Why You Shouldn’t Overlook the American South

Posted: 2/18/2019 | February 18th, 2019

I love the South. Over the years, it has become one of my favorite parts of the United States. Before I went traveling, I always had this perception that the southern states were backward. They were filled with racists, yokels, and obese, gun-loving, Jesus freaks. It was a perception born out of a quarter-century of living in New England and consuming mass media and stereotypes about a people and place I really didn’t know anything about.

Then, at the start of my grand trip in 2006, I drove across the United States. As I made my way through the South, I fell in love with the region. I loved the food, the people, the scenery, the architecture. My perception of the South was wrong.

Yes, it has a lingering history of racism, poverty, and is more conservative than I personally am, but no place is perfect — and no place is like the stereotypes you see. Driving through the South was the first instance in which I really confronted the stereotypes about people and places I grew up with.

I repeated the road trip in 2015 and fell deeper in love with the region. And I oddly found Mississippi to be a complete hidden gem. As a Northerner, I did not expect that.

I realized that the Southern states — which encompass a massive section of the country — are not as culturally and politically monolithic as they once were. Every state is different, each offering the attentive traveler an eclectic mix of incredible food, foot-stomping music, and heart-warming hospitality.

Today, I want to introduce you to Caroline Eubanks. She’s a friend and fellow travel writer whose work primarily focuses on the American South. Caroline has called the South home for her entire life, and in her new guidebook, This Is My South, she shatters all the stereotypes about the Southern United States while sharing her expert tips and suggestions to help you make the most of your next visit.

In this interview, we discuss all things Southern, why this book needed to be written, and why you shouldn’t overlook this region of the country!

Nomadic Matt: Tell everyone a bit about yourself! How did you get into what it is you do?
Caroline Eubanks: I’m Caroline Eubanks, a native of Atlanta, Georgia. I went to college in Charleston, South Carolina and it was there I really fell in love with the American South, especially driving back and forth from my hometown past small towns on country roads. I started working for a newspaper when I lived there and started reading travel blogs (including Matt’s!) so I was inspired to create my own. I leveraged guest posts into paid work and one job led to another. I’ve since been published by BBC Travel, Lonely Planet, Thrillist, Roads & Kingdoms, and Fodor’s. I also started my own blog, Caroline in the City, in 2009, and later This Is My South in 2012. This is basically the only job I’ve ever had and the only one I wanted!

How did you start writing about the Southern USA?
I grew up taking road trips around the region with my family, whether that was to the Outer Banks or the Panhandle of Florida. After graduating from college, I went on a working holiday in Australia where I worked with a lot of people from all over the world. I would try to explain to them where I came from but most of the time they were only familiar with places like Miami and New York. And most travelers went to a few well-known destinations but nothing in between. So I started my website, This Is My South, to tell people about the lesser-known destinations that I love from my corner of the world. I also started focusing on the region in my freelance writing since the market wasn’t quite so saturated.

Why do you think the south gets such a bad wrap?
A lot of it comes from the news. Of course, bad things happen here, but it’s a large region so that’s bound to happen. It becomes polarizing with elections but there are lots of different opinions, not just the ones that are the loudest.

I also think people assume that the movies and television shows about it are accurate. Gone with the Wind and Deliverance are not accurate representations at all. These remain what people most associate the region with, but there are large cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, and Nashville as well as the small towns. You wouldn’t assume every Australian is like Crocodile Dundee or that every person from New Jersey was Tony Soprano, right?

What about the stereotypes about the South?
When I lived in Australia, I went to an expat July 4 party and I was talking to a guy from Ohio. When I said I was from Georgia, he joked that he was surprised to see I had all my teeth. When my parents were traveling in New York, someone asked about their crops. I realized how little people know about this part of the world. I started thinking about these perceptions of the South from both Americans and the world as a whole.

I wouldn’t say that some of the stereotypes aren’t true. There are obviously political divides, but I think there’s a lot more to the South than what you read in the news. The people are overall welcoming and friendly. The region is home to some of the nation’s top universities like Duke and Emory. There are young people creating murals in their small towns (like Kristin!) to drive tourism as well as immigrants from everywhere to Korea to India to Syria bringing their cuisines to meld with traditional regional dishes. And I think there’s something just about everyone can come together on, especially in the South, like food.

What are some of your favorite things about the south?
I always say the food, which is certainly one element. You’ll find both comfort food like fried chicken and collard greens and “healthy” food as well as the cuisines of dozens of cultures. For example, there’s a large Korean community near where I live in Atlanta so I can have authentic Korean barbecue before relaxing at a Korean spa. I love how food is a way that people show their affection.

I also love the general attitude and friendliness. People tend to know their neighbors and offer help when needed. And the music is unmatched by anywhere else in the country. Every genre can be found here. You don’t have to go to a stadium to see impressive artists since there’s usually someone playing at the local dive bar or coffee shop.

