Posts
I love travelling! I travel to meet people and experience new things in interesting and beautiful places I’ve never been to before. Every time I pack my bags and head off for an adventure, I also end up learning a few things along the way. Here’s a list of things travelling taught me this last year..
A year can make all the difference!
One of the things I love most about travelling is how much you can experience in such a short space of time. One day you could be checking out a temple in Bangkok and the next you could be lying on a paradise beach eating Pad Thai, ordering your next Chang beer and planning where you’ll go next. This is one of the things travelling taught me yes, life is short but if you make the most of it, you can fit A LOT into your time! If you’re at home now and planning your trip, just think where you could be in a year’s time! Get in touch for travel advice & help planning!
Plans change
You might leave home with an idea of how your year is going to pan out but more likely than not, your plans will change during your travels and you won’t end up doing exactly what you’d imagined. You can’t plan every tiny bit of your trip by researching beforehand. Some of the most amazing things you’ll see will be in the places recommended to you by locals and other backpackers. Who knows who you’ll meet, what opportunities you’ll come across and how you’ll feel in certain places. For me, being spontaneous with my plans is one of the most exciting things about travelling. If your plans change mid travel, as long as you’re enjoying yourself, just go with it!
Do Something Different
Your gap year is the time in your life where nothing is out of bounds. There are no limits to where you can go and what you can do. Fancy volunteering with kids in Cambodia or at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand? Always wanted to experience living with a Vietnamese family in Sapa’s rice paddies? Been dreaming of getting your PADI diving license? There’s nothing stopping you! Doing something you wouldn’t normally do or something you’re passionate about during your time away will make your year.
Here at Ultimate Travel we don’t ride elephants on any of our tours (read why here) however we do work with certain elephant sanctuaries in Thailand who are dedicated to elephant rehabilitation and caring for these beautiful creatures. If you’d like advice on recommended elephant sanctuaries, get in touch!
No Worries Mate!
It’s completely normal to be nervous travelling somewhere new for the first time, especially if you’re travelling solo. The unknown is scary but trust me, there are thousands of friendly people out there for you to meet – who will probably be just as nervous as you! I know it’s easier said than done but worrying about your travels before you even leave home won’t allow you to enjoy the anticipation! To put your mind at ease why not join our group arrival packages in Australia, Thailand and Vietnam for when you first arrive?
Travelling to places like Southeast Asia is safer than your the news and your FB newsfeed might have you believe! Not everyone is out to rip you off and steal your belongings – in fact, the majority of locals you’ll come across are some of the most beautiful, friendly people you’ll meet.
Note: There won’t be any dangerous spiders, snakes or drop bears waiting for you at the airport when you first get to Australia as you may have been told – promise! 😉
Now is The Time!!
If you’re dreaming of paradise beaches, sandy toes and tanned skin but haven’t booked any of your travels yet, why not? This past year has taught me that there’s no better time than now to do what you want so if travelling is your dream, now is the time to turn it into reality. If you’re unsure of where to start, get in touch for advice and check out our Facebook page for travel inspiration. No one is going to make it happen for you -it’s up to you to make the most out of your life so start planning, get saving, book that flight and just go for it – you won’t regret it!
Travelling is addictive!
This one, I knew already! Once you’ve got the travel bug it’s hard to get rid of it so it’s okay if all you want to do in 2016 is travel – I won’t judge if you don’t! 😉
Got any travel advice from personal experience for first time travellers? Let us know in the comments below!
Like us on Facebook for travel inspiration, photos, videos and more blogs and follow us on Instagram for travel pics!
Ever wondered what it is like as a Thailand tour leader? Spending your days travelling around Thailand, meeting new people, chilling on raft houses and cuddling monkeys? Now imagine what it would be like to get paid for doing it! But is being a tour leader in Thailand all fun and games? Read what Ultimate Thailand tour leaders, Hannah and Fiona have to say..
So what made you decide to travel to Thailand?
Hannah: I visited Koh Samui back in 2014 and immediately fell in love with what I saw. Thailand is so beautiful and I couldn’t wait to get back out here and see what else the country had in store.
Fiona: I grew up in Scotland and its such a small place I knew I wanted to get out and travel. I saved my money and went on a trip of a lifetime around Southeast Asia. Thailand was my favourite so after returning home for two months, I packed up and moved my life to Thailand. It’s been nearly 3 years and I’ve never looked back.
