Hiking Backpack Zone

Posts Tagged ‘vacation’

To travel the world as a family is the dream of many - but the financial aspect of such a journey makes it seem an unreachable dream. We have found it is very affordable to travel together as a family on our bicycles.

Although I can tell you how much we spend as we cycle from Alaska to Argentina, that won’t necessarily be how much you will spend. Thinking about how much a long-term family tour costs is a lot like thinking about how much a house or car will cost.

One family will be perfectly happy in a small house in a small town in North Dakota for $30,000. Another family requires a million-dollar mansion in Manhattan. So - how much does a house cost? Anywhere from very little to a whole lot!

Or we could think about this in terms of cars. The last time I bought a car, it was a small, used Saturn that served me well. It got me to work and my children to school. I carried groceries home in the trunk. I paid $5000 for it. Another family might requite a brand new SUV that costs $50,000.

That’s how it is with travel. How much does it cost? It depends on how you travel and what your needs are. If you demand 5-star luxury resorts, your journey will be expensive. If you are content in old, run-down, Ma & Pa hostels, it won’t be nearly that much. Carry a stove and cook your own meals or eat in restaurants all the time? Buy a bunch of souvenirs or take only (digital) photos?

Taking all this into consideration, I will provide a breakdown of our expenses as we travel the length of the Americas on our bicycles. Remember that we ride our bikes, so have virtually no mass transit expenses other than the occasional bus when we decide to ditch the bikes for a little while. We spend most of our time in small villages that are not tourist destinations and do not have the tourist amenities you may be used to.

Our general budget for day-to-day living for the four of us runs about $1500/month. That figure does not include occasional, one-time costs like bike parts, flights, or replacement clothing when ours wears out. Nor does it include health insurance premiums.

Housing

Nearly half of our daily expenses goes for housing. In North America we almost always camped - many of those nights we camped in the wild where we didn’t pay at all. If we were near a campground, we stayed there. They typically cost around $20/night. In some small towns we managed to find cheap Ma & Pa hotels. In large cities, we sought out hosts through warmshowers.com

As we entered into Central America, we changed gears with respect to housing. We found it was simply too hot to comfortably sleep in our tent, so we started finding hotels. Even so, we rarely paid more than about $25/night. We found the extra expense was worth it for a good night’s sleep.

Overall, we find we spend around $600/month on housing.

Food

The other major expense we have is food. We have found it simply isn’t worth skimping on food - we are demanding a lot from our bodies and must feed them well in order for them to perform.

For the first part of our journey through North America, we rarely ate in restaurants. We visited grocery stores every day and stocked up there. We ate sandwiches or cooked on our little camp stove. We spent around $20/day for food throughout Canada and the USA.

As we’ve moved south, we’ve changed strategy many times depending on where we are and what the situation is. Our general plan is to eat in restaurants if the four of us can eat a good meal for $10 or less. That has almost nearly been the case from Mexico south. The meals tend to be quite large, so we find eating one meal/day in a restaurant with numerous snacks the rest of the day is perfect.

Miscellaneous Expenses

After paying for food and housing, we have around $300/month left over for miscellaneous expenses. This could be used for entrance fees for museums, for a movie, or to splurge at a nice restaurant. We tend to spend very little in the villages, and then we splurge when we get to major cities (chocolate cake, anyone?).

We spend, for the family, around $1500 per month for typical day-to-day expenses. We live comfortably and don’t feel we are scrimping and saving at all. We seek out nice hotels (but don’t even consider 5-star places!), we eat a lot of good food, and we see the sights in the areas we pass through. We find we spend far less while traveling than we did while living in Boise, Idaho. We enjoy our lives on the road!

Will you spend the same? That is a question only you can answer. I hope this gives you an idea of how much an extended family bike tour can cost - and that it is very doable to live large on very little!

If you thinking about taking off for extended family holiday, check out Nancy’s website for suggestions on planning your own family trip.

Trekking or camping without a sleeping bag can create a lot of problems. However, generally, a person always opts for a single sleeping bag. Actually, most of you would think that a single sleeping bag is enough for a single person, and why would you need a double sleeping bag. Well, you would need a double bag if you are going for the trek with your partner. So, instead of buying 2 different single sleeping bags, you can opt for one double bag.

Nowadays, the double bags are gaining quite a lot of popularity. Their unique features are one of the major factors for this popularity. So, let us find out some of the advantages and features for these bags.