Why did you write this book?
I wanted to show people the South that I know and love. I had thought about the idea of writing a guidebook but it actually came to life when I was contacted by a publisher after six years of running my website. They saw my work and wanted to create a guidebook in a similar format. Ever since I started writing, I’ve wanted to write a guidebook, so it was definitely a dream come true.

It was important to me that I have the flexibility to include the places I had fallen in love with in my travels, not just the popular ones. I have a section on the must-eat dishes from every state, quirky roadside attractions, unique accommodations like historic hotels and treehouses, and tours. I tried to emphasize responsible travel and small businesses, so you won’t find those double decker bus tours or your big chain hotels.

I also wanted to include elements that I find lacking in other books, namely the history and odd pieces of trivia. For example, I have sections on the title of “Kentucky Colonel” and the legal loopholes that allow for casinos on and near the Mississippi River.

What do you hope travelers will walk away knowing from your book?
That it’s more than one story. I hope that travelers will be inspired to visit some of the places they’ve heard about as well as ones not previously on their radar. I hope they’ll challenge some of their preconceived notions about the region and give it a chance. I hope they’ll come back for more since there’s no way to see it all at once. And, of course, I hope that travelers will visit the places I write about and tell others about them!

What makes the south special?
So many things. There is unmatched biodiversity including the barrier islands on the North Carolina coast to the swamps of Louisiana to the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. The Appalachian Trail runs through much of the region, starting in Georgia at Springer Mountain. It’s a region where connecting with nature is a part of everyday life.

Food is also affordable and you can find it in unique places. Similar to the bodega eats in New York, the South sells surprisingly good food at gas stations, including fried chicken, Cajun meats, and Delta hot tamales. Dining is a major part of visiting the region as it’s home to many different styles of cuisine that have influenced American food. You can find “Southern food” in both award-winning restaurants and mom-and-pop casual spots, so there’s something for everyone.

The region is also important when it comes to history. It’s where European travelers first arrived in America, specifically South Carolina and Virginia, and where they were met with Native American tribes. Much of the Civil Rights Movement took place here like the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, and the Woolworth’s counter in Greensboro. A number of notable politicians, including presidents Jimmy Carter and Woodrow Wilson, hailed from these states.

There’s also a lot to offer music lovers since nearly every type of American music has roots in the blues of Mississippi. Icons like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash were influenced by these musicians and infused their styles into their own music. In addition to rock and blues, the mountains of the South were where bluegrass and “old time” music started, eventually becoming modern country music. And, of course, Atlanta is known for its music industry, especially when it comes to hip hop and R&B. Artists like TLC, Usher, Goodie Mob, and Outkast rose to fame there.

What are some budget travel tips for the area?
The South is generally a fairly cheap place to travel. The main expenditures are transportation and accommodation. Flights into major airports like Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando, and New Orleans will be cheaper than smaller ones. The same goes for car rentals. Once in the South, it is possible to get around without a car by taking Amtrak and Megabus, but by car is certainly the preferred method of travel.

Certain cities will be more expensive for accommodations, especially Charleston. But you can look for alternative options like small bed and breakfasts, campgrounds with cabins, hostels, and Airbnb rentals. Keep in mind that rentals are limited in cities like New Orleans because of how it affects the local housing market. New Orleans is also great because you can stay at a trendy boutique hotel for under $100 per night.

Meals are cheap at most places unless you’re visiting a fine dining restaurant. If you’re looking for a meal on the go, visit a grocery store to save money. Most have deli counters and prepared foods. Lunch is a good time of day to try the more expensive restaurants, especially those award-winners that can be tough to get a reservation at.

What are some of your favorite off the beaten path destinations?
You don’t have to go far from the well-known destinations like Charleston, New Orleans, and Nashville to see places not in most of the guidebooks. One of the places I always say is a favorite of mine is the Mississippi Delta, which is a number of towns that follow the river south of Memphis. This part of the country is highly important when it comes to music. It was here that artists like BB King and Robert Johnson found their sound and where the blues was developed. There are some funky accommodations like the Shack Up Inn, a collection of sharecropper cabins transformed into guest suites.

I was also surprised by Northwest Arkansas. This region is known for mountain biking, with trails connecting the towns, but also has an incredible craft brewery scene. Crystal Bridges Museum of Art has one of the best collections in the nation, if not the world, focusing on American works like those by Andy Warhol and Frank Lloyd Wright. Eureka Springs is a funky mountain town that looks straight out of a postcard from the 1800s.

I’ve also found some off-the-beaten-path areas within well-known destinations. In my hometown of Atlanta, I always recommend that visitors check out Buford Highway, the city’s international dining corridor. When I lived in Charleston, I spent most of my time downtown, but on subsequent visits, I end up in the Park Circle area of North Charleston, an underrated part of the city. Just outside of Nashville is Franklin, a town with deep ties to the Civil War. It’s just off the Natchez Trace Parkway and hosts musicians nearly every night of the week at Puckett’s Grocery. They also host Pilgrimage, an annual music festival that has hosted the likes of Justin Timberlake and Jack White.

