Discover why we ended up in A Coruña, what there is to do, and where to find the best octopus you’ll ever eat.

To listen, hit play below or find episode in iTunes or Soundcloud:

Ayuntamiento of A Coruna at night

Things to do in A Coruña

We’ve been making the most of cool days to visit the many modern museums and galleries that are free, or close-to-free (€2 for the most part).

Neon jellies at the A Coruña Aquarium

So far, favourites include the aquarium with its Jules Verne “Nautillus” room; and the fine art museum (Museo de Bellas Artes) for a well-curated display of Gallician, Spainish and European works, plus a great temporary photography exhibition when we visited this week.

There’s plenty of good walking tracks, including that to the panoramic viewpoint of Monte San Pedro and along the kilometers of wonderful white-sand beach. We’re looking forward to the weather heating up, and spending some more time there.

Discover more

We’re making notes on everything we do here, and publishing them at http://visitacoruna.indietravelblogs.com — our new blogging site.

Thanks to Dave Dean from Too many adapters for exploring with us this week; and coming up with this suitable quote:

The best damn octopus I've had in my life... In A Coruña

Find out where in this week’s podcast — take a listen:

Why visit A Coruña, Spain? (Why not?!) by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen, hit play below or find episode in iTunes or Soundcloud:

Quotes on this article came from our rocking Facebook community who chipped in with what they wish they knew before starting long-term travel. Join us there or get your own Indie Travel Podcast Community account.

During the planning stage

This bit’s the most difficult: there’s so much to read, so much contradictory advice, so much to save, so much to organise. Rest assured, it’ll be worth it in the end!

[I wish I knew the] cost of all the medical shots. It can be more than your plane tickets ~Leanne Woodmass

Costs can be more than you expect; and while there’s lots of areas you can save a few (hundred) bucks, there’s three real essentials:

• Your transport
• Your insurance
• Your medical costs

Areas where you can save money, or put that cash back into experiences:

• Save on accommodation by hosteling or couchsurfing
• Don’t buy lots of “essential” travel gear. Pack light.
• Look carefully into your visa requirements; sometimes slightly shortening time in one country can save you a lot.
• Use a library and the internet to research; or look into ebooks rather than paperbacks.

You should have a fall-back fund as well: enough money to get you on the next flight home + 10% is enough for most people.

A program like Evernote is great for pulling together all the articles, information, government advisories and little snippets of advice you get from people. At some point, go through all your trip tags, and start mapping out your plan.

Couples can struggle with the how-to of planning a dream trip together. pack light!

Make sure you start with space in your bag, rather than having it overflowing on day 3! ~Heather Rodgers

Take a carry-on sized bag and nothing more. There’s a list of the best backpacks for travel here — all around 30 litres, which you should be able to pack with 10-12kg of stuff.

The unimportance of socks and underwear ~Barefoot Wallets

Three pairs of each is enough. You should definitely wash though. Learn how to wash clothes while travelling.

On airports and arriving

I don’t know about you, but airports make me nervous. I’ve been through dozens without problems (and hope to continue that unbroken record), but they always appear menacing to me. They don’t have to be fraught with stress though: they can be places to get excited about the adventures that are soon to come!

I wish I knew more about international airports and how immigration, customs, quarantine etc works. My parents really didn’t travel overseas when younger, so when I arrived at Hong Kong, I was just a sheep following others and luckily the airport staff were friendly and understanding. Trusting strangers in airport staff. Also about all the shonky people who hassle you for business outside the airport like foreign currency exchange people, taxi drivers, illegal taxi drivers etc. so a general better understanding of the arrival and departure processes and also different cultures etc. ~Guy Spouge

To cut down on airport-related stress:

• Read up about your airport online, and get an idea of where you’ll have to be, and where you’ll have to go.
• Plan your transit to the airport with delays in mind. We normally arrive an hour or so before the ‘recommended’ time.
• Be careful and intentional while packing your bag. You know you can’t carry a knife, bottle opener, and — in some places — liquids over a certain limit.
• Read up on the customs rules for both your departure point and about what you’re allowed to bring into your destination.
• Be careful! Having your head screwed on is your best bet for a safe trip
• Relax! There will almost always be someone around to help you out.
• On arrival, don’t let people take your bag, or usher you into an unlicensed taxi. Take your time, check your options.

Go on… have the time of your life.

Also see:

• How to work while travelling
• Art of Solo Travel
• Art of Couples’ Travel
• Preparing for long term travel
• Travel Safety: Safety Tips For Personal And Corporate Travellers

I’m sure you still have a million questions about your first big trip abroad (or more advice for those going). Fire away…

How to prepare for your first big trip by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen, hit play below or find episode in iTunes or Soundcloud:

Discover:

• Travel in Salta
• Transport in Salta
• Things to do in Salta
• Cheap accommodation in Salta
• Cloudhead non-profit in Salta
• Or take a look around the rest of South America

Let the photos commence!

[Show as slideshow]

Make sure you listen to the show too!

The Salta podcast by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Here at Indie Travel Podcast we’ve always wanted to tell our stories in a way that inspires people to travel more, and equips them to travel well. Whether that’s by suggesting an out-of-the-way place to visit, or asking questions to help us all get below the surface of the places we visit.

But we can’t be everywhere at once. We don’t have all the stories.

If you’re travelling this year, and you’d like to see your work published on the Indie Travel Podcast, we’d love to hear from you. We are looking for stories:

• from places all around the world.
• from your neighbourhood as well as exotic locales.
• that help people to travel more, or travel well.

We’re not interested in glossy sales language that tries to convince people this destination is just perfect, we’re interested in stories that show real people interacting with the place they are in, or stories that help people get a feel for a place they’ve never been — and that help them decide if it’s for them.

And what can we give you? Unfortunately, we can’t pay for every article you send in. In fact, we might not be able to pay you for any article you send us. But, from time to time, we commission work on a particular place or topic — and when we do, we always look to current writers first.

We can provide expert editing, so your stories look great. This might also mean we ask you to revise it a few times before it sees the light of day. This also means we don’t accept every story idea we get sent.

We can provide a great audience, so your work gets read. And if you have your own travel blog that might be some good exposure for people to find you.

Interested in joining us, sharing your travels and inspiring people to travel well? Drop us a line below, tell us a little about yourself, where you’re travelling, and what you’d like to write about. We’ll go from there.

We want you! Write for the Indie Travel Podcast by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Hit play below or find episode 232 in iTunes or SoundCloud.

What is the Via de la Plata?

The 1,000km Via de la Plata forms part of the network of pilgrimage tracks known as the Camino de Santiago (or Way of St James).

The actual route is far older than the legendary discovery of the apostle’s remains in the city of Santiago de Compostela; it was a Roman highway, linking Astorga in the north with Sevilla in the south.

Leaving Orense

As you walk, you mainly follow the actual Roman route; passing by mines, abandoned cities and still-occupied cities as you step on paving stones over 1,000 years old and cross bridges built a few centuries after Christ or in the middle ages.

The modern Via de la Plata — as is walked by pilgrims to Santiago — takes a westerly turn a few hundred kilometers north of Zamora on the Camino Sanabrés rather than heading up to Astorga and joining the Camino Francés.

Stand-out moments on the Camino

A 39-day walk filled with foreign landscapes, language problems (and joys), residents, snow, sun, and other travellers is certainly going to include some ups and downs.

A few include:
Couchsurfing with Alfonso and Ana in Triana, Seville. It was our first visit to Sevilla, but we’ll certainly be back for the wonderful hospitality and amazing city life.

Sevilla airport - very welcoming

Walking into Merida epitomised the Roman history aspect. Crossing the Roman bridge, going past the Mozarabic fortifications, continuing through to the massive aqueduct, then walking another hour to the lake that feeds the city… still!

Easter day was full of serendipity, the first day we really felt part of the community on the road that is the Camino. There was nice hiking through forest and alongside a dam (the nicest hiking to date), Easter mass and processions, great food in a tiny town, surprising coffee and apples in a crumbling village, then a great walk down to our destination, more great tapas, and a nice, warm albergue.

Listen to the podcast for more stories spread throughout it. We’ll try and write up some of the best experiences soon.

Celebrating ten years of marriage

So, why would you want to walk 1,000km? For many, it’s about the pilgrimage; others, the physical and mental challenge; for us, it was the answer to a pretty unique problem.

On the 20th of April, we celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. Many people would celebrate with a dinner out, a party, or an overseas holiday. For us, “overseas” is more common than “at home”, and eating out seems to be more about writing reviews or convenience than it is about pure enjoyment. We were looking for something memorable, and something momentous.

I think we found it.

Resources for the Camino de Santiago

It can be hard to prepare for a walk like this, but we share some of the things we learned as we took on the Via de la Plata. Those learnings certainly apply to all of the Camino de Santiago routes — including the more popular Camino Francés. Start listening around 25:00 to forward to this.

To get inspired and start to learn more:

• The Way (movie)
• The Pilgrimage (Plus)
• Confraternity of St James (We can’t recommend their Via de la Plata guide Camino Francés guide is great
• Amigos of the Camino, Sevilla (Have a great flip-book of stages)
• ‘Our’ best source of Spanish information

And, we made it!

The goal -- Santiago cathedral.

We’re excited to be back podcasting, and back with you all again, but we’re also excited to have finished one of our biggest challenges yet: 1,030km from Sevilla to Santiago de Compostela — and ten years of marriage as well!

The Via de la Plata and the Camino de Santiago by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

With some stunning shots from around the world, from New Zealand to the Americas, Europe and Asia, the Indie Travel Podcast Community has obviously been out and about, and trying to keep sand out of their camera lenses!

Without further ado, let us show you the shots that make us feel at home by the beach.

[Show as slideshow]

And our grand-prize winner, who walks away with a copy of Travel Safety and either Art of Solo Travel or Art of Couples’ Travel is… Tina Salhany! Well done, Tina!

Classically composed beach at Abel Tasman National Park

We’re also featuring Tina’s photo on our Facebook page this month. Great photos from everyone; more photo competitions are coming… after we’re off the Camino.

Check out how to improve your travel photography, and you might be in with a grin when it comes to the next one!

Beaches around the world + Photo competition winners! by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

There are lots of reasons why overseas travel might not be appropriate for your next trip — maybe you’re limited by time and a long plane trip will eat up too many of your precious hours. Maybe that same plane trip is prohibitively expensive. Or maybe you’re just not in the mood.

But staying in your home country or state doesn’t have to be a second-best option. Thousands or millions of tourists probably visit your home area every year — why shouldn’t you be one of them, even if you are a local? There’s probably heaps to do within a two-hour radius of your home: go and explore.

Why stay home?

1. See the sights

The tourist hotspots are hotspots for a reason. Tourists come to New Zealand for a lot of reasons, and most of them aren’t in our home city, Auckland. But Queenstown, Wellington, and Christchurch are all just short flights away.

2. Transport might be cheaper

When we travel around New Zealand, we often go on roadtrips — using our own car saves on hirage fees, and taking friends with us means we can split the petrol. But even if we’re flying, we usually spend a lot less on internal flights than we would if we were travelling internationally. We recently paid just $30 flights for flights to Christchurch, compared to a minimum of $150 to Australia, or around $600 return to one of the Pacific Islands.

Road trippin'!

3. Company

Since you’re not heading too far away, it might be easier to convince your friends to travel with you. We’ve travelled with friends both at home and abroad, and people seem to agree more readily to a local break. Or maybe it’s just that our friends like roadtrips!

4. You know the systems

Travel at home tends to be easier than travel abroad because you know how things work. You speak the language, the currency is familiar and you have a rough idea of how much things cost, which makes it easier to budget. You get the new experiences without unpleasant cultural misunderstandings. For us, experiencing a different culture is part of the fun of travel, but sometimes it’s not what you’re after — and that’s okay.

5. No currency or passport issues

A lot less planning is needed for a local holiday because you don’t need to change currency or organise a new passport to replace the one which has invariably just expired.

Travel at home can be a great experience — do it! Take a look at how to explore your own city, in How to be a tourist in your own backyard.

Explore your backyard: travel your own country by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

But first, of course, we have to get there. We’re not the kind to do anything directly, so our trip to Seville includes stops in Christchurch, Kuala Lumpur and London. We’ll get there eventually, though!

Saturday 25/2: Since our flight wasn’t until 1:30pm, we didn’t have to rush things on Saturday morning, our last morning in Auckland. It was a good thing too; I’d worked right up until the last possible minute and we’d had a great goodbye party the night before — where we’d also passed our car on to its new owner. However, we did still have to pack and clean so we couldn’t sleep in too late. We said goodbye to Chris and Sarah and Craig’s mum took us to the airport, with a stop at my mum’s place to leave our extra stuff in her spare-room cupboard.

Christchurch stencil art with flowery roadcone.

The flight was uneventful but slightly delayed and Anne was waiting when we arrived. We also ran into a couple of old school friends of mine at the airport, which was cool.

Norrie and Anne took us into Rangiora for a drink in the afternoon, and we went into Kaiapoi for dinner in the evening. The food at the Three Cows, where we ate, was amazing, but the service could have done with a fair bit of work.

Sunday 26/2: We made a lateish start for a drive to Hamner Springs with Norrie and Anne, where we had lunch in a cafe and enjoyed the hot pools for a couple of hours before driving back to Kaiapoi for a relaxed evening at home.

Monday 27/2: Norrie and Anne both had to work, and we decided to too. We spent most of the day at home apart from a walk into town to visit the supermarket, and had Vietnamese summer rolls for dinner.

Tuesday 28/2: Although we visited Christchurch last January, after its first earthquake, we hadn’t seen what damage the February 22 earthquake had done. We decided to drive into the city for lunch and had a walk around; It was sobering to see how much of Christchurch is off-limits. However, we were impressed with the Re:start complex of shops and cafés built out of shipping containers — I think it should stay that way, even after the city is rebuilt, it’s a really nice setup.

Linda and Oscar at Re:start

We had coffee with my friend Oscar, who has moved to Christchurch from Auckland — it was good to see him, although finding him was a bit of a mission, since he got a bit lost trying to get around the red zone. After we said goodbye to him, we had a shawarma from a food caravan that’s operating in the Re:start area, not far from the restaurant’s red-stickered ex-premises.

In the afternoon we went for a walk with Anne, Norrie and Brodie the dog then had a casual dinner at home.

Wednesday 29/2: Our last full day in the country was not without its issues. We were spending the morning trying to finish some last-minute work, when I suddenly had a problem with my eyes — I couldn’t see clearly out of one of them and got really stressed about it. Craig called my optometrist and made an appointment for me to see one in Rangiora as well.

While this was all happening, my sister Anna arrived for lunch with her husband Mat, Henry the baby and Marcus the au pair. The weather was great so we sat outside, but I probably wasn’t the best company because I was so stressed out!

The others headed into town for the afternoon while I went to the optometrist to be reassured that my eyes were fine and that it was probably just a migraine — I certainly had a headache by that point! They came back in the evening for a casual barbecue, which was very pleasant. Henry entertained us all by playing peekaboo behind the table, and charmed everyone by doling out sloppy kisses — Anne was won over almost immediately!

