Take the World by the Horns

Backpacker, Budget, and Student Travel Tips e-book

Copyright 2007 TravelPUNK.com, Inc.

Disclaimer: This ebook is for informational purposes only. We are not responsible for anything outside of this ebook. If you use any information or tips from this ebook, links in this ebook, or websites mentioned or linked through this ebook, you are doing so at your own risk.

Copyright 2007 TravelPUNK.com

TravelPUNK.coms Backpacker Tips e-book

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EYE DROPS5 FIRST AID KITS..6 KEEP A JOURNAL.9 LOCKS FOR PROTECTING YOUR BACKPACKS.11 MINI FLASHLIGHT OR LED KEYCHAIN LIGHT.13 KEEP A NOTEPAD ON YOU..14 PASSPORTS, VISAS, AND OTHER IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS.........15 PILLOW CASES17 PLASTIC BAGS AND ZIPLOCK BAGS.19 SEWING KITS AND SAFETY PINS...20 SMALL COMPASS....21 TAXI CAB TIPS......22 WORKING ABROAD.24 TRAVEL INSURANCE..26 STARBUCKS OVERSEAS: A MECCA FOR THIEVES...27 MANY THIEVES WORK IN NUMBERS .....30 HOSTELS.......31 THE EURAIL......32 RESOURCES........34

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations! You just took a major and necessary step in preparing for a major chapter in your life. These tips are a MUST for anyone backpacking or budget traveling abroad. Even the tips that dont seem like they pertain to you may indeed. But you wont really know until you hit the road. Travel can be a serious gateway to enlightenment in your life, and hopefully you will enlighten others and encourage them to take the plunge for all of the right reasons and pass this bonus ebook to them so they too can prepare for their journey. When you go overseas, remember to keep an open mind and When in Rome, Do as the Romans, Do. Youll get more out of your trip this way. See yourself as a representative of your country. An Ambassador of your country, if you will. This way, youll be on your best behavior and perhaps score some romance while youre on your trip! Some of the products mentioned in these tips, are normal in the U.S., but can be difficult to find or find its foreign substitute. When you shop for normal everyday items overseas, dont automatically assume that you can get the exact same items or name brands that you are used to buying at home. Bring those brands with you to save time and money. In Rome, I couldnt find a simple sewing needle or anything sharp enough to pop a massive blister under my foot. None of the stores close to where I was staying had anything close. And I was staying in the center where it all happens! Where were all of those 99 cent stores when you needed them?! So, taking the time out to pack some simple and useful things that you just may need, is good insurance for you. Remember, at the end of the day, it is your trip. So once youve amassed a massive amount of information and knowledge to make you comfortable with your decision to travel, take from these tips what you feel you will need.

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(Conitued) Do your first trip right and youll find a major motivator in life and it will definitely be a confidence builder. Youll most likely have a renewed energy for work, school, or whatever it is you do. I know my travels helped motivate me to work harder, make more, save more, so that I could travel more. Im still on that path and dont see that changing anytime in the foreseeable future. All because of that first extremely successful trip. Good luck on your trip and Take the World by the Horns! If you find any of these tips helpful to you or you have tips that you would like to share with others, please feel free to send us an email with your feedback atfeedback@travelpunk.com.

EYE DROPS

This is a MUST, especially for those of us with less than perfect eye vision, can't afford laser correction eye surgery, and opted to stick foreign objects into our eyes. Ahhh yesss, the existential contact lense wearer. Here's the scene. You`re flying over to Europe, Asia, Australia, etc... and your flight is hella long. Lights out in the airplanes cabin for all to enjoy a good nights sleep. You awake to find that your eyes are all dried and crusty and your eye lids stick to your now jacked up and folded like a taco shell contacts. Y'all know what I'm talking about. You can't look at your newly found friend that is seated next to you on the plane for fear of embarrassment. So what do you do? You thank God Almighty for giving you the foresight to stash in your shirt/jacket/bag/pants pocket a little bottle of Visine, saline solution, or eye drop liquid of choice. This will come in handy when traveling on the Eurail too and anywhere else you find yourself nodding off at. On a side note- If you wear contacts, Bausch & Lomb is very expensive in Europe. Normal saline solution is around $8-$12, as opposed to less than half of that price in the US( This is what I've been paying in Spain). Bring extra disposable contacts too and spread them out. Keep on in your pocket, one in your jacket, in your daypack, and the rest in your backpack. You may need to replace one real quickly and rather than having to get to your big ol' backpack, you've got it on you.