The best part of double bags is that here two people can sleep and rest together. So, here two different sleeping bags can create a bit of a problem, as they will take up more space. But, in case of double bags you can share the bag with your partner and both of you can sleep together. This would also consume less space.

In a double bag you will get 2 different zippers. So, while you and your partner sleep together, one of you can easily get up and move out of the sleeping bag without disturbing the other.

Also, carrying 2 single sleeping bags can put a lot of pressure on you. So, you can do away with an “extra” luggage if you carry a double bag instead and it will be easier to carry around. So instead of carrying 2 heavy sleeping bags, the best option would be to carry one double bag.

The best thing about double bags is that it is much more affordable than two different single sleeping bags. If you are looking for an economical rate then you must opt for a double sleeping bag as it is much more affordable than 2 single sleeping bags.

Roberto is a well known teacher for safety in camping, a course which runs all across the world. He has a strong affinity for camping and its equipments. The most fundamental Equipment is a sleeping Bag, and he personally recommends a Coleman Hudson sleeping bag.

If you’re planning a trip this winter be sure to check out the world class skiing and snowboarding at Big Bear California. Located in the San Bernardino valley in Southern California the mountain is host to 1,700 feet of beginner to expert terrain with four peaks to ski and Bear Mountain is the home of the only Superpipe in Southern California. Together the ski resorts Bear Mountain and Snow Summit make up Big Bear Mountain Resorts. The resorts are open year round with amazing skiing and snowboarding through the winter and a host of other activities for the off-season.

“The Park”, located at Bear Mountain, is a full-service mountain resort. Bear Mountain is the only full-service ski hill in the world dedicated to freestyle terrain. The mountains hosts over 110 jumps and 50 jibs on 195 acres. The park also featuring 2 pipes, including the only world-class competition Superpipe located in SoCal. Olympic Gold medalist Shaun White grew up snowboarding at Bear Mountain. The Park includes quarter-pipes, transfers, step-ups, step-downs, vaders, rolls, banks, fins, hips, and hip-tables. The “out of bounds” territory has been opened after snow storms while tree runs are open for skiiers and snowboarders when there is enough natural snow fall.

In 1952, Snow Summit, a mountain covering over 240 acres opened in Big Bear. The mountain includes 14 lifts and its top elevation is 8,200 feet with a 1,200 foot vertical drop. The area is covered by snow made by one of the worlds most efficient snow making systems. The system can convert over 6,000 gallons of h2o per minute to snow. The Fun Zone and the Ego zone are the two parks at Snow Summit. The Fun Zone is mostly for beginners while the Ego Zone contains intermediate and advanced jumps and jibs.

During the winter months you will find some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the whole world. But if you’re looking for a summer vacation, Big Bear has got you covered. With everything from windsurfing, swimming, and sailboarding to power boating, jet skiing, and water skiing, Big Bear Lake offers outdoor summer activity that is second to none. Big Bear Lake is 100 mile northeast of LA and is surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forrest. In September you may to watch pros compete for cash at the “Hot Dawgs and Hand Rails” competition held annually in Big Bear. Big Bear Mountain Resorts also offer some great hiking and biking trails as well as golf and scenic Sky Chair rides.

For lodging information in Big Bear, California you may want to contact the Big Bear Lake Resort Association at (800) 4-BIG-BEAR or (909) 866-7000. There are a number or hostels, bed and breakfast, cabins and hotels open year round and many resorts that are seasonal. Big Bear Cabins at Cienaga Creek Ranch offers year round pet friendly accommodation.

If you’re organizing a vacation to Big Bear be sure the check out Big Bear Cabins, and their Pet Friendly Accommodation

Touring caravan owners should know what the elements are that make up any insurance policy they take out. The elements of a policy are Contents, Continental use, Damage and Loss, general exclusions, Excess, and Liability to the public. It is my intention to offer an insight into the policies different parts in this article.

Damage and Loss not surprisingly relates to the damage to or loss of the caravan, and normally covers up to the full value. Newer caravans can get new for old cover, this means that if it needs replacing, it will be with a new caravan. Market value is the other type of cover, which will pay you the market value of your old caravan should it need replacing.

You often have to pay extra for contents and personal effects cover, and beware that it is normally limited in the things it covers. You will often find the following excluded: valuables; credit cards; bikes; photographic equipment; computers; phones; valuables. Policies also differ in whether they cover theft from trailer and toilet tents, and from awnings, and will only cover theft from forcible entry.

