http://youtu.be/uV04Ep8xdyU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV04Ep8xdyU&feature=youtu.be

Hey travellers today i would like to point out some great tips and tricks for travellers including books and websites that you should get a hold of and take while you travel.
firstly i would like to recommended the Lonely planet books as they are great way to get ideas of where to travel to and things to do. a great example of this is the "A Year Of Adventures" series which shows readers once in a lifetime trips throughout the year that with new and exiting adventures every time you turn the page.

Another great series by lonely planet are the countries or continent ones as they give an in depth look into all major cities as well as allow travellers to get themselves out of trouble when they inevitably fall in it. this seriies is a must as it helps with language barriers, cuisine, activities, where the nearest consulate is for your country, as well background information on the country itself and any must see places to visit.

hope these books help you to plan and get through trips as unscathed as i have!

So why travel..??

I believe getting out of your comfort zone and into the world is one of the most rewarding things you can do for yourself. The point of traveling on a shoestring is that life can be so exciting when you never know who'll you meet, what you'll see and where you'll be tomorrow.. next week... next year.

As soon as I started living and traveling with people from all around the world, I found myself challenging assumptions I never knew I had. Travelling on a budget makes you grow into a bigger person. You can learn so many things about the world just by putting yourself in it.

Friends are made for intense short periods and then move on. After a year of travelling like this I became sad about losing so many friends. I found out that even though they are gone, friends can just pop back into your life unexpectedly. I find that people I traveled with are now dropping into my place when they come to my country. And I believe that I will be as welcome in many houses overseas in the years to come.

The excitement of planning the next move, getting the next pay and meeting new people, makes me feel alive. Every day can change. The spontaneity of this life makes for a world with less rules and more freedom. No more, "I can't go away, I can't get someone to look after the dog". It's just a world of "Yep, I'll go!". Complete freedom....

Experiencing other cultures and the way other people live makes travellers more tolerant of others and less tolerant around ignorance.






Independence is another selling point of being a shoestring traveller. You learn some basic life skills. How to cook, get a job, buy a car if your lucky, get from one destination to the next...

Travelling, living and learning is all wrapped up into one package. It's a lifestyle and once you get your hands onto it then it will be hard to stop.

LAND OF MYSTERIES...

The most mysterious land in this whole world is where civilisation first begand and that is EGYPT. A land with deep history and culture. Its a place where I have always desired to go in my life and my fiance feels the same way. Infact theres no place in this whole world which involves so much history, culture and mystery then  Egypts. Though flights are not so cheap because it is so far away epecially from Australia, but if you are closer around the middle east or africa then it is often quite cheap. My only concern visting a nation like Egypt is the political riots that ofetn take place. Though the Egyption currency is the best but taking US Dollars is also helpful if you run out of cash. 

very cheap tickets can be found on http://www.lowfares.com/?t=gDEF20&lp=1&asid=112. This website is great because it allows you to compare the cheapest tickets online. Also your regular websites such as jetstar is available. 

Lavish hotels can be found in cheaper prices in Cairo. Cairo is the main city and from Cairo  you need to travel to Giza to see the pyramids. Its such an Adventure, but going with legit travel guides is essential. Because its an primarily islamic nation, tourists need to main certain ettiquets whilst your stay there. Such as no public kissing, holding hands and drinking in public. Such things are not culturally or religously acceptable in Egypt and this needs to be respected by tourists. 

Accomodation can be found in http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/booking/hotels-list.shtml

Many of the accomodation are quiote extravgant and so if you take US or AUS dollars you may really get the moneys worth. 

 

hey travellers a great place to stay for young travellers is Darwin with massive caravan parks and places to park up those kombi vans! food and alcohol is really cheap with the average price of a pint at $4 aussie this is a place for great nights and parties. whats so great about Darwin is the people everyone is relaxed accompanied by the 35-40 degree celsius weather all year round makes for a great place for people travelling around australia to stop improve their tan and enjoy some great trips Darwin has to offer. Some must see places to visit is the casino where theirs always a party and the main strip Irish pub is a great place to catch up and enjoy some live entertainment. As far as trips go their are numerous river trips for fishing or for sightseeing or rather croc watching. there is also fantastic offshore fishing adventures where you cook what you catch! their are great half day and full day trips that are affordable and alot of fun if you go with some mates as you can drink as much as you want. heres an example of a trip i went on whihc i highly recommend to anywone travelling through Darwin.

BREATHTAKING.......

