Freaking out a bit, turning 30 in a couple of days!!!

So, how do I do this?

I'm just going to rant and please don't take anything personal in this post.

I love the 20s and on Thursday I won't be in my 20s anymore. I'm turning 30. To me, that's a lot to handle because I feel like I'm not completely satisfied with what I've accomplished during my 20s. Things I SHOULD have done while in my 20s and not in my 30s. But then again, who is 100% satisfied? Are you satisfied?

Even though I don't want to, I still feel the panic. I wouldn't call it a crisis, but a mild panic attack. On second thought, S***, maybe I'm going through a crisis.

Does this sound familiar?

Yeah, thought so.

To me it basically means; do what you love now and not later, because later might be too late.

I'm not implying that my 30s will be the death of my plans. But we do live in a society that indirectly requires some progress in our lives. School - graduation - maybe travel a little - get a steady job - buy your own place - meet Mr. or Mrs. Perfect- get married - kids.

The strength lies in doing what you want in the order you want, despite of what society is about. 

I still don't know what to do in life (even if I should know by now).

But one thing is for sure; I have to face my 30s.
I just need to decide that the 30s are going to be the best :-)

Fully booked rooms on Christmas and New Year?

... If you haven't already booked rooms for the holidays, you should do it now.

The islands in SE Asia are where most travelers want to spend Christmas and celebrate New Year. Koh Phi Phi, Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Samui, Koh Chang - you name it, there's going to be a lot of action on these islands, which means fully booked rooms.

The popular bungalows and guesthouses will get booked first, then comes the less popular alternatives. If you're hoping for a beach-front bungalow, I think it's a little too late too book now... Beach-front bungalows are VERY popular and are booked several months ahead, whether we're talking about beach-front bungalows in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia or India.

Here are some personal reviews of guesthouses on Ko Phi Phi, along with other suggestions to where to sleep. And remember; rooms on Phi Phi and other islands in Thailand are more expensive than rooms on mainland. Rooms at say, 800 THB are cheap in 'Phi-Phi'-sense.


Amanda

Chaco, Chaco, Chaco!

What's your favorite sandals? Teva? Chacos? Birkenstock?

I've been contemplating on buying new sandals. I love my Teva's, but I'm also ready to try something new. My sister who's still researching for her trip to South America came over Chaco's. They're the prettier version of Teva's, but still very comfortable and you can count on strong durability. You can use Chaco's for almost any outdoor activity.

I want this pair! :-)

Amanda

Itinerary guide has been updated!

I've been doing a lot of research on Indonesia lately (maybe because I have a plan of visiting the country - who knows?)

Indonesia is so fascinating in many ways; it offers anything from beaches to volcano trekking. My dream is to explore the islands of Sulawesi and Flores, and hit the beaches on Lombok and Bali :-) Komodo island is definitely on my list and visiting Mt. Kelimutu. Tana Toraja should be on YOUR list if you're visiting Indonesia. Tana Toraja is infamous for its unique funeral ceremonies and traditions.

Anyways, our itinerary guide called Map Your Adventure has been updated with much more focus on Indonesia.

Visit Map Your Adventure - the best itinerary guide for SE Asia and India


Amanda

Ebooks have been updated!

I have three ebooks and two of them have been updated. For Ticket to Safe Backpacking I've added 'new' scams in Southeast Asia, travel safety regarding transportation and much more. This is part of the deal:

You get the free updates sent to your email. I update the ebooks annually, so the next update will be due in the summer of 2013.

Check out Ticket to Safe Backpacking EBOOK









The other one is Asia Planners FAQ which is basically a collection of answers and questions about itineraries and itinerary making. I've added 6-7 new posts to the ebook, can't remember exactly right now. My eyes are heavy.

See Asia Planners FAQ















Amanda :-)

...think I found my new favorite travel item!

My sister is researching and preparing for her all-time backpacking trip in South America next year. She was like: "Amanda, I have to show you something, you're gonna love it!"

She told me to google PacSafe.. It wasn't the first time I heard about Pacsafe but I didn't realize what it really was before I actually saw it. Saw the introduction video too, and it looks pretty good.

Do you have any experience with PacSafe bag protector? Is it really that good? I browsed through Pacsafe's selection, and this one caught my eye.

