It's been a week since I wrapped up my 5 month trek around the world. I am happy to report I achieved my goal of keeping the trip under $10,000. Below is a breakdown of my expenses which I tracked and converted to US dollars using the current exchange rates at the time.
Flights: $3370
I purchased my flights in advance through Airbrokers.com--travel agents specializing in around the world itineraries. My route included 8 one-way flights and many logical overland segments so I did not have to backtrack (i.e. flying into Sydney but out of Melbourne). I also purchased 2 short hops in Asia for a total of 10 flights.
Insurance: $225
My regular insurance policy does not apply to travel abroad for longer than 90 days. Worldnomads.com offers reasonably priced policies offering emergency medical coverage (thankfully I never had to use it!)
Visas & Visa waivers: $105
Two entries into Cambodia, one in Vietnam, and New Zealand visa waiver. I only needed my passport to enter all the other countries on my route.
Below are my day to day expenses. This category includes everything I purchased pertaining to the trip from the time I landed in Fiji on January 5 until my departure from the Netherlands on June 3---Food, lodging, surface transportation (buses, trains, car rental, boats, tuk tuks), communication (sim cards, internet cafes, skype credit), activities (snorkeling, caving, cycling, massage, park entrance fees, museums, sightseeing, etc.), shopping (from tolietries to thai dresses), and airport departure taxes. I have listed how much I spent and the daily average for each region.
Fiji, New Zealand, & Australia: $2318 (daily average=$51.51)
Time period: January 7 through February 20. Couchsurfing in Auckland, Napier, and Christchurch and staying with friends in Sydney and Dunedin mitigated car rental expenses. I ate alot of veggie quiches, salads, and sandwiches from cafes for around $5. Intercity Coachlines, Naked Bus, and Atomic Shuttles are great companies for inexpensive bus travel all over NZ.
Southeast Asia: $1038 (daily average=$26.62)
Time Period: February 21 through March 31. Huge $2 indian meals in Tanah Rata, $25 snorkeling trips in Railay, and swimming in hidden lagoons for free made for cheap living. Guesthouses were regularly under $20 (and this was split with Laura!) Haggling is expected in the markets. Street food is cheap, delicious, and usually safe. If you want to reduce travel costs, definitely spend a chunk of time here!
Europe: $2518 (daily average=$40)
Time Period: April 1 through June 3. Several factors contributed to lower than expected costs in this region. First of all, I was only in pricey Western Europe for two weeks. Most of my time was spent traveling north from Athens to Prague. Destinations such as Albania, Bosnia, and Slovenia proved to be quite reasonably priced. Between couchsurfing and staying with friends, I arranged 20 nights of free accomodation (Many thanks to Marcela, Petra, Katja & Tobias, Tine, and the Vienna crew!) I used bus services such as Eurolines more often than trains. Finally, not only did I travel during Europe's shoulder season (spring) but I experienced the most favorable euro to dollar exchange rate we've seen in years (1 euro = between 1.20 and 1.30 usd)
Total Trip Cost=$9574
Overall, I think my tendency to embrace a lifestyle of simplicity aided my ability to keep day to day costs low. It would be easy to burn through thousands of dollars doing every tourist activity under the sun. I did some of them, but the experiences that really interest me also happen to be the ones that cost little or nothing. One of my favorite places is Meteora, Greece where I trail ran Holy Spirit Mountain, (free) celebrated Easter in the town square by candlelight and fireworks (free), and toured monastaries atop rock formations with new friend, Yannis ($2 entrance fee) My souvenirs are my journals and photos (ok, and a few thai dresses!) Long term travel for people of modest means is possible, but it behooves such a traveler to prioritize carefully. If you are contemplating long term travel, I encourage you to go for it. My trip was one of the most satisfying and liberating experiences of my entire life!
