Love and Sex and Backpacking World's Top 5 cities for it





Let's face it, we are all animals at our core, and as Osho once said "the worst thing you can say to someone is don't be an animal". Men want it, women obviously hunger for it - so what's the problem? Societal norms, our parents, inner critics/superego's and all that other garbage.

Which is why backpacking is so awesome - going to some foreign city where no one knows you and you don't know anyone, you can be and do whatever you like!!

Your away from your parents, your co-workers, even some of your judgmental friends.
Now its time to let your inner instincts go nuts. Time to let the animal out of its cage. But don't be an unconscious animal.

5 - TOKYO & SEOUL
This one is more for the blokes, but women can use it too.
Perhaps this is a well kept secret amongst those of us who Teach English as a foreign language, but Japanese women, love, scrap that, are OBSESSED with Caucasian foreigners (possibly other colours as well, not sure).

Every year, hundreds of men and women from the USA, Australia and the UK move to Tokyo and Seoul to teach English, and I'm sure they are not doing it purely for the good money.,

It is very common to see incredibly beautiful Japanese girls walking down the street with not so good looking American blokes.

Why? because white men are like a novelty to these girls - having a Caucasian man on your arm means higher social status amongst your girlfriends. This way the girl gets what she wants, the guy gets what he wants - and everyone reaches at least a shallow level of happy : )

Obviously as a backpacker you can have the same experience.

4 - BALI - INDONESIA

If you are looking for sex with Australian backpackers, this is the place to go.

This place is fortunately/unfortunately swarming with thousands of Australians who go there each year to drink like crazy (as they do at home) and shag like crazy (as they do at home), combine these two attitudes which are already largely built into parts of the culture, with heat and anonymity, and you've got one heavily sexually charged resort town.

Any hostel or bar you find is crawling with them.

Tips on having a cheap trip to Bali can be found here.

3 - LONDON

Its funny because in Australia we have this image of the Brits as being these uptight wingers. Whilst the later part is true, the Brits are anything but uptight!!

It seems all those years of cold hearted Conservatism under Thatcher made them all want to explode as soon as the cold witch got kicked out of office.

London has now become the swingers capital of the world.

And its not just the filthy rich who are doing it as the article suggests, young, average couples and singles are getting into the act as well.

Its also great if you just book yourself into a hostel and go out for a night on the piss (alcohol) to get some good action, if the above seem a bit too insane for you!

If you want to visit
London cheaply, click here for tips.

2 - BERLIN, GERMANY


Forget Amsterdam, this place is Europe's true center of anything goes liberalism.

There is something in the air or the water in Berlin which makes it a truly special city - it is the home of true Bohemia.

It is like the one place in Germany where all the people fed up with the uptightness, repression, suppression, and rules of German society go and live. It is truly a live and let live city - if you want to do something, and it is not harming you or anyone else - then just do it already, is the ethos.

One institution which captures this ethos of personal freedom more than most others, is the famous Kit Kat Club.

Berlin-life.com sums it up quiet well:

The Kit Kat Club in Berlin is one of those rare clubs that has achieved legendary status before it's even been closed. It can chart it's history back to 1994 when a rather liberal Austrian couple decided to try and combine two scenes together: the hippy vibes of a Goa trance party and the hardcore love action of a fetish night. Well you can probably guess the rest. Although the orgies these days are said to be tamer than of old, let's just say that should someone offers you two fingers or four, it's nothing to do with a Nestle chocolate biscuit. If you are planning on paying KitKat Club a visit please note that only highly original, and revealing, glamour/fetish outfits will get you past the door.


If this club is a bit too much for you, you can always try to more conventional but equally hot mainstream clubs.

If you want to visit Berlin cheaply, click here for some awesome tips.


1 - GOLDEN SANDS (VARNA, BULGARIA) BLACK SEA COAST

This place is shag central.

Every year during the European summer, this purpose built tourist city pulsates with groans of pleasure : P

Girls and guys (mostly ages 18 - 30) go there for one thing - the celebrate the end of studies with anonymous, hot and sweaty sex. Nationalities include Germans, Scandinavians, Pols, Russians, Brits, and even some local Bulgarians.

From the insane beach parties, to the sex crazed foam parties, this place has it all.