PacSafe has also some daypacks with anti-theft features. Found this: (32L)

Simple, low-key and fits my lap-top and notes - that's all I need. Ah, ok, I forgot to include my make-up ;-)

I probably gonna need some time to go through all the details of these daypack. I mean, come on look at this! ;-)

The thing is; I want a new backpack since I've worn out my two Bergans backpacks (Norwegian brand); one is 55L and the other is 40L. Both have been used for my travels in Asia. 40L in India for two months was ambitious, but it worked. 55L was perfect for several months in Asia - I could even shop a little without busting the seam. So, I would probably get a new 55L.

I've also been contemplating on purchasing an Osprey Ariel 50 liter - love the design. Hmm.... will see.

Visit PacSafe here

I've also written an article about backpacking backpacks.

Have a good day,
Amanda :-)))

Summer plan for Backpacking Tips Asia 2012

I haven't forgotten about you. I've been contemplating about writing new articles for the last month, but I just don't have the time. I've answered important emails from readers, but that's all I had time for. I got a new full-time job from May 1st, working with water resources and energy law, and I've been using the last month to read up on my exam, which was due on May 16th!

So, finally I can breathe with the exams finalized. I will start working on new articles this week. I haven't published any new Backpacking Tips Asia Newsletter since March, but hopefully I will send one out by the end of this month :)

The project for this summer will be the following:

•  Update all three ebooks (Map Your Adventure, Ticket to safe backpacking and Asia Planners FAQ).

If you have already purchased one of these ebooks, don't worry. I will send the updates to you for free when they're ready.

• My cousin just returned from Vietnam, and I have done some preliminary interviews. The first articles about Vietnam will be:

             - General information about Vietnam
             - Hoi An information and tips (accommodation, food, nightlife and transportation)

• New articles (what the articles will be about are not certain at this point)

Amanda

Technical Issues

Due to some technical bugs which I'm not the master of, I can't post any articles or posts to the site. 

These posts are ready and will be released once the tech part is OK:
- Seoul shopping
- Seoul nightlife
- Forum post about itinerary

I got a lot of help from my sister regarding the articles about Seoul. All of it is her reviews and comments, and they should help you in the planning process ;-)

Amanda

Create the perfect itinerary with Map Your Adventure!

On Sunday I released my second ebook called Map Your Adventure! :-) It's about how to create a successful itinerary for Southeast Asia and/or India. The idea is very simple, broken into seven steps which is easy for anyone to follow. The eBook contains 76 pages and over 50 different itineraries with different time frames.

On top of this, there's a chapter that covers how to travel around in Southeast Asia and India. The point here is to give you the heads up on the means of transport. Thailand for example is a country with good infrastructure, so traveling from A to B is more efficient and easier. That also means that you will have minimal problems backpacking around Thailand. 

I've been writing on this ebook for a long time. Frankly I had breakdowns once in a while since creating a GOOD itinerary isn't always easy.

But since my goal was to create realistic itineraries, I poured everything I had in me into these route planners. I've even added recommended days to stay at each destination, to make it even easier to create an itinerary.

Price: $ 9.95

Read more about Map Your Adventure

I also offer country or region booklets for my readers. You don't need to buy the whole book if you're just interested in a particular country. For now, I've created booklets for Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malaysia and India. I chose Thailand, Malaysia and India since these are typically visited countries in Asia (and also good hits on Mother Google).

Price: $ 7.95 or $ 3.95

Map Your Adventure Booklets

Ticket to Safe Backpacking

Today I released Ticket to Safe Backpacking: it's a guide containing 99 pages of useful safety advice.

You'll learn about scams in SE Asia and India -- and how to avoid them, how to survive a border crossing, what to expect as a first-time traveler, responsible travel, health safety, money safety and about potential dangers in SE Asia and India.

To help you further in your planning, I've added three free resources which you can use:
1) 60 ways of backpacking cheap
2) A Master Backpacking Checklist (a revised one)
3) A detailed guide on how to find the right accommodation

I'm excited that my book has received good travel reviews from online travel experts.

You should check it out! :)

For more information, visit
Ticket to Safe Backpacking

Amanda

School work versus Backpacking

It has be non-stop ride ever since I got back from India. If you have noticed little activity on Backpacking Tips Asia.com -- you're right!

