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Couple's Travel to Solo Travel: Going Our Separate Ways
No, we didn’t make a boo-boo and book the wrong flights, we have actually decided that some solo travelling is calling us..
Couple's Travel to Solo Travel: Going Our Separate Ways
Two years have passed nearly, since Taran and I left the UK and began this roller-coaster of a travel adventure in Australia.
Seeing as two years is all us POM’s get before we get thrown back out into the world tanned, kicking and screaming, it’s time to plan for our next destination.
Asia was very much the loose plan for a while; hit up all the usual spots, relax, enjoy some of our last Aussie wages.
And then one day recently, during our big Aussie Outback road-trip, we had a conversation about some stuff that had been playing on both our minds, and that brings us to this blog post…
In around a week I, Hannah, will be flying to New Zealand, and Taran, will be flying to Thailand.
No, we didn’t make a boo-boo and book the wrong flights, we have actually decided that some solo travelling is calling us and now's the perfect time to embark on individual adventures.
Why Now?
When you are with someone for 4 years, 2 of which spent in constant close confines, you can inevitably get a little lost in one another.
Sometimes you are so deep in a set of routines, from routine affection to routine bickering, that you no longer feel as connected or as enriched by your surroundings.
You can start to not bring out the best in one another, or maybe one of you feels held back, or the other feels like they are doing the holding back.
You might be unable to remember the last time you did something on a whim of your own choice, in the exact manner you wanted to do so.
You might also feel like you are going along with certain plans that don’t truly fit, and you end up expressing this in passive-aggressive ways.
Sometimes you argue over irrelevant things purely because there’s an uncomfortable truth sitting in the pit of your stomach that feels too scary to confront.
You basically end up needing space. Space, to as corny as it sounds, to find yourself again.
There won't be any shouting into the void 'WHO AM IIII?', but maybe there will be the time and peace to ask that question by living out each day exactly as you want to.
Space to be a little selfish, develop your own interests, meet different people that you might not usually meet.
Space to remind yourself of what you need and what you want.
The Nature of Love
This need to be alone, of course, can happen in any relationship, but when travel is thrown into the mix, it can present different challenges to what we might have gone through had we been co-habitating in England.
Much of our 2 years has been spent in that place of stress in-between 'backpacker' jobs, when your wages stop and suddenly it feels like the fun does to.
There’s very little security or comfort, even less so than in ‘normal’ life, which for some is the appeal of perpetual travel, whilst for others, like myself, it is a constant source of stress.
I don’t enjoy moving between 2-3 different jobs throughout a year, none of which I truly want to do but merely have to if I don’t want to be forced to return home.
I also don’t enjoy when my partner is unable to find a good gig and things become very unbalanced as a result.
Its upsetting when all you want to do is travel but one of you doesn’t have the funds to do it, but, you are already in it, already amongst other travellers in a place you want to be, yet you are held back because there are two bank accounts to think about.
It can basically suck trying to juggle the differences in your approach to travel.
I wouldn’t say that I am a luxury traveller to Taran’s budget traveller, but I probably do feel more stressed by financial stuff, and I have always been that way inclined.
It isn’t just about money; it really boils down to two people suddenly realizing they want to do travel differently.
At the core is a difference in our goals; I want to start building my career and I want to combine that with travel, whereas Taran is happy to just keep riding the wave of laid-back travels and jobs.
I hope that we can both feel satisfied following our own chosen paths for a while, no matter where we end up with our goals.
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Travel Didn’t Ruin Everything
It’s possible that travel hasn’t wedged a knife between us, and we are just living out a normal situation in a slightly different (and heightened) environment.
In fact, travel has brought us closer through such a big and beautiful shared experience.
Beyond all the doubtful moments or feelings of anxiety, there has been a solid reason to keep at this.
I only have to scroll through my photo’s or read this blog to be reminded of what a truly insane and amazing collection of memories we have made together.
At this point our love and respect for each other is immense.
Our certainty and trust for one another is quite lovely. We have in fact felt very happy and connected since we made the choice to separate as funny as that sounds.
It’s possible that we are living out the idea of ‘If you love someone, you let them go’ and it feels right in some way. It feels grown-up and healthy.
It feels wrong some days though, when we are laughing and holding hands.
Why on earth would be want to be apart for any length of time?
Why would we want to be away from what we have?
Its this simple: our desire for each others happiness is superseding our need to live in one another’s pockets, because right now, our goals are a little too different for this lifestyle to continue and thrive.
Love for one another is not enough when two people stand at a cross-roads and can’t seem to pick the same route. Its logistical, not emotional.
Compatibility might not last a lifetime, even if it has been there for 4 good years, or even 40.
Sometimes people have these moments of realization, and the love doesn’t just stop in this scenario, it just has to be channelled differently.
Who knows where our individual travels will lead us. The uncertainty is part of the reality of choosing adventure, solo, or as a couple.
We both want to return to the UK for Christmas, but after that, things are unclear. Its likely Taran will join me in NZ at some stage this year, but yet again, uncertainty and spontaneity is the nature of this travel lark.
Future Of The Blog
We sincerely love what we do, and it’s pretty amazing to write this blog together, for Taran to make his films and showcase his amazing photo’s. So even in this time of being separate, this blog will continue on.
There will still be beautiful beaches to photograph, mountains to climb, hostel antics to gripe about and truly wondrous moments to be had.
I will be writing from a new perspective, that of solo-female traveller, something I feel truthfully terrified about. For an independent-minded person, I have gotten very used to having someone always around…
Taran too, is a little scared, and feels the same expected separation anxiety, but I know he will make the best of it all, and as usual, befriend people easily (he could find common ground with Donald Trump).
And on that note..
Thank you, to all whom have followed us these past 3 years, and I hope you all know that we are excited to share what comes next.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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Aussie Road Trip - Beauty Of The Outback
Thinking of venturing on an epic journey into the Australian outback? Check out some of the sights you could be seeing..
Aussie Road Trip - Beauty Of The Outback
Thinking of venturing on an epic journey into the Australian outback? Its a gigantic trip that requires some proper preparation, but the pay-off is experiencing untouched lands for as far as the eye can see, some insanely beautiful landscapes and some of the most famous landmarks in the world.
The rainy season in the outback can transform this red dry desert into a lush green oasis. Its still bloody hot though!
There are plenty of different routes to take depending on your desired end location, but be prepared to drive a couple thousand miles which ever way you go..
The emptiness of the outback can be extremely relaxing; you will lose track of days and suddenly the hours mean nothing, the only thing that matters is where the sun is located.
When the clouds make way for a clear night, the starry skies will blow you away.. Make sure you bring a camera for some long exposure photography!!
Coober Pedy is a small mining town in the outback which is famous for its rich stores of opal. The outskirts of the town a littered with open mines and their deposits sitting next to them. Be careful not to fall in one!
Massive 'Road Trains' dominate the outback highways and are quite something to see, especially if you get one overtake you..
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Watch out for car-eating-cows in the outback... they're almost as bad as the drop bears!
Pretty pink salt lakes can be found dotted around the landscape in South Eastern Australia. It can feel like your standing in a massive strawberry milkshake, if only it tasted like one!
After long stretches of dry desert lining each side of the road, hitting a coast line with a beautiful beach will be one of those moments you will remember forever. Run along the sand and jump into the sea and feel yourself instantly refreshed!
Rust buckets line the outback highways as if warning you of a potential fate awaiting your own car, just be sure to bring enough water and food in case you do break down!
If you don't see an Emu on your road-trip then your not looking hard enough! You will spot so many different birds in the outback, including massive eagles and of course the famed Emu which can normally be see in groups of 3/4, just be careful if you do spot one!
Crossing the Nullarbor can be a bore (it includes a road that is completely straight for 90 miles) but it includes some insane sights like the crumbling cliffs that are slowly returning the land to the sea bed.
And of course there is the jewel of the outback, Uluru. Yes its surrounded by controversy and crowded by tourists in the peak seasons, but when you see it with your own eyes it really does blow you away more than any photo can.
Ready for the land down under?!
So now you've seen a sneak peek of what the Australian outback has to offer, start planning your own road trip and get out there! Its an experience that will relax you to the core but also one that will push you to your limits. At the end of it you will have learnt how to survive on your own in one of the harshest environments on the planet.
If your interested in our road trip from Cairns to Perth here's a playlist of our vlogs:
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, forcing Hannah to do crazy things, and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know us here!
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A Minimalist Mindful Moment: 10 Things Challenge
The following few things could be deemed resolutions, but since I don't do that shit, they are generally realistic and hopeful intentions..
A Minimalist Mindful Moment: 10 Things Challenge
You made it. You are here. Another year has passed in your brief lifetime.
You are likely altered in some way, be it mood, attitude, outlook or personality.
Its reality that the world fundamentally changes around you, for better and for worse, despite your best intentions, or your inaction.
You are changed, carved into something different every year by the sharper edges of your life.
What do you seek?
Are you seeking the same thing you have sought for what feels like years?
How close are you to reaching the elusive subject of your obsession, your passion, your greatest hope, or even your greatest fear?
You are looking forward or looking up, wondering, if, how and when. Your mind's eye is consistently looking into some other reality, imagined or desired.
But how often are you looking around you?
How often are you absorbing the very environment you are surrounded by, the people within a touching distance, the achievements but a stone’s throw away?
How often do you observe your thoughts and reactions, instead of just letting them play out habitually?
I discover these questions and ask myself them, as I type them out and implore you to join me in switching up your thinking.
When you think of each facet of your daily life, be it your job or your routines, how do you feel?
For too long now in recent months, juggling the building blocks of my life, the elements which truthfully actually keep me afloat, alive and kicking, have appeared to me as albatrosses around my neck.
My short-term hospitality job, maintaining contact with my family in England, the challenge of travels ahead; they feel like weights instead of representing freedom. Freedom that I worked for, fought for and have maintained for two years now.
I advocate simplifying your life and yet I spend my days holding on tight to my painful and negative thinking habits.
I need to de-clutter my brain and massage my attitude.
I need to remember the function of literal minimalism, in my space and my things, and I need to visualize my mind as a place too, needing of a deep clean and some re-organisation.
Do you need to de-clutter your brain too?
The following few things could be deemed resolutions, but since I don't do that shit, they are generally realistic and hopeful intentions...
10 things I intend to do:
- Limit time spent on social media. I plan to monitor how much of my day is spent mindlessly absorbed in something that brings NOTHING, well at least very little, to my overall well-being. Too much scrolling of carefully crafted instagram's, banal tweets and repetitious Facebook adverts is taking me away from the important things that build my mental and physical health.
- Increase time spent talking to my friends and family. Stop using the excuse of being 'busy' to put off those emotions of missing home and feeling like I have to choose between one world, home, and another, the great unknown of travel, the slog of working and the pull of creativity.
- Watch more brain-food. A favourite relaxation pastime of mine is to watch Youtube, but I know that I am watching things akin to a soap opera; they bring me nothing but momentary distraction and escapism. They don't feed my brain, or my life. I plan to cut back and add in some more food for thought.
- Truly listen to inspiring people talk. I love words, writing, reading and speaking, but I too often don't let in the words of others who have something important and useful to say. I don't give them enough undivided attention. What I have to say, what I want to express, is only one side of a broader opportunity to grow and exchange inspiration in this life.
- Measure my daily achievements, not failures. I bought a 2017 diary weeks ago, and I couldn't wait to begin using it to map out my time, but instead of just noting the boring stuff, I am going to write down one brief line about what was so good about that day. Even if I didn't do something I fully intended to do, something I might have needed to do, the focus should be on what I did achieve.
- Let myself believe that things will be good, great even. I tend to live by the 'expect the worst, hope for the best' because I am always afraid. I am afraid something will go horribly wrong (a lovely symptom of my anxiety) or even worse, afraid it will be so amazing that no subsequent moment could compare. But this defence mechanism doesn't change anything or allow me to miraculously control the future, it simply means my outlook is more fraught and my energy low.
- Expand my mind about the world. Its a common reaction to our complex and challenging world to shy away from knowing things. But I want to know things. I get the bad, the sensational and the terror thrown in my face constantly, we all do, but I intend to seek out knowing things that empower me and will enable me to help myself and others.
- Dismiss the need to fill each moment of my day with productivity. The lofty hopes and ambitions of above are all good and well, but not every passing day has to be life-changing. I don't need to try and save the world 24/7, because holy shit, you gotta have some fun and some switch-off time.
- Embrace the parts of my day that threaten to ruin my mood. Work at 5pm? Great! another chance to build my savings for travels, to meet people, to make customers happy and to broaden my skill range. I need to flip my momentary negativity on its head and see it for the positivity it really is.
- Having less of a plan and not thinking ahead too much. This is truly a big one for me. I spend so much time thinking about how my current actions influence my future, down to the next day, week or month. Of course its a sensible way to be, but it also limits spontaneity and open-mindedness. It puts me in this little box where I limit myself for some distant goal instead of sucking the joy out of every day. It stops me pursuing friendships, fun and enjoying some of the fruits of my labours. You can plan ahead, but there's a healthy limit to forward-thinking and I aim to balance that.
So many new years resolutions fail because they are based on moving from point A to point Z with no regard for the part in-between.
Instead of envisioning a better or different future way down the line, or the accomplishment of some long-term goal, envision each day of the coming week.
Envision how today, right away, you can be different, feel different, better, if you pay some attention to cleansing your mind, the true home where things grow, build and come to life.
