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How To: Budget For Travel

I don't know about you, but I love budgeting when it comes to planning a holiday. Being a resourceful traveler isn't just a way to save money, it's a way to make the most out of your holiday and perhaps even come home with some left over money. It's true, it can be done! With me, I know all the tips and tricks and I almost always come home with extra cash. 

Let's be honest though, budgeting for a holiday can be quite difficult and daunting at times, especially for beginner holiday planners. Don't worry, there's no need to stress when you know what to do. Here are some of my own handy tips for getting the most out of your money when going on a holiday.  

STEP ONE: Find out how much it will cost you

Finding out how much your whole trip will cost will be the biggest question you need to ask yourself. This step is crucial and you need to make sure it's as detailed as possible. Take a look over your finances, and determine how much of that you actually want to spend on your holiday. It's important to take into account details like flights, accommodation, food, transport, tips - everything! Set a final figure as your overall spending limit. 

STEP TWO: It's Q&A Time

Once you have a final figure of how much you want to spend, you can start planning your holiday. Time to answer some important questions such as; where do you want to go? Who will go with you? What time of holiday do you want?  Asking these questions is one thing, answering them is a whole other story! Although, after some serious planning and research, you'll have answers in not time and that brings me to step three. 

STEP THREE: Plan. Plan. Plan

You've got the basics down but now you need to start planning your holiday to determine just how much you'll be spending. Each country is different and each country will bring financial challenges. Research where you want to travel and set up a spreadsheet of daily costs etc. It's important to stick to a limit otherwise you'll be over your budget in no time. On top of that, start researching budgeting tips. The internet is full of FREE advice and information. 

STEP FOUR: Realistic Saving Methods

I love saving but yes, I do love spending. Don't we all? This can be quite a tricky step to master but once you have a plan and a dedication to start traveling, you shouldn't have much of a problem (fingers crossed). When setting a budget, you not only need to set one for your holiday, but you also need to budget your post holiday expenses otherwise you'll never get over there! My tip? sacrifice a few things that may influence you to spend, e.g. social outings, coffee runs. The months leading up to a holiday will be the hardest because you desperately want to save up every little penny - and it will be totally worth it! 

STEP FIVE: Handle Your Money Well

When I traveled to Europe, for the first time, my wallet full of all my cards and €500 was stolen within the first twenty minutes of arriving in Italy. I was furious and I wanted to go home straight away. I had saved all year only to have it stolen within minutes of arriving on my dream holiday. Alas, it was my fault. Long story short, make sure you don't make the same mistake as me, lock your bags, keep your valuables safe and understand that tourists are walking targets when it comes to pickpockets. Don't let that ruin your holiday though, I've traveled plenty of times and I've been fortunate to have only experienced it once. As long as you are careful with your money, you shouldn't have a problem.

STEP SIX: Don't Stress. Have Fun

When it comes to money, try not to let the stress of budgeting take over your whole holiday. It's not worth it. As long as you don't run out money, you'll be fine. If you want to indulge because you feel like it - do it! A holiday is a time where you can treat yourself as much as possible, and you can do that whether or not your on a budget.

[littlemissexplorerblog]

HOW TO CONVINCE YOUR PARENTS THAT YOU’RE GOING TRAVELLING!

“Mum, Dad. I have something to tell you… I’m leaving.”

Have you hit a defining moment in your life where you’ve finally decided to grow some balls and start traveling around the world without the old folks?  Convincing your parents to agree to your travel plans can be tough. Here are my tips on how to convince your parents that you’re going travelling.

TIP #1: Be Understanding.

Let’s all pretend for moment that we’re old enough to understand the reasons behind their automatic answer – ‘no’.  Come on guys, they’re your parents! They’re going to worry and they’re going to want what’s best for you. Listen to what they have to say and be understanding.

TIP #2: No Begging, please.

This will only show that you are not mature enough to go off without them.

TIP #3: Be Prepared.

Save them the trouble of stalking every move you make and let them know your plans. Write up a schedule; be sure to include all the nitty-gritty details that you think they should know.

TIP #4: Be Responsible.

 This will help you convince them more easily next time. Stay in contact with your parents and don't ignore their phone calls!

TIP #5: No Lying.  

No one likes a liar, especially your parents.

TIP #6: Explain Why.  

Explain to them why you want to travel. Sometimes parents just won’t get why it’s so important to you, so you need to help them out.

TIP #7: Safety First Folks.

