Published by Johnny on January 25, 2012
For many people, your time at university is the three most memorable years of your life and following the conclusion, many are often left at a loose end when it comes to moving on to the next chapter of their life, time to tie that loose end up folks cos the best days are still waiting for you….
Many graduates will try their hardest to enter the jobs market but with the market destroyed and your backpack calling your name it’s time to saddle up and hit the road.
For those planning to hit the open road and country hop for a few months but have no idea where to go and what to do, listed below are 7 of the best things I experienced on my first trip overseas (aside from Machu Pichu which I had to add in cos it’s so amazing). A word to the wise though some of these activities require notification/extra cover to your travel insurance provider, you don’t want to be left to count the costs should the worst happen. Specific backpacker or annual travel insurance packages can be purchased which often take into account some of these activities:
Tubing in Vang Vieng, Laos
Vang Vieng is a tiny but important destination in Laos and, while you’re there, you definitely need to go tubing. This is where you get to sit in an inflated inner tube and see some of the amazing sites. There are gorgeous views of the mountains, as well as stops for beer, diving and more. I did this a couple of months ago and although it’s not real traveling, it’s not to be missed!
Full Moon Party in Thailand
If you head over the Laos border into neighbouring Thailand, you should certainly check out a full moon party. Koh Phangan in south east Thailand is a great place for this and the party takes place every full moon with up to 20,000 people attending each one and you’ll typically find DJs, food, drink and an all-round good time. Hit up Hat Rin beach for the main party but try to sleep elsewhere, that place is madness!
Snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef
You have to be careful when it comes to snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef as the coral is particularly delicate and very well protected (and rightly so), but this is definitely one of the best sights in the world and so if you go to Australia, it’s more than worth a visit.
Sky Diving in New Zealand or Australia
Once you’re done with the Great Barrier Reef, you could then head over to nearby New Zealand which provides activities for all kinds of thrill seekers. Sky diving is exciting no matter where you do it, but in New Zealand where there are sensational lakes and brilliant views wherever you go, it’s even more special. Make sure to save a bit of extra cash for this, I paid $330 for my sky dive.
Walk the Inca Trail in Machu Pichu
If you’re going backpacking in South America, one of the best things to do is walk the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu. The trail goes through the mountains over a river and, while it takes a few days to complete, it’s certainly worth it and the views are gorgeous. This is still on my list, so I thought I’d share the dream with you guys.
Watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat
If you want to see an amazing sunrise while you’re backpacking, one of the best places you can go is Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Angkor that was built in the 12th century and it’s still stunning today. Rent a tuktuk early in the morning (4.30am), make sure you have an early night too because it’s a long, long day.
Gorilla Trekking in Uganda or Rwanda
Finally, one of the coolest things I’ve ever done! If you’re hoping to take in some amazing wildlife, gorilla trekking in Uganda is a great option. You’ll be able to go camping and see not just gorillas but many other animals in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and surrounding areas.
 Me in Rwanda with the Silverback People draw up bucket lists when they’re too old to truly enjoy them, don’t make the same mistake. Write your bucket list, hit the road and start living the dream. Happy Travels!
Tags: Backpacking, bucket list
Published by Johnny on April 20, 2011
To explore the world is a gift which the majority of the world will never have the opportunity to do, and that’s something I try never to lose sight of. When I meet people in impoverished countries around the world, they smile from ear to ear when they hear about where I’ve been and I enjoy sharing my stories with them, but so frequently the conversation ends with “Wow, I wish I could travel like you”, and pangs of guilt strike me every time. I should say that I’m an all or nothing guy, I truly believe you have to know pain to know pleasure, so strong emotions make me who I am. That being said the guilt I mentioned made me self reflect on other emotions I experience when I’m on the road.
1) Sympathy/Empathy/Pity: Walking the streets of India, Rwanda, the Philippines or wherever seeing so many people on the streets begging with a look so sorrowful in their eyes that you find yourself reaching for your wallet every 5 minutes. You can only see so many disabled, so many homeless, so many children crying at your feet before it affects you. I always assumed I would get hardened to it the more I travel but the truth is that the more I travel, the worse I feel for them and the more I feel the need to help.