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FIRST AID KITS

This is one thing that I wish I had paid more attention to. This doesn't have to be anything fancy and you can make your own little first aid kit using a ziplock bag to carry it all. For example, lets say that you are in Madrid, Spain, and you ate something bad or caught some kind of stomach virus. Im talking about the kind of virus that made you wish that you packed with you some diapers! You know what Im talking about... Now imagine yourself with this uncontrollable bowel movement problem and youre trying to communicate (with charades!) your problem to the local pharmacist in that foreign country who doesnt speak english. Catch my drift? Because they dont call it Immodium AD in Spain (for future reference it is called FORTASEC). Okay, okay, it was something that happened to me! So hopefully you will avoid any potentially embarrassing situations by packing the following EXTREMELY helpful things: Oh, and just in case you can't find any FORTASEC, try drinking some Ginger Ale. This is suppose to be a quick fix. Maybe it was psycho-symatic, but it really did seem to help. BAND-AIDS: This is first-aid 101. Use for the obvious cuts and scrapes and without a doubt, you WILL do a lot of walking. I visited and backpacked through Europe 3 different times and each time I had a nice dime-sized blister on the bottom of my left foot below the middle toes. NEOSPORINE: At the present, I dont know what they call this ointment in Spain, but I wish I knew and or packed some with me. I had a minor but constant nose-bleed for 3 weeks in Spain and it would have gone away quickly had I brought with me a $5 tube of Neosporine. IMMODIUM AD/ PEPTO-BISMOL (the Pink Stuff): As explained above, take some with you and pray that you wont have to use it on your travels. NOTE: If you do come down with a stomach problem such as the one I had above, drink lots of CLEAR CARBONATED LIQUIDS. GINGER ALE, 7-UP, SPRITE, MINERAL WATER, etc...Miraculously, this helps substantially.

(Continued)

ASPIRIN: For hang-overs and sporadic headaches. I dont know if youre the partying kind, but some of your wildest and craziest moments can come from partying with other travelers at the local watering hole or nightclub. Aspirin will be your best friend the next day. ANTIHISTIMINES- CLARITIN/ACTIFED/ALLEREST, etc...: Do you have allergies? Hay fever, cats, dogs, etc...I didnt find these brands in Western Europe, but at times I wish I had. In Spain, I stayed in an apartment with 2 cats and didnt come prepared with any anti-histamines. I wish I had. NOTE: In Spain, the brand to ask for at any Farmacia(pharmacist) is called LORATADINA KERN. Personally, it wasnt as strong for me as the American brands that I was used to, but it did help. NEEDLE and THREAD: You never know what you're going to need this for, but if you watch the movie Rambo, you'll want to carry this. You can even use the needle to pop a foot blister. Seriously, I had a foot blister (see below), but didn't have a pin or anything sharp to pop it. I ended up picknching a part of the bubbly thick skin with my fingernails and tearing open a little hole to drain it. Lovely. You can also use both to sew us a hole in your backpack if you need to. HAND SANITiZER: This is a really nice invention. Especially after holding on to so many hand rails on the underground metros all over Europe. Purell makes a little bottle (cost about 75 cents!) that you can stash in your daypack. Rub it all over your hands like lotion and it instantly sanitizes your hands as if you just washed with soap and water. Also handy after using funk-ti-fied pay-phones and touching suspect bathroom door knobs! Obsessive Compulsive? NOT! Just playing it safe. These are basic things to bring with you on your travels. You dont have to bring much, just enough that you think will last throughout your trip. Take brands that you are familiar with. Most other simple first-aid items can be brought or can be purchased elsewhere Aloe Vera, Q-tips, etc...In fact, pack those things too! A NOTE ABOUT FOOT BLISTERS: If you feel a big ol' blister coming on, on the bottom of your foot, because you're shoes are just not doing the job, it might be best to just break down all together and buy a pair of nice "air" running shoes or something that feels like your walking on clouds.

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(Continued)

In Rome I had a big blister on the bottom of my foot that I couldn't do much walking for 2 days until i drained it a couple of times and the soreness subsided. This happened because I should have bought the new pair of shoes when I felt it as I knew that my shoes at the time were not doing the job and that was not going to change. But I was stubborn and held out, that is, until the blister was full blown and as I mentioned above, did what I had to do after the fact. I was walking on cloud 9 after that, though, because I bought some Adidas running shoes with air sole technology. I love those shoes, man! So, when it comes to foot blisters, take preventive measures when you know that you'll be walking forever and your shoes are not performing as you thought they would.