"Vagabonding is about looking for the adventure in normal life and normal life within adventure. Vagabonding is an attitude--a friendly interest in people, places, and things that makes a person an explorer in the truest, most vivid sense of the word. Vagabonding is about time--our only real commodity--and how we choose to use it."
--Rolf Potts, author of my favorite travel book--Vagabonding
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Amsterdam
Church bells ring. Trams growl over tracks. Coffee shops exude conversation and wafts of weed. Women ride side saddle on double-seated bicycles steered by boyfriends. Boats glide under bridges in canals past leaning brick houses. Men negotiate prices with the prostitutes in red light district windows. I must be in Amsterdam!
In Amsterdam you can:
- Learn from the scholars at Cannabis College where their mission is to offer ''free advice on safe recreational cannabis use in addition to educating the public about the many uses of the hemp plant."
- Legally smoke a joint or consume a space cake inside a coffee shop. However, smoking tobacco cigarettes indoors was banned in 2008. Interestingly, only about 7% of the Dutch population smokes marijuana.
- Visit the sex museum which contains art, photos, and information about sex through the ages as well as animatronic mannequins engaged in a variety of debaucherous activities
- See the World Press Photo 2010 exhibit at the Oude Kerk.
- View photos of a professor's strange anatomical specimens at FOAM, marvel the world's largest collection of Van Gough paintings at Van Gough museum or take in some Rembrandts and Vermeers at the Rijksmuseum.
- Chillout in Vondelpark and climb on the I amsterdam sign
- Listen to street performers playing music near the National Monument.
- Interact with colorful characters such as a celebratory guy in the skintight red sequined nurses uniform or a wandering guy talking to himself about Saddam Hussein.
- Eat amazing Indonesian food at places like Toko Joyce
Monday, May 31, 2010
Ahoy matees from Ghent!
My accomodation in Ghent is a boat remodeled into the Andromeda Ecohostel. This is the coolest place I have stayed in yet and energy saving to boot. Showers are low flow and sinks biodegradable. Lights are motion sensored. An efficient and carbon neutral pelletheading system provides hot water while flax insulation utilizes passive heat. The common room is cozy with a small couch, cushioned chairs, and interesting books to thumb through. The hostel is run by Liselot--an friendly, willowy, dreadlocked woman I like instantly.
Fellow guest, Steve is in his late forties and lives near Boulder. He is traveling for a year after getting laid off from his software engineering job. We decide to dine together at Liselot's favorite vegetarian restaurant, called Komkomestijd (translation="Cucumber Time") I pile my plate high with cous cous, mushroom lasanga, tempeh, greens, and spring rolls with the best sweet and sour sauce I've ever had. Steve and I discuss travel and his biking adventures (he brought his bike from Colorado!) then wander past Ghent's beautiful churches after dinner.
The next morning, Belinda and I take a daytrip to the nearby town of Bruges. The highlight of the day is our trip to the chocolate museum. We eat high quality Belocade brand chocolate drops and laugh at the sculpture gallery which includes a chocolate puss in boots, Michael Angelo's Madonna, and Obama. Back in Ghent, we spend the evening talking and drinking organic beers Liselot has on hand including Moinette, Jessenhofke, and Blanche du Hainaut. Yum.
I discover the Blaarmeersen area for running, a lake surrounded by parks and various trails. Birds with white and copper colored heads called Fuut land in the water while people carry long boats to and from the water. I see a guy inside what looks like an enormous beach ball, attempting to stand up. The ball reminds me of the odd sport zorbing but on water!
My last night in Ghent is spent with Liselot, Maarten, and two of their friends at the Groene Vallei Feest where we listen to fantastic ska-reggae band, Wrong 'em Boyo (named after the Clash song). A diverse crowed gathers at the front of the stage and soon we are all dancing in the warm spring rain.