2) Exhilaration: This can come in different forms. Naturally, bungee jumping in Macau or sky diving in NZ will exhilarate us and that’s awesome, I live for that stuff. But also I’m talking about the feeling when you’re in a new country or a new experience and you get that sense of realization of “Holy sh*t, I’m actually in X”. I got that a lot when I crossed Sydney Harbour Bridge every day in Australia on the way to work, I would see the Opera House and have to shake myself to prove that I was actually living and working in Sydney, amazing!
3) Fear: First of all, you need it – if you don’t have it, you’re probably an idiot. Secondly, the relief of coming out the otherside is a huge high! Fear strikes in different ways, and managing it when you’re on the road has a real benefit for your life. If you’re irrationally scared when you’re traveling, you simply won’t cope so you get over it and that lasts with you forever. If it’s not irrational and you think your drunk bus driver is probably going to kill you, then use the fear, get off and enjoy the rest of your life.
4) Love: Definitely a strong one. Love hits you in different ways on the road, love for a country, love for your old friends and family, love for your new friends. All of it is awesome, to break your comfort zone and find love in something you’re either doing now or missing from back home is a great thing, so go with it. Some people go their whole life without it, and traveling breaks down so many barriers you’ll find in it some form on the road, you can almost guarantee that.
5) Disgust: Coming from the West, being confronted with cockroaches andrats while you’re eating on the street can take a bit of getting used to! Bed bugs and lice in your mattress isn’t ideal either. But hang in there, the feeling won’t last for long (I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing…
I remember staying in a hotel in Sudan that looked really nice but after discovering lice, bedbugs AND a nest of rats we fled! 2 weeks later my mate was talking about some nice hotels we found in Sudan, I confronted him and said “You mean the one with the rats and bugs?!” and he said “Yeah, apart from the rats and bugs, that place was pretty nice for the price”. Hmmmm, not sure what that says about him, or me, but the ‘disgust’ had clearly long gone.
6) Exasperation/Frustration: I must admit I suffer from this a lot!
- “How can food literally take 90 minutes to cook”?!
- “When I ask how far, I’d like a distance or a time, ‘quite far’ doesn’t tell me much!”
- “If you know it’s going to be 3 hours late every single day, change the estimated arrival time to 3 hours later, that’s much better than everyone thinking you’re late all the time!”
I could go on but I think you get the picture! Traveling teaches us patience for sure, it just takes some of us a little longer to learn it that others.
7) Appreciation: I challenge anyone to hit the road and not come back feeling more fortunate for what they have in their lives. If you’re even reading this article then you’re more privileged than 92% of the world in that you can read and you have access to the internet. We should never forget that.
8) Enjoyment: Simple I know, but seeing and doing things out of the ordinary every day is something very special. It’s fun, exciting and most of all it’s enjoyable. We probably feel this more than anything, I almost omitted it because it was so apparent but sometimes the truth lies in the most obvious places.
9) Loneliness/Independence: OK OK i know these are two different emotions but I think they are inextricably linked, perhaps one morphing into another as your (first) trip goes on. Loneliness is something that every traveler experiences, you see a beautiful sunrise and look around but noone is there to share it with, you wish so much that your friends or family could be there so you could appreciate it together, that’s normal. But as you travel something clicks in your mind and you realise that sure it may be true that “happiness is only real when shared“ (Alexander Supertramp), but there’s genuine value in experiencing the world on your own. Facing up to whatever it throws at you and coming out stronger on the other side – that’s independence.
I’m sure you guys can relate to a lot (all?) of this and if there’s anything else you can think of please go ahead and leave it below. Life would be boring without the ups and downs and backpacking brings us more than our fair share of those. Happy travels.