When you announce to your parents that you want to go travelling alone, chances are that they’re going to ask if you’ve seen the movie ‘Taken’. If they do, talk to them about how you’d minimize the risk of Liam Neeson hunting your capturers down, and how you would keep safe if things were to go sour.  

TIP #8: Keep In Touch

Reassure your parents that you’ll call them every so often so they don’t end up pulling out their hair with worry!

TIP #10: Where’s The Money At?

Get together all your savings because your parents won’t be taking you serious anytime soon if you’re asking them to pay for your holiday. Get a job and start showing them that you’re serious.

[littlemissexplorerblog]

HOW TO CONVINCE YOUR PARENTS THAT YOU’RE GOING TRAVELLING!

“Mum, Dad. I have something to tell you… I’m leaving.”

Have you hit a defining moment in your life where you’ve finally decided to grow some balls and start traveling around the world without the old folks?  Convincing your parents to agree to your travel plans can be tough. Here are my tips on how to convince your parents that you’re going travelling.

TIP #1: Be Understanding.

Let’s all pretend for moment that we’re old enough to understand the reasons behind their automatic answer – ‘no’.  Come on guys, they’re your parents! They’re going to worry and they’re going to want what’s best for you. Listen to what they have to say and be understanding.

TIP #2: No Begging, please.

This will only show that you are not mature enough to go off without them.

TIP #3: Be Prepared.

Save them the trouble of stalking every move you make and let them know your plans. Write up a schedule; be sure to include all the nitty-gritty details that you think they should know.

TIP #4: Be Responsible.

 This will help you convince them more easily next time. Stay in contact with your parents and don't ignore their phone calls!

TIP #5: No Lying.  

No one likes a liar, especially your parents.

TIP #6: Explain Why.  

Explain to them why you want to travel. Sometimes parents just won’t get why it’s so important to you, so you need to help them out.

TIP #7: Safety First Folks.

When you announce to your parents that you want to go travelling alone, chances are that they’re going to ask if you’ve seen the movie ‘Taken’. If they do, talk to them about how you’d minimize the risk of Liam Neeson hunting your capturers down, and how you would keep safe if things were to go sour.  

TIP #8: Keep In Touch

Reassure your parents that you’ll call them every so often so they don’t end up pulling out their hair with worry!

TIP #10: Where’s The Money At?

Get together all your savings because your parents won’t be taking you serious anytime soon if you’re asking them to pay for your holiday. Get a job and start showing them that you’re serious.

[littlemissexplorerblog]

The Maasai Tribe

Amongst the many tribes of Africa, the Maasai was the one that intrigued me the most. I had studied their culture a little in anthropology class back in college and I was hoping to have the opportunity to speak to some while on my trip to Kenya and Tanzania. They mainly live in distant areas where they can raise their livestock away from roads and vehicles. They are semi-nomadic and much known as they live near national parks. These past years, industrialization invaded East Africa attracting the younger generations of Maasai to the cities to study. It’s common today to come upon Maasai warriors in the streets of busy cities where they can come and trade in some food and jewelry. The tribe is slowly dying out as the younger generations are getting to know the modern world and many times, they do not come back to their tribe or simply stop following traditions and settle in cities. It’s very unfortunate to see how the present world is swallowing traditional tribes that had been part of the land for hundreds of years.

 They’ve had controversial traditions and seem to insist in keeping them although some have been prohibited. People’s rights organizations around the world are trying to alert the tribe to the negative aspects their traditions bring to their people. The main tradition the Maasai fight to keep is circumcision, male and female. When one comes of age they would use a sharpened knife and makeshift hide bandages for the procedure. This procedure is done without any use of anesthetics whatsoever and is much debated around the world, especially for the women. The process is very painful and showing signs of pain brings dishonor and that is why even today, Maasai women look forward to their circumcision as they believe it won’t be possible for them to find a husband if they don’t. I have to admit at first sight all those different rituals seem scandalous and very unusual but I believe it’s essential not to intrude into other cultures, especially traditional tribes. We should simply monitor and offer whatever help we may be able to offer, as well as educate them in the best possible way. Traditions are what keep societies alive and is what makes us different. We should preserve them as much as possible.

