Published by Johnny on April 18, 2011
I love Malaysia, I really do. I just spent a great weekend with some awesome Malaysian friends in Kuala Lumpur, we went to the Formula 1 Grand Prix together – the qualifying session on the Saturday and the race proper on Sunday. I know there’s a lot of money kicking around in the motor sport world and I always thought I’d never fork out all that cash for a sport that I don’t have a true passion for, and then the beauty of backpacking kicks in….
So I have some truly great friends in KL, ones who keep me posted on cheap air asia flights and any other promos running in the area – this one was a real gem! They booked me us the cheapest tickets available for the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix, on a 50% early bird discount so it cost me the grand total of 30RM, approximately $10 USD. That gave us the full 3 day pass (I attended two days) and what a great few days it proved to be. The girls were kind enough to let me stay with them for the whole trip too so this really was a bargain and a half.
Information about the Malaysian Grand Prix
DATES: Normally the second or third race of the season, so around April each year
COSTS: Anything ranging from 30RM ($10 USD, my ticket!) to 11,000RM ($3600 USD). If you want the promo fares you need to book early, failing that you can turn up on the day and get a seat on the grass for a very reasonable 60RM ($20 USD)
LOCATION: The Sepang International Circuit, Sepang. The track is only a stone’s throw from Kuala Lumpur airport so you can connect directly with regular shuttle buses running every 30 mins (5RM, $2). If you’re staying in the city, the track is about 50k from there – you can take numerous buses from KL Sentral for around 8RM ($3) direct to the track, they take about an hour. Or you can take a taxi from the city for around 100RM ($33) which is not a bad option if you have 4 people in your group.
WHERE TO SIT: There are a lot of areas to choose from – the cheapest ticket will give you access to area C3 which is on one of the largest corners, the shape of the track means that the ‘cheap’ seats give you views of 2 sections of track, more bang to your buck there. The cheap seats aren’t actually seats, you simply plunk yourself on the grassy bank – the weather is generally 30 degrees+ but with the crazy Malaysian weather, rain is a distinct possibility, bring sun screen and an umbrella (I brought neither and got sun burnt and soaked, good move Johnny!).
If this $10 experience doesn’t represent the beauty of international travel then I don’t know what does. For the price of a subway meal I got to watch world champion Sebastian Vettel give a masterclass in F1 driving, managed to see a certain Michael Shumacher race in the flesh and, through a friend in Bangkok, got VIP tickets to the FI Johnnie Walker party thrown in too – what a weekend! Malaysia is surprisingly inexpensive, so a trip here could prove to be one of your cheapest holidays yet!
Happy travels 
Tags: cheap travel, kuala lumpur, malaysia, sport
Published by Johnny on November 11, 2010
Taking a picture of you pretending to pick up the Pyramids of Giza must be the most over taken tourist picture in the world…. still it’s a classic isn’t it?!
Egypt plays host to some of the World’s most famous sights and to be honest it’s more of a holiday destination than a backpackers’ hub. That being said, you can travel Egypt on a budget, you can ride camels to your heart’s content, eat falafel’s till your eyeballs explode and still pay entry fees to the sights all for less than $30 a day. Especially if you get a student ID card – you get 50% discount on every sight. (Feel free to contact me about obtaining a student card)
In fact, I would say that Egypt is actually quite cheap to backpack in and with the all landmarks on offer you’re sure to have a great time. If you find yourself backpacking in Egypt, here are the things you gotta see (regardless of your budget!)…
Abu Simbel: You’re not going to want to hear this but Abu Simbel, aside from the Pyramids, is possibly the coolest temple in all of Egypt! The reason you don’t want to know is that it is a mission to get to. Located nearly 300km south of Aswan (which is already the most southern city in Egypt), you’ll need to arrange a bus or tour from Aswan and leave early in the morning (actually, it’s more like late at night as the bus departs around 3am). The sheer size of the Great Temple of Ramses II will wipe away the fatigue from the bus trip in an instant. When you turn the corner to access the temple, there is a tangible ‘wow’ moment when you see the 4 enormous Pharoah statues. Get there early and avoid the hordes of tourists from the package resorts! The entry fee is 80 EGP and 40 EGP for students.
Luxor: Luxor is Egypt. The city centre is a great place to spend a couple of days, you can eat your Mcdonalds ice-cream cone (less than $0.30 and a Godsend in the heat of an Egyptian afternoon) as you gaze at the Temple of Luxor which is found bang in the city centre. You can read all about Luxor and the things to do there here. (LINK!) If you/re ina rush, here’s it in a nutshell: Temples of Karnak – incredible, Luxor Temple – pretty cool, valley of the Kinds – underwhelming but almost obligatory!
Cairo: There’s not much I can say about Cairo that hasn’t been said a thousand times. Obviously the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx are something special. An mandatory visit to the Egyptian museum will take a couple of hours too.