Tags: Backpacking
Published by Johnny on March 15, 2011
People often email me and share their concerns about going traveling, which is entirely understandable – I did exactly the same thing before I set off in 2006. A common concern from Generation ‘Y’ers, whether directly out of school/university or career-breaking in their twenties, is that when they return to the ‘real world’ that potential employers will shun them and their vagabonding ways. I always tell them that the truth is probably quite the opposite.
 Traveling doesn't hurt your career prospects, if anything it enhances them Ok so you’ve got your degree or you’ve worked in an industry for 2,3,5 years but you’re itching to see the world. You’ve heard the rumours of Thai whisky buckets at a full moon party, or the bums on show on Copacabana beach. You’re fed up seeing your mates’ skydiving videos pop up on facebook and you want some of that lifestyle yourself! BUT… you have that nagging doubt…
- “I can’t quit just my job”
- “what if I cant get another job when I come back”
- “who’s going to want to give me a job when I tell them I’ve been unemployed for the last 15months”
- “I can’t just have a blank space on my resume/CV for a whole year”
 This time next year you could be seeing sunsets on the other side of the world! Right, time to get serious guys. First of all – traveling is awesome, I mean really awesome. Of all the people I have ever met traveling (well in excess of one thousand people) only one (ONE!) has regretted traveling. More than that, the vast majority has said it was the best time of their lives. So before we even deal with the fear and worry about employers, jobs, resumes lets just take a second to appreciate that. Here you have a chance to potentially have the best time of your life, something you’ve wanted to do for years, something that perhaps in the near future may not be possible (mortgage, young kids, car repayments etc), a chance to experience cultures and see sights that you’ve only ever seen in the movies – where you wake up in the morning and don’t know what country you’ll be in that night, every meal time is an adventure, it’ll positively change the lens through which you see life, help you appreciate what need and, more importantly, don’t need. Ok stop digressing Johnny! Lets deal with the employer situation.
 A stint overseas may be exactly what you need to reinvigorate your career “You can’t just quit your job”. So politely yet firmly ask for a sabbatical, explain your situation with them. If they grant you your career break/sabbatical, thank them profusely and pack your bags. If they deny your request, and your heart is still fluttering from continent to continent, then do you really want to work for a company that would hold you back. . If the job isn’t enough to keep your mind from wandering overseas, then is it really the job for you? Remember: – that’s only your job (of which you’ll have many) BUT this is your life (of which you’ll only have one).
So, you don’t want to “leave a gap on your resume”? You don’t want to seem as if you’ve “been unemployed for a year”? Completely understandable, so don’t! When you’re home, and applying for jobs write your corporate experience and then write, with pride, what you’ve been doing for the last 6,12, 18 months. You’ve been white-water rafting the source of the Nile? Wow! Teaching English in Korea? Awesome! Volunteering in Peru? Amazing! I challenge any employer not to be impressed by that. These are the things that set us apart from our rivals, nobody wants a grim, grey, drab employee – they want the youthful candidate who has the work experience, then the life experience, and has returned with a renewed vigour in the workplace – sell it to them, because it’s true!
Passion is the lifeblood of our youth so let’s live our lives with passion, do what we want, be impulsive and enjoy the consequences. Do it while you can because you’ll never be as young as you are tonight. Good luck and happy travels J
Tags: Backpacking, lifestyle, traveling, work
Published by Johnny on March 14, 2011
At 4,095 (13,435ft) Mount Kinabalu is the tallest mountain in Borneo (20th tallest in the world) and to normal backpackers and travelers alike, takes around 2 days to summit and descend. After conquering the mountain, prepare to have your ego dented as you leave, with the world record times for ascent and descent proudly displayed at the exit – the current men’s WR is 2 hours 30 mins, honestly when you’re sweating at 10,000ft, on your second day, you will quite simply not believe that!
 Amazing view from Mount Kinabalu peak HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CLIMB MOUNT KINABALU?
Anyway, let’s get down to business. The burning question. My answer is, as always, not as expensive as the internet suggests AS LONG AS you wait until you’re in Borneo to book it. You can book the whole package which includes all the fees listed below to minimize hassle.
