• [First half] listed in this order, jump to:

  • getting ill and staying healthy

  • moving around

  • sleeping and accommodation

  • looking after your things/avoiding crime

  • dealing with beggars and hassle

  • bargaining

  • guilt, giving and responsible tourism

  • guidebooks

• ...and then [second half] - jump to:

  • staying in touch

  • eating and vegetarianism

  • English language media and books

  • washing clothes

  • cultural expectations, perspectives and 'culture shock'

  • toilets and buying counterfeit goods

  • details on drugs and vice, and other tips

There are several books dedicated to staying healthy abroad, the majority of which are complete overkill and play on people's fears to sell copies. The health sections in Lonely Planet's titles are on the whole, nothing but recycled crap with no real advice. Some of the best info on travel health can be found in Footprint guides, notably the Footprint South America Handbook.

It's important to be aware that this section is only a quick low-down on common problems: there are thousands of other considerations and as stated before, no doctors have contributed to this site. It's also worth knowing that if you get ill and can't or don't want to see a doctor, that in most developing countries you can buy almost any medicine cheaply, over the counter in numerous pharmacies without a prescription.

Just to put things in proportion, the following guide was taken from 1000 travel tips and was compiled by R. Steffen from the WHO. He has published a nice series on medical problems encountered by travellers going to tropical countries. Here's his list of problem frequencies for travellers staying one month:

Altitude sickness

At high altitude (above 2500m/8000ft) take it easy until you have acclimatised. Altitude sickness often gives you no more than a killer headache, breathlessness and a slow brain feeling above 3000m. It sets on you about half an hour after you have hit a summit and will often give you a sleepless, breathless night. Anyone can get it bad even if they have been at high altitude before, but acute altitude sickness is a lot less likely than stories you hear and read make out. If you do get it, the only cure is to come down from altitude. Coca tea can help, but the side effects of pills (tingling hands) sold in Kathmandu, can for some, be worse than any mild case. The power of the sun at altitude is a danger much more worthy of your concern.

Climbing a volcano in Ecuador or Kilimanjaro, the road to Leh in India, the Karakoram highway, the pass in the middle of the Annapurna circuit or Everest base camp both in Nepal and the altiplano in Bolivia and Tibet are the most common places travellers will get those killer headaches spoken of. Lay off alcohol and drink plenty of water (although it goes straight through you). For more information see The High Altitude Medicine Guide.

As a final note, take a look at the what to pack first aid kit list, but don't go mad - you can always buy medication when travelling (cheaper and more compact) and this is the one thing that gets everyone extra paranoid, so most go over the top when packing.

In addition, never forget that what you eat and drink is crucial: a poor diet lowers your resistance. Ensure you try to eat a balance of protein and carbohydrates as well as getting enough vitamins and minerals. If you're sweating loads make sure you get enough salt (put extra on your food if you want) and drink enough water. Make sure you eat enough, as an unfamiliar diet will probably reduce the amount you eat and get enough sleep and rest. It's easy to get run down in a hot climate - splash out on a nice hotel room if you are sleeping poorly - it's worth it in the long run.

Table Footnotes:

* The incidence of malaria may seem low, but these are average numbers: in some areas the risk may be a lot higher (up to 10% per day).

** The risk of hepatitis A depends on your way of travelling. 2% is for the backpacker, 0.3% is for the Sheraton traveller.

** * The risk of hepatitis B is almost non-existent if you don't get involved in sexual activities or don't get transfusions of blood products or injections with unsterilised needles.

South East Asia: The main payers are Tiger Airways (www.tigerairways.com ) which has a great routes and can connect you to the Philippines dirt cheap and Jetstar Asia Airways (www.jetstarasia.com), these two are based in Singapore which was home to the regions first budget airline. Across the border AirAsia (www.airasia.com) is very useful for Borneo and getting to islands of Penang and Langkawi; they are expanding fast and offer a Bangkok to Hanoi route for about 50US$ which is incredibly handy - as well as loads of other routes and sometimes (promotional) silly prices. Thailand's Nok Air (www.nokair.com) also has a burgeoning network from Bangkok. Indonesia's Adam Air, doesn't have the best reputation, but Air Asia and Lion Air (www.lionair.co.id) or good alternative and can get you from Jakarta to Bali for (if you get the timing right) about 40US$

North America: Southwest Airlines (www.southwest.com) started the whole no-frills budget airline revolution back-in 1971 and was the model that Ryan Air copied which snowballed cheap flights in Europe and around the world. Southwest now have plenty of competition, flying to all parts of the US of A, south of the border to Mexico and into the Caribbean - carriers are too numerous to list here and normally specialise in a particular region or route, but easily revealed by a few web searches. In Canada several low cost carriers have folded, but WestJet (www.westjet.com) serves many cities and the States too. After the sell off of state-owned Mexicana, Mexico got its own budget carrier and many followed suit, the best of which is Aviacsa (www.aviacsa.com) and Vivaerobus (www.vivaaerobus.com) which have English language websites. Click Mexicana (www.clickmx.com) is also worth a mention.

Indian and Sri Lanka: 2003 saw the launch of the first Indian low-cost: Air Deccan which had great prices, but some bizarre fare rules and since has inspired many imitators (note Air Deccan is now called Kingfisher Red (www.flykingfisher.com)). Routes are numerous so best to check the carriers websites or the India section of this site for a better overview. Remember also this is India and what can go wrong (delays, cancellations, etc) probably will. Good carriers include, SpiceJet www.spicejet.com), GoAir (www.goair.in), and IndiGo Airlines (www.goindigo.in). With Kingfisher (www.flykingfisher.com) and Jet Airlines (www.jetairways.com) included you have coverage of about 50 domestic destinations and several international including London. Many of these airlines offer passes if you really want to see a lot in short time, but considering distances in India you might find some fares not inline with the average Indian travel budget. Both Sri Lankan Airways and Mihin Air can get you to Sri Lanka.

South America: Really the low-costs airlines have only taken root in Brazil, but still they have some useful links with some flying internationally to the big hubs across the continent. Gol (www.voegol.com.br) is the most famous and connected. Other options include BRA (www.voebra.com.br) and Ocean Air (www.oceanair.com.br). In both Chile and Argentina you will find several option and elsewhere state and private carriers (if you book right) can be an okay price, but aren't set up for self-booking on the net. In fact self-booking and using the budget airline or state network in South America just isn't as easy or as practical as in Europe or Asia with some site being Spanish or Portuguese only, not accepting foreign cards or just not offer online booking, but things are sure to change.

In developing countries.. on the whole it is never really a problem finding a guesthouse room (the word hotel is used for the most part in this section) for the night or another place to stay (read on for info on developed countries and hostels) outside of the odd peak period (e.g. national holidays or traveller peak season in smaller towns). In general, certainly within the developing world, where there is a demand it will be met in some form.

It is however, a good idea to book accommodation for your first night if arriving late in the day or a little low on travel confidence. You can book this room by various means (guide book and an international phone call for example), but if you want to do so on the web, you can using this site, which it is appreciated - see the where to stay page.

Noise

The biggest problem can often be noise. Traffic, incessant horns and people are often very loud, plus with rooms set up for hot weather, glass and walls are thin. This can be very frustrating if you need to get an early start next morning.

In main backpacking areas, try to avoid crowded hotels/hostels (and (sorry) especially when crowded with young Israelis or other typically raucous groups), rooms that overlook a road or centre courtyard where people may be partying until the early hours, TVs that may be set loud to overcome the noise of a fan running, thin walls and hotels with echoey corridors.

