Roam The World » backpacking tips

5 Must-Pack Items when Backpacking with Kids

roam-the-world — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:44:48 +0000

The parenting world is officially split into two categories. The first are the parents who would not consider leaving the country with little ones in tow. These are the sane, normal, rational parents. And then there’s those who attempt (attempt is probably the best word to use for anything both kiddie and backpacking related) to take their kids to lands afar. On an adventure. To let them experience more of the world than the society they were born into. These are the kooky parents! The parents who know there’s going to be hassle with deciding what suncream to pack, what bug repellent to use and how to smile sweetly at the other passengers when you board a long distance plane with an under 5! But, do you know something? Parents with little people have travelled around the world and they’ve survived! More than this, they have shared amazing countries together and returned home brimming with family memories. So put the following in your backpack and away you go on an adventure for mums, dads and kiddies alike.

Sling them on! A sling or baby carrier is a fantastic way to transport under 3s around busy markets or up windy country roads. Kids feel safe and secure being close to you and frankly there’s no way you could get a pushchair up and down some of the backpacker territory ‘pavements’.
Dress the little ones in long sleeved cotton outfits. Actually, the same applies to you mums and dads too!
Kiddie sunglasses and hats with factor 50 sun repellent built in are available online or from big supermarket chains. The sunhats that also cover the neck are perfect. They look cool too!
Invest in a few new toys. Little toys are best for backpacking. When the kids start making a racket you can pull one out of your bag!
Take your little ones favourite blanket from home for the plane journey. It can get pretty cold with the air con on the flight. Fingers crossed, the comfort of that dependable blanket and the background noise of the plane will send them to the land of nod. Then you can celebrate how wonderfully you have combined parenting and backpacking with a glass of red wine!

5 Top Traveller Tips for Avoiding the Tourist Masses

roam-the-world — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 04:12:15 +0000

Any savvy traveller knows there is a big difference between the keen backpacker (ready to feel the true local vibe and immerse themselves in the unique culture of the latest town) and the typical tourist (complete with: two cameras hanging from their neck, the latest walking attire and not forgetting those socks with sandals). Whilst those in the backpacking know get their kicks out of the privileged chance to meet genuine local folk, unfortunately those straight off the package holiday air-conditioned coach are often happier being a snap-happy camera fiend; keeping the local culture at bay. Here are our top tips for avoiding the package tourist masses and discovering your own piece of backpacker heaven.

Top of the list is to keep your ear to the ground for tips from like-minded backpackers in the area. The long-term Aussie traveller staying in your hostel is more likely to know the location of beach paradise than the tour offered in the glossy brochure thrust upon you by a tourist tout.
Speaking of touts…smartly dressed, well-spoken natives will be after your attention and dosh in all of the major tourist destinations. Be aware that they are there and (throughout South-East Asia) may even be adorned with ‘official tourist information’ badges, but know that their aim is to sign you up with a private tourist agency. You can be polite but you will definitely need to be firm in order to avoid their advances.
Independent travel is the key to avoiding the tourist crowds. For example, in Thailand you can visit the Khao Sok national park in the rainforest as a backpacker via: local bus, pickup truck and arranging accommodation in the guest huts of a local family when you arrive. The same experience as part of a tourist tour would involve spending your time as part of a largish group of Western tourists with a British guide, and learning the names of your coach buddy’s latest boyfriends.
That said; use the tourist network to your advantage. There are countries (such as Cambodia) where crossing borders often involves a payment (read: bribe) to the guards to avoid hours of hold-up. Services aimed at tourists can take you across borders (in this example, of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta and into the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh by river boat) and arrange the border negotiations for an extra $5. Sometimes a little extra moulash makes a lot less hassle. The key is not to avoid all tourist services point blank but to make them work for you when you need them.
Escape from the well-worn tourist tracks and discover the local hospitality. Go to the places which are less publicised by the package tours. Destinations such as the ancient city of Aleppo in Syria don’t see as many visitors. Local teenagers are often keen to practice their English lessons. Respectful and interested backpackers may even be treated to a dinner invite in the home of a local family. Now that’s what we think travelling is all about!

Backpacking on a Budget in London: Is it Possible?

roam-the-world — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:08:59 +0000

The lights and sights of London are on many a backpacker’s wish list of ‘places to see before you die’. However, London is also renowned for burning a hole in the pocket of the shoe-string backpacker. Here at roam-the-world we love a challenge and we believe that backpacking on a budget can be achieved even in England’s green and pleasant lands. Just with a bit of extra planning. Here are our top tips for coming to have tea with the Queen:

