"Where you off to now then?" I can almost feel them roll their eyes down the phone.
"Who you going with?"
"Your not going on your own again are you?"
As my mother puts its,
"Your going to do what you want anyway!", which is right. She has got a lot better from the first time I rang her from Vietnam to say that all my friends had decided to go home, but I wasn't ready to go h back and was now travelling on my own and was going off into the jungle for a couple of days with a biker I had just met. Actually reading this back I can kind of see why she had kittens, but only a little. I still feel a bit guilty as I think she lays awake at night, sometimes wondering why she hasn't got a normal daughter, that goes on a nice Thomas Cook package holiday for 2 weeks a year, in a nice all inclusive hotel. Yes all in inclusive would be lovely and safe, she must be thinking to herself. Its not going to happen mum! Sorry about that, and sorry for any of the grey hairs I have given you over the years mother, not like you can tell as Keith the hair dresser does a very good job at covering them. Anyway I'm always going to be like this. Even when I'm 70, I'm going to be some embarrassing Grannie that goes round with her back pack hanging out in hostels and jumping out of planes or some crazy shit like that.
I was a late starter with the backpacking thing. My first adventure wasn't until I was 25. I had been in a long term relationship for 3 years. He had already taken a year out to do his travels before he met me. He wanted to concentrate on his career and I loved him and didn't want to leave him. In the end we grew apart as our lives were taking us in different directions and we split up. Two weeks after that split, I booked an around the world ticket, and that was it really. I came back 7 months later, and my parents thought I would have got the whole travel thing out of my system, but the truth was it had only got worse. I was truly addicted. You see there is a whole big world out there full of things I believe everyone should see and I want to see it all.
So I'm off on my travels again soon and I thought I would like to share what I have learnt over the years from travelling. Some of it maybe useful, some of it may not. Some of it you may agree with; some of it you probably won't, but all I have to say its seen me around the world in one piece. Well sort of? So here we go, here is lady Warrington's guide to Back packing.
Guide books:
Some travellers turn up their noses at guide books, which really winds me up. They think that you shouldn't be told what to do by a book. Well can I just say the give away is in the title: GUIDE BOOK! Its not the law, its not the bible, its a guide! Not everything they say, I follow, not everything they say, I agree with, but they are extremely useful, because when I'm the other side of the world in a place I have never been before, I don't really know much. I'm not Einstein! The maps are the most useful thing. I did central America the other year without a guide and hadn't got a bloody clue about anything and was lost a lot. I missed my guide book, especially when I was lost for an hour in a taxi in San Jose with a non English speaking driver and no maps. It was Arrrrrrghhhhhhh!!!
Bring a set of warm Clothes:
A lot of back packers jet off to exotic locations and think they had just live in shorts and sandals for months on end and don't really need anything else. WRONG! Even in the hottest climates you will need some warm clothing. There is always the chance that the weather could take a turn for the worst, but the real reason is locals have figured out the best way to kill off tourists and back packers is to freeze them to death! This is done with Air con. I can't tell you the amount of times I have been on transport where I have nearly frozen to death; A train in Singapore, a bus in Panama and even long haul planes. I have got to wise to it now and know what to expect, but I do feel sorry for those beginners who get on a bus in hot pants and vest who emerge a few hours later looking as white as snow. I'm also a bit smug as well, but I really shouldn't say that, should I?
A sleeping bag liner:
So when your back packing, your travelling for a long time. This means you have to make your money go a long way, which means you end up staying in places that are as cheap as possible. Some of these are well? Not quite up to the standards we are use to and can be a bit dodgy looking. I checked into a guest house in Cambodia once, and when I got to my room the sheets had been clearly used and not changed. I complained to owner, who came in with a air fresher, sprayed it at the sheets and pulled the cover over and said done! Speechless was not the word! I have seen so many people on my travels who's skin has been ravaged by bed bugs. I have had never caught them on my travels, but I have twice in the UK; A hotel in Wales when I was a kid; and my own flat in Hackney Wick (Bloody Toby next door went touring with his band around Europe and brought a present back which spread through the whole floor of the building)!!!! I feel one of the reasons I have never caught bed bugs is my beloved Silk sleeping bag liner. I brought it in New Zeland on my first trip and it now comes everywhere with me. I feel it has made me sleep better at night in a few flea pits. It also keeps you warm on long bus journeys. Get silk as its the best, as not only does it keep you warm, but its cool in hot weather. You can also soak them in anti mozzie liquid. They are a must for any traveller.