 Coming down Mount Kinabalu It cost me, after guide fees, dinner, accommodation, transport and food (in 2009) 400 Malaysian Ringgits which was about $130 USD. The fees have now gone up again, with rumours of further increases still. These fees are broken down as:
(These are all unavoidable)*
Park Entry – RM15 ($5 USD)
Climbing Fee – RM100 ($32 USD)
Insurance Fee – RM7 ($2 USD)
Guide Fee – RM100 ($32 USD), divided by the members of your group. Taking a guide is mandatory and unnecessary – a great combination.
Transport – approx RM12 ($4 USD)
Accommodation – approx RM335 ($110 USD), including dinner, breakfast and lunch
*if you’re a crazy mountain climbing expert, you can rush up and down in one intense day with no need for accommodation, keeping the cost low but I couldn’t dream of this!
So basically If you travel on a tight budget you can climb Mount Kinabalu for approximately RM500 ($160), not cheap but well worth the money.
NOTE: If you read it’s cheaper than this, it’s because the information is outdated! The prices more than doubled in 2009.
 Looking down, from the summit HOW DIFFICULT IS CLIMBING MOUNT KINABALU?
To be frank, it’s no gentle stroll. You don’t need any technical climbing skills
though! The failure rate is around 10% so make sure you don’t fall into that category. If you’re a young, active backpacker you won’t need any real preparation as such but make sure you get a good nights sleep and eat well as you get ready to go. This will be one of the most grueling things you do on your travels, it’s eminently doable but it’s by no means easy. If you’re out of shape, I’d recommend cracking out the walking shoes and do some brisk hiking a month or so before you ascend.
 Climbing Mount Kinabalu can be quite steep! The total climb is only about 9km. The first day you climb from Timpohon gate (1600m) to Laban Rata (3272m) – it’s about 6 horizontal kilometers but takes between 4-8 hours depending on your fitness (I took about 5 hours). You set off from Timphon between 8am-11am and arrive at Laban Rata anytime between lunch time and dinner time.
 You have to do little bit of climbing on the night ascent The next ‘day’ begins at 2am, an early wake up and you make the ascent in the dark. It gets tougher, steeper and the air is thinner so take it slowly. You should arrive at the Low’s Peak, the summit, around 5-7am to watch one of the most amazing sunrises you’ll ever see. It’s freezing up there, so see the sunrise and make a beeline back to Laban Rata for breakfast around 8 or 9am. Finish brekky and head back down the mountain, you should arrive around lunch time.
WHEN IS BEST TO CLIMB MOUNT KINABALU?
Around April is optimum although all year round should be fine. That being said, December and November bring a lot of rain so try to avoid it around then if possible.
WHAT EQUIPMENT SHOULD I BRING?
I’m not a planner so I freestyled it in shorts, t-shirt and adidas trainers, as did my friend, although we got some strange looks from package tour groups of older American and Japanese tourists who were all kitted out like they were about to take on Everst (we paid about 10% of the price they paid so last laugh is all ours muhahahahaha). You can rent a walking pole (read – wooden stick) for RM5 and it’s probably worth it. Bring some warm clothes for the summit morning though, it will reach freezing point so hat, gloves, fleece, long pants and walking shoes are a must (needless to say I had none of these and thought I was going to die of cold in trainers, shorts and a hoody!)
 Me, completely unprepared in shorts and a free hoody. Freezing at the summit, but what a sunrise!  Sunrise on Mount Kinabalu HOW IS THE FOOD & ACCOMMODATION ON THE MOUNTAIN?
Not too bad at all. The food is delicious, the ‘restaurant’ is cosy and has a great atmosphere – with your room booked the food is inclusive, if you want to have a beer ($10!) or anything similar be ready to pay premium for it! The beds are in a dormitory style, single, warm enough and besides, you wake up at 2am so it’s not like you’re there long anyway!
ANYTHING I SHOULDN’T DO?
