PLANNING AND RESEARCH

So you’ve decided to leave it all behind and embark on a journey to discover the world (and yourself in the process). Now what? You may have a few destinations in mind, and doing your research before you leave will smooth out some of the bumps in the road. The planning stage is exciting, inspiring, and may save you some money, time, and heartache come liftoff.

PLANNING

CHOOSING DESTINATIONS

Go where you’ve longed to see and keep your areas of interest in mind!

Europe has always been the foremost popular destination for backpackers. It’s rich in culture, easy to navigate, and has a ton of photo opportunities—and, of course, many sexy Europeans. But, because Europe is not the cheapest destination, you may have to cut your traveling time or spend more time in cheaper countries (Moldova, Romania, Albania, and Bulgaria, to name a few) to make up for the difference. To maximize the time you can afford to travel, check out Southeast Asia and Central or South America. These places are extremely affordable, generally safe, and full of off-track adventures, parties, and hedonistic pleasures.

Questions to ask yourself when planning which country(ies) you want to explore:

Beaches or mountains? Need both?

Sunshine or clouds?

Cities or countryside?

English speakers or not?

Foodie destination or whatever you can eat out of a can?

Trains (do you need a rail pass?) or planes? Buses or cars? Boats?

Culture (museums, etc.) or outdoors/sports?

Multiple countries or just one?

Really safe or a little danger?

Drink or dry? (If your alcoholic tendencies need to be fed, avoid strict Muslim nations and places where the booze is stupid expensive. Or, use it as an opportunity to detox.)

Stretch your money or empty your wallet?

Love festivals/concerts or loathe ’em?

Loads of tourists or tourists are the plague?

Drugs mandatory or sobriety preferred?

Once you’ve narrowed down what you need, start looking for places that fit your criteria. Keep these tips in mind when you’re chiseling out your itinerary:

You will most likely plan more activities and destinations than are realistically possible. Once you start traveling, you’ll find that some destinations consume more or less time than what you originally imagined. Remember to check train or bus times between destinations, if that’s how you’re traveling. The journey between two cities can take an entire day or sometimes more, depending on where you want to go.

The beauty of backpacking is that you can choose to stay or leave whenever you want. You might even end up traveling with other backpackers you meet along the way. Set up some definite key places to visit and keep other plans flexible.

You’ll be coming across many websites you will want to revisit. Set up a book-mark folder in your browser and save all the websites you find helpful, then merge them to your phone for safe-keeping while on the road. HERE Maps is an app that saves your bookmarks offline and hooks you up with turn-by-turn directions when you’re Wi-Fi-less.

Pinterest and Instagram are great resources for inspiration to keep track of your favorite destinations. Just follow relevant boards/feeds and let your mind wander to far-off places until your body follows.

CLIMATE AND SEASONS

Better weather means you will be competing with bigger crowds and dealing with things being more expensive. Although there could be more action in the midst of tourist madness, it’s not a bad idea to hit the “shoulder” seasons, which are just before and just after the “high” season. You’ll enjoy cheaper prices, flexible booking arrangements, and a better cultural experience. One small downside is you will likely have to pack for harsher weather. Climates vary dramatically around the world. A good example: Whether it’s the rainy season (summer) or the dry season (winter), in some places, the temperature always stays hot or warm. So packing for a winter in Thailand is substantially different than packing for winter in Russia. Also, keep in mind that seasons are opposite above and below the equator—the United States celebrates Christmas when Australia hits the peak of summer. The cherry on top is global warming, which will throw some surprises your way too.

FESTIVALS, HOLIDAYS, AND EVENTS

If you plan to attend any festivals or big events, be sure to make your reservations (including transportation and accommodations to and from your festival destination) way in advance. For example, Oktoberfest in Munich attracts a giant tourist crowd (it’s also a misnomer and actually occurs mostly in September). Tents should be reserved months in advance, as should hostels and couches. Do your research to find what, where, and when things go down. Merchants will often jack up prices of food and accommodations during festivals, so be sure to budget for the overage. During Oktoberfest, for example, hostels are often 300 to 500 percent more expensive.