Accommodation can be irritatingly pricey in Central London with the average hotel room a whopping $150 a night. However, do not fear. A number of budget hostel chains are finally making a home in London. The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) has a recently refurbished pad in the handy location of St. Pancras. Private family rooms are available for $48 a night or if your cash flow is running low go for a dorm for just $25 a night. Now, that’s what we call a bargain! Alternatively, the Asian Tune Hotel chain now has bases at Westminster and Liverpool Street. The double rooms may be small but they have everything you need. Even air conditioning. Which you won’t need. Did you forget you were going to London?! A Tune hotel room can be nabbed for around $50 a night for a double room if you book in advance.
Talking of booking in advance, if you can plan ahead then do it. Then marvel at the extra cash in your bank balance. Hotel chains such as Travelodge and Premier Inn have some jaw dropping offers on at times. One one occasion we managed a bed for just $23 a night. Yes: we are bragging!
The tube is the way to get around in London if you want speed and ease. Get yourself an ‘oyster card’ from any tube station and save yourself a fortune! You pay a small returnable deposit for this card and then top it up (at the station) instead of buying single tickets. There is a daily price capping (so you never pay more than the price of a travel card) and single journeys are cheap as chips too. You can use the card on those famous red buses too. Open top buses tend to be for sightseeing tours rather than getting around efficiently.
London is home to top celebrity dwelling restaurants. But (lucky for us traveller types) it’s also home to some wonderfully vibrant markets. These are the places to be if you want some lovely nosh at a bargain. Try the hippy scene at Camden Market for food from every corner of the globe including richly flavoured paellas and healthy fresh soups. Or Borough Market for breads tops with herbs and spices and cupcakes and muffins galore.
So, here at roam-the-world we think London can be seen as a backpacker on a budget. Just get ready to sniff out those bargains and, with perhaps a little planning, away you go.

Holidaying in Chiang Mai, Thailand: A Look at Costs

roam-the-world — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:38:41 +0000

If Thailand is the textbook backpacking country of choice then Chiang Mai is surely the destination where it’s at. Come and enjoy the wonderful balance of local markets where most produce smells vaguely of fish sauce but where there is always an air conditioned coffee chain around the corner. Here there’s enough spice in the food to bring a tear to many a farang’s eye (that’s a foreigner to me and you) but it’s still possible to get bread and cheese in the expat-frequented malls. For South East Asia this later fact is simply amazing for the Western food craving backpacker. Chiang Mai is even easy enough to introduce your kids to backpacking. Perfect. Let’s have a look at how much a backpacking break in this North Thai city will set you back.

Accommodation is plentiful just choose your style. There are proper ‘let’s sit around all day watching Friends, drinking banana smoothies and wearing very little’ hostels for the gap year backpacker types. Here pick up a bed for $10 a night, just don’t expect to get any sleep with those banging beats of karaoke fun! These places are plentiful around Tha Pae Gate in the Old City. For the middle-of-the-range ‘I want to see the world but I don’t want to sleep in a hovel’ traveller grab a comfy bed for just over $20 a night. We like the Mountain View Guesthouse for it’s wooden interiors and friendly staff. For those lucky tourists who are ‘on a two week break and have money to burn’ a luxury pad can be obtained for around $55 a night. You could try the apartments at the Airport Greenery for a taste of the good life. Many of these top notch establishments will include a pool and spa or massage facilities. Enjoy!
Let’s talk about the nosh. Oh yes! Thailand is top tastebud tantalising territory! Pop into one of the cool food courts to sample a meal as the locals do it. Boy, do they know how to do it! Grab noodle soup (there’s so many to choose from, the most popular with Thais comes with pork), a papaya salad (complete with peanuts, shrimps, lime and chilli) and a Thai coffee (made sweet with condensed milk: soon you won’t want it any other way!) all for the price of a Starbucks coffee back home. In the restaurant chains you can expect to pay up to $20 for a posh dinner. The food will be equally delectable!
Between your sleeping and your eating there’s simply tonnes to see and do in Chiang Mai! Go and be an elephant keeper for the day. Spot hippos at the night safari. Peruse the silk at the fabric markets. Visit an orchid farm. Marvel at the Buddhist Wats (temples). Or simply make friends with the locals. After all, this is the land of smiles.

The Travelling Scarf: 1001 Reasons Why Every Backpacker Should Have One

roam-the-world — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 15:49:36 +0000

Ok, I lied. Maybe not 1001. But here are 7 reasons why a scarf should be on every female travellers head…or waist or ankle or shoulders…

A scarf keeps you cool. When the sun is baking like you've never known it before a scarf over your head or shoulders cuts down on those dazzling rays.
A scarf keeps you warm (this may sound like a contradiction to the former point but scarves are multi-purpose!). If the heat gets to much you'll probably dive into the first air-conditioned café in sight and with your loose cool clothing it may start to get a little chilly. Wrap that scarf around you and stay snug.
If you visit most Wats (Buddhist places of worship) they will require your legs to be covered up. Aha: that handy scarf becomes a stylish sarong.
Mosques and Muslim areas of town will require women to cover their heads and shoulders. A light piece of fabric can easily transform to a trusted headscarf.
Make like the local ladies and use your scarf as a bag. You'll see food, animals and even babies transported in these versatile garments.
You've just boarded a river taxi and now your hair is blowing haywire in the breeze. Place the scarf tightly over your head and twist the ends together to create a unique bandana.
You're on an overnight bus/ boat/ train/ plane and the lights are dazzling your weary peekers-a knot at the back and that scarf is now your eye mask which equals zzzzzzzzzzz