One Mans Odyssey

It's true, I went looking for a rucksack in covent garden today with my list of criteria in tow.

The things I knew that I needed from my bag, at all costs!

• Is it one of those travel-pack thingies (i.e. you can carry it as a bag also)
• Does it feel Good?
• Is it as big as that bloke on the internet recommended?

Unfortunatly this really was the extent of my knowledge whilst looking for a rucksack to take with me. Not one of my strong points as you can probably tell.

So I dropped into a few stores in covent garden, lots of stores actually. Armed with my killer questions I hit the shelves to see what I could find. There seemed to be tons of different bags but ultimately I decided on an "Osprey Waypoint 80". It matched all of my criteria and was one of only two bag companies I recognized the name of. That's branding for you.

Being pretty up to date with tech-things, not content with paying £150 in store I decided, hey it's a bag I'll find it cheaper online. Turns out this was a mistake!  I looked on a good few sites, though I'll admit I could have looked more thouroughly but it seems that everybody is selling it at the same price and that was if they even sold it at all! I'm guessing they have some sort of trade agreement down as only select places seems to sell them as well. Either this or I've heard of them for bad reasons and forgotten hence the old "Any publicity is good publicity". Whatever the story I'm happy with this bag and can order online with free delivery within less than a week.

Until Next Time,

Daniel McClure

I really can't believe that it escaped my mind for this long!

Imagine travelling accross the globe… A world that you've never experienced… Sights beyond even your wildest thoughts and dreams… Friends that you've never met before… The kind of experience that you would never want to forget! Then why, may I ask, did I sell my digital camera?

I kid you not, as I sit here with my budget in hand I wonder where to squeeze in my new camera. Leaving without a camera feels like it could be one of the biggest mistakes that I could make at this moment. My phone has been doubling as my digi-cam recently but with the trip of a lifetime I think I'd really rather have a full on camera to take.

What to do? What to do?

It's reached that vital point where I am no longer counting down the days and am beginning to realise there is probably a lot I should be doing before I leave. Stuff I haven't got rid of yet and things like that. It is such a weird feeling to know that this time next month I will be in Australia, a country that I've never visited in my life and it's quite probable that I will be there for a full year, the longest I've ever been away from home at one time.

I really can't wait to get out there and see what happens. I really can't tell whether I should be planning more or not. I have a rough idea of what I should be doing but really I want to leave it all till I get out there. I feel that there is no point in fully panning all the details as there is no way to know truly how it will be out there. Of course I have an idea of how I would like to create my life down under but really I feel the only real way to plan this kind of trip is to surrender yourself to the flow of things and just make sure you've got all the essentials down. Place to stay initially, working permits, bank accounts, insurance…  Basically everything possible to get the best start and then let the future unfold step by step.

I have some great ideas on making money whilst away, I'll keep them hush hush for now but if everything goes to plan I have some pretty slick ways to make money whilst in Australia in slightly less traditional ways. I'll leave it at that for now I've been inspired by a new trail of thought recently and a book I found called "x marks the spot" really kind of sums up a lot of what has been going through my mind. You can find the book here, I'll be honest if you are looking for meaty info you will not find it in there, but it is pretty inspirational and follows a pretty similar line of thinking to that of mine lately. I guarantee you when the ideas I have flowing through my head right now materialize you will hear about them, I really have a lot of faith in them.

Whilst here I just want to put out a huge THANK YOU, to my family, friends and readers who have been very supportive of this odyssey. It brings me much joy to know that mostly everyone is behind me and that I can bring back value to others through this site. Really, thank you.

Speak to you Soon,

Daniel McClure

 P.S. I got me some cool business cards for this blog, so anybody interesting I meet whilst I'm away can drop by or send me an e-mail. Let me know if you've been lucky enough to receive one!

So I was answering a question on a message board and I figured I may as well let you in a few secrets I've found for arranging your money whilst travelling:

 Secret #1

Whilst travelling abroad you may not be aware that many of your cards will have excess fees placed on them simply as you using them in a different country. The average fee at the moment I've seen for both current accounts and credit cards is 2.75%. This means that for every £100 you are spending you will be charged an extra £2.75 before you even consider your normal banking charges and commision.

Secret #2

There is one bank I know of that do not charge you on foriegn transactions. If you are planning on using your UK account a lot then this could save you a ton. Nationwide currently offer this service on their flex current account. They also offer this deal on their credit cards so if you can, get one now, if not…

Secret #3

If you have bad credit or have just been refused a credit card there is a sure-fire way to get one! The solution is prepaid credit cards. These are just like normal credit cards in almost every way. The major difference is that you charge your card up with money before use. Just as you might buy a top-up on a mobile pay as you go phone you would buy a top up on your prepaid card. This is great as it allows even those with a low credit rating to take a card for payment whilst abroad.