I'm writing an exam paper, which is very interesting :-) I have to deliver an exam paper containing 65 pages of the data I collected during my field work in Kerala. Am I done after that? - No. I still have an oral presentation the week after, and then oral exams in mid-June. What am I trying to say?

Not much articles and updates will be done to the site until after mid-June.

Please be patient ;-)

Amanda

Backpacking Tips Asia.com taking a 2 months break!

In 2 days I'll be on my way to Kerala, India :-)

So no new articles between Feb 4 and March 31. I'll have access to internet, but the only thing I will be answering during my travels will be SIMPLE questions from the travel forum, and SIMPLE emails ;-)

So if you send me an email, don't expect to get an answer right away. I'll do my best, but I can't promise anything. I'll be very busy working with our field project, which lasts for 5 weeks.

Amanda

Amanda's Bucketlist

Everyone has a bucketlist. I thought I would care to join the club and make my very own list of things I want to do before I make my way to heaven.

Travel:
- Experience Northern India (Varanasi)
- Get serious in Rishikesh, India
- Drink tea and enjoy the view of Himalayas in Darjeeling, India
- Go blue in Jodhpur, North India
- Go beach bumming in Bali and Lombok
- Get horrified by the komodors in Flores, Indonesia
- Climb a volcano in Indonesia
- Eat till I get fat and happy in Penang, Malaysia
- Revisit Ko Phi Phi
- Explore the underwater life in Koh Lipe
- Revisit north Thailand (Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sot)
- Gorge in Kuala Lumpur's nasi dishes
- Trekking and caving in Sarawak, Borneo
- Ride horses and camels in the steppes of Mongolia
- Spend a night in a desert
- Snorkel in the waters of Oman, Middle East
- Visit Great Wall of China and Xi'an (Terracotta Army)
- Eat dim sum in the streets of Yangshuo, China
- Go caving in Vietnam (Hang Son Doong)
- Complete an open-water diving course in Palawan Island, the Philippines
- Visit the pyramids of Egypt
- Go shopping, beach bumming and partying in Barcelona
- Let my hair down in Berlin's electronic night clubs
- Eat lots of pasta and cheese, and try lots of different red wines in Italy
- Watch the Northern Light in Northern Norway
- Mountain trekking to one of Norway's largest tourist attractions: Geiranger
- Shop till I drop and pop in New York
- Hike to Macchu Picchu
- Enjoy the beaches of Hawaii
- Visit Maldives before the sinking islands go down :-(
- VISIT GALAPAGOS AND WALK IN DARWIN'S FOOT STEPS!!!

The Balance of life:
- Get a meaningful job
- Get involved in a conservation project on Galapagos, Ecuador
- Get involved in a turtle preservation project in Malaysia

Business:
- Run a successful online business
- Publish an ebook
- Publish ebook no. 2
- Publish eBook no. 3
- Publish eBook no. 4
- Publish 5 eBooks in total
- Reach out to 1000 visitors a day
- Reach out to 2000 visitors a day
- Reach out to 5000 visitors a day
- Reach out to 10000 visitors a day
- Google PR 3
- Google PR 4
- Google PR 5
- Google PR 6

Hobbies:
- Master 4 languages which already includes Norwegian and English (so Spanish and French are left)
- Take a photography course and learn how to take great photos
- Watch more interesting art exhibits
- Attend the opera
- Fly in a helicopter

Last updated: Nov 12, 2012

India in Feb and March 2011

So here it goes...

It's all set. Tickets are bought and I'm leaving for Kerala, India on
February 4 (2011)! :-)

Basically, we're going to do our field work in Kerala, working our way from Trivandrum and northwards. We have decided to focus on how tourism affects small players in Kerala, and it's going to be interesting to interview local Indians and wear traditional Indian clothing called churidar :-)

After that, we're taking the flight from Kochin to Varanasi, via Delhi. That flight ticket is bought as well, and we're leaving Kerala on March 12.

I don't know quite yet where my journey goes after Varanasi. Since I only have two weeks before I have to head home, I have to restrict the itinerary. I'm looking forward to reading IndiaMike's tips on train information because booking a train ride and surviving it is what worries me the most! :-P

It would be awesome to catch the Elephant festival in Jaipur on March 19th and the Holi festival on the 20th. If I make it, it would be great to stop by the rat temple at Deshnok outside Bikaner. But we'll see ;-)

So this means that I will be adding my destinations to Backpacking Tips Asia.

