World Travel Guide Network
One of the easiest ways to build your own personal world travel guide is to network. No, I don’t mean wander the streets of Pokhara asking locals about the best temple to visit (though that’s probably a good idea). Rather, there are several forums out there that will help you prepare for your world travel. Here is a brief list of who to talk to about where to go:
First, consider a round the world ticket. You can contact providers such as Airtreks or the BootsnAll travel network. These are run by experienced travel agents who understand the nature of a round the world ticket, and can often get you bargains that will drop your jaw. Keep in mind these companies provide great value, rather than just a cheap plane ticket. If you want a simple round trip, these aren’t your guys. However, if you want to take a year off and travel the world, they can make it happen for much less than anywhere else.
Next, enter a travel forum such as the Thorn Tree (powered by Lonely Planet) or Virtual Tourist and post all the questions you have. I have found in my experience that you will get the best advice from people who have traveled through the area in question recently (guide books grow out of date quickly, and the quality of inns and restaurants can change at the drop of a hat). Both of these are great travel networks, and you can really rely on the advice you receive here. If you want to increase your world travel network, you would be pleasantly surprised how easy it is once you have a knowledgeable travel agent covering your rear and a few fellow vagabonds rooting for you. |