The real bummer is that you normally have no idea your room is next to a mosque, nightclub, temple or noisy bastard until its time to go to sleep (sure you could look out of the window but you get the drift). If concerned, ask the person who shows you the room if it's quiet, so if it's not you can always checkout and find somewhere else with fewer hassles.

» Worth noting.. Noise is a big problem in Asia, not so much elsewhere. More often than not excess noise is caused by motor vehicles (particularly motor-bikes) and their horns. The cheaper the hotel, often means the thinner the walls. It's not always true, but generally noise levels are directly linked to: a) the price and/or b) the 'type' of travellers that frequent the destination. With the cheaper places tending to be the noisiest and/or attracting the most offending parties (those with little concern of others sleep).

Touts

Since supply normally outstrips demand in Asia and North Africa especially, you might find yourself besieged by touts, often working on commission. The hassle these guys give you normally makes you wary of them, but they can be useful if you are having problems finding a room. In addition they can get you to some nice out of the way places you would of have never discovered otherwise, with killer prices since they don't have a guidebook listing. Not all touts are working for commission. Sometimes a family-owned guesthouse sends out a family member, getting you an invite to a nice honest, homely establishment. And just because you go with a tout doesn't mean you have to stay where they recommend. It also pays to find out how far they are taking you before you march off. To find a really good room you need patience, for sure, but more importantly, a good measure of luck.

You might like to.... If travelling in a pair or a group: leave someone with the bags in a cafe or bus/train station while you quickly scope out all the hotel options. You can move quickly without luggage and perhaps sometimes giving the impression you are moving hotels, not looking for one, and thus getting the best possible deal. Additionally when paying for a room in advance, getting and saving a receipt until check out is good practice as confusion when calculating final bills does happen, particularly with frequently changing staff shifts and lack-lustre admin.

Why is it so darn hot in here?

Heat is the other major factor that in many situations affects you getting a good night's sleep. Expect most days you are away in tropical countries to be pretty hot depending on the time of year. The temperature outside pretty much always drops at night, but in many rooms it doesn't. This is normally because rooms really heat up in the day, especially small ones, and even with a fan on the hot air has nowhere to go. When it's really hot, in some of the ovens that pass as rooms, it is not unknown to wake up on wet sheets (from sweat) during the night, have to drink a litre of water, take a cold shower and even sit outside your room (much cooler). As awful as this sounds there is not much you can do about it apart from paying extra (sometimes a lot more) for a room with AC. You are urged to think long and hard about travelling at the hottest times of year especially in India, Africa and Central America, and especially if on a rock bottom budget which won't allow you the luxury of air conditioning.

The problem with hot rooms normally comes from lack of ventilation and direct sunlight pouring in. Look for rooms that have good ventilation (but where you can still sleep in private and not have too many bugs flying in), that does not have direct sunlight pouring in (at least curtains) and where breeze can easily get in (i.e. top floor, unobstructed). This is all easier said than done. The problem is never normally an issue in developed countries that in many cases even fit AC units into dorm rooms.

A recommended tip is: if you are unable to sleep during the night because of extreme heat combined with humidity, wet a towel with the coolest water you can find, ring it out and cover yourself with it.

The number of hostels and more notably 'backpackers' around the world over the past few years have increased dramatically and they are finding there way into more and more destinations (for example the numbers in the likes of Rio, Singapore, KL and Buenos Aires have increased many fold over the last few years). However, they vary dramatically from excellent (Lisbon, Singapore, NZ and South Africa) to good, bad and just awful. They are generally at their worst during peak seasons/times when full. During these times (European/US Summer and most weekends), in any big city, it is wise to book ahead or at least check availability online with Hostelbookers (see right) or similar.

With accommodation, as in life, you normally get what you pay for. When a hotel room in, say, Dublin/London centre runs at €95 and a hostel bed goes for €15-25 in the same location you do have to take things with a pinch of salt, generally sharing a room with others, dealing with noise and crowded bathrooms. But please remove any ideas from your head that hostels have to be 20 bunk beds full of snorers in a small room with lights off at eleven-thirty! Hostels simply vary too much to generalise.

What's important to make clear, is that although there are loads of terrible hostels (normally in Western Europe and the USA big cities) there are tonnes of great ones out there, and quite a few absolutely brilliant ones. In addition, staying in a hostel is not limited by age and doesn't necessarily mean that you have to stay in dorms. Since double or twin rooms are normally only a little more than the price of two dorm beds, but are more limited and do generally need booking in advance. Moreover having access to local information from friendly staff and other travellers plus access to a kitchen and a social area, can more than often make up for the obvious short-falls hostels have (such as peace and personal space) versus hotel accommodation.

Equally the true 'backpacker' style hostels you might come across are a great place to meet people and are wonderful if travelling alone. Although endless clichéd conversations and seemingly permanent inhabitants whom head out on drinking sessions every night (ensuring those who don't want to or can't join will be kept up late, woken up mid-night and feel guilty waking up early) can wear thin if your objectives in travelling are not to hang-out, party and sleep late everyday (great as this might be every now and again).

Booking hostels and budget accommodation in advance

As outlined, in some cases and periods it not only makes sense to book in advance in order to get a good room, but is total necessary for peace of mind. If you do a search on Google for say 'cheap accommodation in' 'Paris', 'New York' or 'Sydney' you will find thousands of results mostly from resellers working on commission. Hostelworld and HostelBooker are two such companies and the most established with the largest networks running search engines and booking facility for around eight and a half thousand places in 150 odd countries, but it should be noted they are not complete listings with big gaps in places.

You can view all listed available budget accommodation in a destination, view available dates and see customer ratings. Booking is simple online and your room is guaranteed. The sting is for Hostelworld you pay a USD$2 booking charge per transaction, but that's not too bad if it saves you an international call and guarantees you a room for your first night or during a busy period; for Hostelbooker you pay no booking charge. Generally you are also expected to pay a 10% deposit which is taken off your bill when you arrive. Rates quoted are the same as walk-in rates. As an example you can view Hostelworlds FAQ page here if you wish.

Bookings can be made directly though either company's homepage, but are better made through this site. Certainly so if you have found this site a useful resource and want to assist its continuation by helping with hosting/bandwidth charges, then please do book through this site on the 'Resources' page or bookmark hostels.travelindependent.info - any repeat use is appreciated. To be up front, a few percent of your accommodation charge will be gained in commission rather than going to the hostel - you incur no extra charge: it's a big thank you for using the site. Remember when arriving very late in a new city, your first night or during a festival these services are fantastic, but are not generally necessary for day-to-day travel and certainly not in the developing world.

In a few countries/places, paid accommodation in private homes are an option and traditionally the main choice in ex-Soviet countries where [typically] pensioners wait at bus and train stations to offer rooms to supplement their pensions. Such still exists in mainly the Caucacus, off the beat track Eastern Europe and CIS, but is becoming less and less common. These are fine options and sometimes include meals, but make sure you know how far from the town centre they are before heading off. Also see free private home accommodation (Couch Surfing) to the right.

Camping is always an option, but not a recommended one, unless in a relatively non-touristy developed country and with your own transport. Getting to camping grounds without your own wheels is a pain as they will be odds-on located far from cities and attractions in rural areas. Equally where camping in a hostel ground is possible in say in NZ or South Africa, costs are likely to be about the same as a dorm bed. The same is true for European camp sites that many offer dorms or fixed private huts at equivalent to camping rates. In short camping is only worthwhile if you have a place to pitch your tent. So before you even consider taking a tent to lower accommodation costs, pick up a guidebook and do a couple of web searches on camping sties in a few of your planned destinations - you'll likely find they don't exist.

