I wish I'd done this............

[buggerlugs]

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel...-1227211380328
I wish I'd back packed and seen the planet before settling down........
Not a bad read.............

[FormulaFG]

Interesting story. I wonder if it really is a rosy as they make it sound. I don't think I could do it. I prefer stability and security in my life.

[NTF6]

I just hope they don't end up on an ISIS video pleading for there lives.

[Windsor220]

I know people that do similar and they spend most of their time working which sort of defeats the purpose of doing it in the first place.

[brennan.]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

I wish I'd back packed and seen the planet before settling down........

Ah yes, hindsight, giving human beings the ability to over analyze their past since we realized we had a memory. Nothing wrong with being planted firmly in the real world. I'm not even considering an overseas trip until I own a home and I'm happy with where my career is at. Even then It'd only be a couple weeks max.

Good on them but when they're getting on a bit and they want to go home they'll pretty much be broke and have to start all over again. Not a life I would want, no way. I mean who ever wants to hear about other people's holiday experiences, that's all they would ever talk about. Can you imagine the poor sods at Mcd's having to listen to that all day.

Don't listen to me I'm just mr negative today, I actually think they've got the right idea (insert cliché about life and stuff).

[2011G6E]

They're going by ground travel down through Africa...

Been nice knowin' ya...

We had our first overseas trip in 2013...we'd been married 30 years, and been busy raising kids and buying a house and all the other things the real world throws at you (and no, trendsetters...the "real world" isn't bludging around living like a hippy...it's work and paying bills and contributing to society and raising a good family).
We finally decided now was the time, scrimped and saved, and had an all-too-brief trip to Las Vegas.
Now we're planning for a more prolonged trip...three weeks minimum...going from San Francisco down to LA to San Diego and back to Vegas in a rented car.
And yes...we're "boringly" going to the USA again. We loved it there. I know plenty of people who laugh and say we're mad, we should go to Asia somewhere like Bali or Thailand...but to be blunt they don't appeal to us, and friends raving about how cheap the beer and massages are doesn't really entice me to go there.
You wan't "cheap and exotic" be careful what you wish for...you might just get it...

I can't understand what sort of future people who "throw in their job to travel on a budget" like these people are doing think they're going to have...yes you'll have some memories (if you come back alive) but what happens after you come home? Most employers don't include "life experiences" such as travel into account when employing someone.

[mik]

Working holiday / road trip rocks, no doubt about it,
I think it certainly opens your eyes a bit to the world around you and is a great adventure.

For me though, while I'd like to see some other parts of the world, there is so much to see and do in Australia...... The other parts of the world are well down the priority list.

[brennan.]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Now we're planning for a more prolonged trip...three weeks minimum...going from San Francisco down to LA to San Diego and back to Vegas in a rented car.
And yes...we're "boringly" going to the USA again. We loved it there. I know plenty of people who laugh and say we're mad, we should go to Asia somewhere like Bali or Thailand...but to be blunt they don't appeal to us, and friends raving about how cheap the beer and massages are doesn't really entice me to go there.
You wan't "cheap and exotic" be careful what you wish for...you might just get it...

That sounds like a bloody awesome trip mate, and guess what? I bet you anything you won't die of malaria, or ebola, or be sold into an organ trafficking ring.

[BradEL]

Those views in Vietnam look truely breathtaking! But yes it is dangerous to do what there doing through that part of the world. I would rather start off doing that sort of thing in my own country or Australia first, a bit safer than Africa!

[danzvtil]

Don't get me started, Im 34 have a house,child and school fees to pay. Im currently trying to find a way to have no mortgage by mid 40s, so I can do a forrest gump and drive a ride on mower part time for the rest of my life.
Unless a rich relative dies, ill still be working for the man :(

[CoupeKing]

Seems like the funds are starting to die, hence the blog/freelance.

[Yellow_Festiva]

I did this, well worth it. Totally amazing experience and something I will hope to do again.

Quit my job at the end of 04 and arranged 1 month of employment teaching English in Korea. Bought a 1 way ticket and arranged a dodgy return ticket as 'they' might ask for proof of return arrangements.

They asked for return flight in Sydney, Seoul didn't care lol. And my dodgy return ticket worked a treat ;)

Ended up travelling from Seoul to London without flying. Took a while, but then again when you have no fixed date of return slow is better (more fun / cheaper etc).

Dec 04 Sydney to Seoul and taught English for 2 different companies. First experience 'living' in -15 degree weather! Loved it! Looking at the pictures now - I had more hair and less stomach! Great times!

Early March - Caught a ferry from Socho to Vladivostok, Russia. The flyers / pictures at the booking office were of this brand spanking new ship - upon arrival it was this dreary rusting hulk! 3rd class baby, what looked to be a large dining room / ball room. Mat on the floor, bag chained to pole. Only white guy aboard. Still remember needing to drag my Korean friend to the booking office in Seoul to 'translate' the fact that I was in deed going to Vlad and that I indeed knew it was not a 'cruise ship'. They didn't allow me to buy the ticket on my own as they thought I didn't know what I was doing lol.

Arrive in Russia (Zarubino) to find that people were all getting off the boat. When I finally found out why they said the port in Vlad was frozen over and there was no guarantee that they could dock. I stayed on the boat (didn't want to pay the extra fee to hop in a van and drive 5 hrs overland to Vlad). Arrived in Vlad in the middle of the night to find a tug boat looking thing breaking up the ice and flushing it out to allow our ship to dock. This took over 5 hrs!

