Travel tips!

This is for all of you who think you need tons of money to travel. The truth is, you don't! I was gone for 5 months, traveled to 5 different countries, and spent less than $4,500 total, including plane tickets, lodging, food, and shopping. I'm positive that this is less than some people spend paying for 5 months of rent.

Tip #1: Know people!
Ana and I were lucky because we were provided housing while volunteering at Isara for 2 months. We also got to stay with her relatives in Australia and both of our families while in the Philippines. We even got to stay at the Westin in Sydney for NYE because Patricia is ballin' and she loves me. If you can take a trip with a friend who has family, or if you have family in foreign lands, they are usually more than happy to have you as a guest. And it's so, so friendly on the pocket. Just don't forget to shower them with treats and thank you cards for being so hospitable!

Tip #2: Be willing to stay at guest houses and hostels.
Sure, these places are nothing like luxury hotels or resorts, but let me run some numbers for you:
* P.P. October Guest House in Ko Phi Phi, Thailand: 500 baht (about $12)/ night. One big bed. Private bathroom and shower.
* Both guest houses we stayed in Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, Laos: 200 baht (about $6)/ night.
* JGH Hostel in Tokyo, Japan: $18/ night for cozy room, shared bathroom.
* YHA in Airlie Beach, Australia: $26/ night for a dorm style room with shared bathroom and access for kitchen use.
* Sugbutel in Cebu, Philippines: 250 pesos (about $5)/ night for a dorm style room and shared bathroom.
Split these costs between two people, and you are paying less than a fast food meal at McDonald's and you get a place to stay! It's not like you'll want to spend the day cooped up in your room anyway. You just need a place to store your things and sleep.

Tip #3: Travel while you're already traveling!
Round trip tickets from CA to Thailand, Laos, Australia, Philippines, or Japan probably would have been around $1,000 each. But since we were hopping from place to place from closer locations, we saved so much money!
* One-way San Francisco, CA to Bangkok, Thailand = around $550
* One-way Bangkok, Thailand to Melbourne, Australia = around $330 Jetstar
* One-way Cairns, Australia to Tokyo, Japan = around $270 Jetstar
* One-way Osaka, Japan to Manila, Philippines = around $180 Cebu Pacific
When looking for tickets from one country to the next, try to fly from the airport that is located closest geographically to your next destination. You can usually get there by land or an inter-continental flight for a low price and then save a bunch on your flight to the next country.
The most expensive flights were leaving America and coming back to America. My advice for these long trips is to book them as early as possible!

Busting some more expensive travel myths:
* I'm hoping that you can already see that traveling doesn't have to be expensive, but in case you're still not convinced, I'll tell you that we would spend $2-3 a day on food everywhere we went in Thailand. 25 baht (less than $1) can get you a full plate of pad thai, fried rice, or pad see ew. Thai iced tea was 15 baht (about 50 cents).
* Japan is not expensive!!! Maybe if you live there and if you submit to buying all the cute things you see, it's expensive. But hostels were way cheaper here than in Australia. Also, food was significantly cheaper than in Australia. While most average meals in Australia were about $10, in Japan, you could eat at a ramen noodle shop for a couple of dollars, or buy prepared fresh meals from the supermarket for a few dollars as well.

Other travel tips:
* It will take your own experience to learn this, but I'll say it anyway: Pack light! You don't even need to bring toiletries really. If you're going anywhere in Asia, you can buy shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and toothpaste for less than a dollar. You also will not wear all the clothes you want to bring with you! And you can wash your undies-- no need to bring a month supply. I didn't bring any makeup with me, and I am still alive. I also chose to bring my flat iron, and only used it once. Simplify as much as you can!
* Bring lightweight clothes that dry quickly. Lightweight cotton or spandex blends dry super quick. These make for lighter packing, and are convenient for when you wash your clothes. Speaking of which...
* Hand-wash your clothes. If you don't bring a lot with you, this is easy and you can also save on getting your clothes washed. (Although getting your clothes washed isn't expensive either...)
* Invest in a Tek Towel. This microfiber towel will run you about $30, but will save you lots of space because it folds up tiny. And it also dries quickly!
* If you want to stay connected through the web, invest in a cute netbook. Almost everywhere you go, you'll be able to find a spot with free wi-fi. That way, you don't have to pay to use internet cafes. These are so light and easy to carry. Brand new netbooks are around $300. I got mine used off of Craigslist for $250 with all necessary software and programs already installed, and also a sleeve to protect it.
* Bring a sleep sack (lightweight sleeping bag). Some places charge you for linens, but you won't need them if you bring a sleep sack with you! Plus, you might prefer to sleep on your own sheets if you're staying in frequented hostels or guest houses. You can make one easily by sewing together 2 edges of an unused flat sheet! I guess you could also bring a Snuggie.
* Splurge every once in a while. Don't go crazy, but allow yourself to stay at a nice place or eat at a nice restaurant when you feel like you need a break from roughin' it.

