We know how it is. After devoting so much energy to arranging flights and accommodation, you’re temped to pick just any old tour company to show you around on your trip. Many times, this random selection works out fine.

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One of the most frustrating but important decision you have when planning for extended travel is your budget. Firstly, you need to have money for flights, then everyday costs in your destination, and a buffer for emergencies, even if you're planning on working as you travel.

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It's important to learn some basic vocabulary when you travel to a country where you don't speak the language. Even just a few phrases will make things a lot easier for you, and the locals always like to hear you making an effort.

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Travel can make you feel liberated, but one thing often squashes that sense of freedom the minute you land at your destination: visa requirements. It’s a breeze getting into countries like Thailand, where you don’t need a visa, but Vietnam is another story.

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Packing for a big round-the-world trip is exciting. A hundred posts have been written on what to pack and why, guiding antsy backpackers in this most important step of their travel experience. However, there's a lot of misinformation out there.

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Deciding to leave everything behind and head off on an epic journey is one of the best decisions you can make. You'll learn about yourself and about the world and you'll have an amazing experience. I'm sure I don't need to convince you! If you've decided to take the plunge,...

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It’s been a proper season for getting caught in storms, mudslides closing the only road to my destination and border guards getting right up my nose! Let me dial it back a few days to a calm trip down from Cancun to the Cayes is Belize.

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Travel insurance is one of those expenses that you debate before you hit the road. Should you risk it and go without or spend a bit extra, just in case. Talk to anyone who's been injured, lost their luggage, had their flight canceled or one of the other million things...

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This is the story of a hurricane - I am rapidly becoming a hurricane magnet and it not funny! The Caribbean in summer is notorious for hurricanes however by October they no longer come over from the Cape Verde region but are formed more locally and can arrive like a gatecrasher...

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After four-and-a-half years of travel, people often ask us for advice. And the single best piece of advice I can offer isn't anything new: pack light. When we set off on our Grand Tour in 2006, Craig and I each had a 70 litre pack, and we had the full...

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