In every small town in between, there are quirky museums and landmarks you might miss if you limit your trip to the “big” destinations, like a museum devoted to ventriloquism in Kentucky and a memorial to the victims of the Trail of Tears in Alabama. You never know what you might find!

***

Caroline Eubanks is a travel writer and the author of This Is My South: The Essential Travel Guide to the Southern States. She writes about all things Southern at ThisisMySouth.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hotel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

How I'm Dealing With My Anxiety By Not Planning While in South America

I had a plan. Well, a vague idea. I came back from exploring Southeast Asia after only two months for two reasons: to speak at a NYC travel show in January and to give a keynote speech in Orlando in February about connecting with consumers on social media.

It didn’t make sense to fly home, back to Asia, and then back again, so what to do with the time in between talks?

“South America,” I thought. It’s a place I haven’t visited much, so what better way to spend my time than seeing the continent?

(Well, at least part of it.)

With the seven weeks I had, I planned to explore Argentina and Chile. Then, upon realizing that Uruguay was a ferry ride from Buenos Aires, I thought, “Let’s go there too.” So my seven-week trip was going to look like this:

Buenos Aires (Argentina) –> Colonia (Uruguay) –> Montevideo (Uruguay) –> Rosario (Argentina) –> Córdoba (Argentina) –> Mendoza (Argentina) –> Santiago (Chile) –> Torres del Paine (Chile) –> Bariloche (Argentina) –> Santiago (Chile)

A little fast-paced but still not too fast.

I picked this route because it made the most logistical sense. Whereas my itinerary in Southeast Asia revolved around a purpose (to see Isaan), this itinerary came about because I drew straight lines and these places fell on the lines!

But, after two days in Buenos Aires, I changed my plans.

This time it had nothing to do with being pulled in another direction or meeting people and deciding to travel with them.

It had to do with the fact that I was metaphorically drowning.

See, I’ve always been a high-strung person. I work too much, I don’t balance work and play, and I make myself vague promises that tomorrow I’ll do things differently — but I never do. I have that New England work ethic (which I have no regrets about), but since December, it’s caused me anxiety. The kind that makes your eye twitch.

My assistant Erica describes my work ethic as “super full-time,” which normally isn’t a problem, but lately it’s developed into one. I’m juggling too many projects. While I’ve always done that, after talking to a really close friend, I realized that the difference between now and the past was that I did all my previous juggling while in one place. I could create a schedule. Now, I’m trying to do eight things (literally) while traveling, and it’s been hard to maintain.

Moreover, there’s been some really big personal and family issues going on that have just added to this “weight.”

Something had to give and, unfortunately, it was my sanity.

In an effort to reclaim my sanity and health and recommit to creating the balance in my life I promised myself months ago after my friend’s passing, I decided to make a change. Mind you, I’m not unhappy (my life is pretty awesome) or feeling ungrateful, and I know I brought this upon myself, but I can’t go on like this.

So what does that mean? Besides dropping projects left and right, my itinerary now looks like this:

 

 

 

Can’t see anything? Where’s that map? Nope, your browser is not broken. That’s no mistake. There’s no itinerary anymore. I now have no timetable for this trip. I’ve spent the last week in Mendoza, Argentina, drinking wine and finishing a couple of projects I needed/wanted done, but with those complete, all that is left is whatever blog posts I choose to write. I don’t plan on really seeing much other than Netflix (please, no Making a Murderer spoilers!), the end of many good books, and the great outdoors as I hike the shit out of Patagonia.

As I thought about the causes of my anxiety and feelings of panic, I kept coming back to the word have. I have to do this, I have to attend this event, I have to go to this meeting, or I have to say yes to this. My friend James Altucher wrote a book called The Power of No, and I’ve thought a lot lately about that liberating word — no. I feel in our modern life we fall into “the busy trap” where we say yes to everything. Suddenly, we get caught up in a cycle and we’re going nonstop. We’re overcommitted, burnt out, and drinking energy drinks or coffee to stay awake for it all.

But beyond a few basic needs (eating, drinking water, taking care of family, and working), we don’t have to do anything. We don’t need to say yes to everything or everyone. We can say no. We are the masters of our ship, and if we don’t want to do something, we don’t have to! It’s our lives. Who cares what people think? I always knew this on an intellectual level, but it wasn’t until my eye started twitching and I felt like I couldn’t handle it all that I finally realized it on an emotional level.

I got caught up in the cycle and didn’t realize until I was drowning. I let it get out of control.

So I am saying: no more.

I turned down that keynote. I don’t plan on running tours this year. I said no to all upcoming podcasts and interviews. I cleared the calendar, nuked the inbox, put up an out of office, and let go of some people in my life that shouldn’t have been there.

