Around the world in 327 days

[pecel]

Nice.
I wish I can do it like you

 

[absolu7]

unreal, good for you man...
everyone not attached should do this!

 

[screw3d]

Originally posted by: puffff

Originally posted by: screw3d

Originally posted by: puffff

Originally posted by: screw3d
Good stuff! I was in Luxor during new year BTW

omg... i was too!!!!

:Q

I don't recall seeing an Asian dude in Luxor, but I was another asian dude. I stayed in Nefertiti Hotel by the way, right beside this street with this restaurant that has "recommended by Rough Guide" right on the signboard

i was in Shady Hotel on Television St... How did you spend new years? did you go out?

We were just out eating in one of the restaurants.. pretty uneventful really. We were pretty damn tired after walking all the way back from the Karnak Temple to downtown Luxor

 

[UglyCasanova]

Okay, I'm on about day 50, and this is EXTREMELY interesting. Just all the cool stuff to see, I've decided I am going to do this. I got a question though, how did you do your initial planning? Any good travel forums? And hostels, explain that to me. I've never once seen a hostel in the US, is it like a really cheap motel or something? And are they common throughout the world, especially Asia (or at least really cheap places to sleep)? Would a white guy be able to travel alone throughout Asia without worries, or would I stick out and be easy prey?

 

[puffff]

Originally posted by: UglyCasanova
Okay, I'm on about day 50, and this is EXTREMELY interesting. Just all the cool stuff to see, I've decided I am going to do this. I got a question though, how did you do your initial planning? Any good travel forums? And hostels, explain that to me. I've never once seen a hostel in the US, is it like a really cheap motel or something? And are they common throughout the world, especially Asia (or at least really cheap places to sleep)? Would a white guy be able to travel alone throughout Asia without worries, or would I stick out and be easy prey?

From the day I rolled out of bed and decided "I'm gonna do this" to when I left was less than two months. You don't need to do a lot of planning. There are lots of websites and forums discussing backpacking and traveling, like thorntree.lonelyplanet.com and bootsnall.com, they can get you pointed in the right direction.

I guess you could say hostels like cheap motels.. How it usually works is they have a big room with half a dozen bunkbeds, and you pay for a bed. Most will have a common area to meet other people in, and a kitchen if you want to cook your own food. In some parts of the world, they have guesthouses and pensions instead where you get private rooms. Standards are lower than hotels, but cheap and good value. Sometimes I only paid US$3-5 per night for my own room.

For a lot of western europeans and australians, taking a half a year to a year off to travel is common, almost like a rite of passage. You'll never be 'alone' unless you really want to be. Yeah, there will be times when you have to use your common sense, but I wouldn't worry about being an easy target.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Nice, did you alot yourself a certain budget per day or per place or just got with the flow? 20k just doesn't seem like much to go on, especially with the plane tickets and all.

 

[puffff]

Originally posted by: UglyCasanova
Nice, did you alot yourself a certain budget per day or per place or just got with the flow? 20k just doesn't seem like much to go on, especially with the plane tickets and all.

I put down about $2k for initial plane tickets, then from Singapore to Istanbul, Turkey, it was mostly buses and trains. Traveling overland is cheap.

I did set a daily budget, but i didnt mind going over if I felt there was something really worth doing.

 

[Finalnight]

puffff for World Traveler Elite!

 

[CTrain]

Originally posted by: mordantmonkey

Originally posted by: Finns14
Must be nice to be rich

20,000 is not rich. you could easily save that much in 5 years. Maybe not on Mcdonalds money, but you definately don't have to be rich.

and :beer: to the OP. bookmarked your page for later.

I take exception to that.
I'll make close to $50K this year.
I can save $20K in about 14 months if I try hard enough.
You can make enough in any occupation, even McDonalds.

 

[ballmode]

Been reading that blog for the past 3 months now. Enjoyed it! Seems like you came back to post here, are you going to continue to post on that blog of your daily life now?

 

[puffff]

Originally posted by: ballmode
Been reading that blog for the past 3 months now. Enjoyed it! Seems like you came back to post here, are you going to continue to post on that blog of your daily life now?

i have a different blog that i post on occasionally, but my travel blog is finished as far as i'm concerned

 

[Ranger X]

pufff, you're back!! Wow, I remember last time I talked to you was when you posted the thread about the cop in Russia. Wow, time sure has passed. So what made you come back? You stated earlier that you could have stretched your 20k budget out a little longer. Did you ever get home sick? I went on a 3 1/2 week backpacking trip in May-June '05 and at the tail end of the trip, I started feeling really home sick but as soon as I got home, I wanted to take off again. Some parts of the world, I felt like people there aren't used to Asians and some of the natives there showed immaturity towards them. I really do envy you! I don't think I would have the guts to travel by myself, let alone for 327 days!

 

[delas52]

Looking through some of it...very interesting. Must have been great.

 

[TaylorD]

I am insanely jealous. I've been to Africa and Europe but have missed Asia thus far. South america too, but Asia is atop my list next.... What camera equipment did you take with you?

<edit> n/m, found your previous answer

started out with a pentax optio s4. when it got stolen in vietnam, i bought a new pentax optio WP.

 

[josh0099]

This fall I studied aboard and traveled every weekend(had 3 day weekends and longer breaks) , mainly Western Europe, but hit a few Eastern. It was pretty amazing, I could only imagine what a year straight was like.

 

[HamSupLo]

hey puff, i read your blog when i was working. i really enjoyed it. I'd like to take a trip like that when i save enough money after working 2-3 years after grad school.

 

[imported_gshock]

Man, I wish to do this someday. 20k seems to be a doable amount. Now time to save.

 

[Trente]

I now have a sudden urge to take a trip just like yours... Thanks for sharing!

 

[Reggae4k]

ever think about writing a book?