Thursday 1/3: Craig got up super-early in the hope of getting a full day’s work done before we left the country, and I joined him at a more reasonable hour to do some work and data-shuffling. Both Anne and Norrie had had to work, but Anne came home at around 1pm and cooked us Eggs Benedict (yum) for lunch before driving us to the airport. We had to make a quick detour to a courier company to drop off Craig’s Kindle, which had broken the day before in a classic case of terrible timing. What’s worse is that we couldn’t have the replacement sent to England or Spain, so Craig will be bookless for a while. Hopefully he’ll get the new one before we start the Camino, though!

We had a coffee at the airport and I spent some time in the bathroom drying out the contents of my small backpack after a water-bottle leak — I was hoping this was the last of the bad luck: it comes in threes, right? And I seem to have been right — after that everything went well. We got on the flight with no problems and I had a great seatmate on my other side: a Kiwi girl starting a nomadic journey. We chatted for a couple of hours then she went in hunt of spare seats to lie down on, leaving me with an empty seat beside me. The food was really expensive so Craig and I decided to just get one meal between us, but by the time the attendants got to us, they’d run out! However, we got to see Air Asia’s great service in action — someone who had ordered a meal didn’t want it, so a hostie offered it to us (to buy, of course). We also got to enjoy the rendition of “Happy Birthday” which the captain asked all the passengers to sing to a guy just across the aisle from Craig. It was a little surreal.

Our couchsurfing hosts

The flight was early and a shuttle was just about to leave when we came out of the airport, so we got into the city a lot earlier than we expected. The luck continued when we arrived at our hotel to find that there were no dorm beds available, so they upgraded us to a private room for free — win! We were knackered after the long day, so we went straight to bed.

Friday 2/3: After a good sleep, we woke up before nine and took advantage of the free coffee and toast on offer before heading out to explore the area near the hostel. We saw Times Square, the Pagoda Mall, and the Petronas Towers as well as wandering through some interesting-looking back streets. We had to check out at 12, so we packed up, had a coffee, then went to Chinatown for a tasty lunch and a look through the markets. After that, we visited the Central Market and had coffee at Old Town White Coffee before making our way to Kepong to meet our Couchsurfing hosts Dexter and Natalie. They picked us up from the station and took us back to their place, where we chatted for a couple of hours before heading out in the driving rain — they had to go to a meeting so they dropped us off at a nearby restaurant, where we had three dishes and a large beer for $NZ16. The rain let off enough for us to get home in relative dryness, and we watched an episode of QI before bed.

Saturday 3/3: We rose at a reasonable hour and headed to the Kepong morning markets with Dexter, Natalie, and their flatmate, Ice. The markets were crowded and sprawling with all sorts of fresh produce on offer — we bought what we needed for lunch and Dexter and Natalie plied us with tasty treats.

Kepong morning markets

Back at home, I taught Natalie and Ice how to make causa rellena and pebre, but made the mistake of deseeding the chillies with my fingers — and my hands stung for the rest of the day. I spent several hours nursing a bowl of ice water.

After a restful (and painful, in my case) afternoon, we all headed out for an evening of singing in Sanskrit (there was a bit of dancing too), followed by dinner and tailoring in Little India.

Linda, Dexter, Natalie and Ice in Little India

Sunday 4/3: We started the day a little later than planned, with a traditional Chinese Malaysian breakfast of dimsum and rice porridge. It was tasty, and unlike anything we’d ever had for breakfast before! After that, we said goodbye to Dexter and Natalie and Ice drove us to KLCC, where we caught the subway back to our hostel.

We’d been hoping to spend three nights with Dexter and Natalie, but on closer inspection of our itinerary and their address, we realised it wouldn’t be possible. We have to be at the airport by 6am on Monday morning, and it’s a 90-minute bus trip from the city. Even if we took the faster option, train, we still wouldn’t be able to get from Dexter and Natalie’s place to the train station at that time of the morning. So we’ve booked back into the hostel where we stayed the first night.

After checking in, we recorded a podcast then headed out to the aquarium in KLCC. It was great — full of interesting fish and a fair few non-aquatic animals. Later we met up with Gerard and Kieu from GQ Trippin for a street food dinner and good conversation before hitting the sack early in preparation for a loooong travel day the next day.

Gerard and Kieu in Jalan Alor

Travel diary: Christchurch and Kuala Lumpur by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Travel is a wonderful thing — you can get out of your comfort zone, explore new places and try new foods and experiences. But sometimes all of this is available right on your doorstep — there’s a whole lot to see in your backyard.

In this article, four ITP community members share their hometowns (or nearby) with us.

Lane and Juliet: Santa Fe, New Mexico

When travellers come to Santa Fe, New Mexico, they stuff themselves with green chilis, enjoy the Canyon Road art scene, visit historic adobe buildings, and buy crafts from Native American vendors. What visitors tend to overlook is the beauty of the surrounding mountains and the numerous hiking opportunities available in the region.

Plaza Blanca

One of our favorite hikes — or strolls — is just 45 minutes north of the city. We’re by no means the first people to discover the Plaza Blanca (the “White Place”). In the 1940s, Georgia O’Keeffe began painting this bleached, towering landscape. The Plaza Blanca is rife with slot canyons and boasts a sprawling boulder garden. It’s the perfect place to watch the the orange sunbeams of the day slide down the rugged chalk walls, as dusk approaches.

The Plaza Blanca is located on land owned by a local mosque. There’s a small parking lot, but few other amenities. Bring water, sunscreen and a broad-rimmed hat. In the summer months be aware of rattlesnakes intent on basking on a rock with a view. From Santa Fe, take US 84 north to Abiquiu. Address: 41174 Fictitious St at the Dar al-Islam mosque. The mosque is open sporadically to visitors and photographers.

Grapevine

Adam Groffman: Grapevine, Texas

After travelling around the world for nearly 18 months, I returned to my old hometown of Grapevine, Texas. (If you’ve ever flown through Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, you’ve been there, too!) From cupcake shops to upscale wineries, my visit to Grapevine was as surprising as anywhere else I’d travelled.

Michela Baxter: Columbus, Ohio

This past summer, in an effort to get to know my city better, I committed to a 30 Day City Challenge – experiencing 30 new things in 30 days in the city I live in, and I wrote about it on my website. It was such a great way to break out of my comfort zone of the same-old, same-old routine and get to know Columbus, OH better.

30-day challenge

It’s easy to take for granted all of the great things that the place you call home has to offer. So snap out of your same-old routine and explore your own city! Plan a 30 Day City Challenge and experience your home with fresh eyes and an open mind. Find 30 new things you’ve never done in your city before — and do them in 30 days! Explore new restaurants, museum exhibits, community festivals… you get the picture. And don’t forget to document as you go. Observe the details, people watch, and take your camera along. And tweet about it using #30DayCityChallenge.

Spencer Quong: Yosemite National Park

Spencer blogs at Wandering Minstrel.

View over Yosemite Valley

Although under-appreciated and often neglected, the National Park system is one of the wonders of the United States. The parks range from the Denali National Park beneath the shadow of the massive mountain in Alaska to the arid Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in the sunburnt desert of Arizona. One of the grandest parks is Yosemite National Park, located in the middle of California. While it was not the first national park (Yellowstone), it was the first land set aside for preservation by the US Government in 1864 by Abraham Lincoln. Some may know it from Ansel Adams’ stunning, yet simple photography or efforts of naturalists, John Muir and President Theodore Roosevelt, to preserve Yosemite and other wilderness across America. 

Yosemite is just a four-hour drive from San Francisco and six hours from Los Angeles and is a must-see if you are coming to California. Most people visit Yosemite Valley, where five-thousand-foot granite walls tower over you. Sadly, tourism between late spring to early fall can make the traffic and crowds in the Valley unbearable (even to most of the bears).  While I believe that the finest locations in Yosemite are those only accessible by rope or backpack, certainly there are places where you can experience the magnificence of the park without the crowds. One way to do this is to visit Yosemite in the winter.

Snow valley

There are opportunities to go snowshoeing, skiing (downhill and cross-country), and snowman-making near Badger Pass or hiking in the Valley where it is “usually” above freezing during the day. Those with a thick fur can camp and those without can choose from a wide range of (heated) housing options. And, certainly, nothing is better than a cup of cocoa or a glass of wine in front of the tree-sized fireplace in the Ahwannee hotel. But better than the lack of crowds is the appreciation of the beauty of the senseless. 

Thanks to everyone who helped kick off our community week. If you have stories to share, you can get a free account and leave your story in the comments.

Explore my backyard: stories from community members by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

This list comprises the places we’ve loved the most, and the places we’re most fascinated by. We’d love to hear your recommendations too — so let us know your favourite places in the comments.

Listen to episode 230 for free in iTunes, or hit play below:

Luang Prabang, Laos

The most beautiful city in Laos, Luang Prabang seems to marry a romantic view of the east with modern life in one easy sweep. Travellers can arrive by river and then wind as high up the hills as they wish.

Delicious streetfood at the night markets of Luang Prabang, Laos

The UNESCO-listed old town is home to truly original craft markets, delicious morning food markets, and a myriad of emerging cafes and bars to fit the mix of expats and travellers. Laos has only been ‘open’ to visitors since the mid 1990s, but in Luang Prabang you can see the best of what tourism money can do.

Suzhou, China

Its canals have given Suzhou the name the “Venice of the Orient”, but today it is known for the Suzhou gardens: stunning gardens built by the aristocracy in pursuit of aesthetic perfection.

Suzhou can form a day trip from Shanghai, but we highly recommend taking a few days here to explore the rich cultural offerings of the city, rather than skipping through and seeing only the main sites.

Click here for more information on Suzhou or China tours.

Suzhou canal boat

Battambang, Cambodia

A fun diversion between the main destinations of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Battambang is a place to chill out and relax. It’s also home to a fabulous tuktuk tour, taking you to the country’s only winery, temples rebuilt from the desecration of the Pol Pot era, a bat cave at dusk, and the genius of the bamboo train.

Read more on Cambodia.

Osaka, Japan

Osaka castle

This little city is somewhat cheaper than Tokyo, but still offers all the entertainment you can find in the Japanese capital. Like many Japanese cities, it suffered severe damage in World War II, but several important buildings remain — like the Osaka Castle.

As Steffi wrote, “Osaka is famous for three things: its friendly, straightforward (by Japanese standards) locals that speak a particularly colourful dialect known as Osaka-ben; its good, cheap and plentiful food; and its night life and entertainment.” That’s reason enough for this Japanese city to be top of our list when we visit.

See the Osaka city guide or things to do in Osaka for more ideas.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The bustling, scooter-filled city of Ho Chi Minh is something to behold! Electrical wires tangle, crossing the road is an exercise in faith, and everyone’s vision of a chaotic South East Asian city is fulfilled.

The city itself is fun to explore and filled with pho — a delicious noodle soup that’s second to none. There’s plenty to do, no matter if you want to search the markets, party hard, explore wartime history, or go further back to colonial French or pre-European settlement.

Want to travel Indochina? Explore our Asia travel advice.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai in northern Thailand is an excellent getaway from the big cities. The compact central city is easy to navigate by foot or scooter; there’s fantastic food — in restaurants, from street vendors and the fresh food markets; and the place’s history is fascinating too. Once the capital of Thailand, that honour moved to Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, and then Bangkok, as it is today.

The city is a great stopping-off point if you are moving towards the border with Burma, China, or Laos, but you might just find yourself stuck there, as a growing community of expats have found.

Click here for more information on Chiang Mai or Thailand holidays.

Varanasi, India

“The city is a maze of narrow lanes and quaint alleyways which are filled with colourful shops selling interesting items, people walking up and down, and even the occasional cow roaming aimlessly around. Clearly Varanasi is a city with a heart — everyone finds a place here,” wrote Arti in her piece on what some claim as the world’s oldest city.

Washing in the Ganges - Varanasi, India

It certainly appealed to Indie Travel Podcast writer Kurt too: Once in Varanasi, any backpacker will quickly learn that this ancient city embodies the best and worst aspects of India today. Watching hundreds of pilgrims come slowly down the ghats (long series of steps) to bathe in the Ganges, is a spectacular sight. Being on the river at 5am for sunrise adds to the experience – the sun compounds the drama. It is as if the sun comes up in slow motion on purpose, to gradually reveal timeless sights and sounds.”

Go on… Have a listen:

It’s somewhere we’d love to visit. How about you? Where do you think are the best places in Asia? Let us know in the comments.

Best places in Asia by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Click play to hear this podcast, or find episode 229 in iTunes — it’s free!

Adventure in Belize

Lily Girma set out to try every adventure sport and adventure tour in Belize over three months, and reckon’s she’s failed! That’s a whole lot of adventure for what many people imagine is a small country given over to diving.

It’s true that Belize has one of the world’s largest ocean reefs, and diving abounds, but she also discovered lush forests; caving, canyoning and rapelling treks; and an ability to tie this into Mayan and Garifuna culture.

Into the dark! Adventure in Belize

Hiking in the lush forest of Belize

Food and Cooking in Belize

Cleaning conches to make a conch stew

Grating away for a home-made coconut milk

Yummy conch stew, served with rice.

Beating plaintains in a 'mata'

Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons investigated food and family travel. When we spoke, she had recently arrived in Belize and was exploring restaurants, kitchens, and family homes in a glut of food tourism.

She was surprised at the passion she found for food, with everyday conversations wrapped around the best produce, the perfect recipe, and how that all blended into culture and place.

The new flavours are definitely having their effect. “Once you taste what fresh should be, you’ll never want to go back to your grocery store and get something under cellophane ever again,” she says.

The man, pictured left, is beating plantains in a Garifuna mata or mortar and pestle to make fufu for the traditional fish stew called hudut.

Learn more about all these foods (and the fun Kristin’s had in preparing them!) in the podcast:

Remember, you can download almost every Indie Travel Podcast from iTunes, and it’s free.

Kristin and Lily were both part of the Road Warrior program, a project run by Belize Tourism and MatadorU.

Adventure, food and fun in Belize by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Listen and comment right below, or find episode 228 in iTunes:

Do you need travel insurance?

If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel.

While we haven’t always had travel insurance, it’s now a no-brainer for us to buy travel insurance before we leave home. We’re not too worried about our things being stolen, but if we have an accident the medical costs could bankrupt us and leave us stranded.

When choosing your holiday travel insurance, you need to think about what matter most to you, then choose a policy which ticks all the boxes.

Finding the right travel insurance

Online searches are the obvious place to start, but they’re not always the best place to finish. In addition to online research, pick up the phone and talk to some of the vendors you’re looking at. You can ask them the questions below, and also see if they can offer you any discounts on the advertised price. It’s always worth a go!

Three main types of travel insurance

There are three main types of travel insurance policy:
Single trip, normally with a time limit of 30 days; sometimes less, sometimes more.

Multi trip, which will cover you for multiple trips returning to your homeland over a period of time. These trips are normally time-limited at one month as well.