Come on this endeavour with me, and lets take a moment each week to check back in with one another, over on our minimalism newsletter list.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I love reading, the beach, proper fish and chips, and a good cup of tea. But I mostly like to chat about minimalism, simplifying your life, the beauty of travel and sometimes I get a bit deep. Get to know us here!
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The Problem With Hygge: A Minimalist Perspective
If you haven’t come across the Danish concept of Hygge, it's an emerging trend posited as an antidote to the trying times we find our society in.
The Problem with Hygge: A Minimalist Perspective
If you haven’t come across the Danish concept of Hygge, just as I hadn’t until about a week ago (I exist in a full-time working Australia bubble void of social media), it's an emerging trend posited as an antidote to the trying times we find our society in.
Based on carrying out daily routines around creating comfort, cosiness and extracting pleasure from the simpler moments of life, Hygge is gaining lots of attention across the blogging world and is increasingly penetrating popular media conversation.
Search the hashtag and you will find many quotes and imagery across social media with scenes of warmly filtered contentment.
On the surface it seems like a wholly common sense concept around cherishing time spent with family, friends and deriving inner relaxation and happiness from doing so.
Who would argue against that, or, simultaneously give it a hard-to pronounce name that basically means ‘Stuff that feels nice and is good’.
Is Hygge worthy of being a trending topic or a bestselling book? Is minimalism even worth the attention? Probably not, even if some of us could do with being reminded of the peace to be found in simplicity...
And yet many people are jumping onto Hygge and it’s taking on a life that might seem bigger than the actual concept at hand.
As soon as I became aware of it, I felt the need to wade in and understand it, and establish if it can bolster and complement minimalist principles, because on the surface it does feel like it might...
However so far I have found it actually has the potential to take you away from the true essence of minimalism, and yet also, bring you closer towards it…
Buying into Hygge
This article comments on how a crazy amount of lifestyle texts were published on how the Dane’s have cracked the life-code, all churned out in a short period of time, despite Hygge seemingly being something I could explain in 2 or 3 words.
This happening really does parallel the trend around minimalism, the lifestyle obsession predecessor of 2015/16.
I myself even contributed an e-book to the conversation because I think it’s a topic that everyone can have a different take on, or be on a different spot in the minimalist lifestyle spectrum.
Hygge seems a little too simple a concept to warrant you going out and buying 4-5 books on the topic. But people are. And the people who sell the stuff to the people who are, are using Hygge to sell more stuff, as that same article proffers.
I am not so cynical as to suggest that there isn’t some comfort to be found in having a warm quality cashmere blanket, or furnishing your home in a way that cultivates cosiness, but, as a minimalist, I am all about creating a simple and equally Hygge-like life that doesn’t require your debit card.
A More Relaxed Take on Simplicity
Hygge seems almost like a mild resistance to minimalism as opposed to an expansion of it.
So much of minimalism is about having less stuff, commitments, financial burdens and concerns to clear the decks of your mind and your life, so you can place people, love and growth at the centre.
Minimalism fundamentally means having less of the tangible, with the aim of building an entirely individual and intangible 'more'.
It’s possible however that some people would find the process of simplifying a period of extreme restriction and stressful change, with the subsequent need to alter the habits of a lifetime, not a very warm and pleasant experience at all.
For example, in my book, I talk about how to keep your home clutter-free and one of my suggestions, is a 5-minute blitz where each day you quickly tidy your spaces in 5 minutes. The goal is to make cleaning a short activity for those who really hate it or don’t have the time to clean for longer.
Some people might feel this isn’t a very Hygge concept, along with other clutter prevention methods that form much of minimalist thinking. Its possible a minimalist lifestyle can appear too disciplined or rigorous to be enjoyable.
I would however argue that Hygge, and those moments where life feels wholly pleasant and calm, can be the very end result of creating your more minimalist life and home.
A functioning simpler life requires some upkeep outside those hours where you might just drift off on the sofa with a good book.
Distracting The Masses
This article mentions the dark side of the seemingly light and wonderful rules behind Hygge living:
“The persistent quest for cosiness tends to deny the existence of anything that might ruin the mood, “the place where politics are set aside” — a dangerous state of being, when you think of the many things that do need to be discussed openly in 2016”.
This links back in my mind to how in my minimalism journey, I always viewed the transition as a way of rejecting capitalism and the manner in which is it used to distract the masses from the inherent problems endemic in our unbalanced society.
I wanted a simpler life, yes, but one that cared more about being part of a broader and wider social change, around environmentalism and other societal progress.
I actually see minimalism as an indulgent and privileged lifestyle concept just as much as it can be part of a wider more noble and aspirational movement.
Hygge seems problematic amidst that world-view.
Accounting for Individuality
A cosy moment or life experience is lived differently by all, just as minimalism can be adopted to differing degrees.
Hygge can be a complementary concept as long as we remember that the things which make us feel good inside can range from running 5k at 6am everyday, to attending a protest, to sleeping in in the morning and having breakfast in bed.
Hygge is fine, any popular lifestyle concept of late is fine, as long as we recognize that life is dark and light, good and bad, hard and easy.
We don’t all need to rush out and buy scented candles, giant blankets and a sack of fire-wood to cultivate moments of our day that make us feel alive, whole and at peace. We don't need to live in a way, 100% of the time, that excludes the truth and injustice of the world just to make our day a little more pleasant.
We don’t need to bandy the word around in our everyday vernacular, bashing people over the head with how badly they need to borrow the 4 books about it on our coffee table. And that can be applied to Hygge and minimalism...
Live as you wish and cultivate your own personal experience, as minimalist or Hygge as you desire, but think twice about advocating a set of basic principles with your debit card. Adopt the best of all these principles in their simplest form, setting aside time for self-care, home, and family, without leaving your social consciousness behind.
Thanks for reading!
Want more reads like this? You can now find Hannah in her own online space, Good Intentions. Minimalism, mindfulness, conscious living and self-love; all the good stuff centred around being kinder to yourself, and kinder to the world.
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Life Recently: Remembering Why We Are Here
How does it feel when travelling is supplanted by working, and you spend your day's a stones throw from paradise whilst you slave away to have the money to grasp it?
Life Recently: Remembering Why We Are Here
Confession: I am really struggling to write this blog post. I have struggled with every post that I have begun writing in the past fortnight.
Every touch of a key is like completing a press-up. And I hate working out, Taran will tell you that.
In the past few weeks I have struggled to focus my time, my brain and my energy into anything other than working and saving, and the subsequent relaxing before and after.
I guess its like a throwback to my life of a few years ago, where it was all work, very little play and a lot of decompressing. There was little room for creativity or the mental capacity to express myself.
I lamented my frustration to a friend the other day, of how something I love as much as this blog has suddenly become an albatross around my neck. He very wisely responded with 'You can't really maintain a travel blog when you are not actually travelling', and he's right.
You don't feel like sharing the duller moments.
When you travel you have lots of free time, much of it filled with fun, excitement and relaxation. You cannot wait to share photos and stories, and we especially love doing so here on the blog and on our YouTube channel.
When you stop travelling to earn the money you need to travel some more, you undoubtedly lose momentum in general, let alone in the maintenance of a travel blog.
The sad thing is however, a life where you work more than you play is the reality for the vast majority of people I know. One day that may be my reality too. And in fact, its a reality I embrace the prospect of when I imagine doing a job I love or building on the next phase of my life.
But I still wonder, what will happen then, to my fundamental need to express, create, write and tell stories?
Will it fall by the way-side, taking my mood with it, like it has in recent weeks?
Will I sit wondering why I feel so flat, low and am endlessly seeking distraction, all the while knowing deep down, that it's because my hearts true creative desires are being quashed?
Having this conversation with you all takes me back to this post, where someone else so acutely and keenly summarized my feelings and I expanded on the point around not letting your job or need to work define you or how your life transpires.
But I made the big life change, I quit the job and left home, travelled some, and soon learned that I had chosen an exceedingly expensive country to spend 2 years in and so would spend much of that time working to support the lifestyle...
Caring a little bit less
As people we constantly chase time. We are acutely aware of each passing hour of each passing day because we always have to be somewhere, or complete some timely task. We live and die by the clock.
But just once and a while we need to care a little less about the things which seem so big and important, and stop perceiving them as so set in stone that we lose all sight of our inner truth.
I need to do this. I need to do it now, I need to do it in the future, when I have to stop and work again to support the travelling I so dream of doing.
I need to accept that there is no true relaxation, without hard work first. There is no freedom and abandonment of convention without adhering to it for a while first too.
I need to sweat the small stuff less, remember the bigger picture, and see myself as being in control, not beholden to some horrible boss or hectic schedule, because these things do not have to be forever, not for me, or you.
Am I saying that I'm unhappy?
No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that I have itchy feet.
I never stop feeling the wanderlust even when the comfort of building a temporary home feels like a welcome respite from the constant movement.
I might feel relief at a steady income and a sense of financial security, but it isn't the feeling I chase, merely one I enjoy all the while knowing that I cannot wait to use those hard-earned wages to create more memories.
I need to always remember why we are here. We all need to remember why it is that we get out of bed each morning.
We have to place the pursuits and the people that bring us joy at the centre of the free time we do have.
We have to practise self-care before we practise chastisement, for feeling as if we aren't giving 110% to every facet of our complex lives.
We must try and grasp at our passions like balloons threatening to fly away forever, because whilst it feels hard, like a press-up for instance, it is the only thing that matters.
No matter if you're job demands the best of you, it isn't the best part of you and it doesn't mean more than your hopes, dreams or instinctive psychological needs.
I remember why we came here.
I know why when I look up at the green palms blowing against the backdrop of a pure aqua sky.
I know why when I laugh at something somebody has said, a somebody I never would have met if I never came here.
I know why when I realize that I might be a little bit lost, and in the mindset of searching, but where there's exploration and curiosity, there's always possibility.
Here's an insight into what we've been up to recently:
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
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Exploring The Great Barrier Reef - Fitzroy Island
Cairns is famous for the Great Barrier Reef where you can snorkel and dive with turtles and sharks. Bonus to this are a range of stunning...
Exploring The Great Barrier Reef - Fitzroy Island
Weeks of working hard have passed by in a blur. We decided we needed to stop the never-ending carousel and do something fun with some of our hard-earned wages and occasional day's off.
Cairns is famous for the Great Barrier Reef where you can snorkel and dive with turtles and sharks. Bonus to this are a range of stunning islands, a short hop from the city by boat.
Fitzroy Island is home to a resort, a restaurant, with beach hire and water-sports too, as well as some relaxed and safe swimming and snorkelling in the warm spring waters.
On the boat ride over we decided places like Fitzroy are why England just kinda sucks, and why people out here are so abundantly fortunate, because they can just jump on a boat and head out to what some would view as an absolute paradise, on the drop of their wide-brimmed hat.
Being able to explore this small exotic gem is one reason why the tropical North of Queensland is definitely worth a longer stay.
We travelled to the island with locally owned Raging Thunder, who offer a range of packages from a basic island transfer to inclusions for snorkelling, lunch and a glass bottom boat tour.
A fun tour with a medium-sized boat, the island didn't feel too overcrowded in the morning, and so we explored the stunning Nudey Beach, where the water is ridiculously clear and inviting.
We snorkelled here briefly but found the better snorkelling to be had was at the more sheltered Welcome Bay where the main hub of activity is.
The water here is stiller, yet the coral beds are still easy to reach, just a few feet from the shoreline.
There is also an awesome floating trampoline in Welcome bay, free to use for Raging Thunder customers throughout the day. You'll find yourself swimming out to it and practising your flips in no time!
The last 2 months have felt great in terms of progressing in our savings goals as well as making new friendships and sampling life in yet another part of Australia, and this was just one aspect of that.
At times our recent busy schedules have made the real beauty and fun of travel feel like a distant memory, and we hoped we could spend this day recuperating from all the crazy-ness, and we did just that.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
Two Girls, 48 States & Zero Money
It may sound like the next viral reaction video, but this is in fact a triumph for the free travel movement!
Two Girls, 48 States Of America & Zero Money
This guest post is brought to you by Sarah and Lilly of Pretenniless, 2 ladies from the UK who just finished an adventure travelling all 48 mainland US states without spending a single cent. Not a penny. Spending 20 weeks on this major challenge, they are here today to answer their most asked questions!
So what was your trip all about?
We called the trip Pretenniless: meaning Pretend Penniless.
The challenge? To step foot in all 48 mainland US states without spending a single cent (on anything – food, travel, accommodation, ANYTHING!) along the way.
Did it work as you planned?
In terms of a route, that’s gone swimmingly as we’ve completed all 48 and made it back to Boston in time for our flight home. Food wise? That worked out a little differently. We were expecting mostly to be dumpster diving for our food, but as it turned out there are far more resources available than we realized, and plenty of opportunities to volunteer, ask for and scavenge leftovers *before* they hit the dumpster!
Expectation versus reality?
To be honest, we had no idea what to expect. It could easily have gone either way – five months of fun or five months of starvation. We had nightmares about both.
We’ve definitely found that when we first started, and definitely in the planning stages, we’d looked at the trip as a big picture, rather than drilling down to the day by day, hour by hour stuff. Reality hit us pretty hard when day one came around and we were starving with no idea where to even begin finding food! Luckily we’re quick learners.
What were the biggest Challenges?
The F word again…FOOD. Not having it, not being able to choose it, having to ration it… We’re definitely looking forward to food not being the number one thing on our mind. We really underestimated the power of a good meal when we started, and it’s crazy how quickly you get hungry again, even when it feels like you just ate a few hours ago…
Another challenge was us, and our ability to work as a team. Especially when hungry, or tired, or just plain in a bad mood, we had to keep the challenge in focus and not let the little things get in the way. Luckily we are both fairly patient, flexible people, and equally determined to succeed, so we found it easier with each other. Neither of us know anyone else we would have been able to do the trip with!