Vladivostok - what a place! Rough as guts, no hostels, sketchy tourist info that was totally out of date (prices etc) even though the book I had was only 2 years old. Had a 'friend of a friend of a friend' arrange cheap accommodation for me - a condemned building that housed transient construction workers. I had a room to myself, and my bed had a wooden mattress and no power. I recall trying to walk to the communal (cold) showers wrapped in a towel with my head down. I once had a drunk guy walk past me and mumble something in Russian, I grumbled 'da' back and picked up my pace. When I came and went there was an old fat lady 'manning' the door. No names, no paperwork. I just went to the address and she knew who I was and led me to my room lol.

Left Vlad for Harbin - China in mid March. Filling out Visa stuff for Russia / China was a laugh - some of the questions lol... But then again, when you are on the train and 3 guards with AK47's are watching you fill in your paperwork while they are perusing your documents is a very serious matter!

Harbin to Beijing to Xian (terracotta warriors) to Chengdu (stop over but went to Panda zoo) to Songpan (Mountain region - did a 3 day horseback trek in the ice and snow and nearly fell to my death when the horse gave way under me lol. Fainted a few times from the altitude, was insanely jealous at our insanely fit and able porters who would chain smoke dodgy fags all day while living on boiled potatoes and this bread dough looking stuff.

Stopped in to Leshan to see the big Buddha statue. Got into a fight with the dodgy tuk tuk drivers - this was fight number 4 or 5 already and was certainly not the last.

Yangze river cruise, before it was dammed. Remember being taken into a room and shouted at for hours in Mandarin by the cruise operators because the hostel booked the dates wrong and I had a train to catch that clashed with their times. Seriously - sitting in a chair and interrogated like I was the bad guy for 'demanding' they honor the booking the hostel did! Oh man! I didn't budge, nor did I pay a cent for the van they arranged to take me from one of their stops direct to the train I was to catch. Was well and truly over China!

Back to Beijing to catch the train to Mongolia - which only departs certain days of the week, the day I needed to depart was one of their 'no train' days and I needed to extend my visa because my 30 day Chinese visa ran out the day prior to departure. Finding where and how to extend the visa took a whole day - this was at a time where 'tourist info' in Beijing was had by going to the information desks of certain hotels and paying for information.

More scams, dodgy drivers, dodgy food etc. Few more fights - one with a gang that chased me down the street (they had sold me fake movie DVD's the week before and I stumbled upon them again by chance with the fake DVD's in my bag. I pretended to be interested in buying more and then realised that the fake ones had a certain marking on the cover). I 'paid' for the new ones by taking out my bundle of crap ones and trowing them at the 2 guys. Didn't go down well..... But, I didn't pay for the replacement movies either!

Train to Ulaan Baator (UB)- Mongolia's capital. I shared a cabin with a guy called 'Tivan'. He looked like a Mongolian Dean Cain (the modern day superman actor) and it turns out he was an ex body builder and 'Mr Mongolia' lol. Once people knew there was a star on the train the cabin was a hive of activity with people coming and going to meet the man of steel.

The train tracks between China and Mongolia are a different width. All passengers must get off and wait at the boarder town for several hours while they swap the rolling stock to fit the different width in Mongolia. You have the choice to stay on the train while this is happening by the way - apparently they crane the carriages in the air when doing the swap according to an Aussie I met who decided to stay behind.

Vodka was $2 a bottle or $3.50 for the real good stuff. Smokes were 50c each pack. I had about 30 people asking me to say their boxes of smokes / grog (that they bought in bulk) were mine to get them through customs as people buy up over their quota and then try and bribe their way through. Some people didn't like to be told 'no'. Thank God I don't understand Mongolian swearing.

You would never want to get into a blue with a Mongolian - built like a brick dunny!

Spent around 3 weeks in Mongolia. My goodness, what a place! Spent around 1 week in the capital and 2 weeks in the back of a Soviet 4x4 van (that broke down often) doing a 3000km trek around the middle of the country. I met my 4x4 companions in the only hostel there was in UB by leaving a note on the notice board seeing if anyone was interested in hiring a van and driver for a week or 2? A couple of Swedes, a couple or Irish lads another Aussie lass and myself split the bill. Worked out to be around $25 a day including accommodation! We tipped our driver in smokes and vodka I still remember his name, as well as the owners of the UB hostel - great times there and all for $5 USD a night including breakfast.

Anyone who wants to see something totally amazing, go to Mongolia! Stay at UB guesthouse, ask Bobby and Kim to arrange a trek for you and take a bloody good camera.

Left Mongolia to start my trip back into Russia. Found a cabin of white people (some Aussies) and they were nice enough to sing me 'happy birthday'. By this time it was Mid May 2005.

Duel entry Visa for Russia= 'Business visa' (back then) $90 USD for the 'invitation', and a whole heap more for the visa itself. I think once it was all sorted I was out of pocket $200USD and it took almost a month to process (did it while in Korea working).

Cross the border back into Russia - Stop in Irkutsk for a few days. Nicer than Vlad. Actually stayed in a hostel and it was nice to chat with others and hearing their stories.

Bought my ticket for the Trans Siberian railway with the help of the hostel. 3rd class is generally reserved for locals only but i got a ticket. 2400 Rubles ($120 back then) for an 88hr continuous train ride across Russia. 3rd class is, umm different. 3 bunks plus no walls to the walkway like in 2nd class. No other westerners to be seen! Met lots of Russians, most thought I was crazy traveling across Russia alone in 3rd class. Most were also drunk.