Backpackers, which can vary widely in its meaning: it could be for smaller payouts on items, it could be for long periods of time, it could be extra cover for adventurous activities. Backpacker travel insurance really does mean different things to different companies — so read the small print.

If you have any questions at all about your coverage, pick up the phone and ask. The wait times and treatment you experience as a potential customer won’t neccessarily show you how good their customer service is, but it might give you a good indication of what’s to come. We’ve not bought insurance from some vendors because their pre-sales staff didn’t know their product and couldn’t answer our questions.

Your bus?

Questions to ask about travel insurance

• Do I need a home address? (This one’s for long-term nomads).
• Must I be in my country of origin when I start and finish the trip? Or the policy?
• Does it cover each country you are going to?
• It is more expensive for some countries?
• If so, can you specify when you’ll be in the expensive ones?
• Does insurance cover flights home in case of emergencies?
• What about cancellations or bankruptcy on the airline or tour company’s part?
• How do you make a claim and what’s the average response time?

Here are a few things to look for when choosing your insurance to make sure that you will be covered on your adventure:

Covered for medical?

Cancellation: It’s no fun if you fall ill before you leave and can not go on your trip. To claim though, you have to buy your insurance policy when you buy your trip. Not all insurance policies cover cancellation, so please read the policy wording relevant to you carefully.

Lost or stolen gear: most travel insurance policies have a per-item value limit — make sure its high enough to cover your gear or choose a policy that allows you to increase the limit.

Medical expenses over and above evacuation: check that your cover includes emergency treatment while away and transport to bring you home — remembering that insurance providers will usually insist on getting you home as soon as you are fit enough to travel.

Adventurous activities: look carefully at what your policy covers – you may find that you are not covered to do all of the adventurous activities that you are planning while you’re away.

Personal liability: Accidents happen. If it’s found to be your fault and someone decides to sue you, you want to be covered.

‘Things to look for’ thanks to WorldNomads

Recording purchases

So how can you make sure you’re actually going to get what you claim? This is the big question and one that makes me really sceptical about insurance. Obviously travellers are not going to keep all their paperwork!

We try to:

• Scan or photograph receipts and the serial numbers of high-priced items.
• Keep receipts of ATM withdrawals and foreign currency conversions
• Keep them locally, upload them to dropbox and email them to ourselves.
• We use flickr.com and label insurance-based pictures as private.
• Try to create believable evidence regarding our possessions.

A shot like this, with details of serial numbers

Acting responsibly

A few years back now, we interviewed Graham Kingaby from WorldNomads insurance. We asked him all sorts of questions about the travel insurance game, and how travellers can best protect themselves.

Graham’s main tip was to act as if you were uninsured. If companies can prove you were acting negligently, they will invalidate your claim. And no-one wants that.

Get a travel insurance quote

• If you’re in the UK, you can get a quote from the Post Office travel insurance people.
• Try Allianz Travel Insurance
• Use the WorldNomads quick quote generator below:

Travel Insurance.
Simple & Flexible.

• They'll cover your Adventure
• You can claim online
• Indefinitely extend your policy
• Free travel safety advice
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Travel insurance questions?

Have travel insurance questions? Stories to share that will help the Community? Please leave them in the comments section below:

How to buy travel insurance by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen, hit play below or look for episode 226 in iTunes:

The basis of carnival

A lot of people think Carnival only happens in Rio, but that’s not true. The whole thing is rooted in the Catholic religious calendar — this is the beginning of the Lent period of fasting, and if you’re going to fast for 40 days, you might as well party like anything to kick it off, right?

Carnival is actually an international event… everywhere that Catholicism or Orthodox Christianity has a significant cultural influence, you get a carnival or a related celebration.

Joel’s experience

During this interview, Joel talks about his preparation, how he joined a samba school and took part in the massive Samba competition, and some of the hijinks he got up to in the organised and the unofficial parts of Carnival. He also shared some travel tips, and these on-the-ground photos…

[Show as slideshow]

Learn more about travel in Brazil

…on our Brazil travel page. And make sure you hit play to hear about Joel’s experiences of carnival:

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro – the world’s biggest party by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

This month, you can win $50 worth of Urban Adventure day tours in one of over 100 cities, plus $25 of Indie Travel books to help you plan your trip!

Use the entry form below to enter the draw.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to win…

It’s easy! Fill in the three mandatory entries by clicking “Do it!” on each one, then:

• ‘Like’ Indie Travel Podcast on Facebook – then click “Enter!”
• ‘Like’ Urban Adventures on Facebook – then click “Enter!”
• Answer the simple question – then click “Enter!”

That gives you seven entries into the competition for 7 seconds work!

How do I get more entries?

You can earn dozens more entries by fulfilling the criteria for each question. They all follow a similar pattern, and if we need verification information — like a question answered or a link — that space is there.

The Twitter one is a little hard to see, don’t miss it. Within a second or so of clicking “Do it!” the Twitter icon will pop up. If you click this, you’ll be able to log into Twitter and send the competition message. The good news? You can do this every day for two entries — that alone could gain you over 50 entries!

But I just want to do a trip!

We know competitions aren’t for everyone, so we’ve got you a fantastic deal on Urban Adventures amazing trips:

15% off any tour booked before March 16
when you travel before December 31, 2012.

How do you get that? Simply visit Urban Adventures and use the coupon code INDIETRAVEL on checkout. Make sure you update the cart, so the discount shows up before you pay.

Indie Travel books are available at their always-low prices from http://indietravelpodcast.com/books.

Remind me, who are these guys?

Urban Adventures bring together locally-run day tours in over 100 cities. We did their walking tour in Buenos Aires and used them for our second visit to the Iguacu Falls. They’re good guys, especially to offer us 15% off tours… That’s a great discount.

Get 15% off any Urban Adventures trip with coupon INDIETRAVEL, valid before March 16, travel before December 31, 2012. Click here.

Win $75 in travel prizes! by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Read:
How to catch a long distance bus in Brazil

See all our Brazil stories and travel advice:
Brazil travel advice

Brazil week! by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen, press play or find episode 225 in iTunes:

From super-budget to high-end, let’s look at some of the accommodation options for travellers.

Roughing it

Whether it’s sleeping in the airport, on a beach, or in the wilderness, anywhere you don’t have a bed to sleep in or a roof over your head counts as roughing it. It might be inevitable at some point in your travels — even business men sleep in airports sometimes — and it might be your preferred way to sleep. If you’re planning on roughing it a lot, make sure you take a sleeping bag that’s suitable to the conditions, and scout around for any possible dangers before setting up your bed.

As a guest

Staying with friends and family can be a great way to travel, but it doesn’t necessarily save you much money. Sure, you’re not paying for accommodation, but it’s important to buy a gift and perhaps take your hosts out for a meal — and not at McDonald’s. Remember to be polite, and to not spread your stuff out all over the house.

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is similar to staying with friends or family, except that you don’t actually know your hosts. Before you set off to your destination, you can log on to a website like couchsurfing.org or hospitalityclub.org and look for hosts in the place you’re heading to. Then you can get in touch with them via email and hopefully they will offer you a place to stay.

Make sure you approach potential hosts as far in advance as possible, and it’s okay to contact a few people. Some users don’t check their emails as often as you might like, and others don’t contact you if they can’t host you.

The benefit of couchsurfing is that your host is a local, and by being part of the network, it probably interested in travelling. They can recommend the best places to visit, and might even show you around a bit. Be wise though, don’t stay with someone you don’t like the look of — if you’re new to couchsurfing, consider travelling with a partner first.

See: How to couchsurf and Why couchsurfing is perfect for couples.

Take your home with you

Spaceship at Kaikoura

The type of accommodation you choose will also be influenced by the type of travel you’re doing. For a road trip, a campervan might be your best option — for the budget version, just throw a tent in the boot of your car.

The benefit of taking your home with you is that you have freedom to stop when you want to. You could sleep at a beach, beside a river, or in a supermarket car park if the fancy takes you. Of course, there are holiday parks where you can power up and take a shower, and some people will choose to stay at one of those every night of the trip. The size of the campervan you choose will be determined by the size of the group and the amount of space you need — but you don’t need a lot.

We like the Spaceship model — a people-mover car converted into a mini-campervan. There’s sleeping space for two people, a fridge, a DVD player and everything you need for cooking. It’s great for exploring in summer, and since it’s a car it’s easy to drive. See Spaceships in New Zealand, Australia and Britain.

Hostel — dorm

Hostelling is one of the most well-known budget options, and the traditional way to do it is to stay in a dorm with between three and thirty other people. This has its pros and cons. It’s cheap (much cheaper than staying in a hotel), and it’s a great way to meet fellow travellers. But dorm rooms can be noisy, and and your dorm-mates might not have the greatest consideration for you or your belongings.

SEE: 7 reasons hostels suck and 7 reasons hostels rock.

When choosing a hostel to stay in, check out the ratings on the website you’re booking on. Make sure it has high safety, location and cleanliness ratings – “fun” usually means “raucousness” and so a low rating is what I look for there. A smaller dorm is usually going to be quieter than a large one, and if you’re a girl a female-only dorm might be worth considering. Also check out the facilities — if you’re planning on self-catering, a kitchen is important, and if you’re a flashpacker check that wifi is available.

Booking cheap accommodation through http://indietravelpodcast.com/hostels earns Indie Travel Podcast a small commission.

Hostel — private room

A slightly more expensive option that retains all the benefits of hostelling but few of the disadvantages, is to book a private room in a hostel. More and more hostels these days provide private rooms, and some also come with an ensuite. This can be a lot cheaper than a hotel, and you still get the advantage of a kitchen, book exchange and lounge to meet other travellers in.

Budget hotel

A new breed of hotel has started to emerge, which don’t have all the features you might expect from a hotel, but also don’t have the high price tag. In Europe the more ell-known ones are Hotel Formule 1 and Etap, and there are other options as well. You’ll always have a private room, but you might have to share a bathroom, and sometimes there is no-one on duty overnight. Investigate the oddities of your hotel online before you book.

Motel

Despite their slightly seedy reputation, a motel might be just what you’re after. Since they are generally located on the outskirts of town, you’ll probably need your own transport to get there — hence the name “motor hotel”. Holiday parks often have cabins or private rooms which offer similar features to motel rooms — namely a private room that opens outside, ensuite and tea and coffee making facilities. Many motel rooms also have a kitchen, so if self-catering is a priority, a motel room might be a good option.

Guesthouse/pension/bed and breakfast

Guesthouses, pensions and bed and breakfasts are usually a lot smaller than your standard hotel. You might be boarding in a private house, or there might be up to twenty bedrooms available. You’ll usually have a private bathroom, but not always. They can be a great place to stay, since they are all unique — you don’t tend to get the plastic standardisation of hotels. The owner is often your host, which adds to the experience if he or she is a bit quirky (and hosts often seem to be quirky!).

Vacation rental

If you’re travelling with a group of people, and plan to stay in one place for a while, consider renting an entire house or apartment for the duration of your stay. You may have to pay per person, but usually you pay one price regardless of how many people are staying, which can be very economical if you have a large group.

See our experience of an apartment rental in Roomorama review: our first apartment rental.

House swap

Similarly, if you’re heading out on holiday with your family to one destination, and you’re likely to be staying there for a week or more, it might be worth looking into swapping houses with someone who lives in your destination. You live in their house, they live in yours. Along with some cheap international flights, you could be having a holiday for less than the cost of staying at home! This style of holiday was made famous by Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz in the movie “The Holiday” — and that all worked out well!

Hotel

Finally, there’s the hotel. It definitely isn’t the budget option, but you can often find a good deal by looking at websites like booking.com, lastminute.com or wotif.com — make sure you check out what facilities are available before you book. Although you’ll get a private room with ensuite, hotels are quite impersonal, and it’s difficult to meet other travellers even if there’s a bar. I also found that I have higher expectations of hotels, and am often disappointed at what I get for the price I pay.

Wherever you choose to sleep, make sure you take advantage of what your accommodation has to offer — have a spa bath if you’ve got one in your hotel room, hang out in the hostel lounge or swim in the holiday park’s pool. But above all, enjoy yourself!

Travel Accommodation Options by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

We’re not Americans, but the nature of the law they are looking to pass will have a severe impact on the entire internet. The law is pushed forward by pressure groups that don’t really understand how the internet works. I’d say that’s true of 99.99% internet users — including us. So when the world’s formost internet engineers tell us these laws will make the internet less stable and less safe for all users, we know there’s a problem.

If you are an American citizen, we encourage you to contact your political representatives. There’s an easy way to do that right here.

What is SOPA/PIPA?

Take a look at this video… then get pissed off. You have our permission.

Indie Travel Podcast against SOPA/PIPA by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen to this podcast, hit play or find episode 224 in iTunes:

Layout

Auckland is a very spread-out city, with a land area almost equalling that of Los Angeles — but it spreads north and south rather than in all directions, as it’s situated on a narrow isthmus. Auckland’s four main regions recently merged to create a “super-city” with one governing body, but the geographical divisions remain: across the Harbour Bridge from the central city is the North Shore, to the west is Waitakere (with the Waitakere Ranges parklands behind the suburban sprawl), and South Auckland (the ex-Manukau City) is, surprisingly, to the south.

The central business district is centred around Queen Street, which runs from the harbour south (up) to Karangahape (“K”) Road. Quay Street runs along the waterfront, with Viaduct Harbour at its western end and Britomart Transport Centre a little to the east of Queen Street. At the top of Queen Street, following K Road to the east will take you to to the Auckland Domain, and westwards is trendy Ponsonby.

Accommodation

Auckland has the full range of places to stay. High-end options include the Hilton, the Stamford Plaza, and the Skycity Grand Hotel at the base of the Sky Tower. For budget hotels, try Jucy Hotel, or see what wotif.com has to offer.

There are a wide range of hostels to choose from, most of which have both dorm beds and private rooms available. Be aware that you might be charged extra for linen, as many hostels expect you to bring your own sleeping bag.

Food

As a vibrant multi-cultural city, Auckland has quality food on offer from all over the world. Takeaway options include sushi, kebabs, pizza, Chinese, Korean and a whole lot more. Make sure you drop into a bakery or dairy (convenience store) and try a hot meat pie — it’s traditional. Another great cheap eat is fish and chips — you’ll find a fish and chip shop in every suburb, and a feast on the beach is a great way to start the weekend.

The meat in New Zealand is second-to-none, so make sure you have a juicy steak or dig into some lamb shanks if you’re so inclined — animals in New Zealand have a good life before they hit your plate, so there’s no guilt required.

Check out what to eat and drink in New Zealand.

Transport

Sadly, Auckland’s public transport isn’t the most comprehensive, since the population density is so low. You’ll be fine walking around the city, but if you want to venture further afield you’re better off hiring a car. Taxis are generally safe and well-priced, though it’s usually easier to call ahead for one than trying to hail one on the street.

When you arrive, you’ll likely arrive at the Auckland International Airport. Getting away from there is an expensive enterprise unless you get someone to pick you up. The Airbus is probably your best bet — to the city it’s $16 one-way, $26 return. A taxi could be a little cheaper if there’s three or more of you, depending on your destination.