Now, I am off to Chile, where I’ll take an Intrepid tour of Patagonia. After that, I’ll stay in Patagonia and very slowly make my way back north to Santiago.

A few weeks ago, I watched the movie The Way. There is a great line in it: “You don’t choose a life. You live it.” But I only partially agree with that. I think you do make a choice.

Each day is a chance to get one step closer to your ideal, because if you don’t try to make tomorrow better than today, what’s the point?

As I make my choice to get closer to my ideal, I don’t know what the future holds, but I know I’m on the right path and that brings me a lot of comfort.

The RTW Trip Giveaway: A Winner’s Update (Part 1)

What would you do with a free trip around the world? Last year, I gave away a trip around the world. After going through thousands of entries, in the end, Heather was the winner. Her story was powerful. She’s been on the road a little over a month now and it’s time to catch up with her and find out about her trip, how the budgeting is going (is she doing $50 a day?), and the lessons learned.

Nomadic Matt: Heather, congrats on winning! You’ve been on your trip for about a month. First, how did you feel about winning?
Heather: Thanks, Matt! Winning was, in a word, surreal. I’ve never felt so dazed in my life. I’ve never won so much as a raffle prize before, so I didn’t actually believe you for at least a solid week. I kept thinking it was a dream, and I was scared to tell people in case it was. My little sister asked me if I was sure it wasn’t a human-trafficking scheme!

Overall, I feel so loved and supported by my friends and family and extremely, extremely lucky.

I’ve been trying to imagine what my mom would say if she were here to see this. I don’t have much of a frame of reference, since I only really started traveling after she passed. However, I’m sure she would be shaking her damn head at this trip! She would definitely think I’m crazy. And I know she definitely wouldn’t understand leaving my stable job to do this. In the end, though, I know she wouldn’t try to stop me or dissuade me. She would be happy for me; it just might not have been her first reaction. “Stop talking crazy” might have been the first thing!

Where are you going on this trip?
I’m spending the next few months in South America. I originally planned to stay in Peru for three weeks, but I might end up staying for six because there is so much I want to see here! I chose to spend a lot of time in South America because it’s been my dream to backpack here for so long.

I also just love the huge diversity of life and cultures here, and the interaction between indigenous cultures and Spanish colonialism. There are also so many amazing sites (such as the Galápagos, the Amazon, Machu Picchu, etc.). There is so much to learn and soak in.

I leave for Lisbon on May 2nd, and then I want to see Morocco, Greece, Turkey, Kenya, and Tanzania before heading on to Southeast Asia. It was really hard to choose which countries to visit — my list was originally about 36 countries long! But my friends talked me down and convinced me that it was better to go in depth than to keep hopping around and tire myself out. I have the rest of my life to go and see the rest of the world.

I actually put my whole (hopeful) itinerary up on my new blog.

Where have you been so far?
I spent a few weeks in Ecuador, including the Galápagos, before I moved on to Peru. I’m working my way south and east, eventually to Brazil.

The first week I spent in Quito being hosted by friends of my family. I mainly rested and planned the trip, including getting my visa to Brazil at the consulate there. I was so focused on closing up my life in LA and getting out quickly that I had put barely any thought into my trip. I just left. Taking the time to plan really calmed me. My hosts were really gracious and took great care of me.

After that, my sister came down and we spent a few days in Baños, Ecuador, which was fantastic! I jumped off a bridge and we went canyoning down some waterfalls. We also did a day tour of the Amazon. I had mixed feelings about the tour — I tend to hate planned excursions like that, and there was a part of the day that included an indigenous show that felt forced and disingenuous. It made me a little uncomfortable.

I also spent 10 days in the Galápagos, which was insanely beautiful. It was hard on the budget for sure, but the islands are so well protected. Now I’m in Cajamarca in the north of Peru enjoying the Carnaval celebrations. It’s madness. I’m really not much of a partier. My host is so generous and accommodating, so I’m really enjoying my time here.

How’s your daily budget going? Any big surprises?
I’m definitely running a deficit right now, because of the trip to the Galápagos, but I knew that going in. (Some other expenses too, such as paying for the visa to Brazil ($160), contributed to that as well.) Everything is super expensive on the island. Last-minute cruises for four days are about $1,000, and eight-day cruises start at about $1,700. I opted out of a cruise and decided to do the self-tour, which was a bit more challenging but still an amazing experience. Hostels on the island are basically $20 everywhere, which is about twice as much as on the mainland. But I did find some ways to save money. For instance, I found a restaurant on Santa Cruz Island that served a great $5 lunch.

I’m feeling OK about the splurge, though, because I’m saving in other ways. For instance, I bought my flight out of South America to Europe on points. That saved me about $700. I plan on buying most of my flights on points. I’m also doing a lot of Couchsurfing in Peru (and Peru is cheap overall).