This was one of the hidden treasures within New South Wales. If you live in Sydney or close to Sydney then you are very lucky. This place is one of the most beautiful places I have been. It was a surprise holiday for me by my fiance on my birthday last year. So from Sydney we drove 2 hours into the Blue Mountains to a siginificantly beautiful place called the WENTWORTH FALLS. If you are on a shoe string budget or want to get away to somewhere for the weekend this is the ultimate place for you. Everything seemed so picture perfect in WENTWORTH FALLS. Felt like I was living in a dream...

So from Sydney Central you may wish to drive or to catch a train directy to WENTWORTH FALLS. Its very close to KATOOMBA. 

If you want to stay somewhere memoriable then the grand view hotel is the best, it offers luxery at an affordable price. Also for eating out there are chinese, thai and italian available. If you wish to travel around and go places around the location then my personal suggestion is to get a car. I hope you will enjoy this one!!

DESSERT ROSE....

When most people think of Australia most people just think of nice sunny beaches and hotels. Most people often fail to realise that Australia has a very rich indegenious culture which most people are unware of. A culture which promotes spirutuality and art. The ULURU or more commonly known as the Ayers Rock. Cheap flights can be occasionally found on

 http://www.webjet.com.au/city-flights/search/?CityTo=Ayers%20Rock&gclid=CN-HrJvz6q8CFcNMpgod8B0T1A

One of the best accomodations at Uluru is LONGITUDE 131 located at Yulara Drive, Yulara, 0872 Ayers Rock

with an online rating of 9.4/10.

Set in the secluded surroundings of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Longitude 131 offers luxury tents with panoramic views of Ayers Rock. It features an outdoor swimming pool with a terrace.

The accommodation at Longitude is air-conditioned and has a CD player, minibar and tea and coffee making facilities. Each of these 5-star tents is eco-friendly and offers guests stunning views over the park.

Guests can enjoy an à la carte cooked breakfast or a continental buffet. In the evenings, Longitude 131 serves a three-course meal in the dining room or in the privacy of the library.

Longitude 131 is situated just over 2 km from Yulara and provides a free return airport transfer service for all guests..

One of the best acitivites to do at the Ayers Rock is having an ariel view of the whole location on a helicopter. Which primary takes about 1 hour to complete. Othe activities such as bushwalking in the national parks and enjoying the view of the rock while sunset with a glass of wine is also one of the many enjoyed activies by the tourists. 

Guys this is probably one place you will not forget so easily. It is beautiful, spectacular yet so different from everything else.

hi travellers just thought i would mention a few great cheap ways of travelling around europe seeing as i have just booked a trip myself. the first way is on the Eurorail which has a great netweork as seen on the map of Europe where trains come frequently and are usually on time. another great reason to choose to travel on the Euro Rail is that it is much cheaper than flying and if your well prepared and plan ahead travellers can use the train trip as a place to sleep as they're really safe and saves a lot of time and money rather than buying a night in a hostel. although this a small diagram of the wider rail system these shows the main routes and speed at which the trains travel which shows that gettting from one place to another doesnt neccesarily have to take ages.

Another Cheap means of transport around Europe is call BusAbout which is a company that provides a hop on hope off basis to travellers where you cna by tickets for specific trips or buy an alloted time period ticket. similar to the EuroRail pass. hope this gives you travellers some further ideas on travel around Europe rather than expensive Contiki tours or planes. Bus About Website http://www.busabout.com/ 

Paradise on Earth

One of the most significant places I have always wanted to travel is TAHITI. In all pictures and articles in travel magazines and google images, it looked simply paradise on earth to me. The colours, the atmosphere and all the surrounding just looks to perfect. My partner and I even decided we will be going to Tahiti after our wedding for honeymoon. So I have been researching quite abit to travel and enjoy Tahiti in a limited budget. Basically make the most of what we have.

Flights to Tahiti can be found in small budget on www.webjet.com , it usually ranges from $1000 to $1500 return tickets. The most preferred one is Air Tahiti Nuir. Budget accomodation can be found in http://www.tahiti.pacific-resorts.com/budget.html.

s.

RELAXED AND SOOTHING

Is anyone interested in having a very relaxed soothing holiday and that too within Australia? The Hunter Valleys is one of the most romantic, scenic and relaxed places in Australia. The Hunter Valley gives tourists the opportunity to view beautiful scenic vineyards, taste freshly made cheese, ride horses up in the mountains and the most spectacular wines in the world.

