Blog Archives

The Art Of Backpacking, Be Spontaneous.

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Bemused Backpacker — 22 Comments

Travelling spontaneously is an age old travel custom and a backpacking art that is slowly being lost in the age of pre booking apps and gap year itineraries. I want to put that spirit of adventure back into travel and encourage everyone to – occasionally at least – ditch those itineraries and travel spontaneously.

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Posted in Travel Talk

Making And Breaking Friendships When You Travel The World.

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Bemused Backpacker — 28 Comments

Travelling the world is a glorious adventure, and one where you will meet some of the most amazing, decent, crazy and sometimes downright mental people on the planet. You can meet some amazing friends on your gap year, but you can grow distant from some old ones too, and even the new ones you meet can be in your life for years, a week or so or just one night. Playing the game of social roulette and constant hellos and goodbyes can sometimes be hard, and as a long term traveller you do have to be prepared for that.

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Posted in Travel Talk

The Ultimate Guide To Travel Vaccinations.

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Bemused Backpacker — 58 Comments

A travel nurses ultimate guide to travel vaccinations on your gap year.

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Posted in Travel Health

Is Israel Safe To Travel To? Perception Versus Reality.

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Bemused Backpacker — 84 Comments

Is Israel safe to travel to? When people think of travelling to Israel the question of safety and security always comes up. Is it too dangerous to travel in Israel? Are tourists putting themselves at risk in Israel? The truth of the matter is that the reality is very different to what many people assume.

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Posted in Destinations, Travel Safety

How To Pack A Kick Ass Carry On And Travel Like A Boss!

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 26 Comments

Travelling with carry on only is an absolute life saver when you are heading off on a trip, making getting through the airports a hell of a lot easier and saving you from the compacted spinal pain from the dreaded backpackers hump later in life, to name just a couple of benefits. But packing a carry on pack is a fine art that not everyone gets right; let me show you how I do it.

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Posted in Travel Tips

The Importance Of An Exit Strategy On Your Gap Year.

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 16 Comments

Would you know what to do in a travel emergency? Or if something went horribly wrong on your gap year and you need to get out or go home in a hurry? If something terrible happens while you are travelling and you need to bail quickly, it is essential that you have an exit strategy that will get you out of that situation and to a place of safety as quickly as possible. Here are the top expert tips to keep you from getting stuck in a situation you don’t want to be in.

Tagged with: backpacker safety, backpacking, backpacking safety, gap year, gap year safety, solo female backpacker safety, solo female travel safety, staying safe abroad, terrorist attack, travel, travel safety, travel safety advice, what to do when things go wrong on your gap year
Posted in Travel Safety

Staying Safe Online When Travelling.

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 6 Comments

In a modern digital age gap year travellers are very rarely offline and often have at least one connected device on them at all times. The problem is those devices often have a wealth of personal information about us, our family, our finances, our entire lives, and many travellers do not think about the security or protection of those devices and can leave themselves open to online threats. Here is a quick and easy guide for backpackers to keep their online activities secure on their gap year.

Tagged with: backpacking, gap year, gap year internet security, gap year online safety, how to keep mobile devices safe when travelling, internet security for travellers, online safety, online safety when travelling, staying safe online when travelling
Posted in Travel Safety

Why I hate Money Belts (And Why You Shouldn’t Wear Them).

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 13 Comments

Money belts are an almost ubiquitous piece of travel equipment, but should you wear a money belt on your gap year? I can’t stand them, never wear one and think they do very little to decrease the risk of becoming a victim or losing your important documents. Here’s why.

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Posted in Travel Safety

Should You Learn Self Defence Before Your Gap Year?

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Bemused Backpacker — 12 Comments

s learning a martial art or a bit of self defence a good idea for your gap year? Will taking self defence classes really increase your chances of staying safe when you travel? Well the problem is the answer isn’t exactly clear cut. Staying safe on your gap year involves far more than learning just a few martial arts moves, so this article asks if learning self defence before travelling is really a good idea.