Sacre bleu! There's a frenchmen on my couch!

by Tasha in Couch Surfing, Pre-trip

There are many ways to stretch your balance to fund extra time travelling abroad. Some are easy, some are uncomfortable, and some are plain illegal. One such way (one of the non-illegal ways) we plan to extend our travels is to cut down accomodation costs through the liberal application of couch surfing.

For those not in the know, 'couch surfing' is a method of travel akin to home exchange where those with a spare room, couch or random available surface host those in need, for no charge - merely the experience of making new friends and widening horizons.

photo by: aphasiafilms

The “Right” Way to Travel

by Tasha in Pre-trip,Epigrams and Interludes

As the savings and research continue, through my wanderings across many a travel blog and website I am confronted time and time again with the concept of a “real” backpacker. The definition of such seems to be a major conflict between many sources, however similar concepts arise.

A 'True' Traveller appears to be one that: 
- Refuses to own anything more than a decent pack, rather than suitcase or alternatives
- Packs less than a week's clothing
- Embraces 3 minute showers and 2 minute noodles
- Continually sleeps in airports
- Never stays in Chain Hotels such as the Hilton, instead always chooses the 8 bed dorm
- Will never retire as a career traveller


Lines are drawn between size of backpack, whether you camp or stay in a hostel or hotel, even if you take specific electronics, or leave others behind. Such is the state of the world that we feel the need to prove that one style of travel is superior and therefore ‘better’ or ‘truer’ than another.

The Bucket List

by Alex in Pre-trip, Epigrams and Interludes

Update: This post inspired us to write an extended Bucket List check it out to see what else made it onto to the list - and what we have been able to cross off so far.

Everyone prospective traveller has their international 'bucket list' - the list of things that they want to go and do and see before they die. In that vein, I would like to present for your pleasure, Tash and my list of sights around the world to see and do and experience before we grow old in body and proverbially 'kick the bucket':



1. Drink a glass of champagne in the Champagne region, France
2. See the Kaaba in Masjid al-Haram, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
3. See the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Israel
4. Tour the Vatican City, Vatican City (or Italy, if you prefer!)
5. Walk across Salisbury Plain from Stonehenge to Salisbury Cathedral, England
6. Tour the ruined city of Pripyat near Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station, Ukraine
7. Attend a midnight mass at the Notre Dame de Paris cathedral, France
8. See the Eagle's Nest near Berchtesgaden, Germany

Planning the Benjamins

by Tasha in Pre-trip, Budgeting

For months I've been scouring all over the internet for the best ballpark budgets for our Round the World trip for two. I was shocked at just how hard I found it, and how little data there is. After much research I have deduced that the internet believes me to be either:

Of Frogs and Backpacks.

by Alex in Pre-trip, Gear

Today sees Alex and Tasha taking the first concrete steps towards their Big Trip... Okay, so Tash may argue that the first steps were made with the creation of this glorious website you see before you, but I beg to differ. To me, a plan isn’t set in quick-dry cement until you’ve invested money into it, and thus we have! Embarking this morning on a window-shopping, finalise-our-research trip, we have come home with a coin purse*, two microfibre travel towels, and most excitingly of all, a shiny new 35L backpack in which to keep it all!

I know what you’re thinking – “Isn’t it way too early to be buying gear yet?”