LANGUAGE BARRIER

Prepare for some shocking news … Not everyone in the world speaks English! It’s crazy, but it’s true. You may actually find yourself in a place where no one will speak English. Don’t freak out. First off, the best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it. You won’t have to go out and spend $600 on Rosetta Stone just yet. Although coming to a country speaking a second language will definitely broaden your experience, communicating with people who don’t speak your language becomes part of the adventure. Most people will try to help you, but it is essential that you learn the very basics before you go to any country (for general safety, and to show the locals that you’re not arrogant and you’re trying). If you’re looking to study a new language abroad intensely, Transitions Abroad offers many worldwide language courses and programs. Learn more about studying abroad in Part 3: Make Yourself Useful (page 199).

POLITICAL CLIMATE

The United States and our media sometimes embellish the unsafe conditions and extent of political dilemmas present in foreign countries. Be sure to read about the safety conditions and political climates of the countries you plan to visit, but don’t be discouraged from visiting destinations the United States advises against. If necessary, take it a step further and do some cross-referencing with the travel advisories of other places like the UK and Australia.

Common sense and taking normal precautions will get you by in most places. Wikitravel.org’s “Stay Safe” sections are usually written by locals or experienced travelers to that area; it’s generally a good place to begin to get a valid idea of how dangerous a place really is.

Don’t forget, too, that if you’re going to a place that has some tensions, political climates can change in an instant. Bone up on the Arab Spring of 2011 for an example of how governments can sink overnight. Staying on top of foreign events will give you an idea of what to expect. Read the free online articles from the Economist, Al Jazeera, and BBC for news outside the United States.

OTP Tip: A great way to learn about foreign political and safety issues is by talking to locals and recent travelers directly. Follow Twitter feeds of locals who live in the places you want to go, particularly if it looks like the situation might be getting heated.

CULTURE SHOCK

Feeling overwhelmed and “hating” things, calling an experience or a food “weird,” and/or generally wishing you were back home are all pretty telltale signs of culture shock. One of the best ways to avoid it is to get rid of expectations and prep yourself by reading up on the realities of what you’ll face. Here are a few of the most common things that can cause people to experience culture shock.

THE THRONE

You’ve been on a hot bus all day long with the windows closed. Everyone is smoking. You’re pressed up against a guy with two chickens in his lap. Every bump reminds you that you’ve needed to pee for the last four hours. You finally stumble out of the bus and find the “bathroom”: a plate (that’s definitely been used) in the middle of a dirt floor. You cry, and then use it anyway, cursing this godforsaken country. This is a common scenario—from Greece to Turkey to Cambodia to India—and it can cause some serious internal (and external) drama if you’re unprepared.

Before you leave the comforts of your home throne (particularly if you’re headed to a developing country), figure out the toilet situation in advance. Mental preparation is half the battle in avoiding culture shock.

GUIDE TO TOILETS AROUND THE WORLD

Sir Thomas Crapper, although not the inventor of the flush-toilet as popularly believed, was a hell of a guy. The pusher of potties, the bad boy of bathrooms, Crapper advocated the use and development of sanitary plumbing for his entire life. The world caught on quickly, and the use of toilets spread globally. Since the humble days of Crapper, people around the world have thought of new and interesting ways to drop off their smellies:

Germany—Poo Platform

Just like a mullet, this shitter is all about business in the front and party in the back. Upon flushing, water rushes out from the back and hypothetically washes your turds into the hole in the front. This interpretation of the toilet is quite counterintuitive, and some major flaws exist with this design. Mainly, the lack of a water barrier between your goods and the toilet creates a horrid preflush smell, and upon flushing, streakage is highly likely.

