Over the last 8 years I have had the privilege to travel to over 80 cities, 30 countries, and 5 continents. I have made new friends, ate incredible foods, had some crazy nights out, navigated sketchy situations, and much much more ! With this in mind, I decided it would be a good idea to really sit down and put my thoughts to paper deciding what cities stand tall beyond the rest. This week #10: Seoul, South Korea THE GRADING CRITERIA -Category 1, "Food" 10 PTS -Category 2, "Safety" 10 PTS -Category 3, "Activities / Things to do" 10 PTS -Category 4, "Cost" 10 PTS -Category 5, "Energy / Excitement / Good Vibes" 10 PTSd -Category 6, "My experience (I.e. How much fun did I have)" 50 PTS  Subjective ? Yes ! However, I am not ranking these cities by how comfortable I think they are or what would be the best city to live in. Rather, the main factor really just is: Did I have fun and make some life-long memories while here ? No.10 SEOUL - SOUTH KOREA // Total Score: 89 out of 100 Women dressed in traditional Korean dresses at Gyeongbokgung Palace. -Food: 8 / 10: If you are a big fan of Korean food fan (as I am) you will love the food scene of Seoul. Being an ultra-modern mega-city you can find gastronomic options from all ends of the spectrum. From eating bindaetteok dumplings shoulder to shoulder with businessmen on their lunch break in Gwangjang covered market to enjoying gourmet Korean cuisine in a quaint traditional wooden hanok house in Bukchon Hanok village and everything else in between. The flavors of Korean cuisine are distinct, delicious, and over the past few decades have brought flocks of food lovers from around the world wishing to indulge to the city. With a diverse range of dishes at just about every price point Seoul is truly a paradise for Korean food lovers. I did find outside of Korean food Seoul lacked just a touch in regard to it's international food offerings at least when compared to cities of the same size and scale. That being said while I have been to Seoul three times, each time was not for very long. I might just need to spend more time in the city to experience the range of food on offer to a fuller extent. Some of my recommendations are: - Hanmechon , Located in Bukchon Hanok Village this quaint restaurant offers guests an array of excellent traditional korea food, primarily in the form of small dishes you can either order individually or as part of a set menu. The setting here is also a highlight as the restaurant is in a traditional hanok house, adding to the cozy feeling of eating a home cooked meal. -Okdongsik Seogyo, A seven time michelin recognized establishment. Located just outside of the Hongdae nightlife district you will find the welcoming, but busy Okodonsik Seogyo. This counter service only restaurant (albeit in a refined way) puts you right up and close to the action as you can watch the restaurants busy staff prepare soup, and cook dumplings. Famous for their delicious (and affordable) pork gomtang and kimchi dumplings, this is one you should not miss. Just a word of warning you should be prepared to wait in line regardless of if you are going for lunch or dinner. I would recommend a week day. -Gwangjang covered market, Arguably Seoul's most famous food market, at least once during your visit to Seoul you need to make a stop here for lunch. Featured as part of the Netflix program "Street Food: Asia", you can find everything from steaming Mandu dumplings, fresh gohyang kalgusku (knife cut noodles), hot stone bibimbap, and perhaps most importantly fried twisted cinnamon donuts. While all of the options here can feel daunting, rest assured that whatever you go with you can't go wrong. Various spices and soups for sale at Gwangjang market. A late afternoon lunch in the market. A couple enjoying afternoon tea in a cafe near bukchon hanok village -Safety: 10 / 10: There is not a ton to say here. It should be no surprise Seoul gets full marks in the safety category as it is one of the safest cities in the world. Violent crime is extremely rare and unless you're sticking your head where you shouldn't other forms of crime are very unlikely to find you as well. The public transport in Seoul is excellent, and the streets are clean and well maintained across neighborhoods of all economic backgrounds. Seoul is a city you can freely roam and explore with confidence and without stress. - Activies & Things to do: 9 / 10: Seoul is a sprawling modern mega city with no shortage a fun activities to get into. From the ultra-modern star field shopping mall, equipped with an aquarium and massive library that looks like it was taken straight from the set of a sci-fi movie to the historical grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Seoul offers travelers with a myriad of options for unique experiences. You can't miss the street markets which extend far beyond being only food markets. As you wander the streets you'll discover markets specializing in just about anything from shoes, books, and just about any random trinket you can think of. What is cool about these markets is that you can clearly see that the shops here are where Seoul's locals do much of their shopping. Unlike the bazars of Istanbul or the street markets of Bangkok, in Seoul you won't find a myriad of shops selling knock off tourist clothes. Instead you'll see shopping streets full of locals doing their shopping for the day. If it is your first visit to the city I would also recommend heading up to N-Seoul tower to get a panoramic view of the entire city. What makes this view unique is that the tower is situated at the top of large hill (small mountain) right in the middle of the city. Meaning, compared to other city view points N-Seoul tower is much higher. This allows for some incredible views, letting you properly take in the concrete ocean that is Seoul. After my visit to N-Seoul tower I had a new appreciation for the size and scale of the city. In regard to day trips from Seoul, the most famous tour on offer is the day trip from Seoul to the Korean DMZ (border with North Korea). While I have not done this myself I would imagine that this would be a very unique (& presumably somber) experience. A street vendor and his book stall. The side streets of Seoul are bustling and easy to get lost in. -Cost: 7 / 10: Seoul is another one of those cities which is certainly cheap when compared to American standards, but a bit more than what you would find in south east Asia. It is also a city that has gotten much more expensive in the last six years or so. Back in 2019 on my first visit to Seoul it was noticeably less expensive than Tokyo. However, since then I have visited Seoul more recently in 2023 and last year in 2024. From my observations the prices for just about everything are now pretty much on par with what you would find in Tokyo. (Aside from the taxis, which are still much cheaper in Seoul) . For a hostel your probably looking to spend about 20usd per night, fairly standard rates for hostels outside of Europe or North America. For food and drink you really do have the full range of options. Street food is cheap with most dishes going for around 2usd to 7usd. However, if you want to have a proper sit down meal in a restaurant you are probably looking at about 10usd to 15usd, and Korean BBQ or upscale dining options typically going for 30usd or more. What is really cheap is the alcohol, especially if you're sourcing most of your drinks from Seoul's many convenience stores. Moreover, unlike most countries the Korean drink of choice is not beer. Instead many Koreans opt for the infamous soju. Virtually every Korean convenience store carries soju where it is nearly always about one to three dollars for a bottle. With an ABV typically around 15% to 20% Koreans have mastered the art of getting plastered - economically. -Energy, Excitement, and Vibes: 9 / 10: Seoul is an extremely vibrant city that is constantly bustling with energy. Simply walking through the streets of the city or taking the metro and being swept away in the tide of commuters moving throughout the city allows you to immerse yourself in the organized chaos of Seoul's hustle and bustle. However, beyond the crash of thousands of bodies moving throughout the city there are also pockets of peacefulness. Seoul has many gardens and parks where you can find moments of calm. Moreover, with Seoul being quite a hilly city I really enjoyed that you can often find parks or quiet neighborhoods up high. Going here to see and hear the city go by below was quite relaxing. In particular, I really enjoyed Bukchon Hanok village. While this area is known for being touristy, it is actually quite a large area. If you can make it past the crowds and continue deeper into the neighborhood there are more than a few quaint cafes and restaurants to enjoy. It also must be said that Seoul's nightlife is absolutely wild. While I unfortunately missed the heyday of Seoul's Itaewon district, nights out in Hongdae certainly did not disappoint. On the topic of hongdae, while it is not the largest nightlife district I have been to. It is certainly one of the rowdiest, especially when compared to other cities in East-Asia. After partying in Hongdae. Shibuya and Ximending, the famous nightlife districts of Tokyo and Taipei feel noticeably tame. I highly recommend starting the night at the bar "Thursday Party" where it is quite easy to make friends before heading to one of Hongdae's many head banging basement nightclubs. -My Experience: 46 / 50: At the time of writing, I have been to Seoul on three occasions and on each of those visits I have had an excellent time. My first visit to Seoul was back in 2019 together with my mom. While I didn't get into any partying or other social activities on this initial visit. I did have a wonderful time site-seeing many of Seoul's famous sites. We spent our days visiting attractions such as N Seoul tower, star field mall, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Bukchon Hanok village. To this date, this is the only proper trip I have been able to take with just my mom and for this I have a great appreciation for this visit to Seoul. Since then my two subsequent visits to Seoul have been solo trips. On these trips I hit a excellent balance of site seeing by myself and socializing with other travelers. Destinations where I make good friends typically standout more so than others and Seoul is no exception to this. My days were spent wandering the streets of the city and its many shops and markets. While many of the nights were spent out until sunrise in one of Hongdae's many nightclubs with friends I had made at the hostel.