Best Experience?
We get asked this a lot and the answer has always ended up being the same…South Dakota! We were lugging our bags up a road – not even hitch hiking yet – in Rapid City when a woman pulled over in front of us. “What are you doing in this heat? You can’t be walking with those bags!” We explained our story, and that we were walking to the main road in order to hitch hike to Mount Rushmore. “Okay well if you come help me unload my shopping – I’ve hurt my neck – I’ll take you over to Mount Rushmore. I live in that direction.” Yes!
In the car we learnt her name was Angie, and she was one of the most loving, kind and open-hearted people either of us had ever met. Arriving at her ranch in the foothills of the Black Hills of South Dakota she explained that she had hand built it with her late husband: a beautiful wooden building with huge windows and a porch that overlooked an immense view of the hills and valley below. She asked if we would like to stay the night with her and, reluctantly, we said we were on a mission to go to the open day of an eco-village the next day, and would miss it if we stayed over. She dropped us at Mount Rushmore with all of our belongings and we sadly said goodbye and watched her drive away.
WHAT ARE WE DOING?! We looked at each other and instantly knew we were thinking the same thing – we HAVE to stay with this amazing woman! Screw the eco-village! Here we were with the offer to stay with and get to know this amazing woman in her beautiful home, and we were passing it off to see an eco-village that we might not even hitch hike to in time for the 1pm deadline. We text her to say we’d changed our mind, and she text back “YAY!”.
Back in her car, after we got over our excitement, she asked us the one thing we would do in the area if we were able to spend money. We explained that on the way to Rapid City we had driven along the edge of the Badlands, and, being the kind of people who like nature over anything urban, we had been longing to see them. Without a second thought she then outlined the plan for the day: she would drive to the gas station and fill her car, we would drop her at home and pick up snacks and drinks, and Lilly and I would take her car to the Badlands for the rest of the day to explore. We couldn’t believe our luck, and her generosity. She even told us to text her when we were on our way home and she would put dinner on. That evening, after an incredible day, we ate dinner and drank hard lemonade on the porch, watching lightning roll in through the clouds.
What made this our favourite experience was only partly the generosity shown from Angie – the rest came from her. We talked a lot throughout the day and evening and what struck us was a woman who had been through a lot, yet had come out the other side with a belief in love and life and people. Through everything that had happened she would be totally forgiven for being bitter or resentful or resigned to feeling like a victim, but instead it truly seemed to have brought out her strength, and ability to step back and recognize the good things over the bad. She was really an inspiration to us both.
Share an anecdote that isn’t on your blog…
When we were in Kansas City we stayed with a couchsurfing host, Brett, and his housemate Hunter. They had a lovely dog called Sasha. This lovely dog called Sasha was one of those dogs who would eat anything left out, so we made sure to close the door to our bedroom – where our food was stored – when we went out for the day. Unfortunately Sasha also seems to have opposable thumbs…
Whilst out, Sasha opened our door and helped herself to our – by this point in the journey – ample food supply, eating an entire jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread and around 10 protein bars. It was a little hard not to shed a tear when we thought of that hard work that had gone into getting that food and rationing it, whilst Sasha grinned and wagged her tail amidst the wrappers. Hunter felt awful and gave us $20 to replace the food, but we couldn’t bring ourselves to spend it (was it cheating?! Could we live without it?) so we didn’t. Suffice to say we received a text from Brett the next day that Sasha had seen the error of her ways after a night of shitting and vomiting out protein-y chocolate.
(NB: This wasn’t the first, or the last, time we were given money on our trip and we will be donating all to suitable US charities on our return to England!)
How would someone go about doing it themself?
We’ve put this in a bullet point list, as there’s a lot of important things to remember should you want to do this trip yourself:
BE FLEXIBLE
Put it this way – Lilly started out this trip as a vegetarian before she realized she might starve to death. Beggars can’t be choosers. We’ve slept on benches, eaten half munched wraps off the floor and been able to quickly accept when a plan or a chosen route isn’t going to work out. You have to be able to adapt to whatever is thrown at you. On this note…
BE RESOURCEFUL
When the plan changes last minute, you don’t always much time to find accommodation or a meal. Know where to look for things – like Craigslist, Couchsurfing, Starbucks for free internet, Urban Outfitters for free dry shampoo – and keep them in mind for quick use. That said…
BE CREATIVE
There’s lots of things out there designed to help on this type of trip, but there’s also lots of things that help accidentally. Be creative in how you look at things and use things. We used the cloakroom at Macy’s to store our big bags when we wanted to explore New York City, and Tinder came massively in handy when we needed a place to stay in Santa Barbara…!
BE DETERMINED
Don’t give up. There is always another option, and no that option is not to send nudes to a trucker on Craigslist in return for a ride. There is ALWAYS another option, even if it means changing your plan, or your route, or your destination.
We’ve got a resources list on our blog that goes into more detail, so check it out ✌
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
The Honest Guide To Hostel Etiquette
Are you keen on the prospect of waking up every day beside 10 other people? You saucy thing you...
The Honest Guide To Hostel Etiquette
Are you keen on the prospect of waking up every day beside 10 other people? You saucy thing you.
Okay, well would you mind being woken at 4am by the piercing brightness of a phone torch?
How would you like having to go the bathroom every time you wish to change your outfit?
And is it a dream of yours to listen to the snoring (and other ablutions) of not just one, but maybe 2, 3, 4 or 8 strangers?
Well then my friend, hostel dorm living is for you!
It's not all bad though....
Do you also like the prospect of having good, empathetic company, when you want it, and alone time when you need it?
Do you like sharing your stories and life experiences with like-minded individuals?
Well then, yet again, hostel living will bring something uniquely awesome to your travelling life.
For all the up's and downs, nuisances and annoyances that hostel life can bring, we have still contentedly lived in the same hostel for over a month now, and it truly has become home.
Some people hate every moment of not having their own space or being surrounded by people coming and going at all hours, but after 4 months in a somewhat lonely house-share in Noosa, we are firmly not in the hostel hate camp.
We have a unique situation here in Cairns in that we work for our accommodation; we get free access to everything in our well-equipped hostel in return for 4 hours work every other day. We might currently sleep in separate bunks, an interesting scenario for a couple...but we still feel like we are getting extremely good value for our small contribution of time.
Beyond the financial aspect of getting free or cheaper accommodation, and the logistics of having everything we would have in a house-share (and then some) its also just pretty darn cool.
You meet so many people who you bond with, or can just share a chat with when you want to. There are nights out that you don't feel obligated to go along on, but you'll be welcomed openly if you do.
There's a social atmosphere but no associated pressure or judgement; you truly can be yourself, do your own thing but also stave off homesickness or loneliness if you need to.
On the flip-side of all this, you certainly have to practise tolerance for the different levels of inconsiderate behaviour you will undoubtedly encounter.
When you put 50+ people in a smallish space you are going to get irritated by the differing habits of others, but in trying to be a bit more understanding of my fellow travellers, I have a few tips for how to counter the moments where you want to commit a sass attack on someone who's doing an iphone light-show in your pitch-black dorm at 4.25 am (yep, it's happened, more than once).
The Basics
If you have never ever stayed in a hostel before, most of them are very similar in culture but often different in vibe.
The main two types you will come across are the party hostel, and the non-party smaller and cosier hostel that is still cultivating of a social atmosphere, and this type is our favourite.
To name just one like this in Australia, there's the Flying Fox in the Blue Mountains, which had pasta nights and a cosy sitting room with a 3 hour internet ban each evening to encourage social interaction which led to some hilarious conversation and games.
Our current hostel, Globetrotters in Cairns, doesn't go so far as to cut the internet cord but still cultivates a warm and homely atmosphere that makes people not want to leave.
Its TV/gaming area, sofas, pool garden, hammocks, quiz night and free BBQ/daily breakfast are all part of its appeal; its attention to these details of comfort are the secret to its success above the more party-oriented hostels in the clubbing mecca of Cairns.
Free BBQ!! They even include some vege stuff for us :D
Somewhere along the way you will find hostels with very little personality, well-run but often too big or tightly managed to feel like a home.
You will also find the hostels where cleanliness hasn't been made top priority and you feel dirtier after you shower than when you went in...
Checking In
When you check into a hostel you may need to hand over a deposit for your room key and also for basic utensils to cook with, and then in others you will find a fully-stocked kitchen heavily reliant on a guest trust system.
Many hostels have a free-for-all on fridge space and you find yourself squeezing your overflowing food bag into any free gap only for it to be moved by someone.
Our current hostel has a pretty cool system of having fridge lockers which mean your food is far more secure and yet easier to access when you need to.
Quite often hostel receptions have specific check-out and check-in hours and many do not have 24-hour receptions meaning its wise to research these things ahead of rocking up to a hostel door at 6am or trying to check out at a similarly early hour.
Security
It's always wise to make use of hostel lockers, so be sure to bring along a couple of your own locks, but if your hostel doesn't have these, then make sure you put your valuables out of sight, possibly locked away in your backpack under your bed.
If things are out of sight then of course you will detract the opportunist thief but it will give you piece of mind when you leave your room to go out for the day.
When it comes to food, the same idea applies, in that if you don't want a human or ant or cockroach to feast on your banana, keep it bagged up and out of reach. Often though, especially in fridges in kitchens far away from your dorm room, you might be the target of a thief, and they might just go for your new fresh nob of butter (not that I'm holding a grudge or anything...).
Short of putting locks even on your fridge bag, the best thing is to label all your food items clearly and then tie them up in a labelled bag. If your food has your name on it in big black marker pen it's going to dissuade the cheeky ones who will openly use stolen goods in the kitchen.
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Late Nights
Some hostels have a strict policy against all noise/ in-hostel drinking at night and the threat of being ejected for being too rowdy is always there.
Our current hostel has a night manager throughout the evening so things are kept a close eye on, but some hostels we've stayed at before have let people run riot in the corridors and keep everyone awake all night; that's a frustrating and expensive night of absolutely zero sleep we've had the privilege to experience more than a few times.
Pro tip, eye masks and ear-plugs, but also be sure to read hostel reviews before you visit them as commenters will remark on if that hostel is a good one for sleeping or for partying.
Cooking
So as I mentioned earlier, many hostels require a deposit for utensils and others rely on a trust system of you using their stuff, cleaning it and not pilfering the silver-wear...
When we cook we always keep our stuff together and try not to sprawl out on the kitchen-side and put off anyone else wanting to cook; this isn't your own home, even if it sometimes feels like it, so don't act as if there's no-one else also paying for use the facilities.
Take your food scraps out of the sink after you wash-up, wipe the side down and don't let your milk leak in the fridge!
You might argue that hardly anyone else abides by these courtesies but in hostels you can very much lead by example; the dirtiest kitchens we saw were down to one person after another not doing even a cursory post-cooking clean and so nobody else wanted to either.
Showering
At home you might have favoured 10 minutes standing under the shower before you even began to wash your hair but if you do that in a busy hostel, you are gonna annoy people.
Many hostels suggest you stick to 5 minute showers which aren't always realistic but we try and aim to be done quick some days and then maybe have a longer shower another day, which is especially important in a dorm where 10 people are sharing one shower.
Don't leave behind your shower gels and shampoos for the next person to trip over (or nick) and grab those dirty undies too!
Luggage
Some travellers are content with one big backpack and a smaller bag which they can neatly squirrel under their bed, and then other travellers prefer 4-5 bags, and it's all good, we are all entitled to do our thing!
However, a dorm is not a walk in wardrobe as many think it is...it is a shared space where people don't want to have to side-step your case in the middle of the walk-way.
Its cool if you have a ton of stuff, just try to keep it to one zone and respect the personal space of others.
That's our room, the staff dorm. Our beds are the two in the centre. Taran on top, Hannah on the bottom...It looks cluttered but its kept tidy and clean!
Social Life
The best part about hostel life is of course the people you meet. There's an automatic common ground among the different nationalities and personalities in the melting pot of a hostel which makes it easy to talk and have fun.
There's definitely the feeling of all being in the same boat, doing similar trips and excursions and often living off noodles when your out of work, spending hours attached to a laptop trying to change that situation, and then of course the nights out where the drinks help bond you even further.
The only difficult aspect of this is that people constantly move on and leave, sometimes before you can get to know each other, and sometimes just as you've truly forged a relationship.
Thanks to Facebook and Instagram, its not like all contact will be lost, and you can still observe each others travels and lives from afar, but it still feels sad at the time.
Eventually you do get more used to the goodbyes which come as often as the hello's, and over time I think it makes you a more open, friendly and compassionate individual, which almost makes the wrench of constant change a worthwhile part of hostel life.
All of the above advice boils down to: don't be a rude idiot with no self-awareness...
I get that many people travelling for the first time don't set out to be the annoying or ignorant hostel guest; for some its a hard balance of being comfortable and yourself in a hostel space, whilst also remembering that you aren't in your own home or bedroom where your own rules apply.
We have found over time that you definitely don't have to live in a state of unease amidst concerns over all the above hostel issues, and eventually you will learn how to happily cohabit with a building full of different people to the point that you feel no desire to leave.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
8 Must-Know Minimalist Camping Tips
Camping a lot over the past year and half has taught us some valuable tips for how to travel comfortably yet with minimal gear.
8 Must-Know Minimalist Camping Tips
As nomadic minimalists, we prides ourselves on travelling light; for the sake our backs and our budget.