China—Squatters

These shit holes (very literally) evoke the image of communism. They are bare, rugged, and as it turns out, extremely intimidating to foreigners. There are countless squatter how-to guides that address the important issues, like the fear of falling in. Here is the only guide you will ever need: see a hole, pull down your pants, squat, and go.

England—The UriLift

The UriLift was invented to remedy the insane amount of drunk-man piss on the streets of England. Whether it fixes the problem or not, this thing kicks ass. During the day, it is hidden in the ground, and when the partying begins, it peeks its smelly head to the surface to service those drunk enough to not care that their bare asses are hanging out in the middle of the street.

Japan—Extreme High Tech

In Japan, your toilet situation is a total crapshoot. On any given visit, you may find yourself hovering over a hole in the ground (see China’s squatters), or at the opposite extreme, you’ll have remote-control arm rests that make your stay on the seat very enjoyable and luxurious. Using the high-tech toilet is like flying a space shuttle, with buttons for just about any bathroom predicament you may find yourself in. There’s a noise button to mask the sound of whatever you need to do while in the john (yodeling for instance), one that activates a blow-dryer, a clock to time your visit (handy for when you’re training for the logging event in the Bodily Functions Olympics), and more.

Russia—Seatless

In one of the coldest places in the world, it’s wonderful to know that when you need to go and squatting is not your forte, your ass will probably freeze to the porcelain bowl, as no cushy plastic seat is attached. Furthermore, Russians consider toilet paper of any kind a luxury.

Brazil—Button Pushers

Whereas other toilets are preset to flush an average amount of cargo, this one leaves it in your hands. Equipped with a flush button, but no septic tank, your job is to hold the button down for a continual flush until you feel it’s time to move on.

Australia—Counterclockwise

We don’t understand the fascination with the counterclockwise flushing down under. (And who notices these things? You know who—people who stare down at the toilet after they’re done. We caught you.) We don’t care which direction it spins, as long as it goes down.

EATS

Nothing can derail a trip faster than a food meltdown. But before you park yourself at McDonald’s to chow down on fries in an attempt to shake the shock, read up on the food culture of the country (or countries) you’re headed to. You might need to make some dietary concessions, depending on where you are and what the locals serve. Learn ahead of time what the fare might be. If you’re a picky eater, have religion-based food restrictions, are vegetarian/vegan, or have a severe food allergy (peanuts would be tough in Thailand, or a gluten allergy in Italy), you should plan ahead, knowing what foods you can and cannot eat, including the names in the local lingo. Also, foods that sound familiar might be completely different—in Spain, a tortilla is a potato omelet, not a burrito wrapper or taco shell.

Remember, food is part of the experience. There will be times when you order something seemingly harmless and a baked goat head with eyeballs will show up twenty minutes later. Roll with the punches, take a photo for Instagram, and chalk it up as part of the journey. It’s all going down that culturally shocking shitter anyway.

SEX AND SEXES

Depending on where you go and which gender you happen to be, understand that you might have to bend to cultural norms. If you’re female, for example, and covering yourself from head to toe in 110-degree weather sounds more like living in a slow cooker than having an adventure, avoid Zanzibar during Ramadan. Read up on dress styles and try and pack as close to the local attire as possible. Save a little money for buying appropriate clothing on the road, which will also make great souvenirs when you get back home.

Public displays of affection can get you jailed in some countries, and same-sex overtures can get you beaten or killed in others. Jamaica, for example, has a strong antigay culture that has been denounced for years by human rights groups. Don’t wait to find out what the sexuality norms are in your destination. Spend some time learning about what’s expected of you as a visitor. And don’t forget to pack condoms, birth control, and/or Plan B–types of pills. These might not be readily available—or even legal to buy—where you’re headed.