The Hunter Valley offers a range of accommodation from very cheap to very expensive. Accommodations which are located on the hill top are generally more expensive. But for those who don't what to spend too much money but want to have a good time can go to the Hunter Valley Travellers Rest Motel is located in Cessnock within easy reach of the picturesque vineyards of the Hunter Valley and the Hunter Valley Gardens. The motel is rated 3 stars but it offers comfortable stay and easy access to most toursit attractions.

MOTEL FEAUTURES:

- Airconditioning Hairdryer Iron & Ironing Board Tea & Coffee Making Facilities Alarm Clock TV Ceiling Fans Bath (Shower/toilet only) International Direct Dial Phone Desk Electric Blankets Radio / Alarm Clock located in Cessnock within easy reach of the picturesque vineyards of the Hunter Valley and the Hunter Valley Gardens.

With in Hunter Valley the many tourist attractions are often far from each other, therefore traveling without a car will be extremely difficult. However Cessnock is the center the Hunter Valley and most places from Cessnock are only 20 Minutes (MAX) away from each other.

One of the most beautiful attraction of Hunter Valley is Cheese. Many places such as Hunter valley cheese co allows you to taste their freshly made cheeses and you can watch how the cheese are made as well.

A very affordable yet a promising place to visit is The Hunter Valley Gardens. The Gardens are quite big and it is a whole day trip. It shows many landscapes where its just beauttiful.

Hunter Valley is deffinitely somewhere very enjoyable to visit. 

To hitch or not to hitch?

What to do when you need to go to the next place... but don't know how you're getting there. The time of hitch-hiking is almost over these days. Mistrust, urban legend and history have proven to most travellers that the art of hitching a ride is almost dead.

ALMOST dead. Hitch-hiking a ride is a balance of spontaneous decisions with a good chunk of common sense thrown in. Girls, I wouldn't recommend trying this alone. Boys, I probably wouldn't try this alone either but at least you can try with less risk.


Where should you start this form of travel? I recommend a place where the rides between A & B are short and well trafficked. I have met many people who have traveled this budget friendly way and they let me in on a few secrets.



1. If you aren't completely comfortable with your offered ride, turn it down. Run with your gut instincts because you can always find another ride but once in a strangers car... Well... You power decreases.


2. Always start from a main road just outside of town. This maximises your chance of reaching your destination ASAP.



3. Be a genial and considerate passenger. If your driver wants to talk, then chat away. If not, then keep quiet. Rolling cigarettes has been a popular trick with most of my hitch-hiking mates so perhaps brush up on your rolling skills.

4. Don't give out personal details. Unless you want a stalker then don't get dropped of where your staying.  Don't go into detailed travel plans or who and how many you are travelling with.

5. Always let the driver know that you are expected and make sure someone knows where you were and where you should be at the end of your day.

Hey travellers, very exciting news! I've just booked a trip for 3.5 months to Banff, British Columbia Canada. A trip in which I will be working, travelling and completing my ski instructor internship! It's a great company that I'm doing my internship with called Educating Adventures. What's so great about the company is that it has a guarrenteed job offer once you have completed your training. This is great as it allows travellers to pay off the cost of their internship while having one of the best jobs in the world... all in just one season.

 This is a great way of travelling as it allows future job opportunities once you have completed your training, so you can come back next year or work anywhere in the world such as the French Alps, Austria, Switzerland and Japan. By the end of the season most instructors have finished either cert1 or cert 2 for either skiing or snowboarding as well as saving up a bit of cash to help fund the cost of their internship. This is a great way for young skiers and boarders to get their qualifications while travelling and skiing in some of the best mountain ranges the world has to offer.

Adventure in Queenstown

Hey travellers another great place to explore in New Zealand is Queenstown. Situated South East of Christchurch on the south island this small town is full of adventure and thrills for young travellers looking for a buzz for cheap.

A great time to go to Queenstown is over New Year as the town is flooded with other young tourist. And the population grows from 10000 to 25000 for 2-3 weeks. Accommodation is cheap with many caravan parks and youth hostels for travellers. However it is important to book all tours and accommodation before you arrive in this peak season as vacancies fill up quickly.

Things to do while in Queenstown…

·         The Shotover jet is a must and for me something that must be ticked off everyone’s bucket list, “Shotover Jet, the World's most exciting jetboat ride! It's an adrenaline rush you'll never forget!” This trip lives up to its world renowned status with the best jet boat pilots in the world this experience is truly one of a kind.

·           Another adventure is on the half day white water rafting trip down the river in which adventures get the chance to have a helicopter ride and raft down the river which is graded between a 3 and 5 difficulty rating. This trip similar to Jet boat lives up to the hype in which travellers get the chance to descend waterfalls and rapids under the supervision of highly qualified rafting guides.