But you may wonder how on earth do we camp, despite not owning a vehicle of any type, and travelling often via hitch-hiking?
During our 2 years in Australia, when we have set-up home in a hostel or a house-share, we do gain a few more kitchen/cooking items and other random living things, which we promptly ditch and donate when we move on again.
We accept that there will be some amount of pain involved in lugging around our entire lives plus our home (a 2 berth tent) plus an inflatable bed (and pump), but we try to make it as easy as we can.
In the UK, we camped a lot, and thankfully we had a car to fill with kitchen-ware and other gear, but it always felt like a such a task preparing all the stuff, ticking off check-lists and ultimately feeling weighed down, when camping was supposed to be a simpler and cheaper way to experience travel.
Over the last 2 years traversing the East Coast of Australia we have picked up invaluable knowledge on how it is certainly possible to camp, without a car, as a frugal and nomadic minimalist.
The two main fundamentals are: having a comfortable tent, and the baggage room to carry your accessories.
Its not about adding lots of separate bulky baggage and thus needing another two arms attached to your body in order to get from place to place.
These 8 minimalist camping tips will help you travel and camp without the aid of a vehicle and without completely sacrificing comfort!
DON'T PICK A TENT TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL
We made the initial error of purchasing a quality tent which also happened to be the size of a coffin when you insert two people and their two rather large backpacks. The tent was very much designed for short-term hiking, not potential week-long camping stays.
We returned this one, purchased a slightly larger tent, and have never looked back.
With our bed inside there is still room at the foot for your shoes etc plus a small separate zipped compartment for other items.
I still occasionally lust after tents with more stand-up room but they are so much larger and heavier, when really you will only use that headroom a when entering/exiting the tent.
Don't try to save weight by buying a tiny tent, or add tent room by buying a bigger one;go for the tent that you can happily sleep in or sit in during bad weather.
We found out the hard way by spending a week in this 'coffin'...
CARRY GROUND-SHEETS
We have had a couple of incredibly annoying incidents where the ground water seeped through our tent and not only damaged the bottom of it, but also made everything inside super wet. This is pretty uncomfortable to deal with when you are already tolerating bad weather during a camping session and so you need to keep the tent as dry inside as possible.
We carry two tarpaulins which just about cover the tent's footprint. We place both underneath covering the length and width of the tent, with a little poking out the front to leave our shoes on throughout the day. It keeps the tent base cleaner, protected from the various terrains we pitch on.
However this has in the past created some pooling which has made the tent wetter inside than it might have been without the tarp, as our floor material is a thin and non-waterproof material...in this scenario, where the ground is hard/concrete (and thus has minimal drainage) you might want to skip ground-sheets.
You could also use the tarp as the base for a cooking or picnic area outside your tent if the weather or ground is dry.
These tarp's easily roll-up and attach to the outsides of our bags and due to their small size, they really do not add extra weight.
When you invest in a decent tent, naturally you want to protect it, and so we really recommend this tip in order to maintain the integrity of your new home.
CONSIDER WHERE THE SUN WILL RISE
Australia is unsurprisingly hot, and as soon as that bad boy rises in the morning, your tent will become an oven, which can make a nice leisurely lie-in an impossibility.
We don't necessarily select a shaded spot from the get-go, but instead, we consider the path of the sun and where it will rise in the morning and try to cook us.
To help you do this you can actually download an app onto your phone, and we specifically use Starchart which you can hold up and fast-forward the clock on it to see where the sun will rise the coming morning!
The great thing about camping is often the pattern you fall into of sleeping as the sun sets and waking when it comes up, but let's be real, you won't always feel like seeing every single sun-rise.
TRAVEL WITH MINIMAL FOOD
We tend to rely on buying our meal supplies in the local area in which we camp, so we tend to steer away from carry oodles of fresh ingredients. We do however carry dried foods (pasta/rice/noodles) and sauce sachets, in the event of getting to our campsite at night and needing an easy meal to prep.
We don't carry heavy items like olive oil (we often borrow fellow campers) or bulky items like cereal. We carry all of our foods in a re-usable fabric shopping bag (just from the local supermarket) and so we have to be selective about what snacks we carry. We tend to favour snack bars, banana's and packs of multiples like crackers or nuts.
Be prepared to go without your absolute favourite foods each day, and try to buy smaller portions of fruit/veg as these don't fair too great being taken in and out the fridge (plus they are often heavy).
USE COMBINATION LOCKS
You will never regret carrying a couple of these babies around, not only handy for when you are staying in a hostel without personal lockers (or with them) but for when you are leaving your tent unattended all day.
We tend to lock up valuables in one of our big backpacks when we head out, and we also lock the zipper on the tent with a 2nd combi-lock.
It might seem extreme and also utterly pointless as any determined thief will rip through the mesh to get to the goods, but, in many places you feel safe or comfortable enough to leave valuables in your tent around other campers, and so this is merely for piece of mind.
I do have some trust in those around me but I still cover my own back and deter the opportunist or nosey!
UTILIZE CAMP KITCHENS
Many proper camp-sites in Australia will have a camp kitchen for tent campers, often equipped with a fridge, cooker and basic other items like a kettle and toaster, possibly even some utensils.
If you are tempted to carry a camp-stove, several gas refills etc be aware that you may end up just using these kitchens and render those other heavy and bulky items useless.
MAKE USE OF CARABINER CLIPS
This is just a general tip for carrying backpacks and extra gear but we love to use these to help attach our tent and other specific camping bits onto our packs.
Handy for attaching sleeping bags, tarps and even a snorkel kit, these maximize the external surface area of your large backpack.
HAVE A SPARE BLANKET
You probably think this kind of bulk negates the whole minimal camping idea, but, Australia does get chilly from time to time, and even a warm day can turn cold with a swift breeze, so you will benefit from carrying a lightweight blanket in addition to your sleeping bags.
This can surely beat carrying several hoodies/jumpers, thick socks, joggers and other bulky items, or so we have found!
This is useful for multiple purposes, as either a throw over for sitting around the fire, or it can be rolled up as an extra pillow. We found that some nights we were so cold in our tent it was great to have something to wrap up in to make a quick trip to the bathroom, or to pull over the top of our thin sleeping bags.
The reality is that camping can be, shall we say, stressful for a couple whom spend all day, every day in one another's company.
Many miles from home, sharing a tiny space with your other half 24/7, is the struggling part of camping that you cannot minimize.
Nonetheless we try not to get too angry at the little things and not worry over the small stuff, like sand in the tent, or mess, or a less than stellar washing up job.
The beauty of camping is in the relative freedom of being to create your own private little home in a matter of minutes, in a myriad of different and beautiful settings. Plus the budget savvy nomadic minimalist is always looking for ways to get close to nature and in the thick of the travel atmosphere without it costing too much.
We do try to balance out our trip with hostel stays, couch-surfing and air b'n'b's along the way to prevent all out war occurring however!
Camping can be such a bonding and relaxing experience if you focus on enjoying the sunrise waking, the animals sniffing around at 3am, the birdsong and the fresh air moving through your tent that beats any air-con.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
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We Are All Human: Finding Peace In A Troubled World
Sitting and wondering about our origins, marvelling at the world and space, is something which makes all the horrendous wars and acts of selfish violence, seem so incredibly irrelevant.
We Are All Human: Finding Peace In A Troubled World
*This post, originally published in 2014, has been slightly updated to reflect recent current events and in 2016 its message remains very apt*
In 2014, Taran and I watched the BBC series, Human Universe, which follows Professor Brian Cox (a famous English physicist and now TV guy) discussing the origins of the human race, our evolution from 'ape-man to spaceman', and how remote communities in Ethiopia are where it all began.
Asides from being generally interesting, talking about how the primate evolved into the humans of today, and how our brain's have enlarged yet the capacity has remained the same for thousands of years etc, it also got me thinking a bit deeply about the state of affairs in our current world.
The horrid awfulness and remarkable inequality that is occurring out there is something I ended up dwelling on when I could of just been thinking "oh monkey, monkeys are cute. Look at Brian's wrinkle-free face. I love him".
Alas I decided to get all angry and confused.
I personally feel fortunate for being relatively untouched by many of the worst things happening daily, when so many others are in the thick of it, losing their homes, families, lives.
But it is a sad truth; many nasty things are happening in the world, but they always have and they always will.
The same old, same old.
We haven't always been faced with such horror; cowering in fear of international terrorists, facing an uncertain future, surrounded by complex conflict. Oh wait, we did that, during the cold war.
Society moves in cycles of war, resolution, and new beginnings.
Going back many moons ago there were different threats; we were scared of Spanish flu (rightly so in retrospect) and witchcraft (not so justified), but the bigger society has become, the more a climate of fear we enter into.
Is it because the world is scarier? Well, somewhat. But more now than ever before, it appears and feels a lot scarier.
Social media and communication technology break down geographical borders but also remove any camouflage; today's world does not support living in ignorant bliss. It does however lead to a raft of new conversations, debates and disagreements around how the world should be run; it simultaneously motivates the liberal and bolsters the conservative.
Emotion is what underpins much of these debates, from fear, that turns to hate that becomes harmful words and actions. Donald Trump is a product of this kind of terrified and illogical society.
Going back to the start.
Let's go back in time a bit, to the days Brian Cox talks about, the very dawn of our existence, when we were living basic lives which were based around literally making it one day to the next.
We would have faced human conflict on a far smaller scale, but we also would have been seeking the best way to survive by co-existing, sharing skill-sets and forming relationships.
We sought out ways to grow and thrive, and we did.
But fast-forward to now and it's evident, with evolving comes a whole host of complication.
Sitting and wondering about our origins, marvelling at the world and space, is something which makes all the horrendous wars and acts of selfish violence, seem so incredibly small, pointless and utterly devoid of meaning.
The average citizen wants to lead an uncomplicated life with love at the center, but then whole swathes of those people have to contend with war, poverty, famine, terrorism, displacement and then, the fear and prejudice of others, often those they aspire to live alongside and share in their relative comfort.
When we desire to malign and curtail the simple desire of those who want a chance at happiness and safety in their brief lifetime upon this earth, we are, for want of a better phrase, being fucking assholes.
When we do so due to religious differences or racial ignorance, we are being uneducated fearful assholes.
Imagine all the people, living life in peace.
The lyrical articulation of this vision that I have, from the late and very great John Lennon, is one of complete simplicity, a fact I do recognize.
So call me naive and simplistic if you wish.
Maybe I see the world from a comfortable and safe place, and so the ugliness can seem nonsensical and pointless to me; I am not directly experiencing and witnessing what goes on in war-torn cities, so of course I can't relate to it or fully understand it.
I am not religious so I am not laying down my life to fight for some imagined almighty. I am not taking a weapon in my hands to defend myself or those I love.
I am not one of the victims of the worst atrocities that others in my privileged position are inflicting pain upon, actions informed by complex dysfunction.
I am simply not right amongst the troubles in the world but they are close and sometimes they feel like they are only getting closer.
For only so long can the world place importance on something other than fixing the inherent problems killing its people in all corners, not the just the white or rich ones.
The only solution
When looking at the world from the eyes of an innocent and inquisitive child, who stares at the night-sky, enchanted, we step back in time, to what the very first humans did . A child (whether today or 200,000 years ago), isn't born accustomed to tragedy and complication, it simply wishes to live, learn, grow and love.
All of us deeply seek contentment and should seek for all those around us.
Many of us are watching from the sidelines, powerless and at the same time powerful. If we live our lives positively and consciously, then that's how we create power and influence. That's how generations before us have nudged along progress and sought to keep good winning over evil.
In truth, the battle between good and bad is entirely within the individual and the choices they make each and every day.
To judge, or to try to understand?
To discriminate or to treat everyone as our equals?
To recognize the humanity in a stranger like we would in the eyes of our own children, or to focus on only our own self-interest?
Seeing the beauty of the world and embracing that, not hatred, racism, conflict, religious extremism and political quarrels, is the only way to live out your life with authenticity.
If you believe you can achieve contentment and fulfilment whilst ignoring your role in the destiny of other people's happiness, well, I don't see you ever getting there.
We must endeavour to be aware and educated, on many topics, and be aware of how we can make a difference to the world.
Short of giving our whole lives in the pursuit of a sustainable and eco-friendly world, or 'world peace' or an end to world hunger, it takes more than just one person to fix things, but it's a good place to begin.
Care, and speak up about why everyone around you should to.
Seek to understand that which frightens you, instead of destroying or imprisoning it (or them).
For me personally, I want travel to mean more than just sleeping and eating in different countries. I want travel to help me live this way wholeheartedly.
Leaving my physical comfort zone I want to know the places and the people I share this planet with. I want to share in the universal human experience.
Experiencing travel may be a selfish thing, only available to the privileged, which mostly fulfils your own happiness and focuses on your own self-development. Yet when we engage with different cultures, we are closer to supporting those who need us, and we are no longer simply living each day in a safe bubble, ignoring those far-away communities we consider alien.
It's a unifying force, travelling.
I am in a privileged position with access to money, education and thus travel. But anyone, absolutely ANYONE, in any circumstance, can acknowledge how special and insane our existence is, and appreciate that our time on this planet is far too short to fill with misery.
To try and lead a happy life is not to ignore the pain of others, it is to embrace others but also the beauty that is found in every forest, on every coastline, in every ancient ruin.
True and selfless happiness is found in looking to the past, living in (and cultivating) the present and making a better future.
Witnessing and taking in all that makes us human and all that makes this world so spectacular, is to pay respect to all those who came before us and pave the way for all those yet to arrive.
