It’s been pretty quiet here on the blog front over the previous weeks; my Spring, Summer and Autumn consisted of me either learning to paraglide, going on backcountry mountain bike rides, or running NZByBike.com. I’m stoked to finally get a post up, and couldn’t be happier to give my good mate Bruce a chance to plug some out-of-the-way New Zealand destinations you’ve probably never heard about.
Dear Twenty-Somethings in America,
You’re not moving around or across the US – at least this was the case made by Todd and Victoria Buccholz in a New York Times essay on Sunday.
Why? For a number of reasons I suppose. The Atlantic‘s Derek Thompson questioned their points in an article on TheAtlantic.com today, yet ultimately comes to the same conclusion: young Americans aren’t migrating throughout America as they are often underpaid, underemployed and very often high in debt. Moving is expensive, both financially and emotionally, and uprooting across the US is a disconcerting decision to make during times of economic uncertainty. If you’re relatively secure in an underpaid job, why risk migrating to another US city where you’ll be potentially unemployed and facing higher costs of living?
A fair question, yet the one I would pose to you comes from a significantly different angle.
Hardly making ends meet in Boston? DC rents are on the rise? Struggling to find full time employment post graduation in Chicago? Forget a move from the East Coast to the West Coast, why not replace the economic uncertainty of suburban America for the uncertainty and excitement of life in an international city?
I know this option is not even in the minds of most Americans, yet throughout many places in the world an “Overseas Experience” is a rite of passage for those coming out of high school and going into college or out of college and into the ‘real world.’ This international and long term travel gives you a greater understanding of the world – an understanding that quite simply won’t come from your one week vacation in Cancun.
Countries like New Zealand and Australia welcome twenty-somethings with open arms and 12-month working holiday visas. Jobs are easy to come by – whilst odds don’t necessarily favor you landing that marketing gig you’ve been dreaming of (though you might), working customer service as at a ski field, mixing drinks in a lakeside bar or making coffees in a funky cafe are very real possibilities. Not your dream job, sure – yet they’re means to an end and allow you to experience life outside your comfort zone (all while living in some of the most beautiful places in the world).
If backpacking in New Zealand or Australia isn’t appealing, countries around Asia welcome US citizens to teach English as a second language. Unlike most of the work you stand to find down under, this is a potentially lucrative overseas working experience. High wages and low costs of living stand to allow you to pay off your debt significantly faster in Seoul than you ever will in NYC.
I’m not suggesting that moving abroad is an easy answer to all your problems. Backpacking around the world isn’t easy. International travel or life working abroad brings about fears and uncertainties of an entirely new scope. Yet facing this fear of the unknown is a terribly addictive and fulfilling feat.
The world is begging to be explored, learned from and experienced and now is the time to see it.
Sincerely,
(Backpacking) Matt
This is a guest post by Rebecca Hall of Life Beyond Borders.
I have suffered from wanderlust ever since a teenager and at the tender age of 19, took myself off to Australia for a year. Various job roles in my 20s at LHR airport enabled me to satisfy my wanderlust, but it’s only in my 30s that I’ve started to look closer to home (the UK) and discover Europe.
Athens, as of late, thanks to the atrocious international reportage, conjures up images of rioting pensioners alongside hooded youths, baton wielding fascist policemen and you can almost smell the teargas and hear the cries of the people with raised fists. Yes, riots do occur – the Greeks are, luckily, not a nation to take things lightly and moan about things, yet do nothing about them.
Picture, if you will: old Greek men, sitting outside various ‘cafénios’ in their neighbourhood discussing politics, twiddling their worry beads and looking at the young piece of ass that’s walking by (strangely, it’s never disgusting and never feels threatening). Hear the cries of the weekly neighbourhood farmer’s street market (bound to be one near your hostel) and be greeted in Greek by the stall holders – “Kali mera!” Smell the freshly ground Greek coffee from the cafés and know that you can comfortably sit there, nursing just one coffee for hours and not be asked to purchase another one or move on.
Eat Gyros, the incredibly healthy Greek fast food – chicken or pork and chips (fried in olive oil) wrapped in a pitta with salad and tzatziki (that yogurt, cucumber and garlic dip). If you’re incredibly lucky, you might even be spat on by an old Greek lady. Yes, this happened to me in my first week in Greece – I picked up an old lady’s shopping she had dropped on the floor. She thanked me, looked at me then promptly spat at me three times (well, on the floor in front of me to be fair). It’s a compliment to any woman – it means you are considered a beautiful person and they are warding away the ‘Evil Eye’ – lest someone become jealous of you and place a curse on you.