Not counting the Galápagos, in the first month, I spent about $600, including my hostels, food, activities. Hostels are generally costing me $10 a night, and meals are rarely more than $10 each; lunch is usually much less. In Baños, for instance, we met the owner of an arepas restaurant and just ate lunch there every day. Now, in Cajamarca, between Couchsurfing and the cheap cost of living, I would be surprised if I’ve spent more than $30 in the past five days. Breakfast is $1-2, and we took a 30-minute ride bus outside of the city, which cost 5 soles, or about $1.50, each.

Also, looking back on my journal of expenses, I would say I’m spending too much on transportation. I would attribute this to taxis. When I’m out and about, sometimes people tell me it’s unsafe to walk and I should take a taxi. Or, for instance, when I was staying with my family friends in Quito, their house is pretty far from the city, so I would find myself taking a taxi rather than walk the 40 minutes to the bus stop. If I’m feeling unsure about the situation I’m in (at night or if I don’t see many solo walkers around), I take a taxi. So I think I could cut back or find other ways to avoid feeling unsafe.

Speaking of safety, how do you feel about your safety as a solo female traveler? Is South America safe?“
Yes, I generally feel safe. I’ve only had a few problems. The caveat is that I really don’t go out at night that often (I’m more of a morning person) and tend to stick to the ‘safe’ areas. I get a lot of people warning me to be extra safe and that always freaks me out. I would like to be more adventurous and I’m trying to balance that desire with the practicality of being safe.

The first month is always an adjustment. How are you going to stay on budget in the future?
I’m a huge planner, and taking the time to think through my “must haves” really helps. I’ve also found that not rushing and going slow helps cut down expenses. I’m trying to take my time and stick to the activities I will really enjoy. For instance, paying an admission to see a cathedral almost never makes my list. A lot of guides online mention churches as the must sees. I ignore them completely, unless there is something different about them. For example, I paid for a tour in Lima to see the catacombs but, other than that, I’d rather use the money elsewhere.

What are some of the lessons you’ve learned so far?
I am learning how to not stress about plans or money, which was something my mom was always trying to teach me. I’m literally living my dream, and it’s foreign to me not to have 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 always say. I was never very good at it (to her dismay), but I think she would be happy with how I currently am. My belly is always full and I’m seeing something new every few days. What more could I ask for? Next up, to work on my patience…

What’s the worst thing that’s happened? Do you think it could have been prevented?
Yes! My phone got pickpocketed! It was completely preventable. I was in Baños and I needed a rain jacket because it rains every other second there. I wasn’t used to the pockets and my phone was hanging out slightly. I was just completely comfortable — it’s very safe there, so I didn’t think I had to worry. I noticed it was gone almost immediately. I was pissed because I just paid off that phone so that I could take it on the trip! Sigh…

Finally, what’s been your favorite moment so far?
My favorite moment is a tie between jumping off the bridge in Baños and snorkeling with sea lions and turtles in the Galápagos. Both moments were surreal. I loved jumping from the bridge because I’ve always loved heights. When I watched the video of my jump, it seemed to happen so quickly. But in the moment, the fall felt like it took forever. It felt so long that I forgot I was tethered and almost felt like I was flying. I would do it a thousand more times.

The water in the Galapagos was so clear and beautiful and the animals were so unafraid and curious. The chance to observe up close and interact with them was so beautiful. I loved feeling as though I was part of a different world. I just want a million more moments like that.

In the following months, Heather will be navigating South America, Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. As she keeps going, we’re going to follow along to get more details about her trip, experiences, roadblocks, budgeting, and everything in between! You can follow her journeys on her blog, Confidently Lost, as well as on Instagram. She will also be sharing some of her experiences here!

How Emily Taught English to Fund Her RTW Adventure

Posted: 06/24/2014 | June 24th, 2014

There are a lot of ways to fund your travels: we’ve met readers who’ve taken odd jobs, worked on yachts, volunteered, saved for their trip, and more. What I love about reader success stories is that they highlight the diversity of ways to make travel a reality — it doesn’t always have to be “have a good job, make lots of money, save, travel.” All you really need is the will. Plus the stories are great motivation!

Today, we’re talking to Emily, a 25-year-old Canadian who moved to South Korea with her boyfriend to teach English. South Korea pays English teachers really well, and she used her earnings to fund her world travels.

Nomadic Matt: Tell everyone about yourself!
Emily: After I finished university in 2012, I moved to South Korea with my boyfriend to teach English. Although my educational background wasn’t in teaching and I don’t want to be a teacher my entire life, I knew I wanted to travel and that teaching jobs pay well. On August 31, 2012, I left my hometown of Toronto, Canada, and, after finishing teaching in South Korea in September 2013, I traveled through Asia, came home for a bit, and then left to travel again for four months. I recently finished my trip and am heading back to South Korea to work and save again.