Has travelling/living abroad always been something you dreamt of doing?
Hannah: Since I travelled the East Coast of Australia at 18 I knew I wasn’t meant to live in the UK. I much prefer the lifestyle in a warm country. You don’t have to spend money to enjoy yourself because you can be outside and explore! I’ve always said I want to work to live, not live to work.
Fiona: I always knew I wanted to get out and explore the world but I never dreamed that I would be so lucky as to land this job and be paid to travel!
What inspired you to become a tour leader in Thailand?
Hannah: I had met a few tour guides whilst I was living in Koh Tao and, well, you’d be stupid not to feel a hint of jealousy! You get paid to travel, meet loads of cool people and get to know more about the country you work in and the locals. But above all I get to call paradise my home.
Fiona: I lived in Bangkok for two years and really enjoyed it. I met other tour guides and it seemed like such an amazing opportunity when I saw the job online I had to apply!
What are the best parts about your job working for Ultimate Thailand? And the worst parts?
Hannah: Best part is by far the people you meet. We work with amazing Thai partners who are some of the most helpful, kind and truly fantastic people I’ve ever met. And then on top of that we meet a bunch of nutters every 2 weeks! We dance, we laugh, we hurt ourselves, we face fears and we become genuine pals! If I have to point out my least favourite part of the job, it is living out of a bag but that’s only to be honest about the not so luxury aspects of the role. Yeah sometimes I wish I could stay in one place for a week or so but as soon as a new group arrives, I’m all excited to get to know them and see how they will interpret the tour.
Fiona: There are so many best parts I couldn’t list them all. We meet amazing people, go to beautiful places and enjoy amazing activities every day! There are very few bad aspects but like Hannah said, it can be tiring living out a bag.
What does a typical day at work look like to you?
Hannah: Depends what day of the week it is!? If it’s a Monday – Wednesday it either looks like Bangkok with enough buckets and Buddhas to sink a ship! Or the panoramic sunsets in the serenity of Koh Phangan. If it’s Thursday – Friday it’s the most impressive scenery I’ve ever seen in Khao Sok national park. If it’s Saturday – Sunday it’s the picturesque party island of Phi Phi with its infamous beaches. Every day is different and that’s what I love about my job.
Fiona: Every day is different! People always ask if we get bored but we go party in fun places, see amazing sights and do so many fun activities. We never stop!
As a tour leader you meet heaps of new people every month. How do you keep up the energy to interact with new travellers every day?
Hannah: Every group makes the tour a completely different experience. Each individual sees things so differently and we meet every personality under the sun, so as long as you enjoy meeting people and communication comes easy, what’s tiring about that?
Fiona: Hannah’s right. Its like hanging out with new friends all the time, having a laugh and enjoying Thailand.
What advice can you give someone thinking of travelling to Thailand solo?
Hannah: 1000000% absolutely do it! It will be the most self educating thing you’ll ever do. You can’t always wait for someone to hold your hand so cease the moment and get out there. You can be selfish about where and when you want to move or stay in any location. You’ll have dinner with people you would never normally acknowledge in the street and, not to sound too cheesy but, you’ll appreciate the little things so much more. It’s the best decision I ever made.
Fiona: Go for it. Best decision I ever made. It so scary flying out for the first time but the all new experiences, amazing new culture and the people you meet along the way make it so worth it.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt working and living in a foreign country?
Hannah: I’d say I’ve learnt 2 big lessons whilst living out here. 1: The importance of having a strong support system back home. I don’t mean financially but when times get hard you naturally turn to your family and friends. I’m very fortunate to get encouraged and picked up whenever I need it. 2: I never was materialistic but this lifestyle makes those kind of things matter even less. I’ve learned to appreciate experiences rather than belongings.
Fiona: I have learned so much from being out here. You have to rely on yourself for everything and learning how other cultures do things can be so strange. The biggest thing I’ve learned is to not sweat the small stuff. Look at the big picture and enjoy life!
What is your best travel tip?
Hannah: Always carry an eye mask, a hoodie and face wipes/baby wipes.
Fiona: Be prepared for anything and always say ‘yes’! Join in for everything and you’ll have the time of your life.
What are your plans for the foreseeable future? What’s next on your bucket list?
