New Adventures In Backpacking

A 4am start meant that I don’t even recall leaving New Zealand for the last time. The only part of the flight I can recall is the bump when the plane hit the tarmac at Sydney Airport.  As my plane taxi ‘down the runway I looked out and marvelled at not only a clear blue sky but planes parked up from Singapore Airlines, Philippine Air and British Airways.  Never had I been so happy to see aeroplanes.  One thing New Zealand does give you is a sense of isolation from the rest of the world and the sight of all these aeroplanes meant that this space boy was back on earth.

It’s became quite apparent that 99.9% of the people who read my blog have never met me so a brief history lesson is required.  Almost four years ago now I made my first ever solo backpacking trip to Australia on a working holiday visa.  Five months of that year were spent in Sydney.  I utterly loved my time there and for a long time mourned my departure and had often thought of going back to live there full time. 

I had such a wonderful two days in Sydney.  It really showed its best side to me and reminded why I loved it so much.  The hot winter sun certainly helped and I loved taking a trip down memory lane with a stroll down King Street into the ever funky Glebe, down past China Town and onto the madness that is circular quay.  Stopping for a rest at the Sydney Opera House outdoor bar, I sat there for a good hour enjoying a few cold beers and soaking it all up.  Words cannot describe how happy I was to be back in Sydney at that point. 

A walk round the botanical gardens and a few last tacky shots of me in front of the Opera House topped off what was a perfect afternoon, good good, great weather, seeing an old friend and one of my favourite bands the eels even had the courtesy to be happening to be playing in town that night.  It was a day that was almost too good to be true

I spent the next day mauling around my old neighbourhood of Newtown.  People used to tell me when I lived there that it was Sydney’s version of Camden but I have since lived in Camden and the last time I checked Newtown was not full of McDonalds, Starbucks and crappy chain bars full of pretentious middle class kids dressing like whomever flavour of the month was.  Camden has nothing on Newtown.  I also managed to spend more on clothes in two hours there than I did in my entire time in New Zealand.  Which was zero and it wasn’t because I was on a budget either.

 I was sad to leave Sydney yet again but I am confident I will be back one day and that I won’t be leaving. As sad as I was to leave my friends my friends in Wellington I am also glad I waited to leaving NZ to come to Sydney and not just a weekend away as the direct comparisons would have made for a depressing journey back.

Sun, fashion, music and the feeling that I have not fallen off the edge of the world.  How I have missed this.

See you soon Sydney.

Tags: Backpacking Sydney, Botanical Gardens, eels., Newtown, Sydney Opera House

With just 48 hours in Bangkok and a big trip to Myanmar ahead of me
I wasnt really in the mood for adventure in Bangkok. This was my sixth visit now I was happy to chill out and pamper myself silly. There
is not a better city in the world to treat yourself.

My self-service day started with a trip to the dentist for a check up. This is my first visit to the dentist since, well my last pamper day in Bangkok. People think I am joking when I insist I only ever go to the dentist in Bangkok but given how hard it is to get registered by a dentist in the UK and that I tend to move around a little too much to make it worth my while I always nip into to my regular dentist in Bangkok any time I am here just for a quick check up. The dentist surgeries in Bangkok are far cleaner and modern looking than anything I have seen in the UK. They even have TV screens for me to watch Thai soap operas on whilst the dentist poked around in my mouth before giving me a good boy sticker.

A former work college recently underwent 600 gbp worth of dental treatment back in Edinburgh. I bet I could get a flight to Bangkok, get the same surgery done and pay for a few days in hotel in Bangkok for the same money. If I could be guaranteed the same incredibly hot dental nurse I wouldn’t even think twice about it. A check up, cleaning and whitener (it’s probably industrial strength bleach!) cost 12 gbp. The hot incredibly dental nurse was free.

Next stop was the hairdresser at MBK, with the stylist giving me his opinions. He took the task of remodelling my dishevelled backpacker mop very seriously before settling on a first stage mohawk look (think a brunette Sonic the Hedgehog). Shampooed, conditioned and massaged, I looked a million bucks, and all for the cost of 8 pounds. On the way home a tuk tuk driver shouted ‘Hey sexy boy!’ Money well spent!

Then it was off for a facial. There are facial treatment places all over Bangkok, and to be honest with the amount of pollution there it’s no surprise. 30 minutes and 8 different types of facial treatments later, including having my face caved in by cucumbers (weird feeling!), I was only 4 gbp poorer.

Next up was the traditional Thai massage which is the staple of any visit to Thailand, and otherwise known as lazy man’s yoga. I must confess to enjoying having someone else pressing and bending my bones, whilst I just lay there. Whilst the word ‘massage’ usually triggers thoughts of relaxation and enjoyment, a proper Thai massage will leave you gasping for breath and gritting your teeth with pain, but you do feel much better after it. A Thai massage in the UK will set you back anything from 40 gbp upwards. It can cost as little as three pounds in Bangkok. On my first trip to Thailand I think I had one every day. A word of warning / advice depending on who’s reading this (I mean you Gavin), if the person giving you the massage looks like she may offer you a happy ending, she probably will.

