Month: March 2018

Accommodation costs so little

My main habit is always to sleep at home via Couchsurfing (click to read the article on the subject and find out more).

So yes I hear some moan in the bottom , it is true that we do not enjoy total comfort, but on the other hand we earn much more! In addition to free accommodation and sometimes free food, Couchsurfing offers truly unforgettable experiences like this one . And then it often happened to me that my host was busy all day (as at the time of writing) and enjoying the house all by myself.
And if you travel, is it to meet and see something other than what you have around you every day?
This means is ideal for those who embark on a world tour like those who have been bouncing for a while already!

Of course I do not use Couchsurfing everywhere! 
For example in Asia accommodation costs so little and meetings are so easy that I prefer to sleep at the hotel or in an inn.
The youth hostels , as I often say on this blog, are great places for budget travelers, with rather comfortable dorms, a lively atmosphere and an instant social life.

However, if you are tired of all this hustle and bustle, hotels in Asian countries (and some other countries in South America) are almost the same price! In India I even remember that a hotel room cost me 3 euros in some places against 6 euros in some hostels.
That said, at this price did not hope to find a staff who will be with you little care, there is a good chance that you put your luggage all alone in your room! 
Speaking of room, they will usually be clean, but not impeccable either. You may sometimes have a faulty faucet, a couple of dead mosquitoes crushed against a wall or a missing tile on the floor.
But again, you will have a private room, a bed to empty your head and a shower and toilet that you will not have to share with a dozen other people, all for a price equivalent or even less to that of travelers in an inn.

You will understand, there is always a sacrifice in comfort to be able to travel less expensive , if you are ready to do it here you will make big savings!

What does it mean to live and travel relatively well?

The more I think about it, the more I realize that what is “relatively good” for me can be absolutely miserable for someone else, or even the opposite, may seem luxurious.
That’s why I wanted to clarify with you the words “traveling relatively well” by revealing here how I use and manage my budget. I will at the same time share some tips to help you travel cheaperand therefore longer.

Patagonian tentBecause yes, when I proclaim loudly like a 21st century Jesus that traveling is not a question of money and I spend an average of 400 euros per month on my travels, does that mean that:
I sleep in the street?
Under a tent ?
That I only eat in a bowl of rice?
That I move from one place to another stop to save my money?

It’s easy to be totally excited about traveling around the world knowing that you will spend only 10 euros a day, but it would become less attractive if the budget involved getting access to a shower only once a week, sleeping in places infested with rats and begging for food!

So how do I use these 400 euros per month during my travels?

First of all, be aware that I would never have promoted spending little money on my travels if my budget involved sleeping in the street while pounding the floor. And although it is true that I have spent a night under the stars on a beach in the Gulf of Thailand, it was a purely personal choice (by the way a bad choice because it was quite horrible be attacked by a horde of flies in the morning!).

But it’s a fact, I travel while paying attention to my budget. My goal is to travel cheaper around the world and therefore spend the least possible, but with a minimum of comfort.
Yes, like everyone else, I need some comfort on the road, although I can opt for accom- modation and never eat in luxury restaurants. It is neither a desire nor my interest to travel around the world in poverty.
To give a better idea of ​​what is really traveling with less than 400 euros per month, let me explain the distribution of my budget in the most common expenses.