A short guide with valuable information and advice to anyone planning a long-term journey. It covers both the trip preparation and on-the-road advice, from health issues, transport, accommodation, luggage, clothing etc.

1. A SHORT GUIDE TO
LONG TERM TRAVEL

2. GETTING READY
If you are taking a sabbatical or have a few months free
after college or in between jobs to travel around, some
preparation is needed before taking off.
Here is a basic list of things to consider apart from the
ones strictly related to flight tickets, which I won’t
cover because most people are nowadays very good
at researching and booking these by themselves.

3. Your Health
As soon as you have decided you are going, speak to your doctor to get advice on the
vaccinations you might need in the countries you are planning to visit. Some vaccinations
need several shots given at specific times, so don’t leave it to the last minute. For my long
journey through Asia, I was vaccinated against typhoid, hepatitis B, Japanese B encephalitis
and rabies (first three shots).
In regard to malaria, for the first part of my trip I took doxycycline daily, which I believe is the
best option for long stays in affected areas. Besides, doxycycline is cheap and easy to find
while traveling. However, I didn’t take any pills for the second part of my trip: during my three
months in India (during dry season), and short stays in Bali, Thailand, China and Japan. Again,
seek medical advice and take into account if you’ll be traveling during the rainy season.
Carry a health kit in your luggage. You can buy one or make it yourself, but have at least the
following in it: first aid items, anti-motion sickness medication, anti-diarrheal medication, anti-
histamine, 1% hydrocortisone cream, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial cream, blister pads or
moleskin, insect repellent, sunscreen, aloe gel, water purification tablets, and condoms.

4. Your Insurance
Travel insurance is a must for everyone traveling abroad for a long period. During my 18-month
journey through Asia I ended up three times in hospital, and without coverage my hospital bills
would have added to several thousand dollars. I used World Nomads, which I do recommend
based on my personal experience.
Your Documents
Scan, email to yourself and upload to the cloud all the important documents you might need
while travelling. In particular: your passport, driving license, travel insurance, and vaccinations
card. Make a photocopy of each and carry them separately from the originals. Take with you
several passport photos for your visas on the road.
There are countries that don’t require visas to people of certain nationalities, others allow
visitors to get the visa on arrival, while some require to obtain a visa before arrival. If your first
destination is one of these few countries, like China or India, make sure to apply for your visa at
home with plenty of time.

5. Your Money
The best way to get money abroad is using a Debit Card. Ask your bank how much you would
be charged for withdrawing money abroad (a 3% is not unusual; shop around for a better deal).
There are ATMs everywhere these days, hence I don’t see the benefit of carrying traveler’s
cheques.
Take at least a couple of credit cards with you to pay for the big expenses you might have
during your journey. Visa and Mastercard are the most accepted credit cards internationally.
Always carry dollars in small denominations with you; they’ll be handy when you cross a
border and have to pay the country’s visa fee in cash or in the unlikely scenario you encounter
some problems withdrawing money from an ATM and need to pay a taxi or a rickshaw to
reach your hotel after a long journey.
I took $100 in $1 bills, plus always tried to have at least a $5 and a $10 bills in my pocket.

6. Your Luggage
A good backpack that fits your body size is extremely important. I would not recommend
buying one too big; I have seen people struggling with huge backpacks when jumping on
motorbikes and rickshaws. The bigger the backpack the more chances you’ll end up filling it
up. Carrying too much weight is not only uncomfortable and impractical, but also not very
good for your body.
For my 18-month trip I took a Deuter Future 42L, and I wouldn’t take anything bigger. It is very
light and has a built-in metal frame to support the weight on your back and hips.
If you are taking a laptop and a camera, shop around for a sturdy and flexible small bag with a
rain cover. It’ll be the small baby you’ll carry around constantly.
I bought a Kata DR 466 for all my camera gear, my netbook, an external hard drive, chargers,
guidebooks, notebook and pens.