So there you have it. Free of all the stresses and strains of backpacking, looking and feeling great, and all for a mere 27gbp.

I love Bangkok!

Tags: Backpacking Bangkok, Bangkok, Thai Dentists

When I was in Guatemala back in 2008 I sat next to a fairly eccentric Dutch guy on yet another long windy bus journey. Inevitably we got talking about travel as you simply have to when you meet a stranger travelling. Turns out he had been a tour guide a few years previous and had really racked up the countries at the age of 36. He told me that it was his aim to have visited fifty countries by the time he was forty. This seemed to me an excellent ambition so I scribbled down all the countries I had been to in the past few years at the then age twenty six and decided that it should be my aim to get to thirty countries by the time I am thirty.

It seems an odd ambition but it has really driven me to continue to go new places instead of visiting my old favourites. I shared this ambition with a wonderful friend of mine at the time who was sitting on the exact same amount of countries at a slightly more advanced age and we have been competing to get to thirty ever since. I am delighted that I will be reaching my landmark 30th country at the time of publishing this blog a whole 4 days quicker than her.

The first foreign country I ever visited was Spain aged eight; I doubt there is a person alive who was born in the UK in the 80’s who wasn’t taken to Spain on a package holiday by their parents. In times before Ryanair and Easyjet Spain was the destination of choice to most working class people in an age when people used to walk into travel agents and book holidays. A bizarre thought now I am sure you will agree.

The destination was Playa Den Bosa in Ibiza in 1990. I still remember my first ever flight, the hotel, the kids club, riding the mechanical bull in a bar on the beach, Italia 90 every day. My Dad taking me to see Germany celebrating winning the World Cup and then a squad of English people rocking up and throwing bottles at them. Now that I think about it I remember that holiday more than some of the boozy holidays I had in Spain when I was in my late teens. Given that they were in Magaluf and Benidorm it’s probably not a bad thing. I spent a lot of holidays in Spain up until I was about twenty two. If the Canaries and Baleric Islands were each countries in their own right, I’d be closer to forty countries by now.

China in 2004 was my first real travel experience. A holiday that came out of nowhere that which lit the torch paper. This was pre Olympics Beijing, before the big clear up. I saw very few tourists out and about and any time I was at a tourist attraction like the Forbidden Palace I was mobbed by Chinese tourists from the countryside to pose for photo’s with them. They probably had not ever seen a European man with peroxide blonde hair and loud dress sense or a tall female with Sideshow Bob style red hair! I do remember being at the Great Wall of China and taking some time to myself and being mystified as to how a guy from a council estate in Scotland whose previous holidays had been trips to Benidorm found himself to be standing on one of the world’s greatest landmarks in China of all places. For the first time ever I realised if I wanted it bad enough, I could do what ever I wanted to. Sadly this trip took place literally a few months before I got a digital camera and all my photo’s were destroyed in a flood. I would give anything to have those photo’s back.

In 2005 I sat at a friends leaving party before she went over to Australia for a year on a working holiday visa. I wasn’t even aware that you could do such a thing so easily. If she could do it, so could I, so a couple of days later I handed my notice in at work and booked a flight to Australia. and five years on, here I am at country number thirty.

Here is the run down of where I have been. I should point out that stop overs in airports and transits straight through countries don’t count

Spain
Portugal
Greece
France
Ireland
Finland
Norway
China
Belgium
Germany
Singapore
Australia
USA
New Zealand
Thailand
Laos
Malaysia
Sweden
Trinidad and Tobago
Venezuela
Colombia
Guatemala
Mexico
Holland
Denmark
India
Nepal
Cambodia
Vietnam
Burma

As you can see I have barely touched central and eastern Europe nor been to Africa.

Forty before forty should be a walk in the park!

Since I have booked my trip to Burma I have often been asked why?  It’s an understandable question given it really isn’t known for tourism and any news that ever comes out of Burma tends not to show the country in a positive lights. Once I booked my flights I had to ask myself why I am going there.

It’s a step into the unknown for me. I wasn’t expecting this trip.   I have been gifted ten extra days to get home so it was a spur of the moment decision.  Every trip I have ever done has been planned months in advance and organized like a military operation.  It feels great to have a trip appear out of nowhere.

It’s also quite apparent to me that as far as backpacking goes.  This may very well be it.  Of course travel will always be part of my life but it’s time to  move on from the now approaching five year traveling cycle that I have been on to concentrate on other aspects of my life. I want to go out on a bang.

Burma is the least traveled country of its South East Asia neighbours. Infact only 200,000 tourists went there last year.  That’s half a million down on Laos the second least tourist destination in that area. There is a boycott on traveling here supported by the UK and American Governments. A large percentage of the money spent by travelers here makes its way back to the ruling military junta. People have pointed out to me that Burma is politically unstable but so has Thailand since the military coup of Thaksin Shinawatras democratically elected government in 2006 and tens of millions of tours have passed through the passport controls of Thailand since.  Even as I go there now there is a chance that there may be a curfew in place but not one person has questioned my decision to go there.

