New Traveler

Welcome to Travelblog! You've asked some very important questions.

For saving money, people have written entire books on the subject, and I highly recommend buying one. It will have lots more tested advice than any of us can provide. The biggest way to save cash is to visit places that are relatively inexpensive, and to visit places at less expensive times of the year (but check the weather; it's usually bad when prices are low). The second biggest savings is to chose things that are slow, crowded, and possibly uncomfortable, as these tend to be cheaper. Take the bus instead of a train, flight, or vehicle rental. Camp or stay in a hostel instead of hotels. Eat at markets and street vendors instead of restaurants. Some of these, in fact, can be the best experiences of a trip.

For where to go, one of the better methods is to read blogs about possible destinations and see what looks interesting. Another great idea, which I've used, is to think about things that will be interesting to do, and then find places that have it. I've hiked in many spots because that is what I love to do on trips. If you are relatively new at traveling, I also recommend staying close to home for the first couple, as you'll gain lots of experience in a relatively low-stress environment.

The best airline (indeed, the best transport in general) depends on where you are going. I've found the online review sites to be very helpful in this regard.

Good luck on your adventures! Looking forward to the blogs. Reply to this

Hi Travel Tek,
I have read in your blog, that you are only 16 at the moment. This could influence you type of travelling. So maybe to start you should not go alone and not go to difficult countries. So perhaps you look for some buddies or a youth group and go to Europe or Australia. In a few years you could do the same as me: be a member of Hostelling International and look for train- or bus-passes in a region. I went by Greyhound in th US, Interrail in Europe (for none Europeans the equivalent is Eurrail), Egged busses in Israel or the Japan Rail pass in Japan. When I was young I went to Mc Donalds quite often or bought local street food. Keep in mind that in some countries US citizens are the target of danger. I would not advise you to go alone before you are 18 or 20. In some parts of the world people don't speak a lot of English. That might be another problem, but in general one can deal with that. As guide books there are many for young people like Lonely Planet or others and they are of great help. Here you see the location of hostels, infrarstructure and sights. I wish you all the best. Have fun. Reply to this

One reason we plan a trip is to identify realistic costs for transportation, accommodations, food, and entertainment using the internet to obtain prices for each. There are a wide range of prices for each (hostel, B&B, pension, hotel, etc.). As
a young person I started out picking the cheapest of each. As for saving money, don't exceed your budget!

Where you go also affects this budget as the cost of each varies considerable between countries...Eastern Europe is cheaper than Western Europe, southern Europe is cheaper than Northern Europe. Southeast Asia is cheaper than Europe, etc. I've been fortunate to live overseas growing up and during my career so I had the opportunity o visit many countries. Now I'm visiting where my ancestors came from. I suggest you pick a country that you have dreamed about traveling to.

As for which airline to choose, I fly on those where I have frequent flyer miles...so its free! Reply to this

Hi Travel Tek,
Some great advice given above. However, I agree with Twag and wouldn't recommend solo long-haul, rough and ready, cheap-as-chips backpacking alone at only sixteen; if for no other reason than the fact that a credit card (only issued to over 18s?) is an essential emergency piece of kit. In terms of security: yes, keep all important things in your daypack and never leave it unattended anywhere... with the exception of cards, cash, passport (ha, and now... proof of covid vaccinations), back-up memory stick, etc... that should be on your person (in a money belt, under your clothes) at all times when physically travelling. During sleeping hours or when on the beach it's best kept in a locker - you'll be staying in dorms within hostels/guesthouses if travelling cheap (not camping) and almost without exception they are provided these days. Other than pick-pockets you are more likely to be robbed by a fellow traveller than a local. Destination wise there is no cheaper, better value, easier broad destination than Asia (namely south, predominantly south east Asia). Here you may travel between many countries all on local buses (transport is your biggest cost) and a very long trip, visiting 8 or 10 countries can be achieved with just your flight out from home and then the return. The second cheapest option (and maybe a good one for you from the USA) is Mexico and the cheaper countries of Central America (probably not Honduras - safety, or Costa Rica/Belize - price). Keeping things cheap: do as the locals do; you can't go far wrong with popular (lots of customers) street food. That said a guesthouse with a kitchen is a big money saver - even if you only prepare breakfast there. Book nothing in advance (accommodation or transport) as the former you need to view (always look at a room before taking it) and the latter is always cheaper if you walk to the station and buy the ticket yourself. We almost always visit four or five guesthouses in an area before checking in and, knowing the cheapest going rates, you can almost always bargain a discount, especially for a longer stay. Even with today's internet access a guidebook is still valuable and sadly - given their loss of focus towards backpackers these days - Lonely Planet are still the best. Long story short, if you're planning on going imminently I'd recommend going with a couple of friends to your neighbouring Mexico. You'll not be disappointed. A budget of $30/day would see you very comfortable. We do (have been doing so for 30 years) travel very cheaply - almost three years into our current trip through nine countries on two continents and including all flights, visas, accommodation, food, excursions, booze... everything... we average less than $35/day... for two. Oh... re flying, if you have to: you can't be choosy about airlines. The cheapest IS the best... Reply to this

I think people who plan out their trips are never the ones who spend the least. You are more likely to spend more money if you don't know how a local spends their money, and you're never going to spend money like a local if you go about planning your trip. The trick is to understand the culture, I think In response to: Msg #209081 Reply to this

Consider purchasing a cityPass if you want to visit several tourist attractions that cost money in the same city. At a discounted price, you can combine well-known attractions like museums, aquariums, etc. When I purchased one for San Francisco, it also came with a bus pass.

Avoid tourist traps and seek out neighbourhood eateries use a secure payment and <snip> billing process for any kind or payment. Even though they are located on a side street, they are more affordable and of higher quality. In a cramped space where garbage men were taking breaks, I ate the best English breakfast I've ever had.
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I have compiled all of my personal tips for travelling and included them here to make your life as a first-time traveller a little smoother.

Tip no. 1: The first thing to do is to plan a day or two in advance. There is nothing worse than being an hour away from getting on a plane and finding out that you have left your passport back at home! Leave yourself time to get ready and make sure that you have everything with you before you go.

Tip no. 2: Make a packing list in advance and stick to it! You don’t want to be rushing out the door for an important appointment and then have to turn around and go back home because you forgot something that you need. It is also good to leave some room in your luggage so that you can add things if you really need them.

Tip no. 3: Make sure that you have everything that you need for the trip. You should pack what you will need for the journey there, a change of clothes and toiletries for when you arrive and whatever else is important to have with you.

Tip no. 4: Don’t forget your ID! While it is not always necessary, some places are required to show identification and being without it can be a nightmare (ask me how I know).

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Hi Travel Trek! You're right, travel is an expensive hobby... but there are many ways to make travel much less costly. I would advise visiting countries where you can make your currency go further (South East Asia, India, Indonesia, Eastern Europe etc). There is so much beauty in these parts of the world and you can significantly reduce your budget. I would also suggest breaking down your budget to show what you can spend per day. If you underspend one day, you'll have slightly more the next. I agree with Yeti; a credit card is great for emergencies, but it's best to have enough cash in the bank to fund your trip. Reply to this