If you do have your own transport, getting to camping grounds and staying in g in fixed huts or caravans can be a cheap way to get a double room in developed countries and a good option if hostels are full - you just don't get the social scene. Sleeping in your van in hostel car parks in Oz and NZ is also an option. 

Couch Surfing is another relatively new and frequently raved about option. The concept is based around a free project to exchange hospitality. The simple idea is you host others and they host you. The net result is not just a free nights accommodation, but a changed perspective on travel and an authentic experience by meeting and staying with locals.

Your experiences are going to depend greatly on luck and the part of the world you are in. Issues such as whether or not the person is likely to be an axe murderer, how it works, feedback, positives, negatives etc., can all be found on the CouchSurfing website.

Couch surfing is truly a neat idea, but too many now look for something for nothing (i.e. free accommodation) rather than the exchange of hospitality and friendship it was designed to be.

Other 'free' accommodation options raved by many for putting you in touch with locals and reducing the cost of travel are volunteer networks where lodgings are provided free. The WWOOF network being the most frequently recommended. WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) or WWOFFing is where volunteers help out on organic farms in return for food and somewhere to sleep. Such makes travelling serious cheap, since you're essentially removing two of the costliest expenses, but you do have to physical labour!

The hours vary, but are generally between 5 and 8 hours a day, 5 (or sometimes 6) days a week. It depends on what the host needs, and how relaxed they are. As with a Kibbutz, it definitely won't suit everyone.

Very few of the tens of thefts you'll hear about first or second hand will have happened from a locked bag in a locked room. Your things will be fine locked and hidden in your bag in your hotel room or even better in your hotel safe box, if available and you can be bothered to put your things in them every time you change hotels.

If you are really sensible... always keep a spare stash in your back/watch pocket or other zipped up and/or secure place. You should also keep in there: a photocopy of your passport and your insurance emergency phone number; plus (if you don't have them stored on-line) the stolen hotline number for your ATM/credit cards and a note of any other important info.

It's pretty sensible you take a taxi to your hotel when you first arrive in any developing world city - wearing a large backpack is like saying 'hey, I have got loads of valuables on me: rob me' and in somewhere like Nairobi or Delhi it's likely somebody might take up the challenge. And it is really asking for trouble if you arrive in a big city after dark, particularly one where the budget accommodation is dispersed and go walkabouts in search of a room. Likewise if you decide to go off trekking anywhere (particularly in Latin America) find out at length whether there is any risk in the area you are planning to walk and think carefully about what you take. This is cited in particular reference to Guatemala where hikers even in large groups are frequently robbed walking around Lago Atitlán and climbing volcanoes without guides. It always makes sense to ask. Remember criminal activity is normally always focused around tourist hot spots. One would imagine in the northern hills of Guatemala you could leave a tent for weeks without anyone even touching it.

As recommended in virtually every guidebook, when in major cities such as Cape Town or Rio, ditch as much luggage as possible (how about all?), especially day sacs. This advice applies only really to sub-Sahara Africa and a few areas of South America where daylight muggings do occur: Leave as much as possible at your hotel/hostel or better still at home. Don't wear any jewellery and certainly not a nice watch. All you need is enough money for that day - nothing else, especially not your ATM card. Don't walk around at leisure with your pack even in the day or in supposedly safe areas - a taxi or bus is well worth it.

Just to reinforce the point this sort of lawlessness is pretty much restricted only to certain parts of Africa and less so South America (with note to Colombia) so don't get overly concerned - it is obvious bad stories are over weighted as they are the ones that get told the most.

» On public transport:

Generally speaking when your bag is on a bus, stored in the hold or even on the roof, it is pretty safe but keeping it close is always nice, particularly if you are sleeping. Do keep an eye out for theft out of windows, chiefly on trains.

Sometimes you hear about a backpacker being drugged on public transport to awaken without his valuables. This is not a big problem or something you should really be concerned about but, especially if you are alone, be aware of accepting food, drink or cigarettes from over friendly strangers.

The reality is this is a particularly hard problem to prevent if you are targeted and can lead to over paranoia. It's only principally important to be on real guard in Colombia and to a lesser extent Thailand, Cuba and the Kenyan coast. However, it may be the case that any small bag you take onto a bus or into a bus station is a prime target.

The following is written above in the 'moving around' section, but is important enough to repeat here: on buses and other transport, especially at night, keep any small bags you have at very close quarters. Neither overhead racks nor under your seat can be 100% guaranteed safe especially if you are dozing.

If your bag does not have your full attention a strap around your leg or a simple and quick wire-lock will give you peace of mind and possibly save your trip from being seriously tarnished.

Liken this to putting a seat belt on. If you have never been in an accident, it seems pretty pointless. Nonetheless, with hindsight it seems more than sensible even when you don't feel like it or feel the situation fits. In regions like Latin America and Africa it is more than good sense. The same goes (as stated above) with walking at night with your bag - avoid it if at all possible.

Always remember a daypack (and especially a handbag) is a prime target almost everywhere. Especially in Latin America, be super aware in bus stations.

Travel scams 101, from World Nomads / Governmental advice, from FTAS

» Confidence tricks:

Confidence tricks - alongside small bags going missing - are perhaps the biggest annoyance and danger to any traveller to a less developed country. These type of tricks which, it has to be said, are a mainly urban phenomenon, range from the downright predictable and harmless 'Do you remember me?', 'I am going to university in your home town' or 'Would you like to have a drink with my family or see a traditional tea/coffee ceremony' (turns out you are visiting the family's shop or get a US$10 bill for a cup of tea). These sorts of lines you get wise to very quickly. If you fall for them - which is not that difficult - lose you only a few dollars and gain you a ton of experience. The other (more limited) side is far more sinister, often involving bogus policemen and sometimes drugs.

If you are unsure or in 'one of those areas', the sensible approach is to never go off somewhere with anybody who approaches you in the street, on the assumption that they are after something. Make up a bullshit excuse or if you have a companion, simply start up a conversation with the other completely blocking the stranger out or if alone cross over the street. It is advisable to avoid, in many cases, getting into conversations - as the longer you spend talking the harder these characters are to shake off. If you do see the situation becoming serious, i.e. the stranger has lit a joint and now the 'police' are here, simply keep your head, make your presence known and be clear that you will make no concessions, not even answering questions, certainly not handing anything over or going anywhere (apart from the police station by you own means).

These sorts of tricks work on fear, bullying and often guilty (since the other party will always be very friendly and will build up a relationship before hitting you for money). Keep your head and don't be sucked in. Walk away or say no at any stage. Don't feel uncomfortable to do so. Really the best advice when it comes to money is trust no-one. Don't leaving it lying around in sight or display it unduly. Be wary of paying in advance when there are no business premises or guarantees and finally be as clear as you can on agreements of prices for goods or services when you are paying after the event (i.e. taxi ride). It is worth noting, that if on your own the above will be a far greater issue for you.

Anyone interested further could do much worse than look at 'Around the World in 80 Scams' by Peter John. (USA link here).

Hassle, in the way of pugnacious touts, salesmen, rickshaw drivers and beggars in most less developed countries, starts the moment you step off the plane and only stops when you go to sleep or step back on the plane. It is at its worst where there are high concentrations of tourists, in the Asian Sub-Continent (worst: Northern tourist circuit India) and North Africa (worst: parts of Egypt and Morocco).