Over the last 8 years I have had the privilege to travel to over 80 cities, 30 countries, and 5 continents. I have made new friends, ate incredible foods, had some crazy nights out, navigated sketchy situations, and much much more ! With this in mind, I decided it would be a good idea to really sit down and put my thoughts to paper deciding what cities stand tall beyond the rest. This week #11: Mexico City, Mexico THE GRADING CRITERIA -Category 1, "Food" 10 PTS -Category 2, "Safety" 10 PTS -Category 3, "Activities / Things to do" 10 PTS -Category 4, "Cost" 10 PTS -Category 5, "Energy / Excitement / Good Vibes" 10 PTSd -Category 6, "My experience (I.e. How much fun did I have)" 50 PTS  Subjective ? Yes ! However, I am not ranking these cities by how comfortable I think they are or what would be the best city to live in. Rather, the main factor really just is: Did I have fun and make some life-long memories while here ? No. 11 MEXICO CITY - MEXICO // Total Score: 88 out of 100 Front row at Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes for a Club America match. -Food: 10 / 10: Similar to Cusco I could not find myself leaving Mexico City off this list, again thanks in large part to the spectacular food scene found here. To start, if you think you've had good tacos just wait until you visit Mexico City. As I frequently do, I started my visit by looking through the Michelin guide page for the city. It was no surprise that there were no less than twenty different taquerias around the city listed. This information in mind, on our final day in Mexico City, I mapped out a ten mile route to eleven of these michelin rated taco spots. All told, we spent hours walking through the city and trying tacos across a vast array of neighborhoods. A highlight for me were the famous 'Al pastor' tacos which are a staple of taquerias across Mexico City. I tried these tacos at establishments across the city. From no frills roadside food-stalls to full service sit down restaurants, the frequently pineapple garnished, shawarma style tacos hit the perfect balance of savory with a touch of sweetness no matter the setting. In addition to the staples, many of Mexico City's taquerias also have their own 'house specialties'. With some standouts being 'La 89's' extra large carne asada tacos topped with their own house guacamole. As well as 'Gonzalitos' barbacoa de res tacos; slow cooked and marinated to perfection, the tenderness and flavors found here blew me away. In addition to these two , I also enjoyed, 'Castacan' for their pibil tacos, 'Tacos El Paisa' for their spicy Al pastor tacos, 'Tacos Atarantados' for a classic Al pastor topped with pineapple, and 'Tacos del Valle' for expertly garnished bistec tacos. Massive carne asada tacos served at LA89. Absolutely bursting with filling and flavor Now if you don't like tacos (are you crazy ?) thats okay too. Being the largest city in North America with a population of over twenty-million people you can find just about anything you'd like. In fact, as someone who grew up in Asia, I had some of the best Chinese steamed dumplings of my life in the Centro neighborhood of Mexico City at 'Du Te Chinese Dumplings'. Moreover, the neighborhoods of Roma and Condesa have an insane array of upscale dining options. Here you can find some excellent quality Mexican dishes as well as Italian, French, Japanese, and Korean. All of this along with metropolitan staples such as burger joints and pizzerias. This is to say, the food scene here is amazing and very eclectic. For those who have visited New York City it hits in a very similar way. Hand crafted dumplings, steamed to perfection. -Safety: 4 / 10: Mexico City is a city of contrasts when it comes to safety. Roma and Condesa feel perfectly safe to walk around, as does Bosque de Chapultepec park and most of the western side of the city close to Ave de. La Reforma. However, I found the vibe can turn quickly from neighborhood to neighborhood and even street to street. For example, directly neighboring the eastern side of the Roma neighborhood is Doctores, which is known in part for its higher rates of violent crime. We actually made a wrong turn on the way home from dinner one night and accidentally wandered into this neighborhood. While we were totally fine and I assume most of the time you would be okay. The contrast between the two neighboring neighborhoods was clear. In Roma there were carefully manicured gardens, lively restaurants, bars, cafes, and night clubs. Whereas in Doctores, many of the streets were not well lit and there were many derelict buildings lining the streets. Much like what you see in LA, NYC, or other cities in North America, I thought there was a clear contrast in the economic investment of many of the neighborhoods across Mexico City. Yet despite this, you should want to leave the more touristy and gentrified neighborhoods of Mexico City. Yes Roma and Condesa are nice, but you're also missing out on much of what Mexico City has to offer. As many of the city's best restaurants, markets, and other notable sites are situated outside of the safest zones of the city; you should not skip out on these experiences out of fear. However, it is good to know to really experience Mexico City to the fullest you're a bit less insulated from the rougher areas as compared to some other cities. -Activities & Things to do: 10 / 10: Mexico City is a city of endless possibilities. If you want to stay within the city there are tons of different activities to choose from. While we were there we went to a Club America football match which was an amazing experience. Tickets were cheap and easy to buy. The stadium is easily accessible via the metro system with it also feeling safe in and around the stadium. That said, if football isn't your thing there are ton of other live events frequently happening around the city, one famous example being the live nacho liebre wrestling series. However, just strolling the city will present you with a bounty of things to do. We strolled the streets, ate at the markets, picnicked in Bosque de Chapultepec park and I went for a few runs around the city. All of which were excellent ways to spend the mornings and afternoons. Pre-game at Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes Moreover, just outside of the city are the pyramids of Teotihuacan. A highlight of my entire trip across Latin-America, I would highly recommend taking the trip out to see them. Located about fifty minutes outside of downtown Mexico City the pyramids can be easily accessed via a local bus from the North-Central bus station. However, as many people opt to see the pyramids via a hot air ballon ride, most ballon companies will offer hotel pick up from Mexico City directly to the pyramids. Just know that you will be paying a premium if you decide to get there this way. While we decided to save some money and took the bus, without a doubt the best way to see the pyramids was with a sunrise hot air balloon ride. Floating over the pyramids in a hot air balloon, surrounded by other balloons flying by as the sun rose is a morning I will never forget. Looking down at the pyramids of Teotihuacan from up above in a hot air ballon. -Cost: 8 / 10: Being a megacity Mexico City truly gives you a bounty of options at every price point for food, accommodation, transportation, and activities. I actually went for an air bnb during my stay so I spent a bit more than I normally do. However, if I had gone with a hostel the prices were pretty average for hostels across Latin America, roughly 10usd to 20usd per night. In other words cheap compared to Europe, but expensive compared to South-Asia. In terms of getting around the city, the metro system here is cheap and easy to use. If my memory doesn't fail me, it was roughly 50 cents per ride meaning you can have a very cost efficient way to move around the city. For longer journeys deeper into the city we did find ourselves frequently using uber, but that was still reasonably cheap and efficient as well. Moreover, food is where Mexico City really shines in the budget department as you can find endless street food and market food offerings. Many of these stalls were dishing out tacos for about 25 cents a piece and packed with locals. Truth be told Mexico City probably could score higher in this category if you commit to living like a local on your visit. However, most tourists - myself included won't be doing this. On one hand I ate street food, and rode local busses as well as the metro to get around. On the other hand, I also stayed in an air bnb in Roma, ate at a few fine dining restaurants, drank at trendy bars, and ubered when public transport was inconvenient. Again, Mexico City is a city of contrasts. It is a cheap city, but to properly experience everything it has to offer you shouldn't be surprised to pay a bit more in certain spots. -Energy, Excitement, and Vibes: 10 / 10: Man this city feels alive. What I really appreciated the most about Mexico City is that it feels like a city where people live and go about their business through and through. During many of my adventures around the city I felt like a fly on the wall watching a whirlwind of life in action around me. The city has that perfect blend of romance and grit that can only be found in a few other cities around the world. In fact this feeling of balance is something I hold in high regard when reflecting on which cities most resonate with me. If a city is too romantic or too perfect it can end up feeling artificial, akin to the feeling you get when you visit Disney World. On the other hand, if somewhere is too gritty it could end up entirely unenjoyable. Mexico City was just right, strolling through the streets of Roma and Condesa lush with gardens and lined with art deco style buildings took me back to the feeling of watching 'Before Sunrise' for the first time. On the other hand when visiting the Centro neighborhood and the many nearby markets you can get a slice of the grittier side of the city. -My Experience: 46 / 50:   Mexico City was my last stop of my Latin America trip this summer and it could not have worked out more perfectly ending on such a high note. A few moments really stand out to me. On our last day, during our taco hike around the city we stopped at a park in Condesa to watch a street musician perform. We were some the first to stop and listen right at the beginning of the set, but in a matter of minutes there was a crowd of 60 to 70 people listening along with us. Scanning the crowd of listeners people were dancing and singing along to each of the songs. Couples were dancing together, on-lookers were laughing and smiling, and the weather was perfect. In that moment there was such an atmosphere of happiness I found myself choked up for a second. Across Mexico City I found every corner of the city to have something of interest. Whether walking through a lively market, past street performers, or even by a group of protesters blocking a street the entire city feels utterly authentic and teeming with life.

Over the last 8 years I have had the privilege to travel to over 80 cities, 30 countries, and 5 continents. I have made new friends, ate incredible foods, had some crazy nights out, navigated sketchy situations, and much much more ! With this in mind, I decided it would be a good idea to really sit down and put my thoughts to paper deciding what cities stand tall beyond the rest. First up, number 12: Cusco - Peru THE GRADING CRITERIA -Category 1, "Food" 10 PTS -Category 2, "Safety" 10 PTS -Category 3, "Activities / Things to do" 10 PTS -Category 4, "Cost" 10 PTS -Category 5, "Energy / Excitement / Good Vibes" 10 PTSd -Category 6, "My experience (I.e. How much fun did I have)" 50 PTS  Subjective ? Yes ! However, I am not ranking these cities by how comfortable I think they are or what would be the best city to live in. Rather, the main factor really just is: Did I have fun and make some life-long memories while here ? N0. 12 CUSCO - PERU // Total Score: 82 out of 100 City skyline of Cusco, taken from the wild rover hostel balcony. -Food: 10 / 10: Full disclaimer this was going to just be "my top 10* favorite cities *, however there were two cities I felt I just could not leave off... Cusco being one of them. The overwhelming reason for Cusco's inclusion on this list being thanks to its otherworldly food scene. Wandering the streets of Cusco you have everything from a litany of street food options prepared by a stall of hard working abuelas, to word-class Michelin rated fine dining. I had the pleasure of trying offerings on both ends of the spectrum and everything in between. The food here is unique, fresh, and most importantly immensely flavorful. From dishes such as lomo saltado, barbecue ribs, steaks cooked using volcanic stones, and alpaca meat burgers I left satisfied after every meal. However, the absolute highlight was the ceviche. Simple in ingredients and complex flavor, every ceviche dish I had in Cusco was masterfully prepared with only the freshest ingredients. In the same way that every person on the planet has a unique fingerprint, every restaurant in Cusco has a unique ceviche. With some being sweet, some being tangy, others being sour every ceviche I had in Cusco brought its own spin on the famous dish. The thing each had in common ? Every last ceviche I ate absolutely packed a punch in the flavor department. One in particular I would highlight was the ceviche I had at the 'Nuna Raymi' restaurant. Both myself and Jordan were brought to tears by how delicious it was. Other than Nuna Raymi, my other favorites were: "Yaku Restaurant" for Civiche and Alpaca meat dishes. "Uchu Peruvian Steak House" for volcanic cooked steaks and barbecue ribs. "Mercado San Blas" for lomo saltado (as well as just about any other Peruvian dish) . For coffee drinkers you should visit: Brew Brother Specialty Coffee (also located in Mercado 'San Blas) for an excellent iced coffee. As well as, Florencia y Fortunata for some high quality beans. Three Monkeys was also good and highly reviewed, but it was quite expensive and not substantially better than what I had elsewhere. -Safety: 8 / 10: Cusco certainly felt like the safest city i visited across Latin America. My endorsement of the safety here would even go so far