The Nitty Gritty

We’ve gotten several requests for some of the more logistical information behind this trip – some out of curiosity, some looking for references for a future trip – and decided that, since we have it, we might as well share it. We have benefited immensely from many online resources, including other blogs from similar travelers, so it’s exciting to think we might be able to repay some of what we’ve gained. If there is more that we’re missing, let us know so we can add it in! Without further adieu, the nitty gritty details…

BUDGET

A more detailed budget may still be in the works, but for now you can get the gist of it from the top part of this little infographic about the whole adventure.
 

Click to view full size. 

RESOURCES

We’re by no means experts on how to do this traveling thing, but we’ve found the following sites to be particularly helpful. Some are maybe geared more towards our interests, but they’ve all helped shape our experiences for the better in some way or another.

In General…

• Couchsurfing – an amazing community of people worldwide, ready to share their couch, spare bed, or just a bit of knowledge – good for the budget, obviously, but tenfold bonus in what it adds to the experience

• WWOOF – Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, volunteering in exchange for room and board – learning, making friends and again, exponentially increasing the meaningfulness of the experiences in a place

• Workaway – like WWOOF but with a broader focus (ie. not just farming) and a little more web 2.0 savvy, as well as one membership for worldwide access

• AirBnB – a bit pricey sometimes, but with some great deals to be found for non-hotel accommodations

• Kayak – consistently the best flight search (also with a great mobile app)

• Skyscanner – runner-up for some great flight price-hunting. Always best to get second opinions on flight prices anyway.  

• Wikitravel – better (and more up to date) than guidebooks more often than not

• XE Currency Converter – up to the minute exchange rates worldwide

And Location Specific…

• StickyRice – the Hanoi Street food bible

• Nancy Chandler Maps – Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Hanoi…every detail

• Use It Maps – tons of cities around Europe, done by locals

• Reykjavik Grapevine – what’s happening in Reykjavik, in English

• Bangkok Art Map – …as the name implies…

• Everything Budapest – maybe not everything you could possibly want to know about Hungary’s capitol, but pretty close

• Poet’s Corner Hostel – not only was this little hostel in Olomouc, Czech Republic the best of our entire trip, but they also have a pretty stellar resources page that covers the surrounding countries and then some

More to come as we cull the archives and discover new ones…

GEAR

Our goal before leaving was to go as light and lean as possible. This was in part because it’s easier to carry and less expensive to check through flights. It was also partly because, in addition to just not really needing all that much stuff, we were given some sage advice by friends who’d set out before us: if you have a big rucksack, you’ll fill it – if you have a small rucksack, you’ll fill it. We also had to plan a little broadly given that we were going to be in all climates and also working on farms along the way.

We’re not much fans of branding ourselves, nor are we getting paid or sponsored by any companies, so anything mentioned specifically below is only because we really truly love it. If you’re curious what something specific is, drop us a line!