Islamic Cairo is an interesting place as well, especially if you’ve never been in an Islamic country before – this section of Cairo oozes charisma. 3 days in Cairo is easily enough time to experience the chaos and see the major sites. If you want to know where to party in Cairo, the Cairo Jazz Club is one of the few clubs that actually resembles a club, but at $5 a drink your budget will get blown apart.
Mount Sinai: Whether you’re religious or not, the sight where Moses received the 10 Commandments remains an influential tale in the world’s history. It’s possible to hike to the top of Mount Sinai, normally you can take a day trip from Sharm or Dahab ($15 for transport and ticket). It leaves around midnight, you hike through the night and see the sunrise over some breathtaking scenery. I was dubious as to whether to bother with this or not, I was wrong to hesitate – it’s awesome, you’ll love it.
EGYPT
Budget: $20 a day is possible if you eat away from the landmarks AND you have a student card
Food: Street food is great and cheap. Shwarmas cost around 5 EGP, falafel sandwiches around 1EGP. Restaurants and fast food cost from 12 EGP+
Accommodation: Great and cheap. No need to book, most places have wifi too. If you search hard and bargain, decent rooms are found for 20 EGP.
Nightlife: Not a lot I’m afraid guys :S Sharm El Sheik and Hurgada feature bars and clubs full of tourists but then that’s like being back home! Cairo Jazz club, Cairo is your best bet and only on the weekends. Egypt doesn’t party hard.
Transport: Reasonably priced and luxurious. Trains are great but more expensive than buses. To get an idea, the 12 hour journey from Luxor to Cairo costs around 130 EGP on the train, with the bus costing around 90 EGP.
People: Egyptians often get tarnished with being pushy but I found that not to be true. Of course around the wonders you get hassled but away from the tourist attractions Egyptians are warm and welcoming.
Weather: It’s the desert – have a guess! November and December are the ‘coolest’ months (it’s all relative though)
Religion: 95% Islamic
Currency: Egyptian pounds: $1 USD – 5.75 EGP (Nov 2010)
Visa: Stress free. VOA (visa on arrival) is possible in all airports and land borders. For those of us who stress about these things, you can arrange it in the embassy in your home country for around $40, it’s only $15 if you wait for VOA.
Tags: backpackers guide, cheap travel, egypt, General African Stuff, travel guide, Travel tips
Published by Johnny on November 06, 2010
I must have googled this 100 times before I first set off traveling in 2006 and only now, 4 years and 50 countries later, do I feeling truly qualified to answer it categorically. The answer is reassuringly simple – not as much as you think!
I know, I know – you want cold hard figures so I’m going to try to give a quantified answer in the most rudimentary way possible for one sample gap year trip.
Let’s talk about the budget for a regular 6 month trip, leaving from Europe going to South East Asia for 4 months, Australia and Fiji for 1 month and the US for 1 month. The biggest cost on these types of trips is the airfare, which presents another question about whether to buy a RTW ticket or not (we’ll deal with that another time), other than that you can squeeze by on less than $30 a day easily. The budget tends to break down to something like this:
- A round the world (RTW) ticket $1000
- Travel insurance $200
- Visa fees $200
- Travel gear (backpack, torches etc) $200
- 180 Days budget X $25 $4500
$6100
Let’s have a look at these individually. Airfare: Lots of companies (STA travel, virgin etc) offer very competitive RTW tickets, starting at around $700 increasing as you add flights and continents to your itinerary. Generally speaking, a 5 flight 3 continent trip can be found for around $1000 if you search hard enough. You certainly should never pay more than $1500!
Travel insurance: I’m not going to endorse any specific travel insurance companies but rest assured quality cover is available for less than $200 so get your google on and you’ll be good to go in 15 minutes
Visa fees: Depending on the countries you plan to go to a 6 month trip should costs between $100-$200 for visa fees. If China or Vietnam is on your itinerary remember they don’t offer visas on arrival (i.e you can’t arrive at the border and get stamped in) so you have to arrange that in advance, although you can do this during your trip at a neighbouring country.
Travel gear: Check out my post on things to bring when you pack. You shouldn’t have any need to spend more than $200 on all your stuff though.
The budget: Here’s the big one, the one that the success of your entire trip hinges on. Asia requires around $20 a day and you live pretty well on that. As you move back to Western society, you have to watch your wallet a lot closer, if you do that and maintain a frugal mindset (this means drinking local booze when available, like 4 litres of cask wine/goon in Australia for $8 a box or eating sub of the day instead of your meatball marinara, and rinsing the $1 burgers daily in McDonalds!) then $30 is manageable.
Ok, if you’re finishing you’re A Levels, graduating from uni or simply taking a career break this is the answer you’ve been looking for:
You need about $6,000 USD for a 6 month break
Naturally, it’s possible to travel for much less than this (and also for a lot more!) but you would have to forego continent hopping, stay clear of the expensive countries etc. But if you’re after a great trip, submerging yourself into the backpacking scene, then this is your ticket. Save up and set off – happy travels guys!!
