I am planning a world tour: Where should I start?

Deep breathe: Everything is going to be ok!

Traveling the world solo can be exciting but there are also a lot of stressful moments: the health insurance, the vaccines, the backpack, the money, the accommodation… bla bla bla.

Do not panic!

I am here to help. 😀 REMEMBER: You are doing something to enjoy yourself not to kill yourself. Relax!

I have listed some important steps that I took for my trip. Have a look:

 

MONEY €€€

Before planning make sure you have saved some money for your trip. YES! You can do a lot of things for free but you will definitely need a good amount of money. The amount will depend on the length of your trip, the destination and also your personal needs. For my South America trip I am planning a budget of 800€ to 1000€ (even less if possible). For example, I know some people do not bother if they camp, I do not like camping so staying in a hostel or hotel is always more expensive.

 

DESTINATION

This point is pretty much important. You do not have to define everything. I believe, when you decide and plan everything things turn out to be boring and not exciting as you expected.

However, you need to have a clue of what region you will be visiting. Defining which part of the world you want to visit will help you to set the budget and to start reading about the countries.

 

TICKET

Do not go any further before getting your ticket. 😛 Get the world map and draw some possible ways from where you can start and where you can finish your tour.

Then, check the prices of the plane tickets and find out the cheapest city to travel from your country. If you are checking the prices online, make sure you check every plane company, specially, low-cost companies, national airplane companies and the ones from the country where you are flying to. Also check the prices in different days of the week (if you are flexible). Sometimes one or two days can make a big different in the final price of the ticket.

TIP: Plane tickets are usually cheaper on Tuesdays. 😀

 

VISAS, PASSPORTS and OTHER DOCUMENTS

If you are a European your national identification will be enough for almost every European country. If you are not a European or you are traveling to somewhere else outside Europe, you will need your passport (preferably valid for at least 6 months). Also check if you need a visa to get in the country or any other documents. If you are traveling to the USA, DO NOT FORGET the ESTA. I did forget it once and I truth me I have never panicked so much in my all life as I did that time.

Many forget about IDL* BUT if you pretend to drive in the country where you are going, do not forget to get your International Driving License*.

 

FRIENDS

You have been traveling around and you know a lot of people around the world. PERFECT! What are you waiting for to contact your international friends?! Traveling is a wonderful way to meet old/ new friends and also to get to know the destination you picked with locals.

You do not know a lot of people abroad. No problem… You will when you start traveling, especially on your own. I promise you 😀

I traveled for the first time alone when I was 18 years old. I took part of Summer School Program in the USA. After a month in Miami I returned to Portugal with at least more 50 friends.

 

VACCINES

Doctors and Doctors. Make sure you go to the doctor before you leave, particularly, if you are going to Africa, Asia or Central/South America. Again, check with your doctor the medicines you should take and the appropriate vaccines for the country where you are heading. See more about South America vaccines HERE!

 

BANK

Money turns to be around a lot (SORRY) but we cannot make a trip without it. Before leaving your country, contact your bank in order to inform your bank adviser that you will be traveling around (tell him/her about your destination countries). Plus, I think traveling with 2 credit cards is always a better option. In case something happens, you still have a backup.

⇒ Note urgent contacts in case something goes very wrong.

 

INSURANCE

You are traveling around the world and you injure yourself. S**** happens and it happens to everyone SO BE (PRE)CAUTIOUS. If you do not have a travel insure before you leave and you get hurt during your trip, things can get complicate (huge bills might appear).

Health insurance, Medication, Repatriation, Luggage, Legal liability… All of these items are important when you look for a good international insurance. I took ACS insurance. ACS is a French company and some friends advise me this one. I cannot give you any feedback yet but so far I can say they are pretty nice and their reply rate is quite short.

⇒ Note the urgent contacts of the Insurance Company.

 

READ

Read about your destination and get as much information as possible. You are going to do mistakes, you are going to get lost and that is fine BUT I believe some stuff can be avoided by reading about the destination (such as bad neighborhood, basic of local language…). Reading will help you to know better the countries where you are going, the culture and also the costumes.

Here some books I bought to prepare my trip however, today there are so many bloggers who share a lot of information for free. Have a look on the internet. 😀

 

ACCOMMODATION

Find a place where to stay if you do not know anyone in the city where you are heading first. Inform yourself about the airport schedules and how to get to the city center – When I am traveling for the first time to a place and I do not speak the local language, I always try to land during the day. I find it much more save –. Also checking the prices of bus and taxi will help you not to spend more than locals with your ride.

THE BEST: Get a hostel or hotel in the city center to better explore the city and get comfortable. I would say a 3 nights booking must be enough to see around and eventually find another cheaper and better place to stay.

😛 😛 😛 😛 😛

BACKPACK

THE BAG!!! This is important especially for girls who like to pack everything. Believe me, when you have to carry EVERYTHING around, the BAG turns out to be not that interesting and you simply wish you have not packed those 2 dresses and skirts and make up. Bahhh. Soon, I will share my backpack to South America.

 

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know if you have any travel plans soon.

 

Beijinho,

Daniela