So how do I get there again?!’

Planning to get to your destination is often the part of the Great Travel Adventure that leaves even the bravest folk weak at the knees. This is because at this point reality sets in in a major way. You now have to force yourself to focus, and begin to be honest with yourself regarding budget, time and human possibility. Don’t stress: after having read these handy tips, you’ll be ready to cope! At the end of the day it’s all about the adventure, anyway (or that’s what I keep telling myself!).

Things I have learned about (the hard way):

Flying

ALWAYS ask your travel agent to confirm everything in writing. This way, you have proof of what you have arranged if they decide to mess you around. This means e-mailing your travel agent any requests and saving them all, so that all conversations have been documented. Seems lame at the time, but trust me, if any hiccough occurs at the last minute, you will be thanking your lucky stars that you can prove that it’s someone else’s responsibility to sort out the problem. It’s definitely not yours!

This shows how important it is to be organised and to think ahead. A great way of saving cash is just by booking early enough to ensure that you get the cheapest price possible. The golden rule of travel is BOOK EARLY!

You have to take a moment to think logically. Be on the lookout for bargains at all times! Whatever money you can save on travel, is money that can be spent at your destination. One of the surest ways to massacre your budget, is to travel anywhere peak season. By doing this, you can end up paying up to double on fares. If you are forced to travel anywhere close to peak season, remember that even if you leave on the very last day of off-peak and you return peak season, you are still considered an off-peak traveler. Confused? It all depends on when you leave. So just make sure that you leave during off-peak and you will have just scraped through – no worries!

When organising your ticket, triple check that your travel agent gives you an option that allows you a free date change. As much as you think you have everything sorted out in your brain, there is a very good chance that you will inevitably change your mind. Changing one’s mind should never cost money, so be smart and make sure you have all this covered.

It’s advisable to confirm your ticket 2 days before departure for any international travel. Phone the airline and have your flight number handy.

If you really want to push your luck, you can be super smooth and take advantage of something called bumping. Airlines are greedy and try to make as much money as they can per flight. This means that they slightly overbook. If this backfires on them, and they end up with more passengers than seats on the plane, they obviously have a bit of a problem. They then resort to offering passengers incentives to miss their flight and get on the next available flight instead. You can put your name down on a volunteer list, and hang on for a bit before booking in your luggage. This is normally a very good thing, because the airline gives away free tickets, nights in hotels and even cash, to try and entice you to take them up on the offer. This normally occurs during peak season, or on Mondays, Fridays and weekends. Definitely a case of being in the right place at the right time!

I wanna see the WHOLE world

If you are the type that battles to make decisions, and honestly can’t decide on just one country to visit, then an Around the World ticket is for you! This option saves you a heck of a lot of money in the long run, and is possibly one of the coolest things a human being could do in a life time. This ticket basically allows you to pay a set price, and then travel along your chosen route from continent to continent. There are various options available to the traveler, and some airlines do have some limitations set in place (for example, traveling in one direction only). There are hundreds of options which you can make use of, and can organise to suit your needs. Speciality options also exist, like a surfing Around the World ticket, where you travel to all the hot surfing spots in the world (Hawaii, Indonesia, the Americas, etc.) There is an awesome site that allows you to plot your trip online, thereby getting an estimated quote. The link can be found on the STA web page. Just click on “Round the world” and you’re sorted. Be sure to check all the fine print of the option you choose with your travel agent!

The Bus

Because we in South Africa have such limited public transport options available to us, it’s difficult to wrap our heads around the fact that there are very reliable bus services in other countries of the world. This is often the cheapest way to travel, and is also a really cool way to see the country you are visiting.

Using the bus on a daily basis

If you are in a country where your aim for using the bus is to get to work and back, then it’s a great idea to keep your eyes and ears open for various options available to regular travelers. All bus services will offer a ticket whereby you pay an amount upfront, which entitles you to up to a month of unlimited bus travel. Grab a brochure at the bus station, as this will inform you of exactly what they offer, as well as informing you of various routes which the bus travels. Some routes are bound to be slightly cheaper than others, so be smart.