When we first started our safari in the Serengeti National Park, we were offered the unique opportunity to visit a Maasai village and to be introduced to their way of living. I was glad we could meet some as it was exactly what I wanted. When we first arrived to the village, the chief’s son came up to my guides and spoke something in Swahili. He then changed his language to English and I was surprised at how well he spoke. It made me think that we were probably not the only travelers he had met before. He told us his tribe would perform a tradition welcome dance for us while the women and children would sing a song. The village was surrounded by an enclosed circular fence made out from acacia branches that had been put together by the men of the village. It was built to keep in the farm animals and to keep out the wild animals at night. All the villagers came out of the enclosed area to greet us. The males were all wearing traditional kangas and sandals made out of tire strips. They mostly wore red, blue and purple. The women were wearing long beautiful dresses with many layers covering their bodies from the sun. They also wore beaded handmade necklaces. They were round and massive. Some would also have beaded hats. The jewelry represented the rank of the given person in the tribe. Even the children had those traditional necklaces. The dance consisted in bouncing in a circle with a long wooden stick and sing words in Maa, their traditional language. Everything put together was hypnotizing. After they ended their welcoming ceremony, they introduced us to their homes which are commonly called manyattas. They are made out of mud, sticks, grass and most of all, cow dung. It does sound disgusting, but there was no smell at all. When I entered one of the homes, I had to crunch down and squeeze in, as the entrance was really small. Once inside, there wasn’t much light but there was an opening on the roof for the smoke to clear out. There was only one bed on which the mother would sleep with her children and that was it. I sat down with the chief’s son as he explained the different traditions and ideas of his culture. It was very fascinating! I was astonished at how respectful everyone was with one and other. Even though it’s a polygamist tribe, I didn’t feel any jealousy of any kind. Every woman was watching over the children and seemed to get along fine. It was a totally different point of vu on life compared to the modern world I was used to live in but I was more than pleased I’d been able to see the Maasai.

After the presentation of the manyattas, we were brought to the center of the community where the men and the women were gathered around to sing to us more songs. The men on the left were demonstrating a dance called adumu. It consisted in jumping as high as possible while keeping a straight posture and never letting their heels touch the ground. The voices of the warriors would increase when one would jump higher. They would go one after the other in the center of the circle they formed to demonstrate. Some of the guys decided to join in and try it out for themselves. It was quite a show! On the right side were the women singing to encourage their sons. They would balance their chest in a way that would make their jewelry move to the beat of the music. Us girls, decided to join in. We were lent some necklaces and tried to imitate their moves. It wasn’t as easy as it looked but we had a great time!

After the strenuous ceremony, the Maasai tried to sell us some jewelry that was hanging in the middle of the village on some trees. They overpriced everything, but to encourage them, I decided to buy a traditional wedding necklace. It was made out of wood and resembled a gourd. It was attached by a multicolored beaded chain. Some got bracelets, while some got sandals. We were then introduced to the local school where the kids from the village went to study English and Swahili. Some children were already there waiting for us. As we entered, they started to sing a local song. They were very cute and seemed really glad we had come to visit them. Some were as young as 2 years old.

After the whole encounter, we thanked the chief’s son and headed out. I was deeply touched by the brief meeting. The Maasai people were so happy even though they had so little. They welcomed us, strangers, into their homes and showed us their way of living. They were proud of their society and proud of showing it off to us travelers. From then on, I wouldn’t see the world with the same eyes…

Written By Jessyka Chin Sang

[littlemissexplorerblog]

How To Write Your Own Bucket List

Yesterday, I was surfing the internet and I stumbled across someones bucket list which inspired me to create one of my own.  If you've landed on this page, then I'm assuming you want to make one too, but how and where do you start? 

Firstly, if you're not aware of what a bucket list is, it's a list of all the goals you want to achieve, dreams you want to fulfill and life experiences you desire to experience before you die. The question now is, why? Why should we create a bucket list? The answer is simple, if you're sure of what you want to achieve in your life, you're less likely to miss out on life experiences and things you've always wanted to do.

Let's face it, life's a roller coaster and sometimes it can all blur together. You must ask yourself; what did you achieve in the past three months? Would you be able to answer them and be satisfied with your response if you were to pass away the next day? What ever your answer and whatever your lifestyle, bucket lists are a fantastic approach to guide yourself onto a path of great ambitions and a happy life. It’s just like planning all the highlights you want for your whole life.

Before you begin, take a look at my top five tips on creating a bucket list for yourself.

Excited to start?  

1. Take your time

Writing your bucket list isn't a walk in the park. In fact, your list will probably never be fully completed. Be patient and be aware that a bucket list may take weeks, months, or in all honesty, years to finish. 

