Whether you’re a seasoned traveller or a complete newbie to the adventurous world of travelling, this article is for you. Travelling is great, obviously, otherwise I would have quite a lot more money in the bank account… But hey, money doesn’t give you unforgettable experiences, well I suppose you can buy the experiences with the money, but anyway i’m getting sidetracked, a life well travelled is a life well lived as they say, or at least I do.
Money
You don’t need a lot to travel, sure it helps, but some of the greatest experiences are free. Sometimes heading off the beaten track is the way to find true beauty in a country. Many sites and museums are free, so take advantage. Some of the more expensive sites are crammed with tourists and tainted by lack of originality and reek with a sense of that money making bravado. For cheaper trips look at short breaks around europe, eastern europe is much cheaper than its western cousin and good value at that. Cheap flights can be purchased through STA travel.
Pick up a prepaid credit/debit card or a fee free foreign currency card, it will save you a fortune in transaction fees. Also remember to pick up some foreign currency before you go, although it can be cheaper to swap pounds/dollars when you’re abroad, you can often be tricked at places looking to capitalise on tourists.
Food
Street food can be great, it can also be a bit risky, I remember having the best curry of my life on the streets of Delhi, India, before having a rather not so good experience a few days later. Just be aware when abroad of uncooked meat and poor health and safety standards. Also in more expensive countries, utilising the local supermarket can be a real money saver. I remember on my first interrail trip snacking on belvita biscuits for breakfast and lunch, spending a total of about 50p for two meals.
The Experiences
It’s not all about the perfect selfie, remember to take a moment to enjoy the scenery for yourself and become too obsessed with the perfect photo. It’s not about making all your facebook friends or instagram followers jealous.
Travel
Trains are comfortable, efficient (in most places) and relatively quick over short distances. They are however usually pretty expensive in the west so mind out.
Planes, fast and direct, usually, but not the most efficient nor comfortable for short haul trips. Pretty cheap in Asia where trains don’t connect the plethora of islands that exist.
Buses. Well they certainly aren’t comfortable (shoutout to my megabus route in the UK which is one of the least comfortable and unreliable services, well some of the time) but they certainly are cheap.
The Student Traveler 