The policy will also cover injury or loss to a member of the general public from your use of the caravan. This cover will normally extend to people who have borrowed the caravan, as long as it is not hired to them, and they are not using it for business purposes. Normally the coverage is between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000, and sometimes includes costs, but not always.

Continental use coverage is required if you intend to travel to mainland Europe, and does not always come as standard. Roadside assistance (to a maximum amount) and repatriation of the caravan (to its insured value) is included in some policies. Some countries are normally excluded from the cover, mainly the former Soviet Block countries (e.g. Poland, Albania, Bulgaria… etc).

When you make a claim you will have to pay the first x amount yourself, this is what is called the excess. Should you make a 1000 claim and have a 300 excess, you would receive a 700 payout from the insurers (i.e. 1000 - 300). If you want to save some money on your policy, this can be achieved by increasing the amount of excess on it.

All policies have general exclusions, mostly to do with highly unlikely event, but still important to review. Things like hostilities (war, invasion…), terrorism, pressure waves from supersonic aircraft, but also be aware that use other than social, domestic or pleasure is excluded. You will find that by and large these exclusions are consistent between the different policies available.

Carl Way is a founder of Caravan Insurance Cover, the UK’s premier website for touring caravan insurance.

Now that summer is fast approaching, it is a good time to start planning a summer vacation. Because summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, many people will take a backpacking vacation. All that you need is food, backing packing supplies, and you are off to spend a wonderful time enjoying nature at an affordable price. When going on a backpacking vacation, it is important that you make the necessary preparations prior to departure.

The following are a number of tips on planning a backpacking vacation this summer:

1. Locate and book a cheap flight. The most expensive part of a backpacking vacation is the flight. Fortunately, there are number of ways you can get a cheap flight. You can save on flight ticket when you fly between three or more domestic or international cities. As well, purchase air passes and student tickets, compare cheap airline tickets online, and look for special sales and deals.

2. Consider where you want to go backpacking. There are many great places throughout the world so decide what type of backpacking adventure you would prefer. The most popular backpacking destinations include: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. As well, consider the climate and weather. Backpacking in the winter may not be as fun as backpacking in the summer.

3. It is important to consider the safety of the area where you will be backpacking. Some countries and regions are safer that others. Make sure you check your government website for any travel advisories. Your government website will have all of the latest information on flight travel and safety warnings.

4. If you are traveling to another country, make sure you learn about their laws, customs, dress, culture, and language and gestures, to avoid misunderstandings. It is important to remember that you are a guest in a foreign country and your beliefs may be different. You should also learn how to say a few of the basic language phrases such as ‘hello’, ‘goodbye’, and ‘thank you’. It is always helpful to take a language translation book with you to help you order food, ask general questions, and if you have an emergency such as if you need to go to a hospital or police station. Take local maps and guidebooks to help you navigate the country. You will also learn about local attractions.

5. Make sure that learn about local transportation in the foreign country. This can include local buses, taxis, trains, and airports. You will want to know about the schedules so you can plan in advance. As well, make sure you know where you local embassy is and how to get there in case of an emergency. Keep a mobile phone with you at all times.

Backpacking is one of the best options for cheap travel. It is also a fun, exciting, and great way to spend summer vacation. With some careful planning and purchasing cheap flights, you can have an inexpensive backpacking vacation that is safe, less stressful, and much more enjoyable.

Looking for information on airports, flight and flying? Cheapflights’ easy-to-use online services will help you find last minute flights and cheap flights to New York or to just about anywhere.

Are you someone who is gearing up for Spring Break or summer holiday, but you have no summer sandals? Here are some ideas for womens sandals that can take you from path sightseeing to the beach without missing a beat. Keen shoes just stepped up to the plate to provide the best shoes and sandals for pleasant weather play time and the beach.

Here are the top 6 Keen mens sandals to wear on your Florida vacation.

6) Waimea Leather sandal - This sandal has attractive laser detail on the leather higher that makes it look fun and is comfortable to wear. It features Keen toe protection to make this a sandal that protects your toes.

5) murmur Sport - A Mary Jane style beach shoe that is’s lovable, fashionable and durable for the beach or for sightseeing. It isn’t difficult to keep clean, fast to dry, provides toe protection and has a light foam and mesh upper that breathes. This shoe also has a quick draw lace.