The most unpleasant thing about hassle is that it makes you jaded to locals and compromises your appreciation of some beautiful places/people. Try enjoying a walk down the Nile in Luxor at sunset or a appreciating the spenders of Agra/Delhi in India, the latter being places where all travellers seems to be permanently on edge! Some of the worst places in the world are the tourist hotspots of Egypt, Morocco, India (particularity the state of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan) and Indonesia (notably Kuta beach in Bali). However it is worth noting that the following text and advice does really relate to these kind of hotspots and is not reflective of the vast majority of the world including the Americas where hassle is limited.

Humour goes a long way and keeps you and everyone in a good mood. Street seller approach you selling an item that even they, for sure, know you won't want. A guy offers a huge bar of laundry soap - smile and say 'no thanks, no water'! Rickshaw driver insists you visit a shop, let him know you are desperate for the toilet and if you don't get to your destination fast you'll soil his vehicle! Taxi driver repeatedly offers his services, tell him you're on trip to walk across the country (in India suggesting you're on a Salt March is a good one). You get the picture. One suggestion is to ask 'is it free?' in the local language, which works a treat. After this for the more persistent breed who may still be bothering you, be firm, make eye contact and let them know your answer clearly and politely, and then ignore. If you keep saying no, looking at what is on offer or didn't make it clear the first-time, it sends the message you are not sure.

Simply ignoring is often the best policy as it can be difficult to respond to everyone particular when you are greeted which volley of hassle you might find around major monuments. Just keep taking to a companion and/or walking. Often responding in anyway can and does encourage hassle, likewise asking for a price of an item you are not serious about buying will give you increased hassle - you'll often see touts/salesmen/beggars following tourists for great lengths of time, because they smell a commission/sale/donation in their actions. It's not pleasant being followed, but it's one of many physiological tactics you'll find employed, all of which bully you to giving in to what in real terms isn't a huge amount, but quite simply the golden rule is don't get bullied. If a driver or other asks for a tip or a greater than agree price for his service and you feel he doesn't deserve it - don't give it. If someone offers to help you out of kindness and then asks for payment or someone takes payment and keeps standing with his hand out looking disrespecting at the agree amount you gave, don't fold - chances are it will only be over a small amount, but by giving in you increase hassle for the next traveller and that small amount would be better given to a needy beggar who isn't targeting tourists. Don't be made to feel bad about it, if you are clear at the onset you are not in the wrong.

The same goes for operators (be them hotel or tour) and especially rickshaw drivers who hack up a price or maintain they misunderstood your agreement. Again be firm and don't get bullied. If necessary leave the agreed money on the rickshaw seat (they often will not take it by hand) and just walk off. You soon learn to be firm and very clear in agreeing prices/services. Make sure you are understood and do not give into any, 'yes, yes' or 'as you like' agreements or acknowledgements. In places like India, with the right (smiley, not ultra-serious) attitude and use of eye contact, you will get a lot less hassle after a few weeks.

Equally drivers, salesmen and strangers will often bombard you with question like 'where are you staying?', 'have you visited this or that?', 'where are you from?', or anything that gets you saying yes. On the whole once they get talking, on friendly terms and have enough information, services offered are much harder to turn down. Once again it's just another tactic and as always there is rarely a need to be rude, but if you don't want something say no and if at the first question motives are clear, don't enter into the conversation.  A variance of this and probably the most jading and invidious instances are when you meet a nice guy who after taking the time to talk to you and often helping you, turns out to have alternative motives and is selling something (see confidence tricks in the above section).

To summarise, you will soon develop your own techniques - be firm, polite and accompany your firm 'no thank you' (in the local dialect if you can) with a smile. After that don't make eye contact, don't keep repeatedly saying 'no' or get angry. With salesmen, if you show any more interest this is when touts are particularly determined and most frustrating.

On some occasions beggars, especially children, will make body contact, tugging on your clothing. In this case remove their hand and looking them directly in the eye, make your 'no' clear. When a beggar or salesman sees you have no interest, they soon move on to their next target. Remember constantly turning around to say no over and over again shows you are obviously not sure and worthy of further hassle.

Comment:

'I think something you should add to your section on begging is that if any backpacker is really feeling like doling out some cash, he/she should give it to someone who deserves it. In many countries around the heavily touristed areas people beg because by doing so, they know they can make much more than a hard-working local will on a daily basis (and are often resented by the locals in such cases). If feeling generous, one should give a couple of extra bucks to the woman that works nine or ten hour days at your guesthouse scrubbing your floors.' - Brian Hnatiak

Conversely, if buying a 'daily item' like a bottle of water, ice cream, bus ticket or similar, and you find yourself in a bargaining situation, where maybe the seller has dropped the price after your hesitation, don't bargain. These are not items anyone bargains for and you are simply being ripped-off. In the event tell the vendor to get knotted and walk to another seller. However let's keep things in perspective, in experience it is only in areas with a high tourist volume that absurd prices are asked and everyone seems keen to add their own 'little commission'.

As stated, tourist souvenir sellers (especially African curio sellers and mass tourism areas of Asia) in particular always ask an inflated price. These are often so whimsical that you can't really have a rule of thumb. But even when buying curio (African wooden carvings) and similar, you can bargain too far.

A case in point observed was watched a couple off an overland truck in Malawi buy a wooden carving which the seller wanted the equivalent of US$15 for. It was a nice piece and probably took about two to three days to make. Generally the going price for an item like this would be around US$10 which the seller soon dropped to (he seemed pretty desperate for business). However the couple then spent the next 5 minutes getting him down to US$8. There are plenty of other examples e-mailed to the site and this sort of behaviour is disgraceful and goes on all the time (see the 'value of your money' write up in the following section). Rather than giving to beggars, perhaps consider being a little generous when dealing with individual souvenir and fruit sellers (not large stalls).

Overcharging on transport, private or otherwise, is common place in many countries and there is little you can do about it except be philosophical. Nobody likes being ripped off but if that's the price, you have to pay it and if it is a little inflated then why should a few dollars extra ruin your day/trip? That said, always arrange a price before you get into a taxi or any other mode of transport: ask a local if unsure. Some drivers are very good with 'as you like' or 'cheap' type sayings, mimicking bad English. Be firm - don't get bullied. If there is no meter, agree a fair price before you set off.

And finally... One argument often heard is that travellers have an ethical duty to bargain prices as low as possible, otherwise they risk triggering inflation that will eventually put goods out of the reach of locals. If you think hard about this, apart from a few extreme cases, you'll only see this sort of statement to be obnoxiously self-serving.

Comments:

While I can totally see the point you and other commentators are trying to make about foreigners being upset about being "ripped off" for a petty amount, I would like to point out it can be incredibly difficult to know the relative relationship and cost when first beginning to bargain. Living in China it took me at least a few months to finally figure out just how much to bargain. Once I finally figured out the perspective and happy medium and I looked back on the many times I had been substantially ripped off and the rare times I paid too little. It was all a learning experience. I really like your emphasis on asking locals and more experienced travellers, and while I definitely did that as much as I could, I soon came to realize everyone had different answers. My point is it is hard to put pricing into perspective without a lot of experience. I want to emphasize just how long it can take to build up that experience, particularly for people who don't like to bargain in the first place. Yes, we all want to get good deals, but people, in general, don't want to rip someone off who is much less blessed. When I realized I had paid less than I should the first time I felt bad and I can honestly say I simply went with what seemed fair given the context (my logic was the vendor wouldn't sell me anything less than what was fair). Granted, this is still different than bullying a vendor. But, I quickly realized I couldn't survive without driving somewhat of a hard bargain, and if I hadn't learned how to stand my ground I never would have figured out just what a fair price. I think the key is to strike a balance between confidence and humour.