7. Your Cloths
Depending on your destination you might need a very different set of clothing. Obviously, it is
not the same going to The Himalayas than to Bali. Regardless, in most places you’ll be able to
get most of the basic cloths you might need once you are there.
As a firm believer of travelling as light as possible, I would only recommend getting at home
the following clothing items:
- Fast drying pants, shirts, t-shirts and underwear
- Light fleece
- Waterproof jacket
- Hiking shoes/boots and sandals
A silk sleeping bag might be useful when staying in cheap rooms that might not be up to
your cleaning standards. I'd recommend one with pillow cover.

8. Your Gadgets
If you are taking your cell phone with you, add to your contacts the emergency number of
your country’s embassy in the countries you are visiting. Some countries even have an online
traveler registration page so they can contact you in case any emergency occurs while you are
there.
If your phone is not unlocked, it might be worth considering taking one with you to use pre-paid
cards in the countries you are traveling (if you don’t have one, you can always get one on the
road).
These days a laptop or a tablet is in most traveler's bag. I recommend taking something small,
light and not very expensive. A 11" notebook worth around $300 is more than enough to write,
browse the Internet and download your pictures. If you are a keen photographer, take a portable
hard drive with you to make copies of your images (don’t carry it together with your laptop!).
Other must-have items are: a headlamp, a pocket knife, locks for your backpacks, dry bags and
zip lock bags.

9. Your Books
Guidebooks are extremely useful. They carry plenty of valuable information about what to see,
accommodation, transportation and health. They also include brief summary of the country’s
culture and history, They can be big and heavy, but the good news is that you’ll be able to find
them on the road easily. So, get just one for the first part of your trip, and get the rest while
traveling. For my Asian adventure, I used Lonely Planet’s Southeast Asia, India, Beijing and
Tokyo guides. The same applies to novels. You’ll find plenty of second-hand bookstores where
to get interesting books to read (at least in English).
Resources
Although there’s plenty of information around about the subject, I’m going to recommend
only one book and one website for you to check out because both are excellent:
- Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts
- www.travelindependent.info

10. ON THE ROAD
You have completed all the preparation and you have finally taken off. Congratulations!
Although it’s time to enjoy your trip, there are some valuable tips that will help you make the
most of your adventure.
VISA
Many countries issue visas on arrival for a fee. At airports the process tends to be straight
forward, but when crossing a border by land you might be asked a different price than the
legally required (don’t forget to carry $ in cash to pay for it). The reason given by the corrupt
border officer usually is to speed up the process. It’s up to you, but I’d recommend not bulging
even if that means following the line.
When applying for a visa before arrival at a country’s embassy, which it can take up to five days,
some officers might also try to offer you an express service for a fee. Again, don’t fall for it.
Border Crossing

11. Common sense is a must when traveling. There’s no need to stress about it, nor to panic about
your safety. Keep an eye on your belongings at all times, as the most common problem is
someone snatching your bag and running away with it. Hence, when sitting to eat or have a
drink, keep your carrying bag between your legs or on a chair from where it would be
impossible for a passerby to take it.
Hotels are in general very safe. Use the hotel’s safe if you want (I never did!). Although I carried
one, I never used my money belt either; I find them uncomfortable. Besides, you might attract
more attention when getting your money out to pay for something, signalling you carry a lot of
cash. Get used to the local currency and use it all the time. If you pay in $ for transportation,
accommodation and meals, you'll end up paying higher prices.
Big urban areas are the ones that require a bit more care, particularly in the evenings. Make
sure to take your hotel card with you to show it to taxi drivers, and only get into taxis from
reputable companies. Be wary of anyone approaching you with a strange request like asking
you to accompany them somewhere. Refuse politely and carry on.
Staying Safe