Travel (and live) with heart and give your time, love and thought to the world, in whatever way you can, because at our core, us humans are good, and we all have the same capacity for love; it can always be found, tended to and it can grow, as fast as any conflict; we are our own worst enemy but also our only saving grace.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
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Cairns: A Different Kind of Settled Life
After a few weeks of breaking free from the routine of our house-share in Noosa and travelling once again, we...
Cairns Life: A Different Kind of Settled Life
After a few weeks of breaking free from the routine of our house-share in Noosa and travelling once again, we have already found ourselves settled, but this time, in the tropical North, in Cairns.
We did the whole camper-van-trip to explore Cape Tribulation and the Daintree Rainforest (both beautiful), eventually bringing our weary selves back to a hostel in Cairns to chill, armed with some of our best photographs (and memories).
An awesome Daintree sunset!
We didn't just stop for a few short days of rest however. What we ended up doing was joining a waiting list to get work for accommodation in a homely hostel called Globetrotters, and soon, began applying for paid jobs too.
Here we are 2 weeks later, and I've struck lucky already securing a job relatively quickly, and we also both now happily work in the hostel to pay for our beds.
Money, for once, isn't horrifically tight. In Noosa, because we were working and paying rent we had less margin for frivolous spending, or even just minor treats, which we have definitely been able to relax on whilst in Cairns.
Taran recently had his birthday, and I treated him to pizza at a traditional Italian restaurant, and then the next day, we took a ride on a jet-boat which was surprisingly fun and super invigorating.
Yes, we have very swiftly found ourselves establishing a repetitive routine of living, fixed to one place, but we have chosen to do this in a bustling hostel, where many other travellers have made a comfortable home. We have set up a new temporary base in an environment where we feel connected, in-touch with others, in a way that was sorely lacking in Noosa.
We have chosen a city that offers easy access to lots of outdoor activities and trips. If we hadn't already ventured into the Atherton Tablelands or traversed the Rainforest, we could easily do so, or if we want, we can do it again.
Just a few steps out of our hostel and we can walk along the busy esplanade, enjoy the surrounding green mountains, observe the occasional street performer and then relax at the weekend markets and watch a band play.
We have tried to cultivate this time to not simply work and save, as we did in Noosa, but to try and be social, build some less transient but more relaxed friendships, and enjoy truly being amongst our fellow travellers.
Many people here share many similarities with us. Many of them are British, but the thing most obvious to us is that those we have met here are like copies of us a year ago, or us 6 months ago; everyone is at a different stage of their own personal journey in Australia, some of which we have ourselves been through.
Some travellers have done their farm work, as we have, whilst others spend their days permanently attached to their laptops as they desperately seek that elusive job which will grant them a 2nd year visa.
Many are working hard saving up to enjoy parts of Australia that we have languished in for over 16 months, with tales of the places we are yet to see.
Our two weeks of non-stop travel satisfied the wanderlust that had grown during our quiet time in Noosa and so our new time of settled life is certainly feeling different to that phase already. We know we can do day-trips to the reef (already having snorkelled Michaelmas Cay) or trips inland to ride horses and explore waterfalls, if we truly want to.
This little guy posed so perfectly for us!
We are in the proximity of amazing activities, most of which we were able to do within our 10-day camper trip, but that doesn't mean we want to swiftly move onto the next thing. We just love the slow pace in our hostel, the hammocks in the palm-lined garden, and the friendly atmosphere amongst the long-termers, versus the hectic movement of some travellers on shorter itineraries and smaller budgets.
The way you view time during your travels is important; you could plan everything to the nth degree and leave no margin for free time, but alternatively, you could endeavour to experience more than just these tried-and-tested tourist experiences.
Travelling slower, pausing more and allowing somewhere to become home, can lead to something entirely more fun, relaxed and ultimately, help you forge a deeper connection to other people and their experiences, in-turn deepening your own memories beyond a reem of photographs and ticked-off to-do-lists.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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14 Photos That Will Inspire You To Travel
Travel might be a great way to meet new people, grow, discover adventure, and learn about yourself, but primarily, its a feast for the eyes and the soul.
14 Photos That Will Inspire you to Travel
Travel might be a great way to meet new people, grow, discover adventure, and learn about yourself, but primarily, its a feast for the eyes and the soul.
We have brought together some amazing photographers from around the world who have captured it in all its majesty. We hope these photos will awaken your desire to wander and see it all for yourself.
// United States Of America
Vernal Falls in Yosemite National Park in California - a bit of a hike up from the bottom, but definitely worth the effort! - Laurence Norah is the author of Finding the Universe, a travel & photography blog, as well as the Superstar Blogging Photography course, where he shares his photography tips and tricks with the world.
// Australia
Here is a photo we snapped while on Magnetic Island, Australia, during one the the best sunsets we have ever seen! It definitely helped that the scenery around us was so picturesque.
// Russia
"This was taken at the spiritual Shaman Rock on Olkhon Island in the middle of Lake Baikal. Olkhon Island didn't have running water until very recently and most hostels didn't have it installed when I visited, so I spent three days using outdoor squat toilets in -30 degrees Celsius and brushing my teeth with sparkling bottled water. TIP: When walking on the frozen lake, remember to look closely under the ice for fish swimming below you!" Moomads.
// Chile & Argentina
"This photo was taken on top of Paso de Jama, a main road connecting Chile with Argentina. Since we first came to the Andes we have been astonished by their beauty. Although they can look relatively barren, the rock formations are often so colourful that they can take your breath away. The air is extremely clean, so you often get clear blue skies of unbelievable vibrancy and crystal-clear reflections in lagoons." Dare2Go
// Australia
Whitehaven Beach on the east coast of Australia, some of the clearest waters in the world coupled with some of the whitest sand in the world. Its a combination that makes this place the perfect beach.
// Faroe Islands, part of Denmark
"Driving around the Faroe Island is a slow and time consuming matter - not because the roads are bad, but because the landscapes are simply too beautiful to be true, and you'll want to stop around every bend to take a picture. The weather in the Faroes is cold and rainy pretty much year round - as a result, the grass is the greenest we've seen, and there are waterfalls literally everywhere. This is Gásadalur waterfall, next to the village of the same name, and barely 10 km drive from the international airport. It was the first place we visited during our recent trip to the Faroe Islands - it is one of the most photographed locations in the country, spectacular year round and in all kinds of weather." The Crowded Planet
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// Egypt
"This shot is of Khafe Pyramid in Giza - as a history lover seeing the Great Pyramids in Egypt was one of my favourite travel experiences this past year!" Jessica Norah is the writer at Independent Travel Cats, a travel blog focused on couples travel, travel history, and luxury travel.
// The Galapagos Islands
"The Galapagos Islands; where the land is made from fire, the birds can't fly, and the lizards live underwater (some of the time anyway). Nothing here quite makes sense" Lisle Gywnn
// Mexico
"This photo is of the gorgeous Cenote X'Canche which is located just 1.5 miles from the Mayan Ruins of Ek Balam in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Visiting this cenote after exploring the ruins makes for a perfect day trip. I absolutely loved swimming in the vibrant turquoise-coloured freshwater with lots of little black catfish. My friends and I were the only ones there which made for such a tranquil and magical atmosphere." Brittany Thiessen.
// Australia
We took this beauty at sunrise on a quiet beach in Cape Hillborough, Australia. We had heard via word-of-mouth that it was a great place to see kangaroos in the wild, and as you can see it truly didn't disappoint!
// Iran
"Roaming through the grassy hills outside Palangan, a mountain village in Iranian Kurdistan. Rippling grasses, blue skies, and fields filled with shockingly red poppies make Kurdistan one of Iran's most charming and colourful regions." Lost With Purpose
// Hungary
"After visiting many cities across Europe, Budapest is without a doubt our favourite city. There is so much to see and do and the history and architecture of the city are interesting to say the least. This is our favourite picture from our time there, looking across over to Pest and Margaret island from Fisherman Bastion." Flashpacking Duo
// Chile
Torres Del Paine national park. This stunningly diverse landscape in Chile's Patagonia region was captured by our good friend Chie.
// Mongolia
"Wild horses roam the Mongolian steppe at sunset, just outside of the capital city of Ulaanbaatar." NOMADasaurus
Need more inspiring?!
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
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Essential Information For Backpackers In Australia
I've decided it's time to set the record straight on a few things and answer all those random questions I hear about employment, 2nd year visas and tax.
Essential Information for Backpackers in Australia: Visa's, tax and employment
We've been in Australia for 1.5 years, so of course we are experts now...
Hah! we still have much to see and learn, but moving between hostels and being around fellow travellers, having experienced working holiday life for so long now, we hear many of them asking the same questions repeatedly, and we often have the answers.
I get not everyone does a lot of research prior to coming to Australia, winging it a tad, and many might have been misinformed along the way, so, I've decided it's time to set the record straight on a few things and answer all those random questions I hear about employment, 2nd year visas and tax.
Tax
Working in Australia of course involves paying tax. When arriving in Australia we recommend that apply for your TFN straight away; technically you have 28 days after beginning a job to apply for one, but its much easier to have it already.
Your TFN, a tax file number, is uniquely assigned to your person and you then quote it to employers so that they can correctly file your taxes.
For years now, backpackers have been able to get back the tax they pay on their earnings, seeing that many are only here for a short duration in the scheme of things.
However, you may be aware that the Aussie government is pushing to stop all of us from being able to get back the tax, which we currently pay at a rate of 32.5%.
As a working-holiday-maker, who does nothing but spend in this country (and ironically spend my tax return in the tourism industry) this is a really sucky proposal. Many working holiday makers pass through this country only spending, never utilizing the health-care system etc.
I find it very odd that an affluent country who has whole industries reliant on the money of eager travellers, who want to stick around, work and most importantly, spend, wants to essentially punish those individuals by withholding massive amounts of their hard-earned cash.
But anyway, that's a whole other discussion...
At current there is no legislation drafted (as of August 2016) and so this move may be a while off, or, in the same terrible fashion as last year, when they brought in an end-date to wwoofing for a 2nd year visa with only a week's notice, this change really could come in at any point.
Either way, if you have been in Australia for more than 6-months between July 2015 and July 2016, and spend a fair bit of that time in employment, then you paid tax, which you can get back between between July and October 2016, by submitting a tax return online.
Many companies will offer to do all this for you, minus a $70-100 fee... But I did it the usual way, going it alone for free, and it took 10 minutes. 10 MINUTES.
How To Get Your Tax Back
Go to the website mygov. You may already have a mygov account linked to previous visa applications etc. If not, then create an account.
After creating an account, a page will come up stating 'Linked services'. You want to link up your mygov account to the ATO (the people with all your tax).
This may involve a short phone call to the ATO to confirm your identity, but its a clearly guided process on the website on how to do this.
You are now ready to submit you're return. Locate where it says 'Lodge a return'.
Fill in the fields accordingly. You DO NOT need your payment summaries to do this, as you should be able to locate the key figures of GROSS INCOME and GROSS TAX PAID from your last or latest payslip for each job you've had/are currently doing, up until the July 1st 2016 cut-off point. Your payslip should always display the pay received that date, and the total received in the Year-To-Date plus the tax paid in the YTD. Your payment summary will either be sent to the ATO by your employer, or sent to you, and it will show the same figures. So for example, I was able to use the last payslip from a job I had until January, and then for the job I was doing in June, I just used my last payslip received for work prior to July 1st.
You should receive tax back within 1-2 weeks from lodging the return. Ensure your bank details are correct, or someone else might up with your 000's!
Superannuation
Yes, the government takes some tax (and in the future, would like to keep hold of it) but you also get the added bonus of paying 'Super'.
Your employer should pay a small amount each pay-date (an amount equal to 9.5% of your total salary) into your own super fund. You need to open a super account for them to send it to, almost like enforced but painless saving, and when you leave Australia for good, you can draw the money out.
There are many companies offering super accounts, but we went with First State Super, opening an entirely free account. Your super company will invest your money either along with the market conditions, or you can choose how to invest it. We more or less chose the simplest options when opening the accounts and our money is managed solely by the account provider.
2nd Year Visa
Last year, 1 month into living and working on a farm, the government abruptly announced that wwoofing (unpaid voluntary work where food and accommodation are provided in return for labour) would no longer be accepted regional work eligible for a 2nd year visa.
We launched into a rant about it here on the blog, garnering a lot of social media attention. We also eventually submitted a paper to go to government with the WWOOF Australia guys, to support the case for it to stay as an accepted work type.
Luckily for us, the new rules didn't take effect until after we had finished our farm stint, but unfortunately for others, those big changes, still happened. It's competitive enough for people to find paid farm work and fruit-picking that isn't dehumanizing and tough beyond all reason, so this really has fuelled that fire.
As it stands, from December 1st 2015, applicants had to submit payslips as evidence in the visa application process, so basically, farmers would have to start coughing up money they didn't have, or face losing willing and able workers. Workers on the other hand would then miss out on meeting great farming families who depended upon them to thrive.
Securing Farm work or Fruit-picking
The best way to get your 2nd-year visa work hasn't changed. You still need to be looking, enquiring and researching. From Facebook groups, to specialist farming job websites, through to sites like backpackerjobs, TAW, indeed.com, and good old gumtree, jobs will be listed across these places regularly.
It can never hurt to ask around if you are staying in a hostel in an area where there might be eligible regional work, enquiring with the hostel staff or your fellow travellers who may have already completed their paid farm work.
Research the different crops and their seasons in Australia to locate where and what needs farming, and when.