I'm actually quite a superstitious person I think. I get attached to things and believe they bring me luck and keep me safe. I have items that I always been with me since my first back packing trip. They are like my safety blanket. These are my lucky Sarong which I brought in Fiji. It has been around the world may times since and has may tears in it, which have been sewn up a few times, but I can't bear to part with it. A sarong as well is perfect as a beach towel, as it doesn't take up much room in your bag. Another item is the Slag Hot Pants, which were originally a pair of jeans, but I cut them off in Vietnam with a pair of kitchen scissors as it was so hot. They have since unravelled so much that they barely cover my arse but I love them so much. There is also my Leather saddle bag which I brought in Morocco. It comes everywhere with me even in England. It has rust on the buckle and bite marks on one side from a puppy. It looks like on this next trip it will not be coming with me as my shoulder is not great at the moment and I feel I need a small rucksack and not a side bag to help it. I will miss it terribly. Ever traveller needs their lucky items!
Travel the way you want:
I have travelled with friends; I've travelled with boyfriends and I have travelled on my own. I can recommend all and have got something different out of all of them. Travelling with friends was great. We have experienced things that we will talk about for the rest of our lives. It wasn't easy though at times. You have little space from one another and you really get to know every side of one another. It is the same when you are in a relationship as well. I was living with my boyfriend at the time we went travelling, so I thought it would be easy. Most of the time it was and we had a great time but there were arguments. You have to remember that you are in unfamiliar surroundings and this sometimes can be stressful. The arguments were really never about anything. I think it was just a way of off loading. A the same time it also makes your relationship stronger and after travelling you can probably get through anything (well that's not actually true because we split up a year later as he was an arse hole)! Out of all the ways to travel, I have probably travelled on my own the most. I'm a person who has never minded her own company, in fact I crave it sometimes, it suits me. It also gives you total freedom to do what you want as well. It has its draw backs as well; No one to save you a seat; and no one to listen to you moan when your sick!
What ever way you decide to travel, make sure its the way that suits you.
Always set a price:
Before you get in a Taxi or arrange something always agree on a price before. If you don't you set yourself up for a great fall. They will charge you what ever they like and its hard to get out of it by then. Also never say you have just arrived in a country. They will smell fresh meat and take you for everything you have got!
Drunkenness and tents:
Do not get drunk (especially on red wine) when trying to put up a tent. It only ends in disaster! Do get very drunk though, when you are staying in a hut full of Cockroaches, so that you pass out, as it will be the only way you will sleep. Though the morning after isn't great as you have a massive hangover and the cockroaches still as well!
Learn not to go to the toilet!:
Long journeys are part of travelling. In more developed countries, they have facilities on transport that cater to bodily functions. Less developed do not! I have been on many a lengthy journey where there has not been one toilet stop. In India I was travelling with my friend Becky, who doesn't have the strongest bladder. She made the bus driver stop three times, which pissed him off so much that he tried to drive off with out her on one of the stops. It was only me, flinging myself over the bus drivers wheel, and shouting a lot, that stopped him. After that I learnt it was important element of travel to be able to control your toilet stops. I'm pretty darn good as well, apart from from an incident in South America the other year. I don't know what happened but I was on a long journey as the only Gringa on a bus in Peru and all of a sudden I needed to go. We were in the middle of the Andes. The choice was to either wet myself or go and pee in the middle of the plains of the Andes with no where to hide. I chose the Andes. I saw a ditch and made for it, but being a tall person, even when crouching, the ditch was not deep enough and I was barely hidden. I was in the middle of a pee when I decided to turn around and saw a whole coach of Peruvian Indians all looking at the white girls ass. Mortified doesn't even come close! Learn to hold it people!
We are all usually on a budget when we back pack. We don't stay in 5 star resorts (Well you can treat yourself now and again!) and dine in swanky restaurants. That is not to say just because your on budget doesn't mean you can't do anything. I hate, I mean HATE travellers that are so money obsessed, that they can't enjoy themselves. No one wants to get ripped off, but travellers that argue over 50p, or go around all day trying to find the cheapest hotel, or won't do anything as it doesn't fit the daily budget! For God Sake! Your the other side of the world; you may never come here again; you might get run over tomorrow; its doesn't bloody matter; your not spending a fortune; your arguing over a £1; enjoy yourself; you idiots!!!!!! As I said, I don't like these type of backpackers!
Tiger Barm:
My top tip without a doubt, is TIGER BARM, TIGER BARM, TIGER BARM! My sister gave me this tip. Its the best thing for Mozzie bites ever. Its soothes them when they itch so you never want to itch them to death. Its a must and I will never go traveling without it.
I hope these tips have been of some help? May the force be with you!
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