Don’t book a 3 Day, 2 Night tour – it’s completely unnecessary. I would say book nothing until you arrive BUT if you feel the need to plan ahead (or if you’re on a crazy time schedule like 3 days in Borneo or something mad like that) then only book a 2D,1N option. The additional day and night is a scam which forces you to stay in an average and overpriced guesthouse outside the grounds the night before you climb. Ridiculous considering you can get a bus from Kota Kinabalu city direct to the grounds (90km) for RM10 ($3USD), it takes about 90 minutes and is a beautiful ride.
 Reaching the summit of Mount Kinabalu! If climbing mountains floats your boat check out my posts on the Mount Everest base camp trek and climbing Kilimanjaro  Or if you’re in Borneo, check out the orangutans at Sepilok, amazing!
Tags: Backpacking, borneo, malaysia, mount kinabalu, mountains
Published by Johnny on March 02, 2011
Europe’s gateway to the Middle East or the Middle East’s gateway to Europe, whichever way you look at this fascinating country it’s a sight to behold. Western Turkey has a distinct Balkan flavour and as you move further east you’ll feel the Middle Eastern vibe completely envelope you, Turkey offers a great way to bridge the continents.
 Hagia Sophia in Istanbul Turkey is a hotspot for adventure lovers, it’s developing at an astonishing rate but thanks to the super cheap bus network throughout the entire country – travel here is still affordable. If you’re careful you can certainly get by on less than the backpacking staple $30 per day.
You’ll either start or end your Turkey trip in the city that many people believe to be the capital, Istanbul (Ankara is actually the capital). Here you can forget the strict Islamic laws and party the night away. Once you’ve dealt with your Turkish hangover, head to a haman (Turkish bathes) to sweat it out and make your way down to the Hagia Sofia and be prepared to be amazed. Over then next day or two try to see Topkapı Palace, Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), and Basilica Cistern. Both Fenerbahce and Galatasary play football in Istanbul and their fans and something else, try to catch a game if you can, it’ll be an experience of a life time! Don’t miss out on the Grand Bazaar and bring your haggling hat because this place is intense. Istanbul is the only city in the world to sit over two continents, it’s joined by the Bisphorous Bridge so it have breakfast in Europe, lunch in Asia and dinner in Europe again – pretty cool!
 Galatasary fans celebrating a goal Turkey offers awesome Mediterranean beaches but also hosts an array of winter sports, in fact turkey is a great place for Adventure holidays. Skiiing is a hugely popular activity in the mountainous central area from October through to April, so throw your snowboard in your rucksack and head over there.
Ankara, may not hold the allure of Istanbul but is certainly worth a visit – when there, check out the Hisar, the hilltop castle which overlooks the city, amazing vistas.
The tourist trails then heads to Ephesus which is jam packed full of ruins, one of which is famously one of the seven wonders of the Greek world – the Temple of Diana.
Check out Troy for a host more ruins but by that stage, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be ‘ruined’ out so head back to Istanbul and party on, head to the beaches (Bodrum and Oludeniz being the pick of the bunch and easy to get to from Istanbul) or head to Black Sea turkey which is the centre for more adventure sports.
 oludeniz beach - beautiful, but it gets crowded! All-in-all, Turkey holiday can be what ever you want it to be – hard-core backpacking experience, adrenaline junkey paradise, religious pilgrimage or cocktails and sun loungers. For me, as a hardened backpacker, Turkey is simply awesome and needs at least a few weeks to truly appreciate. Happy travels!
Tags: Backpacking, backpacking in turkey, turkey
Published by Johnny on February 27, 2011
Bangkok’s main airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport, is located around 30km from Bangkok city. If you’re flying into Bangkok from pretty much anywhere, this is the airport you’ll fly into. I’m in and out of this place every month so I thought I’d share some of my wisdom and help you guys avoid getting scammed on your arrival in the land of smiles…
Most backpackers will head to Khao San Road which is found in the West of the city – so when you land in the airport you have to choose how to get there. How muchis a taxi to Bangkok airport? Should I take the bus? Here are your options and answers:
1) Take a taxi – if you do this, make sure you demand the meter to be used, don’t accept any bartering or set fees, it’s the meter or nothing. To Khao San Road from the airport it’s about 400 Baht ($13 USD), to the city centre about 350. The charge is made up from tolls + airport surcharge + the meter, so although the meter may state less, you also have to pay the rest! This takes around 20-30 minutes.
