Hello everyone, questions about backpacking

[smoggy88]

i want to go Backpacking.. or a Gap year whatever you call it. i didnt refer to it as a gap year because thats what students do before uni right??

basically... this is a long shot but im sick of life in england at the minute, i cant get a job no matter how many CV's i send out, And i refuse to sign on the dole. i have before and hate it, your instantly labeld as a lazy so and so, etc. now of course, id need money to go through with this, so im on the lookout for work at ALL times. as soon as i find some thats it, i will save up what i need

so anyway i have no money and never get to do stuff with my mates and im pretty sick of the same old stuff. ive always wanted to travel about, preferbly Africa, but with so much stuff going on that would possibly be dangerous, or Australia. maybe even America, or South East Asia. Bah, just in general i WANT too get out and see some of the world!

i want too get out and see what the World has to offer, what different cultures are like man, the only thing i will miss if i ever got round to doing it, apart from friends and family obviously, would be my Beloved Middlesbrough Football club

Has any one not Seen Charlie Boorman's show? its always on in the early hours, on BBC i think, ''by any means'' him and 2 mates of his travel form there home in ireland i think it is and must get to australia by any means, except for flying.. obviously that takes too much time and money. but thats quite inspirational

but does any one have any experiance and tips on how i could get started on travelling about, maybe even living in one place for a while, and finding work there to see my self through, of course, that would be hard giving my poor job history, not many people would want to employ me lol.

any websites or tips explaining how to get started what finances id be looking at, or any first hand stories. please. i want to get out of england for a bit and see the world. im 21 in march, and life flys by, i still wish i was 14, in the summer holidays up at 8, Football all day till 8 every day, if i leave things any later my 20's will be over before i know it.

any thing, please, appreciated.

Thanks Guys.

Smoggy, AKA. Lee

[Vhan]

http://www.helpx.net

Is a good place to find work from what I hear

The world has a lot to offer, thats for sure! And I wouldn't worry to much about backpacking America my friend. For us Visiting Euro is like going to your old Grandfathers House: Quirky, old, lots of old war stuff that smells off, and traditions. =shrug= but unless you were really interested in the locals... I'm guessing it would just be full of "the same old stuff" for you I'm afraid.

[smoggy88]

Thanks Vhan, i see what your syaying about America, but its still something id enjoy, maybe start in South america and work my way up, but like i said, Africa, SE Easia, Oz, all would be great fun too. how much money would i be looking at, whats the minimum id need i guess, i really want to do this, but dont have a clue where to go, or how to start it off.

[Vhan]

Well, Couple thousand will proababley keep you afloat for a year or maybe two. Its really about HOW you spend your money, not how much you have that makes the real difference.

If you started in South America, jobs like picking fruit, and local work could help you keep more of your own cash in the bank, but the farther up north you get into America the less likeley you will be to get local jobs, and the more money you will find yourself spending on overpriced hotels, and food. To give you an idea, the advacados you could pick up off the ground and eat for allmost free in South america, can cost you as much as US 1.30 each! (.77 were I live) That mutiplied over lots of different things makes a huge differance. Greg can tell you more about Traveling the US, and I may just be a person of little faith because he is doing it right now from what I have been able to gather. 

Your Biggest expences are going to be the plane tickets by far. After that everything is pretty easy.

[Greg]

Welcome Smoggy!

If you haven't seen it already, I've got a series going on the site about earning travel funds: http://www.startbackpacking.com/travel-money.html
and there are lots of posts dotted around the forums, that seems to be people's #1 worry.

As far as making what money you have count, the less Western and the less touristy, the cheaper.  Europe, Australia, Scandinavia, and America
are all dreadfully more expensive than the developing countries (which I prefer ) like Asia, SE Asia, South America, etc.

Flights and partying are your top 2 expenses....its a dark art trying to keep both under control!

Cheers!

[smoggy88]

Thanks for the reply fellas, ill have a look at that link now, it will be some time before i even ome round to doing this, but its something i really want to do, im only 20, i have got a good few years left yet. Hopefully.

[Vhan]

Allright man, And hey, if your still curious there is a book called "Vagabonding, the art of long term world travel" it really spells out the basics for you, and tells you what this is about; However, its still a book of principles that ounce aquierd are best let go of! Good read, and I highley suggest it if you still have doubts about traveling.

[robert.kekic]

dude amaerica is a great place to backpack i for one learned all my scout training all the way to eagle scout on american soil...besides the old war stuff and what not there is some amazing wildlife, huge woods lots of beaches,and national parks...so id say that america would be a nice place to backpack for someone in ur situation.. and backpacking gear isnt to expensive!!

peace out,
robbie