As you can see, our farm work involved a lot of nuts...
Eligible Regional Areas and Postcodes: The postcode is super important!
As per the needs of the agricultural sector in Australia, your regional work has to be just that, in the countryside often far away from major cities.
It can't just be anywhere in the sticks, however, as there is a definitive list of the exact postcodes, where work is eligible, corresponding to the different Australian states. Check here for even more details.
It is helpful to have your own transport to physically get to the farm work and also have the mobility to get away from it before you get cabin fever, but it's not a deal-breaker. For us we were lucky enough to get to our farm with the help of a friend, and whilst on the farm we were extremely fortunate to have access to a so-called 'backpacker car' which we used to get our groceries.
During communications with your farm, if it is particularly far from civilisation, it is worthwhile asking how getting groceries etc will work.
Will there be any phone reception so you can contact home? Will your accommodation be separate and comfortable?
I firmly disagree that in order to secure your 2nd year, you have to be blind-sighted and then suffer sub-par conditions and complete isolation; you should at least know what you are going into before you make a commitment.
If you have any questions, not answered here, or want me to expand on any of the above, comment below!
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
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Chasing Waterfalls In A Spaceship
We have, until now, relied on hitching and ride-share's to get around...
Chasing Waterfalls In A Spaceship
Australia's roads are dominated by grey nomads in their swish motorhomes, holiday-makers in there 4x4's loaded with gear, and finally, by many a camper-van, hired or owned, shuttling travellers the length and breadth of the land.
With vastly warm and dry weather (outside of wet season) and a wide range of amazing animals and stunning sights to see, people are spoilt for choice of where to visit and park up for a spot of camping in Northern Queensland.
We have, until now, relied on hitching and ride-share's to get around, occasionally lucking out with a car such as when we did our farm work, but mostly, we have been without wheels and the freedom they can bring.
When it came time to leave Noosa behind and follow warmer weather up north, we knew based on all the beautiful things we were yet to see, that the time to drive had arrived. We didn't want to rent a car and use our tent, having spent so long recently camping in wet weather and feeling a bit fed-up by it, and so we began researching camper-van companies...
We happened across Spaceships, highly familiar for their bright orange people-carriers, seen up and down the coast. Offering great value for travellers, with a solid amount of positive reviews, we felt confident in contacting them.
Fast-forward 4 weeks, and the day came to pick up our own Spaceship and embark on a 10-day tour of the Atherton Tablelands and the Daintree Rainforest.
She's not the trademark orange, being a newer silver model, the Beta 2.
Fitted out with an adjustable queen-size bed, two large lockable storage units (underneath the bed) a top-of-the-range fridge (retail for $000's) plus lots of little nifty extras, she was the perfect vehicle to take us on a road-trip in the tropics.
Comfortable and roomy, secure and private, Stargazer (every spaceship has a name) is well designed and much improved on older model vans. With tinted windows, curtains to cordon off the whole bedroom section, plus automatic transmission and a smooth drive, we really lucked out with our little home on wheels.
Our Favourite Camping App
We exclusively used Wikicamp's, and a sat-nav (provided by Spaceships but usually costs extra) to get around and choose where to sleep. Most look-outs, rest areas and points of interest are very well sign-posted too, usually giving you plenty of time to anticipate them.
Wikicamp's is great for not just finding camp-sites for overnight stays but also locating toilets, showers, fuel stops, and things to see and do. You can download the map for each state in Australia, always helpful when you drive in and out of signal black-spots. You can buy the app for lots of extra features (as is required to after the 20-day trial period ends), but we used the free version, timing ir to last our trip.
The thing I like most about the app is the comments section where people leave brief but honest appraisals for their fellow campers, touching on the things you really want to know about free or paid camp-sites, like does the place have hot showers, and if its value for money.
We evidently loved having this app to aid us in our journey, and no, we don't need to be paid to express that!
Our Itinerary
Cairns > Atherton Tablelands
The tablelands are abundant in quaint small towns, sprawling green landscapes and the infamous waterfalls, including Millaa Millaa, with a safe (and completely bone-chilling) swimming pool.
We spent our first night at a site called Bonadio RV and Nature Park, which when we first arrived appeared to be a farm, with no other campers to be seen. It turned out our fellow road-trippers were comfortably nestled away in a paddock just over the hill, just a short walk from the Barron River where you can see platypus. Really friendly hosts only recently opened the site but seemed bowled over with the popularity of their little haven just off the highway.
For $12.50 for the both of us, it was a great place to sleep under the stars, with clean and warm showers, a wildlife viewing platform and a peaceful country-setting.
Atherton Tablelands > Port Douglas
Moving from the tablelands further up the coast, we took the super beautiful highway alongside the ocean up to Port Douglas. Stopping at a few lookouts, and the famous spot where over the years many people have built little rock towers, it was such a pleasant section of driving.
Accommodation was really booked up, so we highly recommend booking ahead for this highly popular location. We did manage to squeeze into the Pandanus campsite for the slightly hefty price of $20 each, but the site itself has a nice pool, well-equipped camp kitchen, showers and laundry, and is a short walk from the beach and the town.
Port Douglas itself has a great vibe and felt like a more beautiful and atmospheric version of Noosa. A beach perfect for a dip, and a main street great for finding affordable eats, onto a sprawling park right beside the ocean and harbour, we know we will be returning to this place.
Port Douglas > Daintree Village
We couldn't wait to visit this part of northern Queensland, not only for the chance of spotting a wild crocodile but also to experience things like Mossman Gorge. We spent the good part of a day here, where they try to dissuade you taking the easy, flat, road-side walking route in favour of their paid bus; we are glad we walked because it wasn't tough or dangerous, at all.
It kinda bugged us that they have cut off the road which leads to the gorge so that their buses can exclusively use it and make money from it, although, the area has big ties to a small aboriginal community located there, so we understood the need to protect that.
For two nights we camped at the Daintree Riverview Lodges and Van park, for $10 each. A rustic but small site, situated right beside a great croc-spotting place on the Daintree river, we loved our chilled out days here. The hosts are friendly and welcoming, the facilities regularly cleaned and there are a few nice cafe's located just across the road.
Daintree Village > Cape Tribulation
The previous few days had been endless sunshine and nice temperatures, but this day, the rain came down full-force. Unfortunately this tainted our visit to the Cape, and we only stayed for one day, at the Jungle Lodge, which was $15 each for a roomy gravel pitch, with access to good facilities, a pool and a camp kitchen.
I think you could easily stop at all the short walks and lookouts available from the ferry, to the end of the main road at the Cape Tribulation, in one day, and it would all be a whole lot more photogenic on a sunny day. Still, the cape itself is a very pretty stretch of beach, frequented by many a croc (no swimming, obviously).
There is no phone signal (or free atm's or cheap shops) in the Cape so we recommend researching your accommodation before getting there, but when you take the ferry (costs $26 return) across you are provided with a great map which marks off all the spots and bays worth stopping at on the drive.
Cape Tribulation > Atherton
We didn't stay long in the cape, not just because of the weather but because there were still things we wanted to see in the tablelands. This day we stopped off at the Woolworths in Mossman (a good spot for getting supplies before going to the Daintree) and then headed over to a rest stop for lunch. We then parked up in the tiny town of Mount Molloy, grabbed a smoothie from the cool spot, Ka-Veh, then camped at a free spot for the night, the Rifle Creek rest area located nearby.
The next day we headed to the waterfalls circuit, where we visited Elinnja and Zillie falls, then headed back towards Malanda to grab lunch, then deciding to head to the coast again for that night.
Atherton > Mission Beach
Mission Beach is a small beach town near the Tully river, which is Banana country; lots of stops for fresh fruit are along the highway here.
We spent one evening here, chilling at a cool hostel, the Mission Beach retreat, with two resident pet dogs and a super friendly owner. $24 for a space in the parking spot and full use of the facilities, this was a comfortable stop after some free stays in random rest areas with cold showers.
Mission Beach > Babinda
Leaving Mission Beach, we headed up the highway again to visit Josephine Falls, where you can safely slide down the side of some huge boulders into the cold torrents below. We then headed to visit the Boulders, a pretty area similar to the gorge with its own swimming hole.
We again camped at a free spot, a really small site right next to the Boulders, which had only around 6 spots limited to 5 people per pitch. A clearly well-maintained site with cold showers and toilets, it was perfectly okay for one evening, with the mountainous setting providing yet more lush green views from the camper-van.
Mission Beach > Cairns
On our last morning we returned to Cairns, pretty tired from 10 days of doing things, driving and visiting unfamiliar places. We checked into the Globetrotters hostel which is an affordable but great value option at $28 a night, with awesome free wifi, free breakfasts, airy bedrooms, and lots of space to relax.
Later that day we took our Spaceship to a car wash and then returned her back to the office.
Walking away we felt a little sad, having bonded with Stargazer, who kept us comfortable and safe as we experienced the beautiful Australian country-side, at our own pace, for a really memorable week.
Stopping off to check out the view on the way to Port Douglas!
Our Spaceships experience was seamless, from picking up the vehicle to navigating the Aussie roads. So if you fancy a break from tent life and coach rides, in favour of road-trippin' affordably but super comfortably, getting your very own set of wheels is the way to go.
*Spaceships kindly supplied us with the van minus the daily rental fee. We also received camp chairs + table, a sat-nav and two awnings, at no cost. We did however pay the daily fee for car insurance and supplied all our own fuel and food, and paid for all camping costs*
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
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10 Stunning Reasons To Visit Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is a rocky tropical paradise home to an abundance of Australian wildlife...
10 Stunning Reasons To Visit Magnetic Island
If you've never heard of Magnetic Island, its an abundantly interesting and sparsely populated Jurassic island.
When you arrive in the neighbouring city of Townsville you will be greeted with a spectacular view of the entire island just off the coast, and, if you climb to the top of Castle hill you will get an even better view just like the one below!
The atmosphere on the island is extremely laid back and friendly, which you would imagine from a place that only has a population of 2,107. The small bays dotted around the coast-line are home to a few shops and bars, where you can grab a cheap bag of chips and watch the sunset on the beach, which looks awesome set against the silhouetted hills that surround the bays.
The wildlife on the island is vast and you will be sure to spot more than enough to fill your camera up! Make sure to head to Bungalow Bay at 4.30pm where they feed the Lorikeets everyday.
Magnetic Island is famous for its hikes, which will lead you around the mountain tops and along the coast lines. Small sheltered bays like Arthur Bay, pictured below, will be a regular sighting during your walks.
Another incredible sighting is the rock wallabies that can easily be seen at Geoffrey Bay during sunset; many people come to this spot with wallaby seed and carrots to feed the wallabies. If you're lucky the kind old man who comes here every day on his mobility scooter will offer you some feed (if you ask nicely).
Make sure you keep an eye out for the mothers carrying joey's in their pouches! They are incredibly cute if you catch them poking their little heads out to join in the evenings action.
Magnetic Island is also home to over 800 wild koalas, and with it being such a small place you have a great chance of spotting one in its natural habitat! Just grab some water, head out on one of the various walks and keep an eye out for arrows people have made in the ground, as these will indicate where to look.
There are some interesting WW2 ruins dotted along the trails on the Forts Walk, and keep an eye out for bats and spiders in dark rooms like these ;]
Huge rocks make up most of the scenery on Maggie Island, which give the place a feel of real age. Some of these rocks formed over 270 million years ago... If your into rock climbing, you've hit the jackpot!
We had to finish with another koala shot of this little fellow who climbed down his tree right in front of us to say hello. A true money-cant-buy experience!
So now you know why Magnetic Island is a must visit, and you're wondering how you too can experience it!? Go check out our review of what we believe to be one of the best places to stay while you're there!
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, forcing Hannah to do crazy things, and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
Wanderlust not satisfied?
What It's Like To Sell Everything You Own And Live Out Of A Backpack
35 pounds. That’s the weight of everything I own. A year ago, if you had told me that I’d eventually fit everything I own into a single backpack, I would have...
What It's Like To Sell Everything You Own And Live Out Of A Backpack
THIS GUEST POST is brought to you by Eric and Allison of The Endless Adventure. Currently in Europe they work on the road sampling all the delights on offer across the world, whilst living out of their backpack's. We wanted to find out just how they do it so we invited them to chat about their life as nomads.
35 pounds. That’s the weight of everything I own. A year ago, if you had told me that I’d eventually fit everything I own into a single backpack, I would have broken out into uncontrollable laughter.
Fast forward 12 months and my wife and I are sitting in Milan, Italy with no permanent home, no long-term plans and nothing but our bags to our names.
It’s a dream of many to 'sell it all and travel the world with nothing but a backpack' (If you couldn’t tell, that was meant to be read in a nice whimsical tone while looking up to the sky). But, in reality, it’s actually extremely difficult and not very glamorous (but it’s fun as heck!).
When we arrive at a new hotel or Airbnb, it quickly turns into a battlefield of clothes, electronics and… yeah that’s pretty much all we carry these days. And when it’s time to stuff everything back into our bags and move on to the next location, suddenly they become impossible to close!
We’re in a constant battle with our things.
With every single purchase, we have to consider the weight, size of the item, as well as what it will replace in our bags (since all bag space is pretty much spoken for). It can be easy to say “eh, this item’s weight is negligible” when making a new purchase. But you pay for that sort of thinking later on when you strap on a 50 pound bag to your back and trek through Milan for an hour searching for your AirBnB.
This isn’t good for your body and it isn’t good for your spirit. Trust us, traveling light will save you long-term back pain and potentially permanent damage to your body.