KEEP A JOURNAL

Documenting your trip is a MUST! In todays hi-tech world that we live in, there are many online websites offering free blogs (short for Weblog), where you can sign up and within a few minutes your blog is live and ready to go. Then, email your friends and family the direct link to your blog. This is a great tool to stay in touch with family and friends. Rather than write each person a personal email about your trip each time you check in with them, just update your weblog with your latest adventures and experiences. Most blogs also allow you to customize the look and feel of it as well as upload your photos too! Although blogs are a great tool, there still something special creating and maintaining an actual paperback book type of journal. Theyre easy to pack and will be your ultimate time machine to the past when youre old and gray. This type of journal is great to bring to a local caf or park in your downtime. Write down your thoughts, experiences, and comments about the local restaurants and bars that you visited, and experiences that youve had each day interacting with nationals and other travelers from foreign countries. You can write deeper thoughts in here than you would in your public blog. Romances and flings that serendipitously blindside you as you backpack through foreign soil. Be descriptive. Throw some pictures in there that you took at the time and write and draw as much as you can in it to give your journal some meat. For example, if you go to France, arguably the most artistic country on the planet, how can you not attempt to draw a picture of the Eiffel Tower or the view of Paris from Monmarte? You will find it to be quite rewarding and or perhaps amusing when you read through it many years from now. Fill it up with character and personality.

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(Continued)

This is different from doing a web blog, which you should do too, to keep friends and family informed on your trip. A journal will personalize it even more and you can do this each night, or day, while kicking back on your hostel bed or at a cafe or park passing time. You can add stuff like beer coasters from that cool Irish Pub that you hung out in a few times. Ticket stubs, metro passes, museum passes, programs an brochures you picked up at museums, postcards, candy wrappers, whatever you can think of. If nothing else, your grandchildren will get a kick out of it.

LOCKS FOR PROTECTING YOUR BACKPACKS

Is it safe to stay in hostels? Will my belongings be protected? It is absolutely safe to stay in hostels. They are usually filled with many students, backpackers, and independent travelers like yourself. Your safety is not the real issue when it comes to hostels. Your belongings are. Follow these simple safety measures for protection against petty thieves. Go to your local Target/Walmart or sporting good store and pick up a "cable bike lock." Some come with a built-in lock and others come separately, in which case just buy a combination style lock (so you won't have to fuss with keys). These locks are recommended, and due to their "coiling" nature, they are very easy to pack and take up very little space. This is a safety measure that also gave me peace of mind. When you leave your hostel for the day, you will be taking a smaller day pack with you that will hold your important things such as cameras, documents, money, etc... Your main backpack will be left in your hostel room along with other backpacks from travelers around the globe( this is assuming that you opted not to have your own room). . Some hostels will have lockers for you to store your things and others won't This is the time to whip out your chain/lock and find a good place to chain your backpack (the metal bed frame, a pole, a pipe, etc...) I even chain my backpack real good to a few chairs! If a thief snatched my backpack, he'd have to take the chair with him which will, for sure, draw attention. Even though I always had my own place, I never felt 100% secured. Before embarking on my journeys, I read lots of horror stories from other travelers. The cleaning crew and attendants had full access to each and every room, and at times, some of them seemed quite suspicious, behaviorally speaking.

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(Continued)

So, for that reason, I still felt the need to lock up my bag when I was gone for the day despite having my own room. Now let's face it, if someone really wants to steal your backpack and/or the contents in it, there's no way to stop them. They will do whatever they have to and however they have to, in order to get what they want. However, if a thief walked into a hostel room and saw several backpacks unattended to, he's going to choose the one that will give him the least amount of trouble. Kind of like a thief trying to steal a car at a shopping mall parking lot. The thief will most likely steal a car with a club or a car alarm. So, protect you backpack as it is your main mobile storage unit and your best friend as you roam the foreign lands.

MINI FLASHLIGHT OR LED KEYCHAIN LIGHT

Handy. Hand. Handy. You will use this quite a bit and find it very helpful when rummaging through your daypack or backpack at night in your hostel for instance. Your roommates will whoop your ass for turning on the light at night after a night of drinking, clubbing, partying etc... This is the time that you will bust out your handy little flashlight and go through your belongings without disturbing the peace. This is another one of those little knick knacks that you can get all day long anywhere you go throughout your normal day, but can get through your day without ever needing it. But when you're traveling and staying in hostels, you'll most likely wish you had packed one with you, if you didn't.