THREE FEET OF PERSONAL SPACE

While spending the bulk of an afternoon nuts deep in someone else’s chili can be a consensual experience, when traveling, this scenario probably just means you’re riding public transportation in a place where personal space is defined a bit differently (this is common in many parts of Asia). You’ll know everything every stranger around you ate for dinner, and you’ll smell the aroma of two weeks’ worth of sweat that’s been baked in the hot sun. Knowing the deal in advance will help you take a deep (mouth open, nose pinched) breath and tell yourself it’s all good. Bring a hanky doused in lavender.

ANIMAL FARM

Animals aren’t always treated equally, and if animal abuse breaks your heart so much that you can’t bear to see it, there are a few places you might want to avoid. Do your due diligence and figure out what’s going on with the animal situation where you’re going. Understand, too, that what you feel strongly about probably won’t resonate with the locals. Better to be prepared than to be surprised by puppies for sale … for dinner.

TRAVEL STYLE

SOLO, PARTNER, OR GROUP?

SOLO

If this is your first time traveling abroad independently, seriously, go solo! We feel damn strongly about this assertion—even if not for the entirety of your trip, at least for a portion.

Why? Well, you will decide what you want to do, where to go, what you like, dislike, how long to stay, and when to leave. It is a time to learn about you! You will have more time to take photos, write in your journal, read, study, observe, and reflect. You will feel empowered to know you can survive on your own with very little in this big world. Freedom at last! You have the opportunity to meet many other travelers going solo and open yourself up to meeting locals and enriching your cultural experience. For you introverted types, you may find a whole new extroverted you. Traveling solo may sound intimidating at first, but if you overcome the initial hesitation to go solo, the reward will be tenfold. If you are concerned about your safety going solo, check out our Health and Safety section (page 183) to learn how to protect yourself on all fronts.

TRAVEL PARTNERS

If you decide to travel with someone, you must closely examine the relationship you have with this person and whether it will withstand the added pressures of traveling. Some things to think about:

How well do you communicate problems?

Is your partner independent enough to allow you some alone time?

Does your partner have his/her own budget/funds?

Is your partner an experienced traveler?

Have you spent a prolonged period of time with this person in close quarters before?

How motivated is your partner to physically travel?

Does he/she snore? If yes, consider your threshold.

Is your travel partner really fun at parties? If so, is he/she fun because he/she is drunk and passed out? Consider how his or her social tendencies will play out when traveling.

If the answer to one or more of these questions about your travel buddy gives you pause, maybe it’s time to find a new travel partner. (Better to know now rather than when you’re sharing a tent halfway across the world.) Check online for sites that will connect you with like-minded peeps. But remember, you can always cut out the headache by traveling solo.

TRAVELING IN GROUPS

You love your friends, so why not have a great time together all around the world? Additionally, traveling en masse might come with the benefits of group rates and split costs. First though, consider the following:

People bitch. When everyone wants to do the same thing, at the same time, for the same duration, at the same price, traveling in a group is beautiful. Sadly, unless you’re all clones of each other, there is no way everyone will always agree on everything. Fights will break out over stupid nonissues and miscommunications.

People get sick. Some people are whiny when they’re sick, and you will have to deal with them dragging you down until they’re better.

People are late. When one person is late, everyone is held up. Enjoying your group rate will be impossible if you miss the flight, for example.

People smell. One more smell other than your own can be doable; five more smells and you’re in nausea territory.

The bigger the group, the more issues you may have to deal with. Obviously, it’s not impossible to have a great trip as a group, but you will have to compromise your own idea of the perfect trip to incorporate the wants, needs, and quirks of everyone you choose to travel with. If you love your friends more than your sanity, there are several websites that have a good handle on setting up group travel rates at discount prices, STA (STATravel.com).

TECHNOLOGY: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

Prepping for your trip isn’t just about where to go and what to pack. These days it also includes making sure your technology goes with you. Sure, there are still places on this planet where you’ll find yourself in Internet cafés or where the interwebs haven’t arrived—and yes, we recommend going there too!—but most of us are digitally dependent. Here are a few apps to download before you hit the road to keep you from getting derailed.