Tags: Backpacking, cheap travel, how much does it cost, money, travel
Published by Johnny on November 06, 2010
The one recurring feature of a long backpacking stint (aside from dirty laundry and malnutrition) is public bloody transport. As any traveler can testify when you get the option of taking any other mode of transport rather than another long distance bus, you grab it with both hands. When that mode of transport is a boat, you’re in for a real treat…
I’ve taken boats up the Nile, down the Mekong, across Japan, Korea and China, from Ireland and France and I can’t get enough of them! Here are the 5 reasons why I think traveling by boats beats any other mode of transport, no contest:
1) Space. With you knees jammed somewhere up around your chin in another cross-country bus, you truly begin to appreciate the luxury of space that boats can afford. In fact, I revel in it so much that I often run to the centre of the deck and burst into spontaneous starjumps simply because I can. Seriously, you can walk around at your leisure, even sometimes order food and drinks and spread out and sleep if you really need to.
2) Leisurely pace. Some may argue that this is a negative aspect but I beg to differ. Boats are not lightning fast, far from it but this is another aspect I enjoy. You meander across an ocean or down a river at a leisurely pace, giving you time to genuinely appreciate the journey that you’re on. You can plan your next steps with all the free time you find yourself with and kick back, read a book and sanctimoniously think of all the people around the world darting to and fro in their fast-paced jobs while you, unhurriedly, enjoy the rolling of the water.
3) Cheap. This certainly applies to the boats that I take although I fully appreciate this isn’t always the case. As a budget traveler, luxury yachts and cruise-ships aren’t my haunt at all but cargo boats, slow ferries, feluccas etc certainly don’t burst any tight budgets. If you choose wisely and are in no rush, boats can be the cheapest mode of transport. You don’t (can’t) spend too much money while you’re onboard, the tickets often include accommodation and food, you can bring your own booze and snacks on board – all in all, a bargain mode of transport.
4) Exciting. Don’t even bother trying to tell me you didn’t dream about sailing boats as a kid, following in the footsteps Christopher Columbus or Vasco De Gama or chasing pirates in the high seas. This lets you (discreetly!) relive your childhood dreams in the most traditional long distance transport available. Land Ahoy!
5) Social. Possibly the best aspect to traveling by boat, certainly for a backpacker, is the social side. You’re stuck on this vessel for a long-time with a finite group of people to converse with, before too long you’ll be swapping stories like old friends.
 taking a cargo boat down the Mekong river So there you have it, I’ve nailed my colours to the mast (genius!) and made it clear that boats are far and away my favourite form on transport. If you get the chance to jump onboard a ship any time soon, do it and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Happy travel =)
Tags: Backpacking, boats, burma, buses, cheap travel, China, egypt, japan, korea, laos, malawi, Mozambique, myanmar, Thailand
Published by Johnny on November 04, 2010
Portuguese flavoured East Timor became the newest country in the world when it was finally granted its official independence in 2002. Due to that face and the political turmoil its found itself in, this country is almost untouched by tourism so if you’ve been in South East Asia a while and you’ve had your fill of full-moon parties, tubing and Buddhist temples then East Timor will certainly offer you something completely different…
I spent a couple of weeks in East Timor and, aside from the odd group demonstration and presidential assassination attempt (:P), it’s completely safe to visit. That’s a bit tongue-in-cheek to be honest, it’s true that there still lies a level of tension in East Timor due to political and ethnic clashes but nothing to be overly concerned about. Tourists aren’t a target so as long as you keep away from gathering crowds and political demonstrations you’ll be safe as houses. Locals are used to seeing foreigners (read: white people) thanks to the huge UN and other NGOs presence so although the place rarely gets visited by tourists as such, the Timorese won’t be shocked by you being there.
Due to the massive UN and NGO presence East Timor is an (unfortunately) perfect example of a false economy, artificially inflated thanks to foreign salaries pouring into the ex-pat population so East Timor is not dirt cheap to travel in. That being said, it’s still not London or Tokyo but you’ll need to budget at least $25 a day during your stay.
Things to see and do in East Timor? There are a few things of note, if you have a week or two to spend here, here are the things I’d say are absolute musts:
Dili Waterfront: Dili, the capital city of East Timor, is a charming city with a definite twist of Portuguese. The city centre boasts a nice waterfront where you can wander along, as you get to the end you’ll be facing the new East Timor Government building.