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KEEP A NOTEPAD ON YOU

This is another thing that will come in handy to keep in your daypack. All you need is the little pad that cost about one dollar at your local Target or Walmart that comes coiled up on the top or side for easy flipping through the pages. I found myself constantly pulling it out to write down directions that people gave me "on the fly," to write out my email address and information to exchange with other people and travelers from around the world, to write down suggestions for local restaurants, bars, pubs, cafes, nightclubs, etc... People will give you extended directions and phone numbers from time to time and having this available will make your travel life easier. Sometimes you'll just need it when you revise your upcoming itinerary, recalculate your budget, or to jot down and record your "million dollar idea" that you came up with and plan to pursue when you get back home! It really does come in handy as you will discover... very soon as you set foot on foreign soil. This is one of the items that I use most when I am traveling. The good news is, that if you forget to bring one, you can pick one up anywhere on the planet...no problem.

PASSPORTS, VISAS, AND OTHER IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

As an extra precautionary measure, make sure you "xerox"( make photos copies) of all of your important documents. One way to do this is to scan your passport, visas, and documents and send them to yourself, your email account (ie, yahoo, hotmail, excite, etc). This is for safe measure. If you ever lose your important documents, you can head to the nearest internet cafe, print your documents out and head to the nearest US and/or YOUR countrys' embassy in that country. Just make sure you log off of that public computer!!!!! It will help them to expedite new passports and documents to you. US passports are in high demand on the "black market." That's the "underground" market where the stakes are high and all kinds of crimes are being committed. A NOTE ON THIS: Twice in Madrid, a nice BMW pulled over to the side and the guy in the passenger seat will be all dressed up and pretend he's on a CB Radio as you glance over. He'll be in a suit and wave for you to come over. Then they'll flip over a shiny badge and ask if you speak english. You go over to the car and he'll ask to see your passport. You hand your passport over and the driver "guns" the car speading off so fast that you won't have time to capture the license plate. The first time this happened to me, I was living in Madrid. I ALMOST left the apartment that day with my passport (I ususally kept it at home) but I need it for something at the time. Instead, I took my paper copies and put it in my money belt. As this car pulled up, I actually thought that they were the cops. I didn't have my passport to show them and didn't mention the paper copies for whatever reason. I actually let them look through my wallet. How stupid was that?! But hey, I thought they were the cops. They gave it back. Then let me go.

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(Continued)

It then happened to me again, but this time I was informed about this scam from a guy that worked at the English school that I was working at the time (after I told him of the first incident). I then yelled at them and their shitty little car (they were trying to pull this one off in an old 80ish kind of car). They were stunned and didn't say anything, then drove off. The word at the time was that US passports sell for $10,000 on the black market, followed by Australia, Canada, and Japan. Be careful about this as it's automatic in the US to pull out your ID anytime law enforcement asks you to do so. This is the way it is in Europe, but there are also sooo many scam artists that you must insist to see their ID first and if they ask you to come to the car, no, no, no....you have them step out of the car to talk to you. If they're the real deal, that' s what they'll do anyways. This is just one passport scam of many, so treat your passport like gold! It is your golden ticket to roam the planet. Without it, you're toast. If in fact you do get your passport stolen or you lose it. Contact your local embassy RIGHT AWAY! Take your xerox copies with you. It will expedite the process in replacing yours. If you don't have copies, I've heard that it can be a while until the replacement arrives because of the enormous verification process that they have to do. You've been warned!

PILLOW CASES

As mentioned in the hostel section, bring with you a pillow case and tuck it away in your backpack. This was an extremely handy tip and probably helped prevent me from getting coodies. Serious delirious, yo! Each night before I went to bed, I pulled out the pillow case and laid it on top of the pillow. Some of the hostel supplied pillows and their cases were a little suspect to me. I'd say to myself "Did they wash this?" Who knows?! One time I stayed at a hostel and the towel that they left in the room for me to shower with was seriously soo old and worn out with holes and just nasty. It was clean, I think, but it looked like they've had that towel in circulation since the 1950's! It seriously looked as if they washed and scrubbed the outside of every brick building on the block with that towel, then washed the holey thing that left it in my room. Fuggedaboutit.... Come on, man! The least they could do is get some new super cheap quality, but newer towels to present your guests with. It's about the presentation, hostel owners. Don't forget it! What I'm getting at, is they left that kind of towel for me to use, I wonder how far they went to clean the sheets and pillow case? If my face is going to be on that pillow all night, that shiznit better be clean. And since there is no real way for me to know what condition that stankin pillow case is in, is for me to cover my own ass and bring my own! And that is what I do- cover my ass and bring my own! It will also feel like I took a piece of home with me too=)