Fellow guest, Steve is in his late forties and lives near Boulder. He is traveling for a year after getting laid off from his software engineering job. We decide to dine together at Liselot's favorite vegetarian restaurant, called Komkomestijd (translation="Cucumber Time") I pile my plate high with cous cous, mushroom lasanga, tempeh, greens, and spring rolls with the best sweet and sour sauce I've ever had. Steve and I discuss travel and his biking adventures (he brought his bike from Colorado!) then wander past Ghent's beautiful churches after dinner.
The next morning, Belinda and I take a daytrip to the nearby town of Bruges. The highlight of the day is our trip to the chocolate museum. We eat high quality Belocade brand chocolate drops and laugh at the sculpture gallery which includes a chocolate puss in boots, Michael Angelo's Madonna, and Obama. Back in Ghent, we spend the evening talking and drinking organic beers Liselot has on hand including Moinette, Jessenhofke, and Blanche du Hainaut. Yum.
I discover the Blaarmeersen area for running, a lake surrounded by parks and various trails. Birds with white and copper colored heads called Fuut land in the water while people carry long boats to and from the water. I see a guy inside what looks like an enormous beach ball, attempting to stand up. The ball reminds me of the odd sport zorbing but on water!
My last night in Ghent is spent with Liselot, Maarten, and two of their friends at the Groene Vallei Feest where we listen to fantastic ska-reggae band, Wrong 'em Boyo (named after the Clash song). A diverse crowed gathers at the front of the stage and soon we are all dancing in the warm spring rain.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Dresden & Berlin
I am so excited to see Katja and Tobias when they come to meet me at Dresden's bus station! I met this fantastic couple in Cambodia and they kindly invited me to stay with them a few days when I made it to Europe. They share a colorful three-story space with five other people in Dresden's hip Neustadt area where a variety of bars, boutiques, and cafes are within walking distance. They take me to Bautzner Tar bar where we listen to Mr. Beckard and the universal air pressure orchestra--a zany duo that thrives on interaction with the audience. The next day we explore the beauiful buildings of Old Town on the other side of the Elbe river. You can see evidence of Dresden's 1945 destruction from the different colors of brick where the original building and the restored parts meet. Over breakfast, Katja and Tobias's roommate, Uli, tells me about the how Neo-nazis gather in Dresden every year to commemorate the air raid of February 13. Each year anti-fascists attempt to prevent the neo-nazis from marching but fail. Well, perhaps the ghost of Kurt Vonnegut was smiling on the anti-fascists, because this year they were successful for the first time. Led by groups such as the Alliance Dresden Nazifrei (Dresden without Nazis), an estimated 12,000 activists protested and blockaded the area. Police finally cancelled the nazi march. Perhaps this is the beginning of the end of neo-nazi strength in Dresden?
I was not originally intending to go to Berlin due to a lack of time. By the time I arrived in Dresden I only had a few days before my flight from Prague to Amsterdam. But Kajta was going so I took the opportunity. I am so happy I did. I went on two very different walking tours--one showcasing the burgeoning street art culture, the other was a more traditional look at Berlin's history. The history tour took me past sites such as Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, and the site of Hilter's former bunker (currently a parking lot). I am simply facinated by the Berlin wall--the wall itself, the notion of using a physical barrier to contain ideologies, and the effect the previous division has on a reunified Germany today. The path of the Berlin wall remains marked by a double brick line snaking through the city. It is odd to walk along it and see boutiques and coffee shops where armed guards used to stand. On my own I walked past the famous East Side Gallery--a 1.3 kilometer stretch of remaining wall decorated with the work of around 100 artists. I spent hours here just imagining what it would feel like to cross to the other side the day the border opened in 1989.