The Jesus Statue, Cape Fatacuma: ‘Cristo Rei’, as it’s locally known, was built by the Indonesians in a bid to appease the Timorese, but its height – 27 metres – was a spiked reference to East Timor’s status (until 1999) as Indonesia’s 27th province. Don’t let that detract from the awesome sight to behold though – it’s said to be the second largest Christ statue in the world (second to Christ the Redeemer in Rion, Brazil) and offers a very cool hike to the summit of the hill that it’s on. You can jump in a cab from the city centre to get here for around $2 and then start climbing! The views from the top are beautiful and there’s a great beach behind the hill so reward yourself with a dip in the azure blue waters when you get back down
 The view from the Jesus statue 
Atauro Island: The island is about 30km from Dili’s shore and is accessible through the Berlin Nakroma ferry (only runs once a week on a Saturday for $5 so try to charter a boat from a local fisherman, about $10). The lure of island are the dolphins and pilot that you are almost guaranteed to see, and the diving which are said to be amongst the best in asia if not the world.
The Santa Cruz Cemetery, Rua Santa Cruz , Santa Cruz: A poignant remembrance to the recent tragedies they have had to endure. The cemetery marks the spot of one of the massacres carried out by the Indonesians, but this one was captured by a British journalist, and effectively marked the beginning of the end of the Indonesian occupation. A truly key spot in Timor’s recent history.
Beaches: The best local beach is Areia Branca (‘White Sands’), where the Purple Cow bar/restaurant attracts a crowd in the evening. You can to the Jesus statue from here with any problem. Another great beach is Pasir Putih (‘white sand’ in Indonesian) - a real hidden gem, it’s situated very close to Dili . Also, there is a beautiful hidden beach in Com which you can ask about and finally the beaches on Atauro are breathtaking too.
Scuba: East Timor is seriously on the scuba map these days with some of the best diving in the world so if you’re a scuba aficionado, you’re going to love this place! There are so many dive spots here and a couple of great dive companies, it’s all very easy to sort out Dili.
Trekking: There are a handful of mountains reaching over 3000 feet and the trekking is great fun. Again ask at Dili backpackers and they will help you arrange everything.
East Timor:
Budget: $25 per day
Food: On the street you can eat for around $2 for light meals. If you visit a restaurant of pub, you’ll be looking at prices of $5+ for anything substantial.
Accommodation: In Dili, East Timor backpackers ($12 for a dorm) is the best budget option. Expensive hotels are available and horribly overpriced.
Transport: Buses are frequent, if a little dangerous! Roads are run down and the buses are dilapidated. One hour is a bus is around $2 so it’s a fair bit more expensive than Indonesia.
People: Very friendly indeed, I stayed with a family there when I was in a spot of transport bother and they took me under their wing like one of their own.
Language: Portuguese and Tatum, English is not widespread but the international language of charades works fine
Weather: Tropical, averaging around 30 degrees. November to May iswet season and some roads become impassable.
Religion: One of only 2 Roman Catholic countries in Asia (the other being the Philippines)
Currency: US dollars are the legal tender here. There are ATMS that accept international cards so no stress there
Visa: As normal depends on your mode of transport. If you arrive by air or sea, then VOA (visa on arrival) is possible, $30 payment and your down. If, like me, you arrive by land through West Timor then since the recent regulation changes you need to arrange your visa before you arrive. This is pretty easy to arrange in Jakarta when your there if you plan to island hop all the way from there (great, great trip!).
Tags: Backpacking, cheap travel, east timor, travel guide, Travel tips
Published by Johnny on November 03, 2010
If your impression of Egypt is well refined tourism, world-class ancient sites and too many pairs of fake ray bans then Luxor is its poster child. That being said, it’s a tourism hub for a reason so prepare to be awed by what Luxor has to offer…
Personally I would recommend 2 nights in Luxor, 3 at a push but certainly no more. That will allow you more than enough time to visit all but the most obscure attractions in town. I spent a few days here recently and, at a nice leisurely pace, covered (more than) everything I wanted to see within 2 days. So what should you see and do in Luxor?
Here are the things I would recommend you see, and it’s all easily accomplished within 2 days.
Temples of Karnak: 65 EGP Adult/ 35 EGP Student. Very possibly the highlight of your visit to Luxor. The sheer size of the architecture here can’t fail to impress you and that alone is worth a visit. Rows and rows of sphinxes guide you to the entrance of this temple, a worthy introduction to a great sight.
TIP: go early (before 10am) or late (after 4pm) to avoid both the flocks of tour buses and the midday heat.
 
Luxor Temple: 100 EGP Adult/ 50 EGP Student. Personally I think the true beauty of this masterpiece lies in its location – slap, bang in the middle of the city, sitting on the banks of the Nile. Very special indeed. Not so special is the McDonalds which stares straight at Luxor Temple and all its wonder day in, day out. You may as well put it to good use and escape the heat with their ice-cream cones a snip at 2.50 EGP (just don’t tell anyone you came all the way to Luxor and ate at McDonalds  )
Valley of the Kings 80 EGP Adult/ 40 EGP Student *Tutankhamun’s tomb is 100 EGP/50EGP extra. World famous and rightly so. This is, in essence, the most impressive cemetery in the world. A valley full of 60 odd decadent, intricate tombs for a host of kings from the Egyptian dynasties. Your ticket allows you to enter 3 tombs (Ramses 3,4 and 9 are the most impressive). Disappointingly, all the hieroglyphics within the tombs are behind thick Perspex glass but with a drop of imagination you can imagine the hundreds of people drafted in to work on these things all those centuries ago and your sense of awe will be restored. Again, I’m no Egyptian historian so 3 tombs was easily enough and at the risk of sounding uncouth once you’ve seen three it feels like you’ve seen them all!