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(Continued)

And make sure that you mark one side "up" or with a "dot" or something so that every time you pull it out, you know which side goes down and which side your face will be planted on for the night. Believe me, hostels arent hotels and dont have the budget of major hotel chains that you may be used to when youve traveled with your family and friends in the past. If youre from the USA, you may be used to a highly service oriented experience everytime you go out to a restaurant, coffee shop, hotel, department stores, or any place doing business with the public. Customer service is a essential for a successful business. Unfortunately, this isnt so when you are overseas. Most locals in any country that you will be traveling to, have never been to the USA and dont understand the big hoopla about customer service. They werent programmed with this concept growing up, so we cant fault them for it. We must respect their culture and upbringing and just do what we can to cover our own butts! Also, Jamie Rhoneheimer from Los Angeles, adds- Your pillow case can also be used to store your dirty laundry while backpacking, and can double-up as a pillow when stuffed. Thanks for the tip, bro!

PLASTIC BAGS AND ZIPLOCK BAGS

As you pack your toiletries and organize your daypack, throw in some ziplock plastic bags to protect your items from any potential accidents involving liquids. Bring 2-3 large ones and 2-3 small ones. You'll find use for them. Also, 2-3 of the plastic grocery kind that you can throw your slippers into one, your dirty clothes and underwear into another, and a bag for all of your clean socks and underwear to easily separate them from the rest of your clothes. These bags (stuffed) can easily conform themselves with how your things are packed in your backpack. If you'll be collecting souvenirs and knick-knacks along the way these zip lock bags are good for separating them from the inevitable mess that will naturally happen as your adventures progress. Tooth paste, saline solution, perfumes/colognes, anything with liquids. If it get's really hot wherever you go, even chapstick will melt and can cause leakage, so make sure that gets tossed into the bag (if it's not in your pocket). And for those of you who are traveling with camera's that require film or mini-dv tapes or what not, plastice bags will help insure that, should there be some sort of accidental liquid spill close to where you keep your file/tapes, that your priceless goods are well protected. Double-bag it, if you must, but definitely take the simple steps to protect your funfilled memorable trip evidence so they end up in great dry shape all the way to the photo album/editing bay.

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SEWING KITS AND SAFETY PINS

As you can see from the above example. This doesn't have to be anything fancy. You can even combine this with your first aid kit. Scrounge up your safety pins and throw them in your pack! Well, this little hootenanny certainly needs no introduction as its something that weve all used since birth. Its amazing how this tiny obscure little item can be used a million different ways. Read the story Be Wary People- In Italy, in our Travel Stories section, to see how it helped protect some serious valuables of one of our fellow travelers. This great tip comes from J Jalil! Thanks! Backpacking can be pretty rough on your posessions as you will be constantly on the go. Throwing your backpack here and there becomes a frequent thing. Wear and tear can take its toll on everything from your backpack, to your clothes, to your hat, jacket, socks, and shoes! This is where your handy-dandy super-cheap mini-sewing-kit comes in handy! This cheap and helpful item can be found at any local Army Surplus or local Target-type store. Hopefully, you wont have to use it, but its always nice to be prepared when the time comes. Thanks to Johan Colpaert, from Belgium, for that handy tip!

A SMALL COMPASS

One thing about traveling to a foreign country that you have never been to, is that you are guaranteed to get lost or disoriented at one point or another. Especially in Europe where there seems to be no rhyme or reason on how they're laid out. A far cry from the typical neighborhood in the US where streets are usually laid out in some sort of order in perfect rectangular blocks. A compass will come in quite handy. I basically strap on my daypack, exit the hostel, and start walking. From the get-go, I would periodically glance at my tiny compass to see what I direction I was going in. As you change directions here and there, you can keep mental track of where you've gone. For example- N,E,N,W,NW,N,E, (north, east, north, west, northwest, et...). You only really need to memorize your tracks to and from main metros, bus stops, and landmarks that youve designated as markers. So three hours later when I'm lost, I can whip out my compass and start backtracking. Now, I understand that you'll mostly be walking with a map. But even then, a compass just helps to get you acclamited to your whereabouts in real time. Sometimes, if you're like me, you'll purposely want to stray off the beaten path and just see where you'll end up. Some of the best discoveries come aobut this way, just be careful that you don't wander off into the "hood." I always had mine hanging inconspicuously off of my daypack as I would wander around the city or in my pocket. You don't have to go all out and get a Rambo-type-Super-deluxe-fancy kind, just a simple .99 cents keychain type will do.