What inspired you to do this?
I’m a huge believer in living life to the fullest and doing what makes you happy. I’d always known I wanted to teach English overseas so I could travel more (it pays well), and after moving abroad and realizing how easy it was to save while working, I decided to travel long-term after my contract was up. For me, it was never a big decision; it just kind of happened. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a great support network that has encouraged me to pursue my travel dreams and like-minded friends who have the same desire to travel as me (and with me!).

How did you save for your initial trip?
I lived with my parents to keep my costs low and saved at least 20% of my paycheck (I worked at a nonprofit for financial literacy), but it wasn’t until I actually got to South Korea and began working full-time that I realized how far my money would actually take me. While living in Korea I was able to save over 70% of my paycheck! (Matt says: South Korea is cheap and teaching jobs there pay well!)

Although I didn’t make a lot of money by North American standards, because the cost of living in Korea was so low and I was mindful of my spending, I was able to save close to $14,000 by the end of my contract.

What advice about saving money do you have for others?
Research, research, research. One of the biggest mistakes I made was not looking into the activities I wanted to do in certain countries ahead of time, and determining how much things were going to cost. Whereas activities and excursions in Southeast Asia probably won’t break your bank, skydiving in New Zealand and sailing in the Whitsundays in Australia will. It’s important to think ahead and get a rough idea of how much things are going to cost.

I’m not saying you need to plan out your whole itinerary to a T, but knowing approximately how much the big activities will cost makes a huge difference. For example, one of the biggest mistakes was not pricing out the cost of car rentals in New Zealand. My friend and I were set on getting a camper van, but we never actually researched how much it was going to cost to fill up the tank — the $100 a day for gas was definitely a rude awakening! We also didn’t think through the campsite fees to park our vehicle, which were usually $20 per night. I ended up over budget by $1,500!

Had I taken the time to crunch the numbers earlier, I would’ve done things differently, such as planning my trip around car relocation postings on TransferCar, a car relocation service (you drive for free). Although this would have required a lot more preplanning, it would’ve saved me hundreds of dollars.

Planning is definitely important. You need to know what you are getting in to. How did you manage to stay close to being on budget?
I found the one thing that helped me stay on track was keeping a running tally of how much I spent every day. I marked down everything – hostels, food, and drinks, even $2 souvenir purchases. I then plugged everything into a spreadsheet in Excel that I set up with different spending columns, such as “food,” “accommodation,” and “entertainment.” (If you don’t have access to a computer you could easily do this in a notebook.) Visually looking at the numbers is a great way to see exactly where your money is going, and also helps identify where you can cut costs.

Also, sign up for a travel rewards card! I’m all about getting the biggest bang for my buck, and pay tribute to my rewards credit card and my airline miles reward card for helping me travel so extensively (miles equal free flights).

What made you decide to teach in Korea?
For years I’d known I wanted to teach English overseas, the primary reason being to travel. Originally I wanted to teach in China to improve my Mandarin skills and immerse myself more in my Chinese heritage, but after doing some research, I realized teaching in South Korea not only paid better but also came with a bunch of other perks that no other country offered (i.e., housing, round-trip airfare, pension, bonus pay, health insurance, and good vacation time). The final push was when my boyfriend realized he needed better teaching experience to get into his graduate teaching program. South Korea seemed like the best option for both of us because I could save money for traveling, and he could get the teaching experience he needed.

What was your experience like? Was it hard to find a job?
Teaching in South Korea was hands-down the best decision I’ve ever made. Although I don’t want to be a teacher, the soft skills I gained at my local middle school were unlike anything I ever would’ve gotten sitting in a lecture hall or working in a traditional corporate environment. I had to teach 30-40+ students every day and was constantly looking for new, creative ways to keep them engaged despite the language barrier. Korean society is very, very different from Canada, so overcoming the cultural differences was a life lesson in itself. I also made lifelong friends, got to travel around Korea extensively, and now have a life experience on my résumé that sets me apart from the competition.

In terms of finding a job, it actually wasn’t that difficult. I went through a North American recruiter company called Teach Away that specializes in placing people in overseas teaching jobs. After filling out a detailed application and making it through the prescreening process, my recruiter helped me find my job — and at no cost to me (the entire process was free). I ended up working for a public Korean school in Incheon, South Korea, but many people also work for “hagwons” (private academies). It just depends on your preference, your previous teaching experience, and where you’d like to be geographically placed.

Matt’s note: If you’d like to teach English around the world, here’s a great resource for you.

What advice would you have for others trying to do what you did?
If you’re trying to find a teaching job overseas, my biggest tip would be to take your time and do thorough research. I’ve heard horror stories of people applying to the first company they find and not taking the time to do a bit of background checking and comparing different recruiters. Dedicating a few hours to finding a good recruiter or company, and figuring out what country you want to teach in and what type of teaching you want to do takes time but is worth the effort.