The other intense experience during my time in Berlin was a visit to the newly opened Topography of Terror documentation center. This museum was built on the site of previous nazi regime buildings. The section of wall here is the second largest that remains in Berlin (the first is the East Side Gallery). The documentation center details the planning, execution, and aftermath of the Nazi's mass murder of the Jewish population and other minorities. Listening to a (translated to english) recording of Heinrich Himmler's speech to other Nazi party leaders in Pozen, Poland was bone-chilling. This second most powerful Nazi member speaks specifically and frankly of the ongoing extermination of the Jewish people then concludes, "We have carried out this most difficult task for the love of our people. And we have taken on no defect within us, in our soul, or in our character." Because despite organizing the genocide of more than eleven million people, the Nazi's were pretty upstanding citizens, you see. WTF?!?
Dramatic history, seventy museums, and a unique art scene are just a few reasons Berlin is a super interesting city to visit. I'm with Bowie on this on-- "Berlin is the greatest cultural extravaganza one could imagine."
I was not originally intending to go to Berlin due to a lack of time. By the time I arrived in Dresden I only had a few days before my flight from Prague to Amsterdam. But Kajta was going so I took the opportunity. I am so happy I did. I went on two very different walking tours--one showcasing the burgeoning street art culture, the other was a more traditional look at Berlin's history. The history tour took me past sites such as Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, and the site of Hilter's former bunker (currently a parking lot). I am simply facinated by the Berlin wall--the wall itself, the notion of using a physical barrier to contain ideologies, and the effect the previous division has on a reunified Germany today. The path of the Berlin wall remains marked by a double brick line snaking through the city. It is odd to walk along it and see boutiques and coffee shops where armed guards used to stand. On my own I walked past the famous East Side Gallery--a 1.3 kilometer stretch of remaining wall decorated with the work of around 100 artists. I spent hours here just imagining what it would feel like to cross to the other side the day the border opened in 1989.
The other intense experience during my time in Berlin was a visit to the newly opened Topography of Terror documentation center. This museum was built on the site of previous nazi regime buildings. The section of wall here is the second largest that remains in Berlin (the first is the East Side Gallery). The documentation center details the planning, execution, and aftermath of the Nazi's mass murder of the Jewish population and other minorities. Listening to a (translated to english) recording of Heinrich Himmler's speech to other Nazi party leaders in Pozen, Poland was bone-chilling. This second most powerful Nazi member speaks specifically and frankly of the ongoing extermination of the Jewish people then concludes, "We have carried out this most difficult task for the love of our people. And we have taken on no defect within us, in our soul, or in our character." Because despite organizing the genocide of more than eleven million people, the Nazi's were pretty upstanding citizens, you see. WTF?!?
Dramatic history, seventy museums, and a unique art scene are just a few reasons Berlin is a super interesting city to visit. I'm with Bowie on this on-- "Berlin is the greatest cultural extravaganza one could imagine."
2 countries sharing one town
Cesky Tesin/Cieszyn is an unusual town because half of it lies within the Czech Republic and the other half (Cieszyn) is in Poland. The Olza river separates the two sections of town and you can walk between the two countries over a bridge. The town was divided in 1920 after World War I when Poland and Czechloslovakia were created.
I climb to the top of the Piast Tower for a great view (well, except for the rain) overlooking the two sides of town. The woman at the information center shows me the location of two hotels and two "pensions" (usually a restaurant with lodging above it) I choose, Pod Vesi, a decent deal at 400 czech crowns (about $20) and it is only a few minutes walk from the train station.
My room has tangerine colored walls, a clean bathroom, wooden table, and an old school television--the kind you have to physically push in the rectangular buttons to change one of the 8 available channels! Channels 1 and 4 are Czech news, 2 is Michael Bolton singing in Czech, 5 is some car show in black and white, and channels 3, 6, 7, and 8 don´t work. Hilarious! Unfortunately I do not get much sleep during my stay here due to a rambunctious party downstairs that goes on until after 3am. Oh well.
In the morning, I run along the Olza river and discover the fire department having some kind of competition. Teenagers in firefighter uniforms race down the street with hoses then aim the water stream at red targets while onlookers cheer. I never know what to expect to see on a run. I just wish I had my camera to capture the event!