TripAdvisor/Yelp

There’s something to be said for finding restaurants, hotels, and attractions without relentless research, but sometimes you just want someone to tell you if it’s infested with cockroaches. TripAdvisor attracts an older crowd of curmudgeons while Yelp (which recently went global) serves the younger complaining types.

Hipmunk

An airline search engine that allows you to filter the search based on more specific variables than just your departure and arrival cities, such as “agony” (e.g., if you’re trying to avoid a three-day layover in Jaipur on your way from Frankfurt to Bucharest).

SkyScanner

This app works great for booking budget international flights. You can leave the destination field open and it’ll tell you the cheapest places to fly from wherever you are.

Google Flights

A fare tracker app—use it to find the cheapest flights.

Tripit

Integrates with your calendar and Facebook, and will forward your itinerary to Mom and Dad (or whomever else you want) so they know where you are in space and time.

Packing Pro

For all you list-making types, this will help you keep your shit organized so you won’t forget the essentials (like your passport).

Postcard Star

Send your badass photos back home on a post-card. You take a pic; you type your greeting; and then Postcard Star prints and sends it. Bam. Done.

RESEARCH

GUIDEBOOKS, BLOGS, AND TRAVEL AGENCIES

Guidebooks are still a great source of information for making your travel plans. But with a barrage of travel blogs now all over the Internet, you can find amazing and current insight and advice posted by travel writers who are out traveling your preferred destination right now—so start Googling! Following Twitter feeds of your favorite travelers, expats, and travel sites (@offtrackplanet, in case you were wondering) is also a great way to get inspired and gather intel for your trip.

GUIDEBOOKS

Skim through Rough Guides, Footprint, Let’s Go, and Lonely Planet books and compare the different publications to see which fits your style best.

Make sure to check the publication date of the book.

Unless you intend to spend the majority of your time in one single country, get a book that focuses on an entire continent (or broad region).

If you do intend to buy books, and you’ve picked out the ones you like, buy them online! You can save up to 85 percent buying used books through Amazon or Half.com. Instead of bringing your massive guidebook (which will occupy primereal estate in your backpack and make you look like a douche), tear out the pages you need, staple them together, and stick it in your travel journal.

Don’t forget the apps. These days, a lot of travel guides have free or cheap apps for your country of choice.

TRAVEL AGENTS AND TOUR GUIDES

Travel Agents

These guys take on the task of discount hunting for your travel needs. In many countries, taking a gap year (a year off to travel before moving on to college or work) is popular, and some travel agencies cater specifically to the gap year crowd. Using these guys can result in some killer deals for eighteen- to twenty-five-year-olds.

The United Kingdom (a gap year country) has some good sites, so include “UK” as a keyword in your searches. Unfortunately, travel agencies in the United States generally cater to an older, less “backpack-y” traveling crowd. (Yes, we think this sucks too … we’re working on it.) For the most part, agents will try to sell you prepackaged guide tours, which are boring and a cop-out to real backpacking. One agency that comes close to understanding the needs of backpackers is STA Travel, who generally caters to people twenty-five and under.

Tour Guide Packages

Packaged tour guides provide you with a choice of itineraries that are full of popular travel destinations and activities. You’ll have a built-in group of travel companions, and you won’t have to worry about the details. This might be the right decision for some, but this also defeats the purpose of independent travel. It’s touristy as hell, and, just like your trip, your travel stories will be bland and prepackaged. But, if you’re into that kind of thing, check out Intrepid Travel and Contiki.

Finally, don’t stress out too much about trying to figure everything out all at once. One of the most valuable things you’ll learn from your traveling experience is how adaptable you are. In fact, you might even miss the point if you stay completely within all your plans. This is a journey enhanced by learning to change direction or by getting a bit … fuck it, at the risk of sounding cheesy, off track!