4) Cimarron II - The Cimarron II is an Athletic shoe styled beach sandal you can wear to take part on an entertaining game of beach volley ball. It is made with a breathable mesh upper that keeps the air flow all around your feet and encompasses the popular Keen toe protection.

3) Balboa- Here’s a Keen women’s sandal that could be a comfy beach sandal that begs to be worn all day whether you are headed to the beach or a day of shopping.

2) whisper - go for a walk through the water in these cushty beach sandals. They dry simply and have bacteria and toe protection. It features polyester webbed upper and a trendy design.

1) Yogui-water slide on sandal that massages your feet as you walk for all day comfort. You will not need to take them off your feet. Like most Keen sandals, it is water evidence and provides toe and bacteria protection.

The Keen sandals above are made from breathable fabrics and water resistant/water explanation materials to keep your feet cool and dry. The aegis Microbe Shield protects your feet from bacteria and fungi as well as protects the sandal from odor, deterioration and marking. They are easy to clean with water and soap or machine washing. Keen has a wide selection of styles and colours to have you prepared for your Florida holiday.

During March & April, you may be able to find some Keen clearance sandals online . Check out ComfortableFoot.com or Zappos.com for the best selection.

France has hundreds of camping spots scattered all over the country where the French and the travellers from the other countries camp while visiting the places of tourist and historic attraction. Camping sites where you can lodge in tents or choose to stay in caravan are found always near the tourist places.

Even if there is not camping ground near at hand , many hostels in France let you to put up tents in the back garden. Many camping grounds in France are situated near rivers, lakes and even the ocean making for scenic surroundings.

For all that camping grounds cannot be found near places of historic importance in France and it will be helpful on your part to make your own transport arrangements from the camping ground.

The majority of camping grounds in France close down during the winter months and some are only open for a few months during the summer. The summer season is especially busy for camping grounds in France, with many of them becoming full to capacity.

Annual vacation is taken by the French families in summer thanks to the long school holidays in that period in France.

During summer you may not get accommodation in the camping sites if you reach them late in the day. Staff of course will do their best to put you there if you have walked from your earlier destination on foot.

Costs for staying at camping grounds in France differ according to the facilities that are available on site. Camping grounds in France are given ratings, usually between 2 and 4 stars. The price for setting up a tent is the same as that for bringing a caravan to a camping ground in France.

However, caravans are charged in addition for using electricity. Many camping grounds in France have predetermined price deals for up to three people, while children under the age of 12 are heavily discounted.

Unlawful camping what is called as ‘Sauvage’ in French language is construed to be an illegal practice and you could be in trouble if you do that. You can still get away with it in France if you stay for one night, if you are alone and if you are silent about it and refrain from lighting the camp fire.

Train travel in France Is ogenerally cheap and comfortable. There are many destinations in France you can reach by train if you are interested in Camping in France.

Have you ever wondered how it is to actually travel alone? Well, I know because I have been backpacking. I know how it feels to go to a new place and learn something new, and also make new friends. If you don’t know anything about backpacking, read this article because I am going to offer you some tips/reasons.

Backpacking is a low cost travel. Backpackers often travel to a lot of places and they budget their amount of money used for travel. So, if you think you are up for it go ahead and start packing for your trip.

I am sure some of you may find it difficult to find pals who are willing to travel with you. Some of your friends are not keen to go on an adventure like this.

One thing for sure; you won’t be alone for long. When you travel alone it does not mean it has to be a lonely trip. Here is the first tip on making friends while traveling.

From experience, I think that the easiest and most efficient way to make friends is by taking part in group activities like scuba diving or riding ATVs. If you are staying in a hostel, I am sure there are people around who travel in groups. Why don’t you just ask with a smile if you can join them?

Do you have a hectic and busy life? Well, here is a good reason you can get out of it. Take a break; go backpacking. Leave all your problems at home and travel.

If you are serious about your boy/girlfriend, you should probably take a time out with them before you leave. Another way to deal with it is to come up with some ground rules about what’s acceptable while you are apart from each other.

Backpacking on your own is a brave decision, but it’s important to know what it is you actually want to do while traveling.

Always to some read-up on your destinations and be well-prepared. You will not be bringing a lot of money so you have to learn how to manage your money well. If you learn how to manage your money well, you should be fine.

Dealing with different environments can be difficult but I assure you that while backpacking it may be hard for the first week but you will get the hang of it. Taking care of yourself and also learn from the new environment can be surprisingly easy.