I climb to the top of the Piast Tower for a great view (well, except for the rain) overlooking the two sides of town. The woman at the information center shows me the location of two hotels and two "pensions" (usually a restaurant with lodging above it) I choose, Pod Vesi, a decent deal at 400 czech crowns (about $20) and it is only a few minutes walk from the train station.
My room has tangerine colored walls, a clean bathroom, wooden table, and an old school television--the kind you have to physically push in the rectangular buttons to change one of the 8 available channels! Channels 1 and 4 are Czech news, 2 is Michael Bolton singing in Czech, 5 is some car show in black and white, and channels 3, 6, 7, and 8 don´t work. Hilarious! Unfortunately I do not get much sleep during my stay here due to a rambunctious party downstairs that goes on until after 3am. Oh well.
In the morning, I run along the Olza river and discover the fire department having some kind of competition. Teenagers in firefighter uniforms race down the street with hoses then aim the water stream at red targets while onlookers cheer. I never know what to expect to see on a run. I just wish I had my camera to capture the event!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Olomouc (pronounced ollamoats)
I walk to the town square where there is some kind of talent show taking place under a large white tent. Preteen girls dance to Michael Jackson´s "Beat it" and the crowd goes wild! Next up are boys kickboxing to a death metal song. I´d love to stay, but it is starting to rain. And, more importantly, I need to find Cafe 87 which is where my couchsurfing host, Petra, and I agreed to meet at 5:30. I find a tram heading to her area, Namesti Republiky, and soon enough the cafe appears on my right. Go me! I am proud of myself for having honed the ability to remain calm even when I (temporarily) have no idea where I am!
Petra and I drop my backpack off at her flat. Petra teaches Irish dance and is currently working on her Ph.D dissertation titled The Mating Habits of Blackberries (Upon hearing this, one of our dinner companions will look at her, confused, and say "Wait, what are you doing with phones?") Her flat is busy during my visit. Victor, a couchsurfer from Portugal is here and so is Petra´s best friend, Misha. Prone to bouts of homesickness these days, I think the more the merrier!
Olomouc is a town of around 100,000 people in the Czech Republic´s eastern region, Moravia. Much as I enjoyed Vienna, I usually want a smaller town atmosphere after spending time in a city. Olomouc is home to Palacky University and has the fun, laid back vibe that accompanies such towns. Bookstores, funky boutiques, and low lit cafes stand near baroque fountains and beautiful cathedrals. The contemporary art museum is free on Wednesday (lucky me!). I like the work of Laszlo Feher whos work features simple human figures against a huge canvas of black, yellow, and white. In the afternoon, I climb the stairs of gothic St. Maurice´s church for a cloudy yet still lovely view of the town.
Dinner at Hanacka Hospoda is a hoot. Petra, Victor, Misha, and several students from Palasky university end up staying there laughing and carrying on until closing. Menu items include smoked pig´s knuckle, chicken a la duck (do you really need both at once?), and something called guttery breah of night of lostice. I order sulanky which turns out to be a rather delicious potato dumplings filled with poppy seed dish. Conversation turns to strange things people have eaten and I am dared to eat the fish eye from the guy that ordered the entire fish. Well, I´ve eaten emu, kangaroo, sting ray, snake, and horse on this trip do you think I eat the eye? Of course I do. By the end of the evening we all think we can speak Czech simply by adding "vot" to the end of everything. Petra confirms, however, that there are quite a few czech words where this is true including flirtovot, relaxovot, sportovot, and telephonovot!