Naturally, when everything you own fits into a single carry-on, you’ve got to learn to be versatile with your items. We keep a small bottle of Dr. Bronner’s soap on us at all times. This stuff is literally magic. It can wash dishes, clothes, bodies, you can brush your teeth with it... okay maybe not that last one.
It’s also important to pack clothing items that can be mixed and matched. This is typically easier for us guys. 5 t-shirts, 5 underoos, 5 shorts/pants 5 socks and boom, you’re covered. But for the ladies, it’s not that simple.
Here are a few tips from Allison:
Stick with a general color palette. For me it was blacks and grays as these photograph well and show less stains.
Take an outfit that can be dressed up with a pair of nicer flats, but make sure they’re both appropriate for everyday wear so that they’re more versatile.
Avoid taking any items “special occasion” items. Chances are you won’t need them and they’ll just be dead weight.
Pretty much every top should be able to mix with every bottom. It’s fine to take some bright colors or patterned items, but keep them either all on top or bottom. That way you can have fun skirts/pants to mix and match with basic tops or vice versa.
Check out her minimalist packing guide for even more tips!
Talking about becoming homeless and actually making the leap are two very different things. For most people, it’s easy to put up with uncomfortable beds and weird showers for a week, maybe two. But, when you have no permanent home and travel is your life, you have to learn to accept that your home is wherever you are for the night.
If you’ve got a bed that’s too small for you and your legs hang off the bottom, that’s home. If the people on the street outside your window are partying until 6am, that’s home. Once you realize that home is wherever you are, it’s easier to accept your circumstances for what they are.
Before setting out on this endless adventure, we had an apartment in San Francisco, 2 cats and a whole bunch of stuff that we needed to sort out. We gave ourselves 5 days to figure out a new home for all of it (yeah, I know, we’re idiots).
We decided to sell anything that we thought was of value. We seriously had about 20 separate listings on Craigslist at a time. Everything from workout equipment, to old records to Magic the Gathering cards. Surprisingly, we were able to sell most of it and put about $1500 into our pockets. Everything that was not-so-valuable went to Goodwill.
Parting with all of our things was tough, but I wouldn’t say it was emotional. We had put a 'lot' of thought into this decision beforehand. And we had actually taken an 4 month road trip around the USA leading up to it, so we had already lived without these items for a while.
On the other hand, parting with our sweet little kitty cats was very emotional. We didn’t want to have strangers taking care of them, but most of our friends and family were like “hell no” when we asked if they could take them. Luckily, we found a friend who was willing to take them in. Now they have a lot more room to roam and I’m sure are much happier!
We also decided to try and scrub the heck out of the apartment to see if we could get at least some of the deposit back. Most of our friends said we were dreaming and should just consider that money gone. But the jokes on them! That place was so clean we got almost the entire deposit back, around $1400!
For the most part, we’ve gotten used to living out of a single backpack, but we’re also constantly looking for potential improvements. We’ve tried tons of different packing techniques, we’ve shipped boxes of stuff back to our parents to decrease our weight, we’ve tried booking rooms close to the bus station or airport so we didn’t have to walk too far with our packs on. No doubt, this lifestyle is a constant learning process.
I don’t know how long we’ll be living out of our backpacks (we honestly haven’t made any long-term plans). But, for now, we’ll travel the world with everything we own strapped to our backs, with home being wherever we lay our heads for the night.
I'm currently travelling the world and searching for adventure with my wife, Allison. We're vlogging our daily travels on YouTube, subscribe here to follow along! Have you ever tried living out of a backpack? Do you have any tips or stories to share? Leave a comment or reach out to us on Twitter. Thanks for reading!
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Bungalow Bay Koala Village: Best Island Hostel In Australia
There's something special about very much still being the same planet as everyone else, but feeling just a tad detached from everything, in a really refreshing way...
Bungalow Bay Koala Village: Best Island Hostel In Australia
When we read about Magnetic Island, a lush green mountainous expanse, home to many an Australian animal, and only 20-minutes by boat from Townsville, we knew we had to visit it.
We are definite island hoppers having spent 2 months living on Fraser Island in a tent!
There's something special about still being on the same planet as everyone else, but feeling just a tad detached from the goings on and ups and downs of normal life.
Researching all Magnetic island had to offer, we stumbled upon Bungalow Bay Koala Village, and of course, the thought of getting up close to some furry Koala goodness (among many other amazing creatures), combined with the fact they offer a great budget camping option, we were really excited to head over, and set up our tent for a few days.
We used Fantasea cruises (passenger and vehicle ferry) to transfer to the island, an absolute steal at $13 a ticket (one-way).
On the island, everywhere (its a pretty small place) is served by the bus route, which can cheaply move you from the ferry to all the main points of interest. There are also taxi's, hire vehicles and the popular mini moke.
Bungalow Bay is located in the beautiful Horsehoe Bay, where we witnessed a ridiculously vibrant sunset sky and enjoyed some top-notch takeaway burger and chips.
Beautiful Camping and Bungalows
Technically a YHA hostel largely frequented by backpackers, we camped alongside many different people, from families to couples and friends, with its spacious and natural setting in the bush, amongst palms, open green space and of course, abundant wildlife.
Accommodation ranges from camping to cabins, with lots of outdoor and undercover spaces to relax, ample room to set up your tent or camper-van, plus facilities (laundry and bathrooms) and a well-stocked camp kitchen. The kitchen is pleasantly large and cleaned regularly, which is really good to experience when you live your life on the road as we do.
With the beach nearby, plus small cafes and restaurants, and everything else only a short drive or bus-ride away, its the perfect spot to feel like you truly are on an island; bush walks, mountainous tracks and numerous stunning bays, there is so much to see and do, with Bungalow Bay the perfect base from which to do it all.
As we set up our tent on a powered site, a roo hopped by us, the first of many we'd see in the coming days. This brought back memories of our time at Melaleuca Surfside in Port Stephens, where the resident rescue roo Josie would keep us company (and try to eat our guide ropes).
That place too had the same feel, one of being very mindful and conscious of the environment in which its operating, treating it kindly and allowing it to thrive whilst allowing others to enjoy it.
There are signs near the well-kept and large kitchen, asking you to kindly not feed the resident animals: wait until 4.30pm in the afternoon and you get to hand-feed the Lorikeets!
A Responsible Wildlife Tour
On our first day, not long after setting up camp, we booked ourselves onto the next wildlife tour. Tours run 3 times a day ending at 4.30pm.
For $29 (adult price) you get 2 hours with a knowledgable guide who takes you through the small animal sanctuary, allowing you to handle and interact with an array of exotic animals. For an extra $18 you can be photographed holding a koala, alongside your family or friends. You can also bring your own photography equipment in, but just be sure to let the guide do their talking and respect where you put your lens!
I was most looking forward to seeing my first crocodile, and the only other animal we had yet to see in Aussie, a wombat.
The tour group was small which we really liked.
We are very conscious about attending animal-oriented tourist outlets, because we believe animals should be kept out of the wild for solidly valid reasons, such as providing sanctuary and conservation to an at-threat species, or keeping a sick animal alive that could not survive in the wild.
Its important to then utilize these facilities to educate others on these animals so that they care a little more about the natural world around them and the role they play as the keepers of it.
We appreciate that when well-managed and organized, animal sanctuaries such as this one at Bungalow Bay, are pivotal in cultivating an informed respect for these animals, but in a selfish way, we also love that for a brief few moments, we got to carefully handle these stunning animals.
Set slightly away from the other camp buildings, surrounded by bush, the sanctuary is home to only a few animals, which really appealed to us; less animals means more focus and time on their individual care and well-being.
This is not a zoo in any sense, and there is none of the usual sadness when you see vibrant animals living a life of miserable captivity. This is not anything resembling that.
It appears as a well-maintained haven for a range of animals, many of which are living so openly during the day, you wonder why (or how) they haven't yet escaped. But we mused, they clearly have all they could want or need in Bungalow Bay.
I got to hold Pebbles the koala, whom whilst not the first one I've held (since our random rescue of a baby from a road-side) this interaction was in much better circumstances.
Her heavy little body supported by my hand and held still, she was as docile and seemingly content as you would expect of the famously relaxed Australia native. Yes, the urge to rock her like a baby was big, but we were succinctly instructed on how exactly Pebbles should be held, with her welfare clearly of primary concern.
We observed as we held the different animals, some which appear threatening, either with dangerous looking spikes or sharp claws, are all actually, fundamentally vulnerable. They are literally soft and smooth in fact, and many of them, are so small, timid, and completely unassuming.
They are vulnerable to other animals but most importantly to us.
We are the ones who have taken over the running of this planet but we are not secondary to the beautiful variety of species that we inhabit it alongside.
We felt this acutely whilst at Bungalow Bay, as we walked from one side of the camp to the next, we were greeted by a possum, a group of nibbling wallabies and a bush-stone curlew (a funny-looking long-legged nocturnal bird). The nature here is of course widely tame, used to humans and the little tasty treats we inevitably leave lying around for them.
But still, it feels so good to be living amongst, if only briefly, such an array of animals, whom all live side-by-side, mostly in peace, and approach us with a curious yet reserved respect.
Treating Animals How They Treat Us
If we regard animals the way many do us, we would treat them with slight fear and curiosity, but ultimately we'd be kind and gentle, and of course, many of us already do this. Many of us are animal lovers and desire to be close to nature, in fact, what's the first thing many of us say out loud as we slowly approach a wide-eyed creature?
We say 'It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you'.
Amongst the mentality of regarding animals as they would us, there is a complete absence of mindlessness, malice or the prioritizing of ones own needs over those of the small and large, furry and spiky beings, whom we share the environment with.
Bungalow Bay re-instilled this in our minds, despite it being something we have always believed, so we really hope it has the same effect on other visitors.
A Comfortable Stay with A Conscience
This place was a real experience, but also one where the comfort of the accommodation is not sacrificed in the face of the wider ethos of the place.
We camped happily for 3 days, and had everything we needed. Despite a freak weather-front of windy rain, we never felt like we wanted to leave. In fact, we had some of the best experiences of nature, from seeing a wild koala, to holding a crocodile, to watching the most richest red sunset.
In fact, our Magnetic Island visit turned out to be one of our favourite excursions in our whole time in Australia.
You should probably check it out, because we think you might just love it...
*DISCLAIMER: All these thoughts here are our own, and we only ever review things and places we love. Bungalow Bay kindly allowed to us to camp for free. We both purchased the tour tickets and photograph holding a Koala ourselves*
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
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Noosa to Townsville: An Ode To The Road and The Mountains
We have gone back out into the world, left behind Noosa, a bubble of abundant wealth and neat beauty...
Noosa to Townsville: An Ode To The Road and The Mountains
We have gone back out into the world, left behind Noosa, a bubble of abundant wealth and neat beauty. Rich man's playground and poor man's workplace.
I sit in the back of an old if not determined commodore, head resting against the solid mass of my backpack, the place I stow all my worldly possessions. Well, the ones I choose to bring along on this journey.
My leg is twisted awkwardly, resting along the window edge. A steady flow of cool air kisses my face, coming in from the driver-side window.
Its the blackest night, punctuated by the occasional reflective sign, made less quiet by the sound of music of every genre.
Daniel, our driver (found via a Facebook ride-share group), a fun and kind-spirited German dude, plays some of his own recordings. We move between our home-grown favourites and some other classics.
The road is ours and ours alone, or so it feels.
In our metal cocoon we fly along the highway, feeling each bump and hump as we soar.
The conversation is real and interesting, truths being spoken with open ease.
I rest my eyes and let sleep take me in short bursts, waking not to see if we have reached our destination but to stare back out into the black.
Is there anywhere more peaceful, suspended from real life and real time, than being out there on the road?
You are moving away from one part of your story, running toward the next chapter. But you are merely a passenger, along for the ride, letting the road deliver you forward. Your mind can wanderer faraway, or stay right there, immersed in the moment before the next thing begins.
Who knows what comes next?
Townsville
Arriving in Townsville at 7am, the sun just rising in the sky, the car slowly moved toward the strand, where we could stretch our tangled limbs and dip our toes in the ocean.
In the distance sat the tall and lush green Magnetic Island; we would be heading there tomorrow.
We made our way to sleepily find food and eventually check into a hostel, at which point Daniel would be going off on his own way. We hugged and said goodbye, aware that we might not see him again, most likely won't.
That's the nature of many of the connections you make on the road; brief but often really awesome and memorable.
Tired and bedraggled, we thought, lets not just sit around and relax, lets climb Castle Hill, the imposing orangey-red rock-face visible across the whole of Townsville.
There isn't a lot to Towsville, other than being the gateway to Magnetic and home to a lot of industry, but its flat range of buildings are encircled at the edges by more lush green mountains, making the climb up Castle Hill well worth the hike.
I decided to take the hill at my own pace, allowing Taran to go ahead by himself. Sandy stones crunching underfoot, the path edged up toward the uneven and steep steps.
I felt out of breath and languid in my legs almost right away. 4 months of sitting behind my laptop working on the blog plus not having the most difficult hospitality job meant my fitness has definitely gone down-hill, no pun intended.
Quarter of the way up the walk a man twice my age past me heading down, and seeing my puffy red face asked if I had water and made sure I was stopping to drink it. The fact my woeful fitness was trumped by someone much older than myself did little for my confidence in climbing the hill.
In reality the hill isn't that tall or difficult a climb, not for anyone of reasonable health, not at all. But its the same with all challenges or obstacles in life, some of us take a little longer to surmount them.
Yet this was a challenge I chose to take on, because I knew I would find it difficult but I knew the pain would be worthwhile.