I am also from the UK.  Involved in an illegal war, financial Armageddon.  under constant threat of foreign and home grown terrorism whilst under control from the second government in a row that we didn’t vote for. Hardly stable. Of course I am not suggesting that visiting Burma and the UK have the same risks.  Just highlighting that if you want to find negatives for reasons not to visit a country you will find them.

There are steps I will take to ensure that I am a conscience minded traveler. I consider visiting any part of the under devolved world a risk but feel it is important to maintain a source of income and resources that support locals as well as minimizing the money that will go to Junta. Tourism is one of the few industries accessible by ordinary locals that offer income and communication to the outside world. The Junta run state TV and media and restrict internet freedom to such websites as Hotmail and Facebook making it very hard for locals to develop there own thought on the outside world,  Tourist going to places like Burma have a responsibility to open up the world to these people just as the people of Burma can open up my eyes to their situation.

It could have been very easy for me to spend my two weeks in Thailand and visit places that I haven’t been to yet which mainly consist of the west coast beaches.  I am not a beach person, though I may regret saying that as I head to Burma in the height of the wet season and leave a New Zealand winter to join the start of a UK winter.

There was also the temptation of spending a few days pampering myself in Bangkok and heading  up to my favourite South East Asian destination Chaing Mai and just vegged for a week but then I would just be repeating myself and I would look back and be quite disappointed  in myself and probably consider it the first step to becoming on the many sad old European guys with mullets, tight sports tops and 80’s short with socks and sandals that appear to have gone on holiday to Chaing Mai in the early 90’s and never went home. 

Three of my favourite traveler friends have been to Burma and loved it.  Dave and Angela  whom I seem to follow around the world rated it as the highlight of their trip. There blog from that trip is well worth a read.  I met Sarah a Belgium girl on a night bus in Thailand  a few years ago and hung out there for four days together.  It turned out her flight to Burma was the same night as my flight back to Europe so we even went to the airport together.   She was there for 6 weeks volunteering mainly and loved every minute.  I requested a postcard from Burma from her and she was good to his word and sent me a spectacular postcard which I still treasure to this day.   If Burma is good enough for Dave Angela and Sarah then it’s good enough for me.  You can read about Dave and Angela’s travels in Burma here.

There is also the small matter of my achieving my thirty countries before I am thirty which will be the feature of my next blog!

Wish me luck.

Tags: Is it safe to go to Burma, Why go to Myanmar

This blog really isnt backpacker related post. It concentrates on the things that I noticed whilst living and working in New Zealand and speaking to many people who have moved from the UK and Ireland to New Zealand. Living in New Zealand has many positive aspects but like everywhere has it’s downsides.

Here are some of the things I wont miss about living in New Zealand.

Being so far away

This is an obvious one, almost to obvious as I was well aware that New Zealand is 23 hours away on a flight with an Eleven hour time difference.  However four years ago I lived in Australia and it didn’t bother me one bit but boy do those extra two hours make a difference.  Too many weekends wasted from staying up late night watching football.  Too many bleary eyed Monday mornings after a Grand Prix.  Too many jaded early morning phone calls at late night UK time.  Quite depressing to come to work and check BBC World news at 9am and nothing happens between then and you leaving the office.   In New Zealand while you sleep.  The world lives.

It’s not just time, Living in New Zealand makes you think you may have just dropped off the end of the world.   Bands don’t come here,  Films take forever to get released here (if they come out at all)  I am aware that New Zealand isn’t the most boring country in the world but at least if you live in Switzerland you can nip over to Germany or Italy when you fancy.   Milton Keynes might be a terrible place. At least it has a Ryanair Airport.

Cost

Even before the credit crunch I have always had the impression that New Zealand and Australia has been held in a false pedal stool by working class people looking for a better life.   I have spoken to couples who have brought there families here expecting it to be the land of milk and honey. The filming of the Lord of the Rings in New Zealand must have roughly quadrupled the number of British people who fantasise about the country as a place of mystery and beauty to which they long to escape Whilst it was nieve to think that, It is still the general impression that this is a ‘better life’ since this is what was preached to us in the early days of emigration when New Zealand was billed as a Better Britain.     Wages are low in New Zealand.  In my industry I could have expected to earn 30% less than I did doing the same job for the same company. 

It’s not just wages, Costs of items like electronics .Cosmetics Clothes are extremely expensive here. The later is of very poor quality at high prices. Fashion in New Zealand is awful and I better stop as it’s probably a blog on it’s own.  Food shopping and every day items cost a lot more than in Europe.   It stems from a severe lack of consumer choice.   The best way I can describe it to my friends in the UK is imagine before going on holiday you have to buy Toothpaste, Medicine and all those other little things.  There is no Superdrug, Semichem.  All that’s there is Boot’s and their prices.