Once I found that balance and vendors viewed me as non threatening, but not a push over, then I was able to get honest prices (fair for both of us). I remember arguing over 1 kuai simply because at that point the bargaining had become simply fun between be and the vendor. He knew I didn't care about the 1 kuai and I knew at that point he didn't either. That's when I figured out bargaining should be fun. Because in general you shouldn't have to bargain for necessary daily items, so when you are bargaining it's for something that shouldn't matter much any way. If the vendor is stressing you out, or you are clearly stressing them out, then you shouldn't be bargaining with them. I don't think it's the money that should be what puts things in perspective initially, because I believe the correct pricing can take a long time to learn, but the experience and relationship is generally an easier guide to follow. Bargaining over a petty amount isn't the problem, it's bullying on either end. - Chante

Also see another interesting comment regarding how the practicality of bargaining as a tourist 'passing through' is not easy.

Gifts for children:

You should have very little time or love for those travellers who carry around sweets or trinkets which they then hand out indiscriminately to children. The motivation for this sort of thing is entirely selfish, in that it makes the giver feel good about him or herself, not to mention, there is something nauseatingly paternalistic about dewy-eyed tourist adopting a beatific smile at the sight of 'adorable' children scrambling in the dirt for small change or whatever.

A last concern (admittedly a selfish one) is whether we really want to encourage children to beg from the next traveller who passes through. There are towns and villages all over the world where even right now children will ask travellers for money or sweets ('bon-bon' is a favourite) or a pen (another favourite implying education - the child is just more sussed than one asking for a shilling, a rupee or a dollar) perhaps a hundred times and hour.

Then there are other places where children are genuinely friendly and never ask you for a thing and all it will take is only one naïve tourist and a big bag of sweets to transform the latter into the former.

The value of your money:

Above all else, never forget the value of your money, how lucky you are to have it and what it means to others. Lets take Africa: from a United Nations statistic more than half of African countries have an average annual per capita income of US$600. This is the same in many parts of Asia and Latin America. In the developing world their is little 'middle-class' so average annual per capita income stats mean very little. More than likely your shoestring budget of $20 per day is more than many earn in a week; your week's budget could be up to a year's worth of secondary education and it goes on. Even somewhere as semi-developed as Thailand, someone with a decent (high-school) education - which few can obtain (often held back by cost rather than capability) - would earn ~US$150-200/month (say as hotel receptionist), much, much less for a more menial job if they can find one.

The deal is, we all get into haggling, want to keep the price of our trip down and hate foreigner pricing, but a fruit vendor's profits for a day could be as low as few bucks and he needs to get the bus home! Be realistic, read, talk to locals and develop your own understanding.

» Lonely Planet (aka. LP): The most ubiquitous of all guides, often with solid information, but not always up-to-date. Often patronizing, boring with a recycled first 100 or so pages and recommendations generally over subscribed. They do cover some interesting locations (the Caucasus, Iran and Syria for example) and sometimes are the only choice. Their region in one, or shoestring titles are appallingly lacking in depth and information. LP's vary from very good to awful. It all depends on the edition and author. However, their maps are probably the best of all guides. Newer titles are now published in a jazzy format (with questionable 'authors choice' recommendations), but can be better than older versions.

This major change for those who remember the original format is very much a result of the original founders and authors (the Wheelers) no longer in control of the operation. The new formats do look more professional and as a result are less aimed at typical backpackers, losing their youthful, independent, adventurous spirit. The increasing professionalism of the management (some would say bottom line focused, milk the cash cow business acumen) is likely an attempt to break into the massive United States market (which is relatively conservative and prone to litigation) and increase revenue, all of which has meant that the quirky, amateurish (in the best sense) tone of the early books has diminished.

For example, an early edition of Africa on a shoestring has the heading 'Drugs', which includes information on purchasing drugs (mainly marijuana), while the 1980 edition of South-East Asia on a Shoestring includes information on how to purchase fake student ID cards - all of which you would now never find. Other quirks included some hand-drawn maps and the occasional strong/radical opinion. Some strong opinions remain, but they are party lines and for the best part closed minded. In 2007, the BBC purchased Lonely Planet (The Wheelers keep 25%), so we can see where this takes the business.

Lonely Planet's initial strength has caused some problems. With many equating Lonely Planet with backpackers. The series now tries to make a clearer split between the backpacker-only products and those (now the majority) aimed at more affluent travellers and tourists. These are by far the best selling and most popular guides where a recommendation can make or break a hotel or restaurant. (see image)

» Bradt: Acclaimed African guidebooks, their East and Southern Africa backpackers manual is a very fine guide indeed, perhaps the best and most down-to-earth written and detailed filled out there. Others are quite good especially African and other out of the way countries (which really is their niche), but can suffer from being out-of-date and have a somewhat amateur look to them compared to the big boys of the industry.

» Rough Guide: Maybe the most in-depth and informative of guides available. Their structure can need getting use to if you have only previously used other guides. Sometimes seemingly aimed at older travellers and those with their own transportation, these books are a good read as well as a good guide. However, titles don't cover as wide a range of countries as LPs and older titles are nowhere near as good as newer ones, which are first rate in most cases. As with Lonely Planet, multi-region guides are far from perfect. European guides are excellent and their alternatives to over popular titles i.e. LP's India/Thailand are a perfect alternative to get away from the crowds. If you are planning a trip a great first stop in the planning process is Rough Guide's First Time series.

» Let's Go: Once you get past their dogged look (new editions have a new format and look a lot smarter, but are less budget focused) and the fact that they are highly American, with sometimes not always good humour, they're not bad. The fact that they do contain humour is actually a real plus, so is the fact that they are one of the only guides that makes real recommendations and focuses on budget travel.

They are also one of the most accurate, being updated yearly. Accommodation listings are however slim and normally include only a few backpackery choices - which may not be what you're after. These guides are perhaps best avoided in regions with many young American travellers. Let's Go guides are written and updated by Harvard students every year. In recent years more exotic locations, i.e. Middle East have been left un-updated and the focus is on 'safer' destinations in Europe.

» Footprint: An excellent series, intelligently put together, sometimes on fine paper (really condensing content) and perhaps the only multi-country guides worth having. The South or Central America Handbook is a serious project and puts the Lonely Planet and other versions to shame. As a business model, aside from the core Latin American and Asia titles they publish many region guides to specific [regions] areas within large countries (for example India). Footprint authors do on occasion rave about places off-the-beaten track that when you arrive can be less than inspiring. Equally poor town maps and readability are their only other let downs.

» Others: There are also good German (Stefan Loose) and French language (Routard) guidebooks available, as well as free FAQ travel guides that can be found on the internet. The German 'Reise Know-How' and other non-English guides are often direct translations of Lonely Planet, but some editions aren't and have greater detail and accuracy.

You will also sometimes find excellent regional guides such as 'BUG' Australia, NZ and UK/Ireland, or the excellent 'In your pocket' free city guides in Eastern Europe.

Rip up your guidebook?

E-mailed suggestion 'With large regional guide books (you don't need to do this for single country guides), that you have no chance of reselling, a friend suggested tearing pages out as needed. Not only reducing the weight of the book while travelling, but meaning you need only carry a few pages (e.g. map) around when sightseeing or in town. Was appalled initially at the idea, but when tried realised it made sense and made you feel a lot better since most of the information was so bad!

'If you do decide to rip them apart so that you can only carry the pieces that are/will be useful to you the best way to do this [for the LP among others] is to put them in the microwave. Usually about 30 seconds will do. It melts the glue in the spine allowing the pages to come out effortless and more importantly without any loss of information' - Nicholas Shirley

It's a great idea. Give it a go if you have a huge guide, you'll never look back. Of course a little photocopying (this cost pennies and is easy to do abroad) or buying the guide as pdf (if available) are other options. It's well worth making a copy of maps and other relevant info to take out with you when looking around. Who wants to carry a great guidebook with them everywhere?

An internet connection keeps you in touch with the things that normally matter at home, such as keeping track of friends, family, the news, sports or anything else. Faster connections are opening up a whole new world to travellers, from downloading pod-casts and e-mailing the odd photo home to updating an on-line travelogue or even listening to live radio shows.

You'll find many PCs that have Skype/MSN/Yahoo Messenger installed and this is an excellent way to make contact with friends/relatives and have a live chat without the cost of an international phone call.

In reasonably developed countries on the tourist trail you will find Wi-Fi of varying quality in many guesthouses/hostels/cafes. This can be accessed with ease on a smart phone and it is not uncommon to find in larger more professional internet cafes located normally in the larger cities of Asian 'technophile' nations (such as Manila, Seoul, Singapore etc), web cams and headsets that you can use (via MSN or other) to send a live image home. If a web cam is not present, which to be honest is something of a novelty, someone back home will still be able to stream you their image.

It is also worth noting and mentioning here, that bigger more professional internet places will often burn your digital photos to a CD. Many will have a card reader, but not all, so you might want to take your own connection lead. To generalise horribly, you will find this service in any major capital or larger city which is a significant tourist attraction in Asia. In Latin America the same is true, but you need to look harder. In Africa you have to look harder still. In Europe/North America with less widespread internet cafes you can still find these services. Wherever you are, if in doubt, just ask. Most places have a CD burner at the desk and are happy to help even if they don't advertise the service.

Faster e-mail

It really depends where you are, but slow connections can still haunt travellers away from big cities and tourist traps. They can be incredibly frustrating especially since most of us have become so use to ADSL speeds in the developed world. If you are off the beaten track in the developing world, you'll need patience, but here are a few tips:

For the fastest connections in locations with less than inspiring speeds, look for empty internet cafes at periods where there is limited traffic on the net (early morning). Also bear in mind that many internet cafes only have one or two connections which are shared/split between users. So two users equals half the speed, four users quarter the speed and so on. It's worth setting your webmail account to only show 10 or less messages at a time, diverting junk mail into a separate folder and not having a webmail account full of advertising (most of the major providers) to speed up your webmail use when connections are painfully slow.

Couples can easily share the same webmail account to save paying for the lengthy log on process just to check for new mail. Two users can log onto the same account at the same time - no problem. If a connection is very poor, leave the provider and come back later - periodic network problems are common where technology infrastructure is still developing. However, such measures are becoming less and less necessary as ADSL connections find their way into more and more of the developing world. Nowadays, in big cities of some of even the most tin-pot countries you can normally find excellent speed connections.

It's internet access, but maybe more rustic than you are use to.

Phoning home

Phoning home is often expensive, but costs are falling with call centres found in many larger cities (often using internet phone or international discounters). In developed countries buy calling cards locally and use on pay phones. New Zealand to Europe with a locally bought calling card would be cheaper than a North - South Island call in New Zealand. Such calling cards are available all over reasonably developed Asian countries such as Thailand, Singapore, Philippines etc. (try convenience stores such as 7-Eleven).

In much less developed countries you will have to really hunt for these calling cards if available, so a good method to talk to someone back home is to ask the hotel you are staying in if you can receive a phone call there. Then e-mail/SMS a time and number to those who wish to call.

Worth noting is if you have an international SIM (mentioned left) and it is giving you free incoming calls where you are, using services like Jajah.com cuts costs still further. You could take a calling card from your home country (e.g. BT charge card or AT&T) with you for emergencies, but beware using them is very expensive and unnecessary.

In addition to Yahoo/MSN messenger mentioned above, many will no doubt be aware of Skype, which allows you to call nearly or absolutely free from anywhere to anywhere, transfer huge data (photos/music) files and live text messages as with MSN. You just a need a to find a internet place with a headset or webcam and the free software installed. This really depends on regions, but to be honest, it's still not that common away from developed locations. Calls are free Skype-to-Skype, and for 'Skypeout' (to call regular phones) only a small fee is charged and call costs are incredibly low. It's all pretty cool if you are in a position to utilise it all. There's loads more information and probably a better explanation of services and charges on Skype's website.

Cell/Mobile Phones

Probably the biggest measure of a rapidly developing world aside from the proliferation of internet cafes is the use of cellular / mobile phones even in some of the world's poorer countries. Major North American/Australian and European networks which allow roaming, will pick up a signal in the vast majority of the populated world. Taking a cell phone has many advantages and is recommended (see the 'What to Pack' page), but several disadvantages, most notably the potential cost of actually using it. If roaming on your home network, call costs (made or received) will be significant, but SMS message costs are manageable, normally being a fixed rate and free to receive.

If you intend to use your mobile a lot, really the best bet is to buy a local pay-as-you-go SIM card which can normally be found without too much trouble (make sure your phone is 'unlocked' if you plan to do this). However this is only really practical if you are staying in one destination for sometime and if moving around from country to country like most, highly impractical and uneconomical. The second solution is to buy one of the now widely available international SIM cards, which can be great, but are far from an ideal solution simply because how useful they are in saving you money depends on where you are in the world. They do however allow you to receive calls for free in many countries and reduce call costs in many others compared to roaming on your home network, but only really do so in the developed world. If you are travelling to the likes of Spain, France, Germany, etc., the savings you can make are significant and make them well worth having. Take the same trip, but through India, China, Thailand and the like, and making and receiving calls will be almost as expensive - if not sometimes more - than roaming with your home network - that is astronomical if used for any length of time. One such company that comes recommended is Go Sim (although there are many alternatives such as 0044 and doing the research on where and when you will save money is recommended before diving in.

A nice box is provided at a small cost and the air option will arrive in the Europe in about five days, sea will take considerably longer at more risk. Mailing things home from most of Asia is no problem. Burma is cheap, but higher risk, Vietnam expensive. India and Iran are good/cheap. With large parcels always get your stamps franked before you give the item in and pay extra for registration if possible. Costs are much higher in Australia & NZ, and especially Latin America.

It's in these cheap local/street eateries away from the tourist runs where veggies will find life a little more difficult, but items such as veg fried rice or an omelette are perfect to fall back on. It's true to say many cultures don't understand the concept of being a vegetarian. It's really most difficult to keep to a vegetarian diet in Islamic countries such as any Arab nation, Iran, Pakistan, Western China and especially Central Asia (CIS). In these cases and others self-catering is by far the best option if a veggie or otherwise you find yourself in a bind. Fruit and bread will always be easy to find, the same normally goes for tomatoes, cheese, nuts etc. In general being a fishetarian (know as a pescetarian i.e. eating fish/seafood) makes life much easier, and if you're eating chicken life is easier still since this is the staple of so many diets. In less developed places being a vegan can make things very difficult.