2) Take the Bangkok airport bus – This costs 150 baht ($5 USD) and drops you right at the end of Khao San road, it takes almost an hour but is very convenient (you need AE-2 which goes to Banglamp, where Khao San is found)
3) Take the new Airport Link (train) – There are two options here.
a) Express Line to Makkasan Terminal, near Phetchaburi MRT, runs every 15 mins, costs 150 Baht. Takes about 20 mins.
b) Cityline to Phaya Thai (BTS) station, runs every 15 mins and costs around 50 Baht.
NOTE: However, if you’re headed to Khao San road, then skip these options because you’re still another 30 min cab ride from there when you get off the skytrain.
You’re in no rush to choose between these option as both are found beside each other. Finding your way around Bangkok Airport can be quite tricky but if you go downstairs, follow the signs for taxis and outside you’ll see the taxi rank with a queue forming. If you want to take the bus, walk on past the queue another 50 metres or so and the airport bus stand will be there selling tickets.
If you’re alone, jump on the bus – it’s cheap, easy and you’ll meet people in the same situation as you. If you’re with mates, taxis are cheaper and faster. Enjoy Bangkok!
Remember, to pick up some travel insurance before you hit this crazy city though guys – just bill it to your mum, she’ll be happy to pay 
Tags: Backpacking, bangkok, Bangkok airport, khao san road, Thailand
Published by Johnny on February 01, 2011
To laptop or not to laptop huh?! A tricky question indeed. This is an issue close to my heart, one that thought long and hard about before first hitting the road. Lets look at some of the pros and cons involved with bringing your laptop:
 Some laptop time as I wait for a boat in Malawi! CONS:
HASSLE -. Generally you have to carry it in your hand luggage to avoid some underpaid and overzealous local transport employee hurling your backpack and smashing your laptop into a million pieces.
WEIGHT – Laptops can be pretty hefty and are normally a couple of kgs additional weight to lug around with you
FEAR – For me this is the worst hassle. The constant mental task of trying to keep your laptop safe from theft and damage, it’s got to always be on your mind. Also, the fear of losing all your photos and videos for your epic trip is awful so make sure you keep backing up!
PROS:
ONLINE – With the prevalence of wifi in coffee shops, malls, airports and hostels growing every day – if you have your laptop you’re online in a heartbeat, and you avoid the often extortionate per minute fees some tourist hotspots love to charge
MOVIES – With movie piracy rampant around the world (SE Asia in particular) you can pick up the new releases for under $1 and what better way to avoid hitting the booze for yet another night than settling down with your mate for a bridget jones session The Godfather trilogy
PICTURES – With your own laptop you can edit and upload you pics the same day as taking them, no need to mess around with finding internet cafes to burn DVDs etc. Just find a power socket and way you go
BOREDOM – Believe it or not, traveling isn’t all bungee jumps and foreign beers and many evenings you’re left at a loose end. With your laptop though you’re rarely bored – you can blog, play games, read books – anything to keep your sanity so far from home!
So with that in mind I hope you’re further on in your decision whether to bring a laptop or not. I know a lot of people who wouldn’t dream of bringing a laptop on their travels, and they relish the lack of contact with their normal life. Equally, I know many people who wouldn’t consider leaving home without their beloved laptop. A common solution these days is a netbook– small, light, cheap (can find them for less than $300) although unfortunately I’m an apple convert so that’s not an option for me! I love having my laptop with me when I travel, all the cons still exisit, but personally I think the pros outweigh them. Happy decision making!
