{"id":4997,"date":"2009-08-31T23:20:40","date_gmt":"2009-09-01T04:20:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artofmanliness.com\/?p=4997"},"modified":"2021-06-02T13:44:32","modified_gmt":"2021-06-02T18:44:32","slug":"international-backpacking-101","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/living\/leisure\/international-backpacking-101\/","title":{"rendered":"International Backpacking 101"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Vintage<\/a><\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: On Tuesdays, we occasionally feature an excellent article that was originally posted in the Art of Manliness Community<\/a> by a community member. Today we\u2019ve selected a post from Joseph P. Lenze<\/strong>.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

I have circumnavigated the earth on a shoestring budget without the use of an airplane by traveling through 43 countries via land and sea. By traveling on a freighter ship across the north Pacific, camel-trekking through the Sahara, and riding a horse at full gallop across the wide open Mongolian countryside, I not only learned about the 43 countries I traveled through, but I picked up a few great international backpacking tips. In this post I share 7 of the most useful.<\/p>\n

1. Take advantage of ATMs<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) are available in almost every country, at least in the larger or capital cities. Many people are unaware that their bank card will generally work in these, and they can withdraw money in the local currency. The advantages are huge \u2013 you don\u2019t have to carry around massive amounts of cash, mess around with travelers checks, or go through the process of changing money. The ATM fees that your bank charges are comparable to the money you\u2019ll lose with local money changers.<\/p>\n

2. Wash your clothes in the shower<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Oftentimes you\u2019ll find yourself without access to a proper washing machine. You can solve this by wearing your dirty clothes into a shower and washing your clothes on your body with soap. Just like a regular shower, pay attention to your armpits and areas that get particularly dirty. It works.<\/p>\n

3. Stash an emergency $100 or 100 Euro bill<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Many backpackers use a daypack for their daily excursions, while keeping their main pack at a hostel, ger, guesthouse, hotel, or in storage. Keep an emergency $100 or 100 Euro bill stashed in the main pack in case you lose your money in your day pack. In a small Polish border town I lost my ATM card. Fortunately, I had enough with my \u201cstash\u201d money to buy a ticket to Warsaw (civilization). Once in Warsaw I was able to get phone and internet access and start solving problems. Make sure to choose a well-known, well accepted currency.<\/p>\n

4. Know visa requirements for each country<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This seems like a no-brainer, but in northern China I saw a lot of suckers paying good money for a Mongolian visa when you didn’t need one to travel there as a U.S. citizen. On the other hand, in 2005, I tried to sneak through Ukraine without a transit visa and customs deported me back to the middle-of-nowhere Russia which ended up costing me a couple of days.<\/p>\n

5. Preemptively avoid a mugging<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019ve done your AoM homework, then you\u2019ve been on a good weight training program and you know how to look people in the eye and speak with confidence. This will help preempt any potential muggers.  When you\u2019re in a situation that just doesn\u2019t feel right \u2013 maybe with a shady acting cab driver in Mexico City or a tuk-tuk driver in Bangkok who seems to be taking you the wrong way \u2013 you want to subtly give the impression that you’re not an easy target. Many times, I simply mentioned that I\u2019m \u201cvisiting xxxx to continue my (MMA, muay thai, boxing, knife fighting, bear wrestling) training.” Make it believable and be confident \u2013 if you\u2019re a foreigner running around a shady section of Bangkok at night, your story doesn\u2019t sound too far-fetched.<\/p>\n

6. Use a sleep-sheet<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A sleep-sheet<\/a> is an unlined sleeping bag without a zipper, generally made of canvas, cotton, or silk. Now you can stay in some dingy hostel, guesthouse, or other gnarly accommodation and your body only touches the inside of your sleep-sheet. It takes off the stress of wondering \u201cWhere has this blanket been?\u201d and \u201cWho or what slept here last night?\u201d Thanks to my sleep-sheet, I slept like a baby when my Cambodian guesthouse wall said \u201cBeware of Bedbugs.”<\/p>\n

7. Baby powder is your friend<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I learned this trick from a female soldier friend who spent long nights in a foxhole during training. If you can\u2019t wash your hair, throw some baby powder in it and it will leave you feeling fresh. After a long-day hiking, walking, or stuck in a train, sprinkle some into your boots or shoes. Staying dry is a paramount concern when backpacking. Additionally, it’s a simple way to \u201cfreshen up\u201d up after a long day of adventures.<\/p>\n

I hope these tips serve you well. The picture below is in the port of Osaka, Japan after a winter crossing of the North Pacific on a freighter…for credibility’s sake. Cheers!<\/p>\n

\"Man<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s Note: On Tuesdays, we occasionally feature an excellent article that was originally posted in the Art of Manliness Community by a community member. Today we\u2019ve selected a post from Joseph P. Lenze. I have circumnavigated the earth on a shoestring budget without the use of an airplane by traveling through 43 countries via land 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