NEVER drink against a Russian. They are genetically superior to you and you won't be the one left standing. Each carriage has a lady (provanista???) that looks after things and I can still recall her screaming at me for throwing up in the (drop) toilet at the end of the carriage. There was a line of Russians busting to use the 'facilities' and we were nearing a town with a long stop. (toilets are locked just before, in and soon after each town that the train stops at as what you do just falls through a hole onto the tracks!)

Arrived in Moscow, stayed in an unregistered Hostel and almost got arrested for not paying a bribe to the local cop. The hostel paid the bribe as I took the cop there for help and he turned his attention to the hostel manager. These guys (cops) are serious and bail up dozens of tourists a day with fake charges. While I was being done over his mate found a weakling who got scared of the uniform, the gun and the treats and promptly went to the closest ATM to pull out the 3000p standard 'fine' fee. To some people this is chump change, but I was over it and told the guy to go ahead and arrest / deport me as I didn't care. Hot tip - you can negotiate the fine down to 2000 ;) but I didn't pay a red cent.
While in Moscow I lived on these kebab looking things, they called them 'doners' over there. Visited Moscow University... looks like something out of Gotham city!

Moscow to St Petersburg. WOW. The Hermitage. They have this Gold Peacock thing that opens and closes. Nice place, nicest of all the places I had visited and much more European.

Bus to Estonia, bus to Finland, bus to Lithuania, bus to Latvia, ferry to Sweden - where my hostel ended up being a boat floating in the harbor and days started at 3am and finished at around 10 pm!, bus to Denmark - stayed at 'Dan Hostel' the largest hostel in the world at the time apparently (but not the best).

Kept going - of to the Netherlands and went to the Anne Frank Museum and who was 4 people ahead of me in the line? The school secretary where I used to work! Funny how several months prior I was in the office telling her how I was going to take a year off to backpack around etc.

Arrived in Berlin to meet a friend and didn't even know the World Cup was running at the same time. Bummed in Germany for a few weeks and almost got killed after walking into an Aussie bar wearing an "Italia" jersey after we lost against Italy. I honestly thought I was going to get lynched that night! Walking into a bar with 150+ drunk Aussies all stopping and pointing at you and mumbling stuff under their breath..

Off to Paris, walked around the streets with my Davinci Code in hand and soon learnt why a lot of people (even the French) hate Parisians... Oh man, you try and speak French and they mock you for getting it really wrong, and if you don't speak French at all they mock you for coming to 'their' country and not even trying to speak the language. At this time they were in the final stages of prepping the seating for the Tour de France spectators. Walked half way up the Eiffel tower as I'm scared of heights but was told the rest must be done in the lift...

Got the coach under the English Chanel to London and the shock to your system of hearing your mother tongue for the first time in several months is astonishing.

Was tired, hungry and dirty. Ate maccas, and had a blue with the lady at the hostel reception as she was 'out of change' for the laundry. I told her that if you had bothered to ask any of the other 3 receptionists perhaps they have change in their purse? She looked at me, in shock at how I dared suggest such a wild idea. After I calmed down and explained a bit of what I had been through she opened her purse to find ample change for me. I was just dying for a shower and a clean set of clothes after all!

Flew from London to Seoul again via Dubai - stayed at the most grand YHA I have ever been (yes, even Dubai has a hostel)!

Walked all over Dubai, was 40+ degrees and I was too tight to catch a cab everywhere (this was before the public trains were in operation). Walked to the Hard Rock Cafe (at that time it was well and truly out of town) and walked back. I have friends that live in Dubai and when I recently told them the walk I did they looked at me and said that it was simply 'impossible'... lol

Caught local buses with glass partitions to separate the sexes.

The Burj Khalifa was not there, and I was stopped at the Burj Al Arab by security for walking down the driveway (on the way to Hard Rock). I swore I would be back to the Burj Al Arab one day (and I did return a few years ago and shouted my family Easter lunch there - which cost more than our entire 3 night Hotel bill lol.

By this time it was early September and I was getting over it. I had lived out of a (heavy) backpack for all these months and decided to return to Australia.

Awesome times! Loved every second of it, from the $3 hostels in Xian to the plethora of 'Museums' in Denmark lol.

I have a full collection of every currency (Mongolia doesn't use coins) and I sent home a whole heap of stuff by ship at regular intervals.

Why did I return?? Well I was alone and stared to get tired of the many 2-3 day friendships I was making. This was before Facebook etc. I also had 3 mortgages at the time and while I wasn't short of money the little voices inside my head were reminding me that If I were to meet someone any time soon and get hitched that this would cost more money lol.

So, since then?

Singapore (few times), Korea again (whole heap if times), Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Pakistan, Egypt, Abu Dhabi, Dubai again, New Caledonia, India, Sri Lanka (where I bumped into the school cleaner at the airport over there lol), Maldives, Nepal, Tahiti (honeymoon) the following with the better half: Czech Republic, Austria, Italy (several times), Malta (several times), NZ, Fiji, 6 week African camping Safari in the back of a 4x4 truck: South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya. Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Hong Kong, Samoa, Japan.

I think that's it??

If I had my time again I would have not returned home so soon, but then again, I would have also insisted in doing it with a partner. At times, I had forgotten what the English language sounded like!