If you decide to brave the public transport, you’ll probably be catching the bus. The train network has improved recently, but doesn’t cover very much of the city. Buy your ticket for the bus from the driver — just state your destination and the driver will tell you the price. A day pass will probably save you some cash if you’re planning to do a lot of travelling in one day, and if you’re staying in the city for a while it might be worth getting a Hop card. It’s a tag-on, tag-off card that you load with money and can also use to make small purchases in some shops. You get a discount off the cash fare and can travel for free on the red City Link buses with a Hop card. Check out maxx.co.nz for more information.

Auckland transport information

Attractions — free

Auckland’s a city where a wander around will be rewarded. Explore posh Ponsonby, edgy Kingsland and the always-busy Viaduct and brand-new Wynyard Quarter, then head further afield to a suburb of your choice. Mission Bay is worth a visit, for a swim in summer or a coffee any time. There are a lot of parks to explore and relax in, or choose a beach you like the look of — Piha being the best-known surf beach.

Head out to the Waitakere Ranges (west) to do some short day walks, have a picnic at the top of one of Auckland’s many volcanic hills, and visit Otara markets (south) for fresh fruit and veges, clothes and knick-knacks.

New Zealand is well-known for its wines and there are four wine regions within day-trip distance from Auckland. Matakana to the north, Kumeu to the northwest, Clevedon to the south, and Waiheke Island — a 45-minute ferry ride away. Most wineries won’t charge you for tastings (except on Waiheke), but it’s polite to buy something if you can, especially if there’s a large group of you.

Attractions — seasonal

In summer, Auckland is buzzing with free events, mostly held in the parks which dot the city. Music in Parks tends to be held in smaller reserves, while the big events like Christmas in the Park are held in the enormous Domain.

Auckland University’s annual Summer Shakespeare is also held outside, on the grounds of the University ($25 per person), and the Lantern Festival to celebrate Chinese New Year is held just across the road in Albert Park.

Other events that are held at various times throughout the year include the Pasifika Festival in March, the Comedy Festival in May, and the Film Festival in July. Plus, there are many sporting events to attend, from school competitions to premier events — notably the Rugby World Cup, which took place in 2011. And hopefully the America’s Cup yacht race will be held here again soon! Check out the Auckland Council website for event listings.

Attractions — paid

Auckland has the regular offerings — a good museum and art gallery (recently refurbished and reopened), an aquarium (Kelly Tarlton’s) and an amusement park (Rainbow’s End). But its real attraction lies in its natural beauty, so spend your sightseeing money on seeing the sights. Catch a ferry to Rangitoto Island ($27 pp return) and hike to the top of the volcanic peak. Or you could visit Waiheke Island ($35 pp return) or Great Barrier ($85 pp return, $120 during holiday season) but each of these really require more than a day. The zoo is worth a visit if you’re travelling with kids, and while you’re out there drop into the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).

A trip to the top of the Sky Tower is a must (NZ$28), and you can even bungy off it if you want ($195 for backpackers). The Harbour Bridge also has a bungy option (NZ$150), or you could do the Harbour Bridge Climb (NZ$120) if you think you’d look good in their attractive jumpsuits.

See more things to do in Auckland

Guidebooks

Lonely Planet’s Auckland guide is compact and useful, and you’ll find comprehensive information in their New Zealand guide as well. Rough Guides has a New Zealand guide, and Wallpaper’s Auckland guide is beautiful and informative. And Offbeat Guides will create a personalised guide for you using information sourced online.

Where to next?

You’ve probably flown in to Auckland from overseas, so you definitely need to see more of New Zealand. Hire or buy a car and head north for a few days then go south to explore more of the North Island. You need at least 10 days to see the North Island, and you can take your car on the ferry across to the South Island — allow two weeks minimum. You can fly out of Christchurch, so leave your car there and head to Australia or a nice Pacific Island such as Fiji or Samoa.

Travel in Auckland, New Zealand by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

For a big overview of travel safety, check out our new Travel Safety book. You can get a free preview of it at the end of this article. But now, down to your questions…

I have heard that it is a good idea to scan a couple of key documents, such as passport, and then email them to yourself. Can you guys think of any other similar documents? ~ James

It definitely is. It’s a good plan to keep a colour photocopy of your passport handy as your first piece of ID.

Scanning — or even taking a photo — of your passport photo page and any necessary visas is a good backup. We keep ours saved on our phones, on dropbox, and have a copy in our email too. (You want to have secure, unique passwords for all those services.)

Apart from those, we scan and keep copies of:

• Insurance policies
• Drivers licences
• Bank statement/overview
• Photos of high-value things (showing serial numbers where possible), in case we need them in an insurance claim

How about secret stash travel tips? Like huff.to/x5lw9i? ~ Joshua

Safety around Bangkok or similar cities for young travellers .. Where to store passports/money etc how to keep away from trouble ?? ~Sam

These two are pretty similar… and both point to concerns about either petty theft or violent crime while you travel. We rely on credit cards and an emergency cash transfer rather than a secret supply of cash if we get robbed. We always make sure there’s a card left behind at our accommodation: you’ve hit really bad luck if your hostel or apartment gets robbed at the same time you get mugged!

We’ve heard of or seen people store cash in shoes, seams in their bags or clothes, in specially bought belts with hidden pockets. We normally don’t bother unless we’re carrying a decent amount of cash. We split it between our two bags and our persons — and we do use a money belt if we’re feeling uncomfortable. We lock our bags shut if we’re not with them and, where possible, secure them in a locker or place valuables in a room safe.

The question of whether to use a room safe, reception safe, or carry your most valuable possessions has so many variables, we spent a whole chapter of Travel Safety: Safety Tips For Personal And Corporate Travellers trying to answer it. The preview you can get at the end of the article has a few tips on staying out of trouble in general, and the whole book has plenty more.

I was wondering if you wear your money belt every day or just on long-distance traveling days (i.e. leave it safe in the hotel room during the day while you’re at the museum)? ~ Heidi

It’s a tough one! It depends on how secure we feel with:
a) Where we are.
b) Where we are going.
c) Where our bags will be stored.
d) our general energy levels.

As a rule of thumb, we take our passports and some money with us in a moneybelt if we are staying in a public place like a hostel and we don’t think we can securely lock them up.

How much money do people carry? With ATM’s across the world, you normally don’t have to carry that much, but having a few hundred USD stashed away has gotten me out of some big binds, especially in the middle of nowhere with no ATMs. ~Spencer

It’d be interesting to hear what you carry, readers!

Since we got caught without access to ATMs following the 2010 Chilean earthquake we decided to keep two days worth of food and board money on us at all times. Once we hit that point, we tend to make the biggest possible withdrawal from an ATM (around US$500 in most countries) because we get charged each time we make a withdrawal. This seems like an OK balance between the risk of losing that much money and the cost of withdrawals.

If we’re coming up to a border though, we might let that reserve money drift down to nothing, as we know what kind of rates we’ll get from an ATM withdrawal, but we’ve often been left with currency that can only be changed at a poor exchange rate.

Your thoughts on overnight trains in Europe especially for people on their own – a friend was robbed while she slept a couple of years back and you always hear these rumours (esp Eastern Europe) but I’m reluctant to believe it’s much of a risk? ~Amanda

You’re right — the chance of it happening is real, but very low. You can minimise the chances of being robbed while you sleep on a train by securing the locks on your bag, and padlocking the whole thing to a support. Some people carry lightweight bike wires to do this with — we tend to improvise.

Train passing through Switzerland

You might have a handbag or small backpack with your valuables in it. You’ll definitely want to secure this — both locks on zips and have it attached to something. I normally keep mine right beside my head (on the walled side of the compartment) or treat it as a deformed teddybear.

Having your bag attached to something means it’ll be hard to snatch and run, and give you enough time to wake up and scream… which will bring help pretty fast.

On a similar theme, if you’re going to sleep in a train compartment, you’re best to choose one that has (nice-looking!) people in it. If you have the whole compartment to yourself, there is a chance that less salubrious people may wish to share it with you.

Do you have something to add, or have more travel safety questions? Ask them in the comments below.

Get a free preview of Travel Safety

Travel Safety: Safety Tips For Personal And Corporate Travellers is available for just $9.99 and can safe you endless worrying. But you can also get a free preview and more information by signing up below:

What you want to know about travel safety | Community wisdom by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen to this podcast, hit play or find episode 223 in iTunes:

You might also like to read Safe travel for solo women in South East Asia.

Health

See a travel doctor before you go

Always see a travel doctor before you head away. Check you have the right vaccinations, and that you understand the symptoms of dangerous diseases that are current in your destinations.

Harden up, and get the shots!

They’ll also be able to tell you about the legality and availability of your normal prescriptions and other medical needs.

This stuff is changing all the time: new diseases pop up, or new strains of old diseases. A specialist travel doctor will be plugged into this data and be able to give you up-to-date advice.

Local doctors will, of course, have more current information that those that don’t often travel to that region. It can be hard to contact them in advance, but definitely heed their advice too.

Keep bug free

There are truly spectacular forests, farmland and waterways to explore, right throughout the continent, but there’s always a high concentration of bugs around too!

Amongst other diseases, mosquitos carry malaria — at present they’re mainly non-fatal strains, but they’re still pretty aggressive. You should certainly discuss the malaria risk levels with your travel doctor. Help avoid getting bitten by:

• Cover up your arms a legs with long sleeves.
• Using a DEET-based insect repellent.
• Using mosquito nets when stationary.
• Consider carrying a plug-in bug repellant.
• Consider investing in mosquito-repellant clothing.

We’ve often found holes in the mosquito nets in places we’ve stayed. Sew or pin these back together or use sticking plasters or electrical tape to close the gaps.

There are often extra bugs around during and after Monsoon season (months). Be extra cautious then.

Food and drink

Always eat local. It's delicious.

It’s always best to eat local! And in Asia that means plenty of rice and noodles as your carbohydrates and proteins from whatever local sources are available.

If everyone around you is downing pho, avoid ordering the rare steak and chips. Unless you have an experienced chef, they’re not likely to prepare foreign food properly. The same guidelines apply in mainly vegetarian countries: enjoy the veges and save the steak for premier restaurants.

In some regions, tap water may contain contagious diseases. If in doubt, treat water by boiling, filtering or using a chemical purification technique. We carry an Ecousable bottle with us, which helps a lot. It doesn’t get rid of the taste of bad water though!

Ice can also contain these bugs, if the ice is made from tap water. Always check the ice you are drinking or using is made from filtered water — preferably from a commercial distributor.

Locally produced spirits are a boon to budget travellers and those looking to cut loose can do little better than a bucket of Thailand’s finest. But every year people die from over-indulging in these, or running into a bad batch. If it doesn’t seem right, send it back.

Safety

Terrorist threats

Let’s get this one out of the way first! The chance of encountering a terrorist attack on your travels in minimal. Pretty much insignificant. Never let the fear of terrorist attacks stop you from travelling.

A safety advisory from your government should give you an overall idea of risk, and you can get an inexpensive personalised report from a travel security company if you feel the need.

For advice on dealing with bomb threats, gunfire and other dangers, pick up a copy of Travel Safety: Safety Tips For Personal And Corporate Travellers.

Riots and political unrest

If there is significant political unrest in your destination, consider postponing the trip. Details from advisors and travellers on the ground can help you decide if that’s necessary.

If trouble is brewing, consider leaving the area. Your embassy or an international organisation may be able to help with evacuation if things are really serious.

This smart car hasn't been left in the smartest of places

Stay away from riots: either stay in your hotel room (make sure you have sufficient water and snacks) or ensure you’re staying away from hotspots. As a traveller, it’s not your fight — and the army or anti-riot troops are unlikely to be able to distinguish you from rioters.

If you’re caught on the street as a riot comes past, seek shelter in a store or private residence.

Border crossings, petty theft and scams

There are hundreds of potential scams, bribes and cons that surround border crossings in Asia, especially the more isolated land borders.

You can read up on border scams, cons and other issues on the following links:

• Scams, cons and other nasty travel stories
• Scams at borders and security checks
• Con artists and traps
• Distractions and theft

(Make sure you add your own experiences and advice.)

Learn all you need to know

Travel Safety: Safety Tips For Personal And Corporate Travellers is now available — and has all the safety advice you need. Get a free preview and more information today:

Health and safety in Asia – Is it safe to travel in Asia? by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

If it wasn’t for you, Indie Travel Podcast would have died a long time ago. Instead, it’s growing.

Listen to this podcast about our travel resolutions for 2012, or find episode 222 in iTunes:

Wherever you go, go with all your heart

~ Confucius

I think Confucius had it right. There are times to hold back, to protect yourself, but there are also times to open up and charge ahead. If you’re trying to live life on the road, if you’re trying to start a business, if you’re saving for your dream trip; then get the plan right and go! Go with all your heart.

The Indie Travel Podcast Community

Cake for New Years!

This has been the first full year of running the social network and travel forums that we call the Indie Travel Podcast Community. Like anything new, there have been some teething problems, but we’re happy to see so many people asking questions, sharing knowledge, chatting away.

Indie Travel Podcast Community gives back

With the help of a little English teaching, we’re scraping by and able to fund our life on the road. But we all want to do more than that.

If we had big profits we’d be starting a foundation, but we don’t… So we work with you on and Kiva. In 2011, US$8,000 has been loaned to individuals, collectives, and micro-businesses throughout the world. Since we started at the end of 2010, $8,425 has been loaned through the Kiva team. Well done, Indie Travel Podcast Community!

The crazy thing, is that all that money has been generated by a team of only 15 people! I think we should have more than that next year? How about you? Click here to join our Kiva team, and we’ll try to double our loans in 2012.

By the numbers…

So how does Indie Travel Podcast look at the end of 2011?

Podcasts: 221
Community members: 729
Friendships per member: 1.35
Forum posts: 196
Total Kiva donations: US$8,425
Total Posts: 857
Total Pages: 145
Total Books: 5
Visitors in 2011: 362,500
Visitors since 2006: 758,100
Pageviews in 2011: 651,795
Pageviews since 2006: 1,514,000
Facebook community: 2,675

(All numbers estimates, as this was written on December 29th!)

So thank you to the 362,500 visitors we’ve had this year, and 729 community members for making this a fun place to come back to!

Our 2012 resolutions

This year we’d like to travel slowly — at least at first. We want to get a bit more immersed, and we’ve chosen Spain to try and make that happen.

What happens when Linda speaks Spanish?

In late February, we head towards Seville, Spain via Christchurch, Kuala Lumpur, and London. Then it’s the Camino de Santiago! The Via de la Plata, to be exact. We hope to finish on our 10th wedding anniversary: April 20th.

Then the immersion will start. We’ve picked a small city in Galicia, Spain to start with, and hopefully we can make things work there. We want it to be a time of work, friends, and fun. Linda wants to teach English, Craig wants to learn to surf. We hope to spend the summer there, but after that… We really don’t know!