Tags: advice, Backpacking, laptop
Published by Johnny on January 31, 2011
As I sit in the airport waiting for yet another jaunt to Asia I got to thinking about the ethics behind long-term travel and lifestyle design in general. I’ve been on the go pretty much since summer 2006 and since then I’ve been home 3 times – that means I’ve left my family, my friends, my country and my culture almost permanently. From a purely egocentric perspective I’ve had the greatest 4 or 5 years imaginable – the things I’ve seen and done, the experiences I’ve been lucky enough to have, the new friends I’ve made throughout the world – all of it has been nothing short of amazing but today, having left my tear-stained mother for the 3rd time at Dublin airport, I thought whether or not long-term travel is ultimately selfish?
No doubt when we travel for so long our families and friends miss us dearly. Of course they’d love to see us more often, more regularly but the lifestyle I have chosen prohibits that hugely – so it poses the question, should we forego the lifestyle we desire for a yearning to do right by the people we love? I often preach about the fact that we only have one life so we must strive to make the most of it while we can, especially while we’re young and I continue to live by that – but is that the right thing to do? Should we (I) do what society expects and live in one country, get a real job and, through that, be infinitely more available to them?
I guess we have to find peace with the decisions we make and I know for sure the people I care about would want me to live the life that brings me the most happiness so, for the meantime at least, I’ll continue to blaze a trail around the world with a smile on my face and be forever grateful for the support of the people I care about most.
Tags: Backpacking, lifestyle, lifestyle design, long term travel
Published by Johnny on December 16, 2010
Lounging in a hammock on a Thai island or squeezed into a minibus with 25 locals for 12 hours, a good book can complement any scenario. Reading another generic John Grisham novel you picked up in the airport might pass the time, but the books I’m going to discuss below will transport you to another world, reinvigorate your thirst for adventure and confirm that there’s nothing quite like being on the road…
1) Shantaram: Set predominantly in Mumbai, India this is a must-read for anyone who is visiting the Asian subcontinent. The plot is based loosely on real life, where the author Gregory Roberts escapes prison in Australia and flees to Indian on a false passport. A series of incidents force him to call the slums of Mumbai his home, where he becomes a local (untrained) doctor. As time progresses he ends up in prison, fighting in Afghanistan, working for the Mumbai mafia – the book is HUGE but you’ll read it as fast as any book you’ve laid hands on.
2) 3 Cups of Tea: Wow! The true story of a true hero, Greg Mortenson, who in 1993 failed to summit K2 (the world’s most difficult mountain to climb), on his descent he was exhausted to the point of collapse when a local tribe took him in and saved his life. In return, he told them he would build them a school to repay them. With the threat of Islamic militants, kidnaps by the Taliban and a host of other problems Greg has now built 131 schools across Pakistan and Afghanistan, educating 60,000 kids – as I say, a true hero and a captivating story.
3) Around the World in 80 Days: Jules Verne’s classic represents the essence of adventure, where the protagonist sets to circumnavigate the globe over a $20,000 wager. From saving lives in India, to avoiding Indians in the US his journey is frought with danger and filled with excitement. Join Phileas Fogg and his loyal servent Passepartout in their manic race against the clock and you’ll understand the joys of travel all over again.
4) The Beach: Alex Garland’s novel was written in 1996, just as Thailand was becoming the hub of the backpacker scene. Long before Mr Di Caprio and Danny Boyle made the title famous from their big screen adaptation, Richard, the main character, was running amok around Khao San road, Bangkok, Thailand. As rumours build about this idyllic beach, Richard and a French couple decide to set sail for the mythical paradise. On their eventual arrival, they soon discover that this hidden community deal with issues in a different way to the ‘real world’ and their new backpacker scene is a lot darker than the one they left in Khao San.
5) Life of Pi: A truly wonderful novel about a young boy who is stuck on a floating shipwreck for 227 with a fully grown Bengal Tiger, called Richard Parker, a hyena, a zebra and a orangutan. The plot explores religion, survival and spirituality in a unqiue manner and the storytelling is second to none. Naturally, I won’t ruin the story but I found the ending to be one of the greatest endings to any book I have ever read. Have fun.