12. If you travel with a guidebook, always refer to it to have an idea about how to move around in
the country. Buses tend to be the most available option. They are cheap, although they can
be uncomfortable in some places. In those countries with a rail network, take advantage of it
and use it as much as possible. If you want to save some money in hotels and make the most
of your time in a country, travel overnight when possible.
Bus stations can be far from a city center, so you’ll be using rickshaws, tuk-tuks and
motorbike taxis constantly. The first thing to do is to figure out how much to pay for them in
each country. Bargain hard, but politely, the first time to have a clear indication of the lowest
possible price for a particular distance.
Once you know what is an acceptable price, offer it next time you need to hire transportation.
Be firm without being cheap, and remember that sometimes you might be bargaining for just
a few cents.
Moving Around

13. Guidebooks have excellent information about the accommodation available in most cities and
towns, and it tends to be good and reliable. In some cases though, those hotels listed in
popular guidebooks such as Lonely Planet are more expensive than others of similar quality
simply because the traveler’s bible brings them plenty of guests. It’s worth checking nearby
places not listed on your guidebook to compare prices.
Always ask to see the room. Check the bed, the door and the bathroom to ensure everything is
clean and works properly. And remember that many times room prices are negotiable too.
Websites like Tripadvisor and Wikitravel.org are great resources for researching hotels with
up-to-date information.
Most hotels offer to wash up your cloths at reasonable prices, but if you haven’t got the time or
much to wash, just do it yourself in your room’s bathroom. If, as advised, you bought fast drying
clothing, your cloths will dry overnight (unless you are in a cold place).
Finding Accomodation

14. Tasting new food is one of the highlights of traveling, at least for me. In most cases, restaurant
food is safe to eat. All around Southeast Asia, for example, street food is also safe. See where
locals eat and follow them. Stick to the mantra: “Boil it, Cook it, Peel it or Forget it”, and you
won’t have major problems. Only drink bottled water, which is extremely easy to find these
days everywhere.
Eating Out
Shopping
In many places bargaining is part of the culture; don’t feel ashamed to do it. Hotel rooms,
unscheduled transportation, clothing and souvenirs often don’t have a fixed price. Only ask for
price of items you are interested in, and only bargain if you are seriously considering buying it.
Don’t waste people’s time, be polite and figure out as quickly as you can how much you'd pay
for it and the difference between the asking price and your offer because in some countries
with very high bill denominations it’s very easy to get confused and bargain for just a few
cents.

15. Most people in the world are good people. They are as curious about different cultures as you
are. Many times they’ll come to you just to talk and know what country you are from. Many
youngsters love to practice their English with tourists and they might even ask you to sit with
them on a bench to talk for a few minutes. I love that attitude. If you are not in a rush, sit down
and talk to them.
Sometimes people might invite you to their houses. For many it’s an honor to have a westerner
as a guest, even if it is only to drink tea. Be cautious if something sounds suspicious to you;
otherwise, don’t hesitate and accept the invitation.
In the case of street sellers, be polite, smile and say no if you are not interested in buying
anything from them. As for beggars, particularly kids begging in the streets, although
heartbreaking, think twice: giving them some money mostly contributes to perpetuate their
situation. It’d be better to make a small donation to a local charity or NGO.
Interacting with PeopleHello

16. A TRAVEL MEMOIR
"Out of Office... For Good"
About to turn forty, Carlos Peñalba quits his senior position at a
financial software firm in New York City to travel through Asia
for a year. Although his main objective is to explore a continent
almost unknown to him, he also intends to use his journey to
fulfill his dream of becoming a writer and a photographer.
Carlos’s original plan would take him from Nepal to Japan, but
unexpected circumstances force him to alter his route and
extend his adventure to eighteen months. After trekking high
peaks, reaching remote cultures, having some interesting
encounters and taking up vipassana meditation, the end of his
long journey would bring him (where he less expects it)
something much more important than a new career.
Find more details about the book on:
www.carlospenalba.com
All images © Carlos Peñalba Photography
www.carlospenalbaphotography.com