And so, with an obvious passion for “all things Greek,” here are seven tips for your experience traveling in Athens.
Don’t just come to Athens, see the Acropolis, changing of the guard then head to an island. Why not take yourself off to Exarchia, traditionally known as the ‘anarchist’ area of Athens. Full of great graffiti and very trendy bars and cafés, Exarchia is THE place to be.
Nearest metro: Omonia (red or green line) – about a 10 minute walk down the side alleys.
Every Sunday in Monestiraki, the outdoor flea market opens up. Wander around and browse at the weird paraphernalia: anything from army gear, old dial telephones to coins, books and vintage clothing.
Nearest metro: Monesteraki (green line).
Don’t plan it – do as I do…rock up, take the next ferry and see where you end up. I have ended up on: Poros, Naxos, Paros and Aegina. Poros and Aegina are nearer to Athens and are served by high speed catamarans, therefore more expensive. But it is possible to get a ‘slow boat’ there.
Naxos & Paros are about 5 hours away by normal ferry. At both beautiful islands, guesthouse owners meet you off the ferry and bargain away. In the high season of August in Naxos I managed to bag a room for 30 Euros a night. Between two of us (15E each), that’s pretty good.
Located behind a small wooden door down another side street in Monestiraki, The Art Foundation bar is situated in the garden of an old, run down art deco building. Open till very late, it’s popular with the arty crowds. Enjoy a drink whilst browsing the strange exhibits in the upstairs rooms.
Nearest metro: Monesteraki (green line).
Located in the Peloponnese, approximately 2 hours by coach from Athens, Epidaurus stages theatrical performances every year in the summer in an ancient amphitheatre. In July 2011 I was lucky enough to watch Kevin Spacey perform in “Richard III” as part of the Athens Festival – for 20E! The acoustics are spectacular so regardless of where you sit, you can hear every word uttered.
Take a coach from Athens – on performance days’ special coaches run for only 20 Euros. And if going on a performance day, please take a cushion!
Athenians are avid cinema goers. In the summer, the outdoor cinemas throw open their doors (or roofs) and a whole new experience in cinema begins. My favourite is Cine Paris – located near the Acropolis (speaking of Paris, here’s a great resource for taxi paris airport). You can have your own view of the Parthenon whilst you watch the latest movie – or sometimes even an old black and white Hepburn flick.
Nearest metro: Acropolis (Red line)
A World Heritage site (and used many years ago in the filming of a Sean Connery “James Bond” movie), Meteora is located in Central Greece. Translating as “suspended in the air” or “in the heavens above,” here you will find the 6 monasteries built from the 14th Century onwards atop the high rock formations.
Nearest station: Kalampaka – take the train from Larissa Station in Athens, approximately 4 hours journey time.
Yes, Greece is suffering big time at the moment – but she has so much to offer a person, so long as you are willing to open yourself up to her strange customs and are willing to integrate. Don’t just come here and be a backpacker – really try to get into the community and appreciate all this country has to offer. Don’t always believe all you hear on the news.
Have you traveled to Athens? Leave any tips in the comments section below.
If you’re considering a working holiday in Australia or even an extended backpacking trip, you’re bound to have heaps of things on your mind. Contributing author Lauren Fritsky is based in beautiful Sydney and nails out 15 tips to help make your first experience backpacking in Australia stress-free.
Cathay Pacific Airways deposited me in Kingsford Smith International Airport with no apartment lined up, the bare minimum in savings and two suitcases stuffed with my life. It was hot, I’d lost the address to my hotel and I couldn’t get the SIM card in my prepaid phone to work.
I’m happy to report my state of affairs has improved since then. Still, knowing a few things would’ve helped me acclimate to Aussie life a bit easier.
Immigration recommends work and holidaymakers bring AUD$5,000. This isn’t enough. Sydney and Melbourne are some of the most expensive cities in the world. Plus, costs for items like produce have shot up since the floods earlier this year.
Consider using a fee-free credit card for some purchases. If you can’t be trusted with plastic, transfer as much money as possible to an Australian bank account to avoid fees of $50 or more for each transfer and debit and ATM withdrawal surcharges from both countries.
Hostelling International memberships cost $25 a year and shave a few dollars off your hostel stay each night.
There’s a reason an Australian wrote the “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” song in the 90s. I got sunburned so bad when I got here, I had a mark on my thigh for almost a month. Did I mention I’m olive-skinned and usually tan?
The out-of-pocket cost for a GP visit is around $60 in Sydney — about $150 less than going to a specialist first. Check out this post for more on travelers’ health insurance in Australia.