2. Know what you want

Do you have a passion to travel all around the world? Write that down. Do you want to bungee jump or skydive? Write it down. Do you want to conquer your greatest fear? Add that too. Be sure to write everything that YOU have always wanted to do. No matter what crazy, unique, out of the blue goal you have - it's all possible.

3. Research and be realistic 

Need some inspiration? Take a look at bucket lists online or ask your friends to see theirs, you'll be able to get a few ideas from them. Who knows, their goals might end up on yours! You also need to be sure to keep your goals as realistic as possible, otherwise you might be disappointed if you're unable to complete them. But at the same time, don't keep that bar too low.

4. Set deadlines

If you're serious about completing your list as soon as possible, then setting deadlines will enable more of a push and determination to complete your goals. My list is huge, and I know it will take a very long time, but I still have deadlines on a couple of them. For example; one of them is to start my own business and have it running successfully by the time I turn 30. See? I have a deadline and it's making me work a lot harder.

5. Enjoy 

Lastly, have fun with it. The whole idea of a bucket list, is to start making everyday steps to do the things you want to do with your life. Don't stress and don't feel like you need to prove anything to anyone. If you're having troubles, take a break and come back to it later. The last thing you want is to turn it into a chore - have fun! 

 There you have it! My top five tips on starting your very own bucket list! So what are you waiting for? Start writing! 

If you want to share your bucket list, please feel free to comment below! 

Happy Exploring, 

Little Miss Explorer xo

[littlemissexplorerblog]

How to Kill Time in Oz

October was interstate road trip time, Brisbane to Coonabarabran but where to stop along the way?  Some friends who are mad motorbike enthusiasts told us to take the highway through Tenterfield and Bingara where you will find the Mount Kaputar National Park and Sawn Rocks in New South Wales.

What a gorgeous drive. We pulled up in our camper trailer up and went on a very short walk to Sawn Rocks, we were immediately slapped in the face by one of mother natures true marvels. On display was an organ piped cathedral of ancient rock formed millions of years ago. It was easy to sit for a while looking over each crevice of rock, but closing your eyes you could hear the wind sweep past the tree canopy above, soak up the sun’s rays and breathe in something prehistoric.

On to Narrabri then back into Mount Kaputar National Park towards Bark Hut campsite. Never having towed a camper trailer at this stage, here we were two girls driving through the unsealed and narrow road ascending towards our destination hundreds of meters above sea level. You can’t let a little thing like inexperience stop you from having an adventure, but don’t worry, we were well prepared before we set out and not on a suicide mission.

We reached a car park and decided to take on the Mt Coryan Walk, a 4 km circuit claiming to take 3 hours with a difficulty rating of ‘hard’.  While we love going on walks, we were far from fit and had no preparation for this walk. But time was on our side, it was a beautiful day and the local park ranger had just cleared the path of some gorgeous gum trees that had taken a tumble.

The remnants of ancient rainforest climbing quite steeply took us past the most magnificent gathering of grass trees one could imagine.  You really need to take the time to “look up” to capitalise on this walk, one minute you are concentrating on your foot fall the next you realise that you are dwarfed amongst 10 foot tall grass tree’s, it was easy to start feeling like a character out of Bug’s Life.

There was an absence of wildlife during our walk, which was disappointing, but the flora was exceptional. The walk itself had us puffing and pausing in parts, but only took us about an hour and half to complete.  It was truly a spectacle and we were disappointed we couldn’t stay longer and complete some of the other fantastic and challenging walks on offer in this great National Park. Kaputar in NSW is one place we will certainly return to, with a lot more time on our hands.

You don’t have to be a trained hiker or mountaineer to enjoy the brilliant landscape this country has to offer:

1.      Find a National Park close to home

2.      Get a bunch of friends together,

3.      Hire a cabin, or buy a tent.

4.      Pack a few bottles of wine and some gorgeous local produce, or

5.      Find a fully catered cabin and go glamping if you must!!!

Either way do yourself a favour and get out there, the Australian countryside is the best way to pass time while saving for your next overseas adventure.

Written by Guest Contributor - Jacinta Stark 

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How To: Enjoy Bondi Beach

Perhaps this ‘How To:’ is quite an obvious one. How hard could it be to enjoy one of the most well known, famous beaches of the world? Surely the notion of sun, surf and sand would be enough for a good time, enough at least to experience Bondi Beach like every other travelling tourist but is that what you want to be? Just another tourist? There is a lot more to this suburb then simply lying on the beach, drinking beer and inevitably getting burnt to a crisp, so let me impart some of my beloved places and favourite things to do so that one day perhaps you can see Bondi the way I have always seen it.