·         Finally another must in the summer for adventures is to try there luck at Downhill mountain biking. This sport is for everyone in which riders can choose their level and difficulty and are then guided along the track on action packed terrain. This can also be fun for the whole family as both my mother, father and sister all participated on the adrenalined fuelled day. What great about most companies that function in the area are that you don’t have to ride back up the mountain you just descended your simply picked up at the bottom and taken back to top while you catch your breath!

Hungry???

So right now I've been thinking about how to eat cheaply while travelling. In my experience there are several easy and cost saving things to do. Depending on where you are in the world then there are some alternate ways to eat and save your money for more important things (like drinks!).

The first recommendation I have would be to do what most people have already done, cook in bulk! If living in a communal environment then throwing a few dollars towards a massive bowl of pasta and sauce is one of the cheapest ways to eat. That way you save yourself eating the same meal for days and not wasting the leftovers.

My second recommendation is to get to know your area. Depending on where you are there can be free meals just around the corner. While I was in Cairns I found that several venues around town served free backpacker meals. Go to the right place, talk to the right people and then dinner is served! Don't expect much.. It is free. And talk to the old hands and you can find yourself eating several free meals a night.

My last recommendation is take advantage of any seasonal crops you may find yourself of tour fellow travellers working with. I've lived in places where the crops coming in by the bagfull can go from kiwifruit to corn, from oranges to squash, and more. This is a fairly repetitive way to eat and after 6 weeks of eating nothing but squash and corn then you'll probably never eat the stuff again... But it's FREE.

When travelling on a shoestring budget don't limit yourself by not eating this or that. Take advantage of any cheap or free meal and then your just that much closer to your next destination, next drink or new favourite food.

Capital of chill.

Gisborne, NewZealand, a great holiday destination all for the price of a ticket to Auckland and an inventive way of transporting your self and your stuff (better include a surfboard if you want to surf!) to the opposite side of the island.

Poverty Bay

My favourite place in the world is situated on the Poverty Bay in the far north-east corner of the North Island of NZ and is renowned for sun, surf, and Chardonnay. Informally known as the Chardonnay Capital of NewZealand and recognised as the 1st city in the world to the sunrise on a new day. Gisborne retains a quaint small town vibe with a strong Maori heritage and can also claim the honer of being the first place in NewZealand that Captain Cook choose to land (although he was chased of by the local Maori tribes!). 

Within the town there are various backpacker accommodation options. Once settled into a hostel, try having a talk to your 50 (at times!) new housemates. Most days there will be a car pool to the surf, supermarket or a daytrip planned further afield. 

Wainui Beach

Within the town one will find Wainui beach, one of the best surf beaches in NZ, Makorori beach and the town beach. In town one can always find activity at the skate park or do a wine tour of the surrounding wineries. A little local knowledge can be great and you may one night find your self at Smash Palace, in the middle of an industrial estate with a small plane mounted in the beer garden! On a Sunday during the winter a great way to prepare for the new week is by enjoying a cold beverage and a $5 roast dinner.

Mahia Peninsula

The thing I really enjoy about this town is that it is so close to many budget (AKA free) activities. So long as you are willing to get outside and enjoy life, this town can offer many exciting days of action. 45 mins to the south is Mahia Peninsula, no people, guaranteed waves and a beautiful drive in the middle of nowhere. As you travel back try stopping at the Morere Hotsprings for a dip. To the west is Rere Falls and rockslide. Imagine 10 people packing a couple of cars full of bodyboards, blow up mattresses, wetsuits and inner tubes, and heading out to a spectacular 20 m long natural rockslide for an afternoon. North will find you driving through isolated farmlands and around the east cape of NZ.

Greetings and welcome to Travel on a Shoe-String!

The authors of this blog are all students at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and we all understand that traveling as a student requires imagination, creativity and a willingness to try something different.


This blog is dedicated to exploring budget travel and created for people like us. This blog aims at helping all the poor unfortunate souls out there with a minimal budget by suggesting places to go, things to eat, accommodation options and the personal favourites of the authors.

Over the next 5 weeks we will be aiming at posting personal accounts and ideas on differing travel themes each week.

Come for the ride with us and get inspired to get out there in the world and experience all the variety life offers a budget traveller.

This weeks theme is an insight into each authors favourite place to go on holiday. We will offer our own personal places to you and hope that these will get you all thinking as to where you want to go next...

Safe travels to all our aspiring budget travellers! Keep an eye on this blog and get to know us all a little better as we move on through time. 


Chao! - ToaSS Team.