The Rtw Trip Giveaway: A Winner’S Update (Part 1)
What would yous practise amongst a costless trip around the world? Last year, I gave away a trip around the world. After going through thousands of entries, inwards the end, Heather was the winner. Her even out was powerful. She’s been on the route a niggling over a calendar month at nowadays in addition to it’s fourth dimension to grab upward amongst her in addition to give away out virtually her trip, how the budgeting is going (is she doing $50 a day?), in addition to the lessons learned.
Nomadic Matt: Heather, congrats on winning! You’ve been on your trip for virtually a month. First, how did yous experience virtually winning?
Heather: Thanks, Matt! Winning was, inwards a word, surreal. I’ve never felt hence dazed inwards my life. I’ve never won hence much every bit a raffle prize before, hence I didn’t genuinely believe yous for at to the lowest degree a solid week. I kept thinking it was a dream, in addition to I was scared to enjoin people inwards illustration it was. My niggling sis asked me if I was certain it wasn’t a human-trafficking scheme!
Overall, I experience hence loved in addition to supported yesteryear my friends in addition to household unit of measurement in addition to extremely, extremely lucky.
I’ve been trying to imagine what my mom would nation if she were hither to encounter this. I don’t receive got much of a frame of reference, since I alone genuinely started traveling afterward she passed. However, I’m certain she would hold upward shaking her damn caput at this trip! She would definitely mean value I’m crazy. And I know she definitely wouldn’t empathise leaving my stable labor to practise this. In the end, though, I know she wouldn’t travail to halt me or dissuade me. She would hold upward happy for me; it but mightiness non receive got been her start reaction. “Stop talking crazy” mightiness receive got been the start thing!
Where are yous going on this trip?
I’m spending the adjacent few months inwards South America. I originally planned to remain inwards Peru for 3 weeks, but I mightiness cease upward staying for half dozen because in that place is hence much I wishing to encounter here! I chose to pass a lot of fourth dimension inwards South America because it’s been my dream to backpack hither for hence long.
I also but dear the huge multifariousness of life in addition to cultures here, in addition to the interaction betwixt indigenous cultures in addition to Castilian colonialism. There are also hence many amazing sites (such every bit the Galápagos, the Amazon, Machu Picchu, etc.). There is hence much to larn in addition to soak in.
I acquire out for Lisbon on May 2nd, in addition to and hence I wishing to encounter Morocco, Greece, Turkey, Kenya, in addition to Tanzania earlier heading on to Southeast Asia. It was genuinely difficult to direct which countries to see — my listing was originally virtually 36 countries long! But my friends talked me downwards in addition to convinced me that it was amend to become inwards depth than to perish on hopping around in addition to tire myself out. I receive got the ease of my life to become in addition to encounter the ease of the world.
I genuinely pose my whole (hopeful) itinerary upward on my novel blog.
Where receive got yous been hence far?
I spent a few weeks inwards Ecuador, including the Galápagos, earlier I moved on to Peru. I’m working my agency due south in addition to east, eventually to Brazil.
The start calendar week I spent inwards Quito being hosted yesteryear friends of my family. I mainly rested in addition to planned the trip, including getting my visa to Brazil at the consulate there. I was hence focused on closing upward my life inwards LA in addition to getting out apace that I had pose barely whatever idea into my trip. I but left. Taking the fourth dimension to innovation genuinely calmed me. My hosts were genuinely gracious in addition to took bully attention of me.
After that, my sis came downwards in addition to nosotros spent a few days inwards Baños, Ecuador, which was fantastic! I jumped off a yoke in addition to nosotros went canyoning downwards some waterfalls. We also did a twenty-four hr menses tour of the Amazon. I had mixed feelings virtually the tour — I tend to loathe planned excursions similar that, in addition to in that place was a purpose of the twenty-four hr menses that included an indigenous present that felt forced in addition to disingenuous. It made me a niggling uncomfortable.
I also spent 10 days inwards the Galápagos, which was insanely beautiful. It was difficult on the budget for sure, but the islands are hence good protected. Now I’m inwards Cajamarca inwards the N of Republic of Peru enjoying the Carnaval celebrations. It’s madness. I’m genuinely non much of a partier. My host is hence generous in addition to accommodating, hence I’m genuinely enjoying my fourth dimension here.
How’s your daily budget going? Any large surprises?
I’m definitely running a deficit correct now, because of the trip to the Galápagos, but I knew that going in. (Some other expenses too, such every bit paying for the visa to Brazil ($160), contributed to that every bit well.) Everything is super expensive on the island. Last-minute cruises for iv days are virtually $1,000, in addition to eight-day cruises start at virtually $1,700. I opted out of a cruise in addition to decided to practise the self-tour, which was a chip to a greater extent than challenging but nevertheless an amazing experience. Hostels on the isle are basically $20 everywhere, which is virtually twice every bit much every bit on the mainland. But I did give away some ways to relieve money. For instance, I flora a eating seat on Santa Cruz Island that served a bully $5 lunch.
