FAQs

Why are we traveling?

In short, it’s a dream that we want to accomplish together.  We both are interested in learning about other cultures, experiencing new foods, checking out all the beautiful places around the world, and meeting lots of new people!  That’s the why. The “Why now?” question is because we are young, fit, and able to do it.  On top of that, we don’t have a house, kid, or even a dog.  If we only took 2 week vacations for the rest of our lives, it would take us about 36 years to go see all the places and do all the things we will do in the next year!  Also, that’s a lot of plane tickets back and forth J.

What are we doing with all of our stuff (junk)?

Much of it has been sold off and/or donated, including both of our vehicles.  Matt had some things that he didn’t use much and was able to sell them for a nice chunk of change to help out on the trip.  Kristin contributed a lot of things to our garage sale and continues to work at downsizing the wardrobe.  As for other big ticket items that we will need once we get back (couches, kitchen items, clothes, washer/drier, etc…), it’s all in a storage unit for a relatively low cost.

What will we be doing on this trip?

Well, you name it, we might do it:  hike, walk around, people watch, museums, tours, eat local cuisine, drink local drinks, meet new people, take lots of pictures, bungee, jump off cliffs and bridges into water, swim, play, snorkel, scuba, white water raft, repel, camp, visit national parks, get lost….. and surely lots more!!

Do we have everything planned?

No, not really.  From experience, the blogs we’ve read, and advice we’ve received from people we know who have traveled like this, it is best to be flexible.  We will learn what to do and how to do it from talking with other backpackers we meet, plus we may want to stay somewhere longer or leave earlier, so it’s best to “plan” as we go.  We do have our first two nights booked at the hostel in Colombia.  We also have a couple of our main flights booked from continent to continent because they were big flights and around the holidays.  It also helps us save some money in the long run by forcing us to move on from more expensive countries like Brazil and New Zealand.  Besides those few thing, no set plans. 

How long are going?

We are estimating that we will be gone from July 2012 through May 2013.

Where will we stay?

Mostly in hostels.  Some people squirm or are unsure about this when we mention it; however, many hostels are first class, and a great way to get closer to the local communities we’re visiting.  There is also quite a tight knit bond between backpackers that stay at the hostels, which can lead to new friends and a wealth of information about things to do and places to visit in the area.  Not to mention that hostels can range from $3 USD – $10 USD in a lot of places, but more for the more developed areas.


How are we getting around?


Well, it somewhat depends on the region, but here is a summation:  South America will mostly be done in buses.  Australia will be public transport, a flight, and a local friend.  New Zealand will be a rented vehicle (hope to pick up camping gear to go with it as well).  SE Asia will be hopping from place to place by buses over land, cheap flights through the air, and cheap boats in the ocean.

What are we taking with us?

Well, not much, but we assure you it is more than enough and it will all fit into our backpacks and daypacks.  Check out our upcoming post about each of our packs and everything that we’ll stuff into them.  Kristin is still a little unsure that there will be enough room in her packs for everything she “needs”, but knows she has no other choice.

What are we going to do about money?

Are we taking our whole budget in cash and wrapped in a rubber band?  Traveler’s checks?  No need.  There is actually an abundance of ATMs in the countries we’ll be visiting.  We have each obtained Charles Schwab debit cards that reimburse all ATM fees, and do not charge foreign transaction fees.  We will each also have a back-up debit card just in case, as well as an additional credit card that also has no foreign transaction fees.

Are we taking our phones?

No.  Matt will have an itouch that has a lot of the capabilities of an iphone, such as wi-fi and apps.  We would have to get international plans for our iphones and the benefit would most likely not outweigh the cost, so we plan to make the most of internet: email, Skype, and Facebook.

Why aren’t we going to Europe?

In short, we didn’t feel it necessary to budget Europe for this trip because it is a more expensive region and we are limited on time and money.  We both definitely want to go to Europe, but as with most westernized countries, we feel we can go visit for a few weeks at a time at another point in our lives. 

Did we win the lotto?

No, not at all, but we certainly wish! Both of us have been diligent savers since we graduated and started working, but not necessarily saving for anything in particular.  Then, once we decided to pursue this dream we put in a lot of hard work managing our money these last six months to meet our goal.

Will we have jobs when we get back?

No, it would be nice; however, we will both be on job hunts once we return. 

Are we flying back for holidays?

Although we would love to, it would just be too expensive to make trips back and forth.  We will rely on Skype to “see” our families and help minimize the distance on holidays.

What are we most excited about?

Matt – Colombia, I have heard such great things and can’t wait to start this journey.  Also, I’m looking forward to the cheap diving in SE Asia.

Kristin –I’m really looking forward to the adventure of it all including seeing new places, new people, new foods, and experiencing it with Matt.  It’s hard to pick just one or two things, but I think one of the things that I’m looking forward to the most is seeing New Zealand.  I’m also excited to scuba dive and I would love to see some penguins during the trip J.