Karen's Question:
It has always bewildered me how one is able to travel to all the destinations
he/she desires. I am a student with the insatiable need to travel to as many
places as I can in this lifetime and I would like to know how you manage to
afford flights, accomodations, insurance etc. How do you make the money
to travel to all these places? What is your secret? Please help. Thanks.
Karen
Answer:
Kimberly and Karen,
You, and others, have asked me how to earn the money needed to travel. I'm
afraid that's up to you. However, If you choose to work in the travel
industry (for a travel agency, an airline, a tour operator, etc.) you'll
benefit from many cost-reducing perks such as cut-rate airfare and lower tour
prices.
Think about two factors: saving and spending. With respect to travel, you
can control both. When you make saving for travel a higher priority than
buying a hot car or expensive clothes, you'll be surprised at how fast your
travel kitty grows. Here's as useful way to think about it. You can stay for
a night in a wonderful bungalow about 20 feet from the beach on the exotic
tropical island of Ko Tao - or you can go to an ordinary movie at home. The
cost is $7 for either one. Your choice.Now let's look at the spending side of the equation. You mentioned that you
intend to buy Traveler's Tool Kit. That's a good move because it shows you
dozens of ways to make travel affordable while improving the quality of the
trip.
Affordable travel depends on where you travel, how you travel, and how good a
researcher you are.
Where you travel
No one should miss the pleasures and treasures of Scandinavia but where a
$100-a-night hotel is a great bargain your moneybelt will feel as if it's
been in the ring with Mike Tyson.
College-age travelers in the '60s wandering through Great Britain and
Western Europe paid a total of $5 to $10 a day for food, lodging and
transportation. Today, you can pay that much for coffee and a bagel. If you
are determined to see Europe on a tight budget, Portugal and Greece are
probably least expensive.
The solution? Take advantage of low costs and cheap airfares to Mexico,
Central and South America. I love visiting Thailand, Indonesia, and India but
while travel in-country is inexpensive, you must shop very carefully to find
affordable tickets.
How you travel
Budget travel means avoiding chain hotels, riding local busses and trains
rather than flying everywhere, and eating where tourists don't. It's a state
of mind, one that almost always adds value to the trip.
Research
If you call a tour operator, send a check and leave the details to them,
you'll probably have a fine trip-but you'll pay for the convenience. On the
other hand, you can travel affordably on your own by learning relevant travel
skills, especially how to prepare an accurate budget and how to find bargains
in airfare and hotels. Read through budget-oriented guide books for the
countries you have in mind. Ask site-specific questions in the GORP forums.
Solid research empowers you to travel the world on a tight budget. Spend your
time-to save your money.
I hope to see you on the road. You can do it!
Rob