Kerala and Varanasi are of course on the list!

Only thing that's missing now is applying for a visa, and getting a travel insurance. I always buy my travel insurance through Gouda, a company cooperating with Kilroy Travels (which we bought the tickets from).

We're not going to apply for a regular tourist visa because technically we're not there as tourists/travelers. According to our teacher we have to get the 'Entry Visa' (800KR) which cost a lot more than the tourist visa (400KR).

Hmmm... this is going to be exciting! :-D

Amanda

Going Back to School! :-D

Hey!

Hehehe I just got accepted to "Høgskolen i Oslo" and for the next year, I'm going to read about development studies. It's about the north/south relationship and some of the hot themes is how we can help poor countries to exploit their natural resources. I'm an environmental gal, so hopefully I will learn more about the global environmental issues! :-D Looking forward to it!

But this means that I won't be able to write that many articles for Backpacking Tips Asia.com in the future! I have to at least pass the exams you know :P

My main focus is to keep writing on my e-book. Yes, you heard me a very detailed e-book about how to plan a backpacking trip. Hopefully it will contain 200 pages and I will sell it to an affordable and reasonable price! :-)

Amanda

Editor of Backpacking Tips Asia.com going on a long vacation!

Hey hey,

tomorrow I will be sitting on a plane on my way to Bangkok! :)

We (me and bf) will be traveling in Thailand and Cambodia until May 6!

So no new articles during this period...!

I cant wait to share my adventures with you when I come back... hihihi

Bye!

Amanda

Researching for new articles....

Hey, hey!

I'm finally using my knowledge for something good. These days I've been working on articles about travel safety, crime and terrorism.

It's a HUGE project, and it's going to take some time -- but it will be good! :-)

Every traveler has their worries, whether if the travel destination is safe or if they will have enough money for the trip.

Now, SAFETY is of course a large issue when traveling, and I get regular e-mails about "How safe is it there?" "My mom is worried since I'm traveling to Asia, what should I say to her?" and etc etc.

To ease the pain for YOU, as my reader, and your family (who probably won't stop worrying even if they're going to read the articles, but at least you will get the hard facts about reality), I'm doing the dirty work for you ;-)

The themes of the articles will be anything from petty crime (theft, robbery) to larger issues like terrorism, trafficking, local conflicts etc.

The question is: "Should you really worry?"

And most importantly, how can you try to avoid it?

I'm going to try my best to introduce you the common potential dangers in Asia. To fully understand them, you need to know why they happen.

For example: I'm going to tell you about the conflict in Kashmir (Northern India), why there is a conflict and how travelers to this region can be affected/or not affected.

I appreciate your patience! :)

Amanda

Busy Bee...

Hey guys,

this month has been crazy for me. I have to move out again. So I've been damn busy with apartment-looking. I'm picky, and it's expensive to rent a room/apartment in Oslo, so this will take some time.

The last article I wrote was on Jan 4. I will try to write an article this weekend, but I can't promise anything. And my mom turns 50 on Sunday :-P

Please be patient! Remember that I'm human too ;-)

Amanda

Christmas is on...

Hey guys,

Merry Christmas!!! :D Hope you've eaten well :P

It's Christmas, and I've been a bit lazy these days. To be honest, I really enjoy doing nothing during the holidays... Haha. So new articles will come after New Year's :D

It's kind odd that I'm celebrating Christmas in Norway again -- I haven't done so the last two years. Christmas 2007, I was in Koh Pha Ngan (Thailand). Christmas 2008, I was in Pampanga in the Philippines. It feels strange to celebrate it at home again, but in a good way! ;)

Enjoy your steaks, Singhas or whatever! :D

Have a Happy New Year as well!

Amanda

Flu Attack

I've just recovered from a flu attack which lasted a whole damn week. So I haven't been able to write articles and update the blog (and no, it's not the swine flu... ;)

Right now the newsletter and the e-book are the most important things to be done, so I'm busy with this. So you won't be getting new "ordinary" articles before November 20.

But I can give you sneak peak on future articles! YEAH!

-- Review of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines

-- Reviews of places visited on Bohol Island in the Philippines

-- Laos Culture

-- Sipadan Scuba Diving

Please be patient...

Amanda