Make sure you know where to validate your ticket, as in some countries buying a ticket is not sufficient - you also need to validate it (like a punch system) at a machine once on the bus. Look what the locals are doing. A conductor may come around to check, so keep your ticket as proof until you get off.

If you are in London, you can take advantage of something called an Oyster card. This card gives the term “Pay as you go” a whole new meaning, because it’s literally what you do. It’s an electronic ticketing service used on transport for London and National Rail services with the Greater London area of the UK. You basically buy an Oyster card, load it with pounds and then use it as travel credit. It’s great because it’s obviously safer and more convenient than constantly having to carry around cash to go and buy your “blimmen” ticket. You can use this card on any bus, tram and rail service. Credit can be used as you need it, so don’t stress about there being an expiry date or anything. The cool thing is that an Oyster card guarantees you the lowest fare for that particular mode of transport, so it saves you pounds. Trust me, that’s a very good thing! Check it out on http://oyster.tfl.gov.uk

Bus travel

Bus travel is definitely the way to go if you want to explore a country the cheapest way possible! To get in and around America, catching a Greyhound saves you dollars in a big way! Greyhound sometimes runs a special which enables you to get to any state for not more than $99. If you consider that flying to that identical location would set you back at least $180, you start to understand why bussing it suddenly seems to be such a great idea. It’s an awesome way to see more of the country any way. Buses are air-conditioned and comfortable, and definitely not dodgy like ours…

Rail

Depending on what country you are in, check out the rail option very carefully. There are certain countries like India where traveling by rail could be considered virtual suicide. Then there are countries like the UK and Australia where traveling by rail is one of the cheapest and most convenient ways to travel. (Did I hear you say the Tube??) Be wary of rail travel in America, though. Their rail system is notorious as being very inconvenient, unreliable and generally annoying. Some countries, like France, have super fast trains (called the TGV) that cost more, but will get you there quicker. I reckon that would be super cool! As a rule of thumb, if you hear the word Monorail, jump onto that. It’s fast, fun and not something you’re likely to be doing every day.

Buy a train ticket, Railpass or Flexipass for Europe, UK, Eurostar, America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan here.

Something to consider is to take an overnight train to a destination. You will pay a bit more, but you’ll travel while you sleep, so tomorrow morning you’ll wake up where you want to be. This saves a lot on time, as well as on one night’s accommodation cost. Just make sure you and your belongings stay safe. Book a cabin, or take a lock to secure your luggage to your bunk bed or seat. Also make sure you keep all your valuables on your person, where it cannot be pilfered.

The Ferry

There are various ferries to destinations where you have to cross a large expanse of water, or go to an island. A ferry is a ship that is almost like a small town: you can do tax-free shopping, go to various restaurants or bars, casinos and other services, and even sleep there, depending on the duration of your travel. Going from the UK to mainland Europe, there are a number of ferries. You would normally be on a bus or going by car. You would then drive onto the ferry, and get off for the 2 hours of the trip to relax. For cash-strapped travelers, it is not always necessary to book a room if you are going overnight (like to a Greek island) - people take their sleeping bags and sleep in the lounge area or anywhere they can find a space, saving you a lot of money (probably not the most comfortable, but great if you are on a tight budget).

Renting a car

This would definitely not be my first option for getting around, but sometimes you will be forced to. Try and strike a deal with the airline that issued you your ticket, as they often have packages which offer discounts to their passengers. Make sure that you have a valid International Drivers Licence sorted out in South Africa, just in case you end up in a place where driving becomes imperative. In America, oddly enough, it’s almost cheaper to buy a second-hand car than to rent, so check out your options. It all depends on how many people will be splitting the cost with you.

So that’s basically how you get around. Main thing is not to stress if plans go slightly astray. You are a traveler, and travelers are always super mellow and flexible. If you miss your bus, tram or ferry, grab some foreign coffee (Starbucks is good) and relax. There will be another one. Take time to really appreciate wherever you are. The more that goes wrong, the greater the adventure! Good Luck!

Words: Tamarin Dutton