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What's New:
- Avoiding Insect Bites
Many tropical diseases, such as malaria, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis, West Nile virus, L
- Websites
Some of the following links are on other pages of this website. I have brought them all together on
- Books
Below is a list of just some of the books that I have bought and found useful on my travels. I usua
- Suppliers
Links to the suppliers of the travel gear I use and recommend can be found through out this site. He
- Miscellaneous
Waterproof bags Used to separate and keep various items dry in your bag. Good for keeping valuables
Below is a list of just some of the books that I have bought and found useful on my travels. I usually read these before I leave and try to memorise as much as I can, as carrying even just one book with you when you travel adds considerably to your load. (That said, I do carry the first book on the list with me as it is tiny).
To be honest, these days I tend to listen to audio books on my iPod mainly, as I can fit a considerable number of books onto it and [...]
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 Some of the following links are on other pages of this website. I have brought them all together on this page, plus a few others that I found useful when researching long-term worldwide travel.
The links are not listed in any particular order, although I try to keep them arranged in the same order as they appear on this site.
General:
How to travel overland comfortably and affordably
General Travel Hints and Tips
The Traveller’s Toolkit – Independent travel resources
Round-The-World Travel Guide – The Travel Library
Lots of very useful travel advice links
Using a cell phone overseas
Maps of the night sky
Money:
Visa worldwide [...]
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 Links to the suppliers of the travel gear I use and recommend can be found through out this site. Here is a list of those suppliers on one page.
I don’t work for any of the companies listed, neither do I receive any money from them to list them here. The list changes all the time as I add new suppliers and test out new gear.
I buy my equipment from companies on both sides of the Atlantic (I am both British and American). US-based companies and website links are preceded by  and [...]
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 It is said that you should never take anything with you on vacation that you are not prepared to lose.
However, if your possessions are lost or stolen while travelling it can be very inconvenient and annoying, even if you are able to replace them quite easily (often for much less than you originally paid).
There are people out there who prey on tourists and travellers, as there are at home. And just like at home there are simple precautions you can take to prevent yourself becoming a victim of crime or loss.
Most of them don’t cost you [...]
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 Travelling in the Third World is not like a camping trip. You will find plenty of cheap food and accommodation everywhere, so you won’t need a stove, tent or sleeping bag,
There may be occasions where you would think a sleeping bag might be useful, in a cold room, sleeping outside (when it is warm), protection against insects, as a seat or cushion, etc., but consider the alternatives first.
Long underwear or other warm clothing will be fine in emergencies, on buses, trains, and cold hostels. A sleep sheet packs small, is light and easy to wash, and [...]
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 Camera
There are two types of camera you can take travelling. Either an SLR digital with a selection of lenses, or a point-and-shoot camera. For the difference in quality and performance you get between both, you are better off taking the point-and-shoot.
I am a photographer and regularly use both types of camera, but if you don’t believe me or want a second opinion, read more about it here on Ken Rockwell’s excellent photography site.
Personally, I have been using an old Sony Cybershot (shown right) which gives great results.
The only thing you really have [...]
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 One question that springs to mind about clothing is, is there a difference between that which you wear at home and that which you wear when travelling?
Certainly, if you live in the UK or the USA and you are travelling to Europe for a week, then you can just wear what you normally wear. In fact, you might look out of place if you don’t walk around in jeans, tshirt, a hoodie and running shoes.
Travelling further afield does involve some additional considerations, however, mainly to do with the varied climates you will encounter. But there are [...]
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 Malaria prevention is complicated, so only trust a high quality travel clinic to prescribe the proper medications for your specific destinations and singular physiology.
Kingston 2GB 667MHz DDR2 Non-ECC CL5 SODIMM
Antimalarial drugs are designed to help prevent or cure malaria. Some of them can also be used to treat malaria until you get to a hospital.
However, they are not vaccines, and there is no guarantee of immunity from infection. You must also take other precautions, such as avoiding insect bites (listed above).
You can either get the drugs [...]
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 The Medical pages list the various diseases and vaccinations available. This section gives information on where and when to get them, how long they last, whether you need boosters, possible side-effects, and so on.
Don’t rely on the information given below. Try to get to a specialist travel clinic, or seek advice from a qualified professional.
Some clinics will give you a free consulation, other charge a fee (usually refunded if you then have the vaccinations at the clinic).
In the UK you can get vaccinations from your GP (usually for free), or go to one of the specialist [...]
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 Facilities for keeping clean while travelling vary greatly. Guesthouses and hotels may (or may not) have showers, sometimes you may get hot and cold running water, sometimes it may be just a tap and bucket of hot water. There is no guarantee that the water you use is clean either.
Keeping your hands clean is probably the easiest way to keep healthy in some countries, although this can be hard to do if you aren’t close to fresh water and soap for most of the day. Keeping your hands away from your mouth and eyes will help [...]
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 Taking large amounts of your own currency for changing when you arrive is probably one of the worst options for carrying money.
Your exchange rate will be retail, which is always going to be more expensive that wholesale.
Also, in most places, the person doing the exchanging will always want their little “cut” from the transaction.
Banks and hotels are the best places to change money but you can still get ripped off by the unscrupulous. Keep an eye on the daily rates to avoid this.
Remember, there may also be a fee for currency conversion so always ask about [...]
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 Once upon a time, everyone who travelled carried traveller’s cheques, but not anymore. Nowadays, credit cards are the norm.
Traveller’s cheques are similar to cash and can be used as such (especially in North America, not so much elsewhere), but they also have added security features that cash doesn’t. If you lose them or they get stolen then the money is refundable.
With American Express cheques you get 24/7 customer support, plus passport and credit card replacement assistance (the things that usually get stolen alongside your money). Find out more here.
They also come in a few selected (popular) [...]
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 Credit cards (and debit cards) are usually the preferred option for making purchases overseas because the currency conversion (the actual exchange rate you see in the papers or on the news) is usually at the wholesale rate (or 1% over the commercial bank rate) and not at the retail rate you would pay for changing cash at the airport, hotel, or bank.
Not only this, using cards is just as secure abroad as when you are at home (for example, if used fraudulently). You also don’t have to carry cash around, taking it out and putting it [...]
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