Not only that, its Bulgaria, so its incredibly cheap! You can find more tips on how to make it a super cheap trip here.

Getting to your destination cheaply
Using a decent website that has all the budget airlines, just write where you are, and where you want to go to, and it will tell you all the possible combinations of budget airlines to take you there : ).

Finding Decent and Affordable Accomodation

Prices keep going up and down depending on demand, so it is difficult/
pointless for me to list them. You will more likely benefit if you look at
Hostelbookers.com and compare the prices for yourself. The good thing about this booking site is that unlike its main competitor hostelworld, it doesn't charge a US$2 booking fee on top of the 10% deposit. A nice saving in itself : )


*I Leave you with a final note: Use protection. The choice is easy - protection or disease/pregnancy : which do you prefer? Wear, or make him wear a condom. If its not on its not on.

Photos used under a Creative Commons Agreement and originally appear on Flickr.com

Got a good story to share on the above issue? go on, get it off your chest and have a laugh! share it below:

How to have a Cheap Holiday or Backpacking Experience in Bali



In this post I will cover:

- How to get to Bali for cheap
- Cheap and free accomodation in Bali
- Eating Cheaply in Bali and cheap tourist memorabilia
- Seeing Bali Cheaply
- How to stay long term in Bali or Indonesia
- More ways to save money whilst travelling : )

Bali, as most Australians know, is one huge, cheap party.

Follow my tips below and have an awesome, memorable, and importantly, affordable experience : )

Getting there cheaply

There are several options you may want to consider for getting to Bali. Each has their pros and cons, depending on where you are planning on getting there from.

Leaving from Australia - Melbourne

If you choose Tullamarine airport, there are two budget airlines that can take you direct to Bali - although the competition can mean lower prices, because it is Melbourne's main airport, it also means that the fees can be higher. Your other option if Avalon airport which has lower fees, but only one airline flying out of there.

You can find all the budget airlines for getting to Bali from Melbourne here

Leaving from Australia - Sydney

Sydney's Kingford Smith Airportalso has two budget airlines flying direct to Bali, but expect to pay higher fees and have longer cues as this is Australia's busiest airport.

Departing from anywhere else in the world

Using a decent website that has all the budget airlines,,just write where you are, and where you want to go to, and it will tell you all the possible combinations of budget airlines to take you there : ).




Cheap and Free Accomodation
Prices keep going up and down depending on demand, so it is difficult/
pointless for me to list them. You will more likely benefit if you look at
Hostelbookers.com and compare the prices for yourself. The good thing about this booking site is that unlike its main competitor hostelworld, it doesn't charge a US$2 booking fee on top of the 10% deposit. A nice saving in itself : )

The other option of course is to join http://couchsurfing.org – a worldwide network for making connections between travellers and the communites they visit. People offering their couches for free! A worldwide phenomenon. Give it a go, but remember to read what people have already said about someone whose couch you are planning on staying on.

Cheap Food and Tourist memorabilia

Don't fall for the 'Aussie Breakfast Specials', you're likely to pay 10 times what you should. Instead, ask a local where they like to eat and don't be afraid to venture into the side-streets where non tourists head - after all - travel is all about adventure. Don't be one of the mundane Australians (or other foreigners for that matter) who go to a foreign country simply to hang out with other Australians, eat Australian food and drink Australian beer. Why leave Australia if that's all you want?

For cheap memorabilia, head to the central market and save up to 50% on what you would at the touristy shops. Also, be prepared to get out of your comfort zone and haggle!! Start at 1/3 of the opening price.

Seeing Bali Cheaply

Hopefully you haven't booked travel through your travel agent already, because I can guarantee you will get ripped off. Instead, have an adventure and use the public buses as the locals do - and pay what locals do. You are also helping our earth by reducing pollution/carbon poison.

Want to stay here 6 months or longer?

If you've fallen in love with Indonesia, it will be easy for you to find work teaching English at a private or public school if you're a native English speaker.

Schools are more likely to take you seriously if you havea TEFL certificate (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), which you can do online now or face to face over a weekend.