Every city has a story, I have great memories from every hostel I have stayed at (some 50 by now at least) and can entertain people for hours when they ask a question about a certain place. But that also has negatives like when I tell people how much I hated China for all the crap I went through. I turn off when they tell me how smooth sailing their 'tour' was... Have things there changed for the better? Who knows? Hope so!

My big trip didn't cost me all that much upon reflection. I had saved a heap (the joys of working 3-4 jobs at the same time) and did it 'real cheap'. Same with all my / our traveling (bar the honeymoon lol). Lucky I have a forgiving and adventurous Mrs.

I show people my pictures and I hear comments like "I could / would NEVER have done that" etc.. but I don't know, it really wasn't that hard, or scary.

I was toying with the idea at one stage to try and be the first guy to visit every country overland but that gong has been recently taken :( Perhaps the first father / daughter duo???

Doing what I did is not for everyone... but is not that hard if you have the right attitude. I love watching travel shows and pointing to the TV saying 'I been there' and 'I did that' etc.

It doesn't have to be expensive either! Trust me.

I won a return flight to Seoul (of all bloody places) so I will be back there this year, and again next year when I take a group of school kids over for 2 weeks.

Would love to do Antarctica and the Americas as well... as to when? Who knows!

God I can gas bag! But it's something I'm passionate about ;) Can you tell?

Cheers,

Jason

[AUwindsor]

This is an agenda by the elite, to stop people building up their wealth.... "travel and don't build up any assets for you or your kids" ...... JUST excellent for the 1%'ers to have even more of the wealth

they just don't stop with the mass-programming of the "masses"

you do what you feel is right for you, not what the media tells you to do.

[Rowdy Fitment]

Eh you only get one life, who wants to spend it just working and never doing anything else. Your house and stability wont fit in your coffin. Better to have had fun and enjoyed life rather than having stability but nothing else.

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

I did this, well worth it. Totally amazing experience and something I will hope to do again.

Quit my job at the end of 04 and arranged 1 month of employment teaching English in Korea. Bought a 1 way ticket and arranged a dodgy return ticket as 'they' might ask for proof of return arrangements.

They asked for return flight in Sydney, Seoul didn't care lol. And my dodgy return ticket worked a treat ;)

Ended up travelling from Seoul to London without flying. Took a while, but then again when you have no fixed date of return slow is better (more fun / cheaper etc).

Dec 04 Sydney to Seoul and taught English for 2 different companies. First experience 'living' in -15 degree weather! Loved it! Looking at the pictures now - I had more hair and less stomach! Great times!

Early March - Caught a ferry from Socho to Vladivostok, Russia. The flyers / pictures at the booking office were of this brand spanking new ship - upon arrival it was this dreary rusting hulk! 3rd class baby, what looked to be a large dining room / ball room. Mat on the floor, bag chained to pole. Only white guy aboard. Still remember needing to drag my Korean friend to the booking office in Seoul to 'translate' the fact that I was in deed going to Vlad and that I indeed knew it was not a 'cruise ship'. They didn't allow me to buy the ticket on my own as they thought I didn't know what I was doing lol.

Arrive in Russia (Zarubino) to find that people were all getting off the boat. When I finally found out why they said the port in Vlad was frozen over and there was no guarantee that they could dock. I stayed on the boat (didn't want to pay the extra fee to hop in a van and drive 5 hrs overland to Vlad). Arrived in Vlad in the middle of the night to find a tug boat looking thing breaking up the ice and flushing it out to allow our ship to dock. This took over 5 hrs!

Vladivostok - what a place! Rough as guts, no hostels, sketchy tourist info that was totally out of date (prices etc) even though the book I had was only 2 years old. Had a 'friend of a friend of a friend' arrange cheap accommodation for me - a condemned building that housed transient construction workers. I had a room to myself, and my bed had a wooden mattress and no power. I recall trying to walk to the communal (cold) showers wrapped in a towel with my head down. I once had a drunk guy walk past me and mumble something in Russian, I grumbled 'da' back and picked up my pace. When I came and went there was an old fat lady 'manning' the door. No names, no paperwork. I just went to the address and she knew who I was and led me to my room lol.

Left Vlad for Harbin - China in mid March. Filling out Visa stuff for Russia / China was a laugh - some of the questions lol... But then again, when you are on the train and 3 guards with AK47's are watching you fill in your paperwork while they are perusing your documents is a very serious matter!

Harbin to Beijing to Xian (terracotta warriors) to Chengdu (stop over but went to Panda zoo) to Songpan (Mountain region - did a 3 day horseback trek in the ice and snow and nearly fell to my death when the horse gave way under me lol. Fainted a few times from the altitude, was insanely jealous at our insanely fit and able porters who would chain smoke dodgy fags all day while living on boiled potatoes and this bread dough looking stuff.

Stopped in to Leshan to see the big Buddha statue. Got into a fight with the dodgy tuk tuk drivers - this was fight number 4 or 5 already and was certainly not the last.

Yangze river cruise, before it was dammed. Remember being taken into a room and shouted at for hours in Mandarin by the cruise operators because the hostel booked the dates wrong and I had a train to catch that clashed with their times. Seriously - sitting in a chair and interrogated like I was the bad guy for 'demanding' they honor the booking the hostel did! Oh man! I didn't budge, nor did I pay a cent for the van they arranged to take me from one of their stops direct to the train I was to catch. Was well and truly over China!

