Greetings fellow travelers! My name is Orlando and I live in the San Francisco bay area. I've recently caught the travel bug. This past year I spent a couple of month backpacking in South America. One of the best experiences of my life! Had the chance to hike Machu Picchu, party every night till 6am during carnival in Salvador and Rio, spent 2 weeks exploring Buenos Aires, and saw the beautiful waterfalls of Iguazu Falls. Since I've returned from my trip all I can think about is how to save up and backpack all over again. I'm on a tight budget so my next adventure will have to involve a lot of hosteling and couchsurfing. So I'm asking my fellow world travelers, where should my next backpacking adventure be? I've always wanted to go to Europe, but I heard it's really expensive. Some have suggested New Zealand and Australia. Asia also appeals to me. Any suggestions?

I suppose it depends on how big your budget is likely to be and what kind of travelling you want to do. Your money will go further in SE Asia than in Oz/NZ, but obviously it will be a completely different experience.

If you have a college degree, you can go teach English in South Korea, Japan, or Taiwan, save a heap of money, and go have another adventure.

Depending on how much of the US you have or haven't seen, exploring the states could be a fun option. I'm from the US and did a fair amount of international travel when I was 18-20. The past six months or so, I've been traveling around within the country and having a really fabulous time. I know it's an anticlimatic suggestion, but there really is a lot to see, do, and learn in the states.

I loved my experiences in East Africa. your money can go a long way. Also, if you're willing to volunteer, You can live pretty easily. they usually offer food and lodging, for a flat fee that would go toward helping the school or orphanage or wherever it is you are volunteering.

If you're interested in Australia and NZ, check out getting a Working Holiday Visa. I did a WHV in NZ, and applied online (no fee! Well, not last year anyway) it was super super easy, and found work that could sustain my vagabond backpacker life and help me save up towards traveling elsewhere also. The economy here sucks anyway, so go travel and get a job picking fruit or something, save money to travel more, and then go from there.

Can you post a link to the backpacking tour/group/whatever that you went with?

Well if you've always wanted to go to Europe. . . know it can be done relatively cheaply, especially if you really use your CouchSurfing, travel further East in Europe, or pause in areas for WWOOF'ing or HelpEx (exchange your labour/help for room & board!).

Otherwise, my next dream backpacking trip is Cambodia/Laos/Vietnam/Thailand. How about that?

nerdygirl wrote:Depending on how much of the US you have or haven't seen, exploring the states could be a fun option. I'm from the US and did a fair amount of international travel when I was 18-20. The past six months or so, I've been traveling around within the country and having a really fabulous time. I know it's an anticlimatic suggestion, but there really is a lot to see, do, and learn in the states.

I just wanted to add to what nerdygirl suggested. Staying in the US can be an adventure itself. Do you know how many festivals...especially food festivals!...are held in the United States each year? I don't recall the number but here in California alone there are dozens! We have everything from the Strawberry Festival to the Garlic Festival to the Asaprigus Festival. And that's just in one state. So I guess my suggestionto you is to plan a trip across the US exploring the various festivals that are held every year. http://www.2camels.com/this site can help you in planning as they focus on festivals held in the US and around the world.
It's just a thought.

Oz and NZ is highly overrated for backpackers...it isn't that cheap at all anymore...the OZ dollar is basically 1 to 1 with the USD and in NZ your dollar may go farther but the prices will make up for that.

if you want some adventure and have your dollar go farther South East Asia is the place to be...heavily trafficked by backpackers, it is easy for the most to get around, generally safe areas and a lot to see, do and eat...obviously biggest expense is the flight but after that you are set...

Yep, I agree. Southeast Asia is the place to be. While my backpacking trip to Europe was amazing (my very first solo trip), in retrospect, I had more fun in SE Asia. While I've never been to South America, SE Asia probably costs the same (except Singapore). Plus, China and India are nearby.

heymikey wrote:Yep, I agree. Southeast Asia is the place to be. While my backpacking trip to Europe was amazing (my very first solo trip), in retrospect, I had more fun in SE Asia. While I've never been to South America, SE Asia probably costs the same (except Singapore). Plus, China and India are nearby.

South America is a bit more expensive than southeast Asia. Southeast Asia is more exotic for most of us, coming from the Anglosphere, while the cultures and languages in Central and South America more accessible, and beach culture better.

Of course, the answer is to take an extended trip through both. Personally, I prefer South America to southeast Asia. That's like judging your favorite sexual position though - all sex is good, you just like some even more.