NOTE: Tutankhamun’s tomb is very understated, small and generally underwhelming so the additional is entirely up to you. I choose to pay it as I had come all that way, and all those memories of making papyrus and talking about Tutankhamun at primary school must have had some effect. Underwhelming, true but for me stil worth it.
Oh, and no photos allowed unfortunately.
Valley of the Queens: 60 EGP Adult/ 3o EGP Student. A smaller, less ornate version of their husbands valley! Worth a peek, just don’t bank on being blown away. No photos once more.
Hot-air balloon ride: 300-1000 EGP. With such a dramatic price range, you may think it dictates the quality of service, the transport, the food, the health and safety – you’d be wrong. What it depends on is how wealthy you appear, your bartering skills and the twinkle in your eye. I paid 350 EGP, you shouldn’t pay more than 450 really and don’t book it from the internet, sort it out when you get to Luxor; there are no shortage of vendors.
You get around 45 minutes in the air as the sun rises over the Nile. An activity you won’t forget for a long time. Sure it’s touristy, but who cares when it’s bloody awesome!
Colossi of Memnon: FREE – a distinct rarity in Egypt! You’ll notice these 2 massive Colossi on the way to your hot-air balloon and what a greeting they give. 20 metres tall, these 2 guys give you over 2000 tonnes of a welcome, sitting regally all day watching the endless streams of tourists ascend and descend in their hot-air balloons. Awesome backdrop.
Temple of Hatshepsut: 65 EGP Adult/ 35 EGP Student. A vast temple built into the rocks in the mountain. This 3-terraced temple is a cracking sight to behold and should definitely be included in your 2 day itinerary.
OK, so that should keep you occupied for your 2 days with ease. Here’s an example itinery:
DAY 1:
Arrive in Luxor by boat, bus, train or plane and sort out/check into your accommodation.
Late morning, pay a visit to Luxor Temple then enjoy lunch nearby as you continue to gaze over the sheer beauty of it.
Afternoon, grab a taxi (5 EGP) to Karnak and spend around 2 hours exploring the huge temple complex there.
In the evening, arrange your hot-air balloon ride for the following day
DAY 2:
Early start as you’ll get picked up by bus, taking by boat across the Nile and driven to one of the few hot-air balloon ‘airports’ on the world. Up, up and away – if all goes well you’ll have landed by 7am and be back having scrambled eggs in your hotel by 8.
Either day trip with a tour guide (around 30 EGP for the days transport in a group, tickets not included) or brave the labyrinthine public transport system (not recommended! Once bitten, twice shy and all that) and explore the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, the Colossi of Memnon and the Temple of Hatshepsut for a truly cultured day. You’ll finish up around 2pm for a lazy afternoon.
The evening can be spent sampling some koftas and shwarmas in the local eateries which dot the city centre in abundance.
Two days done and dusted. Action packed, full of Egyptian culture past and present and a memory card full of photos to sift through when you get home!
I hope luxor is as good to you as it was to me. Holidays in Egypt are something really awesome, and even more so with a rucksack strapped to your back! I can’t wait to come back! Happy travels =)
Tags: Backpacking, cheap travel, egypt, travel guide
Published by Johnny on October 31, 2010
Ancient temples, wild hyena feedings, the most delicious cuisine in Africa, cheap as chips – now that sounds like a backpackers dream. Welcome to Ethiopia!
I spent just shy of a month in Ethiopia and even that didn’t seem to be enough. Every corner of this amazing country offers great sights and experiences so wherever you venture you’re sure not to be disappointed. The only place I’d recommend you don’t stay too long is the capital, Addis Ababa. I agree it’s a cool sounding name but that’s where the coolness ends! Everything is overpriced and it’s full of touts, drug-dealers, hookers and general reprobates – only stay as long as you have to. On a brighter note, here are the amazing must-sees in this captivating country.
Harar: Potentially the highlight of my time in Ethiopia. Harar is the Islamic centre of Ethiopia and you can feel the Islamic culture seeping from every nook and cranny. The old town, in the city centre, feels like a time machine. You waltz through the old city gates and you’re transported back to the 16th century. Everyone is wearing traditional clothes, English is non-existent (as is electricity seemingly), the alleys are narrow and the buildings ooze character. You can enjoy a day wandering around this mesermizing place for sure.