On the table for the last few months of the year are: travelling Europe; heading down to north Africa or into the Middle East; crossing back to South America; or dropping down to South East Asia or the Pacific. I guess we’ll just have to figure it out when the time comes.

And you?

What are your plans or resolutions for travel in 2012? Are you saving? Are you going? Are you doing things differently? Let us know!

Thank you, Indie Travel Podcast Community! by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Click any image to view a larger version, or hit the slideshow button to view each month.

January

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Our guide, Bender, nursing a baby kangaroo in Coober Pedy, Australia

Kings Canyon in NT.

A bird crosses the sunset over Henley Wharf, Adelaide, Australia.

Queenstown's iconic Shotover River in Otago, New Zealand.

February

[Show as slideshow]

This was our first visit to Arthurs Pass, and although we just had one night, it was an amazing place.

Crossing the Cook Strait on the Interislander ferry; first time back in the North Island for a while!

Amazing artistry at the Auckland lantern festival in Albert Park.

March

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After the Canterbury earthquakes, Craig went to work on #blog4nz ... and this was his lunch on the stressful launch day.

Evenings and weekends were a time to walk in the Waitakere ranges in west Auckland.

Recently reburbished gallery in Monte Cecilia Park, Auckland. I've driven past millions of times, but never knew it existed!

Living out east, we love to see the sun setting over Rangitoto.

April

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It was fun watching our friend Julie skydiving for her birthday in the Bay of Islands. Add it to the wishlist!

Craig took Tane Mahuta the spaceship to meet its namesake, stopping in at lots of Northland museums along the way.

From west to east, Craig visited all the historic places trust properties... and found a bunch of Linda's family heirlooms!

May

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A wonderful way to celebrate our 9th anniversary: cruising the Bay of Islands on the Ipipiri.

Our favourite family-run attraction in the Bay of Islands: the Kawiti Glow worm caves

An indulgent treat in Paihia, before heading back to Auckland!

June

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Linda's favourite Pacific breakfast: Eggs benedict.

Hiking up above Leigh's Goat Island marine reserve.

Hiking up above Leigh's Goat Island marine reserve.

July

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Meeting Linda's family somewhere between Auckland and Tauranga.

Spotting dolphins with Dive! Tutukaka at the Poor Knights.

Craig's first-ever dive at the Poor Knights Marine reserve, thanks to Dive! Tutukaka.

August

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Got down to two carry-on sized bags for all our luggage.

So excited to be back in Buenos Aires. We love that city.

We were amazed at the artwork on display in BsAs, but also in La Plata.

It was great to visit this little town again, as part of an Intrepid Travel trip to Rio de Janeiro.

September

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We spent a few days on a ranch (estancia) in Uruguay.

The amazing Iguacu Falls -- we visited both the Argentine and the Brazilian side.

Paraty is a cute little town with a pedestrianised centre and lots of good restaurants around. Apparently there's great diving nearby.

A relaxing island experience, just a few hours from Rio de Janeiro. Great hiking, but too cold for us to swim more than once.

We had a weekend driving around the coast north of Rio with friends.

October

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We visited three cities in Paraguay, but the Jesuit ruins really caught our attention.

Visiting a Wichi village in Salta, Argentina. Cloudhead.org is working with them to improve opportunities and quality of life.

Visiting a Wichi village in Salta, Argentina. Cloudhead.org is working with them to improve opportunities and quality of life.

November

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Enjoyed a cultural show in Salta -- good food too!

We spent a lot of time at Salta's main attractions, hosted by Leigh and Noah from Cloudhead.

Coffee with medialunas (pastries) is a definitive Argentinean experience.

We finally managed to visit Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires as part of a massive week of tourism!

December

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We walked from the Waitemata to the Manukau harbour on Auckland's coast to coast walkway.

Craig climbed over the Auckland harbour bridge!

Whenever we're in Auckland, we attend the Christmas in the Park concert. Cheesy, but champagne helps!

Those were a few of our favourite things. Thanks so much for sharing the year with us, and we look forward to inspiring, helping, and hearing more of your travel stories in 2012!

Do you have a favourite moment of 2011? What were some of your favourites?

2011 – A year in photos by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen to this travel podcast, hit play below or find episode 221 for free in iTunes:

English Opens Doors

La Programa Inglés Abre Puertas, or English Opens Doors is a government-run program in Chile, South America. It’s a mid-length volunteer program, with volunteers signing up for one or more school terms. Talking with Dave, and hearing his story, was an opportunity to see how well it fits for the Indie Travel Podcast Community.

Dave with campers at English camp

You work as a classroom assistant in a Chilean classroom, and in return for your assistance in planning and in the classroom, you get:

• Health insurance
• A one week orientation
• Transport from Santiago de Chile to your placement
• A homestay family
• An online Spanish course
• 60,000 CHP a month stipend (about US$115 or UK£75)

Get more information or sign up for the next intake

Dave’s story

After travelling Europe, Dave wondered what was next. Looking online for volunteer opportunities outside of the USA, he found English Opens Doors through Idealist.org. A few months later he was flying into Lima, then overlanding down to Santiago… And no idea what he was getting himself into.

Panguipulli - with Dave and a friend

Getting off that bus in Panguipulli was the start of something amazing. He made such connections in the small town of Panguipulli that he’s heading back for Christmas this year!

The work itself involved planning, then “a lot of conversation, a lot of singing, a lot of dancing, a lot of fun”. Working with a local teacher certainly helps with a lot of the classroom management issues faced by people teaching English abroad.

Find episode 221 in iTunes to hear more about Dave’s experiences.

Sign up for English Opens Doors

Check out our Chile travel advice, or discover how to volunteer in Argentina with Cloudhead.

Volunteer in Chile with English Opens Doors by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen to the podcast, hit play — or find episode 220 for free in iTunes:

What is the Camino de Santiago

The Camino de Santiago de Compostela is an ancient pilgrimage which finishes in the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela. Translated as the “Way of St James”, the goal is to reach the mythological resting place of this saint at the third-holiest site in Roman Catholocism: the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.

The goal: the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, Spain

People take part in the modern walk for all sorts of reasons; it’s no longer compulsory to be Catholic or a religious seeker to take part in the Camino. However, those who do not declare a spiritual motivation will not receive a certificate of pilgrimage at the end.

The main route taken by today’s pilgrim is the Camino Francés, which crosses the Pyrenees at St Jean Pierre de Port the follows a route east to west, at around 100km inland from the coast. This is the route we took in 2008 — starting at Pamplona and continuing past Santiago de Compostela to Finistere and Muxia on the coast.

In 2012, we plan to take on the Via de la Plata, which starts in Seville and heads north, skirting the border with Portugal before taking a westerly turn towards Santiago. Once again, this is approximately 1,000km from start to finish.

Planning for the Camino de Santiago

So what does it take to plan for a 1,000km walk across Spain? Not that much really…

Books, maps, and route planning

Once again, we plan to use a guidebook produced by the non-profit Confraternity of St James, who have a range of up-to-date guides. We’ll probably have mobile internet access on an iPhone (and local SIM) for mapping assistance as well. The Via de la Plata doesn’t have the range of options available to walkers of the Camino Francés, so we’ll be committed to a reasonably set 15-25km a day between accommodation options.

A stamped pilgrim's passport

One vital part of the scheme is getting a pilgrim passport. The passport is a document that shows you are taking part in the Camino. It’s stamped each day at your accommodation, so you have an amazing keepsake with all the marks of places you’ve visited. You can also find stamps at some churches and monasteries along the way too add more colour to your passport or journal. When you finish the Camino in Santiago de Compostela, your passport is examined before you are issued with a certificate of pilgrimage.

Packing and equipment

So what are we taking? One each of these clothing items (unless marked differently), then the other stuff below shared between us.

Clothes:

• Good shoes
• Great socks (2-3 pairs)
• Zip-off trousers
• Polyprop or woolen tops and bottoms
• Hiking t-shirts (2)
• Fleece jumper for Linda; Mountain Hardwear jacket for Craig
• Waterproof over-trousers and jacket/shell
• Undies (3-5)
• Sports bra and spare bra
• Hat and scarf

Other things

• Sports towels
• Minimal toiletries and first aid kit (including blister plasters and painkillers)
• Sleeping bag and silk liner
• Kindle, iPods, chargers
• Journal and pens
• Water bottle/camelback
• Guidebook and pilgrim passport
• Camera, microphone and laptop (for working!)

The goal is to max out at 10% of body weight or 10kg. With the addition of daily water and food, we want to be at 7kg max for our total pack weight.

Beautiful church architecture along the way

We’re still undecided on what technology we’ll need to take to keep up with things while we walk the Camino. It would be best if we only had to check in a couple of times a week to deal with emergencies and upload some up-to-date photos and video for you to see, so I think we’ll end up taking Linda’s Macbook Air and a spare hard drive or big SD card for photo backups.

And what are we doing to physically prepare for a month of hiking? Not much, to be honest! We’ll be doing some hiking while we’re back in New Zealand, Craig’s doing some Taekwon-do as well. Last time around we found the first three days the hardest, then our bodies fell into the rhythm of walking each day and the right muscles started to develop. With light packs, good shoes and socks, and a bit of naivety, we think we’ll be right.

Have any suggestions?

We’re about three months away from starting our second Camino de Santiago — and I’m sure some readers are planning their trips too! Do you have any suggestions or any questions? Ask in the comments below.

Marker!

Camino de Santiago Podcast by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen, press play or find episode 219 on iTunes:

Argentina

We flew into Buenos Aires and spent several weeks there, studying Spanish and hanging out in San Telmo. We also did two excellent Buenos Aires tours, which we really enjoyed.

We spent time with friends and did a bit of a road trip from La Plata to Mar del Plata and Balcarce, then we headed over to Uruguay.

Uruguay

We travelled from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro with Intrepid, and that included three stops in Uruguay: Colonia del Sacramento, Montevideo, and at Panagea Estancia. We had far too little time in all of them, but it was a great time.

Rounding up sheep on horseback

Brazil

We entered Brazil at Foz do Iguacu and spent a few days exploring the falls. We took advantage of these two Iguacu Falls tours this time around, and found our guide helpful.

Rainbow over the Iguacu Falls, from the Brazilian side

Next was a few days of quaint paradise in Paraty and then Ihla Grande. Wonderful spots, and always a pretty view to greet you.

From there we were on to Rio de Janiero, which we really enjoyed. The place was fun, fresh, and sunny! We had great couchsurfing hosts for the whole time we were there, staying in Copacabana, Ipanema and Santa Teresa: we can recommend all of them!

On the boat from Ihla Grande to Rio

We also spent a few days with friends in and around Macae in the north: there’s so many fantastic beaches here, it’s well worth the drive up.

Paraguay

We started our trip in the shopping destination of Ciudad del Este, then headed south to Encarnación. This was a fascinating place, with the Jesuit ruins taking centre stage around the countryside.

Column of a cloister, with the squat, fortified bell tower

From there, it was on to the capital, Asunción. We didn’t really like it there, and didn’t have time to explore further north, so dropped straight back down into Argentina after a couple of days.

We talked a lot about our itinerary in this Paraguay podcast — so that’s where the detailed tips are.

And back to Argentina

We spent several weeks volunteering in Salta, Argentina part-time, while spending time with our friends Leigh and Noah. Salta is a beautiful place with lots of things to do and we were privileged to spend so long there.

Salta cathedral at night

It’s a 20-hour bus trip between Salta and Buenos Aires, but that’s what we did next! We were super-tourists in our last few days in the country; pretty much trying everything on this list of things to do in Buenos Aires … and eating lots of good food too!

Doing everything we did over the last four months was a real blast. We hope you enjoyed the journey too — we’re looking forward to New Zealand for summer, then heading back to Europe (via Asia) for another summer next year.

Mural on the antiques market building, Palermo 'Hollywood', Buenos Aires

Excited about South America? Check out our travel-planning resources or the best places in South America.

219 – South America in four months by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen, press play below or find episode 218 in iTunes — it’s free!

We talk about some of our favourite visits to England; give some tips on how to save money as you travel around the country; and finish up with 10 things to do, from our England travel resources page.

Some of our favourite places in England

Bath

Leeds

Isle of Wight

Brighton

London

As you can see, we haven’t spent enough time in the north!

Transport for travellers in England

We talk about budget buses, cheap (and very expensive!) flights, and the travel hacks you need to get the most out of the British train system. If you want to know, have a listen to the podcast (it’s episode 218) or jump over to our England travel advice page to get the gist of things.

Now, head over to our England travel page and check out the top 10 things to do in England… then you can jump into the comments here and add your own.

What’s your favourite thing to do (or what do you wish you could do) while travelling in England?

England travel week! by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen to this show, hit the play button or find episode 217 here in iTunes:

So our best holiday travel advice …

Don’t go!

If you can avoid Christmas holiday travel, then make sure you do. It’s the busiest, most expensive time to jump on a plane. Airports are horrendously busy, there’s likely to be more congestion, less turn-around time for planes and less slack for the airline staff.

Delays and cancelled flights are almost inevitable, so there’s all this extra stress for the ground crew and airlines, but it’s compounded by the people in the airport. Many of the people who are flying for the Thanksgiving holiday or the Christmas/New Year holiday are not experienced in airport etiquette and security rules or, perhaps worse, are travelling in large family groups … And groups always move slower than individuals.

Security lines slow down, people argue over their liquids, pocket knives, carry-on baggage allowances. It’s quite hellish. Mark Peacock at Travel Commons has a great podcast on US-business travel and often covers ways to deal with airport security and lines. We also did a podcast on speeding through airport security which can help.

If you have to fly at Thanksgiving, book now

And the same can be said for your Christmas/New Year vacation travel. Airline prices really aren’t going to get any cheaper, so if you’re going to book a flight and you haven’t already, you may as well do it now. Unless you’re a frequent-flyer god or goddess, don’t expect to be cashing in your miles on boxing day, either. I would imagine that flying standby is also going to give you worse odds than a Nigerian widow transferring US$10,000,000 into your bank account.

Try to book an early-morning flight. A lot of leisure travellers will aim for later flights, so the airport will be less congested and also there’s less chance of a domino effect making your flight late. If a plane leaves the gate ten minutes late, that’ll delay boarding the next plane by at least that long, so it’s almost guaranteed that the next plane on that gate will be leaving even later. Once the ten-minutes-late plane gets onto the runway, their slot has been taken and they need to wait to be re-allocated a take-off slot. It just gets worse and worse as time goes on, so try to book your flights for earlier rather than later.

Think contrarian

The best holiday travel guide tip, is to travel earlier, stay later. Farecompare had some really interesting stats on when people flew and how much the tickets cost over the last few years. They bundled it all together and this is what the traditional pattern is that’s it is best to fly 5 days before or after the big day.

Actually flying on the holiday itself can also work wonders. @GamerTraveler on said he flew last Thanksgiving and had surprisingly little hassle.

Pack light

I know we speak about this all the time, but packing light is one of the best ways you can help yourself. Especially during such a high-pressure time there’s a likelihood that your check-in bags may be re-routed to another destination. Spending your holidays in the same pair of underpants isn’t going to be pleasant, but it could make your least favourite uncle’s gift a bit more useful.