Back to Beijing to catch the train to Mongolia - which only departs certain days of the week, the day I needed to depart was one of their 'no train' days and I needed to extend my visa because my 30 day Chinese visa ran out the day prior to departure. Finding where and how to extend the visa took a whole day - this was at a time where 'tourist info' in Beijing was had by going to the information desks of certain hotels and paying for information.

More scams, dodgy drivers, dodgy food etc. Few more fights - one with a gang that chased me down the street (they had sold me fake movie DVD's the week before and I stumbled upon them again by chance with the fake DVD's in my bag. I pretended to be interested in buying more and then realised that the fake ones had a certain marking on the cover). I 'paid' for the new ones by taking out my bundle of crap ones and trowing them at the 2 guys. Didn't go down well..... But, I didn't pay for the replacement movies either!

Train to Ulaan Baator (UB)- Mongolia's capital. I shared a cabin with a guy called 'Tivan'. He looked like a Mongolian Dean Cain (the modern day superman actor) and it turns out he was an ex body builder and 'Mr Mongolia' lol. Once people knew there was a star on the train the cabin was a hive of activity with people coming and going to meet the man of steel.

The train tracks between China and Mongolia are a different width. All passengers must get off and wait at the boarder town for several hours while they swap the rolling stock to fit the different width in Mongolia. You have the choice to stay on the train while this is happening by the way - apparently they crane the carriages in the air when doing the swap according to an Aussie I met who decided to stay behind.

Vodka was $2 a bottle or $3.50 for the real good stuff. Smokes were 50c each pack. I had about 30 people asking me to say their boxes of smokes / grog (that they bought in bulk) were mine to get them through customs as people buy up over their quota and then try and bribe their way through. Some people didn't like to be told 'no'. Thank God I don't understand Mongolian swearing.

You would never want to get into a blue with a Mongolian - built like a brick dunny!

Spent around 3 weeks in Mongolia. My goodness, what a place! Spent around 1 week in the capital and 2 weeks in the back of a Soviet 4x4 van (that broke down often) doing a 3000km trek around the middle of the country. I met my 4x4 companions in the only hostel there was in UB by leaving a note on the notice board seeing if anyone was interested in hiring a van and driver for a week or 2? A couple of Swedes, a couple or Irish lads another Aussie lass and myself split the bill. Worked out to be around $25 a day including accommodation! We tipped our driver in smokes and vodka I still remember his name, as well as the owners of the UB hostel - great times there and all for $5 USD a night including breakfast.

Anyone who wants to see something totally amazing, go to Mongolia! Stay at UB guesthouse, ask Bobby and Kim to arrange a trek for you and take a bloody good camera.

Left Mongolia to start my trip back into Russia. Found a cabin of white people (some Aussies) and they were nice enough to sing me 'happy birthday'. By this time it was Mid May 2005.

Duel entry Visa for Russia= 'Business visa' (back then) $90 USD for the 'invitation', and a whole heap more for the visa itself. I think once it was all sorted I was out of pocket $200USD and it took almost a month to process (did it while in Korea working).

Cross the border back into Russia - Stop in Irkutsk for a few days. Nicer than Vlad. Actually stayed in a hostel and it was nice to chat with others and hearing their stories.

Bought my ticket for the Trans Siberian railway with the help of the hostel. 3rd class is generally reserved for locals only but i got a ticket. 2400 Rubles ($120 back then) for an 88hr continuous train ride across Russia. 3rd class is, umm different. 3 bunks plus no walls to the walkway like in 2nd class. No other westerners to be seen! Met lots of Russians, most thought I was crazy traveling across Russia alone in 3rd class. Most were also drunk.

NEVER drink against a Russian. They are genetically superior to you and you won't be the one left standing. Each carriage has a lady (provanista???) that looks after things and I can still recall her screaming at me for throwing up in the (drop) toilet at the end of the carriage. There was a line of Russians busting to use the 'facilities' and we were nearing a town with a long stop. (toilets are locked just before, in and soon after each town that the train stops at as what you do just falls through a hole onto the tracks!)

Arrived in Moscow, stayed in an unregistered Hostel and almost got arrested for not paying a bribe to the local cop. The hostel paid the bribe as I took the cop there for help and he turned his attention to the hostel manager. These guys (cops) are serious and bail up dozens of tourists a day with fake charges. While I was being done over his mate found a weakling who got scared of the uniform, the gun and the treats and promptly went to the closest ATM to pull out the 3000p standard 'fine' fee. To some people this is chump change, but I was over it and told the guy to go ahead and arrest / deport me as I didn't care. Hot tip - you can negotiate the fine down to 2000 ;) but I didn't pay a red cent.
While in Moscow I lived on these kebab looking things, they called them 'doners' over there. Visited Moscow University... looks like something out of Gotham city!

Moscow to St Petersburg. WOW. The Hermitage. They have this Gold Peacock thing that opens and closes. Nice place, nicest of all the places I had visited and much more European.

Bus to Estonia, bus to Finland, bus to Lithuania, bus to Latvia, ferry to Sweden - where my hostel ended up being a boat floating in the harbor and days started at 3am and finished at around 10 pm!, bus to Denmark - stayed at 'Dan Hostel' the largest hostel in the world at the time apparently (but not the best).

Kept going - of to the Netherlands and went to the Anne Frank Museum and who was 4 people ahead of me in the line? The school secretary where I used to work! Funny how several months prior I was in the office telling her how I was going to take a year off to backpack around etc.

