a small trip (Minnesota to Texas) to visit other friends. The hardest adjustment was going back to work. Sitting behind a desk, KNOWING that the world goes on outside those walls, sure can be depressing. But, then again, so is not drawing a paycheck." "A comment I have heard from numerous travellers after they have returned home is 'Nothing has changed!'. It's amazing how little everyone at home will have done, when compared to the experiences you have packed into your trip. After the first few days of excitement of seeing everyone again (which you have looked forward to for a long time), it can be a shock trying to adjust back to a 'normal' lifestyle. Some suggestions: (1) : Don't adjust - save up some money and go travelling again! (2) : Get together with other travellers who will understand what you are going through (3) : Keep in touch with those you have met; hopefully you will have a visitor from afar before too long" "Feeling of reluctance to rejoin normal society, but eventual compliance. Much greater awareness of the pettiness of some day-to-day decisions in the context of the whole world. Greater awareness of different cultures and ways of living. Greater acceptance of others' differences." "It can be quite an experience and continue 'travelling' on your return home. Suddenly you see things in your home town that you never have seen before. My own way of celebrating a return home is to make a great ritual out of opening all the mail which has piled up. But, to make sure there is a pile there to open, that is another art." "So little had changed at my home after 13 months of neglect! There wasn't even much dust, just a few cobwebs here and there. The surrounding neighborhood and downtown were also much the same as before. Some people looked noticeably older (me, too, I suppose). But I was surprisingly so untired by the trip (perhaps a little tired by travelling but certainly not tired of it), that I honestly had to convince myself it all wasn't a dream or maybe I had not left yet. The only concrete evidence of having been gone was the 12 sacks of junk mail waiting for me at home. It had proved amazingly easy to get used to living out of a suitcase for so long. At least you knew where everything was! Now, junk is scattered all over the house and I have to stop and think to know where to look for things. A long RTW really shows you how very few material things you actually need to enjoy life." [Would like to have more reactions from those who have returned from extended travelling] Be sure to have a decent nest egg to return to after you get back. Not a lot, but enough to pay rent for a couple of months, and buy another car. "If you are returning to a neglected house, you may need one or two new appliances because the old ones died while you were gone, even though shut off. There may even be roots in the sewer." Common employment questions: Does anybody have experience with the kind of reaction you get from prospective employers? Do they see it as valuable international experience, evidence that you are adventurous or frivolous? "A couple years of professional experience will be enough to get them to overlook this. Mostly, everyone is interested and impressed. Many interviewers will say something like, 'I wish I could have done something like that... You have to do that while you're young'. They usually think of it as a positive thing that adds to your character. They are not usually worried about you leaving after a year to do it again, because they see it as a once-in-a-lifetime thing. The amount of planning you did, and all the obstacles you had to overcome during the trip, says something too." You may also get responses like: Are you a hippy or a drug dealer? Some employers may not believe you, and assume that you are trying to cover up a period of unemployment. "In general the experience is not seen as particularly useful, other than the demonstration of a certain amount of independence and autonomy. The ability to manage crises and the planning considerations are good points. The major disadvantage is that you may be perceived as 'fidgety', unable to hold a job down etc.. When will you next want to up and leave? It is up to you to interview with the right attitude, and be honest about your future. Have you 'got it out of your system' or is this the beginning of a lifetime of travelling?" "Most people think it is kind of neat, but only for a VERY brief moment. Remember that something like the trip you just went through raises either: a) memories of his/her own trip b) a reaction like watching someone else's slide show c) down right jeaulousy since he/she realize what a whimpy life they are leading. :-)" ============================================================================== XIV. INFORMATION SOURCES Search bookstore shelves and "Books In Print" for interesting books. Then see if your library has a copy. If they do not have it, they may have an interlibrary loan service. The Library of Congress is also accessible from the Internet, as are other big library catalogs. 