Boring

New Zealand promotes itself as the adventure capital of the world, Bundy jump, Sky dive, Luge,  you name it, you can do it here.  Which is great if you’re a tourist but when was the last time you came home from work and thought I might do a good old fashioned bungy jump to help me relax? In reality living in New Zealand is quite boring.    What about the landscape, surroundings, terrain and views? Oh yes, they’re all charming, dazzling, lovely, spectacular. However hillls and rivers don’t hide the fact that New Zealand is essentially the dullest place I have ever lived.  Wellington where I have been based for 5 months is meant to be a cosmopolitan city but busting is isnt. It’s pride and joy is Cuba Street which has a few nice café’s and a few Ops shops which is all fairly funky but not something you wouldn’t find in any inner city suburb in any other second class city.   Go out of the city and into the towns and look how busy the bars and restraunts are past 9pm.  All round New Zealand look how many people my age (late twenty something) are out and about.  It’s hardly any because at my age in New Zealand you are either already married or have left for overseas.   A guy in met in my hostel told me they came here for a change of lifestyle but felt like he had moved into semi retirement.  I can’t put it any better than that.

Sometimes living in New Zealand reminds me of what it was like to grow up in the UK in the 80’s. In small towns everything closes very early. In major cities it’s hardly much better.   Forget anything opening on a public holiday, Most pubs are closed on a Sunday.  Late night shopping? They haven’t heard of it here.   Yes, I know that this is how it is in many places around the world, but come on people! New Zealand’s main source of income are tourists, so do something about it. If I arrive late at a small town and just want to buy something to eat in a supermarket, why shouldn’t I be able to do that?   Public transport and the lack of it after 6pm is a real pain as well.

Cold houses

Property in New Zealand be it renting or buying, compared to that in UK, is cheaper but less well built.  Oddly many homes seem to be constructed for a much warmer climate and so if you are on the look out for a rental home or a house to buy make sure you pick one with central heating and insulation as the climate in NZ is certainly not Mediterranean by any stretch of the imagination. Sadly such accomidation is few and far between and at a premium.   I don’t know anyone who doesn’t go to bed with a extra heater on. Inevitably cold houses lead to damp houses.  I have spent night’s in houses where it is curiously colder in the house than it is outside.  

Rugby Culture

I am fed up of having it rammed down my throat by the Kiwi media and people in general about how much they love their Sport.

The All Blacks they symbolise everything I didn’t like about New Zealand, beer belching idiots, Farm and carboys idolising maniacal baboons undertaking homo-erotic acts.  It’s not that New Zealand is alone in having such types following sport but at least they actually bother to go to the games.  Watch any game from Southern Hemisphere’s Rugby version from the Champions League and you wont sell full stadiums, or half full stadiums.   These games are played on a weekly basis in empty stadiums.    Wellington Phoenix who apparently Wellington go mad for in the A-League. Average attendance is around nine thousand in a thirty thousand capacity.    I was at sporting events in what can be considered a fairly full stadium and the majority of people seemed more interested in dressing up, getting drunk and starting Mexican waves at key points in the game.

Ask a New Zealander to tell you something interesting about their country and they will mention scenery the All Blacks and they’ll probably come up with the America’s Cup. For the uninitiated, this is a yacht race.   The country has been living off this piece of sporting success for years.  Who cares!

Tags: Moving to New Zealand, Things I dont like about New Zealand, Things I wont miss about New Zealand

This blog written by me first appeared on RunawayJane a few weeks ago. Today is my last day in New Zealand so I thought it was only fair that it joined the rest of my blogs about New Zealand.

Fair well New Zealand. It’s been fun.

For me one of the best things about travelling after an extended period time, is to stop off in a city and work a little, raise your funds for your next trip. This gives you the opportunity to get a real feel for a city, the people, and the way of life. I have been fortunate enough to live and work in Melbourne, Sydney, London, and most recently Wellington, New Zealand, for the past 6 months.

A lot of my opinions are shared not just by backpackers however, but my friends and co-workers who have left Britain and Ireland to come live here. This is my observations of what people should expect when they come here to live. So before I get labelled a whinging pomp. Here are things I will really miss about living in New Zealand.

Coffee

Although I had heard that Wellington, New Zealand had a bit of a coffee culture, little did I know how seriously Kiwi’s take their coffee. Just about everywhere you go; the coffee shops, the cafes, the bakeries, the restaurants all seem to do a pretty amazing job with coffee. There are also quite a few espresso stands, espresso carts and trailers and since just about every café here serves hand pulled espresso drinks, I would venture to say that Wellington probably has way more espresso serving places per capita than anywhere else in the world… but this is just my own unscientific observation. At Wellington airport, I counted more than six coffee shops within my view of the departure lounge. To put it into perspective, the coffee that I order at the local megaplex cinema chain served to you by the same guy that serves you popcorn and watered down soft drinks is miles better than anything I have tasted in the chain coffee places that pollute the UK high streets. Also, if you are in a pub and you just asked for a coffee they won’t stare at you like you have two heads.

If you are in Wellington and love your coffee, checkout Aro street coffee house, Enigma, Ernesto’s, Café Italiano and Havana Coffee.

My mornings will never be the same again!