Arrived in Berlin to meet a friend and didn't even know the World Cup was running at the same time. Bummed in Germany for a few weeks and almost got killed after walking into an Aussie bar wearing an "Italia" jersey after we lost against Italy. I honestly thought I was going to get lynched that night! Walking into a bar with 150+ drunk Aussies all stopping and pointing at you and mumbling stuff under their breath..

Off to Paris, walked around the streets with my Davinci Code in hand and soon learnt why a lot of people (even the French) hate Parisians... Oh man, you try and speak French and they mock you for getting it really wrong, and if you don't speak French at all they mock you for coming to 'their' country and not even trying to speak the language. At this time they were in the final stages of prepping the seating for the Tour de France spectators. Walked half way up the Eiffel tower as I'm scared of heights but was told the rest must be done in the lift...

Got the coach under the English Chanel to London and the shock to your system of hearing your mother tongue for the first time in several months is astonishing.

Was tired, hungry and dirty. Ate maccas, and had a blue with the lady at the hostel reception as she was 'out of change' for the laundry. I told her that if you had bothered to ask any of the other 3 receptionists perhaps they have change in their purse? She looked at me, in shock at how I dared suggest such a wild idea. After I calmed down and explained a bit of what I had been through she opened her purse to find ample change for me. I was just dying for a shower and a clean set of clothes after all!

Flew from London to Seoul again via Dubai - stayed at the most grand YHA I have ever been (yes, even Dubai has a hostel)!

Walked all over Dubai, was 40+ degrees and I was too tight to catch a cab everywhere (this was before the public trains were in operation). Walked to the Hard Rock Cafe (at that time it was well and truly out of town) and walked back. I have friends that live in Dubai and when I recently told them the walk I did they looked at me and said that it was simply 'impossible'... lol

Caught local buses with glass partitions to separate the sexes.

The Burj Khalifa was not there, and I was stopped at the Burj Al Arab by security for walking down the driveway (on the way to Hard Rock). I swore I would be back to the Burj Al Arab one day (and I did return a few years ago and shouted my family Easter lunch there - which cost more than our entire 3 night Hotel bill lol.

By this time it was early September and I was getting over it. I had lived out of a (heavy) backpack for all these months and decided to return to Australia.

Awesome times! Loved every second of it, from the $3 hostels in Xian to the plethora of 'Museums' in Denmark lol.

I have a full collection of every currency (Mongolia doesn't use coins) and I sent home a whole heap of stuff by ship at regular intervals.

Why did I return?? Well I was alone and stared to get tired of the many 2-3 day friendships I was making. This was before Facebook etc. I also had 3 mortgages at the time and while I wasn't short of money the little voices inside my head were reminding me that If I were to meet someone any time soon and get hitched that this would cost more money lol.

So, since then?

Singapore (few times), Korea again (whole heap if times), Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Pakistan, Egypt, Abu Dhabi, Dubai again, New Caledonia, India, Sri Lanka (where I bumped into the school cleaner at the airport over there lol), Maldives, Nepal, Tahiti (honeymoon) the following with the better half: Czech Republic, Austria, Italy (several times), Malta (several times), NZ, Fiji, 6 week African camping Safari in the back of a 4x4 truck: South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya. Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Hong Kong, Samoa, Japan.

I think that's it??

If I had my time again I would have not returned home so soon, but then again, I would have also insisted in doing it with a partner. At times, I had forgotten what the English language sounded like!

Every city has a story, I have great memories from every hostel I have stayed at (some 50 by now at least) and can entertain people for hours when they ask a question about a certain place. But that also has negatives like when I tell people how much I hated China for all the crap I went through. I turn off when they tell me how smooth sailing their 'tour' was... Have things there changed for the better? Who knows? Hope so!

My big trip didn't cost me all that much upon reflection. I had saved a heap (the joys of working 3-4 jobs at the same time) and did it 'real cheap'. Same with all my / our traveling (bar the honeymoon lol). Lucky I have a forgiving and adventurous Mrs.

I show people my pictures and I hear comments like "I could / would NEVER have done that" etc.. but I don't know, it really wasn't that hard, or scary.

I was toying with the idea at one stage to try and be the first guy to visit every country overland but that gong has been recently taken :( Perhaps the first father / daughter duo???

Doing what I did is not for everyone... but is not that hard if you have the right attitude. I love watching travel shows and pointing to the TV saying 'I been there' and 'I did that' etc.

It doesn't have to be expensive either! Trust me.

I won a return flight to Seoul (of all bloody places) so I will be back there this year, and again next year when I take a group of school kids over for 2 weeks.

Would love to do Antarctica and the Americas as well... as to when? Who knows!

God I can gas bag! But it's something I'm passionate about ;) Can you tell?

Cheers,

Jason

I thought of you when I posted this ..................... Bloody good onya !!

[brennan.]

Originally Posted by Rowdy Fitment

Eh you only get one life, who wants to spend it just working and never doing anything else. Your house and stability wont fit in your coffin. Better to have had fun and enjoyed life rather than having stability but nothing else.

That's a good point but a little selfish don't you think? I don't have kids right now but when I do I want THEM to have a home and stability, it's not all about me me me I don't wanna work (stomps foot down) blah blah blah. Part of life is looking toward the future.

[poppa smurf]

did I tell you just how much I hate that bloody yellow festival........barstard.........

I took the "work hard, family first, save your money" route.

only in our later years have I realised just how wrong that was....

always been my dream to grab a motorhome and "work our way round"

rooted now (in more ways than one).