I thought the talent show would win for strangest sight in Olomouc. Then I encountered someone in an orange costume that referred to themselves as "Cookie" and thought "no this is the weirdest." The experimantal jazz band at Ponorka bar where the singer read lines from the newspaper was also a contender. But none of those compares to the most random site of all---sitting next to a grocery store, there is an airplane that has been converted into a bar! The sign says "Letka" opens at 9pm but the door is locked when I arrive shortly after that time. I ring the buzzer and a woman comes and opens the cabin door and motions me to come inside. The decor is delightfully lounge-chic with red seats, leather walls, and big black ashtrays atop hexagonal tiled tables. It´s a plane one can imagine Dirk Diggler and Roller girl partying inside. There is even a small dance area with rotating disco light in the back! I cannot decipher a thing on the menu so I just say "beer" and am given a can of Gambrinus and a tall glass for the equivalent of a buck and a half. I wish someone in the place could speak english and explain how this bar came into existence? What is the backstory here?
Petra and I drop my backpack off at her flat. Petra teaches Irish dance and is currently working on her Ph.D dissertation titled The Mating Habits of Blackberries (Upon hearing this, one of our dinner companions will look at her, confused, and say "Wait, what are you doing with phones?") Her flat is busy during my visit. Victor, a couchsurfer from Portugal is here and so is Petra´s best friend, Misha. Prone to bouts of homesickness these days, I think the more the merrier!
Olomouc is a town of around 100,000 people in the Czech Republic´s eastern region, Moravia. Much as I enjoyed Vienna, I usually want a smaller town atmosphere after spending time in a city. Olomouc is home to Palacky University and has the fun, laid back vibe that accompanies such towns. Bookstores, funky boutiques, and low lit cafes stand near baroque fountains and beautiful cathedrals. The contemporary art museum is free on Wednesday (lucky me!). I like the work of Laszlo Feher whos work features simple human figures against a huge canvas of black, yellow, and white. In the afternoon, I climb the stairs of gothic St. Maurice´s church for a cloudy yet still lovely view of the town.
Dinner at Hanacka Hospoda is a hoot. Petra, Victor, Misha, and several students from Palasky university end up staying there laughing and carrying on until closing. Menu items include smoked pig´s knuckle, chicken a la duck (do you really need both at once?), and something called guttery breah of night of lostice. I order sulanky which turns out to be a rather delicious potato dumplings filled with poppy seed dish. Conversation turns to strange things people have eaten and I am dared to eat the fish eye from the guy that ordered the entire fish. Well, I´ve eaten emu, kangaroo, sting ray, snake, and horse on this trip do you think I eat the eye? Of course I do. By the end of the evening we all think we can speak Czech simply by adding "vot" to the end of everything. Petra confirms, however, that there are quite a few czech words where this is true including flirtovot, relaxovot, sportovot, and telephonovot!
I thought the talent show would win for strangest sight in Olomouc. Then I encountered someone in an orange costume that referred to themselves as "Cookie" and thought "no this is the weirdest." The experimantal jazz band at Ponorka bar where the singer read lines from the newspaper was also a contender. But none of those compares to the most random site of all---sitting next to a grocery store, there is an airplane that has been converted into a bar! The sign says "Letka" opens at 9pm but the door is locked when I arrive shortly after that time. I ring the buzzer and a woman comes and opens the cabin door and motions me to come inside. The decor is delightfully lounge-chic with red seats, leather walls, and big black ashtrays atop hexagonal tiled tables. It´s a plane one can imagine Dirk Diggler and Roller girl partying inside. There is even a small dance area with rotating disco light in the back! I cannot decipher a thing on the menu so I just say "beer" and am given a can of Gambrinus and a tall glass for the equivalent of a buck and a half. I wish someone in the place could speak english and explain how this bar came into existence? What is the backstory here?
Shout Outs
Thank you Diana Rossetti and the Canton Repository for running the story about my trip. I also appreciate the encouraging comments from readers. I hope the story inspires more Americans to embark on international travel!
Here´s a link to the story:
http://www.cantonrep.com/carousel/x1560849407/Around-the-world-in-150-days-A-bloggers-tale
Thanks again!
Here´s a link to the story:
http://www.cantonrep.com/carousel/x1560849407/Around-the-world-in-150-days-A-bloggers-tale
Thanks again!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
