Traveling On A Shoestring Budget

   My name is Ian and I hope to use this blogger space to share some of my wonderful, astounding, and at times dangerous travel experiences with those who are interested. Some people may be amazed (perhaps my friends), while others may be shocked, depending on her/his own past experiences; still others may think, "I have been there."

  Traveling on a shoestring budget is challenging; many times your days do not go as planned. Often you will be inconvenienced by a lie or a naive aid who is honestly trying to help but just does not know what you need to learn. Your looks are important; if you look as though you have very little money then you will attract less people that think they can get it from you. When a traveler needs to watch her/his pennies they may be very hungry or have to sleep in a run down building; but she/he will survive. So often local in hostels, hotels, or guest houses are very friendly to the foreigner who lives like they do (like an equal).

     I found that using a slow train in some countries (cheap) helped to connect with locals; although crowded, the passengers seemed to work as a team. On a fast train some passengers are friendly but many of them are unapproachable and perhaps think their shit does not stink. One of the down sides of traveling on a low budget is the relying on others; one loses control of total independence and at times may feel a bit like a user. It is important to have someone at home whom you can rely on incase your situation gets dire.

    Travel is a great way to meet people, many people that you meet enjoy helping travelers. Writing a thank you letter really helps to keep this generous person in the loop so that she/he keeps the motivation to aid others. Some people you get along with great but only see once, while others you keep running into on the road; a few people I have met have become life long friends. I cannot guarantee a constant stimulus for readers in these blogs about traveling on a low budget but there may be some posts that will intrigue you to read my words more than once.

   One fact that is undeniable is that each persons trip is her/his own unique experience. Try to make the most of every experience and learn from it. Remember that there is a huge difference between a traveler and a tourist. Be honest with yourself and make the right choice; whether to be a tourist, where you go to a destination that has a predetermined itinerary; or to be a traveler who can be sporadic, seek and discover, climb mountains, and roll with the punches.
 
    I hope you will enjoy these true life experiences.

    Ian