Then prepare for the evening… The hyena man! Near the old city, a family have passed down the hyena feeding skills for generations so now the ‘wild’ hyenas flock to his area each evening as he feeds them raw meat. You should pay around $4 for his services. When I was there there were probably 20 hyenas running around and howling, you can even feed them yourself if you’re feeling brave, or stupid:
Bahir Dar: Sitting on Lake Tana, the scenery is beautiful. Spend a couple of days here – one of which you can rent a boat for and visit the monasteries on islands on the lake. Half a day is more than enough here because once you’ve seen a couple, you’ve seen them all trust me! Well worth a look though.
If you have a second day, jump in the rickety bus or grab a taxi to the Blue Nile Falls – a very impressive waterfall and a great way to spend a day. It’s a pleasant walk from where you get dropped off and the waterfall is a sight to behold.
 
Lalibela: Wow! I’m not going to say too much but get yourself to Lalibela and check out the churches, how I have never heard of this place before I came to Ethiopia must be indicative of my ignorance because Lalibela should be on every tourist map, everywhere. Number 1 attraction in Ehiopia for sure!
Simien Mountains: The peaks exceed altitude of 4000m so it’s not to be sniffed at. Trips can be organized from Addis or Gondar but try not to be tempted by a day trip from Gondar – realistically it’s too far, regardless what your new best friend salesman says. If the budget allows, go for 2 nights/3 days (should costs around $80 with guides, cook etc.) and guarantee yourself a look at the devilish Gelada baboons. The topography is unreal so make sure your camera is charged, you’ll be blown away.
Aksum: UNESCO declared the whole place a World Heritage sight and rightly so. There are endless tombs and ruins to waltz through but for me the highlight should be visiting one of the chapels which allegedly contains the Ark of the Convenant!! One ticket, for about $5 USD, grants you access to most of the city so it’s not too pricey but before too long you may feel yourself a little ‘templed’ out!
Dankali Depression: Expensive, difficult, hot as hell and ridicously amazing! You can reach the lowest point on the entire continent (and if you’ve summited Kilimanjaro you’ll touch the highest and lowest point, pretty cool huh?!). The best (only?) way to do this effectively is to rent a 4WD between a few people or book a tour through when your in Addis. It will end up costing about $150 all in so if, like me, you’re on a tight budget it may be beyond your means this time round.
Ethiopia:
Budget: $15 or even less.
Food: A meal in a restaurant costs around $1, on the street about $0.5 and it is amazing. Make sure you order minchet, tibs and kitfo – you won’t be disappointed! Macchiatos, the most delicious drink in the whole world (aside from Guinness naturally) is readily available in Ethiopia, a snip for less than $0.15.
Accommodation: Private (dingy) room costs between $2 – $6 depending on your tolerance for grime.
Transport: Cramped large buses, bumpy roads, a worrying amount of crash sites on the side of the road and all for less than $1 an hour. Seriously, a whole day on the public bus (12 hours or so) costs around $6. There are a couple of luxury liners – Starbus and Salambus, they are 3 times the price and take about one hour less but they come with A/C and a lot less people. Also, there are no night buses in Ethiopia
People: Unsurprisingly for Africa, the people here are very friendly. Aside from the real tourist areas, just send a big smile their way and they’ll accept you as readily as family.
Weather: Quite nice actually, hovers around the high 20s most of the year, peak rains in June-August.
Religion: Divided between Christianity and Islam and generally each city tends to have a dominant religion (Islam in Harar, Christianity in Lalibela etc)
Currency: $1 USD – 17 Ethiopian Bir
Visa: Bloody difficult! Get an Ethiopian visa before you come to Africa. Recent legislation prevents visas being issued in neighbouring countries and there is no visa on arrival (VOA) by land, anywhere. If you’re already in Africa the only option will be to fly, and get your VOA in the airport (ok for EU citizens, check your eligibility). The cheapest flight tends to be Nairobi to Addis with Air Ethiopia for around $150. If you’re coming from the north you’re in trouble if you’re in Sudan already – Khartoum to Addis is pricey!
Tags: cheap travel, ethiopia, travel guide
Published by Johnny on October 31, 2010
Taking a ferry up the Nile from Sudan to Egypt – now tell me that doesn’t sounds pretty amazing!? This is actually the only border crossing available between the two countries so if you’re traveling through Africa overland, it’s your only option (albeit a very very cool option)…
The ferry goes from Sudan to Egypt (the route I took) every Wednesday. It departs Wadi Halfa at 4pm and arrives in Aswan, Egypt around lunchtime the following day.
If you’re coming the other way – from Egypt to Sudan, it leaves Aswan every Tuesday after lunch and arrives in Wadi Halfa, Sudan 24 hours later.