Good Food / Eating out

Eating out in New Zealand is very affordable. Whilst the sort of people who like getting dressed up and talking about the ambience or the décor of a restaurant instead of the actual food will be very disappointed, the food is very vey good. There is a big café shop culture here and they heavily out number actual restaurants, but the food all tends to be to the same high standard. It is also possible to eat a pub meal that would put most pub’s in the UK to shame. There are no microwave jockey’s here. There is no dress code, fancy décor and posh glasses, just good food that is affordable to almost everyone, with no stigma about taking your kids out. Whilst the overriding amount of takeaway food is Asian, there is a large variety of foreign influences as well as the famous Kiwi Fish’n’Chips, all of which tends to be cheaper that actually going to the supermarket and buying the food yourself. I found whilst I was staying in a hostel in Wellington that it was much cheaper and more convenient to buy a $10 (4gbp) curry from the local Malaysian place than it was to go to the supermarket and cook it myself.

Anyone who knows me will know how much I love my sushi, but I could never dream of eating it every day in Europe due to the cost. Well here in Wellington it is possible for me to spend $12-15 dollars (5 GBP) and have a very Wasabi happy stomach every lunch time. I haven’t even got enough space to go on about the wine and cheese here too! I am not a massive meat eater mainly because I am very sceptical of what I am actually eating when it comes to meat. I was born in the 80’s in the UK and there is not a country in the western world that would accept my blood in fear of me giving them the human form of mad cow disease. Here in New Zealand whilst you are outside the city you will see large quantities of healthy looking livestock in fresh green fields with acres of spaces to graze as they like. They don’t have to make a big deal of organic food at the supermarket here. There isn’t an alternative, and in turn I have tasted some of the finest meat and eggs I could ever wish for at a relatively low price.

Kiwi slang.

While the accent is sometimes a mystery to me (they do sort of chew on their vowels), I found Kiwi slang, somewhere between Aussie bushman and California surferdude, to be most amusing. It’s not every day you hear a fiftysomething, otherwise dowdy woman say “choice!” or “bonus!” to express pleasure or approval. At first I found it hilarious but as time went by I found it very endearing. I will never pronounce Fuish’n;Chuips any other way!

Scenery / Landscape

I don’t need to tell anyone how beautiful New Zealand is. I will really miss the variety of landscape they have here from the green, lush rolling hills of the North Island, to the beautiful beaches and stunning mountains of the South. I will miss the feeling of space, in the South Island especially. It is so easy to get out into the wilderness and feel like you’re the first person to tread there since… Gandalf. And to still make it back to town for Eggs Benidict and a flat white. Even in the capital city Wellington, you are no more than a twenty minute cycle from the Red Rock’s, which feels like you are on the moon or the coast lines of Miramar, which on a good day could be confused with the tropics.

Work/Life Balance

I recently read an article reporting surveys that show people living in New Zealand find that they have more free time to spend as they wish than they have ever had before. Working hours are shorter, and there is more to do outdoors and within the community outside of work, so this makes for a very good work/life balance. The people I work with always seem to be doing something or going somewhere at the weekends. The amount of people visibly running and cycling is noticeable compared to the UK, and from my own experiences work places actively encourage better work/life balances by subsidizing sport clubs and team events.

The rat race doesn’t exist here. Even Wellington CBD, the capital cities leading business district, lacks hustle and bustle. It’s very affordable to live in or around the city centre so people can walk or cycle to work. I don’t know anyone at works who’s commute is longer than 30 minutes. If you are commuting it tends to be from one of the coastal suburbs where you can view the magnificent coastal scenery all the way into the city.

The Northern line at 08:15 on a Monday morning this is not.

So there you go, all the things I will miss about New Zealand…

Tags: Coffee New Zealand, Eating out New Zealand, Things I will miss about New Zealand

One of the great things about stopping off in a city be it for an extended break or to work a little is the ability to explore the destination in great depth, meet a few locals and get a real feel for the place. I have been in Wellington for the past six months now and have tried to explore every nook and cranny as they here. I have written a list of things to do whilst in Wellington that is not the obvious visit Te Aro and the go on the cable car type list which is perfectly fine but here is a bunch of activities you probably won’t find in the Lonely Planet (disclaimer – I have never looked at a NZ Lonely Planet)

Red Rocks

A short bus journey from central Wellington, is balmy Owhiro Bay. One of the jewels of our south coast. See the Kaikoura Ranges, which weigh down the nearby South Island, and chat with coastal birdlife. Head west towards the local landmark, Red Rocks: the supposed site that Kupe’s daughters cut their breasts, in anguish over their legendary father’s presumed death. The protected area is equally revered for the pongy fur seals, which lounge along our brown-crumb coast. This is an excellent walk which gives you a real sense of space. There are a host of nice cafes at the start of the route if you want to make a day of it.

Watch or join the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra

I’d seen the Ukulele Orchestra play and enjoyed it very much but my friend Rachel went one step better and joined them! She kindly wrote down some of her experiences for me.

What better way to get culturally happy and chase away the NZ winter blues than to join a beginner’s workshop to learn the ukulele, with none other than the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra? Not only do you get to play the happiest instrument alive, but the members of the orchestra actually teach you. You might think the crazy kiwis teaching the course would get sick of hearing 50 odd people strumming off beat and asking random questions, but they somehow manage to keep a smile on their faces the whole time. They even welcome silly questions by awarding you with a gold star for your efforts. It also helps that the workshop happens in a tramping club with fake flowers adorning the stage at front. At the first lesson there was a little girl who must live next door, marching outside with her powder blue ukulele chanting about how much she wanted to play. If that isn’t incentive, I don’t know what is. Even as a traveller, carrying around the tiny instrument feels like nothing, and is sure to delight all your backpacker mates.