You can call the States and Canada from Australia for free on Google phone through 2011. FREE!
I bought a $99 USB modem only to pay $60-plus a month for spotty Internet. I now pay half that for unlimited wireless at my apartment. If you’re hopping about, skip the hostel Internet and head to libraries or McDonald’s to get it for free.
You can get one-way bus fare for the starting rate of a cab in Sydney. It’s then $2 per kilometer plus a 20-percent surcharge if traveling after 10 p.m. Save your money.
Or have someone drive for you. You can explore the many dirt paths, colorful landscapes and coastal areas a lot better if you’re in a two-passenger car instead of a 25-person tour bus.
Chat with old folks, the people born and raised in Oz, the immigrants who came there for a better life. Their stories and observations will open your eyes.
“Suburb” doesn’t mean the same thing in Australia as it does elsewhere. Many Oz suburbs are diverse and alive with a vibrant arts scene and café culture. In fact, you might prefer staying in a suburb over a CBD — rent is heaps cheaper.
Emails go unanswered for weeks, buses rock up 30 minutes late with no explanation and service in restaurants is often non-existent. Just repeat “no worries” to yourself.
I thought I could get another year out of my work and holiday visa by picking fruit. It turns out Americans aren’t eligible, though Canadians and many European citizens are. While one immigration lawyer said I couldn’t get on my American partner’s work visa, it turns out I could (and did). Make sure you research and talk to the right people if you want to stay longer.
Myall Lakes, the Central Coast, Royal National Park and Ku-ring-gai Chase are all beautiful places as worth seeing as Great Ocean Road and the Great Barrier Reef.
Know to say a “flat white with two sugars” when ordering coffee. Call peppers “capsicum,” cheddar cheese “Tasty” and shrimp “prawns.” It’s the Aussie way.
Have you traveled to Australia? Do any of these tips ring true to you? Add your tips for backpacking in Australia to the comments section below.
I’ve based myself in New Zealand for the past 22 months – give or take, that’s about 660 days.
The time just slips away. They say that happens the older you get, and while I don’t doubt this is true, I’m confident the happier you are someplace and the more content you are with your life, the quicker the hours, days and weeks disappear.
I originally left home in 2007 to explore the unknown; I wasn’t ready to settle down and had a deep desire to see more of this world we live in.
The journey to where I am today has been a roller coaster of highs and lows – undoubtedly, the moments of pure elation outnumber the challenges.
I’ve traveled the world by way of working holidays in an effort to gain a better understanding of the cultures of the countries I’ve traveled through. In between or during these working holidays, I’ve managed to backpack to some exceptionally special places. Without a doubt, there is so much more of this world I’m yearning to see – the rest of Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, China, South & Central America and the list goes on.
Many of the posts in the archives of this blog encourage others to leave the comforts of home, pack a bag, and explore far away places. As the tagline of this blog says, Life’s a Journey; I believe the world begs to be explored, experienced and learned from.
Each day that passes here on the beautiful South Island of New Zealand reinforces my indescribable love of this area of the world. Weekly Daily, I’m reminded of how special this place is and I find this terribly frightening.
While I still have the desire to travel to new places, right now I’m beyond content with my life in New Zealand. Most of the time, at least. I do still get that itch that only those inflicted with the bite of the travel bug know. Reading about Adventurous Kate’s travels through Europe to TBU or the Mobile Lawyer’s adventure on the Ultimate Train Challenge still leave me with that taste for wanting to experience new things and face new challenges.
The problem is there is so much here I still want to do. I want to climb Mitre Peak. I want to compete in a multi-day adventure race. I want to go surfing in the Catlins. I want to ride my bike in a brevit. I want to get into backcountry snowboarding.
I love my job, my quaint rented lakeside bach with lake and mountain views, my mates and the lifestyle that New Zealand brings on. The budding minimalist that was me in Thailand traveling with only a Macpac daypack is slowly beginning to acquire things – a bike, bike gear, a snowboarding. Potentially a kayak and climbing gear? A second bike?
At what point do I become a hypocrite who encourages others to leave home and travel the world while I stay in this comfortable bubble which I like to call paradise?
I haven’t moved on permanently from being a backpacker. I continue to read travel blogs, add experiences to my bucket list and still yearn to see more of this world. And I will. This working holiday has simply continued on for longer than anticipated. I’m one of many who have come to Queenstown and stayed longer than expected – if you’ve traveled here, you’ll certainly understand why.
I love my life here and for the time being I’m content with that. There is certainly more of this world I want to see – but for now, that’ll have to wait for another day.
Backpacking Matt 