More ways to save money whilst travelling

Also, if you're looking for more comprehensive tips on saving money wherever you go, you might consider the following two books:
Also, if you're looking for more comprehensive tips on saving money wherever you go, you might consider the following two books:



HAPPY TRAVELS! : )

How to have a Cheap Holiday or Backpacking Experience in Athens




The first thing you should know about Athens is that everyone has an opinion about everything - that is, everyone's a philosopher in Athens (or thinks they are :P)

In this post I will cover:
- How to get to Athens for cheap
- Cheap and free accomodation in Athens
- Eating Cheaply in Athens and cheap tourist memorabilia
- Seeing Athens Cheaply or FREE
- How to stay long term in Greece
- More ways to save money whilst travelling :)

Athens, as most people know, is the cradle of Western Civilisation. Unfortunately, this is not still the case today. Ever since the Christian Church ordered the destruction of Plato's Academy (the World's first University) and tried and executed those who preached freedom of thought, Greece has experienced a severe decline.


Even so, Greece still has a magical feeling about it :). I've been travelling for a year now, and there's a certain almost magical feeling I get when I'm in Greece. By that I don't just mean the beautiful islands, I mean Athens as well. There's something unique in the atmosphere of sitting in an outdoor restaurant on a warm day, enjoying an ouzo with a souvlaki, whilst listening to the laughter and street music of people walking by :). There's a strong feeling of connection there I have not got in any other city.

Follow my tips below and have an awesome, memorable, and importantly, affordable experience :)

Getting there cheaply

There are several options you may want to consider for getting to Athens. Each has their pros and cons, depending on what your circumstances are - ie are you travelling alone, where are you coming from, are you only interested in Athens or other parts of Greece? You should compare all options below and see which has the best bottom line for you.

Train
This can be cheap, depending on where you are coming from. If you are coming from Sofia in Bulgaria (a country definitely worth visiting) the train ticket for Athens is 50 euros when you first ask, because it includes a sleeper. However, if you are really looking for a cheap experience and are willing to rough it abit like a true backpacker, book a ticket to the Greek city of Thessaloniki instead - this will cost you only 15 euros and is about half way to Athens. Once at Thessaloniki train station, ask for the 15 euro ticket to Athens. You may be waiting a few hours or you may not have to wait at all, either way, it only costs another 15 euros. This means a total of 30 euros instead of 50.

If you are a student, or under 21, be sure to ask for a discount, especially EU students.


PROS: Cheap ! low on toxic emissions on our earth.

CONS: Takes forever (possibly all day) and can be very tiring.

Flying
There is one main international airport in Athens.

Using a decent website that has all the budget airlines,just write where you are, and where you want to go to, and it will tell you all the possible combinations of budget airlines to take you ther :).

PROS:
Fast, can be cheap, easy :)

CONS:
The cost to our earth in terms of carbon emissions.


By Car

If you are already in Europe, you may want to take the scenic tour (which can also be cheaper if there is more than one of you) and stop by real towns and meet the people, and get to see the vastly different cultures that exist outside of the big cities :)

PROS: I've found a company with up to 15% off car hire depending on what sort of car you want. Also more earth friendly than flying. Speaking of which, you may want to consider a Hybrid car which is not only cheaper to run because of fuel efficiency but also better for our earth :).

CONS: Takes longer than a flight. Good to get to Athens, but once there, you'll need to use the new public transport system because driving in central Athens is a nightmare.

Whatever you do, don't go to Greece and miss out on the Greek Islands. They are truly amazing.



Cheap and Free Accomodation

Prices keep going up and down depending on demand, so it is difficult/
pointless for me to list them. You will more likely benefit if you look at
Hostelbookers.com and compare the prices for yourself. The good thing about this booking site is that unlike its main competitor hostelworld, it doesn't charge a US$2 booking fee on top of the 10% deposit. A nice saving in itself :)

The other option of course is to join http://couchsurfing.org – a worldwide network for making connections between travellers and the communites they visit. People offering their couches for free! A worldwide phenomenon. Give it a go, but remember to read what people have already said about someone whose couch you are planning on staying on.

Cheap Food and Tourist memorabilia

In central Athens, catch the metro in and get off at Monastirion aka Monastiraki square.