Te Aro Farmers Market

Going to the supermarket is an expensive affair in New Zealand, A lack of consumer choice and high import fee’s means that it’s very hard to go to your local supermarket and not spend more than you had hoped. The Victoria Street Farmers’ Market, with around 35 stalls, takes place at its location in the Victoria Street car park every Sunday that ensures that in nearly all cases, the produce comes directly from the grower or producer – which often means lower cost and fresher produce. Markets place much greater emphasis on quality and organically grown produce, or at least growing methods that don’t rely too heavily on chemical fertilisers or environmentally unfriendly practices and you save some money.

Watch Backbenchers live

Across the street view of parliament buildings and grounds The Backbencher Pub and Cafe is literally and figuratively the heart of political satire in the Capital. The walls are dawned by impressive spitting image like figures on Kiwi politics and it’s a nice place to go for a drink or two. Backbenchers are a politics show that is filmed before a live pub audience every Wednesday. What’s particularly good about this show is that it’s open to the public and anyone can go along and watch. It covers both Kiwi and world affairs so you don’t have to worry about not knowing who the people are. Even if you have no interest in politics it’s interesting to see how live tv is made. Audience participation is sometimes mandatory so be prepared to be thrust onto live national tv. I’d liken it to sitting in the front row of a comedy show. This is a very Kiwi experience. MP’s and TV people stay at the bar after to the show to chat. Could ever imagine British MP’s, random members of the public mixing together on live tv?

Hot Yoga

Wellington is packed with yoga studios more so than any city I have lived before. I’d taken up yoga last year after a nasty sports injury left me with the mobility of a 60 year old man and found the results invigorating. Hot Yoga or Bikram Yoga as it otherwise known was a new concept to me and I was keen to give it ago. The yoga room is heated to 34 – 38 degrees. At first it’s a nasty shock to your system but heat and humidity soon become your friend and in short time feel almost feel bullet proof. Be prepared to sweat like never before but afterwards you will feel completely refreshed. If you are completely new to Yoga is fairly simple as long as you have the stamina to stand the heat. I would consider this one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Your first lesson is only $6 NZD and it’s a unforgettable experience that you won’t be able to replicate elsewhere.
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Freyburg

Even when I am traveling I like to keep fit and in Wellington there is a host of different option to keep fit on the cheap. Freyburg sports complex is based on the sea front on the Oriental Parade side of the city. For a mere $9 NZD you can use their Olympic size swimming pool. Spas, sauna, steam room, fitness centre and aerobics studio. A very cheap way to spend an afternoon. The basic monthly rate for me was a mere $60 NZD which when I was living in the hostel was the perfect place to come and relax and have some time to myself.

Tags: Backpacking Wellington, Freyburg pool, Red Rocks, Things to do in Wellington, Wellington Hot Yoga, Wellington Ukulele Orchestra

I have finally reached that point in time where it is time to head off on the road again. The time when my last pay cheque has hit my account, when sensible people would think about putting the money away for a rainy day or a first payment on a mortgage (never gonna happen), the time when my bank balance looks so healthy that I am expecting a call from my bank asking me in for some coffee and biscuits over a chat about an ISA. Most importantly, the time when the money will only decrease and I will spend the next few months studying my internet banking religiously.

The money that you save for months disappears relatively quickly even before you have started your trip. Despite this now being my fifth big trip I’m always shocked by the hidden costs that you don’t really take into account when you start planning a trip. Backpacking is the cheapest form of travel, but only once you get to your destination can you finally start to live on a small budget. In reality it’s quite an expensive lifestyle.

Flight costs. My flights back home from New Zealand via Asia in total cost around $600 GBP, even booked with relatively short notice. This was booked after painstakingly trawling through all the cheap airlines I know and try to match them up. Most British backpackers head off to Southeast Asia or to Australia and New Zealand. A quick search on Expedia shows that the cheapest flight on the same day, leaving from London would cost me £560 to Bangkok, £820 to Sydney and a massive £1,316 to Wellington. Of course you could fly to Auckland but no one in their right mind would want to go there. I booked my series of flight via Emirates (they had a sale on), Air Asia and Ryanair If you are lazy then you will pay top dollar.

Then there’s saving money. I’m always asked ‘How much money should I take?’ I think it’s different for every person. Are they a high maintenance backpacker? Have they experienced backpacking before? Where are they going? I remember I took a lot of money to Australia on my first trip, but I have no idea what I did with it all but I had a good time. I do now know that only a year later, with a lot more experience and confidence to boot, that the money I spent in two or three months in Oz would have lasted six to eight in Southeast Asia.

Before anyone goes travelling, they know that they will have to pay for flights (always book one way folks) and take their savings money. But in the past week or so, doing everything that needs to be done I am reminded of how many hidden costs are involved before going on a big trip. Tonight after work I went to Boots (other pharmaceutical companies are available) and purchased what I’m sure you will agree are basic essentials for undergoing a trip such as this.