Now I may add more to this as I think of it but I thought you'd rather get this hot little article sooner rather than later. Some ideas to get started in planning your money management whilst abroad…

Best of Luck,

Daniel McClure

If the thought of planning a trip to another country for months and sometimes a year or more seems like a huge task then this may be the answer… There are many people who can practically plan your ultimate gap experience for you. It is very easy to find a gap year travel program and they will often include many if not all of the things you wanted anyway. As they arrange these trips for many people you can sometimes get discounted activities or will find they have some service that will help you to get a job.

All you have to do is decide which is best for you, read the brochure see if it fits in with your idea of a good time and then the rest is up to them to organise. Don't think that you will be completely restricted by choosing one of these companies. A recent brochure I ordered from Real Gap included everything from diving courses to volunteer work as a 'Jackaroo'!

If you do decide that you want to take this route then make sure you consider the value for money. Ensure that if it doesn't include everything you require that you can afford the rest on top of your package. Things to consider are visas, insurance etc.

After reading the company brochure feel free to ask all the questions you have about the program to their team. This way you can ensure that you really have all the necassary details and that it is the right fit for you. It's better to have too much information than not enough when buying into these packages. Another idea is speaking to a rep to discuss what you want out of your experience and have them fit a packagae to your needs. 

I chose not to take a packagae as I wanted to be truely independant but I can see how they could help many people and take away a lot of the probably needless time and effort I've added into researching the best way to start out etc. The most well known company I've encountered so far is linked above where you can request a free brochure. Many people I've spoken to are going with them and rate them highly. Again it's all down to personal preference. I might have to take them up on their Chinese trip after oz though

Best of Luck,

Daniel McClure

Trying to find the best backpacker insurance can be quite a task with so many brokers, agents and other assorted companies coming at you from all directions. With this article I hope to make it that much smoother because lets face it… Choosing travel insurance for a gap year or extended trip isn't the most exciting part of planning!

Although travel insurance is not a legal obligation yet there is not a doubt in my mind that you will need it. I won't go into detail but often people think they will be fine, "It's a safe city trip" or something to that effect. If you can fall ill or have an accident at home you can do the same anywhere. The main difference being that only the smallest of accidents can run bills into the thousands whilst travelling.

"Choosing the right insurance has the potential to save you thousands…"

So what do you need to get cover for? "How do I know that my insurance covers everything I want to do?"  So many questions where to find the answers. Well… The very first step when choosing a policy is getting an idea of what kind of trip you plan on taking.

Some ideas to get you started…

• How long are you Traveling for?
• Where are You going?
• Might you travel somewhere else?
• Will you be driving?
• Is there a chance you will play any sport?
• Any extreme sports? (Some things that may seem harmless like football sometimes aren't covered)
• Will you be working?
• How much money will you have on you?

All of the things listed above can have a huge impact on the type of insurance you go for. Perhaps if you havn't already got a plan of your trip work list down all of your answers so that you can compare against potential insurance deals you find.

Once you have an idea of what you might be doing on your holiday and will need cover for it's good to realise that there are still some things you probably havn't even thought of. In my honest opinion you must make sure your insurance covers every possible eventuality. It's better to be covered for something that never happens than to get robbed and find out you are stuck without money, a passport, flight tickets, practically anything to survive on and get yourself out of the situation.

Things you may not have thought of…

• What if you miss a flight?
• What if your passport were stolen?
• What if you baggage were lost/delayed?
• What if you are injured and need to be flown home?
• What if you get caught up in something and need legal cover?
• What if you injure somebody else?

If you get a good policy you absolutely will not have to worry about these things!

Okay, so now you know exactly what kind of things you wil need cover for it's time to compare your list of requirements against a few policies. I have included a general guide to what is a good amount of cover below.

This is the Minimum that I personally would take…

• Medical Expenses - £2.5 Million
• Personal Liability - £1 Million
• Cancellation - £3,000
• Baggage - £1,500
• Cash - £250
• Travel Documents £200

On top of that you will have to add anything extra that you may need cover for. In my case I have actually gone with a great insurance broker that has actually included most extreme sports that I plan to do in my cover for no extra cost. 

For those who want to be sure they have the best cover…

These are two additional features that if you can find them are a great addition to your policy. They are by no means necassary but can definitely help to make a great deal. I managed to snag both for my upcoming trip.

The first is what is called an excess waiver. For those who don't know an excess is an amount that you have to pay on any bills before your insurance will kick on. This can be as high as £60 which won't be ideal when you have just had your wallet or purse stolen. When you have an excess waiver you will pay slightly more when initially purchasing your insurance but when it comes down to making a claim you will not have to pay the excess first.

The second benefit is being able to change your mind whilst away. Some insurers actually allow you to make changes to the policy whilst you are away just by making a call or editing your policy online. This is great say if you decide to visit a neighbouring country whilst away or have a rush of inspiration to try a sport that you are not covered for. This is great because it really gives you the freedom to just let the fun times roll.

So who gives The Best Backpacker Insurance quickly and Easily?