Get yourself down to one carry-on bag and reduce your toiletries that fits the size and weight requirements of your airline. If you’re doing multiple flights, check them all as some airlines have different requirements for national and international travel. Make sure that you check the liquids and sharps rules for the countries you’re travelling through too.

Consider posting your gifts ahead of time. It’ll help you avoid the Christmas shopping rush and, depending on your airline, might actually save you a big chunk of cash on bag-handling fees. Now, of course, this could get quite expensive depending on where you are and where you’re going but it’s definitely worth looking into. Electronic gift certificates and things like that are also going to be a great way to get around the weight issue. It’s hard to lose an email.

Insurance

I’d definitely look into travel insurance, even for such a short period. If you’re travelling within the US, WorldNomads (our providers) can insure you if you’re travelling more than 100km from home. We like them because you can sign up and extend from anywhere and they do ultra-short term packages too. There are tips on what to look for in holiday insurance cover here.

Travel on the ground

Most of these holiday travel guide tips have revolved around air travel, so some quick tips for when you arrive:

Make use of public transport to save taxi fees. Three people travelling a taxi is normally cheaper than a shuttle service, but a public bus or train is almost always cheaper again. Do a google search for the place you’re going to and dig up the information in advance. The information desk at the airport is probably not going to be easy to reach during the Christmas/New Year holiday period.

Toandfromtheairport.com is a great resource for this. We use it all the time. They list information on public and private transport options for thousands of airports around the world.

Final thoughts

I guess the main thing you can do is remember to plan, but then go with the flow. There’s no fun in taking time to spend with cool people then being stressed and grumpy all the time. You can only do so much. There are going to be traffic jams, delayed flights, and annoying people. I guess you have to remember that a holiday isn’t a battle. You don’t “win” by being three people ahead in the queue.

Do you have anything to add to our holiday travel guide? Please leave a comment with your tips.

This podcast is an update of #129 – Winter vacation travel guide.

Holiday travel guide by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Hit play or find episode 216 in iTunes:

Cloudhead

Founded by Leigh Shulman, our interviewee, and her husband Noah Edelblum, Cloudhead is an art and education foundation based in Salta, Argentina. We discuss their three current projects, upcoming plans for a pre-college leadership course, and how you can get involved.

At the Wichi village

Currently Cloudhead is running Wichi water – providing Wichi children in a poor village with digital cameras, then investing the profits of photo sales into developing sustainable gardens and food sources within the village.

They’re working with a local high school, where at-risk students are developing skills in social media, photography, film, and peer leadership.

They house artists and bloggers in their ‘art house’ in San Lorenzo, Salta – developing exhibitions for resident and local artists, with some of the proceeds going back into the foundation.

Everything they do, Leigh shares, is designed to give a small local community access to the global community; or to introduce the global community to a local one. By connecting the right people, they’re beginning to make a difference in Salta.

Salta, Argentina

Leigh also talks about her family’s travels around the world, as they searched for a new place to live. After a stop in Panama, they decide they had to move again and try to find a new place to settle.

In Salta la linda

They headed to Buenos Aires with a move to Uruguay on their minds, then were lured in the opposite direction by a job offer (which didn’t eventuate). However, they fell in love with the location, Salta, and decided to stop and make their lives here.

Salta is well known amongst Argentinians and also the Chileans, Peruvians and Bolivians — the province is so close to all these borders. It makes a great stop when overlanding into Argentina, or when exiting into the north.

The region is reputed to have the best empanadas in the world, and some of the finest milanesas. It has excellent wine, sourced from the Cafayate wine region just to the south. There’s a lovely colonial town centre, a growing modern arts scene, plus rafting and famed mountain climbing for the adventurous. All in all, it’s a place to add to your South America itinerary.

Volunteer in Argentina – Wichi water, Cloudhead and Salta by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Spiez, Switzerland, is a stunningly pretty town that has a little of everything that makes Switzerland special – the clear blue water of the lake, the mountains soaring overhead, the medieval castle.

We were lucky enough to visit recently, in the middle of summer. We parked our car in a suburb above the town and walked down through forest and vines to the water’s edge. After exploring the castle, we stopped for an ice-cream and just got under cover in time to miss a summer shower. It was an amazing town, calm and peaceful and everything you’d expect from Switzerland’s poster village – our friend who we was showing us around had recently seen a photo of Spiez on a bus in New Zealand!

Spiez, Switzerland – the prettiest town in Europe? [video] by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Download episode 215 for free in iTunes, or hit play below:

Gadgets and tech advice

Since we work and travel, we carry more technology than most travellers. There’s no question, that long-term travellers will find carrying some kind of internet-enabled device a great boon.

Kindle

The Kindle is now used every day

Unlocked iPhone

We carry both an iPod touch and an iPhone as mobile communication and game centres. The most used programs on these are the mail, Skype, Twitter and Facebook apps — but we also use them to record and edit video as we travel.

Because the iPhone is unlocked, we can pick up local SIM cards when we’re in a country for some time. These prepay cards allow important people to get in touch with us, and let us make calls or use mobile internet when we need to without running up bills for services we never use (like calls at home!) or unexpected bills for data use or receiving calls or texts.

Laptops

We were recently asked for our laptop recommendations on Facebook. We don’t really keep up with the latest developments, but we’re very happy with the laptops that we’re using: A Apple MacBook Pro 13″ and a MacBook Air 11″. These are both quite small and light, but they have the power necessary to run our small multimedia publishing company on the road.

Clothes

In general, we’re carrying quite standard clothes. We look for light, quick-drying fabrics and tend to hand-wash clothes as we go, making use of washing machines when we can. There are a couple of interesting choices we’ve made that we thought might be helpful:

Mountain hardware jacket vs layers and shell

Before hiking the West Highland Way in 2007, Craig bought a technical hiking jacket by Mountain Hardwear (one of his favourite brands). This is still what he’s using today, but when not actually in use, it takes up almost 1/3 of his bag, and weighs heavily: several kilos.

Linda, on the other hand, prefers to have multiple thin layers; the thickest being a polarfleece jacket. For rainy days, she’s currently looking for a light, waterproof shell. It’s proving hard to find in Argentina.

Jeans

Jeans aren’t light or quick-drying, but they function well enough for semi-formal events and they’re hard-wearing too. This is the first time Craig has been travelling with jeans, but they’ll probably get donated away as we head into warmer weather. The trick has been to always wear the jeans on days when we’re travelling/transiting — that way the additional weight isn’t being carried on your back.

Travel luggage

Our two carry-on sized backpacks

Northface Overhaul

Craig has finally found a backpack that suits, although its not quite perfect. The Northface Overhaul 32 is carry-on sized, has good pockets for organisation, and is both comfortable and expandable. However, the harness system is not that great and causes discomfort when carrying 11+ kilos for an hour or longer.

Aarn Backfavour

Linda’s still using — and loving — the Aarn Backfavour described in the best backpack for travel article we published last year.

Sea to Summit hyperlight bag

Since we don’t have the traditional backpacker’s backpack plus daybag combo, we needed something for shopping trips and shorter trips while we could leave our normal backpacks behind. We bought a hyperlight bag by Sea to Summit, which is excellent. It’s made from a thin, strong material and packs down to the size of a toddler’s fist.

Waterproof compression bag 

The NorthFace bag is water resistant, but didn’t have any space for a waterproof pack cover, so to protect our electronics and passports from water damage, we bought a roll-top dry bag — more commonly used by divers or kayakers. Day to day, it serves to contain our power cables, hard-drives and chargers but it’s there to stuff other things into when on a boat or during a downpour.

Random bits

Bottle opener

Confiscated every time we take a flight, we buy a new bottle opener within a week or landing. One day that ridiculous law might be repealed!

Orikaso plates & Light My Fire sporks

We’ve been using this combination since we started travelling in 2006. Although the Orikaso set is beginning to discolour a little with age, the thin plastic plates, bowls and cups are still in use and wearing well.

Frisbie

While on the beach or at a park, we get a little bit of aerobic exercise with a material travel frisbie with a weighted edge. The one we’ve got comes from Kathmandu in New Zealand; but they have no online store.

Ecousable bottle

We got these Ecousable water bottles in 2010 and we’re still carrying and using them. Just this week we lost one, with our friends’ dog deciding some of the plastic looked tasty. So now we’re down to one!
 

We’re not using

There are always things you take with you and don’t use enough to justify their place in your bag. We’re getting better at this, but … well, there’s always something!

We brought a compass with us — not just for hiking, they can be super-useful when exiting a subway station and figuring out where you need to go. This time, the iPhone’s compass and mapping features have completely taken over from the need to use this.

Kindle aside, we’ve got two large Spanish grammar books with us. We’re using them, but possibly not enough to justify the weight. Because they are exercise books with gap-fill and join-the-options exercises, they’d probably be better suited to an iPad app than an ebook format — and so we carry them while we’re trying to improve our Spanish.

How about your recommendations?

Are there things that you’ve learned to travel without, or things that you just have to have with you? Are there brands and models that you love? Instead of commenting below, please add your thoughts to this forum post in the Indie Travel Podcast Community: Gear week 2011 / Travel gear recommendations.

Travel Gear – updated recommendations by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Between now and October 27th, we need as many votes as we can in order to have a good chance of picking up the prize. We’d like to ask your help once more in rallying votes for your favourite travel podcast.

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Podcast awards – please vote for us by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

The shell of this bus caught our eye while hiking on ‘Eua, Tonga. It’s slowly dissolving into the surrounding forest, the humid weather ensuring this lost bus is going to be lost to sight pretty soon.

Learn more about travel in Tonga as part of our Oceania travel planning section on Indie Travel Podcast.

How much would it cost you to fly to Tonga?

Find out here:

This bus got lost in ‘Eua, Tonga [photo] by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

We recently did our Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro trip with them, and 40% off would make a definite saving … almost comparable to doing it yourself. But, of course, with a tour leader to orientate you, organise all the tickets and accommodation, you don’t spend so much time doing admin!

For more information on which tours are available, visit and book before October 16th:

Up to 40% off Intrepid Travel by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen to this podcast, hit play or find episode 214 for free in iTunes:

Travel in Paraguay seems to be a topic that no-one really talks about, but we’re befuddled as to why. We certainly really enjoyed it, and would go back if the opportunity presented itself.

Getting into Paraguay

We talked about getting a visa and the Ciudad del Este border crossing in the travel forum – check there for details.

After entering Paraguay at the Brazil-Paraguay border, we visited…

Ciudad del Este

This modern city is Paraguay’s second largest, and one of the biggest commercial developments in South America. The central city, at least, feels like one giant collection of malls and stalls. If visiting from Foz do Iguacu for the day, you do not need a visa, or even a stamp in your passport, to enter Ciudad del Este (often contracted to “CDE” on local timetables) — as long as you leave via the same border crossing.

There are three main attractions in Ciudad del Este: shopping, the Itaipu dam, and the Hito Tres Fronteras.

Shopping in Ciudad del Este

By far the biggest attraction is the shopping. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Brazilians arrive every day for the tax-free clothing, electronics and other things on sale. From street stands to modern, air-conditioned malls, the centre of town has little beyond shops, currency exchange stalls and a few restaurants to keep you going. If you visit Ciudad del Este just for the day, you don’t need to get a visa … just don’t stray too far from town.

The Itaipu Dam

The Itaipu Dam is the largest hydroelectric dam on earth*: its yearly output could power the entire world for two days. This is a shared project between Paraguay and Brazil, and you can visit on both sides. However, it’s free to visit on the Paraguayan side: and the 20 minute bus out there costs less than a dollar.

The Itaipu Dam sits between Paraguay and Brazil

The visit starts with a 20-25 minute video, in Spanish, showing the development of the dam, its technology, and how it influences life in Paraguay and Brazil. A little technical, but still very interesting. After that, a bus will drive along to a lookout, then circle through the dam complex without stopping. Views from the windows — the dam, massive power lines, and the great Itaipu lake — are impressive on both sides of the coach.

Make sure to time your arrival with one of the documentary showings: at 8am, 9:30am, 2pm and 3pm Monday to Friday, with an extra showing at 10:30am on Saturdays as well as the other times. On Sunday your only options are morning ones: 8am, 9:30am and 10:30am.

* Largest in terms of electricity generated.

Hito Tres Fronteras

The rivers Iguacu and Parana separate Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina — and each country has a viewpoint where each country can be seen over the river. Even though it is just a short, cheap bus ride from town, we didn’t visit Hito Tres Fronteras on the Paraguayan side, having visited in Argentina.

Seeing Paraguay from Argentina at the Hito Tres Fronteras

Encarnacion

The small southern city of Encarnacion was a real highlight of our time in Paraguay. It’s a colonial town with a lovely main square, complete with a miniature Japanese garden. The walkway down by the river, where you can look out at the skyline of Posada, Argentina, is currently being re-developed and will look great by the time the southern summer arrives.

The main attraction near Encarnacion is the sheer amount of Jesuit ruins around the place (Encarnacion itself is built over a Jesuit settlement). During the 17th and 18th century, Jesuit communities gained power, financial and cultural influence, and a high degree of autonomy from the Spanish crown. A main centre of their power was modern Paraguay, with extensions into modern Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia (although it was all Paraguay back then). The Spanish grew quite nervous about this, and expelled the Jesuits from all South America in 1767. The Ruta Jesuitica is a tourism route through dozens of ruins, but we visited the two UNESCO world heritage sites, Jesus de Tavarangüe and Trinidad.

Jesus de Tavarangüe

Jesus was abandoned, unfinished at the time of the expulsion – meaning what we see today is almost exactly as they were left in the late 18th century.

The unfinished church at Jesus

Within the church, looking towards the cloisters

The unfinished schoolrooms stretch from the church

Trinidad

Trinidad was a large community, probably serving over 300 Jesuit and Indian families. The quarry nearby — which also supplied rock for Jesus — is also able to be visited.

Looking towards the main church from the bell tower

Column of a cloister, with the squat, fortified bell tower

Asuncion

The capital of Paraguay was our final stop, and we’re glad it wasn’t our first. While we found people to be friendly and the cities to be safe and clean in other parts of Paraguay, Asuncion was run down and people more reserved and difficult to talk to.

We caught the bus out to the huge botanical garden and zoo at the city’s outskirts. The area is a great place to spend a lazy day, with a few wandering snack and drink salespeople to keep you going. The zoo has a large collection of endemic animals kept in constricted, but clean, habitats. And, for some reason, an ostrich.

Entrance to the Botanical Garden, Asuncion

There are museums, grand buildings, shopping markets and everything you might expect in a busy South American city, but nothing to really catch your eye or make things memorable — although we did keep noticing fading art deco facades.

Thoughts on travel in Paraguay

Our world fact book claims that Paraguay and Bolivia have a very similar GDP, but our experience of Paraguay was that it was much more affluent and faster-growing than its andean neighbour. There seems to be more indigent people living in Asuncion than the other cities we visited, and there are large areas of farmland that provide little more than sustenance living for its workers … so maybe those stats are true.