What was the hardest part about travel?
The lack of privacy has been a big point of contention for me. Four months is the longest I’ve ever traveled, and not having my own personal space was something I really struggled with. Sometimes I wasn’t in the mood to make small talk, make dinner in a crowded hostel kitchen, or listen to people snore all night. What’s saved me was occasionally switching up the accommodation (or room style) and not staying in a dorm. I was really lucky, and throughout my recent travels was able to stay with friends at least once a month. I was also fortunate enough to have a travel buddy for 95% of my trip, so occasionally splurging on a private room was affordable.

I recommend taking occasional “lazy days” and dedicating an entire day to just relaxing in a café or park, or even at your hostel. Don’t feel guilty about taking time off from traveling. Traveling is a full-time job and can get exhausting. Yes, it’s definitely a great job, but there’s no denying it can be draining. Recently I was visiting a friend in Scotland, and one day all we did was watch TV and relax — I was in heaven. Downtime is essential; don’t let yourself feel guilty for wanting to take a day off, especially if you aren’t in the mood to do sightseeing.

What was it like traveling with your boyfriend? Did you have any “I’m going to kill you” moments?
No matter who you’re traveling with, there will always be moments where you need some space. Lucky for me though, the only fights my boyfriend and I ever had revolved around food and dining out with friends. I myself am not a red meat–eater, so finding a restaurant that satisfied all palates — especially in Korea, where they eat primarily beef — was often an issue. Although we’ve tried to learn from our past arguments, blowups still happened from time to time. We did our best to be respectful of each other’s dietary wants, but when you’re hungry, sometimes a little argument is inevitable. Lucky for us, we were very good at letting things go and didn’t ever let it ruin our experience.

Other than that though, traveling with my boyfriend was amazing. By far one of the biggest highlights of all my travels was when I took my boyfriend throughout China. Although most of the destinations weren’t new for me, it was so special to show him my Chinese roots and watch him fall in love with the country.

Any parting advice?
Although I’m all for saving money and budgeting while traveling, I think it’s really important to strike a balance between enjoying your trip and actually doing things, versus penny pinching. Obviously this varies depending on the length of your trip and your budget, but at the end of the day, you don’t hop on a plane to eat PB & J every meal and sit in a dorm room. Trying new food, sightseeing, and going out with your new friends are essential components of the backpacking experience, and something not to be missed out on.

Become the Next Success Story

One of my favorite parts about this job is hearing people’s travel stories. They inspire me, but more importantly, they also inspire you. I travel a certain way, but there are many ways to fund your trips and travel the world, and I hope these stories show you that there is more than one way to travel and that is within your grasp to reach your travel goals. Here are more examples of people who found work overseas to fund their trips:

We all come from different places, but we all have one thing in common:

We all want to travel more.

Make today the day you take one step closer to traveling — whether it is buying a guidebook, booking a hostel, creating an itinerary, or going all the way and buying a plane ticket.

Remember, tomorrow may never come so don’t wait!

Want More Information on Teaching?

I wrote an in-depth, 186-page guide to teaching overseas. This book will help show you those tricks and eliminate your stress, fear, and anxiety about finding a job. It will save you weeks of online research and give you the most accurate and updated information you need. It is written by teachers for teachers, featuring dozens of interviews with teachers from around the world sharing their experiences, as well as job recruiters to help you cinch your interview and get hired.

Discovering Purpose on a Farm in South Africa

Every month, Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes a guest column featuring tips and advice on solo female travel. It’s a topic I can’t cover well, so I brought in an expert to share her advice. In this column, Kristin shares one of her most rewarding travel experiences, and how it sparked her interest in sustainable tourism.

After a day of herding cattle in the South African bush, I collapsed on the couch in the farm cottage. I’d just snake-crawled under electric fences, body to ground so close I left an impression in the earth; jumped over streams; and tip-toed through marshes as I herded the cattle. They mooed, carefree, and looked at me suspiciously as I moved closer, a branch in both hands, trying to convince them I was a fence.

Three weeks earlier, I’d flown to Johannesburg with nothing but a carry-on backpack and with no idea of what to do with the two months ahead of me.

Now, after a series of chance meetings with other travelers and locals who all pointed me in the direction of Karoo, I was on The Rest Farm in the middle of the South African bush.

The farm is in the middle of the Karoo, an arid, rocky, mostly treeless area located in the middle of South Africa. Primarily visited by locals, it’s an overnight stop when driving from Johannesburg to Cape Town.

Appearing to be a harsh, rugged environment where only the strongest survive, the Karoo is a desert. It’s full of snakes and massive quadrupeds that call it home. Its orange canyons and lack of development make it a thing of beauty.

At many places on the farm, one can look in every direction and see nothing but sloping, flat-topped mountains rising out of the valleys, the occasional curly-horned and hoofed kudu, a zebra or two, and not much of anything else. No fellow man and no structure disrupts the view.