OK guys, if you’re setting off on a trip currently vagabonding around the world or harbouring desires to hit the road – get out your reading glasses and indulge in these babies.
DISCLAIMER: Should you be at home when you read these, I (Johnny Ward) hold no responsibility for you quitting your job immediately and attaching yourself to your backpack
Tags: Backpacking, books, books to read when you travel, india
Published by Johnny on November 30, 2010
Bangkok, Thailand’s fabled capital, is frequently the first stop for round-the-world (RTW) trippers and certainly features heavily in many long term travelers histories but what is it that draws in the hordes exactly?
Well, first off Thailand is cheap (not as cheap as it once was but you can still eat a 3 course meal in a snazzy restaurant for under $10), then there’s the culture, the cuisine, the climate and of course there’s Khao San road. Khao San road, which now represents a series of streets, is a place in downtown Bangkok where backpackers and tourists are immediately drawn to from when they first touch down in the airport.
 Khao San Road - the backpackers' mecca
Like any self-respecting backpacking hub, Khao San road (pronounced Cow San road but more often referred to as Ko San road) caters to every tourists need and unfortunately that can be half the problem! Don’t get me wrong, if you’ve been roughing it in India, or grinding out the corporate hours in your home city – Khao San is a welcome respite and your sure to have a memorable time. When I refer to the good, the bad and the ugly –Khao San has all it all. In abundance.
So what’s so good about Khao San? Well, it’s a great place to meet people especially if you’re a solo traveler, there is an endless supply of new friends to meet and greet and people are very open to random conversations. You’ll also easily find people to continue your travels with – North to Chiang Mai, South to Malayasia or East towards Cambdoia or Vietnam so if you’re looking for travel buddies, you’ve come to the right place.
Also, it’s cheap – cheap food and cheap booze, a huge drawcard for the thousands of backpackers who descend upon Khao San weekly. The party atmosphere is great and every night there’s something going on so if you’re ready to cut loose, Khao San is waiting for you. Furthermore, if your backpacking attire is looking a little rough around the edges from too long on the road this is one of the greatest places in the world to replenish your struggling wardrobe. Diesel jeans, havianas, quirky tshirts – Khao San has everything, and for a snip of the normal retail price just don’t ask about the authenticity of your new goods
So that’s the good, sounding pretty cool right?! Yeah and it is, even more so if its your first time but it’s not all cheap whisky and $2 Raybans… Let’s look at the not so good, the downright bad and the ‘inyourface’ ugly side of Khao San. Sure it’s cheap, but with the cheap booze and dark lighting comes a different kind of bargain so if seeing scantily clad ladies propositioning you (or your boyfriend) each evening then steer clear. I’m trying to stay off my high-horse here because I love Thailand with all my heart (hence me ‘settling’ here temporarily) but the sheer volume of sex tourists who blatingly flaunt their new found catch for the evening is overwhelming. Admittedly Patpong is worse for this but Khao San isn’t far behind. I don’t want to get into the discussion about legalized prostitution but what I will say is that I find something wrong (offensive?) with an overweight, shirtless 50-something stumbling around like he’s never tasted alcohol before clutching his teen ‘girlfriend’. Leave that for the hotel please mate – no-one wants/needs to see it.
Hearing another Thai hawker approach me with “Alright mate, you from London?” in a thick cockney accent does my soul no good either. Thai culture is a precious thing and one that we should appreciate with their good natured hospitality, warm hearts and endearing smiles – why then people insist on adopting an accent and a personality from another country is beyond me, but as anyone who has traveled through Thailand I’m sure can testify it’s not cool, but then that’s Khao San for you – love it or leave it.
Ok, that’s my rant over (almost). Maybe I have been in Thailand too many times and the tourist scene has jaded me but I wanted to share with you my thoughts on Khao San. By all means, check it out, party hard, meet some cool peeps but don’t stay too long guys – remember it for the good times not the bad or ugly ones.
 Tags: Backpacking, bangkok, khao san road, Thailand
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