Art Deco in Asuncion, Paraguay

All in all, we felt very safe travelling in Paraguay, even when walking the streets in the late evening or on long bus trips. While we’ve heard reports of some scams, we encountered none at all. We never felt threatened, hassled or oversold because we were foreigners … which was a nice contrast with our time in Bolivia.

Paraguay’s a great destination, with lots more to see. There are wonderful natural sites, an intriguing and accessible modern history, and is very well priced. I really don’t know why more people don’t visit, so plan to go soon before tourism really picks up.

Paraguay travel advice by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Westminster Abbey. You’ve seen it in dozens of movies, with the clock tower — housing Big Ben — behind it along the Thames.

Every time we’ve visited, we’ve been unlucky enough to be there for some official service or another: security everywhere and no chance of getting inside. Hopefully next time we’re in England!

Day tours in London

If you’re heading to London soon, check out these cheap day tours:

Westminster Abbey, London [photo] by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Climbing the North and South Towers of St Peter’s Cathedral gives tourists amazing views of Geneva, Switzerland.

St Peter’s Cathedral, Geneva, Switzerland [video] by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

You can subscribe to the Indie Travel Podcast for free in iTunes, or listen to this podcast (episode 213), by clicking “play” below:

The quotes below are taken directly from the tour description on the Intrepid Travel Classic Journeys website, with our photos and annotations below each section.

Day 1 – Buenos Aires

Paddleboarding in Palermo

Bienvenidos! Buenos Aires must be the ultimate cosmopolitan city. With Latin passion, European elegance and a distinctive style all of its own, this is a city that will steal your heart. The Portenos (local residents) are justifiably proud of their city which is comprised of distinct neighbourhoods, each with its own style.

A day just isn’t enough to see Buenos Aires, so make sure you plan another couples of nights here, at the very least. Our hotel was well located, but we were told the area was dangerous at night. That’s kind of true, but we had already walked the area in the late evenings several times over the last few weeks … so its as unsafe as the centre of any city at night.

Click here for more Argentina travel information.

Day 2 – Colonia

We cross the Rio de la Plata into Uruguay by ferry (up to 3 hours) to the charming colonial city of Colonia del Sacramento. Stroll down the cobblestone streets and rub shoulders with locals as they go about their day, continually sipping from their cup of mate (tea).??We stay the night at a simple and well located hotel.

We talked about Uruguay in a recent podcast, so check that for more details on the next few days. Colonia is a beautiful town, and we had enough time to see all the ruins, pretty buildings, and down a few beers on the waterfront or within the town. If you want to relax, this is the place.

Day 3 – Montevideo

A fruit stand in Montevideo

We continue on to Montevideo by public bus (approx. 3 hours), Uruguay’s capital and its largest city by far. This is the commercial and cultural hub of the country. Despite all the trimmings of a modern metropolis, it retains a laid back atmosphere and with many good museums and beaches, it is a lovely place to stay.

The hotel was really well located, which was a major plus considering the limited time we had here. Although we had been in Montevideo before this, we learned some new things from the guide, and found a great little place for lunch — the markets down by the port.

Most people on the tour thought the afternoon was enough, but we felt there was no time to do anything but the most superficial sightseeing. Two days here wouldn’t have added much however; you really need to get under the skin to get a lot out of Montevideo.

Days 4-7 – Estancia Stay

Rounding up sheep on horseback

Our stay on a local estancia is the real deal as we spend a few days experiencing a working farm. If you are up for it, you can fully involve yourself in the day-to-day jobs (which change according to any given day and the season) and may include herding the sheep and cows (on horseback), branding cattle, and marking and injecting the lambs against worms.

The estancia (ranch) was definitely the hightlight of Uruguay for us, and that’s something we were surprised about! After this finished up, we spent an afternoon at the hot springs in Salto before a long trip up to Foz do Iguazu.

If you’re thinking about Uruguay, see our Uruguay travel section.

Days 8-10 – Foz do Iguazu

The Devil's Throat, Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side

Arriving in the morning at Puerto Iguazu we take a minivan to Foz de Iguazu (approx. 1 hour), crossing the Brazil-Argentina border. After a couple of hours at the hotel to freshen up, you have free time to visit the Brazilian side of the Falls (optional). The following day you will have free time to visit the Argentinean side of the falls (Optional activity–transport, guide and entrance fees not included).

Our time in Iguacu was great! It deserves to be called a natural wonder and, we think, was a highlight for everyone on the tour. Intrepid organised a transfer to and from the park, but we split off from the rest of the group and did our own thing with Urban Adventures’ cheap day tours. It was nice having a rest day here too, with the option of either going to the Itaipu dam (on the Brazilian side) or a shopping day in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay.

Days 11-12 – Paraty

The pretty, car-free colonial old town of Paraty

The overnight bus arrives in Paraty at about 6pm. ??Sitting between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Paraty is a great place to ‘get away from it all’. This is one of the world’s best preserved Portuguese colonial towns and is now World Heritage-listed.

Up until now, we had been revisiting places we had already visited (with the exception of the estancia). So, this is where things started getting ‘new’ for us. The next three places we visited were both beautiful and interesting. I don’t know what else you might look for in a destination.

Paraty is a little colonial town, surounded by water and mountains, with nice cobblestone streets, little churches, and a car-free centre.
Nearby are great beaches, plus diving and hiking trips, but we opted for some lazy days around town. We met our friend Washington for dinner one night, and arranged to meet later, in Rio.

Days 13-15 – Ilha Grande

Dog watches boat on Ihla Grande, Brazil

Leaving Parati behind, we head by public bus and ferry to our island getaway on Ilha Grande (approx. 5 hours). Spend time contemplating the sandy beaches with a caipirinha in hand or go snorkelling and swimming in the beautiful warm waters.

Someone on tour said Ihla Grande was much more like Costa Rica than anywhere she had seen in Brazil. There’s a lush tropical forest that comes down to the sea, with plenty of natural harbours. One side is sheltered and smooth, whilst the other is great for surf. Much of the island is dedicated nature reserves, and there are only a handful of vehicles, run by police and emergency staff. You can hike around, or use water taxis to visit other beaches.

Days 16-17 – Rio de Janeiro

Christ the Redeemer - one of the cities main tourist attractions

Our adventure comes to an end in the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvellous City) (approx. 5 hours by ferry and minibus). In this heaving metropolis, set against the luminescent green of Guanabara Bay and surrounded by the slopes of Sugar Loaf Mountain and Corcovado, it’s hard not to be caught up in the Carioca’s (residents) passion… ??In Rio we stay in a hotel only one block from Copacabana.

We arrived in Rio for lunch, and had one night’s accommodation included in the tour. Surprising for us, most of the tour group was flying out that day or the next while we had a week or so to explore Rio. Our guide did some research and offered several tour options for everyone so they could see the highlights of the city on that first afternoon. We enjoyed the beach instead (how often are you so close to Copacabana and Ipanema?!) and left sightseeing for another day.

Value, money and time

This is a great itinerary that takes you to lots of wonderful places. We found the time was sufficient for a sightseeing tour without becoming exhausted by the end.

However, it seems too fast to do independently. With Intrepid we had someone else organising accommodation, transport and transfers — as well as giving us a brief orientation and ideas on things to see, restaurants and bars. If we were doing this ourselves, we’d need to do this itinerary over 25-30 days or longer in order to enjoy each place, rather than just be organising all the time.

The cost of the tour, when we did it was approximately US$2,250, or $140 per day; that’s for accommodation and transport, with some meals. We estimate the cost of accommodation and transport was US$750-800; approximately $50 per day. That’s quite a large difference, but comes back to the question of time vs money, and the value you get from it. Independent travellers who want to cover the sights quickly, those on short vacations, and people who don’t yet feel comfortable with travel in South America will all find good value in the tour.

See all of Intrepid Travel’s New Trips for 2011

Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro – an itinerary by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Last Sunday turned out to be more exciting than we expected; we headed out the door at around 3pm, planning to meet Felipe and Clarice at the Museum of the Portuguese Language at four. We spent 20-minute walk to the metro talking about the impending overnight bus trip; on arrival Craig realised he didn’t know where the tickets for this trip were. He’d taken them out of his wallet when we set off to explore “very dangerous” São Paulo, and hadn’t put them back in again. After sifting through almost all our stuff looking for them, we decided they must be back at Norma and Marcondes’s place. He turned around to find them and I continued on to meet Felipe and Clarice.

Luckily the tickets were found and Craig met up with us when we came out of the museum. We had a nice dinner of stuffed potatoes then Felipe and Clarice dropped us off at the bus station to catch our overnight bus back to Foz do Iguaçu.

Monday 26/9 Strangely, I managed to sleep quite well on the bus, and woke up in time for the last rest stop before arriving in Foz, which meant I could have a coffee, wash my face, and arrive in a relatively human state. We caught a local bus to the urban bus terminal and checked into a hotel nearby before walking into town to organise my visa for Paraguay. I thought we’d just have to drop off the paperwork and pick it up the next morning, but no, they did it while we waited. Waited for quite some time, though; we were starving when we finally had lunch, but the two enormous “com tudo” hamburgers and chips made up for it.

We worked and rested for the rest of the afternoon, then had a light dinner from the supermarket before bed.

Tuesday 27/9 Checkout was at 11:30, so we had a long lazy morning and caught a local bus across the border at around 12. I asked the driver to stop for us at the Brazilian customs office, and he gave us tickets that would let us on the next bus that came along. Score! This meant we didn’t have to walk across the bridge in the searing heat. On the Paraguayan side, we didn’t have any trouble getting into the country, and a helpful woman at the tourist office told us everything we needed to know about Ciudad del Este and about travelling in Paraguay.

It was a long walk to the hotel she recommended, but worth it: the same price as the hostel we’d found online, but with a private bathroom and a good location close to the bus station. After settling in, we walked back into town to find an ATM and have lunch, then caught another local bus to the Itaipu Dam. The woman at the tourist information office had failed to mention that there are only four tours a day, but by sheer good luck we showed up in time for the last one. The trip was about half an hour on a coach, and was well worth doing, though it would have been nice to have had more stops in different parts of the dam. When we got back to the visitor centre, we realised that we had missed the movie that precedes the tour, but a nice receptionist put it on for us when we asked about it.

Itaipu Dam

We had to wait quite some time for a bus back to the city, but one eventually arrived and we walked back to our hotel for a rest before heading out for arabes for dinner, which are a local take on kebabs.

Wednesday 28/9 We’d been planning to spend just a day or so in Ciudad del Este, but our accommodation was comfortable and the wifi worked, so we decided to slow down and spend a couple more days there working. Meals, as always, were highlights: for lunch I had al monida (a kind of dumpling stew) which the server assured me was more Paraguayan than Paraguayans, and for dinner we had arabes again. Yum.

Thursday 29/9 Another work day, and I also opened my Spanish grammar book for the first time in a while. In the evening we watched Eat, Pray, Love on DVD.

Friday 30/9 We checked out at ten and walked across the road to buy tickets for the 11am bus to Encarnación, which left on time and dropped us at the Encarnación bus station at about 4:20. There was no tourist office to be seen, but we got a hotel recommendation from a ticket seller and checked in at a hotel across the road. The hotel manager gave us a map and information about how to get to the Unesco-registered sites nearby: basically, it’s going to be a mission.

We dropped our bags then headed out to explore the city. It’s small, but is developing rapidly: a nice riverside walkway is being constructed and the town square is green and shady. We had dinner at a comedor at the SuperSeis supermarket; the food was cheap and tasty. In the evening we watched an episode of Life and drank Chilean wine.

Saturday 1/10 Our plans to visit the Unesco sites were scuppered when we woke up to the sound of thunderstorms. We decided to extend our stay, and since the weather forecast for Sunday wasn’t much better than that for Saturday, we arranged to stay until Tuesday morning.

Instead, we spent the day mostly indoors, first sleeping then working and studying. Lunch was a hilarious experience at the comedor behind the bus station, where we ate meat barbecued on an outdoor grill while listening to several different bad Spanish pop songs at the same time; every restaurant wanted to play their own music, loudly, on stereos with bad speakers. It was awesome. The food was good, though, even if the temperature had dropped 20 degrees and we were shivering in the wind.

In the evening we had dinner at the SuperSeis again and watched Catfish.

Sunday 2/10 The weather turned out to be a lot better than predicted, but we’d slept in so late by the time we realised this that it wasn’t worth heading out sightseeing. Anyway, it was Sunday and almost everything was closed anyway, there would probably be fewer buses and it would just be too hard… We decided to stick to our plan of going on Monday. Instead, we recorded the podcast then went out for a walk to find coffee. In the afternoon we got some more work done and headed back to the SuperSeis for dinner.

Travel diary: On to Paraguay by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Just one of the stunning vertical panoramas within the Catedral Metropolitana (Metrolpolitan Cathedral) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We visited as part of the half-day Buenos Aires walking tour, linked to below.

Catedral Metropolitana, Buenos Aires [photo] by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen to this podcast, find episode 212 in iTunes, or hit play below:

Because of sickness, bad internet, and our desire to get the podcast published before entering Paraguay, we’re going to have to fill in these shownotes properly in a week or so. Apologies! The podcast sounds great though … take a listen.

1. Distraction scams

This is when someone distracts you while another person robs you. This is the most common game we’ve seen here in South America. It can be as simple as asking for a light, or a carefully planned attack with several criminals working together.

Some examples:
* oil or mayonnaise on bag.
* also in La Paz, scarf idol.
* ask for time, ask for light.
* ask for change, with a waiting car.

If you know of travel scams with distractions or theft please add to this thread.

2. Con artists

This is normally a long game, taking from several minutes to a few days. The game is to have you trust the criminal, and find yourself in a place where you are obligated to pay up. Some we’ve found …

* my sister is moving to …
* the card game
* murder in your hostel
* it’s my wife’s birthday (taxi)

Do you have a story about travel con artists? Please share it with the Indie Travel Podcast Community.

3. Borders

When we talk about border scams, we’re not meaning those who insist on a bribe before you get your passport back (that happened to us while leaving Laos), but the transport companies and the border controls with their own little games.

* thai/Cambodia border
* Mongol rally story
* no passport stamp in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay.

Share your stories of dodgy border scams and security checks here.

4. Virtual kidnapping

To find out what virtual kidnapping is, listen to this podcast … or we’ll have some notes and stories here in a week.

Once again, apologies for the poor shownotes!

Travel scams, travel cons and other nasty travel stories by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Thanks to everyone who has nominated us for the 2011 Podcast Awards. Finalists are announced October 8th, then — hopefully — we’ll be asking for your votes to help us towards the final victory.

Nominations are open for the 2011 Podcast Awards, and we need your help! It takes less than 30 seconds to make a nomination — you don’t need to create any accounts — and it would be a massive help to us.

Please

Visit http://podcastawards.com then:

• 1. Type Indie Travel Podcast and http://indietravelpodcast.com in the Travel section (bottom right).
• 2. Fill in your details and optional comment.
• 3. Hit “SUBMIT”.