In the country summary section you will find a note regarding the ease of eating and eating veggie in each country. Concluding: 9/10 times being a veggie is not a problem (with a few compromises) and there are many places, mainly India, where it's a joy.

Comment:

'I've been a vegan for four years, I absolutely love to travel and I never really found it a big problem even in underdeveloped countries. What I found very handy is a little book called 'vegan passport'. It contains an explanation of all the things a vegan doesn't eat in 56 languages (93% of the world covered). It really does make travelling a lot easier for hard-core veggies.'

'My personal experience is that people in underdeveloped countries usually are very responsive to your personal wishes and it happened to me a lot of times that people (after I managed to make them understand what I don't want in my food) created new delicious vegan meals especially for me and I also never found it a problem to find fruit, vegetables, nuts, rice or legumes anywhere I traveled. In developed countries I never found it a problem at all, in underdeveloped countries being vegan does limit your choices I'll admit, but I never had a problem finding at least something and it's a very safe way of eating in some areas (salmonella, food poisoning etc.)'- Kathi

Cinemas are particularly good and widespread in Latin America and 9/10 times films are shown in their original language. The British and American councils in some major cities have a reading room and Internet that can be used even if for a small charge.

»  The point of all this: to fill your time, escape your surroundings, stave of any home sickness... - no matter where you are, especially if you have been going for a long time.

Most countries do have their own very cheap English language newspaper and as stated Time and Newsweek are available in all big cities with ex-pat populations worldwide. A LW radio will allow you, for what it's worth, to pick up BBC World Service, Voice of America and others.

If you are luck enough to find somewhere with decent Wi-Fi you'll of course be able to get all the distractions you'll ever need with a Smart Phone beamed from back home.

Buying books in the likes of Bangkok or Nepal, many stores state they will buy them back in good condition at 50% of purchase price. In practice they will do anything to avoid this, so get some evidence that you bought your book there and of the price. Generally, especially in Bangkok, book shops will give you such a pathetic trade-in amount for your much loved books, that you may well feel better just giving them to someone, and if lucky, exchanging them for something else worthwhile. Occasionally you'll find a not-for profit exchange place, although it's common to find either 'trade two, get one' policies or pathetic selections.

If you do plan to re-sell a guidebook these will always fetch a good price: you may want to pick up a plastic/paper cover for it - stopping it getting too battered. Pirated books that originate mainly from South Vietnam and end up in Bangkok and Kathmandu can't be re-sold for a good price. New guidebooks will cost about the same or a little more than they would in your home country. Other titles are okay value.

Travel reading:

Travelling is a great time to read and picking the right titles really helps you get under the skin of a culture and to have a much better and more measured understanding of it. To cite a few examples: Take the excellent 'Wild Swans'. Anyone who has read this will know and understand China perhaps better than someone who has visited. The same goes for 'It's Our Turn to Eat ' regarding Kenya; 'At the Tomb of the Inflatable Pig' for Paraguay, and so on.

Not combining reading a book like these with a visit is only eating half the cake. Even if you are not a big reader, you are strongly encouraged to give it a try. If you're not sure what to go for then on this site are a number of pages recommending a few books that you can't go wrong with. None are too deeply written or boring, many talk through a backpacker's perspective, many are funny and a good number are probably unlike anything you might have read before. To see these pages click here and select the region you're interested in.

Never a problem. With the right fabric clothes, a locally bought sachet of washing powder and travel washing line, doing your own washing is very easy and it will normally dry over night. It's always possible to buy little packets of washing powder and if not a bar of soap or shampoo is always good for the job. Here's a good link for inspiration.

However, in most countries you can get laundry done easily and fairly cheaply through your hotel/hostel or local laundry outlet. Problems are rare, but be cautious especially about having technical fibres washed. Asking for a cold wash and no tumble-drying makes sense if you're worried. Considering this you can happily do most of your own washing (such as odd items) yourself and have a proper wash done every few weeks.

Comments:

'Fantastic site, very helpful, and definitely not as dramatic as some others I've seen, e.g. take axe with which to build small fortress.... *sigh* ' - 'I've only travelled in SE Asia, and I'm going back next week. I only had one thing that seemed the highest priority for me to get for the return trip: hand sanitizer gel. I couldn't find it anywhere in Thailand, Cambodia or in HCMC (Saigon) last time, and good lord, did I want it!

The thing I'm leaving behind this time? Anything involved with clothes laundering: the laundries there are so cheap, save me the headache of packing damp clothes, and, frankly, I don't think my clothes have EVER been cleaner.' - Carrie Hart

'One thing I would add for ensuring overnight drying of clothes... after your clothes have been washed lay your hotel/hostel towel on the bed length-ways, place your semi-dry clothes length-ways, then roll the towel width-ways, step on one end, sit on the bed and twist the hell out of it...this takes away a lot of the water and, if you have synthetics, the clothes will be pretty much dry, hang them up and you are sorted for the next day.' - Aaron

Comments:

While many like sending it out, there are some downsides.  First, you must locate someone to do it and then wait a day or so-and it can come back damp.  You also accumulate a big pile of dirty clothes before sending it off.  In many places, water is in short supply-usually from a tank on the roof.  In walking down back allies you can see that clothes are usually washed communally and wash water is often reused.  Very little water is used for rinsing which leaves soap in clothes-one reason they smell good. The upside is that you're providing a livelihood for local women who desperately need it.

If you're more fussy about your clothes, here are a few washing tips.  Bring a 12" piece of nylon twisted twine (slightly thicker than string). It’s strong, weighs nothing, takes up no space and is easy to tie and unknot.  It can be tied between door and window hinges-often the only places you have-while still allowing them to close. Nylon (not polyester) twine is found in many local world markets.  Small plastic hair clip claws keep clothes from sliding off the line.  They also close holes in mosquito nets and solve the curtain gap problem.

A flat rubber drain stopper is best as most sinks have shallow screen stoppers and standard plugs don't work.  In a pinch, use a plastic bag and sock. When clothes are really funky, like after safaris and camel trips, buy a plastic bucket (or ask where you stay for one) and soak your clothes in detergent. Leave the bucket for the cleaning lady. She'll appreciate it. Cotton is king for comfort but many cottons take too long to dry-like heavy t-shirts, socks and pants. I'm not a big fan of travel clothes, but fortunately they've come up with good cotton pants that wash easily and dry overnight.  Synthetics are only good in colder weather-dry wicking material being the exception. Washing clothes by hand might be something you'd never do at home but, remember, with travel comes a lot of free time.  It becomes part of the rhythm of the trip. [Many thanks to Ricia Jenkins]

Just a tip for the washing, when I shower I fling all my washing in the bottom of the shower and trampled it as I shower. The soap cleaning and then ensuring it is properly rinsed. Dried overnight and then packed. - Ann

Is there such a thing as culture shock?

Culture shock is often both over and understated, and varies considerably as to where you first land. Above all, allow a few days to adapt and expect in less developed countries a much higher level of dirt, pollution and noise than you have at home, being unable to follow the language, feeling somewhat of a target for crime and putting up with accommodation and transport that is not great at the best of times.

This is all perfectly normal and you adapt pretty quickly - in fact culture shock is the best part of travel and the reason why many do it - and there are always ways to recharge. Conversely, many travellers find culture shock on their return from a long trip a greater issue. For many it is much harder to get back into their normal life where everything all of a sudden seems very quiet and shockingly un-exotic.