1. BOOKS - ONLINE AND OFFLINE (a) HOW-TO GUIDEBOOKS "Americans Traveling Abroad" by Gladson I. Nwanna (1994). It is an impressively thorough 590 page book (22x28cm) that sells for $40. "Around the World on Next-to-Nothing" by Michael Dunn (1983) "The Art and Adventure of Travelling Cheaply" by Rick Berg. "Backpacking and Camping in the Developing World" By Scott Graham. "Beyond Budget Travel: World Travel, an Alternate Lifestyle Anyone Can Afford" by Sterling Sloan (1983) A timeless book spacifically for RTW travel, based on personal experience and speaking with thousands of other RTW travellers. $6.95 (ISBN 0-913303-00-3) "Fred's Guide To Travel In The Real World" by Fred Moore, published by Chicago Review Press in 1989 (ISBN 1-55652-058-1) "One of the most important things RTW travellers realize too late is that most of the world is the Third (and Fourth) World, and thus that most of an RTW trip will usually be spent there (especially given the greater expense of First-World travel). I have many disagreements with details in this book, but if I could get every one of my clients to read one travel book before they departed, this would be it. Unfortunately, this book is little-known and hard to find, perhaps because it says many things that travellers would rather not (but ought to) think about." "How to Go Around the World Overland" by Michael & Theresa Savage (1984). "Overland and Beyond - Advice for Overland Travelers" by Theresa and Jonathan Hewat. Based on three year RTW trip. "Overland" by Peter Fraenkel. (1975) ISBN 0-7153-7040-5. "Overlanding: How to Explore the World on 4 Wheels" by John Steele Gordon (1975). ISBN 0-06-011610-0 and -2. "The Round the World Air Guide" by Katie Wood & George McDonald, published by Fontana Paperbacks, London, 1988, 988 pp., UKL9.95 The title is deceiving, since there is only a small section on the guide to airfares. It covers the basics of RTW travel, and then the last 700 pages covers fifty popular destinations. Information is outdated. "The Traveler's Handbook" by Melissa Shales (1988). Over 80 authorities in their field of travel contributed to this award-winning guide. It is 820 pages in a 13x19cm format, with very useful weather guides and charts. The new edition is due out October 1994. "22 Days or more Around the World: The Itinerary Planner" by Roger Rapoport and Burl Willes. Published by JMP Publications. ISBN 1-56261-119-4. Useful tourist book designed to see the highlights of: Hong Kong, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Cairo, Athens, Santorini, Samo, Kusadasi, Ephesus, and Paris. "Vagabond GlobeTrotting: State of the Art" by M. L. Endicott (1989) "World Traveling" by ? (1978) ISSN 78001877 (b) RTW STORIES "Around the World In Eighty Days" by Jules Verne. "Around the World In Eighty Days" by Michael Palin (1991). "Around the World In 80 Ways" by Hans Georg Guggenheim (1979). Stories from a tour guide, including a 40-day RTW with 72 retirees. "Around the World In 78 Days" by Nicholas Coleridge (1985). Retraces Jules Verne's tale. "Follow the Equator: A Journey Around the World" by Mark Twain. "Music in Every Room: Around the World in a Bad Mood" by John Krich (1988) "Odd Way Round the World" by Willard Price (1969). "Pole to Pole" by Michael Palin (1993). "Round-the-World Flights" by Carrol Glines (1990). Pilots who circled the earth by aircraft. "World Walk" by Steven Newman (1989). Four-year journey, alone on foot. Travel writer, Jeff Greenwald, started his seven-month "Big World" journey in January 1994, to write an RTW book called "The Size of the World". His laptop dispatches are available at: http://nearnet.gnn.com/gnn/meta/travel/jeffworld.html (192.190.21.10) If you have an RTW journal that you would like to archive, contact Brian Lucas at the "Rec.travel Library". His address is Brian_Lucas@UManitoba.ca ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. TRAVEL CATALOGS Access Maps & Gear, 321 S. Guadalupe, Santa Fe, NM 87501, (505)982-3330 Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera, CA 94925, (800)999-7909, (415)927-0960, A 64-page catalog of