Backpacker and backpacking travel advice online in the UK

Backpacker and backpacking insurance advice

In Europe, it is not uncommon for small cafes and restaurants to use a two-tier pring system for food and drinks, depending on where you sit. Sitting at the bar or deep inside the restaurant will often come with cheaper prices. Enjoying a scenic table out on the pavement may include a higher price. To find out, either ask a waiter/waitress, check out a menu, or keep your eyes open for a small sign in the restaurant informing you about their pricing system.

Traveler's diarrhea is a travelers worst nightmare. Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated, eat salted crackers to compensate for salt loss and avoid milk products. It is very important to make sure the water that you are drinking to hydrate yourself has been properly purified. Boil the water first. That 'sealed' bottle of water that you drank this morning may be the reason you have diarrhea in the first place.

With the availability of internet cafes, as well as affordable long distance calling, there really is no excuse for not 'checking in' now and then to let someone know that you are all right. It is a good idea to let that person know where you are and where you are going. Establishing a regular 'check in' period of every three days or so will help to ensure that, if something does happen to you, someone will know where you are (or where you were supposed to be). But try not to let your check-in routine take away from your trip.

As a traveler, you'll come across everything from outhouses to simple holes in the ground where squatting is a necessity. In developing countries, cubicles may be enclosed, but as you venture further into the countryside, you may have to make do with little or no privacy. But no matter where you travel, take a roll of toilet paper with. In some parts of the world, it is either non-existent (you're expected to use your hand), very scarce or too coarse to be usable.

Take some time to think about what type of shoes you will want to take with you. Choose your shoes carefully as you will be spending plenty of time on your feet. Your choice of shoes will most likely depend on what part of the world you are traveling in (particularly weather and terrain) and what activities you intend to partake in. Generally speaking, a pair of high-quality approach shoes (light hiking boots) and a pair of sandals will suffice for almost any destination.

Theft from your backpack doesn't just happen when you let your pack out of your sight. You can have items removed from your backpack while it is still on your back. Small external pockets can easily be unzipped without you even noticing as you stand in a line-up or on a crowded bus. For this reason, it is a good idea to use a luggage lock to secure your pack. Twist-ties, zip-ties, a paper clip or even string can suffice in making it more difficult for thieves to get in. A thief can just as easily cut your bag to gain access. Simply securing the zips does not make your bag theft-proof.

Take an up to date travel guide if not using the internet or a phone ap. The importance of up-to-date and reliable travel information cannot be stressed enough. Relying on an out of date travel guide will cause you much grief as you sooner or later discover that hostels close down, phone numbers change, and transport timetables

You may need to leave your passport with a business as collateral, such as if you decide to rent a motorbike or sporting gear. This is not a good idea as you should always have your passport with you. Instead, if possible, take an old, expired passport with you on your trip and keep it stashed away in your backpack. They will probably not notice (or care) that it has expired and will accept it as a valid passport.

When traveling in warmer climates, or if you are more active than usual, make an extra effort to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water and other non-caffeinated drinks often. Don't just wait until you are thirsty, a sign that you are already dehydrated. Dry chapped lips, unnecessary fatigue, and dark-yellow urine are all signs that you need more fluids. Staying properly hydrated will help you stay healthy.

Find out as much as you can about the major health risks of the area you are traveling to. Are there insect-born diseases that you need to be protected from? How can you protect yourself from these diseases? Is the country you are going to politically unstable or at war with another country or even with its own people? Read what you can about your destination ahead of time to help prepare for your trip and even help you decide whether the country is worth visiting.

Make sure you do not get arrested for buying counterfeit goods. Look the product over very carefully to make sure that it is authentic.

If you are thinking about renting a scooter or motorbike, take some time to think about the consequences if you happen to have an accident. Besides watching out for crazy local drivers and tourists, you will probably have to adapt to very different driving laws. Some things to think about: When was the last time that scooter was maintenanced? What sort of medical facilities does the area offer? Legally, how will you be treated by the local police? At the very least, make sure that you wear a helmet (now the law in Italy), eye protection and have something on your feet more substantial than sandals.

Most of the bulk in your backpack will be clothing. This means that the easiest way to reduce the weight and size of your load is to take less clothes with you. It just means that you have to wash what you do take more often. If you spend a little time each night doing a little wash, you can keep your clothes in constant rotation. Some travelers even take their oldest clothes with them and then throw them out when they are done using them.

Contact your credit card company in advance to let it know which countries you will be using your card in. Your credit card company, suspecting something is amiss when you're overseas, may cancel or put a hold on your card when charges from some distant country show up on a card that previously had been used only locally.

When buying a backpack, spend a little more money to get a well-built product. It should be light and comfortable, but also very durable because it will take a lot of abuse. You will be dependent on your pack. Any problems with it -- and there will be more if you buy a low-quality pack -- will directly impact your traveling experience. Spend good money on a good pack and feel confident that it will perform for you when you most need it to.

Make sure your passport has more than 6 months to run.

Practise carrying your fully loaded backpack around.

Be sure and make duplicate copies of all of your important documents. Take one copy with you in case your originals are lost or stolen and leave a copy of your documents at home with a family member or friend. This will provide you with a back-up system until you can obtain new ones. Having copies on hand will often speed up the process of issuing your new documents to you as well.