Most importantly the desire to do what deep down I knew I could do, was stronger than the voice in my head (and my aching limbs) telling me what I couldn't do.
I kept my eyes on my feet, as they moved upward, taking each step at a pace I was comfortable with. I didn't look up at what I still had to climb nor did I look back at what I had already done. I kept entirely present and focused.
Sometimes if we focus on the main goal and not the incremental small tasks and successes, we just don't even bother trying.
I took the climb one step at a time and I can't think of a better metaphor for how to live your life than that.
Reaching the top, walking the last few steps up to the viewing platform, I leaned over the edge of the railing and felt a great whoosh of fresh breeze embrace me. I could see everything, 360-degree views of this small slice of Australia, looking out to Magnetic and behind to the distant mountainous walls guarding the city.
It was understandably worth it. My mind quietened having spent the past hour talking me in and out of finishing this hot uphill trek.
Cramped, long-distance car rides followed by steep and hot midday hikes, might sound uncomfortable and painful, but in reality these things can be as wholly simplistic as they are unexpectedly beautiful.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
7 Important Tips For Travel Preparedness
Being prepared does not stop me from having amazing, spontaneous and unpredictable experiences, not at all, it simply means I can enjoy them more, because I’ve taken care of my little niggling worries and taken moves to protect myself should certain annoying scenario's arise.
7 Important Tips For Travel Preparedness
So, let me admit from the get-go, I am not the kind of person to ever ‘wing it’.
I never assume that things will be okay, or that those dreaded and frustrating scenarios won’t happen to me. I very much air on the side of caution in life, and so to, in my travels, which is probably totally unsurprising considering the personal stuff I revealed previously.
Is that such a bad thing?
Being prepared does not stop me from having amazing, spontaneous and unpredictable experiences, not at all, it simply means I can enjoy them more, because I’ve taken care of my little niggling worries and taken moves to protect myself should certain annoying scenario's arise.
When you're travelling, maybe thousands of miles away from home, or even only a few hundred, it’s likely that there will be admin associated with it; from travel insurance, to itineraries, there will always be boring (but important) aspects to deal with.
I want to make it easier for you to deal with the duller part of travel prep, so I have compiled a list of 7 tips for travel preparedness, ones which you can adapt to your own travel circumstances:
7 Tips For Travel Preparedness:
Making copies of important documents and ID
Before we left the UK we made a scan of both our passports and driving licences.
We assumed this might make life easier in the event that these things could go missing. We keep these paper scans in a separate folder and also have the copies emailed to a trusted family member.
If you acquire important documents whilst travelling, a good app to use is GeniusScan, which is a fairly self-explanatory way to make digital copies.
Having duplicates of important documentation just ensures that all is not lost, if something is lost.
I also printed off a document which specifically detailed the steps to take in the event I do lose my ID's so I can quickly refer to this, making an annoying situation easier to deal with.
Create a ‘While I’m away’ file
I had no choice but to make this file before leaving the UK as being self-employed meant I had a UK tax return due whilst I was away. To make my life easier and forego having to worry about doing this whilst I was 1000’s of miles away from my paperwork, I passed the job onto to my ever helpful and willing mother. I knew what data my tax return would require so I ensured I had all this documented for my mum to reference.
If you don’t have business affairs to deal with as I did, or maybe you are only off on a short trip, your file could contain anything important that your loved ones might need access to in your absence. My file also included copies of my insurance cover details with relevant contact numbers. It also contained a copy of my visa entitlement plus my passport photocopy.
I know, I am a tad OCD in my preparedness. But I would rather be too prepared than not at all.
Use secure password storage software
It’s a good idea to note any important passwords/logins, especially when it’s to do with money, not only for yourself, but so that someone else (someone trusted) can help you deal with anything online-related.
There are a few highly secure systems out there where you can safely store password hints and then assign a master password which your trusted person can access if required. Of course, there's good old-fashioned pen and paper, whereby you could note important passwords before you head abroad and your trusted person can keep them safe.
I had something happen whereby I needed to access my business email address (which was attached to my visa application) but as I hadn’t logged on in months, I had forgotten the password.
Long story short I couldn’t get into my account, as my old UK phone number was still attached to the verification process. I also had a third party taking payments out of my UK bank (which I couldn't stop without accessing the email account) for my old business website. If I'd had the foresight to use a storage programme (or note the passwords down at home) then my poor memory wouldn't have been a problem, or, at least I could have asked my mum for the details.
I simply didn’t realize that this would arise but we often manage so many online accounts (especially as bloggers), differing our passwords for security reasons, that we can cause unprecedented issues when we are in faraway lands trying to deal with boring things like visa’s and banking.
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Write down international contact details for cards
I have the international telephone numbers for my most important cards written down on one page in my notebook, along with other contact info, so that in the event I lose a card, I can straight away notify my bank.
You could also leave these details in your ‘While I’m away’ file.
Notify your bank of your abroad travel
Be sure to notify your primary bank of your travel destination and dates.
You can do this online for some credit card companies or in branch for your main bank accounts before you leave home. Whilst your destination may change, your bank at least needs an indication of your intent to be abroad and potentially use your card there.
Be aware that when you do try to manage your home banking from abroad, it can be difficult to assign a trusted person to do this, as banks like to deal with the account holder directly (naturally), so try to make provisions for this happening by keeping them in the loop.
Tell your trusted family member where your important paperwork is kept
I have made sure that my mum knows where my important files are, ones not necessarily related to my travels. It just gives me peace of mind knowing someone else knows where I have squirrelled away certain things in the event that they need to access them.
Get insurance and printing off the certificate
Okay, so it’s a good move to secure insurance for your trip, being that in many places you need to contact your provider as soon as any issue arises, but do you leave the documents in your email account, or just saved on your laptop?
It can’t hurt to have them printed off (as well as forwarded to a family member) and put into your travelling file so that your travelling partner (or someone else) can do what needs to be done if you are indisposed.
Prior to leaving your home country, its worth trying to ensure that you are prepared for a few irritating eventualities, as likely or unlikely as they may seem amidst pre-travel excitement and optimism.
Setting aside some time before your travels, designated to these steps, will ensure you can travel happily and worry a little less about what could happen; by creating a clear action plan, and inviting someone in on it, it will help you easily deal with the boring and annoying stuff that could arise.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
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How To Experience San Francisco Like You Live There
It would take months of expensive cable car rides, boat tours, and winery escapades to ever get a true sense of San Francisco, but an authentic experience doesn't have to cost much at all.
How To Experience San Francisco Like You Live There
THIS GUEST POST is brought to you by Taylor & Daniel, the guys behind Travel Outlandish! Two dudes living it up in San Fran, we're not sure how often they wear flowers in their hair, but we do know they have a love for adventure and good times which they share on there blog. We wanted to know more about San Fran so we asked them what its like living there, this is there response..
San Francisco is an awfully amazing city.
Everything about it is iconic! Before moving here, we seemed to think that the Golden Gate Bridge would be a permanent backdrop. Maybe we’d live in the Full House house and subsist entirely on sour-dough bread. We may have arrived hoping that The Summer of Love never ended and the Beats never died, but 3 years has taught us a lot.
You see, the city is changing fast. Once defined by artists and immigrants, San Francisco is now home to Twitter. Union Square is full of vanity store-fronts, and Fisherman’s Wharf feels a bit more like Disneyland than a boatman’s reprieve. Money came to a city once defined by counterculture, and popularity amongst tourists and techies has begun to oust the very people that built it. You could say that San Francisco "got cool". But, it’s not all bad! Just beyond the tourist traps, it is still possible to find the experiences where San Francisco’s genuine legacy carries on.
It would take months of expensive cable car rides, boat tours, and winery escapades to ever get a true sense of San Francisco, but an authentic experience doesn't have to cost much at all. Instead, there are plenty of ways to experience San Francisco while uplifting the communities that made it. In fact, we can assuredly say that the more local you go, the better your experience will be! So, if you're ready, we'd like to recommend some almost free and very local things to experience in San Francisco. Let's go!:
1. Eating In The Street
We’re firm believers that San Francisco has one of the world’s most amazing ethnic food scenes. You can wait hours at a trendy restaurant for overpriced bone marrow and salad wreaths (seriously), or you can scale it back for something equally fantastic. Our best finds have been El Farolito for burritos, Hang Ah Tea Room for dim sum, Kevin’s for pho, Duc Loi for bahn mi, and Arizmendi for artisan pizza by the slice. Grabbing food for take away usually comes at half the cost of sitting down, and it will give you a chance to support small businesses and taste the City without spending a small fortune.
2. Wandering The Neighbourhoods
San Francisco neighbourhoods are the next best thing to Epcot — each neighbourhood has a visibly distinct character. Rather than overdoing it with scheduled activities, create your own fun and get a sense of the city just by walking the neighbourhoods. Visit the most densely populated area West of Manhattan in San Francisco’s Chinatown, dipping into the Fortune Cookie Factory and Tin How Temple along the way. In the Mission, you can spend hours looking at politically-charged murals in Balmy or Clarion Alley, checking out taxidermy and rare plants at Paxton Gate, or hanging out in Dolores Park. Check out the Haight for second hand shopping and cheesy homages to the Summer of Love. Or, make your way to Pacific Heights, for Golden Gate views along with the colourful little houses that make their way into every San Francisco based movie. If you’re open to the adventure, a walk through any neighbourhood will reveal more than any city tour ever could.
3. Getting Around
San Francisco is quite small at just 7 miles x 7 miles, but the hills make it tougher to walk across than you’d expect. Public transportation in the USA is notoriously terrible, but San Francisco is quite well connected. The BART will get you to a few major parts of the city, and the MUNI will fill in any gaps. With additional services like Scoot, GoCar, Lyft, and easy to rent bikes (most of which offer a first-timers discount) just getting around the city can be half the fun. Wear a helmet, and be warned that car doors and trolley tracks have taken plenty of casualties!
4. Experiencing San Francisco Park Culture
Perhaps the most unique part of San Francisco is the park culture. Sure, there are bars, festivals, and street fairs, but if you’re really looking for a free and year-around alternative, head to the nearest park! San Francisco parks are great for hanging out, people watching, and taking a break from the week’s hustle. With lax nudity laws and an affinity for personal expression, it won’t be your average family picnic. At Dolores, Alamo Square, or Golden Gate Park you can bring your own snacks, a frisbee, and a 6-pack for a whole day of activity.In our opinion, heading to the park is the very best way to get a sense of the local San Francisco without spending a dime.
5. Seeking Out Free Days
San Francisco’s museums are a huge part of its character, and many are just as unique as the city itself. The SFMOMA, the Cal Academy of Sciences, and the De Young offers rotating exhibits that are totally worth your time. In the interest of promoting the arts, almost all San Francisco museums offer a free day once a month. Most of the free days fall on Tuesday or the first weekend of the month, but it’s always worth checking for other promotions. If your schedule doesn't line up, there are plenty of small galleries and quirky museums worth exploring.
6. Hitting Up The Festivals & Street Fairs
San Francisco has a pretty epic line-up of events, festivals, and street fairs, particularly during the summer months. Come to town for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass or the Stern Grove Festival for free live music, the Spray Can Art Fest for street art in the making, and Bay to Breakers or Pride for complete and utter chaos. Just about any time of year, you can find a neighbourhood festival, free film screening, or other offbeat event listing that will give you a more personalized sense of San Francisco.
Can't find any events of interest? Check out other upcoming events on sf.funcheap.com
7. Getting Outside
The West Coast has some of the most stunning scenery you’ve ever seen. Between the massive redwoods, a jagged coastline, and an abundance of national parks, it would be a shame to visit San Francisco without heading outside for a hike. If you’re renting a car, escape the city for a Southerly drive along the Pacific Coast Highway or head north to Muir Woods. Just further afield is Lake Tahoe or Yosemite National Park where you can hike, bike, camp, and see just what the outdoor culture movement is all about. If you’re without a car, these parks are wildly popular for weekend trips. Look into ride-sharing or bus routes to meet new friends and to get there for just a fraction of the cost.
8. Staying Affordably In San Francisco
Housing in San Francisco is infamously expensive. With rent on one bedrooms going for around $3,000/month, accommodation is one area where you may have to break your budget. That being said, there are a few options to consider:
- San Francisco has a thriving sharing economy. If you're able to find a willing Couchsurfing host, this will always be your most affordable option!
- Hostels haven’t taken off in the US like they have in other parts of the world, but San Francisco does have a few — you can find a dorm bed for around $30/night.
- Stay outside of the touristic neighbourhoods in an Airbnb. While the cost of accommodation might be the same, you'll be able to save a lot on food and activities.
- San Francisco runs on Craigslist! If you’re staying in the city for 1+ week, scan the short term rentals section. As rent is so expensive, people will often be desperate to sublet their rooms while they’re out of town to make up some of the difference. Applying is horribly competitive, but apply widely and hopefully you’ll hear back!
Thanks a lot for reading, guys! Have you ever been to San Francisco? What tips would you share for avoiding the tourist traps and experiencing local San Francisco? If you're coming into town for a visit, contact us for tips and recommendations!
Want more info on what to do in San Fran?! Check out this top 25 list of things to do!
BIO: Hey there! We’re Taylor + Daniel. We created Travel Outlandish to showcase the offbeat, immersive, faraway travel experiences that even our 5-year-old selves would be into. We cover street art, street food, adventure travel, festival travel, local experience, and our personal favorite, the “what the hell is…” series. Learn more about us here!
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Taran & Makoto here, together we form Nomader How Far photography.
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