Nominations run until the end of September.

Podcast Award nominations – please help by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

The stunning colours of Kings Canyon in central Australia. It’s best to arrive very early in the morning if hiking here, as temperatures can become extreme after 11am.

Help your Australia travel planning with our resource centre.

Travel photo: Kings Canyon, Australia by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen, press play or download episode 211 (and plenty of others) free in iTunes:

Our favourite things to do on KI!

Kayaking – sea and estuary

Down at Vivonne Bay we kayaked along the estuary and enjoyed walking the beautiful beach there. Apparently it was voted as one of Australia’s best beaches in recent years, and it certainly stands up to that kind of reputation. You can hire kayaks from KI Outdoor Action; they also have sandboards to let you play on nearby “Little Sahara”.

Quad biking at dusk

Craig’s favourite thing on Kangaroo Island was the quad bike dusk tour, also by KI Outdoor Action. Riding quads through the massive outdoor area they have to play in, pacing alongside kangaroos in their own habitat, spotting koalas sleeping up trees, and generally opening up the throttle and enjoying the bikes.

Craig, quad biking on Kangaroo Island

Flinders Chase park

There’s great scenery all along the southern part of the island, but Flinders Chase Park is the highlight. Visit the Remarkable Rocks, Admirals Arch seal colony, look out for kangaroos, wallabies, goannas and plenty of other animals on the ground; plus koala and native birds in the trees.

Sea lion colony

Birds of prey show

The Birds of Prey show was an extraordinary chance to get up close and personal with several fast-moving birds, ranging from little hunters up to massive hawks. Seeing them swoop and dive through the air was amazing; it’s hard to put that beauty and power into words, but the hosts of the show were excellent; the work to protect and rehabilitate the native bird species found on the island.

Birds of Prey on KI

Penguin walk

There isn’t that much to do as night falls in Kingscote, but there is a great little penguin walk where you can see the little fairy penguins coming in from their day’s fishing. Armed with red-light torches (which don’t dazzle the penguins) we bundled up against the cold and, guided by a knowledgable host, went out on the search.

Pelican feeding

Another bird experience, this one the cheapest and most eccentric of all! Each evening the “pelican man” heads down to the Kingscote wharf with a few buckets of fish to feed the pelicans. As he does, swearing and kicking at them if they get too pushy, he gives a running commentary on their behaviour in addition to a bucketload of strange and wonderful facts. What got us was how aggressive those pelicans were, squabling and holding each others’ heads underwater to steal food.

Marine tour

Linda’s favourite experience was swimming with the dolphins on the Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures tour; a half-day trip which took us along some of the northern coast to spot fish, hunting birds, archeological fossil sites and stunning beaches. The highlight, however, was encountering a pod of dolphins that let us swim with them and, as a few people were dragged alongside the boat, the dolphins would come up and swim alongside.

Linda, having swum with dolphins!

Stokes Bay

Swimming, relaxing, surfing, fishing … this beach in the north of Kangaroo Island is only accessible by a walking track which was dynamited out of the coastal hills some time ago. The walk is fun, and the beach is beautiful; a great place to play some beach cricket and enjoy the sun.

Wine tasting

Unfortunately we didn’t get to see any of the wineries on the island, but Craig found a little tasting room opposite the bottle shop in Penneshaw. With your own car, you’re able to visit several wineries. What we tasted, we enjoyed.

Practicalities on Kangaroo Island

The best time to visit is definitely summer, when you are rewarded with long sunny days that help you make the most of the outdoor activities. However, as it’s a popular holiday destination for locals, things book up quickly in December and January so make sure you book ahead.

We toured with Surf and Sun, then struggled to get around ourselves

There is very little public transport on Kangaroo Island — instead it’s served by private shuttle companies that come at a premium price. Car hire on the island is also quite expensive, and their standard insurance doesn’t cover accidents that happen on gravel roads … which is 99% of their roads. Because of this, it’s best to either bring your own vehicle or book yourself onto a tour from a nearby city, like Adelaide. We did a two-day tour with Surf and Sun (see their site for more things to do), which was great, then hopped off and spent another two days in Kingscote, the largest town.

We’ve also written about South Australia here and here … and there’s always our Australia travel planning page.

Things to do on Kangaroo Island by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To get started, why don’t you check out our Australia travel section, and we’ll update this post as new stories get published.

It’s Australia week! by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen, press play or find episode 210 in iTunes:

When we were there last year, four of us travelled from Puerto Iguazu in Argentina, crossed into Uruguay at Concordia, then went to Montevideo and Colonia before catching the ferry to Buenos Aires. Now, we’re doing almost the same thing in reverse, but this time on an Intrepid tour from Buenos Aires to Rio. A couple of
exceptions: when we travelled independently we spent several days at a friend’s lake house, and also spent a day at Punto del Este. On the tour, we spent three days on an estancia, and had half a day in Salto to enjoy the hot springs.

Getting there

The crossing from Buenos Aires to Colonia (or vice-versa) is straightforward: an hour on a fast ferry or three hours on a slow one. Both times, we travelled by slow boat.

Colonia

Colonia is a small town that makes a great stopover when travelling between Buenos Aires and Montevideo, or as a day trip from Buenos Aires. The tour allowed one night there, which was the perfect amount
of time, especially when the weather was as brilliant as it was for us. Last time, we had two nights, we spent a lot of our time looking for the right hotel and organising ferry tickets: it was nice not to
have to do that this time!

Montevideo

Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay, a nice but rather sleepy city. The one night we had there on the tour gave us enough time to see the old town but not much else. Last time, we had more time: we hung out
with locals, watched a football game in a local pub and visited an art gallery, as well as eating the best asado ever.

Estancia

One of the highlights of the tour so far were the three nights on the Panagea estancia, something we probably wouldn’t have organised while travelling independently. Owner Juan collects visitors from the
Tacuarembo bus station an hour away from the estancia, and he also drove us the four hours to Salto at the end of our stay. We spent our two full days there mostly on horseback, accompanying Juan on his daily rounds of the estancia. All meals were included though we were expected to serve ourselves and help a little with the preparation.

Salto

The Termas del Dayman hotsprings at Salto are a tourist attraction for locals and were the perfect way to relax the muscles after a couple of days of horseriding.

Getting away

The trip from Puerto Iguazu to Montevideo was one of the horror stories of our South America trip last year — a hive of misinformation turned a straightforward journey into a 25-hour marathon. This time, we caught taxis across the border to Concordia then an overnight coach to Puerto Iguazu, followed by a minivan across
the Brazilian border to Foz do Iguacu. The overnight bus experience was exactly the same as it was a year ago — not very pleasant, and our taxi driver thought she’d got lost at one point, so it certainly wasn’t super-smooth sailing. The whole trip from the estancia to Foz worked out to about 24 hours — so quite comparable, really.

Look for more information on travel in South America or travel in Uruguay.

Travel Uruguay – Independently or on a tour by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

We’ve seen plenty of queues for famous attractions in our time, but this is the first time we’ve seen people queueing to enter parliament! The Reichstag building was recently updated by famous British architect Sir Norman Foster. Now hundreds of people wander through each day, climbing to the top-most dome to look down on the country’s politicians as they debate.

Improve your travel photography today, or check out travel advice and things to do in Germany.

Berlin city tours

Travel photo – Waiting for the government in Berlin, Germany by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

We’ve been teaching English as a Second Language since 2003, and over the last two years have been learning Spanish. We’ve seen what works and what doesn’t, and can recognise the same successes and failures in our own language learning. Here’s the gist of what we’ve learned.

To listen to this podcast, press play or find episode 209 in iTunes. It’s free!

Speak, speak and speak again

If you’re learning a language to travel, your main goal will be communication … speaking! No matter how much you read or how many grammar activities you do, or how much vocabulary you understand … if you want to speak to people, you have to speak.

Learn a few set phrases and through them out there. If you don’t understand the responses at first, that’s no real problem … just get started. Now you’re speaking another language!

Social networks for language learners

There are several social networks that can help you start speaking and get ahead with your target language before you leave home. The ones we have found most useful are:

• iTalki
• Busuu
• Lenguajero (Spanish-English only)
• Couchsurfing

We met through a language-learning social network

Some other useful resources for learning a language are:

• Bueno Entonces (review)
• Language Hacking Guide (review)

Use repetition to get things flowing

We’re after some degree of fluency in using set phrases. The way to do this is through repetition at home — chanting, singing or — what I prefer — repeat the phrases over and over, until you can get them perfect and fluent, first time, every time.

Build little conversations with yourself, using these phrases. A typical example might be in a cafe:

Hi.
Hi.
How are you?
Good thanks, and you?
Fine. I’d like a coffee, please.
Sure.
Thank you.

Or:

The bill, please.
That’s $8.00
Here you are.
Thanks.
You’re welcome.

Build up these common, functional phrases and repeat them until you can handle the situation with ease and confidence.

Flashcards and vocabulary

You can also use repetition to improve your vocabulary. I really like using flashcards to do this – playing with the words and building them into your memory. There are various smartphone and computer apps that use this to build decks of intelligent flashcards — SRS (Spaced Repetition Systems) are really good. However, there’s a few issues with using flashcards:

What's your goal?

1. Do you want to recognise words, or speak them?

Your first job is to recognise words – look at the target language then remember the meaning in your mother language. This will help your reading, but certainly won’t help you speak … for that, you need to reverse the cards so you see your first language first, and remember the target language through that. Even better if you can replace your first language with an image.

2. There’s no use learning words by themselves.

Once you get to grips with the vocabulary you’re working on, use the new words in little sentences that you might use. Once again, fit them into functional sentences that you might use, or drill grammar patterns that you are trying to master.

Grammar is good, but speaking is better

Thinking about grammar … grammar is good. We recently spent two weeks at Expanish Spanish School in Buenos Aires and it’s really helped both of us get to grips with things we were struggling with. But … going to school or doing grammar exercises is only part of the equation: you need to get things off the page and make them come out of your mouth! Read out loud to work on your fluency and accent, and store up a few phrases as conversation starters.

We have more articles on learning a language, and make sure you check out the Language Hacking Guide, as Benny knows his stuff.

(Did you listen to the podcast? Subscribe for free in iTunes.)

209 – Learn a language while travelling by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Even with good international travel insurance, it can be pretty stressful for the healthy partner to have to look after their companion in a foreign country, especially if they don’t know how the medical system works or don’t understand a doctor’s explanations. However, having someone to be there for you makes life a lot easier for the sick partner.

1. Decide if it’s serious

Head to the pharmacy and stock up on medicine

If it is serious

In an emergency situation, your first contact should be the people around you, then the country’s emergency phone number. Is it 111? 999? 158? Find out before you go. Your insurance company may also have an emergency contact line. Do you know what it is? Do you know how to call outside of the country you are in? These are all important questions to answer and it’s a good habit to find and review that information whenever you cross a border. Keep a card in the back of your wallet if you need to: be prepared.

Most of the time, however, it is the non-emergency situations that get us: a flu, food poisoning, a touch of depression caused by culture shock. It’s completely normal at home, but when someone can’t push through their sickness to keep to your itinerary, what do you do? Get angry that you’re missing the festival that you wanted to go to? Not the best plan!

The healthy one should make sure they’re balancing being “at home” with the sick one with getting outside and not going stir-crazy. Depending on the situation, it might be completely OK for you to leave them for a day or two and do your own thing while they lie in bed with a bad novel, a pile of painkillers and a bottle of water. As always: negotiate, be honest and be helpful.

Encourage your partner to take a day off

In our case

During five-and-a-half years of travel, we’ve had our share of sickness on the road, and almost never at the same time. It’s almost always just been a touch of food poisoning or a bad cold, solved by basic medicine that we could buy in the pharmacy or that we already had in our first-aid kit; we’ve found that loperamide is a life-saver for those times when we had to take long-distance buses but had eaten something unadvisable.

Occasionally we’ve had to head to the doctor when one of us was suffering an unexplainable pain or to be prescribed antibiotics for a persistent illness. We always go together to provide moral support for the other, and most of the time we end up staying put for a few extra days to make sure the sick one recovers completely. Sometimes it’s not possible to stop, like when I got sick in Bolivia just before our salt flat tour. In these cases, the healthy partner should do everything they can to help the sick one function.

Getting sick on the road isn’t fun for either of you, but it doesn’t have to ruin your trip.

This article is part of Couples’ Week on the Indie Travel Podcast. We’re celebrating the launch of our latest book the Art of Couples’ Travel, from which this article is adapted.

What to do when your partner is sick by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

Linda seems to standing at the wrong end of this cow sculpture, stuck up a tree in Docklands, Melbourne. What was an industrial wasteland of a port in the 90′s has been regenerated into a commercial centre with plenty of shopping, dining and living options. A walk around the area might lead you to find neat little touches of urban design, or … cows … up trees.

Improve your travel photography and see more on Australia travel or hotels in Melbourne.

Day tours in Melbourne

Travel Photo: Cow up a tree! In Melbourne, Australia by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.

To listen, press play, or find episode 208 for free in iTunes:

Note: The main ideas for this podcast were taken from our new book, the Art of Couples’ Travel.

Constructive dreaming

The first phase of travel planning for couples is what I like to call “constructive dreaming”. Now’s the time to talk together, find out what excites and motivates you about potential destinations, what experiences you want to have, what people you might meet or parties you might take part in.

There’s something special about sharing a lazy Sunday afternoon with each other, a bottle of wine, some coffee-table travel books and a few magazines and guides from the library, with a laptop handy for a bit of extra research. You might have some scribbled notes from a friend’s recent trip or the travel podcast you’ve been listening to as you commute to work.

Potential problems

Someone has to go first!

If you’re imagining backpacking South East Asia while your partner doesn’t want to go near a squat toilet … you’ve got a good chance to hear your partners fears and start working together on a compromise.

Making a plan

From our creative dream, there’s four steps to actually having a trip plan:

Trip length

This one’s simple … how much time do you have available? This will influence how far you want to travel, or how deeply you want to integrate into the places you visit. If time is really short, limit your destinations and do multiple trips over multiple years.

Non-negotiable events and destinations

These are the places that really excite and motivate you to travel. You don’t see any point in doing the trip if you can’t visit them. Each of you should really have stakes in one or two places or events that you really want to do — this way, you can make sure that each of you are getting what you want out of the trip.

Other destinations

After your non-negotiables are on the map (or in the diary if they are events), then you can plot the other interesting places you’d like to go. We tend to leave these pretty loose, as we like to follow our nose, get lost, and take on advice as we travel.

Cover of Art of Couples' Travel

Counting the cost

The last stage is creating a travel budget … which is too big a topic for one podcast! You could definitely take a look at our cash budgeting system, or simply buy our new book the Art of Couples’ Travel where we go into budgeting for a couples’ trip in some detail.

This post is part of the Indie Travel Podcast Couples’ Week 2011, celebrating the launch of our new book, the Art of Couples’ Travel.

208 – Planning travel as a couple by Craig and Linda was originally published on Indie Travel Podcast (find in iTunes). They also have travel books and guides to Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and more.