|
|
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 [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
 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 [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
 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 [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
 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 [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
 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 [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
 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 [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
 Tie/scarf/bandana
A wool scarf can be very effective in cold weather but can be bulky. You can always buy one wherever you are if it gets too cold.
A good substitute is something like a bandana or a sarong, or maybe a towel or just buy a thin locally bought scarf. This can also help vary your outfits as it makes a good accessory.
A cotton bandana is probably the most versatile for not only can it serve as a neck or head scarf, you can use it for a cravat/tie, a hat or headband, sun shade or sleep [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
 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 [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
 Diphtheria
Found – rare in developed countries due to vaccination, but is still endemic in developing countries and the former states of the USSR.
Vaccine is recommended for those who will be in close contact with infected people in endemic areas.
Cause – a disease of close contact, a bacterial illness transmitted through droplets in the air.
Symptoms – sore throat and fever. Can be life-threatening.
Prevention – by updating your diphtheria vaccine.
Tetanus
Found – rare in developed countries due to vaccination.
Prevention – by the tetanus vaccine. A booster is recommended every ten years, perhaps even every five years for developing world [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
 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 [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
 Write lists of phone numbers and addresses of emergency contacts, friends you will be visiting, numbers to call if you lose things and need to cancel services or get replacements sent to you (your cell phone and credit cards, for example), phone numbers and addresses of embassies/consulates, and perhaps addresses of useful travel-related websites.
Similarly, for any hotels or lodging you have arranged in advance, make a note of addresses and phone numbers.
Enter all the phone numbers into your phone’s address book and maybe even email a copy to yourself. Another idea to keep it safe is [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
 As well as a passport, many countries require a visa to enter. This is simply a document or stamp issued by a country giving you permission to enter for a given period of time and for certain purposes, which is usually stamped or glued inside your passport, or issued as separate pieces of paper.
Here are some examples of entry requirements around the world (check with the country’s embassy or consulate before you leave, though):
New Zealand doesn’t require US or EU citizens to obtain a visa in advance but you do need a return or onward ticket [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
 Getting in (and out) of countries can sometimes be a challenge. I once (a long time ago) took a ferry across the Straits of Gibraltar to Morocco (a 2.5 hour journey), only to be turned back as I tried to disembark and had to return to Spain.
The problem was a missing stamp in my passport which could only be obtained in the passport stamping office on the boat, and by the time I found this out the place stamping the passports had closed. Of course, nobody tells you this when you get on or while you [...]
(click here to continue reading ››)
You may also be interested in reading:
|
|