How much does the boat ticket cost from Egypt to Sudan? Unfortunately it’s not cheap, even though Sudan is pretty inexpensive to travel in. There are two classes of tickets available and the costs are as follows:
1st class ferry ticket from Sudan to Egypt: 152 SDP/$50 USD approx
* The 1st class ticket gives you a 2 bed berth with air conditioning and a plug socket
2nd class ferry ticket from Sudan to Egypt: 85 SDP/$30 USD approx
* The 2nd class ticket allows you to sleep anywhere you can, probably on deck (so get there early and claim your space! The best spot is under the lifeboats)
Either option is fine. I had been looking forward to taking a boat in the Nile for months so I opted for 1st class (unlike me I know!) and it was pretty awesome. It’s not the Sheraton but A/C after all the 45 degree heat in Sudan offered some welcome respite and the power socket allowed me to write this article I met a guy on the boat who took second class and he was happy with his choice too, so the choice is yours.
WADI HALFA: I ended up going to Wadi Halfa on the Sunday afternoon – that’s THREE DAYS before the ferry, assuming that being the port town it would be big and there be loads of stuff to do. I was wrong.
If you’re taking the ferry you have no choice but to stop in Wadi Halfa so take my advice and don’t spend more than 1 night here. It’s small, dusty, hot and there’s nothing really to see or do.
Accommodation here is pretty basic too. $3-$4 a night, shared squat toilets (with no paper – be warned!), and no running water. All the ‘hotels’ fill up seriously quick the day before the ferry leaves so arrive early and get somewhere to stay or you’ll be sleeping on the street – seriously.
Ok, all-in-all the ferry is a great way to arrive in Egypt and beats another 12 hour bus that’s for sure. Egypt holidays, with all the culture, food, archecticture, really offer so much, so you’re in for a great trip! Happy travels!
NOTE: Bring ear plugs to counteract the extremely loud Muezzin call to prayer at 4.30 am on the boat!
Tags: Backpacking, backpacking in sudan, cheap travel
Published by Johnny on October 26, 2010
- “Have you ever seen the pyramids?”
- “The ones in Egypt or the ones in Sudan?”
Instant backpacking points! Seriously though, when people talk about the pyramids they are generally referring to the ones in Egypt. Then again that’s half the beauty of the Sudanese pyramids, you’re almost guaranteed to have them all to yourself.
There are two main sites to visit the Sudanese pyramids:
1) The Meroe Sites / Begrawiya. This site is found 200 km or so north of Khartoum and is hosts the largest selection of pyramids found in Sudan. It’s possible to visit the pyramids as part of a day trip from Khartoum, either by bus or taxi, but in all honesty that’s a bit of a mission. An easier (and cheaper) way of doing it is to sleep in Atbara and take a day trip from there, its about 80km each way so you can get a bus or if there are a couple of you then a taxi cost around $30 USD all in.
When you arrive at the site prepare to be amazed. The place seems untouched my tourism and there no road to get to it, you have to offroad through the desert to get there. It costs around 20 SDP (about $7) and will be the best money you spend in Sudan. 2 guys with a camel and an old lady selling tickets, other than that it’s just you, 20 pyramids and a whole lot of desert. More than likely, you’ll be the only tourists there and it’s a surreal feeling to be at such an important historical sight with the freedom to roam around carefree. I gave the camel guys 5 SDP to ride their camels around instead of walking on the scorching hot sand and it was money well invested. Check out the pics:
2) Jebel Barkal: Another cool selection of Sudanese pyramids but not quite as impressive as Begrawiya. Sleep in Karima and get a cab the 4km out of town to the pyramids, there’s also a run down temple complex there too. Again, you’ll be the only person there and that alone is a great experience, it’s free to visit too so no excuses not to go!
El Kurru: Again, this is reachable from a day trip (via bus for $1 USD or, more conveniently, taxi for $12). There are 2 underground tombs complete with Egyptian style hieroglyphics. The area these are found is amazing, with tombs and old temples everywhere, nothing has been properly excavated yet and as soon as Unesco get their hands on these Sudanese sights, they’ll be world famous for sure. The ticket costs around $5 USD per person.
Ok, well I hope you get the opportunity to visit Sudan and get well and truly off the beaten track. You won’t regret it, I promise you that and when you are fighting the hordes of tourist at the Pyramids in Egypt you can look back with nostalgia at the time in Sudan when you had the whole site to yourself. Happy travels =)
Tags: cheap travel, pyramids, sudan
Published by Johnny on October 26, 2010
Sudan is reportedly the place where Africa meets Arabia and I would struggle to disagree with that. I suppose I should add that despite what people’s preconceptions of Sudan may be, as long as you stick to the approved areas then it’s one of the safest countries in Africa. Obviously, I stayed cleared of Darfur (getting shot in the face is the sort of backpacking experience I would rather avoid) and I wouldn’t recommend any other people to venture out West either!
If you’re traveling by land you’ll be coming from either Egypt or Ethiopia. I was continuing north from Cape Town so I crossed from Ethiopia, the border is Metema/Gallabat – you can easily get a bus from Gondar, Ethiopia to the border (about 4 hours, $3 USD), from there you can get another bus to Gederaf, either sleep there or crack on to Khartoum (another 6 hours or so). There’s not much to see in Gederaf but it’s quite a nice town to acquaint yourself with what’s going on in Sudan.