I’m feeling OK virtually the splurge, though, because I’m saving inwards other ways. For instance, I bought my flying out of South America to Europe on points. That saved me virtually $700. I innovation on buying most of my flights on points. I’m also doing a lot of Couchsurfing inwards Republic of Peru (and Republic of Peru is inexpensive overall).
Not counting the Galápagos, inwards the start month, I spent virtually $600, including my hostels, food, activities. Hostels are by in addition to large costing me $10 a night, in addition to meals are rarely to a greater extent than than $10 each; tiffin is commonly much less. In Baños, for instance, nosotros met the possessor of an arepas eating seat in addition to but ate tiffin in that place every day. Now, inwards Cajamarca, betwixt Couchsurfing in addition to the inexpensive damage of living, I would hold upward surprised if I’ve spent to a greater extent than than $30 inwards the yesteryear 5 days. Breakfast is $1-2, in addition to nosotros took a 30-minute ride motorcoach exterior of the city, which damage 5 soles, or virtually $1.50, each.
Also, looking dorsum on my mag of expenses, I would nation I’m spending besides much on transportation. I would attribute this to taxis. When I’m out in addition to about, sometimes people enjoin me it’s dangerous to walk in addition to I should accept a taxi. Or, for instance, when I was staying amongst my household unit of measurement friends inwards Quito, their job solid is pretty far from the city, hence I would give away myself taking a taxi rather than walk the xl minutes to the motorcoach stop. If I’m feeling unsure virtually the province of affairs I’m inwards (at nighttime or if I don’t encounter many solo walkers around), I accept a taxi. So I mean value I could cutting dorsum or give away other ways to avoid feeling unsafe.
Speaking of safety, how practise yous experience virtually your security every bit a solo woman mortal traveler? Is South America safe?“
Yes, I by in addition to large experience safe. I’ve alone had a few problems. The caveat is that I genuinely don’t become out at nighttime that ofttimes (I’m to a greater extent than of a morn person) in addition to tend to stick to the ‘safe’ areas. I acquire a lot of people alarm me to hold upward extra rubber in addition to that ever freaks me out. I would similar to hold upward to a greater extent than adventurous in addition to I’m trying to residuum that wishing amongst the practicality of beingness safe.
The start calendar month is ever an adjustment. How are yous going to remain on budget inwards the future?
I’m a huge planner, in addition to taking the fourth dimension to mean value through my “must haves” genuinely helps. I’ve also flora that non rushing in addition to going ho-hum helps cutting downwards expenses. I’m trying to accept my fourth dimension in addition to stick to the activities I volition genuinely enjoy. For instance, paying an admission to encounter a cathedral almost never makes my list. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of guides online shout out churches every bit the must sees. I ignore them completely, unless in that place is something dissimilar virtually them. For example, I paid for a tour inwards Lima to encounter the catacombs but, other than that, I’d rather work the coin elsewhere.
What are some of the lessons you’ve learned hence far?
I am learning how to non stress virtually plans or money, which was something my mom was ever trying to learn me. I’m literally living my dream, in addition to it’s unusual to me non to receive got something or someone to worry about. “If you’re gonna worry, don’t pray. If you’re gonna pray, don’t worry,” is what she would ever say. I was never really adept at it (to her dismay), but I mean value she would hold upward happy amongst how I currently am. My belly is ever total in addition to I’m seeing something novel every few days. What to a greater extent than could I inquire for? Next up, to operate on my patience…
What’s the worst affair that’s happened? Do yous mean value it could receive got been prevented?
Yes! My telephone got pickpocketed! It was completely preventable. I was inwards Baños in addition to I needed a pelting jacket because it rains every other 2d there. I wasn’t used to the pockets in addition to my telephone was hanging out slightly. I was but completely comfortable — it’s really rubber there, hence I didn’t mean value I had to worry. I noticed it was gone almost immediately. I was pissed because I but paid off that telephone hence that I could accept it on the trip! Sigh…
Finally, what’s been your favorite 2d hence far?
My favorite 2d is a necktie betwixt jumping off the yoke inwards Baños in addition to snorkeling amongst ocean lions in addition to turtles inwards the Galápagos. Both moments were surreal. I loved jumping from the yoke because I’ve ever loved heights. When I watched the video of my jump, it seemed to give off hence quickly. But inwards the moment, the autumn felt similar it took forever. It felt hence long that I forgot I was tethered in addition to almost felt similar I was flying. I would practise it a thou to a greater extent than times.
The H2O inwards the Galapagos was hence clear in addition to beautiful in addition to the animals were hence unafraid in addition to curious. The run a peril to give away upward unopen in addition to interact amongst them was hence beautiful. I loved feeling every bit though I was purpose of a dissimilar world. I but wishing a meg to a greater extent than moments similar that.
In the next months, Heather volition hold upward navigating South America, Europe, Africa, in addition to Southeast Asia. As she keeps going, we’re going to follow along to acquire to a greater extent than details virtually her trip, experiences, roadblocks, budgeting, in addition to everything inwards between! You tin follow her journeys on her blog, Confidently Lost, every bit good every bit on Instagram. She volition also hold upward sharing some of her experiences here!
Sumber https://www.nomadicmatt.com
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