as to say, Cusco feels safer than nearly every city I have visited in North America and many cities in Europe or Asia. What really stands out is how alive the streets are with pedestrians at all times of the day. In fact, I would say the best way to get around Cusco is by walking. There are parks that are lively at all times of the day, markets full of locals and visitors alike, and many bustling shops, cafes, and restaurants. Moreover, Cusco has to be one of the cleanest cities in the South America and maybe even the world. During my time there I saw hardly any litter and there was noticeably few derelict or abandoned buildings. Of all the cities I visited in South America, Cusco is the city where I felt the most comfortable walking around with my big DSLR camera. While I assume there are some pockets of the city that are a bit sketchy, the old-town area where most tourists would be seems to be quite insulated from any such neighborhoods. Personally, I wandered the city fairly extensively and never encountered any neighborhoods that had a bad feel. All in all, the city has a very relaxed and welcoming vibe to it. - Activities & Things to do: 7 / 10: In terms of day trips from Cusco, it has to be considered one of the top destinations in the world. Most notably are the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu, located about three hours from Cusco via the Peru rail train system. However, many people elect to trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu on the Salkantay trail or Inca trail routes. These treks are very popular and accessible to people from most fitness levels. If traveling to Cusco I would highly recommend not booking any treks online in advance as there are many tour agencies in town offering trekking guide services for a fraction of the price. Other than Machu Picchu you can also visit; Rainbow Mountain, and the Sacred Valley which are both a couple hours from Cusco. If you want to stay close to town there is also plenty to do as well, albeit in more of a laid back variety. What I found to be the best way to spend a day in Cusco was strolling through the cobble stone streets, people watching in plaza de armas, enjoying a specialty coffee in a quaint cafe, and ending the day by having a Michelin rated in dinner in one of the cities many amazing restaurants. Cusco does lose a couple points in this category as most of its famous day trips are over 2 hours away from the city. Machu Picchu - Located about 2.5 hours on the train from Cusco. -Cost: 7 / 10:   Yes, while compared to cities in Europe or North America it is undoubtedly cheap. However, of the cities I visited in Latin America it was one of the more expensive, if not the most expensive. There are cheap options in Cusco, but being one of the best culinary cities in the world you are missing out if you don't indulge a bit. I stayed in a hostel (as always) so my accommodation was cheap. However, I did spend quite a bit more than I normally do for meals on my trips. On average I was spending around 20usd to 30usd for a dinner. That said, it should be kept in mind that these were michelin rated meals for American applebees prices. I also normally went to a specialty coffee shop at least once a day where it was about 5usd per cup. -Energy, Excitement, and Vibes: 7 / 10: Cusco is a lively, but laid back town. While it doesn't have the same raucous energy of some of the cities I have ranked higher, it brings a more mature vibe. If you're looking for an insane party scene or a destination that will spike your adrenaline, Cusco probably should not be at the top of your list. However, if you're looking for a warm and welcoming city you can recharge for a bit in-between trekking through the mountains, this is your spot. Come here to stroll through amazingly preserved historic streets, eat some good food, and appreciate the Preuvian culture, both ancient and current. -My Experience 43 / 50:   This was a peaceful city that I felt welcome in right away. The food was amazing, the town itself was beautiful, and all of the locals were tremendously kind and friendly. We came here immediately after spending nine days in Huaraz prepping for the Huayhuash circuit, then another eight days on the Huayhuash circuit itself. Needless to say we were fairly spent after that leg of our trip. Coming to Cusco the timing could not have been better as we really got to stretch our legs and recharge for a few days. While I wouldn't say I have any truly insane memories from Cusco, (obviously, not counting our side-trip out to Machu Picchu) I have a deep appreciation for this historical city. I will fondly remember the days I spent here relaxing and trying some of the best foods and coffee in the world. On a final note, I should reiterate I was brought to tears by a dish of ceviche.

Tucked away in the north east of Ireland, Achill Island, the quiet and often rain soaked sliver of Ireland offers some of the most dramatic views in all of Europe. I have reached Achill twice and both trips were incredible adventures. Here are those stories and why I consider Achill as my favorite stop across the country. Standing at 466 meters, the Minaun Cliffs dominate the horizon. Have you ever read a fantasy novel where the story centers around a hero who must find their way to a mystical, hidden land that only few have heard about, much less been to? Where in order to complete their quest they must navigate a long and challenging road to reach this fabled land. Now, have you ever wondered what it would feel like if you could put yourself in the shoes of a hero embarking on such a quest ? Achill Island is a place that teleports you into this fantasy yourself. A place where you can fully immerse yourself in a breath-taking location that possesses the aura of a land which exists within a separate universe than our own. I have been to Achill Island twice in my life, once in 2019 and again a few years later in 2022. Much like a heroic adventurer on their journey, both of my trips to Achill were full of excitement, hardships, and adventure. You see Achill is quite remote and far removed from Ireland's population centers. Tucked away in the far reaches of the North-West coast of Ireland there are no trains or even reliable busses going to Achill. Moreover, none of the countries' major motorways head to the soaring craggy cliffs and vast white-sand beaches of Achill island. Part 1 - Biking to Achill On my first trip to Ireland, I went in not knowing much about Ireland altogether. Other than Dublin, Galway, and the Guinness store-house I was not well aware of much else. Luckily however, I was staying with some close friends who were Irish themselves. During my time with them they took me to many of these well known sites I had saved on my mental bucket-list, but unbeknownst to me they had also planned a few surprises. One such surprise was for my 20th birthday they planned a secret trip up the famed 'wild-atlantic' west coast of Ireland. Driving from their family home in the eastern side of Ireland we navigated across the country, past Galway, heading north into county Mayo eventually reaching the first stop of our trip; Westport, a quaint, but lively town nestled in a cove on the west coast of Ireland. Our first days were spent exploring the charming town and completing a gorgeous hike up the nearby mountain, Croagh Patrick. It was after two days in Westport I was informed that the following day we would be completing a 65 kilometer cycle from Westport to "Achill Island" a place I had never heard of to this point. ( If you're wondering how it is possible to cycle to an island. Achill island is only separated from the mainland by about 100m of water and there is a bridge connecting the two landmasses together.) I was all in upon hearing this plan. The details given to me were; over the course of roughly 5 to 6 hours we would be cycling along a remote stretch of the coastline, ending at an airbnb they had booked on the beach in Achill. The one wrinkle in our plan was that the weather was calling for rain throughout the day of our cycle. Being eager to see and experience the country as well as being ignorant and still uninitiated to the Irish weather, I pleaded with my friends to push on and go through with our plans. The first true warning sign was when we went to go pickup our rental bicycles. When going to pay for the bikes we had reserved the shop clerk stopped us to ask if we were aware of the weather forecast for the day and in saying so much did their best to dissuade us from going, despite this meaning a couple less paying customers on what would presumably be a slow day... We did not heed his warning (more specifically, I did not want to heed his warning) . The first hour or two of the ride were fairly smooth and uneventful. We were blanketed under overcast skies, yet, to this point it appeared that the rain was holding off. Then little by little the rain started to come. At first it was a steady, but manageable mist, but as we cycled further and further into the wilderness and away from shelter the rain steadily increased in its intensity. Even worse than the rain, the wind had gathered strength as we cycled further and eventually developed into a monstrous headwind that had slowed our pace to a crawl. With the weather being okay at the start of the day we had made good progress and reached the halfway point at about the time we had expected to. However, with the full force of the driving wind and rain hitting us head on, the same could not be said about the second half of our ride. What should have been a further 2-hours descended into a seemingly endless further 5-hour uphill slog caught in absolutely dastardly weather. What started off as a bit of discomfort became genuine concern as we were caught out in such a remote stretch of land that we no longer had phone service and the prospects of catching hypothermia became quite real. The atmosphere was ominous and unwelcoming as the dark low-hanging clouds completely obscured the surrounding mountains with only the faintest silhouettes of the surrounding landscape being visible. Morale was extremely low, but we trudged on minute after minute, kilometer after kilometer. The end point of our ride being the airbnb we had booked on the beach in Achill and as the hours passed we inched closer and closer. Finally, around dusk we were on our final approach to our destination. In those final 5-kilometers or so the rain had finally begun to break and the foggy clouds were lifting to at last reveal the landscape around us. But there was still one big obstacle, between us and our beachside airbnb there was a final long and strenuous hill we needed to climb before descending down the other-side to our beachside salvation. With our tired legs we slowly ascended to the peak of the hill where we finally were afforded a panoramic view of Achill Island. Still despite the being soaking wet, freezing cold, and having every ounce of energy in my body spent, I can vividly remember coming over the crest of the final hill and being utterly awestruck seeing the beauty of Achill Island for the first time. To my left were towering cliffs, standing hundreds of meters over the surrounding ocean in one of the most dramatic landscapes I had ever seen. Leading away from these cliffs was one of the most stunning natural white-sand beaches anywhere in the world. This was Keel strand (Keel beach) and at a length of nearly four kilometers will go toe to toe with any beach in Thailand or the Bahamas. Away from the cliffs looking inland, I could see large stretches of rolling barren bog-land with a few houses and cottages scattered about. Then at the head of the island directly ahead of me was Slievemore a triangular mountain looking over the bay of Achill Island. Upon seeing this the tiredness in my legs lifted and an otherworldly sensation of bliss carried me down the hill the final few kilometeres to our final destination on the island. The next few days were spent exploring and relaxing in one of the most stunning and remote destinations I have visited around the world. Achill, is a place that is quiet, but stimulating. While, unsurprisingly, there is not any sort of social scene to speak of here. It is a place with infinite stunning views that will leave you awestruck walking, or cycling through town, or hiking through the bogs and hills of the island. From what I saw in the town of Keel where I stayed, and the neighboring town of Dooagh, there were no more than two or three pubs and one restaurant and cafe... While I had a perfectly fine fish and chips, fine dining is not why you come all this way. Part 2 - A Must Visit Destination You come to hike through the hills of Slievemore, Keel West, and the Minaun Heights, discovering hidden beaches that can only be accessed by foot, or treking through marshland for stunning panoramic views of Keel Beach, or finding the very best views of the Cliffs of Croaghaun, the third highest sea-cliffs in Europe and the highest cliffs in all of Ireland. This is just scratching the surface. Achill Island also possesses some of the most absolutely breath-taking beaches found anywhere in the world (although the water can be more than a bit cold). Four beaches in particular really come to mind; Keel Strand, Keem Bay, Dugort Beach, and Annagh Strand. Keem Bay, being the most famous of the bunch famously making an appearance in the film 'Banshees of Inisherin'. Surrounded by towering cliffs on every side, the stunning beach has earned many accolades such as being named to Lonely Planet's 'Top 100 Beaches in the World'. I have no doubt if they were located in Thailand, Greece or the South of Italy the beaches found on Achill Island would be some of the most popular in the world, crawling with vacation goers, and flanked by hotels every few meters. Instead, being located in a remote corner of Ireland notorious for its stormy weather, there is an aura of detachment from the rest of the world here. It is quiet, rather than hearing pop music blaring from a beachside bar or the commotion of people moving about, in Achill there is nothing but the sound of the crashing waves, squawking seagulls and the occasional "moo" or "baa" from the many cows and sheep who freely graze around the island. In my experience, nowhere