These tips I give are for anyone up for a no-frills adventure. (This is not for your honeymoon... But I guess that would be fun too? Haha!)

These are ways to save on spending, but never forget that money flows like energy. If you hold on to it and are afraid to let go, you don't allow for more of it to enter your life. You have to let it flow both ways. Enjoy it coming in, spend it go on meaningful experiences, and it will surely come back to serve you again.

I highly encourage everyone to get out there and take an extended vacation. Being in the presence of different cultures and unfamiliar surroundings will give you priceless memories and life lessons that you simply will not get by staying in your comfort zone.  You don't have to wait until you're aged and retired to enjoy travelling. Make a decision, set a goal, and hop on a plane! You won't regret it!

Even though I'm now experiencing reverse culture shock and sometimes feel lost about what to do next, I am forever thankful and can never regret my decisions about my trip. Sometimes, you just have to do things for yourself. If I listened to what other people expected of me or wanted me to do, I would have closed myself off to a lot of meaningful experiences and growth.

I wish everyone all the blessings and magic on your own travel adventures through life!

Confession

I will confess… I feel like I’ve been in a mild depression since my return to California. In fact, I was sad from the moment I booked my ticket home. I just kept thinking about the simplicity I’ve lived with for these past months of travel, and the uninhibited joy that I felt from simply doing something that I really wanted to do.

I remember one night in particular when Ana, Travis, Melanie and I were together at Isara. We doubled up on the bikes-- Travis and I riding, Melanie and Ana on the back seats—and headed for dinner at a restaurant along the Mekong River. It was the night I feel that we really became friends. We headed to a bar afterwards and biked home late. Ana and I laughed for most of the bike ride because it was significantly more difficult to steer the bike with someone on the back. My thighs were burning. Upon entering the house, we were all laughing at something Travis said. Ming was still up at her desk on the computer when we walked through the door, probably wondering where we went. I could tell you that I was happy in those moments. Night time bike rides with good company in Nong Khai… When do I get to do that again?

Simple child-like instances of fun were a part of the everyday for so many months. Waking up with the most pressing question being, “Hmm… What am I going to eat today?” Knowing that the day’s itinerary was simply to find a certain beach or lookout point or temple and enjoy that moment. These are the things I miss already.

Everything about being back in California was frighteningly the same. I had left for five months, had been teaching Thai students, seeing elephants walking down the street, riding around on motorcycles, floating down rivers, running after street vendors for coconut ice cream, jumping off of waterfalls, exploring beaches, staying in hostels, sleeping on boats, reconnecting with family… and upon my return to “home,” it didn’t seem like much had changed at all. Being back seemed like a sentencing to the monotony I initially wanted to escape.

Perhaps I seem spoiled, but there was just a heaviness in my chest about being back. Even being welcomed back by my family and friends that I loved and missed so much and cried over during Christmas couldn’t make it better.

Did I mention I got a speeding ticket on the 5 that’s probably gonna cost me a few hundred dollars? That made my chest heavy too…

“How was your trip!?” I’ve heard that so many times already. I couldn’t possibly answer that question with enough justice to what it meant to me. Even by describing in detail, and answering questions about where I’d been and what I’d done, I don’t think people would really know unless they were by my side. Which they weren’t.

I tried to explain the way I felt, but I doubt many people could actually relate to this sadness of what I just left behind. I could only hear myself saying, “No one understands me…” and try to understand myself.

I knew I couldn't be too hard on myself though. I mean, have you ever gone through a breakup and truly been okay right after it happened? Sure, maybe, if you have a heart of stone, but probably not. I couldn’t possibly expect myself to just “get over” this exciting relationship with travel I developed for five months and had planned for a year during the five-hour plane ride back from Hawaii and move on to the next thing. I just had to let myself feel what I was feeling.

And then I snapped out of it.

I don’t know what it was. But today I said, “Lara, quit sulking,” and somehow I felt better in an instant. I’m hoping it lasts and isn’t one of those cases where I think I’m okay, but then later realize I’m really not. The sadness might come back at times, but all I can really do is be thankful for everything I was able to do and appreciate everything around me.

I still don’t know what I’m doing next. This is the first time in probably my whole 25 years of life that I have no plans.

Travis told me that life is what happens when you’re busy making plans. I think he’s right.