As you walk straight out onto the square you will see this is tourist central, however don't be dismayed. Walk straight through the square towards a well known mega restaurant called Thanasis restaurant. Awesome atmosphere! but don't eat there! it costs a fortune ;) instead, there is a nice little place just behind there serving up delicious, filling souvlakia for only 2 euros :D this way you can enjoy the nice outdoor atmosphere and enjoy a cheap, hearty meal :)

For cheap tourist memorabilia, whatever you do, don't be foolish enough to buy it from Monastiraki square. Catch the metro to the Acropolis station (where you will need to get off anyway to visit the brand new world class museum that just opened) where you will find cheaper stores. As a general rule, the less popular the shops are, the cheaper they are. Also, be sure to bargain/haggle - they expect it!



Seeing Athens Cheaply



The cheapest, fastest and most efficient way to get around Athens is using the new metro system. Tickets are just 1 euro and you can go anywhere on the system including buses and trams for 90 minutes. Students are half price. Be careful and make sure you get a ticket because I got caught not having validated mine and ate a 60 euro fine - ouch!!

If you are an EU student, count your lucky stars :) The Greeks enjoy supporting education and will give you free entry to every Ancient sight and museum in Athens! Make sure you have your card with you tho :)

If you are not a student, you can buy a 12 euro pass from the Acropolis, which includes entry to large number of sites. Fairly cheap considering what you get to see. Alternatively, wait until Sunday and get in free to the Acropolis :)

The other sights I recommend are the brand new Acropolis museum and the Athens museum which takes hours to see all the most beautiful and best or Ancient Athens :)

The Acropolis museum costs just 1 euro (for the moment) and is free for EU students. The new museum was built to house the most precious of ancient relics - the Parthenon Marbles, which you may not know, where stolen many years ago by an Englishman who wanted to use them to decorate his house.

That Englishman was known as Lord Elgin, who then went bankrupt and sold the marbles to the British museum (even tho they were stolen), which then proceeded to damage them by trying to bleach them "to make them more white".

Despite that, there are 3 floors of amazing statues and other parts of the Acropolis well worth seeing :)



Want to stay here 6 months or longer?

If you have an EU ID card/passport and have fallen in love with the Greek islands, it will be easy for you to find work teaching English at a private school (called 'frontistiria') if you're a native English speaker.

If you dont have EU residency, you will need to register at the local "aliens" office at the local police station for a work permit.

Schools are more likely to take you seriously if you have a TEFL certificate, which you can do online now a days or over a weekend.

More ways to save money whilst travelling

Also, if you're looking for more comprehensive tips on saving money wherever you go, you might consider the following two books:


How to have a Cheap Holiday or Backpacking Experience in New York



New York really is a wild and insane city!!! HUGE, in your face, full of fun and attitude!. They don't call it the Big Apple for nothing. In this post I will cover:
- How to get to New York for cheap
- Cheap and free accomodation in New York
- Eating Cheaply in New York
- Seeing New York Cheaply
- How to stay long term in the US
- More ways to save money whilst travelling

New York is the most intense city I've been to (in the US at least). So many things you can experience, simply from just walking along the street. This city is an absolutely phenomenal experience.

Follow my tips below and have an awesome, memorable, and importantly, affordable experience :)

Getting there cheaply

There are several options you may want to consider for getting to New York. Each has their pros and cons, depending on what your circumstances are - ie are you travelling alone, where are you coming from, are you only interested in New York or other parts of the US? You should compare all options below and see which has the best bottom line for you.

Flying
The first and most obvious option is through flying.

There are 3 airports for New York. The only one that the budget airlines fly to internationally however is New York JFK.

Unfortunately not many budget airlines fly directly New York JFK, but you can catch an indirect flight by using routes like London - Aruba and then Aruba to New York.

Using a decent website that has all the budget airlines,just write where you are, and where you want to go to, and it will tell you all the possible combinations of budget airlines to take you there.

PROS:
Fast, can be cheap, easy.

CONS:
The cost to our earth in terms of carbon emissions.


By Car

If you are already in the US, you may want to take the scenic tour (which can also be cheaper if there is more than one of you) and stop by real country towns and meet the people, and get to see the vastly different cultures that exist in the US outside of the big cities.

PROS: I've found a company with up to 15% off car hire depending on what sort of car you want. Also more earth friendly than flying. Speaking of which, you may want to consider a Hybrid car which is not only cheaper to run because of fuel efficiency but also better for our earth.

