University Guides August 27, 2010

• Backpacking as a Student

  When you’re a student who wants to see
  some of the world, taking a backpacking holiday is one of the obvious ways to
  go about things. Backpacking allows you to travel inexpensively whether you
  choose to travel alone or as part of a group.

  When you choose where to go, you may well
  want to look at places such as Thailand,
  Cambodia, India, or
  Mexico all of which are interesting, and offer cheap methods of transport
  within the country, as well as cheap places to stay.

  Wherever you choose, it’s important to
  make sure that you visit your GP well in advance to make sure that you get any
  vaccinations that you need, and to get a supply of anti-malaria tablets if
  you’re travelling into a region where malaria is an issue. Your GP should be
  able to advise you on which jabs and other medical precautions you should take.

  When you backpack, you have to travel
  light, so plan what you will take carefully. If you can do so, then download
  useful things to your mobile phone, so that it will double up as your
  entertainment system, your route planner, phrase book, and more. It will depend
  on what phone you have, but many these days have a variety of apps available
  very cheaply, and even though you’ll need to think about taking a charger
  (solar ones can be a great idea here), you should save weight in other areas by
  doing this. There are even apps for some phones to turn them into basic
  torches.

  Depending on where you go, there may well
  be options open to you in terms of where you stay. Hotels, hostels, and
  campsites are generally considered to be the three main choices, but in some
  countries, you may find that hostels are a little thin on the ground. Use the
  internet before you go to research what is available in the countries you are
  travelling to as this will help you determine what you carry with you on your
  travels.

  When you’re planning your packing, think
  about your needs as well as weight. If you will be doing much walking then a
  good stout pair of walking shoes will help you a lot, and you should buy these
  well before you travel, and break them in gently first. There is nothing worse
  on a holiday where you want to do a lot of walking than blisters and sore feet!

  Pick your rucksack carefully. Choose one
  that is waterproof, will hold everything you wish to carry with you, and will
  be comfortable to wear while walking. If you plan on taking a sleeping bag,
  invest in one which is both lightweight and rolls up into it’s own storage bag,
  as well as choosing carefully for the climate you will be travelling into. Carrying
  your own mosquito net is advisable, they don’t take up much space, and you will
  know yours is free from holes where as one provided in a hostel or cheap hotel
  might not be. 

  If this article has inspired you to go
  backpacking then you can search for flights to Bangkok
  in addition to many other backpacking hotspots at Netflights.com.