Two Backpackers

Preparing to Travel To-Do List

| by Jason | 25 Comments » | Reflections, Travel Tips, Trip Planning

Packing And Selling Stuff

Preparing to travel, regardless of travel style, can be a stressful task.  We weren’t able to sleep; awake until 3:00am thinking about all that remained to be done for our backpacking trip.

When you live in the United States, traveling to another country typically means you have a long trip overseas.  It means you have to research passport and visa requirements, book flights, and ensure things at home are taken care of.

Don’t expect your planning to be perfect, it’s impossible for long term travel.  This is a journey that will be filled with the unknown; new cultures, language barriers and obscure villages.  For me, it is was about letting go of control.  “I am unable to prevent the inevitable stress we will experience.”  Being able to control yourself when in a situation that is out of your control is a skill you will attempt develop. (more…)

How We Paid For A Year Of Travel

| by Aracely | 51 Comments » | Travel Tips, Trip Planning

Perhaps you are expecting me to reveal a secret formula or quick way to make money that gives you the means to travel round the world for a year.  I’m sorry, we do not have one.

You might also enjoy reading… Can Blogging Pay for My Travels?

It’s similar to asking a trainer or nutritionist what’s the best way to loose weight and their response is always, “eat healthy and exercise,” uh, what a bummer.  Who wants to do that!  We never want to do the work we just want to bask in the results. (more…)

9 Month Travel Summary

| by Aracely | 38 Comments » | Reflections, Travel Tips, Trip Planning

Jason Jumping Over a Land Cruiser

It is hard to believe it has been 270 days (9 whole months) that we have been on the road.  Nine months of moving around, nine months of living out of our backpacks, nine months of not seeing family and friends, of hostels, of street food, of meeting strangers, of making friends, nine whole months of travel.  The worst for me has been the nine months of worrying about where I last left my passport.

We have definitely traveled further, taken more pictures, and had many more adventures and mishaps since our 6 Month Summary.  This time around we would like to share a few pictures that you would normally not get to see, and with them some important lessons learned while on the road.

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6 Month Travel Summary

| by Aracely | 9 Comments » | Reflections, Travel Tips, Travel by Numbers, Trip Planning

On August 27, 2024 we boarded a plane to Guatemala City, Guatemala, the beginning of our year long round the world journey. As of today we have been on the road for 180 days, half our planned trip. Below is a summary of interesting statistics and experiences from our travels through Central and South America.
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RTW Trip Budgeting for Central America

| by Aracely | 25 Comments » | Trip Planning

One of the most important concerns regarding long-term travel is finances.  There are many questions that bombard our minds, make us nervous, and lead us to shy away from the idea of traveling for longer than a week.

Can I afford it?  How much will it cost?  How long can I travel on a set amount? What will my financial situation be when I get back? And so on.  The answers to these questions can be different for everyone.

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Lack of a Travel Itinerary

| by Jason | 10 Comments » | Reflections, Travel Tips, Trip Planning

After we tell people that we are going to travel the world usually the first question they ask is, “Where are you going?”  I struggled with this question in the beginning.  After stumbling for not having a definitive answer I would say, “Latin America and Southeast Asia.”  Well, that leads to additional questions for specifics from those that are truly interested.  We don’t have those specific answers, and initially I used the excuse that we were just beginning to plan the itinerary.  But, with only 4 weeks until we leave our apartment in Hoboken, New Jersey for good, I still have very little to add to my previous answer. (more…)

Travel Immunizations

| by Aracely | 9 Comments » | Trip Planning

After the decision to drop everything and go travel was made, we had to write The List.  It began as a high level to do list which has grown organically into a massively detailed inventory of what we need to take care of before leaving it all behind for the adventure of a lifetime.  If you ask me, the list is on steroids; it has grown exponentially.  One of the sections of said list (yes, it has sections), is medical related tasks.

In the medical section we list things such as: purchasing travel insurance, getting physical exams, dental checkup and my absolute favorite, immunizations—I hate needles.  I’m that girl, the one that not only turns away when getting blood drawn, but also closes her eyes, tightly.  Yeah, that’s me.

Anyway, both Jason and I made appointments with our general practitioners to get some questions answered about the medical risks of long term travel in foreign countries; they both recommended consulting a travel specialist.  Luckily, we found a great one locally in Hoboken; Dr. Messihi certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases. (more…)