CONS: Takes longer than a flight.

Cheap and Free Accomodation
Prices keep going up and down depending on demand, so it is difficult/
pointless for me to list them. You will more likely benefit if you look at
Hostelbookers.com and compare the prices for yourself. The good thing about this booking site is that unlike its main competitor hostelworld, it doesn't charge a US$2 booking fee on top of the 10% deposit. A nice saving in itself.

The other option of course is to join http://couchsurfing.org – a worldwide network for making connections between travellers and the communites they visit. People offering their couches for free! A worldwide phenomenon. Give it a go, but remember to read what people have already said about someone whose couch you are planning on staying on.

Cheap Food

Whatever you do, don't go to McDonalds in New York!! I went in and asked for water with my meal, and they told me they didn't have water, "so do you want chocolate flavoured water or strawberry flavoured?" "?? um...which one tastes more like water? that would be strawberry" I don't know if I was hallucinating because I was sick or whatever but that sure taught me a lesson!

If you really want cheap, I recommend eating in the Korean district in Flushing, Queens. There you can get a good, hearty box of delicious cooked noodles for just US$1 hell yes!!

Or if you are not so far out here are others I recommend:
- Chinatown (Canal St, NYC): This place has a huge variety of tasty fried Asian meals at rock bottom prices - its like a Walmart for food - you can find hot dogs, rice dishes, dumplings, and all sorts of yummy fried food for around US$1-4 hell yes!!!


Seeing New York Cheaply
There's a pass you can get called the New York City Explorer, which gives you access to 40 or so attractions for a decent price. Something you may want to check out for serious savings.


Want to stay here 6 months or longer?
There's this thing called a 'J' Visa, which lets you stay and work in the US if you have a degree in something and plan to use that degree to work in the US. Contact Dept Homeland Security for further Immigration info.


More ways to save money whilst travelling

Also, if you're looking for more comprehensive tips on saving money wherever you go, you might consider the following two books:


How to have a Cheap Holiday or Backpacking Experience in Rome




Travelling is so exciting! and in the case of Rome, as Asterix used to say, "these Romans are crazy". Well they sure know how to party that's for sure. Either way that won't stop you from having a fun and cheap holiday in Rome - the Grandest city in the Universe.

In this post I will cover:
- How to get to Rome for cheap
- Cheap and free accomodation in Rome
- Eating Cheaply in Rome
- Seeing Rome Cheaply
- How to stay long term in Italy
- More ways to save money whilst travelling

Rome is the most Grand city in at least Europe if not the world. This amazing city is an absolutely phenomenal experience, whether it be for the history or the awesome nightlife. As an Aussie I'm jealous that we don't have anything like this back home.

Anyhow, follow the tips below and have an awesome, memorable, and importantly, affordable experience :)

Getting there cheaply

There are several options you may want to consider for getting to Rome. Each has their pros and cons, depending on what your circumstances are - ie are you travelling alone, where are you coming from, are you only interested in Rome or other parts of France? You should compare all options below and see which has the best bottom line for you.

Flying
The first and most obvious option is through flying.

There are two airports for Rome. The Rome Fiumicino (26 km from city) and the Rome Ciampino (15 km from city).

Ciampino is the one that most budget airlines fly into, and is also a lot cheaper to get into town from as compared to the Fiumicino.

The cheapest way to get into the city from Ciampino is using the public bus service for 1 euro. Be aware tho that there are other more comfortable options but this is the cheapest. You'll find the stop just next to the taxi rank outside the terminal building.

PROS:
With a decent website that has all the budget airlines,these days you can often get a cheap flight easily.

CONS:
The cost to our earth in terms of carbon emissions.


By Train
PROS: Can be very cheap with discounts for groups, the young, and in some cases kids under 16 travel free. Also very earth friendly.

CONS: Takes longer than a flight.

Cheap and Free Accomodation
Prices keep going up and down depending on demand, so it is difficult/
pointless for me to list them. You will more likely benefit if you look at
Hostelbookers.com and compare the prices for yourself. The good thing about this booking site is that unlike its main competitor hostelworld, it doesn't charge a US$2 booking fee on top of the 10% deposit. A nice saving in itself.