I'm not going to lie to you, there are many good providers who will be great for different types of trips. As a UK resident going to Australia for a year I found Downunder Insurance the best match for me. It gave me everything I needed and more, including the two additional benefits I mentioned above. Personally I went for their comprehensive cover as I like to make sure that I am absolutely getting the best deal. i don't want to be caught short.

I recommend that you check out a few insurance companies for yourself and make sure they have all you need but if you're going to take a look at Downunder Insurance I'd appreciate it if you could use the link below.

After I signed up with them I found a link which enabled me to recommend them to others and get some money back on my insurance. You really should choose the best insurance for your trip but if it happes to be Downunder why not help a fellow traveller in the process?

Best of Luck,

Daniel McClure

Everything is finally starting to come together now. I actually made an effort and took a look through all the different insurance policies on offer and snagged one. After working in a banking environment for well over a year I have quite a good idea about insurance and the different things you need to consider. I'm guessing this experience may have been a little easier for me than it will be for you. In a few days I will throw up a guide to help others choose insurance…

I plan on having a lot of fun… I mean like surfing, scuba diving, skydiving, the lot! Obviously these are all pretty high risk activities in the eyes of insurance brokers so I was expecting to pay a higher premium than the average holiday insurance.  In many sites this was the case but in one broker seemed to offer everything needed and more.

Downunder Insurance without a doubt. They cover virtually everything possible and if it's not included then you can add it for a small fee. Another reason I was so impressed with their policy is that if I decide to do something crazy whilst I'm away and I'm not currently covered then I can just log onto the net or call them up and they will add it onto my policy. With so many places you are stuck into one rigid policy that may not even cover you whilst working abroad or for the full amount of time that you wish to do something, that is not the case here. This truely is a great deal, Next Stop Oz!

Anyhow I'm off to the gym for now, I need to be in good shape for my adventures…

Dan

P.S. I'll make sure to add up the Insurance guide over the next couple of days so make sure you check back soon.

P.P.S If you are going travelling you will need insurance. You can get a quote from Downunder using the link below:

Just the other day I was chatting and as is quite usual with me these days the conversation turned to my Australia Trip…

• Visa…  Check!
• Flights… Check!
• Accommodation for Arrival… err, let me get back to you with that…
• Insurance… err, OK just let me get the accommodation sorted for now!

When you are leaving next month and there isn't even somewhere for you to stay you should be worrying, "You absolutely must book a hostel right now!". The words that came from my friends mouth and To be honest they had a point.

I am already throwing myself in the deep end alone on the other side of the world without one of the Gap companies that babysit you the whole way. Why make life even harder on yourself? Guaranteed when arriving you will not want to be wandering around looking for somewhere to stay after a 23 hour flight Jet Lagged to Hell just to find out that you can't get a roof over your head for the night!

The Hunt was On! One site that has come highly recommended to me at several steps was www.hostelz.com which is basically a site for comparing reviews of hostels around the globe. The beauty of this site is that there are a ton of reviews from previous customers.

The Voice of a Traveller is one I would Trust Any Day
over The Swish Salesman who knows it all…

The reasoning being that a salesman may have targets, earn commissions and be very biased when discussing places for you to stay. When you read a review from a previous customer you know they are speaking from personal experience in a location and therefore are giving their judgement based on real experience, not what it tells them in the brochure or sales pack!

As I was saying I browsed the various hostels available in Sydney… They all had a star rating available so I could tell at a glance which were the best. After viewing a selection there were two main Hostels I shortlisted.

1. Wake Up! Sydney
   There were a few reasons this made the shortlist. Main things being that these guys offer free assistance setting up Tax Files, bank accounts etc and even run a free orientation morning for guests. Not only this but they apparently have one of the best bars in the city and I had heard of them previously in my research. I assure you the bar had no sway on why I chose this hostel for my first week in Australia
    
2. Sydney Central YHA Hostel
   This one seemed to come out top for quality and the such and I may have gone for them had there not been so many reviews stating that it attracted an older crowd. This obviously could be fine for some people but I wanted to surround myself with people in a similar situation to kick start my trip.

I booked 7 Nights with Wake Up as I figured this would be enough time for me to get over my Jet Lag meet a few people and start to fully come to terms with my situation. This is also the reason that I chose between some of the better known, higher class (also read: expensive) hostels for my first week.

There will be plenty of opportunities to save and make money throughout your trip so the first week of your stay you may as well make sure that you get a good introduction to the country and start off on the right foot. The last thing you want after booking a hostel is to arrive in some dingy old hole and not know any better on where to go!

A review of "Wake Up" in Sydney will be added as soon as I have some experience under my belt. Check In is on the 20th November!

Oh and about the Travel Insurance, it's the next thing I'll cover…

P.S. I am so excited about this trip it's unreal, it's got to the stage I have that fuzzy feeling in my stomach even when I'm just looking at travel insurance for the trip! It's like being a kid on Chrstmas eve, except this time Christmas Eve now lasts 48 Days!