Getting Prepared

This is a bit of a boring post but thought i'd just explain some of the things we've done to get prepared for our trip!

First of all we've bought a load of books about where we're going, which despite costing a bit (go on amazon to find some bargains!) are so worth the money. We've got lonely planet guides and they have so much info in them, as does the websites. We want mainly to create a list of the places we want to visit on the way, rather than a strict itinerary, so allowing us to be flexible with what we do.

I've only started looking through it all today and have learnt so much about Vietnam in just an hour or so of looking through the book.

Wanderlust magazine is also quite good, and includes some really detailed reviews, although not always on a budget!

My tent also came in the post today! We decided to get one mainly just for emergencies, but on looking into it there are loads of opportunities to camp in South America, and the beaches in South East Asia so am looking forward to the cliche sunrise and sound of waves on the beach!!! I've used a website called GORP a lot, which is really good, as well as http://outside.away.com/ which is absolutely excellent for advice on getting all the gear, so have compiled a few things now.

I think clothing, which i overlooked at first, is one of the most important things. Have just got a pair of really lightweight and compact quick drying trousers, which you can turn into shorts (sounds so geeky!) but in the humid weather i expect they'll be a lot better than the jeans i had intended on taking!

Probably the best advice i have got though is off the travel nurse, who advised us to purchase some travel needles (£10-£15) as if anything happens you can ask them to use them, and obviously they are sterile so you avoid getting HIV or Hep B etc which is definately helpful!

That reminds me, had the injections too the othe day. WE gt the advice off MASTA on the internet as well as the travel nurse, although my Emily was given completely different advice than me, which is quite worrying, so get a range of opinions if you can!

Anyway, here is some of the stuff i've got which looks excellent and has some great reviews:

Budget Backpackers

The Itinery...

September 15th - Heathrow to Bangkok and Bangkok to Hanoi...
The first stop on our adventure and the beginning of the overland travel through Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia.
December 17th - Singapore to Darwin...
Getting picked up from the airport by Emily's mum, who is on a year out with her husband (Emily's Step Dad) in Mount Isa in north/central Australia, for a long road trip to Mt Isa for Christmas!
We will then travel down the East Coast towards Sydney, working as we travel to earn some much-needed cash, whilst avoiding much of the Gold Coast, aka Newquay.
Mid February - Sydney to Christchurch...
Travelling the much venerated southern island and then up to the north, where we've been told to visit the Bay of Islands
The only problem with New Zealand is the cost, which we've heard can be very expensive.
Mid March- Auckland to Santiago...
Touchdown for the most anticipated leg of the trip!
Travelling south from Chile's Capital, probably with very light wallets, and exploring the Patagonia region, visiting ruins, climbing mountains, lazing around on beaches, learning how to tango and going riding in Argentina.
Will be amazing!
End of June - Coming back
Seems like forever away and can't imagine how we'll be feeling
Will be great to see family/friends again (and be able to play Xbox), and most of all sleep in a non-maggot infested bed, but it's not something i'm looking forward to.

So, why these places?

As we are travelling for around 10 months we wanted to choose a range of different areas to visit but also to have plenty of time to be able to explore each one quite extensively.The areas we are travelling (South East Asia, Australasia and South America) are all quite different too, in terms of geography and culture, so there's no danger of it becoming tedious. We also decided to travel large parts overland as it gives you loads of freedom to explore, without being bogged down in one area.

We chose South East Asia largely because of the beaches and the islands, as well as the amazing food (although i've been told by a philipino friend to beware of dog and cat on the menu as well as being wary of cooked food in the markets). Hanoi is also fairly westernised and quite a contemporary city so we will be able to slowly etch our way into the flow of things.





Australia and New Zealand are a given really on any traveller's list and as Emily has family in Australia we won't be spending Christmas alone, whilst it also provides us with a great place to work and earn some much needed cash to keep us going until the end of the trip.
A working visa is just over £100 but well worth it as we've been told finding work is quite easy and things like barwork will give us a chance to meet more new people and learn some tips on the way.


Chile was the first place on the list for me because the country lends itself to travel. As it is so long and thin it encompasses many seasons at once and has amazing beaches just a couple of miles away from soaring mountains and some great national parks. I have been told, however, to make sure we learn some basic Spanish (i.e Thief...etc), as locals hate thieves and are often only too glad to assist in retrieving belongings and handing out their personal punishment.


Initially we planned to travel north to Peru, however many people have said that Argentina is simply unmissable, especially Buenos Aires.