Balkans

ALog 0001: Traveling on a Budget (The Balkans)

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• published: 03 Sep 2016
• views: 1050

Traveling can be as cheap as you want it to be. Here are all the ways I travel on a budget while I journey through the Balkans. Subscribe and Check out my other travel videos! Blog | http://www.aperezvoyages.com Instagram | Aperezvoyages Facebook Page | https://www.facebook.com/aperezvoyages Snapchat : APerezVoyages Most people think and assume traveling is expensive. And when they see or meet someone who travels extensively without a job, they think they are spending a massive load of money. Or have a great job while they are traveling. The thing is, travel can be really cheap. It can be as cheap as you want it to be. The thing you may have to sacrifice is comfort and luxury. But in doing so, you find yourself having some incredibly rich experiences. In this video, I show how I've managed to save thousands and buy myself more time across the Balkans in Southern Europe. For starters, I've managed to accrue over 150,000 miles across many airlines miles programs paying only $6 for a flight to Europe. This is called travel hacking, where you strategically accrue many miles for flights and pay almost nothing to fly. As far as lodging goes, I've always aimed to use Couchsurfing first. Couchsurfing is basically the Facebook for travelers. You travel in another town ask for a place to stay, they welcome you in, you surf their couch to sleep, and you make yourself a friend in the process while learning about your destination faster. If that doesn't work, I chose from several different options. First is usually booking.com since it has the most options to choose from and most of the time you don't have to put down a credit card. Next is Hostelworld if there are hostels in to pay for a bed instead of a whole room. And lastly, Airbnb. I love Airbnb because the stays are all very unique and personal. It's like a home away from home. Then there is buying a tent and camping out if it's legal, or illegal :) Next is how to get around. No matter where you go in the world, there is always a means to get somewhere. There are always buses going somewhere and as much as I hate buses, they are always there. Next is my favorite travel option, Trains. I've always loved trains and just simply putting your bag away, sitting down, and watching the Earth go by while you ride on the tracks. There aren't in every single country you go to, but when there are trains, I'm all about it. My favorite option and something I have discovered in Romania is hitchhiking. Hitchhiking is common in Europe and people do it all around the world. You hit the edge of town, find a safe place on the side of the road and on ramp, and be patient. Next thing you know you are catching a ride with someone who you can chat with and who knows, have a beer with or make a lifelong friend. Hitchhiking has changed my views in travel because I now know that I can do whatever I want, without limiting myself to a not so awesome train and bus schedule. There have been very few times where I have been unlucky but many times where I have had incredible experiences. Eating local cuisine is a very important part of travel. But unfortunately, tourist traps ruin it for budget travelers since the prices to eat are incredibly unreasonable. That's why I usually walk around town to scope out whats affordable first. If I have a kitchen, I'll buy groceries. And if all that fails, then I will find a cheap restaurant. Currency exchange can be a hassle, especially if you are aware of the terrible rates that can cost too much. I have pin and chip technology on my miles accrual cards which are useful all over Europe. I earn miles in the process. When I acquire money, I use TD bank for large money withdrawals and only get charged a $3 ATM fee. For small conversions, I will go to an exchange shop and try to go to a place with a decent exchange rate. Lastly, when you travel on a budget so much, sometimes you may miss out on a popular tourist attraction. On my journey, I missed out on visiting the Hagia Sofia museum in Istanbul and renting a car to visit an abandoned building in Bulgaria. If you run into a situation where you are not sure if you want to spend more than a certain amount. Ask yourself, will I regret not doing this later? So you've figured out how to travel on a budget and it's all working out for you. But one last thing you need to do and never forget. HAVE FUN :) Tracks -Knowledge Path / KOK2387 : The Swell Orchestra - Eric Chevalier -Danube Dancehall / NM307 : An Odd Man Travels - Joey Peters -The Moving Road / ATV07B : Animals - Anthony Phillips -Rip Tides / EDGE109 : Intelligent Pop 3 - Adam Jason Fox -Mountain Train / ATMOS41 : Ethereal Journeys 2 - Murray Munro -Feels Like The Real Thing / MAT265 : Chart Pop Vocals - Pete Davis [PRS], Richard James Neale -By The Border / MAT265 : Chart Pop Vocals - Anders Gunnar Kampe [STIM], Henrik Wikstrom , Isa Ljunggren -Moonlight / CM107 : R&Beats - Ali Theodore, James K. Petrie, Jordan Yeager