Sunscreen – £8.99
Alcho-Hand gel – £2.99
Razor +2 razor blades – £8.99
Shaving Gel – £2.99
Multi vitamins – £6.99
Shower gel – £1.99
Moisturizer – £3.99
Cleanser – £2.99
100 mg Ibuprofen – £2.69
Insect repellent roll on – £4.99
Roll on deodorant – £2.99
Toothbrush – £2.99
Toothpaste – £1.99
75ml Shampoo – £1.99
75ml Conditioner – £1.99
Wax ear plugs – £5.99

Total £65.00. Nasty, huh?

Then of course there are injections required for going to certain parts of the world.. Fortunately I have most of them from previous trips and it only cost £22. However, bear in mind that if you want to go to South America you MUST have yellow fever injections, In India you require Anti-Malarial tablets which cost me $40GBP

No backpacker should leave home without some form of travel insurance. Whilst I have never been robbed or lost any valuable possession it’s something that has to be considered something that will one day happen to you.

My tip is to shop around and compare a lot. A simple search on Google for ‘backpacker insurance’ will list a whole load of website offering backpacker package. Unfortunately these website are praying on people to lazy to shop around. The first 3 websites on Google didn’t offer me a package cheaper than £140 a year. My bank can offer me an identical policy for £70. It is quite importance when getting travel insurance to read the small print and understand what you need to do if you want to make a claim before you go. I found this out to my cost in Australia when I was told I possibly had a blood clot in my lung, three days before a long haul flight to America and needed an emergency scan there and then. Because I did not pre advise my insurance company, despite having a doctors report and a receipt they would not pay the £560 out. That hurt my trip to the States a lot!

Whilst one of my pet-hates about traveling are people who tote around clutching the Lonely Planet like a born again Catholics about to meet [the pope] they are very handy books. They contain excellent maps for any city worth visiting and good information on hostels and places of interest. That being said, I will always go to a bar that has a sign that highlights it was definitely not recommended in the Lonely Planet. A Lonely Planet for any major tourist country will set you back £18. Pretty expensive, but I wouldn’t want to arrive in Burma without one.

Even backpacking is a highly technological affair and I would not travel without a hard drive with all my files backed up. Having experienced the pain of an mp3 player failure half way through a year long trip without any back up I will never make that mistake again. My portable hard drive cost me £50, which once again seems a little unnecessary, but to me my iPod, pictures and files from travelling don’t have a price.

Most non-European countries require a visa before entry. Most give you a free tourist visa that allows you to travel without working for three months. India however does not, and my visa cost me £37 for six months unlimited entry as a tourist. But anyone traveling to Australia on a working holiday visa for a year can expect to pay around £120. New Zealand was a slightly cheaper £80.

And then there are the little things I needed to get. Head torch (£10), first aid kit (£8), money belt (£4), small padlock (£4), big padlock (£15).

Whilst this is all starting to sound rather expensive, I’m grateful I’m not starting from scratch again. A good backpack is a costly piece of luggage which will set you back anything from £80-£120 depending on the size. I urge that you do not cut cost on a backpack. The entirety of your possessions are in there, you have to carry it for a while, and cheap ones tend to be very uncomfortable and fall apart easily. You won’t feel so smart about saving £30 when all your stuff has fallen out after being tossed around by baggage handlers, nor when your legs and back ache from carrying it everywhere.

Nor do I have to buy a sleeping bag (£20) Swiss Army knife (£15), pay for a new passport like I did last year (£80), nor do I have to buy a new camera (£80-£150); I advise taking a good camera if you want to take good pictures. I took a cheap camera to Australia. I have cheap looking pictures. I certainly don’t need any new clothes. I highly advocate that before backpacking not to buy nice clothes. You won’t need them for starters. However, it doesn’t matter how new or nice and expensive they were when you bought them as after two months of being stuffed in your backpack and being washed in hostel washing machines or at local laundries you will want to burn them and never see them again.

Whilst writing this blog, I have started to total up how much money I have already spent from my savings.

Maybe I won’t be getting that friendly call for tea and biscuits after all

Tags: cheap flights, Cost of yellow fever injection, the cost of pre travels, What to buy before going travelling

With more restaurants per head than New York, Wellington has plenty of choices when it comes to great places to eat. Below are the ones that I have tried and liked/loved. I ate out a lot whilst I stayed in Wellington so I have quite an eclectic list; but they all have two things in common, cheap but tasty. A main meal in any of the below restaurants would not cost any more than $20 NZD. Places like Delux and Fidels are just considered coffee shop but happen to serve some of the best food.

If you are on extreme budget and don’t want to sit and eat noodles in the hostel every night there are a few options. There are quite a few Malaysian take aways in town that offer really cheap curries. I have picked Satay Kingdom (below) as the best of them but they were all well worth the cheap price I was charged. Alternatively the BNZ food court on Lambton Quay has an excellent range of food stalls selling food from around the world for hungry office workers but after 3pm and close to closing time it’s possible to pick up a curry and rice for $5 NZD. Likewise in the Reading Cinema complex on Courtenay Place there are Asian buffet restaurants that will offer an $8 NZD plate come close to closing time that could feed an entire family. If you are not on a tight budget but don’t want to spend too much money I highly recommend the following.