I’ve had the wonderful pleasure of living here for almost three years, hidden behind one of the most commercial streets in Bondi and nestled in the heart of a beautiful garden with a below average beach-shack like apartment. Of course you wouldn’t be able to visit my garden but let me just say that it is a hidden Eden, full of thousands of plants, surfboards, an outdoor shower encased in Bougainvillea flowers and one sun-bed. When I first moved here, I had come from living in an inner city suburb called Glebe, where I had spent my entire life. It is a beautiful resemblance of a quirky village, populated with vintage record shops, a thousand cafes and is host to the notorious Glebe Saturday markets but it is nothing compared to the sea salt soaked air of Bondi with its infamous boardwalk, skate park, pavilion and much more.

To begin with, it is best to view Bondi from afar. You can do this quite successfully whilst enjoying the coastal walk from Bondi to Coogee. That walk can change you in someway everyday, whether it is in the early morning when you are accompanied with other early bird catching the worm, runners or sometimes no one at all. When they say that the sun rises in the East they must have first seen it over an ocean like Bondi because as the sky lights up in bursts of warm colours and you realise that you are on the edge of the world, a feeling of euphoria becomes inevitable and the perfect start to the day is created.

This walk was also made famous through an exhibition known as Sculpture By The Sea. Sculptures by local artists around Sydney stretch between Bronte to Bondi and thousands of Sydney Siders flock every year to walk along the coast and view all artworks. It truly is one of Sydney’s best events and should not be missed if you ever venture to Bondi at the right time. The coastal walk is gloriously beautiful. It can calm any restless mind, open the senses and remind one that beauty can always be in your own backyard.

During winter, Bondi gets very quiet. It’s a nice change from the bustling nature of summer and all the locals resurface to enjoy their own hidden secrets. One of which is the teaching of Capoeira at the Pavilion, followed by a yoga class in the outdoor amphitheatre. Not many people are aware that the Pavilion stretches off the boardwalk and hosts yearly events like the Open Air Cinema in summer, as well as, pottery classes, book clubs and Pilates. It is an old yellow building that has stood for years looking outwards on to the ocean, a hub of new hobbies and experiences that are always changing in a constant rotation. Sometimes, if its not too late in the evening, I will sit and read in the circular space of seats surrounding the outdoor evening yoga class, listening to the quiet hum of music and the instructors relaxing tone of guidance whilst I enjoy whatever book happens to be in my hand, a hidden gem in a commercialised setting.

Icebergs have long been located at the south end of Bondi Beach, half swimming pool half café and restaurant for the elite of the East. Membership is vital in order to enjoy their signature cocktails or perfectly poached eggs but if you’re not one to join a club, like myself, then you can find the tiniest of café’s connected to the tail end of the club, right behind the entry for staff only. It is simply a barista stand that sells the staples of any breakfast diet but it has the most sensational view of the ocean and the coffee is potently strong as well as incredibly satisfying. The seating is entirely outdoors with giant white umbrellas to protect you from all potential weather scenarios and clear glass to allow for optimum viewing pleasure of the waves lapping up into the pool below filled with Bondi’s avid swimmers. It also happens to be nestled at the beginning of the coastal walk, allowing for a perfectly planned day of drinking coffee, walking and enjoying a cloudless sky.

Bondi Beach is one of those suburbs that all tourists find themselves visiting when they come to Sydney and of course, so it should be. However there is more to this suburb then just the graffiti covered boardwalk and the local pubs and bars, the red and yellow flags of the life savers and the Sunday farmers market. In October it’s as if the entire suburb is covered in Jasmine bushes, creating a floral scent accompanied with sea salt, coconut and sunscreen. In January, one can see the ripples of heat float delicately above the expanse of ocean as the beach fills up with more people then grains of sand. In September, perfectly in time with my birthday, Waverly council hosts the Festival of the Winds on the sands of Bondi. A kite festival like no other as the sky fills up with thousands of small, medium, large to giant kites all resembling animals, machinery or symbols of some sort and in July, at night, although its cold, one can ice-skate on the man made ring down at the pavilion underneath the stars at the edge of the world.

 Written By Lauren Hall - Guest Contributor