travel books, with articles. Campmor, PO Box 700, Saddle River, NJ 07458, (800)526-4784 Caribou Mountaineering, PO Box 3696, Chico, CA 95927, (800)824-4153 The Complete Traveller Bookstore, 199 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, (212)685-9007 Fifty-page catalog for $1. Eagle Creek Travel Gear, 1740 La Costa Meadows Dr, San Marcos, CA 92069, (800)874-9925, (619)471-7600 Forsyth Travel Library, Inc., 9154 W 57th St, PO Box 2975, Shawnee Mission, KS 66201 (800)367-7984, (913)384-3440 Globe Pequot Press, PO Box 833, Old Saybrook, CT 06475-0833, (800)243-0495, (800)962-0973 (in CT), (203)395-0440 Hammond Maps, 515 Valley St, Maplewood, NJ 07040, (800)526-4953, (201)763-6000 International Travel Video Collection, PO Box 909, Alpenland Center, Cleveland, GA 30528, (800)241-5404 John Muir Publications, PO Box 613, Santa Fe, NM 87504, (800)888-7504, (505)982-4078 Kelty, PO Box 7048-A, St. Louis, MO 63177, (800)423-2320, (314)576-8000, fax (314)576-8042. Backpacks, sleeping bags, and tents. Lonely Planet Publications, Embarcadero West, 155 Filbert Street, Suite 251 Oakland, CA 94607-2538, (800)275-8555, (510)893-8555, (510)893-8563 (fax) Email: lonely@crl.com, or http://nearnet.gnn.com/gnn/meta/travel/mkt/lp/ to order Lonely Planet guides, get on their newsletter mailing list, or receive a catalog. Madden, 2400 Central Ave, Boulder, CO 80301, (303)442-5828 Backpacking gear. Magellan's, Box 5485, Santa Barbara, CA 93150-5485, (800)962-4943, (805)568-5406 Large selection of travel gear. Maplink, 25 E. Mason St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101, (805)965-4402, (800)627-7768 (toll-free fax), (805)962-0884 (fax) Extensive 80-page wholesale listings. Full catalog is the several-hundred-page World Map Directory. Michelin Travel Publications, PO Box 3305, Spartanburg, SC 29304, (800)423-0485 Moon Publications, P.O. Box 3040 (330 Wall St.), Chico CA 95927-3040. (800)345-5473, (916)345-6751 (fax). E-mail: travel@moon.com. Gopher:// gopher.moon.com:7000 (also under "Business in Cyberspace" on the WellGopher). Has information about Travel Handbooks, an expanded online edition of the quarterly newsletter Travel Matters, a long, excerpt from "Staying Healthy in Asia, Africa, and Latin America" a listing of travel bookstores in the U.S., and an online ordering facility via the UCI Bookstore. Rand McNally, 2515 E. 43 St., PO Box 182257, Chattanooga, TN 37422-7257, (800)234-0679 REI (Recreation Equipment Inc.), 1700 45th St., Sumner, WA 98390, (800)426-4840 (206)891-2500 Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door (ETBD), 120 Fourth Ave N, PO Box 2009, Edmonds, WA 98020, (206)771-8303, FAX (206) 771-0833, Modem BBS (206) 771-1902 Travel Books & Language Center, 4931 Cordell Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814, (800)220-2665, (301)951-8533, (301)951-8546 fax. A 120-page catalog that thoroghly covers all aspects including maps and language tapes. The Travel Store, 56 1/2 N. Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos, CA 95030, (800)874-9397 Traveller's Bookstore, 75 Rockefeller Plaza (22 W. 52nd St.), New York, NY 10019, (800)755-8728 (212)664-0995 Travelling Books, 1510 S. 1400 E., Salt Lake City, UT 84105, (801)461-3345 Thirty-page catalog crammed with guidebooks for sale. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. TELEVISION SHOWS AND VIDEO RENTALS "Around-The-World-In-80-Days" Series by Michael Palin on A&E. "Europe Through The Back Door" Series by Rick Steves on PBS. "Insight Guide" had a few shows. "National Geographic Explorer" Series. "Pole-To-Pole" Series by Michael Palin on A&E. "Ring of Fire" video series filmed by two English brothers while travelling through Indonesia for 10 years. This is also a wonderful book. "World Away" Series on The Discovery Channel. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. ONLINE TRAVEL ARCHIVES Information and connections for the travel archives at O'Reilly and Associates GNN Travel Resource Centre, St. Olaf OMNI-Cultural Academic Resource, Avid Explorer, and Massachusets Institute of Technology can be obtained at the University of Manitoba Travel Library. "Online Information" is available: ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/online-info.html (130.179.16.24) ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/rec-travel/online-info (130.179.16.24) via mail: address: mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu (18.70.0.209) msg body: send pub/usenet/news.answers/travel/online-info ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. ONLINE DISCUSSION GROUPS (a) USENET NEWS Newsgroups are great sources of information, but please do the basic research on-line or at the library. Posting vague requests may reveal interesting and unique information found nowhere else, but quite often you will not receive any response. Supply enough information to make an accurate answer possible (like age, citizenship, whether you are travelling with your children etc). If you request visa advice, post your citizenship. "When posting questions or offering information, it is best to use a specific country-subject or city-subject as the first word in your title. This may mean multiple postings to cover your itinerary, but postings with general subjects, like "Advice Wanted" or "Eurasia Travel" may get overlooked by most readers, so you will get few if any responses. And keep your geography straight when choosing which subtopic of a board to use: Istanbul is not in Asia, but Turkey is." Many enjoy the discussions, some of them about places they have never been and probably will never visit. Sometimes an answer to someone else's post answers a question that others either cannot quite formulate, or did not think important enough to post. Many questions are answered by e-mail, even though this is a general discussion forum. You may have to send a request to the original poster for a collection or summary of responses. People on the net, especially in popular tourist areas, may help you, but try not to use them as your personal travel agent. Some people will spend hours researching and answering. They appreciate and deserve a brief note to acknowledge that the information was recieved, and a thank you (which they rarely receive). If you really want to make them happy, let them know if you used their information, or what your experiences were. They have a genuine interest. The rec.travel newsgroup is the general discussion area. The bit.listserv.travel-l newsgroup serves the same purpose, but has less traffic. The rec.travel.air newsgroup includes topics regarding the various airlines, special deals, and advice on travel routes. The rec.travel.marketplace newsgroup includes offers for airplane tickets, timeshares, and other travel-related items. The alt.travel.road-trip newsgroup generally discusses travel routes on the road. The other category of newsgroups which may be beneficial in planning a trip is the soc.culture group. This is not necessarily for travel, but can be used in acquiring knowledge about the culture of one's destination. Please restrain yourself from posting a request for information to the newsgroup before having read the FAQ and having spent a few days at least reading the traffic on the newsgroup to get a feel for appropriate topics. There is a great deal of information regarding opinions on current news items. The soc.culture.* FAQs are available at: ftp://ftp.rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/soc/culture/*/* (18.70.0.209) via mail: address: mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu (18.70.0.209) msg body: send pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/soc/culture// (b) TRAVEL-L MAILING LIST A BITNET mailing list similar in goals to rec.travel. To subscribe, send a mail message to listserv@trearn.bitnet consisting of the line: "subscribe travel-l firstname lastname", substituting your own first and last names. Mailing list traffic is archived. To get an index, send a mail message "index travel-l". To get a file mailed to you, send a mail message "send travel-l log9xxx", subsituting the name of the log file you want. (c) INTERNET RELAY CHAT (IRC) Realtime discussion groups that are not exactly travel related, but more culture-oriented. An excellent way to find up-to-the-minute information and meet people. (d) Other Sources Compuserve has an extensive travel library/archive based on their newsgroups called forums. Delphi has a new custom newsgroup for travel: Go Cus 96. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. INTERNET SEARCH TOOLS The following information is a short guide to the various online resources used to effectively find travel information. Gopher and World Wide Web have proven to be the most popular ways to surf the wave of travel information. If you are new to the Internet, read the rec.announce.newusers newsgroup. There are also online guides available, among them: "Big Dummy's Guide to the Internet" is available: ftp://ftp.eff.org/pub/Net_info/Big_Dummy/bigdummy.txt (192.77.172.4) via mail: address: mail-server@eff.org msg body: send /pub/Net_info/Big_Dummy/bigdummy.txt "Information Sources: The Internet and Computer-Mediated Communication" is available at: ftp://ftp.rpi.edu/pub/communications/internet-cmc.html (128.113.1.5) ftp://ftp.rpi.edu/pub/communications/internet-cmc "Internet-Tools List" is available at: ftp://ftp.rpi.edu/pub/communications/internet-tools.html (128.113.1.5) ftp://ftp.rpi.edu/pub/communications/internet-tools "Net Travel: Using the Internet to Prepare for a Trip" is available: http://nearnet.gnn.com/gnn/meta/travel/nettravel.html (192.190.21.10) A valuable resource for beginning initial information searches is the "Internet Services List" compiled by Scott Yanoff at the University of Wisconsin. It is an alphabetical index of general topics ranging from agriculture to business to recreation. While all of these topics contain addresses of www, gopher, ftp, finger, and telnet sites where further information can be found, many of these also include a brief description of valuable information at each site. Finger yanoff@csd4.csd.uwm.edu informs you of six ways to obtain the Yanoff List: 1) newsgroup alt.internet.services 2) ftp ftp.csd.uwm.edu (get /pub/inet.services.txt) 3) gopher csd4.csd.uwm.edu (select Remote Information Services...) 4) mail bbslist@aug3.augsburg.edu (Auto-replies with lists) 5) URL: http://www.uwm.edu/Mirror/inet.services.html (for WWW, Mosaic) 6) email Scott Yanoff WITH THE SUBJECT 'yan-inet' to get on my email list and you will receive confirmation of your subscription. (This is the LEAST preferred method, my mailer is getting strained!) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (a) GOPHER and VERONICA Gopher is one of the fastest and easiest ways to find and retrieve information. It provides access to other Gopher and information servers throughout the world from a menu system. It uses a tool called Veronica to perform a keyword search of most directory and file names in the entire gopher web. This produces a menu of gopher items, each of which is a direct pointer to a gopher data source. If the gopher client software is not installed on your system, see the Yanoff List for telnet sites to access gopher. (b) WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW) Very similar to gopher, but uses hypertext to link words in a file to other related files. It is a superset of internet resources that combines ftp, gopher, http, and other protocols into a single package. Programs such as Lynx, Mosaic, and Cello access these resources. (c) WIDE AREA INFORMATION SERVERS (WAIS) Like Gopher's Veronica, WAIS performs a search of databases, but for keywords in files. Once it locates the files, it lists them for you to read. (d) FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL (FTP) and ARCHIE File Transfer Protocol is the primary method of moving a file from one computer to another across the Internet, regardless of the file's storage format or operating system software. FTP allows you to open a session on a remote host anywhere in the world, execute a few simple commands, and transfer files quickly to your local computer. Archie is a search tool that helps you find files that are accessible at anonymous ftp archive sites. Once connected, you can send yourself files. The Yanoff List provides archie telnet addresses and ftp-by-email addresses. "If you have ftp client software at your site, it's easy. Try typing "ftp ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca" and you should be told, after a short pause, that you are connected and you'll be asked to enter your login name. Type "anonymous" or "ftp". You'll be asked for a password; enter your email address. You're logged in! Type "cd rec-travel" to get to the rec.travel archive directory. Type "dir" or "ls" to list the files in the directory, and type "get ____" to get a file you want, replacing ____ with the name of the file. For example, "get 00index", "get tourism-offices". There are several subdirectories; you can cd to them as well. Type "cd pacific" or any directory name, then "ls" the files and "get ____" any files you want. When you're finished, type "quit"." (e) E-MAIL by Brian Lucas If you cannot ftp directly from your site (ask your local support staff first), use an ftp-by-mail server: ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com ftpmail@src.doc.ic.ac.uk ftpmail@grasp1.univ-lyon1.fr ftpmail@cs.uow.edu.au <- see below for this server Send an e-mail message to the closest address, with the lines: reply your_address@some.where <- replace with your real email address connect ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca ascii get rec-travel/00index quit You can "get" any file in the archive this way. You can also include the line "cd ...." to change to a directory and "ls" to list the files in your directory. For complete instructions, send the one-line message "help" to the server. BITNET users, send the one-line message "help" to bitftp@pucc.bitnet to find out your best option. -------------------------- FTP by mail from Australia -------------------------- by Brian Lucas The ftpmail server at ftpmail@cs.uow.edu.au (University of Wollongong) uses different commands from those above. Your request should look like: HOST ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca GET rec-travel/00index rec-travel/north_america/canada/ontario/toronto You can have as many filenames as you want on the line, but you can have only one GET command per message. You can also list the available files by including a line "DIR directory-name-1 directory-name-2 ..."; again, you can have as many directory-names on the line as you want but only one DIR command per message. Files are returned as unix shell archives; if you want the plain uuencoded versions, include a line "PLAINMAIL" in your message. Files are always uuencoded and large files are sent in multiple parts. You can also do an archie query by mail. For complete instructions, send the message "HELP" to the server. ============================================================================== 7. PEOPLE WILLING TO ANSWER RTW QUESTIONS Marc Brosius brosius@iguana.fit.edu Eberhard Brunner eberhard.brunner@analog.com Larry Cotter sea_otter@delphi.com or Prodigy BPNB69A Russell Gilbert b804683@csc1.ftw.bnr.com Edward Hasbrouck ehasbrouck@igc.apc.org Larry Lustig LLustig@delphi.com Paul Michals pmichals@csn.org Alan L. Nelson aln@maroon.tc.umn.edu Dave Patton patton@otter.phys.uvic.ca [Add your name and address here if you are interested] ============================================================================== 8. CREDITS FOR QUOTES This guide was initially written by Marc Brosius (brosius@iguana.fit.edu), January through April 1994. Only the names of those quoted have been included, due to the expected growth of this guide. Thanks and appreciation go out to those who contributed in other ways. Laurie Bechtler (USA - bechtler@asdg.enet.dec.com), Eberhard Brunner (USA - eberhard.brunner@analog.com), Kathey Carreiro (USA - kathey.carreiro@ast.com), Wayne Citrin (USA - citrin@cs.colorado.edu, citrin@soglio.colorado.edu), Sean Connolly (USA - on the road), Keith Conover (California - kcon@pnet01.cts.com), Larry Cotter (USA - sea_otter@delphi.com or Prodigy BPNB69A) Davy Davis (USA - wdavis@du.edu), Chris Finlayson (England - christin@sco.com), Russell Gilbert (USA - b804683@csc1.ftw.bnr.com), Nigel Gomm (England - gomm@cix.compulink.co.uk), Edward Hasbrouck (USA - ehasbrouck@igc.apc.org), Mats Henricson (Sweden - mats.henricson@eua.ericsson.se), Jeroen Houtzager (Nederland - houtzager@amc.uva.nl), Mark Kantrowitz (USA - mkant@cs.cmu.edu), Axel Lambert (USA - AxL8%AsiFs%CTS@bangate.pge.com), Brian Lucas (Canada - Brian_Lucas@umanitoba.ca), Larry Lustig (USA - LLustig@delphi.com), Dave Medcalf (USA - dmedcalf@nrao.edu), Henry Mensch (San Francisco, California - hcm@netcom.com, henry@q.com), Miriam Nadel (USA - nadel@attatash.aero.org), Alan L. Nelson (Minnesota, USA - aln@maroon.tc.umn.edu; send me an E-mail postcard!), Karin Nicholson (Curacao, Nederlandse Antillen - nicholson@iguana.fit.edu), Dave Patton (Canada - patton@otter.phys.uvic.ca), Peter Pope (Nederland - pope@nl.oracle.com), Josh Rosen (USA - bjrosen@aol.com), Johan Schimanski (Norway - jzs@aber.ac.uk), Alan Wald (USA - in Nepal for awhile), Bernd Wechner (Australia - bernd@scpdrtc.bhp.com.au - still on the road), Stephen T. Wee (Sabah, Malaysia - swee@freenet.fsu.edu) ============================================================================== Would like comments on the following idea: Maintaining a list of people who have gone, and are going, on an RTW trip. This could be a way to match up travellers with similar plans, or find people who have gone on trips similar to the one(s) you are planning. The examples below will stay with the guide for now since there are so few. If there is enough interest, I may pursue creating a subdirectory for abstracts (like the one below) and journals. That way contributors would be able to update their files at the archive site. The abstract would include dates, paths, costs (whatever level of detail you are comfortable with), type of airline ticket, companion info, whether you did or will work, highlights, and letdowns. A common question is how much should you budget for daily expenses in a country or region. Examples of costs should include some information about the level of "luxury" or lack of it, especially in overland travel and accommodations and food (e.g., restaurants, food stalls, buying and cooking your own, etc.). ============================================================================== This is a good idea in case someone has a specific question relating to one region/country or traveling between certain regions. For fun, I'd also suggest listing 3 highlights and 3 letdowns. They can be anything from geographic locations to diseases. I'd suggest a chronological listing of major cities, or the country name if extensively traveled. If I've been to Guilin, China but not much else, I'd put down China (Guilin), but if I spent a while tooling around Thailand with Peace Corp volunteers, I'd rather just say Thailand. Alan L. Nelson: Feb 1992 - Aug 1992 (6 months, $10,500) ------------------------------------------------------- USA (Minnesota) - USA (Hawaii) - Philippines (Manila, Borhol, Boracay) - Hong Kong - China (Guilin) - Hong Kong - Thailand - Malaysia (Penang, Kuala Lumpur) - Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Bali) - Thailand - Greece (Athens, island hopping) - Turkey - Cyprus - Israel (Jerusalem, Tel Aviv) - Egypt (Cairo) - Netherlands (Amsterdam) - Switzerland (Interlakken) - Hungary (Budapest) - Czechoslovakia (Prague) - Germany (Berlin) - Netherlands (Amsterdam) - UK (London, Glasgow) - USA (Minnesota) Highlights: Mountain trekking in Turkey. Tooling around Thailand with Peace Corp volunteers. All those white, sandy beaches. Letdowns: Poverty (no, not mine!). Government corruption!!!! Those damn #$@?! phones. ============================================================================== Chris and Graham Finlayson: December 1990 - July 1992 (about $7,500/year) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our route was London-Miami (Virgin), Miami-Lima (Equatoriana) return. In three months approximately, we went down the coast of Peru into Chile, as far as Puerto Mont, then back up and into Bolivia to La Paz and across Lake Titicaca to Peru to get to Puno then Cuzco to hike the Inca trail to Machu Pichu. We then flew across Peru to get back to Lima for our return flight to Miami. Miami-Mexico City (Pan Am (!!)), overland to San Diego, brief excursion to San Francisco and back to LA (cheap US flights - cannot remember the airline), LA-Tahiti, Tahiti-Rarotonga, Rarotonga-Fiji, Fiji- Auckland, and Auckland-Sydney (all those on "one" ticket with Air New Zealand - took us about three-four months to get from LA-Australia!), and then stuff in Australia, Darwin-Timor (Merpati), overland/ship to Jakarta and then the unfortunate circumstances took us straight back to Britain (via Singapore and Bombay with Singapore airlines!). The highlights were Peru, Indonesia and Fiji. Probably the treks in Bolivia, near La Paz, and the Inca trail to Macchu Pichu were the best. But then there was also the diving in Taveuni, Fiji and off Flores in Indonesia. And the food in Indonesia was superb. A day sailing off the Bay of Islands in New Zealand also stands out. And some relaxation time we spent on Gili Air near Lombok, Indonesia was just like being in paradise. A day we spent on a bus over the altiplano between Arica, Chile and La Paz, Bolivia is memorable but not entirely for good reasons! The Atacama Desert in Chile was fascinating.... The low points were the day my passport got stolen in Chile, and the time spent trying to get that replaced (being as we were over a 1000km from the nearest consulate, let alone embassy!); and then when my husband got malaria in Indonesia, we went through some scary days. ============================================================================== Eberhard and Catherine Brunner: June 1991 - Dec 1991 (6 months, $12,000) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ USA (San Francisco) - USA (Los Angeles) - Tahiti - Cook Islands - Fiji - New Zealand (Auckland to Christchurch) - Australia (Sydney to Darwin up the East Coast and then to Northern Territories) - Indonesia (Bali, Java) - Singapore - Malaysia (West Coast of Malay Peninsula) - Thailand (up to Bangkok, then North East) - Austria (Vienna) - Germany (Munich) Highlights: ----------- -The friendliness of most people we met in all the various countries. -Albert's Plantation Hideaway on Kandavu in Fiji (No electricty, cars. Excellent food and diving/snorkeling -NEW ZEALAND!!! -A cloudless day at Milford Sound, New Zealand -All the colorfull birds in Australia -A government rest house outside of Taiping, Malaysia (Bukit Larut); the most spectacular rain forest; monkey jumping around behind the house; INCREDIBLE VIEW! Low Points: ----------- -Tahiti (Expensive, and, in our experience, very rude people) -The difficulty of sometimes finding good accommodation -Getting diarrhea on an 8 hour bus ride from Bali to Surabaya on Java. I was ready to ask the driver to stop so that I could just hang my rear into the ditch by the side of the road. I never did, so when we arrived in Surabaya, I bolted to the bathroom and wasn't seen for 1/2 hour. -Culture/Language shock when arriving from Malaysia in Thailand; we couldn't make ourselves understood, nor read anything; after 2 days we had adjusted and loved Thailand from then on. -A hair cut in the NE of Thailand, in which misunderstandings led to my head being almost shaved ============================================================================= Keith Conover: August 1992 - November 1993 (15 months, approximately $10,000) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indonesia (Bali, Java, Sumatra) - Malaysia (Penang, Kuala Lumpur) - Singapore - Indonesia (Bintan, Sumatra, Nias) - Malaysia (Penang) - Thailand - India - Nepal -India - Pakistan - China - Kazahkstan (Alma Ata) - Uzbekistan (Tashkent) - Russia (Moscow) - Lithuania - Poland - Netherlands - Belgium - France (Paris) - Spain (Barcelona, Madrid) - U.K. (London, Bristol) - Canada (Montreal) India - $5/day Europe - $30/day ============================================================================== Lawrence R. Cotter: April 1993 - June 1994 (13 months, relatively hugely expensive but I could have travelled far cheaper; I was moving solo at the low end of the guidebooks' "inexpensive" hotels or nicer guest houses and usually modest restaurants, trying -- but not exactly succeeding -- to live within my retirement income.) [Detailed cost information by country available on request; I haven't done the breakouts yet, but the basic data is all on disk, so the arithmetic can be done easily. Daily costs ran from under $40 to well over $80, depending on country and extras like rental cars or tours or air excursions not in my basic ticket.] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- USA (California) - London - Geneva - Italy (Naples/Sorrento - Venice & vicinity) - Basel - Berlin - Czech Republic(car) - Slovakia(car) - London via Berlin - Athens - Istanbul - Athens [plus an early 1993 trip, 90 days in Mainland Greece and Western Turkey] - Nairobi - Seychelles - Bombay - Madras - Sri Lanka(car) - Kathmandu - Tibet (air & minibus tour) - Nepal (Kathmandu, Pokhara, Gorka, Nagarkot) - Thailand (Bangkok) - Cambodia (Phnom Penh, Siem Reap tour, Kompong Som) - Thailand (Central & North) - Laos (Vientiane & Luang Prabang tour) - Thailand (West Central) - Singapore - Indonesia [Java (Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta) - Bali (car) - Sulawesi - Bali - Biak) - USA (Maui)(car) - USA (California). Highlights (too many to make a good list, but a few come to mind): -Bali and making good friends with a Balinese family (dinner at their home; only foreigner present at their village temple's beautiful and elaborate Barong ceremony) -Seychelles: very expensive but superbly beautiful -Luang Prabang: almost untouched by the last 50+ years of war or Communism -Nepal: the world's most beautiful country, in my view -Tibet: flying into Lhasa and driving out -Venice and vicinity: the city & islands; day trips by train; several memorable meals -London: lots and lots of theatre -Istanbul: my favorite city -Not losing anything I carried along the way, by theft or otherwise -Having a notebook computer & printer with me (I'm a computer junkie -- decided I didn't want withdrawal symptoms for a year) Low Points (very few indeed, but here are some): -Biak (not the tropical paradise I expected; good for diving, they say) -Prague (difficulty finding a decent place to stay; otherwise superb) -Naples (it must have been nice at the turn of the Century; I fled to the tourist ghetto in Sorrento, an excellent base for touring) -Losing so much inbound mail (everything forwarded August-October, plus most of January and March) -Being unable to retrieve recorded telephone messages left at home, despite early 1993 successes -Suitcase proved too large and heavy for convenient train and bus travel (could have thrown stuff out & downsized, of course) ============================================================================== THE END ======= Marc Brosius@iguana.fit.edu