If you are thinking that you need more confidence while traveling, carry a guide book with you. It helps if the guide books contain phrases that are commonly used in a country in their language.

Bringing home the different perspective of life is priceless. Some may be wondering why I say this. Simple, you have a first hand experience of different cultures and knowledge.

How? You should try to participate in as much activities as you can while you are in another country. And the last tip I can give you is that you should learn as much as you can about the culture of the people in the country.

In short, backpacking is fun. You can enrich your life just by trying out backpacking, so start preparing now!

Backpacking is fun, whether you go alone or with friends. Avoid all the newbie’s errors by reading up a couple of Backpacking Tips. Go to this website and find out more about backpacking : http://www.backpackingtips.net

It can sometimes be hard to find a good repair and paint shop for you camper. You will want to find someone that does a quality job and will not break the bank so that you get the most for your money.

In order for this process to move along a little faster, we recommend searching the Internet. Granted, you can also find others in the phone book. Both areas will lead you into the best spots to find camper paint providers, as well as collision and repair centers.

Something that you are going to have to look for when searching for a camper repair and paint shop is one that offers a free estimate. This will help you keep the cost down right from the get go so that you are not tearing your wallet inside out looking for more money.

Most reputable companies that offer paint and repair services will offer free estimates. Once you have found someone that gives out free estimates the next thing you should look for is a portfolio that has past jobs in it so you can see what type of work they do.

Your recreational vehicle or motor home is your vacation and fun mobile; you want to give it the best care possible. Find the companies that can help you make your repairs and paint jobs in a timely manner but ideal for your taste and expectations. What you should be looking for companies with the highest quality equipment and an experienced staff.

Your recreational vehicle or motor home paint job should be what you are looking for and want, for the color you want and to match what you already have when you need it repaired. You can find the newest styles and designs, a variety of options to choose from, a wide range of colors, and the best paint technicians to do the job for you.

When you have so many options to choose from lean on your camper paint technicians and customer servicemen to help you decide what is best for your recreational vehicle or motor home. You might be overwhelmed with the amount of choices to choose from, for example, modern, floral, animals or design your own. You may decide to go drastic with a beautiful mural or simple by just adding a few sleek stripes on the sides. There most likely will be an added charge, but look into adding a paint job to your tow trailer in order to match the color of your recreational vehicle.

An auto collision is a huge misfortune and a dreadful process to make the repairs yourself. With that being said, you want fast reliable experts to take the stress off you. Find an auto body and repair center who will guarantee you that they will return your vehicle looking like new. Remember to ask for references from other customers if the company has not been around very long or you have never heard of them.

Customer service is important!! The more professional the team members; the better camper paint job or repair service you will receive. The best customer service stands out when the staff takes pride in their work and their customers!

Written by: R. Worthismet works in the vacation industry and is also quite experienced in shopping saddles for sale and owns a web design company.

While campers and RV’s are often the item of choice for those who like to travel and camp out, trailer tents and their cousin, the folding tent, are gaining in use and popularity. While trailer tents and folding tents naturally are not as luxurious as many camper are nowadays, they do have their own unique advantages, the most obvious ones being that they are way cheaper to buy and way cheaper to maintain than campers and RV’s are.

You can find quite a few companies that make either folding tents and trailer tents. You can find on the market tents that are smaller, for two or three people, or you can find larger ones that are good for families or groups of friends.

A good way to get a cheap trailer tent is to buy one second hand. There are a number of internet retailers that sell second hand trailer tents; you might not get as much of a choice as you would with buying a new tent, but if you do not have a lot of money to spend then this would likely be a good option for you.

Folding campers are another good option to consider. Like trailer tents, some are larger and some are smaller. If you get one of the larger ones they also come with amenities such as electricity and drainage, which are always super convenient to have.

It goes without saying, however, that what you get will likely depend on how often you plan to actually go camping, how big or small your family is, how much of a budget you have to spend, as well as your particular likes and tastes. You should always check around a fair bit to make sure you are getting the best deal for the best price, before you buy either a trailer tent or folding camper.

But do not automatically discount the idea of a trailer tent as being hard to camp with; trailer tents are nothing like the small pup tents or other tents that are on the market that are often hard to set up and do not offer as much protection against inclement weather. Trailer tents are made from very good fabric and are not only stronger and more durable than your average tent but are a lot easier to set up as well.

When looking for Used Trailer Tents, Roger recommends Used Conway Trailer Tent for reliability and durability.