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TAXI CAB TIPS

Know your general prices before jumping into a cab. When cab drivers smell tourist on you, they hear "cha-ching!" That's the sound of money going from your pockets to theirs. If you don't have any idea of what general cab fare cost, ask around. Your hostel attendant will have a good idea and so will other backpackers in your hostel. Ask a worker at a cafe or restaurant or even ask several different cab drivers before jumping into one. But sometimes the cab drivers will all say the same general price because they all want to take advantage of you. After a 2 days of wandering Madrid on my own, I met some locals and we hung out together for the next week and a half, and as we all took taxis together, I realized that the same cab rides that I was taking alone, were almost double the price! Having locals in your taxi will definitely bring the cost of your cab/taxi fare down. One summer in Sevilla, Spain, we took a taxi from our hotel to a popular flamenco club we were told about. After a lengthy drive, we got to the club and dished out $9. When the club closed, we decided to try to find our way back to the hotel on foot. To no big surprise, we found that our hotel was located just 5 streets away! That taxi ride should not have been more than a damn dollar! WARNING: I read of a couple of stories on the internet of people getting their whole backpack and everything they brought over, stolen from them by their cab drivers! This is how it happens: You arrive at to airport or train station and figure out where you have to go. You then hail a cab, throw your backpack in the trunk, get in the car and give him the address or preferred destination. Upon Arriving at your hostel/hotel or wherever it is you requested. You un-zip your money belt/daypack/purse/wallet etc..and you pay him.

(Continued)

As you step out of the cab to retrieve your backpack in the trunk, the cab driver takes off and disappears around the corner in a few seconds leaving you in the dust! And by the time the police or anyone comes to you aid, that homeslice is long gone! Now the guy and his cohorts have total exposure to your whole backpack and does whatever they want with it (i.e...cuts it open looking for money, documents, anything of value that they can perhaps sell and make money with.) Sound far fetched? Think again. This has happened to fellow backpackers and it could happen to you. Learn from their disasters. You can avoid this possible major disaster by simply bringing your backpack inside the cab with you! That's what I did, thanks to tips that I found while doing research before my trip. Never under estimate foreign cab drivers. I'm not saying that they are all bad, but like any other occupation that deals with public interaction, there are some bad seeds out there. Especially when you are in a country where the economic situation is less than kosher. (The stories that I read happened in Amsterdam and Prague)

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WORKING ABROAD

Okay, this may be a challenge as you will most likely be working under the table since you most likely are not a citizen of that country or union (ie..European Union). It`s all a matter of being at the right place at the right time. Its a matter of asking for work. And its a matter of numbers.a numbers game if you will. The more you ask around, the more likely that you will be putting yourself in the right place at the right time. Does that make sense? If you are planning to work abroad to finance your trip, the jobs that will come your way will most likely be the kind that pays "under the table" as I mentioned. This is also is true if you are coming to the US. Hey, it`s all good. Money is money. And, if it helps meet your objective, then all the better. Working abroad will most definitely give you a better feel as to what it`s like to live in any given country. You will get to meet the locals, absorb different cultures, and build your foreign repertoire. Some of the most common jobs in other countries that people will get range from being a bartender waiter/waitress working at hostels teaching English whatever craft you are skilled at language translation tour guides entertaining people at the local street fair.

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These are the basic kinds of jobs that people usually get, to earn money in foreign countries. Of course there are many other kinds of jobs, but the good paying jobs will usually require you to have a specific skill that is needed and/or requires fluency of the native language that you will be visiting/residing in. Be creative, aggressive, and network your ass off! Working in a bar overseas is a popular choice. There are great stories that I have read that have inspired me and gave me good insight on the kinds of jobs that I can get to help finance any future trips (if I run out of money!). Ask, and you will receive. Think about all of the great experiences, culture, and friends that youll gain. The great non-touristy places that youll discover by being plugged in to a local establishment. The relationships that youll build. The unforgettable memories and the stories that you can tell your friends and perhaps your future great, great grand children (imagine the unique website that you can build to help the travel community! hahaha.). Networking, baby. It`s all about networking! "He who dies with the most friends- wins." Working in foreign countries for any extended length of time and manifesting that friendly outgoing spirit that lies within you will give you just that. Friends for life in every country that you travel to. Illegaly working, "under the table," so what! It happens ALL THE TIME! In fact, it`s happening as I write this by tons of people all over this world. And guess what? They`re having a ball! The bottom line is this, It`s your call and if it helps finance your trip and helps you to maximize your travel enjoyment, then so be it.