[XBROO]

Originally Posted by BradEL

Those views in Vietnam look truely breathtaking! But yes it is dangerous to do what there doing through that part of the world. I would rather start off doing that sort of thing in my own country or Australia first, a bit safer than Africa!

Yep I alway found it strange people going to place all over the world, but haven't even seen their own country yet. I for one want to know Australia first then worry about jet setting into foreign land. And the way the world is today it's a safer option.

[Franco Cozzo]

I haven't really been anywhere out of Victoria, but I've been to a few places around NZ and in the South Pacific Islands (Vanuatu/New Caledonia and their little islands) via cruise ship with family

I wouldn't mind going back to NZ but driving around this time, want to go back to Christchurch and go to that "Tanks for Everything" place and drive their Centurion tank.

EDIT:

Its closed :(

http://www.tanksforeverything.co.nz/index.php

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by XBROO

Yep I alway found it strange people going to place all over the world, but haven't even seen their own country yet. I for one want to know Australia first then worry about jet setting into foreign land. And the way the world is today it's a safer option.

Depends. As you said, Australia is the 'safer' option, so why do that when you are younger and stronger?

I purposely did the rougher stuff (IE non English speaking countries) first when I'm younger so that I'm able to better take care of myself if need be.

I sometimes pick up 30 kg and wonder how the hell I was sometimes walking 5-6 km at a time while carrying 28 kg on my back and another 10 kg on my front (to stop me from falling backwards!).

Would that be something a more mature person would do? Probably not! Then again, the biggest mistake I did when backpacking was having the bloody backpack! The amount of time I was cursing myself, walking km after km over perfect pavement with my back bent over thinking how this would be so much easier with a trolly case!



I reckon I would be 3 inches taller had I used a trolley case lol.

I have seen half of Australia already, however I have some epic road / camping trips planned for when my daughter is a little older.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by brennan.

That's a good point but a little selfish don't you think? I don't have kids right now but when I do I want THEM to have a home and stability, it's not all about me me me I don't wanna work (stomps foot down) blah blah blah. Part of life is looking toward the future.

On the flip side, imagine being in that future and looking back thinking how much more you could have done when you had more opportunities and freedom?

You either want to do it or you don't. If you want to do it you find ways to make it happen, if you don't then I don't think it's all that nice to say those who did are selfish. There are some who just can't as they have greater commitments (financial / family etc) but the great majority can do what I did, ESPECIALLY in a 1st world, modern western country.

We are the luckiest bloody bastards on this planet.. trust me. Most of us were born into this situation by default and have every opportunity to do what most of the world can only ever dream of doing.

Having said that, I had my cake and ate it. I didn't do my trip till I was 25. Prior to this, I had finished and paid for uni in full, bought a new car, and bought a few investment properties in preparation for my future life.

I then moved out of home for several months (to get me prepped for my possible long term solitude), sold all my large possessions and worked as hard as I could doing any job that paid. I think my longest continuous stint of work was 4 months, ie, not 1 day off. These are the sacrifices one must make if you dream big.

In the year prior to leaving I think I had only 1 week off work for the whole 12 months.

Is that for everybody? God no! But boy did it make my dreams a reality. It also made me a whole heap of cash. One thing I promised myself was that I never wanted to return home by force due to a lack of funds.

I'm the exception to the norm, but I'm far from exceptional. It could have been almost anyone else if they so chose.

[XBROO]

It's just my view point on things, mate I'm glad you have done what you have done. You'd be a good person to just sit and listen to the stories you would have tuck away in your memory banks. Me I've got kids a mortgage and need to work to support, so my view point will be more from what I can do with them.

In hind site I have heard your view point about doing it when you're young and grey nomad Australia when old. And yes it makes perfect sense, but a bit late for me now.

[Yellow_Festiva]

To the younger people watching at home.

If this is something you want to do than start planning and DO IT.

There is a recurring theme here. Those who did loved it and recommend it, those who didn't regret it and wish they did. Don't be the latter.

If you still live at home and don't have a serious Mrs / Mr then all the better.

Work, save up all you can and buy a 1 way ticket to anywhere.

Join a few travel forums, read a few blogs. Get advice and inspiration from the people who have 'been there and done that' and NO ONE else.

It is NOT hard, it is NOT impossible and it DOESN'T have to be costly (hosteling / couch surfing all the way). I was sometimes living on $10 a day in Asia, that then blows out to $40 a day in Europe.

You will be able to work in many countries for free board / food and if you save up enough ($40-$50k) up front you can do a year to 18 months no problems.

And you know what, when you return you will be a much more 'rounded' person. You will appreciate life here more, you will be able to mix with other cultures and 'understand' them better. Your general knowledge will be far superior.

Who knows? You may pick up another language, you may decide to live somewhere for a while? You may find a business opportunity or the partner of your dreams? Only 1 way to find out.

And the best bit, your experiences, stories and pictures will inspire others

[blueoval]

Yellow - I wanna travel with you. haha

One thing I know is to travel with people who have knowledge of places and are savvy in making good informed choices. Saves a lot of heartache, money and grief, but it also gives you added confidence knowing someone you know knows what they are doing better than you.

I for one would love to travel more. Wish I did it while I was single. Can still do it now, but am tied down with more commitments which makes it a lot harder.

Place I would not visit is the middle east and areas of south America. Again, I would go with people who have been there before.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

To the younger people watching at home.

If this is something you want to do than start planning and DO IT.

There is a recurring theme here. Those who did loved it and recommend it, those who didn't regret it and wish they did. Don't be the latter.