The other option of course is to join http://couchsurfing.org – a worldwide network for making connections between travellers and the communites they visit. People offering their couches for free! A worldwide phenomenon. Give it a go, but remember to read what people have already said about someone whose couch you are planning on staying on.

Cheap Food
If you are an experienced budget traveller, you probably know already to avoid the main touristy restaurants like the plague! With that in mind, here are some more tips for Rome:

> Often eateries serve the same food for dinner and lunch, but charge more for dinner. Make lunch your main meal of the day.

> Despite sounding expensive and classy, when it comes to food, Wine Bars in Rome are classy without being expensive. Pick them over restaurants for an affordable and good experience.

> McDonalds might be cheap back home, but don't expect the same here. Plus, why would you come to Rome where you have the opportunity to taste some of the most exquisite food on earth and go and eat McDonalds?? You'd have to be nuts!!

If you are looking for a seriously cheap backpacking experience, most serious backpackers know already to cook in the hostel kitchen. Why not use a cheap supermarket like the locals do, or better yet, support the average farmer by shopping directly from a market. Save the money for some fine wine.

Seeing Paris Cheaply
Obviously, you have truly missed Rome if you go there and don't visit the many sites, and as one of the most expensive cities in the world. You may want to consider buying a Rome discount pass, which gives you free access to some museums and public transport.


Want to stay here 6 months or longer?If you have fallen in love with the country as so many people have, are a native English speaker and want to stay long term, get yourself a TEFL certificate. Make sure you check out visa requirements for teaching in Italy or ask the company if they can set you up.

More ways to save money whilst travelling

Also, if you're looking for more comprehensive tips on saving money wherever you go, you might consider the following two books:


How to have a Cheap Holiday or Backpacking Experience in Paris



The French are quiet possibly the rudest people in Europe. Or maybe it's just the Parisians. Either way that won't stop you from having a fun and cheap holiday in Paris.

In this post I will cover:
- How to get to Paris for cheap
- Cheap and free accomodation in Paris
- Eating Cheaply in Paris
- Seeing Paris Cheaply
- How to stay long term in France
- More ways to save money whilst travelling

Paris is possibly the most beautiful city in Europe. Unfortunately the people know it and often treat English speaking foreigners as lesser beings. Thankfully, there are plenty of nice Parisians as well (tho usually they have grown up in the South of France!)

Anyhow, follow the tips below and have an awesome, memorable, and importantly, affordable experience :)

Getting there cheaply

There are several options you may want to consider for getting to Paris. Each has their pros and cons, depending on what your circumstances are - ie are you travelling alone, where are you coming from, are you only interested in Paris or other parts of France? You should compare all three options below and see which has the best bottom line for you.

Flying
The first and most obvious option is through flying.

PROS:
With a decent website that has all the budget airlines,these days you can often get a cheap flight easily.

CONS:
The cost to our earth.

IMPORTANT:
Paris has several airports including:

>>Orly (9 miles)
>>Charles De Guille (12 miles from Paris)
>>Beauvais - May seem the cheapest at first due to the three budget airline carriers, however, be aware that it is 40 miles out of Paris and you will have additional costs associated with getting into Paris itself.

By Train
PROS: Can be very cheap with discounts for groups, the young, and in some cases kids under 16 travel free. Also very earth friendly.

CONS: Takes longer than a flight.

Cheap and Free Accomodation
Prices keep going up and down depending on demand, so it is difficult/
pointless for me to list them. You will more likely benefit if you look at
Hostelbookers.com and compare the prices for yourself. The good thing about this booking site is that unlike its main competitor hostelworld, it doesn't charge a US$2 booking fee on top of the 10% deposit. A nice saving in itself.

The other option of course is to join http://couchsurfing.org – a worldwide network for making connections between travellers and the communites they visit. People offering their couches for free! A worldwide phenomenon. Give it a go, but remember to read what people have already said about someone whose couch you are planning on staying on.

Cheap Food
Paris is probably the one city in Europe you don't want to be a cheapskate on food, however most of us are on a budget, so with that in mind, keep these tips in mind:

>> This tip is going to sound ironic because it is: keep your eyes peeled for 'tourist menus' offered by French restaurants. In most countries, this is an invitation to come inside and get ripped off (ie Egypt), but in Paris, the opposite is the case. This actually is the cheaper option.