quite demonstrates the feeling of standing at the edge of the world as Achill Island. Part 3 - Hitchhiking to Achill After my first visit to Achill I was held spellbound by the dramatic landscapes and otherworldly atmosphere of the Island. It immediately became one of my favorite destinations in the world and I dreamed of the day that I would be able to return. In 2021 I moved to Limerick, Ireland to continue working on my studies. However the issue was, I did not have a car and Limerick was about 300 kilometers south of Achill. Moreover, from all of my research, it appeared that reaching Achill using either the rail or bus systems would be virtually impossible. I had reached a bit of a standstill. That was until early March, 2022 about two weeks before St. Patrick's day. It was a Friday night after class and after being convinced to go to the bar by one of my friends I had somehow lost track of him, ending up at a house party with a group of people I did not know well, but had made friends with at the bar. While this could have resulted in some awkwardness the alcohol at this point had been flowing for a few hours and everyone was open and eager to get to know each other. It was this night I made friends with another student, an accomplished traveler herself leading to us spending hours sharing our many travel stories with each other. It was during this time that she shared how she had spent time doing a bit of hitchhiking around New Zealand and Australia in her late teens after high-school. Seeing me clearly intrigued by this I was asked if I had ever tried hitch-hiking before myself, to which I promptly answered 'no'. Her reply came, "well would you like to try it ?" I said "yes, but I have no idea where I would like to go..." and then it clicked for me, "actually, Achill island, up in the north of the country, we could try to make it there". Upon this revelation I proceeded to explain the grandeur of Achill and why in my mind it was the best destination to visit across the whole of Ireland. At the end of my speech she replied "yeah, sure I don't see why we don't give it a try" we agreed to begin our trip two weeks from now and just like that, with a virtual stranger the plans for our trip were set. The morning of our trip, I rummaged through my apartments trash bin and found a few cardboard boxes to cut up and make signs with. I brought the cardboard to our meeting point on campus and together in dark bold letters we wrote out our destination on our first cardboard sign "ACHILL". Our bags were packed, our cardboard sign was ready for presentation, and we were filled with a sense of adventure. We boarded the local town bus and exited at the bus stop nearest to the motorway entry intersection. Laughing at the fact I was actually going hitchhiking, full of adrenaline, and curious to see who would actually pick us up, I held up my sign and waited for our ride... And then I waited and waited and waited. For nearly two hours we stood there on the side of the road next to the motorway and not a single person stopped to pick us up. Our excitement and eagerness had faded and we were coming to terms with the fact that it appeared our hitchhiking adventure would be coming to an end before it had even started. Then suddenly, as we were discussing going back to the bus stop and heading back to campus, at last a car pulled off to the side of the road and waved us over. Not only did he offer us a ride, but he also provided great insight as to why we had been waiting for so long without any luck. The first point he made was that we were waiting at the wrong motorway intersection. You see, we were standing at the entry point to the N24 motorway, which approaches Limerick from the southwest and primarily services drivers commuting between Limerick and Cork. The problem being Cork was the complete opposite direction of where we were trying to go. The second issue he pointed out was that the destination we had written on our sign was "ACHILL", this was all well and good, but naive and overly ambitious. As previously mentioned Achill Island is 300 kilometers from Limerick in a remote corner of the country, the likelihood of us getting someone to stop and pick us up with Achill as their destination was virtually zero. He suggested rather than Achill, we write Ennis on our sign, which was the next big town north of Limerick. Rather than hoping for one ride to take us all the way to Achill, he suggested we view each driver who picks us up as a stepping stone getting us one leg of the journey closer to our final destination. With this in mind he offered to drive us to correct highway intersection. We accepted the offer and piled into his car, my friend taking the passenger seat beside the driver while I lay prone in the back of the car. The car was absolutely jam packed with some sort of construction or landscaping equipment. Despite being quite the uncomfortable ride, finally getting on the road gave us a sense of renewed energy that reignited our motivation to reach Achill. He dropped us off at the correct intersection, turning away and driving back toward Limerick. We were back on our own just the two of us with our cardboard signs and backpacks. Again, now at the right highway intersection, I took my place at the side of the road and held up our makeshift sign, this time with the destination reading "Ennis". To my surprise, unlike the two hours we had previously spent standing on the side of the road, a car stopped and waved us over within ten minutes of us being dropped off. The driver was a middle aged jolly man who told us he was driving to Ennis and we could hop in with him if it suited us. With excitement we accepted his offer and loaded into the car. We were finally leaving Limerick city, as kilometer by kilometer we moved closer to Achill, We would soon discover that our driver was a talkative man full of stories and was not someone who hesitated to talk about the details of their own personal life. The topic of conversation for most of the ride related to his incarcerated brother and the transgressions that had led his unfortunate family member to end up in this position. My friend and I also shared stories of our own lives and altogether we had a very pleasant ride to Ennis. Then just as we were coming into town our driver asked us if he could make a detour as he was running late to pick his up his daughters from school. Surprised by the fact that he would even ask of if this would be okay. We told him of course and in few minutes we were pulling into the parking lot of the local elementary school. As two girls came out of the school their father stepped out of the car giving them a hug, then turning to the car and introducing us with a gleeful "hey girls, these are two hitchhikers I picked up on the way here". An awkward moment arose when the girls came to get in the car, only to realize that all the seats were occupied. Quickly, me and my friend jumped up out of our seats and offered them to the two girls who were clearly perplexed by the strangers that were sitting in their seats. Just as quickly as we jumped up the girls father told us to sit back down and refused to allow us to give up our seats. Rather, the car being a station wagon with a spacious boot the girl's father open the boot and told his daughters they would be riding there. Despite our protests he was having none of it and reinforced the point that his daughters would be sitting in the boot and we would not be giving up our seats. Again we were off, now with two additional passengers who were clearly not amused that their seats had been stolen by two strangers. Luckily for ourselves and the unhappy girls the next drop off point was only a few minutes away. Our driver took us to the end of town where the local roads re-joined the motorway. Upon getting dropped off he wished us luck and would not let us go without giving us his phone number saying "if you're not able to get another ride give me a call and you'll be more than welcome to crash at mine." We profoundly said thank you for his great generosity and kindness, then just like that we were back standing on the side of the road again just as we had began in Limerick. It really did appear that being dropped off in the right spot made a huge difference. Just as we had found a ride soon after arriving at the right intersection back in Limerick. Again, at the intersection in Ennis we were being picked up again by our third driver of the day in a matter of minutes. This time it was a young couple, roughly our age, who were part of a band and on their way all the way to Galway to perform in a gig that evening. Knowing we had a ride secured all the way to Galway had us feeling truly reinvigorated and for the first time it felt as though we might actually be able to make it all the way to Achill hitchhiking. The couple was nice and conversed sharing pleasantries with one another, even offering us to go to their gig that evening. However, after the long day of traveling, neither of us was up for a late night and we opted to politely decline the offer. We arrived in Galway right at golden hour and had a new mission on the mind; find a place to sleep that night. It was already late in the evening so the options were few. We went on google and found some hostels nearby, knocking on the door and asking if there were any beds available that night. The hostel was near full capacity and there was not space for us in the same dorm room. However, there were two beds in separate room which they gave to us. Happy, but exhausted we had made it to Galway and found a place to stay, we cooked a simple dinner in our hostel kitchen and called it an early night... Which was subsequently interrupted by the sound of a blackout drunk Canadian tourist who was vomiting in the room and his friends who were trying to drag him from his bed to the bathroom. Between all of this commotion in the middle of the night and the smell of vomit filling the room in the end I did not get much sleep, but I digress. The next day we got back into our now familiar routine; make a sign with the name of the next big town on our way to Achill, go to the motorway, hold up our sign, and wait. Our goal for today was to make it to Westport which was the last big town before the stretch of road to Achill. Again, it did not take long for us to get picked up. This time it was a middle-aged man driving home to his village out in the country. We rode with him for about an hour or so and he dropped us at his village. It was a truly tiny village, the type of place where there is one small grocery store, a church, a gas station and that is it. There were probably less than twenty houses in town and although we were roughly halfway between Galway and Westport it felt truly deserted with a car passing through every fifteen to twenty minutes or so. Our strong momentum came to a screeching halt as every minute passed. We stood on the side of the road for over an hour, but no luck. Then to make matters worse it started to rain. Things were now looking bleak, we retreated into the nearby grocery store and took our lunch break there eating an assortment of random snacks by the front door. Spirits were low and the fear of being stranded in a village with nothing that appeared to resemble a hotel or hostel began to creep in. What would we do ? There was no public transportation passing through here. Would we hitchhike back to Galway, could we ? When the rain started to die down a bit I decided we should go out and test our luck at getting a ride to Westport again. We stood there for another twenty minutes or so in the rain. Then just when it felt all hope was being lost a passing car stopped and waved us over. Perhaps feeling sympathetic to the pathetic scene of us standing drenched in the cold, the driver told us to hop in. To our absolute joy, he was driving all the way to Westport. We were back in business and had secured a ride two thirds of the way to Achill. As if the hitchhiking gods were granting us their good fortunes for pressing on and staying committed to reaching our destination our third and final day of hitchhiking was the smoothest of them all. Getting an early start, we again went to the edge of Westport town and help up our sign. The excitement was palpable as our newest road sign finally read the letters of our final destination "ACHILL" written in all bold. We took our place and in what could not have been more than ten or fifteen minutes a car was pulling off to the side of the road and waving us over. A happy elderly Irish grandma and grandpa peered out the window and welcomed us in saying that they were actually heading up to the nearby Nephin National park, but were happy to make a detour for us and take us all the way to Achill sound. The ride was enlightening as the old couple shared with us that they were from the area themselves. Providing us many stories of their upbringing as we rode through the Irish countryside. At one point they even described to us how they had hitchhiked themselves in their younger days and were happy to see that some young people still were able to experience the joys and sensations of adventure to be found when hitchhiking. As the hills rolled to our right and the sea to our left we were filled with a sense of excitement and relief as it finally became clear that our hitchhiking journey was going to be a success. Passing through the same scenery I had cycled through those years prior, I was finally on my way back to my beloved Achill. At last after three days, over 300 kilometers and many kind people who helped us along the way we had made it to Achill. We left the car by profusely thanking the couple who had taken the final stretch of our journey. Then just like that we had arrived. We stepped out of the car filled with a sense of joy and pride that we had actually gone through and accomplished our plan to the end. The highlight of this all being that my memory did not fail me. Achill was just spectacular as I had remember it after that first visit. Between the memorable adventures of just getting there, with the beauty of the island itself, Achill is absolutely one of my favorite places in the world and one I recommend that everyone adds to the bucket list if it was not already there.

Thailand, a beloved destination for many travelers across the world. A land of beautiful nature, vibrant cities, and some of the friendliest and most welcoming people you will ever meet. However, despite all of these positives does the destination suffer from an at times seemingly inescapable wave of badly behaved tourists ? A hill top sunset in Koh Phi Phi, Thailand Back in 2018 I embarked on my first ever proper backpacking trip, a three week inter-railing jaunt across Europe and from the time stepped off the plane in Europe I could feel the travel-bug take hold of me to the point where in the seven years since, my life has revolved around travel and the idea of maximizing the amount of time I can spend on the road. The feelings of personal autonomy and unchained curiosity hit me like a drug and I became addicted to trying to plan when I could leave for my next journey and feel this rush again. While retrospectively, I wouldn't say that western and central Europe are the most "exotic" places in the world, at the time it was all brand new to me. The people, the food, the architecture, the geography, the cultures, the languages, and just about everything in-between were all things I had never experienced before. It may sound Naïve, but nineteen year old me felt like some version of Indiana Jones or Anthony Bourdain taking the train from city to city across Europe and I believe that this introduction of new and unfamiliar sensations is at the nexus of why these feelings driving my love for travel have stuck with me so strongly in the years since. When returning from Europe I immediately got to work on planning my next trips for the upcoming years and from the onset Thailand was one of the countries near the very top of my bucket-list. From the research that I did, Thailand checked all of the boxes for me. It was a land where the culture was vibrant and unique, the food on offer was delicious, the people were friendly, costs were low, and the geography was world-famous. This summer after years of planning to go, I finally made it to Thailand, and well, all of these things that made Thailand such an appealing destination turned out to be true. So why, after spending a month traveling across the country was I left with mixed emotions... Understanding the risk of coming off as "high & mighty and over-enlightened" travel in my eyes does not necessarily equate to vacation. In fact, I would say it would be more accurate to call it a form of education. The reason I fell in love with traveling on my inter-railing trip to Europe was not because I was eating out at fine dining and going out to get shit-faced drunk every night. Rather, instead of spending my days hungover and my nights off in a bar. Each day was mostly spent aimlessly strolling through city streets, going to museums, picnicking in public gardens, people watching, and finding any number of ways to make my own adventures day to day. Thailand in contrast felt like a vacationers paradise, but in someways lacked the sense of adventure and spontaneity that I had come to love. To rip the band-aid off, Thailand in many aspects feels like if you took a 19 year old ketamine addict's fantasy vacation and mashed it together with a generic travel agencies' package beach vacation they are trying to push on first-time vacation goers. Despite being such a far off destination, I frequently found Thailand to feel as though it was missing that sense of adventure and unfamiliarity which I so craved. This leads me to my first point. The demographic problem. I found there are two main groups of travelers you will encounter in Thailand. In first place and by far the overwhelming majority are young ( think 18, 19, 20 year old ) first time backpackers. I have certainly met plenty of young backpackers that I vibed well with. However, a lot of my fellow travelers in Thailand felt particularly immature and due to sheer volume, hard to escape. For every person I really got along with it felt there were about twenty others who appeared to have come to Thailand under the premise of huffing laughing gas, getting hammered drunk, going to ping pong shows ( google it ), and doing cheap drugs on a nightly basis. Now don't get me wrong I am not above having a night out, but if I wanted to go to dirty frat parties with a bunch of recent high school graduates I could have simply gone back to my old University rather than fly all the way to Thailand. The second demographic of traveler that I noticed a high proportion of were old sugar daddy types who came to Thailand for the purpose of sex tourism. At one point in my trip, I was staying in a fairly upscale hotel on the beach and ( no exaggeration ) at least 80% of the people I saw staying in the hotel were middle aged to advanced middle age Russian, German, or some other European men with Thai girls who were half their age. So, between the pervert old men and raucous teenagers, why is it this way ? While I don't think the blame falls on the Thai people, I believe in certain regards the country markets itself towards these demographics. This is not to say that the official Thai board of tourism is putting out messaging saying "come Thailand to get wasted and meet hookers". However, once you are actually in the country there are a lot of these shady businesses with some very frequent and in your face advertising. In this age of social media the word has quickly spread that Thailand is the place to go if you are into this sort of debauchery. Further compounding this issue, I found outside of Bangkok and Chiang Mai it was a bit difficult to make friends or have genuine interactions with the local Thai people. This was especially true in the south of the country. Don't get it twisted Thai people are very friendly and welcoming across the country. However, tourism is such an integral part of the economy and this region is so over-run by tourists, it is hard not to have exclusively transactional interactions with the local people . Which I mean, I get it . However, what that has resulted in is a clear divide in the foreign visitors and the locals which made it a bit difficult to just sit, chat, and make friends with people. Unlike my times in India, Nepal, and Cambodia where many of the people I hung out with and made friends with were locals, in Thailand I found it a bit more difficult to make genuine connections. This leads me to my next point, Thailand can feel too tourist centric. I appreciate Thai hospitality and am fully aware of the hypocrisy within this statement as I am part of the problem myself. However, I do feel like it must be said that some areas of Thailand are so taken over by tourists that they almost resemble somewhere closer to Disney-Land rather than a real place where people actually live. Take the picturesque island of Koh Phi Phi for example. Genuinely one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. Yet the serenity of this tiny island nestled in the Andaman sea has been severely hampered by the sheer amount of tourist infrastructure on the island. Despite geographically not being much more than a roughly two-kilometer long sandbar sandwiched between two rugged mountains jutting up from the sea, the island is absolutely packed full of restaurants, bars, hotels, and souvenir shops. During my stay on the island, the lack of a form of local culture and authenticity was felt. In an effort to do a bit of exploring on the island, I went for a couple runs were I looped the length of the main sandbar a few times. What I saw was that if there had been any local communities on the island they had all been pushed out to make way for new tourism developments. In fact, what I found quite sad was that instead of local communities with a vibrant and persevering culture, many of the Thai nationals actually living on the Island were hotel staff living in housing compounds hidden behind the resort they worked for. I forget where, but at one point during my stay I came across a business with pictures of the island in the 1970s. Despite never being there at this time it brought me a sense of somber nostalgia seeing what the island looked like then. What was now a strip of bars and restaurants, was then a lush forest of palm trees. There were pictures of what village life was like with fishermen preparing for a day out on the sea. I am not against economic development, but in Koh Phi Phi as well as some other destinations I visited in Thailand, this development appears to have come at the expense of the locals. What was once a quiet fishing community in Koh Phi Phi, now resembles something along the lines of bourbon street in New Orleans. Koh Phi Phi Pictured in 1987 Another observation was that there was a plain lack of respect for the land and local communities by many of the people visiting Thailand, and with the sheer amount of tourists in Thailand it felt unavoidable at times. It cannot be disputed that Thailand possesses some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. However, it was extremely disheartening to see trash littered in the sand and even floating in the water at many of these beaches. In addition, there were instances where the ambiance of these gorgeous beaches was shattered by people taking drugs out in the open, people who were so blackout drunk that they were puking in the sand, or the presence of a bar (or multiple bars) with booming loud music just feet away from the beach. For me, if I am going to the beach it is to unwind and relax and at times in Thailand I found this to be a bit difficult to achieve due to the atmosphere created by the people who I was sharing the space with. Many of the hostels I found also shared this unruly atmosphere. While I am someone who enjoys hostels with a good social atmosphere where you can meet new people. Many hostels in Thailand just felt too centered around drinking and partying. In some instances, this was so much so that there was a sense of negativity or pressure given to you if you were in the hostel and not participating in drinking. Many places I stayed would incessantly pester me to buy a drink or sign up for the nightly pub crawl, and on the topic of pub crawls, holy shit there are so many pub crawls in Thailand. In Bangkok this was less of an issue as there is a lot to do. However, down south there appears to be an endless loop of sitting on the beach doing nothing all day, followed by drinking all night in pub crawl. Many people I met seemed to have been caught up in this loop for days and sometimes weeks at a time. A particularly disheartening group I took notice of in Thailand were the 'hostel-volunteers' who's entire time traveling had been eroded down to, hanging out aimlessly in the hostel day after day and leading a pub crawl night after night. To call back to what I previously mentioned, I do understand why some people would prefer a chill holiday. For me, however, after a couple days spent like this I quickly began to feel as though I was wasting my time. So with all of this off my chest now, would I go back to Thailand ? Well, yes. I think in many regards I traveled Thailand wrong, or at the very least like a beginner and thats on me. The first mistake I made was not really deviating from the traditional Thailand backpacker trail much during my stay. This was particularly true during my trip down to the south of the country. During this leg of my trip I visited Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Krabi, Railay, and Khao Sok. Each of these destinations are regarded as some of the most popular destinations in the country, so I am to blame for picking such a standard itinerary. Knowing what I know now, I think Thailand is absolutely a country where putting in a bit of extra leg work and finding/going to some of the lesser known spots would greatly elevate my enjoyment on any subsequent trips. On top of this, despite all of the bitching and moaning I've done in writing this, there is genuinely a lot to like about Thailand. The moments where my adrenaline was pumping and I could tap into my inner Indiana Jones really standout. Zooming through the busy city streets of Bangkok in one of the city's trademark supercharged tuk tuks was exhilarating, and road tripping up to a quiet village in the mountains to the North of the country are memories that will stick with me for a lifetime. Moreover, the local Thai people were always very welcoming and in the cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai I had some great times hanging out with Thai people. On top of that Thailand is probably the second most affordable country I have traveled to behind only Nepal and what really elevates Thailand in this regard is the quality vs cost you can find. Somewhere like India for example, has cheaper options than Thailand. However, often times paying for the cheapest option in India would be either unbearable or unsafe. Whereas in Thailand, you could always find extremely cheap food to eat without too much worry of getting sick as well as plenty of cheap, but also well-kept accommodation and transportation options. Finally, there is a reason Thailand is such a highly frequented destination for tourist. It does have some of the most stunning nature I have ever seen and for those looking to unwind for a few days or weeks on the beach you can do just that here affordably and comfortably. However, for anyone who would like to get away from hoards of party going westerners and tourist trap restaurants and gift-shops, I would recommend you put in some research before setting off for the country.

The busy streets and bright lights of Tokyo and Osaka are mesmerizing, no doubt, but there is so much more to Japan. Come along with me on a journey to the Japanese countryside ! View of Snow Capped Peaks in Kamikochi Kamikochi and the Northern Alps Starting off with a heavy hitter, in recent years Kamikochi and the greater Northern Alps have become exceedingly popular with tourists. In the spring time, right around cherry blossom season the pristine hiking trails of Kamikochi begin to reopen as the snow and ice which have blanketed the ground for the winter melts away. Kamikochi serves as the gateway to the southern end of the Japanese Northern Alps mountain range and offers absolutely stunning views of Mt. Hotaka, which standing at a height of 3,190m is the 3rd highest mountain in Japan. For adventure seekers and adrenaline enthusiasts, base camp of Mt. Hotaka is a short 1hr hike from the entrance of Kamikochi. However, conquering Mt. Hotaka is just the beginning. For those chasing a true adventure, the Northern Alps Ridgeline extends north for 200 kilometers from the peak of Mt. Hotaka. This ridge-line offers some of the most spectacular hiking in the world. You can hike for days from mountain lodge to mountain lodge waking up and going to sleep above the clouds day after day. The most famous trek in this stretch being the Mt. Hotaka to Mt. Yarigatake route. This route sees you hike the ridge line from the summit of Mt. Hotaka to the summit of Mt. Yarigatake (3,180m, 5th tallest in Japan). The route typically requires four to five days to complete with the biggest challenge coming at about the half-way mark when hikers encounter the infamous Daikiretto pass; a vertigo inducing two kilometer stretch where the path becomes extremely narrow and drops away to reveal sheer cliffs on either side of the path. However, Kamikochi also caters for those who prefer a more relaxed brand of outdoor adventure as well. From the entrance of Kamikochi you can hike for hours along relatively flat terrain following the Azusa river valley. The views offered here also do not disappoint as hikers are treated to panoramic views of the surrounding alpine peaks. In addition, there is a newly constructed boardwalk that meanders through the marshy swamp land at the base of Mt. Hotaka, offering hikers stunning views of the mountain and the surrounding river valley. GETTING THERE: Getting to Kamikochi can be a bit tricky as there is no direct train or private vehicle access. However, do not let this dissuade you from going. - Traveling by car: Kamikochi is a roughly four hour drive from Tokyo. However, private vehicles are not allowed to access the final stretch of road once you reach the nature preserve entrance (You can technically hike from this point, but it is longgg) . Instead, what you need to do if driving is drive to either the Sawando parking area or Hirayu parking area and get a bus through the park to Kamikochi from there. Parking for the day at either parking area will run you 1000jpy. Additionally, for the bus from the parking area through the nature preserve you will need to pay 200jpy each way. - Traveling by bus/train There are no direct bus or train connections from either Tokyo or Osaka. Instead, you will first need to get a bus or a train to the nearby city of Matsumoto. From Tokyo to Matsumoto on the bus it will take about three and a half hours while the train will take about 2 and half hours. For both modes of transport you are looking at about thirty to fifty US dollars. Upon arriving in Mastumoto, you will need to change to another bus at the station to get to Kamikochi. There is a pre-bookable direct bus that runs a few times throughout the day as well as a more frequent indirect bus that will bring you to the Sawando parking area. If you take the indirect bus you will need to change busses again once you arrive at the Sawando parking area. As previously mentioned the Sawando parking area bus will take you the final stretch of the way through the nature preserve to Kamikochi. Autum at Matsumoto Castle Matsumoto While Matsumoto is technically a city, in reality it has more of a small town feel to it. Nestled in the picturesque Nagano prefecture, Matsumoto is the perfect place to spend a few relaxing days before heading off the explore the nearby mountains. Unlike the gleaming modern metropolises of Tokyo and Osaka, Matsumoto feels like a time-capsule where it's streets still capture the essence of Showa-era Japan. When visiting Matsumoto, you must visit the 400 year-old Matsumoto castle. The six-story wooden castle has been meticulously preserved and today you can explore the interior of the castle which has been converted to include a war museum. Here you can see various Sengoku-era weapons and armor on display. Beyond the castle, there are numerous temples and shrines scattered throughout the city you can visit. I also recommend going to spend an afternoon or evening at the quaint Nawate Shopping Street . Here you can find various independently owned homemade crafts for sale as well as numerous quiet cafes and restaurants to spend some time relaxing in. Here I recommend going to 'Kobayashi Soba', 'Story House Cafe & Bar', 'Portugal Alentejana', 'Tipsy Coffee Place' and 'Toritomi'. I would also recommend eating a fresh taiyaki from one of the street stalls. Additionally, you should go to the nearby Nakamichi Street for some dinner and a chilled-out nightcap afterwards. I recommend trying; 'Itoya', 'Sakaba Ikkoku', 'Matsumoto Brewery Tap Room', 'Sidecar', 'Quatre Gats', and Gusuku. GETTING THERE: - Traveling by car: Matsumoto is very easy to reach by car as there a numerous major motorways that pass-through or nearby Matsumoto. Taking the highway from Tokyo will amount to a roughly three hour drive. - Traveling by bus or train: Matsumoto is also quite accessible when traveling by public transport. From Tokyo to Matsumoto on the bus it will take about three and a half hours, while the train will take about 2 and half hours. For both modes of transport you are looking at about thirty to fifty US dollars. Mihama beach with the silhouette of Mt. Fuji in the background. The Izu Peninsula My pitch about why the Izu Peninsula is a must visit destination to those who plan to visit Japan is that I would liken it to the Amalfi coast of Japan. Much like the world renowned Amalfi coast, the Izu peninsula boasts a jagged coast line of dramatic cliffs and mountains that are abruptly punctuated by the ocean below. However, unlike the famous stretch of the Italian coast, most of Izu is fairly quiet and is not overrun by hoards of tourists even during peak season (this is particularly true on the west side of the peninsula). Despite being an island nation mainland Japan really is not known for it's beaches. The Izu Peninsula is an exception to this. Izu boasts some of the most stunning and secluded beaches and swimming holes not just in mainland Japan, but in all of Japan, including the islands to the south of the country. Some of these beaches you cannot miss are; Shirihama Beach , undoubtedly the most popular beach on the peninsula. Situated on the eastern side of the Izu Peninsula the 800m long beach boasts pristine white sand and stunning blue water. Based off photos you would think this beach was in Okinawa not mainland Japan. Moreover, Shirihama Beach is only a stones throw away from the popular tourist town of Shimoda. Here you can find many restaurants and bars that create for a lively, but laidback atmosphere. Moving to the western side of Izu, the Futo Coast is also an excellent destination to visit. In contrast to Shirihama beach, the Futo Coast is rocky and surrounded by rugged cliffs. However, what the two beaches do have in common is the pristine blue water. What further sets the Futo Coast apart are the many rocky islands jutting out from the sea just beyond the beach. With the largest of these islands being connected to the main beach by a narrow landbridge. This coupled with the surrounding cliffs creates for a spectacular destination to spend a day in the sun. Finally, tucked away up in the northwest corner of the Izu Peninsula is Mihama Beach. This secluded beach is perhaps my favorite on the entire peninsula. While the sand here more closely resembles a shade of grey rather than pristine white. What Mihama beach does offer is some of the most stunning views of Mt. Fuji you will find anywhere in Japan. Cradled in a bay that is surrounded by mountains in nearly every direction, you will not be disappointed by the scenery here. What further compounds my love for Mihama Beach is that it is still fairly undiscovered, there is a tori gate right on the water and a temple directly off the beach. Yet, due to this not being a massive tourist hot spot you can wander through and explore this area all to yourself. Other notable destination in Izu are: Yusuge Park, Senganmon Beach, Norihama Beach, Sehama Beach, Tsubasawa Beach, Tagosehama Beach, Cape Ose, Ito, Atami. GETTING THERE: The Izu peninsula is quite large and some of its key destinations are much easier to reach than others. Notably, the Eastern side of the peninsula is much more connected to public transit than the Western half of the Peninsula. Shirihama Beach and Shimoda are absolutely reachable via train. However, on the other hand if you wanted to go to Mihama Beach, or the Futo Coast renting a car would be the option for you. - Traveling by Car: Car travel is truly the best way to experience the Izu Peninsula. While some of Izu is indeed connected to the public transport system, there are other areas that are extremely rural and off the grid. However, this challenge adds to the charm of visiting the peninsula. My recommendation would be to take a few days and do a road trip around the entire peninsula. Some of the roads you will be driving on are up there with the most scenic in Japan. During this trip you will drive through winding mountain passes and high-up cliff top roads hanging over the ocean. In particular I would say you must drive the stretch of road from Tagosehama beach to Cape Ose, as you will also have stunning views of Mt. Fuji along the way. From Tokyo, it is about two and a half hours to the main tourist town of Shimoda. However, some of the more rural spots such as the Futo Coast and Mihama beach would be closer to four hours to reach directly from Tokyo. - Travel by Train/Bus: As mentioned before, public transport is either very limited or non existent to some areas of the Izu peninsula. However, if you want to stick to the main tourist hot-spot towns on the east coast of Izu, you will be able to do this fairly-easily on the train. From your hotel in central Tokyo you want to head to Shibuya station. Once you arrive at Shibuya station you should get on the Odoriko 55 limited express for Izukyu-Shimoda station. This is a direct train to Shimoda so you do not need to change trains. Once aboard it should take you about two hours and forty minutes to reach Shimoda. Other popular destinations such as Ito and Atami are also accessible on this line. Kegon Falls, which can be found just beside Lake Chuzenji Nikko & Lake Chuzenji If you are looking for somewhere that you can find both traditional Japanese culture and breathtaking nature, Nikko is the place for you to visit ! Part of the mountainous Tochigi prefecture there is no lack of roaring rivers, volcanic peaks, and picturesque lakes to be found here. For most, their visit to Nikko begins in the actual town of Nikko which is quite charming on its own right. In town you will find many arts and crafts shops, tea houses, cafes, and Japanese restaurants. You can also famously find the Nikko Toshogu shrine complex, which was created in the 17th century to honor Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun who established the Tokugawa shogunate. The complex is absolutely massive and is one of the most impressive you will find across the entire country. Once you finish exploring Nikko town or if you are just more of a nature person you must take the road up to lake Chuzenji. About an hour up the road (and the up should be emphasized here) you will reach lake Chuzenji. Just getting here is an adventure as the lake is situated atop a volcanic plateau, to reach the lake you will need to navigate a winding and extraordinarily scenic road to the top of the plateau. From there your initial views will be dominated by Mt. Nantai, which stands directly over the entrance to the lake and straddling the far side of the lake is yet another volcano, Mt. Nikko-Shirane, both of which can be climbed to the summit. I would recommend spending a few days around the area hiking and soaking in the many volcanic vistas that can be found here. You will also find a small town at the entrance of the lake as well. While the town itself is quite sleepy, just at the edge of town is where you can find the famous Kegon Falls. Standing at a height of 97 meters, Kegon Falls is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Japan and should not be missed. GETTING THERE: Not too far from central Tokyo, Nikko town is quite easy to reach via train. However, getting to Lake Chuzenji and its surrounding volcanos can prove to be more difficult if you do not have a car. - Travel by car: Nikko and its surrounding sights are quite easily reachable if you are traveling via a private car, with reaching Nikko town from central Tokyo taking about two hours. From there Lake Chuzenji is another hour further north and if you would like to hike Mt. Nikko-Shirane you are looking an additional twenty to thirty minutes on top of that. - Travel by train: Nikko town is connected via high-speed rail to Tokyo and thus an easy destination to reach for those looking for a weekend trip from the city. Getting to the Lake Chuzenji is a touch more tricky. To reach the lake from Nikko town there is a bus service available, which will cost about 2000 jpy and take about seventy minutes. However, operating times for this bus is a bit limited. Therefore it is recommended that if you are traveling via public transport and would like to visit Lake Chuzenji you should arrange accommodations next to the lake before heading there. Mountain top temple at Mt. Takao Mt. Takao Technically still within the Tokyo prefecture Mt. Takao makes for the perfect low-stress Saturday escape from the hustle of the city. Situated just an hour and some change out of central Tokyo, Mt. Takao has long been a popular destination for Tokyo-ites looking to catch a breath of fresh air. This is a perfect place to visit for visitors of all ages and fitness abilities. If you would like to get a nice hike in there is a mostly paved and meticulously maintained path you can take to reach the top of Mt. Takao. Conversely, if you are someone who prefers to sightsee without breaking a sweat there is a cable car that will take you to the top of the mountain for 700 jpy. Moreover, once you reach the summit of the mountain there is so much more you can do from there. Here you will find many street vendors selling delicious traditional Japanese snacks such as dango and taiyaki. On the topic of food, you absolutely cannot miss the beer garden just beside the summit cable car station. Here, for an hour and a half you can have all you can eat and drink buffet for just 5,000 jpy. You will find that the food on offer here is delicious and the all you can drink portion of your dinner bill does not just include beer, but also all you can drink wine and liquor as well. Aside from the eating and drinking there are also many temples and shrines as well as a monastery at the top of the mountain. These range from ornately decorated large complexes to small shrines that are hidden in the forest off the main path. Despite being a popular tourist destination for Tokyo residents, Mt. Takao still maintains a spiritual feel. This is especially true if you are able to take some time to wander off of the main paths. GETTING THERE Located within the greater Tokyo prefecture, Mt. Takao is extremely accessible for anybody visiting Tokyo. If you have the time it is a worthy addition to your Tokyo itinerary and serves as a good break from the city. - Travel by Car: If you are driving from central Tokyo, you can typically reach Mt. Takao in about 45 minutes to 1 hour. From Shinjuku you want to take the Chuo-Expressway to Hachioji. Once exiting the highway in Hachioji it is about 15 minutes further to the town at the base of Mt. Takao. - Travel by Train: Traveling to Mt. Takao by train from central Tokyo is easy and convenient. From Shinjuku station you want to look for the Keio Line Takaosanguchi Limited Express. Once aboard you can sit back and relax as this line does not require any changes. From Shinjuku simply take the train to the last stop of the line (Takaosonguchi Station) and you will have arrived at the base of Mt. Takao.

Leaving your bubble to pack up a select few of your belongings to travel to the far reaches of the world can seem intimidating both financially and psychologically. However, the world has never been more accessible than it is today. Allay your fears and learn how to travel the world on budget, welcome to budget travel 101. After a jeep ride and camel trek we arrived at our accommodation in the Thar Desert, India. While speaking with friends and family, I am frequently asked "how do you afford to travel so much ?". Conversely, it is quite normal to hear someone tell me something along the lines of "I would love to go to {insert destination} one day. " The key phrase in this sentence is " one day ". The insinuation being, " I would go now, however, I do not have either the time or the money to go in the immediate future. Therefore, I will wait until I have both of said resources in abundance." The problem with this is that the perceived 'perfect time to go' may never come or by the time it does come you no longer posses the energy or desire. If you truly do aspire to travel the world, you need prioritize taking advantage of every chance you have to do so and also understand how to do it without breaking the bank. Trying not to be overly philosophical, nothing in life is guaranteed beyond the present moment we are living in. Therefore I always strongly endorse living in the moment and giving yourself the time to do what you want to do as much as possible. Again, the two main hurdles people face that prevent them from traveling are often money and time. While I would say I am far from a 'professional' traveler (if there is such a thing). Pulling from the experiences I have accumulated over the last few years of frequent travel I am going try my hand at offering some advice on how to navigate these hurdles. First up, I will discuss how I minimize the financial hurdles associated with travel, before moving on to discussing how I optimize my time to maximize the amount of traveling I am able to do in a year. Money As an example, I spent three months this past summer traveling non-stop. During this 3 month trip I spent a total of just about 3,500 usd. This includes flights, accommodations, ground transportation, food, drinks, etc. On average I spent about 30 dollars a day for everything. These are some of the methods I used to have made this possible: Be flexible on the airport you fly in / out of. This is especially true when flying to a destination in Europe or South Asia. Let's say I am based in New York City and really want to go to Rome for vacation. Do not limit your flight search options to only flights from New York to Rome. Reason being, maybe the best deal you can find for flights on New York to Rome routes (including a layover) is $ 1000. However, you are able to find flights to London for $ 500. In this hypothetical, even though I still plan on ending up in Rome, I would take option 2 in heart beat. Between budget airlines and cheap ground transport, based on past experience I would estimate getting from London to Rome would cost you an additional $20 to $100. Don't believe me ? Here are the flight and ground transport prices for routes from London to Rome if you were booking for a month from now. Traveling 30 hours by ground from London may seem crazy, but if you have the time you could make this a whole trip in of itself ! Flight prices for service from London to Rome a month from now. Ground transport prices from London to Rome a month from now. Look at one way options before booking round trip flights. Booking round trip can often limit your options in finding the most financially friendly itinerary. For many of the same reasons previously described, flying out of the same city you flew into might not be the cheapest option. For example, on a trip to Europe I took this winter the cheapest option I could find on flights from Japan to Europe was a Tokyo to Istanbul route. This route came in at a price of about $600. However, flights from Istanbul back to Tokyo all came in around $1000. After searching around for a bit I was able to find a flight from Budapest to Tokyo for about $350. After finding these itineraries, I planned my trip itinerary around these two destinations to make it possible for me to fly into Istanbul and out from Budapest. Search for regional hub airports and low-cost carrier hub airports. Large hub airports that handle a high volume of flights each day tend to offer the cheapest fares to fly to (especially for international long-haul flights). When looking for flights to a specific region I always start my search by looking through flights to various hub airports. 1) Europe tends to be where this is strategy is the most effective as everything is so well connected from country to county so I will start there. The largest hub airports in Europe are Frankfurt (FRA), Amsterdam (AMS), Paris (CDG), Istanbul (IST), London (All airports), Madrid (MAD). 2) You should also look for smaller airports that are hubs for low-cost carriers. While the initial long-haul fares to these airports could possibly be a bit higher than to the larger hubs airports, you will likely be able to find dirt cheap airfare to regional destinations across the continent. Some airports that come to mind are Ryan Air's hub Dublin Airport (DUB), Wizz Air's hub Budapest Liszt Ferenc Airport (BUD), and Pegasus Air's Sabiha Gokcen Airport- Istanbul (SAW). 3) Finally, especially for those in North America who are looking to travel to Europe there are a few airlines/airports that fall into a bit of an in-between category. This is a category of airlines that are offering low-cost transatlantic services between Europe and North America (basically giving you the same no-frills service you get on a low-cost regional airline, but on a long haul flight). Some airlines that come to mind are TAP Air Portugal who are headquartered at Lisbon Airport (LIS), and Norse Atlantic Airway who are headquartered at Oslo Airport (OSL). As an example, taking a quick look on Norse Atlantic Airways' site it appears they are offering fares from New York to London for as low as $175 on certain dates. 4) Asia is a bit more complicated as everything is much more spread-out, typically resulting in higher fares on regional airlines compared to Europe. However, for the most part the same principles apply. For example, on a trip I took this summer I wanted to start my trip in Siem Reap Cambodia. However, flights from Tokyo directly to Siem Reap were quite expensive. Rather than booking these flights I booked cheaper flights to the nearest hub airport; Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport and got a budget friendly regional flight from there to Siem Reap. (I was in a bit of time crunch otherwise I would have taken a $10 overnight bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap). 5) The main regional airports I would search for in Asia are as follows. East Asia: Tokyo Narita International (NRT), Tokyo Haneda International (HND), Kansai International (KIX), Seoul Incheon International (ICN), Shanghai Pudong International (PVG), Guangzhou Baiyun International (CAN), Beijing-Capital Airport (PEK), and Beijing-Daxing Airport (PKX). 6) South East Asia: Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK), Kuala Lumpur International (KUL), Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), Noi Bai International (HAN), and Ton Son Nhat International (SGN). 7) Middle/South Asia: Delhi Indira Gandhi International (DEL), Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (BOM), Dubai International (DBX), and Sharjah International (SHJ). 