The Cost
When I tell someone about my trip, one of the questions they always want to ask, and are sometimes afraid to ask, is How Much Did All That Cost You?
Or, “Man, you must have had a lot of money”
*sigh*
NO, we (my guy and I) didn’t have a lot of money. And this trip probably cost a lot less than you might think it would.
People who have never backpacked before (most adult Americans) have no concept of cheap travel and hostels and all that. (That’s another common question, usually asked with a grimace, “What are hostels like? Are they as gross as they say?”)
We just both knew we wanted to take the trip and we SAVED. It helps that we don’t have kids or a mortgage or anything. So for many months, we didn’t make any big purchases. It was also a big help that a friend rented out our apartment while we were gone. Other than that, the only expense left was my car. So I just paid several months payment before I left. We also saved money on our cell phones and cable, which we cancelled. And I saved a few hundred bucks by suspending my car insurance, since no one would be driving. And think of the gas money you don’t spend.
So anyway. How much money you need depends on where you go. Europe = mucho dinero. Thailand = el cheapo.
The biggest expense will be your airfare. Ours, which was a Great Escapade RTW ticket, we bought in London for about 900 pounds. That’s about $1,600 on flights that take you all the way around the world. When you consider a flight to Australia alone can cost $1,000, that’s pretty awesome.
The next biggest expense might be your travel gear (like a backpack, if you need one) or transportation. I think it is very easy to underestimate transportation. You think, “Ok, I’ll go to the airport, fly to —- then go to the hostel.” Not thinking that you need to take a BUS to the TRAIN that takes you to the airport. Then, you take another TRAIN to the city and then a TAXI to the hostel. Stuff like that you forget to factor in! THat could be another $20 right there! Also, you might buy big bus passes that cost a couple hundred dollars.
So anyway. How much did it cost? It was 4 months of traveling, which took us from London-Singapore-Bangkok-(Singapore)-Sydney, Cairns-Auckland-Christchurch-(Auckland)-Rarotonga-Tahiti-LA. I’m not able to figure the exact cost, but I think it’s somewhere around +$12,000. And that’s for TWO people. So $6,000 a person for 4 months! Not bad, eh!? So when are you leaving?
Tags: Travel Tips
Kelly