Me and my partner have travelled around a fair few countries over the past couple of years. Although we don't class ourselves as professionals, we have gained a fair bit of experience in how to do it right. All the advice is based on our experiences and may not work for everyone. If i miss anything out then drop me a message and ill be happy to help.
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Making the leap!
So one of the most common things we get asked is how do you go from talking about travelling in the pub after a few too many G&T's to actually booking the flights and boarding a plane. For me and Jas travelling had been something we both dreamed of doing so the decision was already made for us. The only thing we had to decide on was where to go? This is all dependent on your situation. We bought a map and starting filling it with ideas. My first thought was Europe, i was familiar with it, it was easy to travel and close to home. All positives for a first trip away from home. Biggest downside, its mega expensive. Jas wanted to visit South-East Asia. I was hesitant at first but after a little research I was easily convinced. The main things to consider when deciding on where to go is.
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1) Budget. Although the flights to the east are more expensive, living costs are much lower.
2) How long do you plan on going.
3) Health risks. Some countries require immunisations.
4) what do you want to get out of the trip.
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For me number four was the most important point. I wanted the trip to open my eyes to a whole new world and different lifestyles. Once you have decided on where to go you need a way of getting there.
How do you book flights?
I certainly wont be the first travel blog you have been on that tells you to shop around for flights but it really is the best way to get a good deal. Book in advance. Flights are released 11 months in advance. Book early for the cheapest prices. Use comparison sites like skyscanner and google flights. they compare the best deals and find the cheapest. One thing i think a lot of travel blogs don't address is that first time travellers are terrified at booking flights. I know i was one of them. I was terrified at booking a flight and turning up at the airport completely clueless. That's where STA travel came in. STA are a global youth and student travel agent that specialise in backpacking and round the world flights. A lot of the staff have backpacked around different countries and have a lot of experience to share. They also offer discounts on flights to students and people under 25! winner! For me as a first time traveller having someone who knew exactly what i wanted and could book everything for me was great. I will say be careful when they offer you tours and insurance, although their flights are cheap they vastly over charge for other things.
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How much money will i need?
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The short answer is you can never have too much money when travelling. In Asia i would recommend having £1000 per month you plan on staying. That's for everything, accommodation, attractions, food and travel. You can expect to pay £2-£10 per night for basic accommodation. Food can vary from 50p for street food to £3-£5 for restaurant meals. Everything is cheap in Asia so keeping to budget can be quite easy.
WARNING: ATM machines charge a fortune in Asia and can eat into your budget quickly. If you have to use them draw out large sums to last a while.
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New Zeland and Australia are much more expensive and you can expect to spend upwards of £1500 a month if you are travelling on a shoestring. Hostel accommodation can vary season to season but generally starts at $170 aud a week. I recommend finding a house share quickly as it reduces accommodation costs a lot.
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Working Holiday Visa
Over the last few years the working holiday visa has become hugely popular for a number of reasons. Unlike the traditional working visa the WHV allows you to take long periods of time off work to travel and see the country. The whole idea behind the WHV is to allow you to quite literally work to support your travels. It can be especially useful for extended trips i.e. up to 2 years.
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Applying for the visa can be easy depending of the country. Speaking from experience the New Zeland and Australia Visas are both very simple to acquire. You can simply go to The Government website and search for Working Holiday Visa. The wait time can vary. For us it took 30 minutes to fill out the paperwork for the Australian visa and only 10 minutes to be excepted, but the New Zealand visa took nearly 3 weeks. Only certain countries are allowed to use the visa so check with your government before booking flights. Other popular countries that offer WHV include Canada and japan but I here the entry requirements are much more strict.
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