Many people arrive in Africa, Asia, The Middle East or Latin America with what can only be described as wildly romantic expectations about its people and feel completely let down that everyone is dressed in Western clothing and in villages where people are in ethnic dress, they are only interested in selling you something. However, to complain as tourists do, that the world is too commercialised is a little absurd.

Now here's the good bit. By its very nature, independent travel allows for a greater intermingling with ordinary citizens, the vast majority of whom are not intertwined with tourism. An evening in a bar away from a big city or a trip in a cheap bus/train will tell you more about a country than any guidebook or photo ever could. Backpackers are so very fortunate that they will get to see rural Africa/Asia/Latin America, where they discover that most natives, even the poorest, are disarmingly open and hospitable and dare it be said, better people than you and I.

As the world modernises and globalisation keeps trucking on, to expect an entirely traditional society anywhere would be like taking a trip to Dallas and expecting to walk into a western movie! The sensible attitude to take is to accept how things have become, try to understand it on its own terms and spend some time getting off the beaten track a little.

    Toilets

In the developing world and Asia generally the majority of toilets are of the squat genre. This is pretty much always the case where facilities are geared for locals such as at bus stations or cheap hotels. This is however not so much the case in slightly more expensive (still well within budget travel pricing) hotels and restaurants as well as in Africa and Latin America. Apart from a sometimes pungent smell, you soon get use to the squat method and hey, at least you won't catch anything off a loo seat.

Western toilets are still fitted quite universally in main tourism countries (with Thailand as a notable exception), but can often be blocked or broken, keeping you up at night and being rather smelly. Both the sit down and squat variety often won't have a flush and for this purpose you'll notice a bucket or drum of water and a cup for you to do this manually.

Supply of toilet paper varies per country. Girls - always make sure you have a small supply with you. Remembering not to throw your toilet paper in behind you takes a little getting use to. The pipe systems are too narrow and will get clogged up; throw it into the bin next to the toilet when necessary.

Ladies might also want to be conscious that on night and other buses in China, Vietnam and Burma for example, buses just pull over and expect you to get out and take a whiz in a field. No problem for men: girls (the locals don't seem to have a problem with it) may find wearing a long wrap-around skirt allows for more modesty. Equally a device called a 'Shewee' comes highly recommended by many. This little device will ensure an level playing field between men and women, allowing a standing wee for all! It is a moulded plastic funnel that allows women to urinate whilst standing or sitting and without removing clothes.

Without a doubt you'll come across some truly very smelly toilets and many a novelty. Enjoy!

    Buying Counterfeit Goods

A few words on buying pirated goods abroad. Many visitors overseas will want to bring a few cheap CDs or DVDs home with them, but to save lugging them around, wish to purchase at the last moment. Here are the best places. One of the best being Vietnam: the south for books, especially guidebooks and the north for software and music CDs. Counterfeit clothing is best in Bangkok, Kathmandu and Beijing, but not widely available.

In most cases some selection of copied DVDs and CDs are available in most less developed major cities and all Asian ones. But, beware, software may not work correctly or have viruses (but are generally fine) and music/MP3 CDs may not be what they claim to be (sometimes you can always try before you buy). These discs if good quality are more likely to be sold in established stores rather than off the street.

Newer releases of copy movies DVDs or VCDs are more commonly available off the street in every major city of almost every city in the developing world and are mainly bootleg quality (i.e. recorded by a camcorder in the theatre).

Counterfeit backpacks and other equipment/clothing useful to travellers available in Saigon, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Beijing and Nepal will obviously not be as strong or last as long as originals.

» Marijuana: Commonly and generally safely (well easily at least) available in India especially in Goa, mountain regions (e.g. Simla) and Pushkar. Also in Nepal (you will see it growing wild on most treks), North Africa, especially Morocco and Egypt (Dahab), Thailand's Islands, Indochina, México, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Southern Africa (especially Malawi) and Australia and NZ - to name a few. These are just the most concentrated areas where a scene has sprung up, probably due to lack of police interest and a past or present hippy scene.

Many of these places are not what they once were. Both Dahab and the Thai Islands have passed their heyday some years back. So has South East Asia, where some might recall guesthouses leaving bowls of grass out for guests to help themselves! You will come across marijuana in virtually every country worldwide. (images1 - image2 - Marijuana growing wild off the KKH, Northern Pakistan).

Although not a big deal for many travellers, Marijuana can carry some strict penalties in some regions that far outweigh its potency.

» Amphetamines and other pills: Asian pharmacies have very different regulations than in the west. Someone in the know once supplied a huge list of items easily purchased such as Prozac. Don't recall the list and not sure it's a road anyone should go down. The most common pharmacy hits are the 'diet' pills available in Thailand, normally sold by dealers at full moon parties (these now have a large police presence) or passed off as Ecstasy. Realistically, it's not really a good idea to go popping Thai pills you know nothing about that at best give you a rushing around feeling and a few sleepless nights, since they are just basic amphetamine.

It's uncommon to come across amphetamines or meta-amphetamines in their pure form on a traveller circuit. You'll only come across Ecstasy in developed countries, where it is normally more expensive than in western Europe.

» Opium: Opium is easy to obtain and in fact legal for hill tribes in the golden triangle. In most treks from Chang Mai, Thailand you'll come across it. It is most widespread and easy to obtain in Laos. Remember this is Opium not Heroin, which anyone with any sense would avoid. Please also consider ethical issues, such as authorities trying to stop hill farmers growing poppies and encourage them to take up other crops: here you are creating a demand.

» Hallucinogenic: LSD is a drug of yesteryear and it is unlikely you will come across it, however you may be offered magic mushroom on Indonesian and Thai Islands. Generally you will buy your mushrooms and have them made into an omelette. You'll going to have limited knowledge on how strong the effect will be and several people have died taking these mushrooms, normally from going on long swims whilst tripping. In South America there are plants and indeed frogs in the jungle that give psychotropic effects. Substances likes 'daime' or 'ayahuasca' are not illegal in much of South America. Both are two names for the same hallucinogenic that are used in rituals. The effect is similar to magic mushrooms, or peyote, or even LSD. Although technically 'safe', if you've had no previous hallucinogenic experiences or not in the right place/mind, you could be considered a little silly to get into this scene abroad especially where illegal. For legal hallucinogenics there are many specific destinations for those who want to participate with support.

» Cocaine: It's not that common to come across Cocaine in less developed countries on the travellers circuit, except in Colombia, Brazil and Jamaica. Coca leaves and tea are widespread and legal in South America, great for altitude sickness and long treks, but have no real narcotic strength. Even in Colombia, Jamaica and Rio, charley is not that easy to come across, with limited travellers using it and a lot of corrupt policemen selling and busting. It's most widespread on Colombia's Caribbean coast. Getting involved with Cocaine in South America, especially Colombia is a risky business.

There are loads of other tips that are spread widely, floating around guidebooks, the web and travellers conversations.

Listed right are a few typical examples, if only to spell out that these sort of tips sound okay at home, if not making you a little unnecessarily apprehensive, but when you get to your destination of choice, are completely unnecessary, impractical and have you sticking out like a sore thumb.

Examples of this slightly paranoid stuff are:

• Carrying all your money under an elastic knee or wrist support.

• Buying a woven potato or fertilizer bag at a local market and putting your backpack in it when travelling to disguise it.

• Wearing a small whistle around your neck at all times so that you can alarm others in case you're being attacked and perhaps scare away the attacker.

• Taking a bottle of mace or stun gun with you for protection - you could land yourself in serious trouble for this one.