A lot of people I talk to about traveling around the world want to know how they can get started. An around-the-world ticket can seem pretty expensive, especially if you don’t have a lot of money in the bank to begin with.
As the New York Times recently pointed out, one of the side effects of this recession is that airfare is cheaper than ever. So if you’ve been thinking of taking a trip abroad, but the initial cost has always made you hesitate, now’s the time to do it.
I saw a one-way ticket from New York to Bangkok for under $800. Once you’ve laid out the money for your flight, you’re there, and the rest is up to you. The deals abound, and not just with airfare but across the board—hotels, restaurants, everything. Why not go to Iceland, where the country’s economic collapse means it’s a great bargain for foreign tourists?1
The global recession may be nerve-wracking, but there’s really never been a better time to travel. This economic climate isn’t going to last forever, though. We may not have hit bottom yet, but we will, and after that, we’ll start to rebuild, so if you want to travel on the cheap, go now.
June 18, 2010 at 7:52 pm
I am a long term Ex Pat, started in Europe in the early 1980s, for traveling in Western Europe I belonged to a Hospitality Exchange (Hospex .. like the ‘Couch Surfing’ of today), however we had no Internet nor E mail then so we basically wrote letters and made telephone calls to keep in contact, in Eastern Europe, I stayed and traveled around with friends and relatives. In 1985 I ws able to leave the USA and resided in Mexico, Guatemala and finally El Salvador. I drove my auto from USA to Guatemala in 1986 and became a guide, interpreter and all around gopher for several years, putting 800,000km. klics or 500,000+ miles on my Datsun (with 4 overhauls), I escorted the very good, good, bad, ugly and very ugly around for years. Saints to arms dealers and whoremongers and everything else in between. My Paramedic training came in handy and slowly but surely learned, one day at a time, the art of survival, Central America is a tough place, you know tougher. I am now putting together a Primer for first time travelers to the Mayan World (Mexico down through Nicaragua)Sorry, Costa Rica is a nice place to visit, have ex pat and Tico friends there, but too ‘rich’ for my blood these days.
I am going to start up a WordPress Bloq and give advices (advice is cheap, experience is priceless)on traveling to, living or retiring in or volunteering, long or short term in this part of the world, interspersed with some of my ‘unbelievable’ adventures in the past, with a sense of humor.
In 1983 and 1984 due to a condition beyond my control, I fell through the cracks in the USA and became homeless in places such as Boston, New York City and Miami, I need a forum, my own to tell it as it is, I have learned far more from illiterate campesinos, prostitutes, thieves, hustlers, dope dealers, people smugglers, illegal immigrants, mercenaries and such than academics with several degrees and titles behind their name. Last month, as I had few expenses, lived on about $450.00. Yes let us talk when you have the time. I enjoy helping people who wish to help themselves.
One thing though about many from so called developed countries such as the USA, few take the time to read, some actually think that I will spend hours online planning their trip for them, some wish insider information and introductions and references to ease their transition. Strange I never get a reply from them after “Come visit me, look me in the eye, shake my hand and allow me to read your bosy languages, pay me and any natives involved fairly for our time and effort on land and then we’ll bend over backward for you”.
At any rate hope your book does inspire people to travel off the beaten path while using common sense and street smarts. I reside now in San Salvador, El Salvador in a quiet middle class area near the National University and am quite content. Hoping to hear from you at your earliest convenience.
Saludos.
Donald T. Lee
Retired
Trade, Travel and Relocation Advisor, Southern Mexico and Central American Region.
Internet Sourcer.
E mail
elsalvadorinfo@gmail.com
Skype
visitcentralamerica
Multi Lingual, able to cross culture in a New York second.
October 1, 2010 at 8:03 pm
I really apologize for not getting back to you earlier. Somehow or other, I neglected to check this site out, and it was only today that I saw your comment. Sounds like you’ve had a multitude of interesting experiences. I really hope you’ll write ‘em down so that people can learn from you. The experience of writing itself can be an interesting activity. Let me know how it’s going and maybe we can knock it back and forth a little.
Cheers,
John Linnemeier