If you are looking for a seriously cheap backpacking experience, most serious backpackers know already to cook in the hostel kitchen. Why not use a cheap supermarket in Paris like the locals do (I recommend Aldi), or better yet, support the average farmer by shopping directly from a market. Save the money for some fine French wine.

Seeing Paris Cheaply
Obviously, you have truly missed Paris if you go there and don't visit the many sites, and as one of the most expensive cities in the world. You may want to consider buying adiscount pass which lets you
see over 55 of Paris' world famous musuems and gives you access to free public transport.

Want to stay here 6 months or longer?If you have fallen in love with the country as so many people have, are a native English speaker and want to stay long term, get yourself a TEFL certificate, and teach English. The French pay their teachers very well and you can expect to live comfortably.

More ways to save money whilst travelling

Also, if you're looking for more comprehensive tips on saving money wherever you go, you might consider the following two books:


Having a cheap holiday or backpacking experience in London Yes it is possible





London's prices are as mad as their cabbies! In this post I will cover how to have a cheap holiday or backpacking experience without going bonkers in the process.

In this post I will cover:
- How to get to London for cheap
- Cheap and ree accomodation in London
- Eating Cheaply in London
- Seeing London Cheap and Free
- How to stay long term in London
- More ways to save money whilst travelling


After travelling for 9 months through Europe and the Middle East, I can tell
you that London is much more than I expected! I thought it would just be another Australia with bad weather and grumpy white people. To my delight I was wrong - it did have bad weather and grumpy white people, but it was also an incredibly multicultural experience.

Getting there cheaply

Before we get into the cheap flights, you should first be decided on which of the 4 airports you want to fly to because a flight may be cheap, but the additional cost of getting into London itself from the airport can be quiet hefty and you should include it in the total flight cost.
There are a few flight travel websites you can use, but they mostly seem to
feature the main expensive airlines.
This site on the other hand only focuses on the discount airlines, you tell it
where you want to go and it tells
you which discount airlines go there: http://www.whichbudget.com


Cheap and Free Accomodation
Prices keep going up and down depending on demand, so it is difficult/
pointless for me to list them. You will more likely benefit if you book through
Hostelbookers.com and compare the prices for yourself. The good thing about this booking site is that unlike its main competitor hostelworld, it doesn't charge a US$2 booking fee on top of the 10% deposit. A nice saving in itself.

The other option of course is to join http://couchsurfing.org – a worldwide network for making connections between travellers and the communites they visit. People offering their couches for free! A worldwide phenomenon. At last check their were over 1000 people in the UK willing to spare a couch  give it a go, but remember to read what people have already said about someone whose couch you are planning on staying on.

Cheap Food
I would usually recommend trying the local food in every country you go to, but in the case of the UK, besides Fish ‘n’ Chips, what local food??? If you are looking for a seriously cheap backpacking experience, most serious backpackers know already to cook in the hostel kitchen. Why not use a cheap supermarket in the UK like the locals do (I recommend Sainsburys) . Save the money for your drinking habbit, you’ll need it.

Or, if you’ve done the AO thing and your over your problem and still want to try some local food, why not check out Time Out’s reviews of budget food in London – starting from 8.55 pounds.


Seeing London Cheap and Free
There are many free museums in London, including the main British museum which showcases stolen or ‘borrowed’ cultural pieces (including the stolen Greek Elgin Marbles). For a list of the many free museums, click here.

You may also be interested in a free tour of London. There is a company called New Europe tours which offer free 3 hour tours of London every day and also in all the major cities of Europe. How can they be free? you ask, what is the catch?

Technically it is free because the guide relies on your donations. At the end
of the 3 hrs, people are asked to pay what they thought it was
worth, if you didnt enjoy it you are welcome to pay nothing.

I have been to four or five of these in different cities and they vary in
quality but are generally very good or excellent. Find them here.


Want to stay here 6 months or longer?If for some reason you enjoy London or are generally a little bit sadistic, and have a recognised University Degree in just about anything, you can stay in the UK and teach in their highschools. Contact their Immigration and Education departments for more information.

More ways to save money whilst travelling

Also, if you're looking for more comprehensive tips on saving money wherever you go, you might consider the following two books: