Top Ten Backpacking Travel Tips

Here are my Top Ten Tips (not necessarily in order of priority).

1. Plan your budget and keep an eye on the money! – This is crucial if you are just on a holiday visa because if the money runs out, it’s time to phone home! If you are on a Working Holiday Visa you can find a job to top up your travel funds. Nevertheless, make a plan and always make sure you have enough to keep a roof over your head. You don’t want to end up on a park bench somewhere because you’ve blown all your money on alcohol and partying.

2. Talk to your fellow travellers and invite people to tell you about their experiences, but always remember that everyone sees things from their own perspective. – Use other people’s experience. Ask them where they went, what they did, what was good and bad. Check that information though against the advice of hostel owners and managers and look for the balance. What someone else disliked, you may love, and vice-versa. So take the information, then make up your own mind.

3. Safety first – Always let someone who cares know where you are going and when you will return or arrive. Travellers are often a little vulnerable as you may not be familiar with your surroundings and may not be sure who to trust. Be sensible and go with your gut feelings – if a situation doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and take the safe option. For example, think carefully before getting into cars with strangers, walking alone late at night etc. Don’t get so drunk that you don’t know where you are or where you are going, especially girls travelling alone!

4. Ask hostel staff about ‘backpacker specials’ – people who work in the Tourism Industry look out for the special offers, particularly when it comes to deals with pubs, nightclubs and restaurants, plus they usually know about any tour discounts and promotions. They will be happy to tell you.

5. Look for the Discount Membership Cards – You may have heard of the old favourites such as the YHA, NOMADS, VIP and even Student cards, which often give you discounts on accommodation and/or tours. Check out the new Club Red Membership though, which is currently expanding in Australia so as to offer you far more.

6. Stay well – Preferably have a medical and dental check up before you go off backpacking. Ensure that you have any vaccinations required for the area you are visiting. Your Doctor can advise if there is evidence of diseases such as malaria or denghi fever and can prescribe appropriate medication. Always carry some first aid basic items, such as bandaids (plasters) and antiseptic cream, panadol (as long as you are not allergic to it) and any other specific items if you already have any medical conditions. Make travel companions aware of any special conditions you may have and what action is required if you are taken ill. Have an “In Case of Emergency” contact name and number on your person and in your luggage.
7. Be bold and live life – One of the great things about travelling is the opportunity to try different things. Sample experiences that you may never have the chance to do back home. Always be sensible and act on proper information, but if you are on a tour for example and the qualified guide says “It will be amazing to swim alongside this dolphin – do it this way”, give yourself a little push to step outside your comfort zone and try things. Later on, you will more likely regret the missed opportunities rather than the new experiences you were brave enough to try.
8. Take photos or keep a journal – the more you travel, the more amazing things you will see. Often the names and places can slip from your memory, so it’s great to keep a few reminders and souvenirs of your adventures. The advent of digital cameras has made this so easy, but don’t forget to make back up copies in case you lose or damage your equipment. One good idea is to back them up to a disc and mail them back home or upload them to a travel blog on the internet.
9. Be careful regarding baggage allowances and how you pack – these days airlines are being more restrictive about what you can and can’t carry, especially regarding what is permissible on board aircraft. Find out the luggage allowance before you go and keep below it or you may be charged hefty excess baggage penalties. If you have bought souvenirs or clothes while travelling, sometimes it’s cheaper to post them home. Make sure you don’t have any illegal items in your bags, especially if travelling to countries with different laws and cultures. Don’t make jokes about bombs in airports! The airline and security staff won’t find it funny and you could be in big trouble.

10. Practice safe sex if you engage in any such activities while travelling! – In some African countries, if you sleep with someone more than twice you could find yourself ‘married’, or worse still you may pick up a souvenir you don’t want, like HIV for example. Hepatitis and sexually transmitted diseases can really spoil your holiday, so take the proper precautions and use condoms when enjoying yourself.