Find out how to:
Plan a route and choose your travel destinations
Make money from overseas jobs
Select the best travel insurance to cover you while working abroad
Make your travel money last longer
Choose the best ways of keeping in touch with friends and family
Pick the best time to visit
Pack the health essentials with your first aid kit checklist
Find the best opportunities for volunteer work overseas
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Help fund your next overseas trip by completing Paid Surveys at home or on the road.
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Making Money while you Travel
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Extended Travel Planning
Becoming a Working
Nomad for longer than a few months? Leaving your job and home for adventure in
the great unknown? The transition from your home and routine employment to
becoming a working nomad can be scary.
Extended trips require months of planning to minimize mayhem and inconvenience,
both abroad and at home. You should start your planning three to six months
ahead of your departure.
BE YOUR OWN ADVANCE RESEARCH TEAM
Safety, Budget and Responsible Travel
When planning your destination, consider the climate and other local
factors. Never assume that two neighbouring countries have good relations. Learn
where your dollar goes farthest and weigh it against your tolerance for the
inconveniences of the region. Educate yourself about tourism boycotts, and make
a personal decision on which countries to visit.
Guide Books
Spend a few days in the travel section of your local library or bookstore.
Study guidebooks carefully, looking for one that agrees with your style of
travel. Check the copyright date of the book you choose. Is it the most recent
edition? A guide that is two years out of date may still be accurate for the
States or Australia, but two years is an eternity in rapidly changing areas with
unstable currency.
Travel Options
Read up on the travel options in the region. Some countries have reliable
transportation, with buses, trains, and planes that adhere to rigid schedules.
Other areas have vague schedules, with instructions such as "go to the corner,
buses leave when full."
Research and more research
The Internet is a massive library of information on your destination. Make
the time to wade through sites, reading about culture, books, accommodation, and
local transport. Consider the date the information was posted, and the
credibility of the source.
Health
Consult with a physician for prescriptions and vaccinations. Also visit your
dentist. Inform your doctor that you are taking an extended trip, and take
contact info, including e-mail and fax numbers, for them. Depending on which
country you're going to, you may need a World Health Organization International
Certificate of Vaccination from your doctor - some countries require evidence of
a Yellow Fever vaccine.
Insurance
Whether you're departing on a two week holiday or planning on travelling for
two years, you should have travel insurance. Although not an entirely necessary
expenditure, it is certainly a recommended one. Consider things like getting
medical evacuation, cancellation and baggage insurance.
Passports, Visas and Other Documents
Apply for or renew your passport, if it is going to expire within a year.
Many countries won't allow you in if your passport is not valid for six months
past your date of entry. Also consider other memberships and identification: you
may want a teacher's card, a youth hostel card, or an international driver's
license. Carry several extra passport photos with you -- you'll need them for
visas en route.
Many countries require visas for entry. Read the specific requirements and
application procedures on the Embassy's home page. Start early, but not so early
that the visa expires before you leave home. Some visas can be acquired at the
port of entry, however others must be pre arranged before arrival.
Money
Take a high-limit Visa or Mastercard.
Get a four-digit PIN for ATM and Visa cards (some ATM's only accept four
digits).
Use your ATM card to get cash when you can.
In a pinch, use your Visa card to get a cash advance from a bank or ATM.
Minimize fees by paying off immediately using online banking, or pay a positive
balance on your Visa account before leaving home.
Organize Your Papers
Organize all your medical info, insurance contacts, passport, I.D. cards,
address book, credit card numbers and stolen card phone numbers, travellers’
check numbers with emergency phone numbers, itinerary information, and contact
information. Scan them in and e-mail it to yourself, carry paper copies, and
leave copies with trusted friends.
Luggage
Choose your gear carefully. Your luggage is your most important purchase.
Extended travel is best served by a convertible travel pack or backpack. Weigh
your bag empty before purchasing it, and consult with a specialist on fitting.
Packing
Pack light (you can always purchase things as you go). Allow yourself a few
small luxuries when gearing up. But remember, chocolate melts and books are
heavy. Carry your pack full, along with a water bottle, guidebook, and your
heaviest clothes before choosing your luxuries. Make a checklist of gear, and
assemble a first aid kit.
Taking care of your home
Back home, your affairs will need to be self-sustaining, or operable by
remote control. If you have property, sell or rent it. Renting means being an
absentee landlord, so set up a means to solve problems. Hire a property manager
or friend, and leave them with a list of emergency contacts and instructions.
Confirm your property insurance covers renting, and clean out your refrigerator
in consideration of your tenants. Force plants onto a friend who needs cheering
up. If you have a car, sell it or store it. Pre-pay your insurance on your car,
home, and possessions.
Mail Forwarding
Whether you sell, rent, or leave your lease, remember to cut off your
utilities and phone. Stop magazine subscriptions and file a forwarding address
to a friend's house.
Storage
Store your stuff. Prices vary depending on location, so get a few estimates
before committing to a storage company. Movers charge a hefty fee, so get
several estimates on that too, and have your stuff well packed in boxes before
they arrive to save money.
If you are storing a computer, back up the hard drive on a separate CD or disk
before putting it in storage. Upload your browser's bookmarks or favourites to
server space if you know how, so that you can access them from any public
computer.
Taxes and Other Important Things
You'll need to develop superhuman organizing skills, or get assistance from
professionals. Make a will, give a friend power of attorney, and plan for tax
season. Add up your deductions and get estimates to your accountant before you
go, and then arrange for official documents to be forwarded. File for an
extension if you need to.
Banking
Your money, if you have enough to worry about, needs special consideration.
Remember that you may not be around when those bills fall due or tax time. Plan
ahead, and give yourself some leeway, so that a change in your schedule won't
damage your long-term financial planning.
Sign up for an online banking account and test drive it before you leave. It
isn't always possible to reach a computer when you need one, so schedule
automatic payments if you can.
Email
Stay in touch by getting a free browser-based e-mail account, such as
Hotmail or Yahoo. You can configure it to check home accounts, as long as they
are 'POP' based.
