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Stay.....
Accommodation can be the
single most expensive item of a trip such as this. On a budget of
around £15 per night, I intend to mix and match a number of accommodation
options to keep the cost down.
Camping: Weight of
equipment versus flexibility? I have opted to carry a small tent and
sleeping equipment but not to take cooking equipment. This gives me
the option of camping at established sites, saving money particularly in
the "western world" of Europe, New Zealand and the U.S.A.
Camping "wild" would be a last resort for many reasons,
including safety and the need to have access to food.
Hostels: There are two
types. The Hostelling International Association has a large number
of affiliated hostels throughout the world. The benefits are that
they can generally guarantee a certain standard of accommodation, which
can easily be booked via their internet site. However, the cost can
be comparatively high - as much as £15 per night for a dorm bed in some
countries, and they therefore have to be selected with care.
The other type is the
"Backpackers" hostel, which provides basic (and sometimes very
basic!) accommodation, and can be found in most towns and cities in the
world. This is where real cost savings can be made, especially, in
my case, in the Near East, South East Asia and India. They are also
the places where there is most chance of meeting other travelers.
Hotels: Occasionally,
there can be benefits in splashing out on some luxury. A hot bath,
satellite TV, freshly laundered sheets, a sparkling en-suite... My
budget allows for this option to be taken as a morale booster every now
and then.
Family Home:
Invariably, travelers and particularly solo travelers, will be invited
into the homes of local people and whilst this cannot be planned for, I
imagine it is one of the most rewarding ways of getting into the heart of
the culture of the country in which you are traveling.
I have not pre-booked
accommodation, as the unpredictable nature of cycling, as a means of
travel, makes precise planning very difficult. Instead, I have
created a rough itinerary, aiming to be at towns or villages by the end of
each day. "Lonely Planet", "Rough Guides" and
"Footprint" guide books have been invaluable in indicating where
accommodation is likely, plentiful, or indeed, non-existent.
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....&
See
You can travel in order to
see things, or in order to do things. There are endless number of
things to do around the world:- working as a volunteer, or for pay;
studying; participating in adventure sports; learning a new skill; taking
in cultural events.
However, I did not want any
of these to be the main focus of my trip. My "doing" is
the actual feat of cycling 14,000 miles under my own steam, across the
globe. My route concentrates instead on what I will be able to see and the
simple pleasure of living a different way, and immersing myself as far as
possible into the local culture and habits.
For greater detail on what I
see and where I stay, please access the relevant stage in the section The
Journey, for updates as I go along.
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