A man who doesnt work, doesnt eat. Work is work

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TRAVEL INSURANCE

Should I buy travel insurance for my trip? This question gets asked a lot. And my take on it has always been simple. Would you drive your car without insurance or without a seat belt? In the car example, its not a matter of are you a good driver or not. Or whether you just got your drivers license or if youve been driving for more than 20yrs. The problem is, that you cant control other drivers or drivng conditions that mother nature springs upon us sporadically. There are simply too many unseen forces beyond our control. This is the same philosophy with traveling. You cant possibly know what your journey will lead you to, and what unfortunate experiences or problems that you may have. If you dont buy travel insurance, then youre a serious gambler and this is as good as playing Russian Roulette. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Cover your ass and get travel insurance herehttp://www.TravelPUNK.com/budget-travel-insurance

STARBUCKS OVERSEAS: A MECCA FOR THIEVES

In Jan 2007, I was in Madrid and TWICE at Starbucks there were different ladies at the SAME Starbucks, about 5 hours apart, that got their purses stolen. Thieves LOOOOOOOVVVVE Starbucks! It is a MECCA for them. Why? Because they are filled with tourists who make themselves at home there just like they do in the USA. In the USA, for the most part, other store patrons got your back. You can leave all of your belongings on a table at a crowded Starbucks (in most of them in the USA), go to the bathroom, and come back and still have all of your stuff there. I am generalizing this, but that has been my observation in 100s of Starbucks that Ive been to in the USA. Never have I see any complaints about theft at any Starbucks (or any other coffee shop) Ive frequented and I have been drinking Starbucks since it became a national chain in Seattle! People in the US have this collective energy and silently working together as a whole to watch out for each other, prevent theft, and help each other out. Thats my take anyways. Overseas, however, its a different story. Thieves love Starbucks because they catch so many people off guard. As I mentioned, people in the USA are programmed to help each other out by watching over other peoples possessions out of goodwill, especially when asked. So when they travel abroad, they take that same subconscious programming with them and tend to trust foreigners from different countries to reciprocate that trust. Unfortunately for them, that is the worst thing they can do.

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(Continued)

Your daypack/purse/cell phone can be right next to you or under your table by your feet or on top of the table beside you and the minute you drop your guard, you may have been taken. My point is this. When you are backpacking or just plane ol traveling overseas and see a Starbucks, go ahead and jump for joy so you can enjoy that Grande Double Whip Carmel Frappucino, but be on HIGH ALERT! Im talking CODE RED alert. Brief your travel buddies. Chances are, if you are traveling with buddies, they most likely might not be educated like you are on this subject, so its your duty to do two things. One- To not EVER drop your guard in a Starbucks, corner caf, internet pub, or any other tourist trap or public area, even whe you are with your buddies. Their mental priorities might not be the same as yours and everybody these days are preoccupied with things they got to do and take care of. It just takes that one time where youve been a victim of a theft where theyve got all your personal items, like credit cards, passports, ids, money, atm cards, prescriptions, contact numbers, student cards, plane ticket, cell phone, etcand your life is miserable for a good while. How can you enjoy your vacation with a disaster like this? I have yet to see someone come up with an answer. This very thing can even change your mind about traveling abroad for a good long while. Two- It is your duty to forward this free ebook to all of your friends who may be traveling with you or have any kind of interest in traveling, so they can mentally prepare as well as start taking their own travel preparations. They will become educated on how the ambience at any or most Starbucks in the USA are different than the Starbucks abroad. If in fact you happen to remember this tip when you are relaxing at a Starbucks overseas, on top of being on guard, try observing people especially at a Starbucks in a highly central area of a popular city like Madrid.

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You just may see for your own eyes, suspicious perpetrators walking through casing out the joint. They never order anything, but just walk through pretending to look for someone, when theyre really looking for a target. Send me of your experience and Ill post it on TravelPUNK.com

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MANY THIEVES WORK IN NUMBERS

Your valuable possessions can be on top of the table in front of you and one person will come up to you, friendly or what not asking for something (directions, money, or even give you something, etc) while the accomplice will blindside you and swiftly steal your belongings or whatever they can get. Sometimes, the first guy will drop something on the ground in front of you and you will most likely feel compelled to bend down and look at your feet or help them pick up whatever it was that theyve dropped, while the second guy walks right by, ever so slyly and discretely, and snatches your purse, daypack, or whatever was their chosen target. This same technique is used in the streets out in the plain open. The victim is standing or walking and bend over to pick up whatever the suspect drops in front of them while the accomplice comes up from behind and picks their back pocket which usually carries their wallet. I have even heard of the suspect pinching the knees or shins of the target which causes the target to bend over while the accomplice pick pockets them. Thieves are creative and will do what they can to distract you and get you to reposition yourself so they can execute their diabolical plan. Thieves choose the path of least resistance. They dont want to bother with anyone who will cause a ruckus or their cover will be blown and theyre out of business for the afternoon until they can resurface in a place where no one can point them out.

Watch your ass- ALWAYS!

HOSTELS

Hostels are basically like a shared college dorm combined with a motel and provides beds for a mix of everything type of traveler under the sun. Hostels are located worldwide and are the cheapest option next to campsites. You will find backpackers from every country in the world in hostels and can create a global network of friends who you can become lifelong buddies with. Just like when you take a regular vacation in the country that you live in, it is always best to reserve hostels online ahead of time so you dont waste precious time walking around looking for accommodations when you could be site seeing. To book the cheapest hostels online go herehttp://www.reservations.bookhostels.com/travelpunk.com/ All you have to do is put down a small deposit and pay the rest when you get you there. You especially want to do this in very popular hostels and very popular cities during the spring and summer months when the floodgates are open and the tourists book everything in site and drive the prices high. Heres another page you can visit for more information and links on hostelshttp://www.travelpunk.com/hostels/

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THE EURAIL

Buying a Eurail pass is essential when traveling Europe. This is simply the best option in my eyes. Imagine a front row seat to viewing the beautiful European landscape in a comfortable state of the art chair. Youll view the sweeping farmlands, rolling hills and mountains, and awesome cityscapes, as the Eurail cuts through the countryside like nobodys business. Fuggedaboutit You wont get the same view or experience in a car or airplane. Period. You can definitely mix up your transportation throughout your trip, but definitely buy a Eurail Pass as your major mode of transportation as you travel trough Europe. For a more in-depth look at the Eurail as well as specials and deals, you can read more here- http://www.travelpunk.com/eurail/cheap-eurail-passes/ The bottom line is that this was by far the best option for transportation to go from major city to major city and country to country in Europe. Make sure you buy your Eurail pass before you even get your ass on a plane to Europe or you WILL regret itl

So, now that youve got great preventive tips on how you can protect yourself in many ways, these tips are only the beginning. They have been helpful to me and other backpackers have used them as well as contributed to them. By being alert, confident (especially when youre walking through unfamiliar neighborhoods), and trusting your instincts, you may also be warding off petty thieves from potentially targeting you. You will also be laying down the groundwork for a well prepared backpack or budget travel trip. It is massively important that you do your first trip right. And by right, I mean well prepared. I hope you got that. Do your first trip RIGHT, and you just may get addicted to traveling! Doing something wrong on your first trip and NOT knowing how to mentally overcome that, can and may lead to a snowball effect and ultimately youll be resigned to the the fact that there is no way out, the whole trip is a mess, and you just want to go home. Ive seen that happen before. Dont let it happen to you! So get as prepared as you can, keep researching, and definitely join a thriving proactive community of other backpackers, budget, and student travelers (youll find that type of community here- http://www.TravelPUNK.com/boards/ ), put on your adventure hat, and travel your ass off! Also, please do me a favor and if you found this ebook helpful, please pass this on to as many people as you can. It just may help your friends, family, and fellow students, prepare for their trips! Happy Travels, Tony P. http://www.TravelPUNK.com/

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RESOURCES

http://www.TravelPUNK.com/ - The mother site with all kinds of tips, travel deals, backpacker, budget, and student travel tips, hostels, Eurail tips and passes, backpacking gear, and more! http://www.TravelPUNK.com/boards/- The most awesome proactive and supportive backpacking student travel community. Weve had tons of meetups all over the world! http://www.TravelPUNK.com/eurail/cheap-eurail-passes/- Get tips and advice on the best way to travel Europe. Hands down. http://www.TravelPUNK.com/hostels/ An in-depth look at hostels and hostels links world wide. http://www.reservations.bookhostels.com/travelpunk.com/ Safe and secure hostel booking engine with over 10,855 cheap hostels world wide that you can book online. Once you book online you can login and review your account and send an inquiry if you have any questions or problems with your booking.