Hannah: My list of countries I want to visit gets longer and longer every day. Next though I’m heading to Bali and visiting family in the Philippines, then home to Manchester for a couple of months. With a few extra £s in my bank I’m looking to explore New Zealand and fingers crossed, work for Ultimate Travel when they start the tours there! 🙂
Fiona: I’m not sure what I’m going to do next. I’m loving working with Ultimate Thailand at the moment and hopefully move on to their Oz tour or Southeast Asia tour when that kicks off!
Check out our 10 day Ultimate Thailand tour and get in touch for help organising your trip! Check out our videos for Ultimate Thailand and Ultimate Vietnam to see for yourself how amazing SE Asia is!
‘Like’ us on FB for travel inspiration, photos, videos and more blogs and follow us on Instagram (ultimate.travel) for travel pics!
Money, money, money! Some people have lots of the stuff, others, including most of us in our early-mid 20’s, not so much! So what should we do with the money we do have? It’s easy – travel! You don’t have to be rich to travel, in fact anyone can do it – a bit of preparation, time and hard work is all you’ll need to save up enough to start your trip, so if you have the opportunity to travel, take it! Here are 6 reasons why I believe travel is priceless and the best thing you can spend your pennies on!
1. Experiences vs Things
When you’re older, you’ll look back on experiences not things. You’ll remember sitting and watching that beautiful sunset, how skydiving over the Great Barrier Reef was the most exhilarating thing you’ve ever done and those friendly locals you met trekking through the rice terraces of Sapa. You’ll have stories to tell and experiences to share. In the future, noone will remember what car you had or how big your TV was but they will remember those stories you told.
2. You’ll Make Lifelong Friends
Some of the friends you’ll meet travelling will end up being friends for life. You will have shared some of the best moments of your life with these friends during your travels and when your friends at home can’t stand hearing another word about how amazing your life is, your travel friends will be there to reminisce on the good times! Let’s face it- you can’t put a price on lifelong buds!
3. Your Career
Some people put off travelling because they’re scared a gap or break in their careers will make it hard to find another job when they return but in most cases, it’ll actually help in your career. Not only can travelling help you figure out what you enjoy doing (you might discover you love to dive and want to train to be an instructor or you just NEED to work with animals) but the skills you’ll gain during your travels make you attractive to employers too – promise! Read our blog ‘How travel can help in your career’ to read why. Another bonus…travelling could help you figure out what you DON’T want to do with your life – better to find out early on right!?
4. You’ll Be A Better Person!
Need another excuse to pack up your bags and go travelling? How about the fact that you can spend a year exploring the world, chilling at the beach, meeting new people and you’ll most likely go home a better person?! Travelling requires patience, tolerance, decision making, organisational and social skills. You’ll become a more confident, interesting, stronger and well rounded person. No amount of money in the world can give you the experiences and life skills that travelling gives you.
5. You’ll Have More To Talk About
We’ve all met them..those people that have been travelling for a month and have a million stories to tell (‘That time, on my gap yaaar..”) and as much as we would like to hate them, there’s no denying that these people and their stories are actually really interesting! Why? Because when you’re travelling, you experience so much in such a short period of time. You can do more in one week travelling than you’d do in one year at home. One day you’ll be swinging through the jungle on a zip wire, swimming in waterfalls, partying on the beach at night and the next day you’ll be hopping on the overnight bus to your next destination, socialising with interesting people along the way. Your experiences and travel stories will mount up and before you know it you’ll be the one telling tales of your amazing ‘gap yaaar’.
6. See The Real World
Travelling opens your eyes to the real world, beyond the comforts of home and the things we take for granted every day without meaning to. Travelling through poor countries will remind you how lucky you are to even have a roof over your head for the night. When you see locals who have no food, clean water and some who are even missing limbs from war still smiling with their families it really helps set your priorities straight. You might not even realise at the time how important the comforts from home were to you until you don’t have them anymore: a family meal, a bubble bath, somewhere to unpack your belongings, a room to yourself…When you go home, you’ll appreciate what you have so much more.
Want to travel but not really sure where to start? Get in touch! The Ultimate team have all been there and we’re happy to help! Check out our tours in Australia, Thailand and Vietnam.
‘Like’ us on FB for travel inspiration, photos, videos and more blogs and follow us on Instagram (ultimate.travel) for travel pics!
Ultimate Adventure Travel Pty Ltd
806 George Street.
Sydney, NSW 2000
ABN: 91 133 215 166