If you’re coming from Egypt the only crossing is by boat, so you need to take the weekly ferry from Aswan on a Tuesday, it drops you in Wadi Halfa in the north of Sudan.
Ok, the visas are quite strict on how long you can stay in the country for – mine gave me 2 weeks. Also, to go to certain areas you need specific permits which is a bureaucratic nightmare in itself, to avoid that here are the places I would recmmoned to visit in Sudan:
Khartoum: Pretty cool city, with it being the capital the amenities you find here are the best in the country. Decent internet, A/C if you’re feeling lavish etc. Try to be there on a Friday and check out Hamad el-Nil Mosque to see an amazing Islamic ceremony complete with camel sacrific, one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. Also, ignore the lonely planet’s recommendation about the camel market. Trust me.
Atbara: As a city, it’s fairly nondescript but it’s a great base to visit the amazing the Meroe Sites / Begrawiya pyramids. You can get a cab from Atbara to the pyramids and back again for around 100 Sudanese pounds. Check out the full description here
 
Port Sudan: The best diving in the Red Sea apparently, I’ll let you judge for yourself. Regardles, Port Sudan offers a great chance to escape the sweltering heat by jumping in the azure waters and snapping the colourful fish. ALSO, very important – there is a store called Ice Cream Dream (ask anyone, they’ll know) which serves delicious ice cream (3 SP), chocolate and milkshakes, amazing. Probably the highlight of my time in Africa! I recommend you stay at Omiya hotel, complete with air conditioning, and disgusting squat toilet. The best value you’ll get in Port Sudan, though (25 SP per person).
Karima: Atypical Sudanese town but again, you’re here for the awesome sites around, not the town itself. There’s only one real hotel (lokanda) in town so no doubt you’ll end up there, it’s near the massive satellite dish and the hospital. Nearby Karima, there are 2 great things to see. Read about them here
Dongola: Nice place to spend a day or so but no more. Don’t waste your time with the temples near by, their in a very dilapidated state so it’s quite an effort for little reward.
Wadi Halfa: In effect, Wadi Halfa is a border town but as far as border towns go, this one isn’t so bad. You’ll have to sleep here as you wait for the ferry but you won’t want to stay for more than a night or two. There’s no running water in the city so don’t, like me, go for a run in the heat and come back expecting a nice refreshing shower only to be stared in the face at by a bucket of dingy water and a bottle to put it over yourself with! Remember to check in with the ferry company when you arrive too.
 This donkey drawn cart HONESTLY had a built in stereo with 50 Cent booming out All in all Sudan is a cracking place to backpack, not the decaying war zone that the media portrays, with the nicest people in all of Africa (the world?!). You literally cannot look at someone’s food without them beckoning you over and offering you to join them and eat their food. If, and when, you get into a conversation for more than about 2 minutes with someone you’ll get an offer to go to their house and stay with them until you leave town – amazing place. The Sudanese people are delighted that you have made the effort to visit their country and they rejoice in the fact that you are seeing that their country is peaceful and friendly.
In addition, they sell the most delicious desserts I have come across in the whole of Africa. They are pastry type sweets, dripped in honey and syrup, similar to baklava. It costs less than $3 USD per kg but be careful, in the 14 nights I spent in Sudan, I ate too much of this stuff on about 10 of them and was in a sugar-induced stupor for a couple of hours each evening! (well worth it tho )
SUDAN:
Budget: $25 a day no probs.
Food: You can eat for around $1-$3 USD easily everywhere – their desserts are amazing!
Accommodation: Completely depends on the quality, ranges from basic rooms for $2 to A/C rooms for $15+
Transport: Amazing roads, amazing buses – seriously! Not overly cheap, $2 per hour on a bus I reckon. So 500km costs around $15 but the buses are A/C with food and drinks. Bargain!
People: You’ll here this time and time again but really, the Sudanes are THE friendliest people I have ever met, ever ever ever.
Weather: Unsurprisingly roasting! Easily reaches 40 degrees daily
Religion: Entirely Muslim so dress and act with according respect. Try not to wear shorts on Fridays (I learned this the hard way)
Currency: Officially $1 USD- 2.5 Sudanese pounds BUT on the black market you can get 3.0+ – great business
Visa: Hmmmmm. Costs, depending on Nationality, between $20-$40. Not as hard these days as people let on. Easily obtained in Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya. You HAVE to get your Egyptian visa first though (can take up to 3 weeks so prepare in advance) so make sure you do leave enough time for that. British nationals need to get a letter of invitation from their embassy. It takes 5 minutes and costs around $90, a disgusting rip off but nothing we can do. Normally you can pick up your Sudanese visas the next day.
 Tags: backpackers guide, cheap travel, sudan
|
|
OR Get blog updates sent directly to your inbox by entering your email address below:
OneStep4Ward is always on the look out for talented bloggers to guest write posts, with links back to their sites. 