Sweet Mothers Kitchen.

I adored Sweet Mother’s Kitchen. The atmosphere was very upbeat, service was very friendly and energetic. Food is particularly good with a mix of Cajun and Creole dishes, plus Mexican snack food. Every one should also order the curly fries. It’s a real testament to a dining establishment when you can hang about for hours and not even notice the time slip by. Everything that is right in eating out in New Zealand is summed up in Sweet Mothers. No reservations, no dress code, students, older people, kids, couples every demographic can be spotted there. The food is delicious, the music was classically cool and the staff are wonderfully attentive and the guy with the dutch boy haircut who always wears his Cliff Richard t-shirt behind the bar never fails to make me smile.

Catch Sushi Bar

This place has a sushi train, and offers a good variety of fresh sushi. A perfect spot if you’re by yourself or with one other and very reasonably priced.

Planet Spice.

Fair enough you have to go out to Newtown and risk being stabbed or worse having to speak to a local someone from Newtown but Planet Spice really is worth the hassle.
I consider myself a bit of an Indian connoisseur having spent a few months in India and eaten curries all round the UK, including in Brick Lane Bradford Manchester and Glasgow so trust me when I say that Planet Spice isn’t just the best Indian in Wellington or New Zealand it’s easily the best Indian restaurant I have been to in Australasia. Indian food in this part of the world is a very drab affair with predictable dishes served in a school dinner style two scoops style. Planet Spice has a stunningly good menu with a different variety of specials on every night which have never failed to impress. What really makes it stick out is that it takes advantage of the great seafood available here resulting in a mix of Indian sea food even I have never tasted the likes of before.

Divine curries. Absolutely delicious and very authentic tasting. Service friendly and quick, throw in a bit of BYO with some friends and you have all the ingredients for great night out. Definitely recommended.

Chow

A friend recommended this one and I wasn’t sure if I would like it but overall it is a good casual spot for dinner. The food is a selection of very reasonably priced Asian dishes; Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and Indian. Perhaps a good choice if you’re not sure what you feel like eating. Not to mention the fact that on Monday nights it’s two for one mains.

Phu Thai Esarn

Phu Thai Esarn Restaurant is probably Wellington’s most loved Thai place. Based on the bottom Kent Terrace these days there was an outcry when it closed for a month when it moved from its original Margery Banks locations. They offer food as good as anywhere I have tasted outside Chiang Mai. Infact the Tom yum goong soup is the best I have ever tasted every where. Not only is the food delicious and reasonably priced but it comes in quite large portions and the staff are typically Thai and could not be more helpful. Just try and stop them fill your glass every two minutes! Great place.

Deluxe Café

This cafe on Kent Terrace has to be one of the best I’ve ever been to, a great spot for vegetarians with options like fresh salads, pies, and roasted veggies. The staff is really friendly and actually seem to enjoy working there not because they have but because they like it. The salads are excellent and the art’s always interesting. I love every dish I’ve ever eaten in there and loved the old and newly refurbished décor and great all around vibe. The photography and art on the walls are well worth a look and can be purchased in the café. A contender for the best coffee in Wellington . Home of the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra which is known to play concerts there at 8am in the morning.

Satay Kingdom.

Satay Kingdom is the backpackers friend. Located right in the heart of Cuba Street, I had countless yummy takeaways from here. Everything vegetarian cost less than 10NZD which meant I could eat a yummy healthy meal for cheaper than going to the supermarket and buying everything individually, not to mention saving valuable drinking time. It’s just a pity that they don’t sell beer, but everything else it’s just perfect for people on a budget. At Satay Kingdom the fish sambal is drool worthy.

Ernesto’s

Located at the corner of Cuba and Ghuznee street from the outside it looks quite up market due to it’s 50’s Cuba style décor but the prices are very reasonable given the high quality food on offer. The cheese board was a firm favourite of mine and when I had a cheese craving it was the first place I headed to. No self respecting backpacker can sit in a hostel and eat fine cheese while your mates eat noodles and pasta everyday. The staff are extremely helpful and polite. Red blooded males will enjoy the employment policy at Ernesto’s. Another great place just to go and have coffee and watch the world go by.

Fidels

This is a bit of a Wellington icon and quite rightly so too, the food here is excellent. This includes both the menu and their cabinet food. There are veggie and vegan options available. Fidel’s serves Havana coffee which is a decent brew of coffee, to go with possibly the best eggs Florence I have had in New Zealand. I always found it the perfect pre-night out meal or a good meeting point for friends.

Regardless of your budget. There are no excuses for not having a very happy belly here.

Tags: Backpacking Wellington, Best places to eat in Wellington, cheap food Wellington, Cheap places to eat in Wellington, Chow, deluxe cafe, Fidels Cafe, Phu Thai Esarn, Planet Spice, Sweet mothers kitchen