If you still live at home and don't have a serious Mrs / Mr then all the better.

Work, save up all you can and buy a 1 way ticket to anywhere.

Join a few travel forums, read a few blogs. Get advice and inspiration from the people who have 'been there and done that' and NO ONE else.

It is NOT hard, it is NOT impossible and it DOESN'T have to be costly (hosteling / couch surfing all the way). I was sometimes living on $10 a day in Asia, that then blows out to $40 a day in Europe.

You will be able to work in many countries for free board / food and if you save up enough ($40-$50k) up front you can do a year to 18 months no problems.

And you know what, when you return you will be a much more 'rounded' person. You will appreciate life here more, you will be able to mix with other cultures and 'understand' them better. Your general knowledge will be far superior.

Who knows? You may pick up another language, you may decide to live somewhere for a while? You may find a business opportunity or the partner of your dreams? Only 1 way to find out.

And the best bit, your experiences, stories and pictures will inspire others

Quoted for truth. Am currently convincing my recently single mate to do this after living with his parents for most of his 29yo life.

[BradEL]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

To the younger people watching at home.

If this is something you want to do than start planning and DO IT.

There is a recurring theme here. Those who did loved it and recommend it, those who didn't regret it and wish they did. Don't be the latter.

If you still live at home and don't have a serious Mrs / Mr then all the better.

Work, save up all you can and buy a 1 way ticket to anywhere.

Join a few travel forums, read a few blogs. Get advice and inspiration from the people who have 'been there and done that' and NO ONE else.

It is NOT hard, it is NOT impossible and it DOESN'T have to be costly (hosteling / couch surfing all the way). I was sometimes living on $10 a day in Asia, that then blows out to $40 a day in Europe.

You will be able to work in many countries for free board / food and if you save up enough ($40-$50k) up front you can do a year to 18 months no problems.

And you know what, when you return you will be a much more 'rounded' person. You will appreciate life here more, you will be able to mix with other cultures and 'understand' them better. Your general knowledge will be far superior.

Who knows? You may pick up another language, you may decide to live somewhere for a while? You may find a business opportunity or the partner of your dreams? Only 1 way to find out.

And the best bit, your experiences, stories and pictures will inspire others

Seriously man, you ought to write a book about this stuff

[tapeworm]

Originally Posted by brennan.

That's a good point but a little selfish don't you think? I don't have kids right now but when I do I want THEM to have a home and stability, it's not all about me me me I don't wanna work (stomps foot down) blah blah blah. Part of life is looking toward the future.

It's probably more selfish if you're going to breed. The world is overpopulated as it is?

[fordomatic]

Im with Yellow on this one, I have done very similar travels to him and continue to do so.

I will get nothing when my mum dies (dad passed away when i was 15) and i'm cool with that, it's all about building your own empire.

Success in life isn't measured by how much money you have when you die, you cant take it to the grave. When my dad and my best mate passed away we didn't talk about how much money they had, we talked about how they lived life to the fullest.

I work damn hard just like 80% of aussies do. Every single weekend i am home the Mrs and i are somewhere enjoying life, either at the coast surfing, snowboarding in the winter or mountaineering. We also plan one big trip away overseas each year depending on my work.

It funny my family always says we are too busy and need to relax. There are 52 weekends in a year and you don't get any of the them back. What's the point of working your whole life to own a house and a nice car if you can't enjoy it on the way there? I would rather be on mountain peak about to snowboard one of the steepest runs in the world than mowing the lawn on the weekends or sipping a latte, you don't need weekends to do those things.

The work i do proves to me time and time again how short life is, you could die tomorrow and what will they say about your life at the lectern?

[nuthin' fancy]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

They're going by ground travel down through Africa...

Been nice knowin' ya...

We had our first overseas trip in 2013...we'd been married 30 years, and been busy raising kids and buying a house and all the other things the real world throws at you (and no, trendsetters...the "real world" isn't bludging around living like a hippy...it's work and paying bills and contributing to society and raising a good family).
We finally decided now was the time, scrimped and saved, and had an all-too-brief trip to Las Vegas.
Now we're planning for a more prolonged trip...three weeks minimum...going from San Francisco down to LA to San Diego and back to Vegas in a rented car.
And yes...we're "boringly" going to the USA again. We loved it there. I know plenty of people who laugh and say we're mad, we should go to Asia somewhere like Bali or Thailand...but to be blunt they don't appeal to us, and friends raving about how cheap the beer and massages are doesn't really entice me to go there.
You wan't "cheap and exotic" be careful what you wish for...you might just get it...

I can't understand what sort of future people who "throw in their job to travel on a budget" like these people are doing think they're going to have...yes you'll have some memories (if you come back alive) but what happens after you come home? Most employers don't include "life experiences" such as travel into account when employing someone.

I don't agree.

Someone who can travel and continually problem solve the way you have to with that sort of travel could be a good employee.

If you don't have responsibilities other than to one another, why not live a little? The responsibilities of life will come soon enough.

You may not have as much money as others your age but you'll have better stories to tell.

Good on 'em.

[NTF6]

Originally Posted by mik

For me though, while I'd like to see some other parts of the world, there is so much to see and do in Australia...... The other parts of the world are well down the priority list.

I agree, I have travelled extensively in the last 10 years and just recently I have paid off my mortgage and between me and my wife we make over 250K a year but I'm backing off on my travels. I just might start to explore our great southern land without having to worry about getting kidnapped or executed.


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