Credit cards are a safe and convenient form of currency when traveling abroad. Not only can you use them to make purchases, but you can also get cash advances with them. The problem with cash advances is that you begin paying interest on the "loan" immediately. To avoid the interest charges, over-pay your credit card before you leave if you intend on using your card for cash advances.

When you are travelling ask an employee at your hostel (who speaks the local language) to write down the name of your intended destination and directions to get there (if necessary), which you can then show to your taxi driver. If you have a business card, letterhead or brochure from your hostel, you can show it to your taxi driver to help you get back.

As tempting as it may be, avoid going barefoot when in a developing (or just plain dirty) country. Lack of decent foot protection leaves you more susceptible to many problems, including injury, insect bites, cuts or punctures (which could give you tetanus, requiring a shot which leads to a whole new batch of risks) and acquiring bacteria and infections from direct skin contact with contaminated sand and soils.

Packing light is always a big issue with budget travelers. Deciding on what to pack and what to leave behind is definitely a personal issue, depending on the importance of comfort, style, etc. and of course, depending on where you are going. But one piece of advice always seems to hold true "when in doubt, leave it out".

Before you leave, prepare yourself to use internet services abroad. Set up an internet-based e-mail account (such as Hotmail), become familiar with the log-in process, make sure you remember your password and give your new e-mail address out to friends and family. You will also want to save your friends' e-mail addresses on a floppy disk (or better yet, email them to your own address for easy access). E-mail copies of important documents to your email address as well.

Consider flying into one city and out of another to avoid wasting time and money. For example, if you are going to Europe, you could fly into London, travel through Europe heading south, then catch a flight out of Rome without having to loop back to London for an added cost and waste of time. Remember that this strategy will be cheaper if you can use the same airline for both your incoming and outgoing flight.

Your airline ticket will most likely be one of the largest purchases you make for your trip, so this is obviously where you have the greatest opportunity to save some money. It is essential that you do your homework and use all of the available options to trim this cost down as much as possible. Inquire at several travel agencies (both local and online) and peruse the newspapers for deals. Planning early for this purchase will certainly save you money by allowing you time to shop around and compare prices.

Take a few passport photos with you. If you require a visa to get into another country, you may need to have one of these pictures to attach to it. But rather than hunting all over the city looking for a photo booth or photography store (or paying lots of money), you will already have the photos.

Don't leave your credit cards in the small safes offered by some hostels and hotels. Staff have keys to these so-called security devices and could 'borrow' your card to either make purchases (which you probably wouldn't find out about until you got home) or make a copy of your card which could then be used over and over.

Paying for local "tour guides" can be tricky. Be sure and barter for, and agree on, a price before the "tour" begins but don't pay until you believe that it is finished (and even at this point you may find yourself in an argument over the thoroughness of the tour).

If you are visiting a tropical region of the word where insects and bugs are a problem (especially in malaria-infested areas), use bug netting while you sleep. But rather than just letting the net hang down around your bed, tuck it into your mattress. This will eliminate any bugs from crawling or flying up underneath the netting. A net impregnated with permethrin will also increase your insect defenses.

One of the best sources of information about things to see and places to go is other travelers. While you are away, ask people you meet about the places and sites they have been to and visited and what they thought of them. You don't have to always take their opinions as fact. Everyone has different tastes - even if they didn't like something, maybe you will. But generally speaking, other travelers often make for useful advice.

If your travel itinerary includes several different countries, try to begin your trip with the country that is most familiar to you (language, customs or just similar to your own). This way, you will hopefully get off to a good start and begin to establish the many travel habits that should become instinctive after a bit of experience. Travelers arriving in an extremely unfamiliar country may be overwhelmed by the many differences in culture, etiquette, etc.

Wear a money belt to conceal your wealth and keep your passport and other ID safe from thieves. BUT ...carry around some money in your front pocket too! If you do get approached by a mugger, give him your pocket money to ease his needs and then plead poverty. This also helps when ever you buy something because you won't have to keep pulling your money belt out.

If your travel pack has a zip-on daypack, take it off and put it inside your main pack if you carry any valuables in it (while wearing your full-size backpack). Or, just don't keep anything valuable in your daypack if it is zipped onto the back. While standing in in crowds, thieves can quickly and easily un-zip your daypack without you even noticing. Look for a daypack that not only zips on but also uses compression straps to help keep it securely attached.

Don't accept packages from strangers (or even recent friends) and then attempt to cross a major border. As well, even though theft from your backpack is a concern, you should also look out for anyone putting something into your bag! Criminals may try to slip drugs or other contraband into your pack and let you take the risk of crossing the border. Then they will get it back from you any way possible.

Hire cars are prime targets for thieves know that more often than not, there will be valuable items in the car. Avoid falling victim to a car theft by making your car look less like a rented car'. Take off the company stickers (if possible) and place a local newspaper in the back window and on the dash. As well, be sure to hide all valuables in the boot. Leaving your glove box open and empty also helps convince thieves that there is nothing of value in the car.

Take a cable and padlock with you while traveling abroad. Use it to lock your backpack to your hostel bed, a bench, a pole or any other secure fixture. This will, at least, make it more difficult for a thief to steal your bag (just enough so that they pass your bag up for someone else's). If you're traveling on your own, a cable and lock is even more important -- you won't have a partner to watch your belongings.