8) If your looking to travel to Asia on a budget I would HIGHLY recommend looking for flights with Chinese carriers as they all seem to be offering extremely cheap fares at the moment. When looking at flights between Europe and Asia or the Americas and Asia, fares on Chinese airlines are frequently 50% or 60% cheaper than all of the other competition. Embrace layovers (and the journey as a whole). Obviously when traveling you pay a bit of a premium for comfort and convenience. Which is why learning to appreciate layovers rather than dreading them is an important part of being a budget traveler. Many people fear layovers and do all they can to avoid lengthy stops in the middle of the journeys. Yet, from my experience the cheapest fares also come with the craziest itineraries. While seeing a 40hr trip itinerary with a 15+ hour stop over in a random city can seem like insanity at first, try to see this as an opportunity rather than a burden. In fact, some of my favorite travel days have been on long layovers. A few years ago when flying between Tokyo and New York, my itinerary included a 24 hour stopover in Seoul and another 10 hour stop in Taipei. Despite the trip itinerary being over 50 hours long, by spending the two stop over days exploring Seoul and Taipei I was able to turn this into an amazing experience. Even on long layovers where I was not able leave the airport, I have often been able to make them pleasant enough. Just last month I had an overnight layover in Beijing and despite having to sleep on a random sofa somewhere in the airport, I was able to get about 5 hours of sleep. This was followed by dim sum and Chinese noodles for breakfast. All in all, not bad. Track Your Spending (Especially if you're going on a long trip) Whenever I set off on a new trip I always have a good idea of what my finances are looking like and an even better idea of what my budget for a particular trip may be. However, what is difficult is holding yourself accountable to not go over the budget you have set. Backpacking hot spots tend to be affordable especially when viewed in comparison to the United States or many European countries. While low prices are certainly a perk of traveling to many places around the world, this can create an illusion where it feels as though you're not spending money at all. Herein lies the danger as the little purchases absolutely add up. This is particularly true when you're going out to eat multiple times a day and having drinks after dinner nearly every night. I for one have definitely been guilty of getting to the end of a week traveling only to realize that I am hundreds of dollars over budget for the week (and subsequently going into extreme budget mode the next week) . Thus, I highly recommend people to track their spending down to the smallest purchases while traveling. There are various apps you can download which will help organize and track your spending, I have used and would recommend TravelSpend . However, I have actually found the easiest and most effective way for me to track my spending is by simply transcribing my daily spending into the built-in 'notes' app on my phone at the end of each day. This is as simple as it sounds, as seen in the photo below, my method is not very complicated. An example of my expense tracking during my trip to Thailand. It is okay to have some chill days Budget traveling is an exercise in getting over fomo (otherwise known as 'fear of missing out' ). Whether you're traveling for a week or 6 months. Typically, the amount of time we spend traveling is finite. This creates a sense of pressure to do as much and see as much as we can everyday we're on the road. In an ideal world we would be able to see and do everything. Yet, aside from this style of lightning pace travel being exhausting. The fact is fun activities and excursions are expensive. My advice would be to research some interesting activities you would like to do while traveling, but don't make yourself beholden to do every single thing you saved from instagram. Take some days to just hangout at the hostel. It's free to sit around the common area shooting the shit and making friends with people. In fact, some of the most fun I have had traveling and best friends I have made are from what most would consider unremarkable days. However, a word of caution: hanging out in hostels usually involves drinking and frequently a lot of it. Whether I was in Nepal, Guatemala, Thailand, or India drinking is always one expense that quickly adds up. Along with activities, accepting its okay not to go out every night is essential for travelers on a budget. Save on food when possible A few years ago when I was living in Europe as a broke post-grad student. I decided to take a three-week trip to Greece over winter vacation. Truth be told I would estimate that I only had about 1000 euros in my bank account at the time. Not a ton to be leaving for a three week trip on. What this meant was that I really had to account for every euro I spent. I did this by spending virtually no money on food for the entire trip. For breakfast and lunch I would go to the local supermarket in the morning to buy a couple tangerines, fresh bread, and feta cheese. For two meals this would cost me about 5 euros. When dinner time came around I nearly exclusively ate gyros from street vendors which typically would come in between 3 to 5 euros for a wrap (at least back in 2021). While this might seem a little crazy to some people and I understand there are people who travel to certain destinations specifically for the cuisine. Back then I really just wanted to visit Greece and see the beautiful nature the country had to offer. Going to local grocery stores for the majority of my food rather than restaurants was simply one of the necessary measures it took for me to make the trip possible. Get of the Instagram path Places become famous on Instagram for a reason and I will not dispute that just because somewhere is a tourist hotspot means that it cannot be cool. The issue is, usually the most famous locations in a country also tend to be the most expensive. This is why I am a firm believer in A) doing your research and finding some lesser-known destinations and B) being willing to throw out your plans and go with the flow if a local or someone knowledgable on the area gives you a recommendation on a place to visit. On my three week trip to Greece, I had broken my trip up to where the first half of my trip would be in the mountains in the north of the country. After which I traveled down to the island of Santorini in the south of the country for the second half of the trip. While both destinations were certainly incredible and worth visiting, the lesser known and visited north was cheaper with the local economy being far less centered around all things tourism. Mountain views in Northern Greece Travel in the off-season (especially if you do insist on hitting up the insta-famous spots) Piggybacking off of my last point, there are some damn cool Instagram famous spots that are absolutely worth seeing. However, again as previously mentioned, these spots can be pricey, even in counties with reputations of being cheap. One example would be the temples of Angkor Wat located in Cambodia which levy a 40 usd entry ticket to most foreign visitors. With that in mind traveling in the off-season has many benefits and one of those benefits is that it is much easier to find budget friendly deals during the off-season months when compared to peak tourist season. On my visit to Santorini, an extremely popular summer destination. I decided to pay the small Mediterranean island a visit in December. What this resulted in was that I was able to book an air bnb which typically would go for 220usd per night during the summer, for 80 dollars a night instead. Another positive was that Santorini, despite being a notoriously over-crowded destination was absolutely deserted in the winter. During my stay on the island I completed the famous 10-kilometer Fira to Oia hike. While this hiking trail would have normally been chalk-full of tourists also completing the famous walk, on the day I did the hike I saw a grand total of three other tourists the entire day. Off-season 80 dollar a night air bnb Hostels, hostels, hostels For the uninitiated hostels can have a bad rep, and there certainly are some sketchy hostels around the world. That does not mean they are all bad. The the contrary is quite true. If you do a bit of research hostels can provide you excellent value for money. Personally, in terms of booking hostels I do 99% of my bookings through the 'Hostel World' app. Hostel World is an excellent resource to use as it easily organizes all potential stays and allows you to look through reviews from other travelers that include criteria such as cleanliness, safety, comfort, social atmosphere, location. Through Hostel World you are also able to see how many people have stayed in every listed hostel, which helps in giving you an idea of how popular a hostel is. Understandably, staying in a shared dorm with strangers can be an uncomfortable proposition to some. However, choosing your accommodations is really where you can save a ton of money. For example, on my trip to Nepal two years ago, on average I paid about 2usd (yes two dollars) a night for accommodation. I was in the country for six weeks and during that six week stay I would estimate I spent about 250 dollars TOTAL on accommodations. You just can't beat that. If you are someone that absolutely cannot fathom the idea of staying in a shared room with other strangers, hostels also usually offer private rooms that are often ( but not always ) cheaper than any hotels in town. Ditch your clunky suitcase and downsize as much as possible Get over the fact that you might not always have your nicest outfit on for every travel photo. While I like to have cool photos to post as much as anybody, one thing I will not do is do so at the expense of having to pay extra baggage fees. After completing numerous backpacking trips I have gotten to the point where I have devised a bit of a system. My goal when packing is now four to five t-shirts and four to five pairs of shorts, one pair of pants, one hoodie/sweater, and one pair of casual shoes as well as a pair of hiking shoes. In addition, something that I have started doing when hiking in places with cold weather is buying bulky jackets once I arrive in the destination right before I start hiking. In places like India or Nepal you can buy a decent quality winter jacket for about twenty bucks. On the other hand over-weight luggage could run you one-hundred and fifty dollars. If you are going to be taking multiple flights throughout your trip this can add up quickly. I've found the magic weight you want your bag to be before leaving on a trip is right around 7 kilograms or 15 pounds. Bag packed for a 3 month trip to Cambodia, Thailand, and India Time It's okay to prioritize yourself Money is valuable. The one commodity I would argue that is more valuable than even money would be time. Unlike money, you can never get time back. This is where the value in time lies, in relation to our lives time is utterly finite. Thus, we need take advantage of the time we have to do the things we want to do. So much of our lives is already spent working, every measure to prevent wasting the free time we do have should be taken. I say all of this to say there will rarely ever be the 'perfect' time to go on your dream trip. I am lucky in the sense that I do not work during the summers. Most people do not have this luxury. I would guess that the average working age adult has two to three weeks of time off from work each year. That would add up to roughly 25 weeks or six months of time off per decade. Frankly, this is not a ton of time, which means you should treat every second of your time off as a precious resource and use it to do the things you want to do. There is always going to be a birthday, wedding, family/friend gathering, or something else going on that conflicts with your travel schedule. My advice is, as hard as it may be it is okay to tell your friends and family you won't be able to see them or be in attendance with them at an event or occasion from time to time. If you have the time to go off on an adventure, then do it ! Don't be afraid to go alone To continue off the previous point, waiting for the perfect time to travel just for yourself is already hard enough. Finding the perfect time for you AND your friends can be nearly impossible. If you have a trip or adventure you've been wanting to go on, don't let the fact your friends are busy stop you from going. I love my friends, but solo travel has given me some of the most fun and rewarding days of my life. While traveling across the world alone can certainly be nerve inducing, particularly if you have never done it before, it is full of opportunity. For one, there is no discussion on what the itinerary for the trip will look like or what the day to day activities are going to be. If you're solo traveling you get to chose what you want to do everyday. On top of that it is so easy to make new friends solo traveling. While staying in hostels or out on tours, or pub crawls, there are many opportunities to meet new and like-minded people. In fact, as I said before, some of the best friends I have made in my twenties were made while out solo-traveling. All this to say, traveling with your friends is fun, but don't let their schedules and lives hold you back from going on the trips you want to go on. Just go for it !