The farm was taken over by Paula and E after Paula’s parents became too old to look after it. It has since turned into a budding guesthouse, an adventure destination, and an option for those looking for a work exchange type of holiday. People from all over the world find it via workaway.info or, like me, via word of mouth.

During the day, I ate meals with the family, went for sunrise hikes, and wandered around the property’s rock labyrinths and zorse (zebra + horse) stables. Having grown up in urban California, I felt like a farm girl for the first time in my life.

We cooked together, drank wine, and talked philosophy. I joined the family at the local tennis club for braais (BBQs), contributed ideas for their website to promote their retreat business, and helped build a hut out of mud and other materials.

While herding cattle on the farm and helping to build what will soon be a place for spiritual workshops, I realized what I want most of life is to make a positive impact on the communities I visit. I’ve resolved to vote with my tourism dollars more and involve myself more in sustainable tourism. I want to find more ways to give back to the communities and destinations I visit.

I arrived in South Africa with no idea of what lay ahead of me. Through chance, I ended up off the beaten path, meeting amazing people, getting to know local farm life, and leaving it a better place.

This is where my travels will go. Opportunities like this create a better, richer travel experience that foster the kind of cultural exchange I wanted before I went overseas.

This is why going with the flow is so important. Let the road unfold naturally.

Because, one day, you are staring out at the African bush finally realizing what you really want out of life.

Kristin Addis is a solo female travel expert who inspires women to travel the world in an authentic and adventurous way. A former investment banker who sold all of her belongings and left California in 2012, Kristin has solo traveled the world for over four years, covering every continent (except for Antarctica, but it’s on her list). There’s almost nothing she won’t try and almost nowhere she won’t explore. You can find more of her musings at Be My Travel Muse or on Instagram and Facebook.

Conquering Mountains: The Guide to Solo Female Travel

For a complete A-to-Z guide on solo female travel, check out Kristin’s new book, Conquering Mountains. Besides discussing many of the practical tips of preparing and planning your trip, the book addresses the fears, safety, and emotional concerns women have about traveling alone. It features over 20 interviews with other female travel writers and travelers. Click here to learn more about the book, how it can help you, and you can start reading it today!

Overland Travel: How Ryan Drove from Seattle to South America

I hate driving. I don’t like driving in my own country, let alone foreign ones. It’s not that I’m bad at it. It’s just that I do it so infrequently that it makes me nervous these days. And so I’m always fascinated by people who travel by car. Back in the early days of this blog I met a group of guys driving a trip around the world. They had crazy stories. A few months ago, I announced we were going to start doing more reader stories to highlight some of your crazy stories. In our first reader spotlight, we’re talking to Ryan who is driving from Seattle down to the tip of South America with his girlfriend! (Which, let’s be honest, sounds like an amazing adventure!)

Nomadic Matt: Tell everyone here about yourself!
Ryan: I’m 33 years old and originally from Seattle, Washington, but after college I spent five years working in Washington, DC in the halls of Congress. When my boss decided to retire in 2012 instead of run for re-election, I opted to take a yearlong sabbatical to road-trip across the American West and to hike and climb as much as I could. When the year came to an end, though, I wasn’t ready to give up the nomadic lifestyle, so I just kept going.

So how did you get into travel?
My first overseas travel experiences were thanks to studying abroad in college, with lengthy stays in Florence, Italy, and Sana’a, Yemen. Both trips instilled in me a sense of wanderlust that stuck with me through my years of working a desk job, and I believe they played a significant role in eventually getting me out there on the road.

Where has this amazing trip taken you so far?
Following my yearlong road trip through the American West, I headed down to Colombia with a buddy and we set out explore the country. We only made it as far as Medellín, where I settled down. I felt a need to slow down after living out of my truck and then a backpack for about 15 months — and then meeting a great local girl.

my girlfriend and I drove my truck from Seattle to Medellín, traveling overland through every country in Central America and having an amazing time. We had to ship the truck from Colón, Panama, to Cartagena, Colombia), since there are no roads through the Darién Gap (the missing link in the Pan-American Highway.

We stopped in Medellín for a bit again to regroup, but we are now getting ready to head out on part two of the road trip: driving all the way to the southern tip of Patagonia, which is a place I have long dreamed about visiting.

We will mostly be traveling along the Andean spine on this journey, and I’m looking forward to immersing myself in the mountain scenery.

What made you decide to go on this trip?
My solo road trip across the American West was an absolutely transformative experience, and the seed of driving to Patagonia got planted in my mind and took root over a few years. I began to think, why just drive across America when you can drive across all of the Americas?

I also like exploring new cultures and foods and immersing myself in different languages whenever I travel overseas. I long to get a little farther afield, to get off the well-worn tourist track, and that can be quite difficult. I’ve traveled the backpacker circuit and schlepped my bag around colorful little towns and hopped on and off public buses — but when you’ve got your own wheels, a whole new world of travel opens up and allows you to get away from the crowds and immerse yourself in local life.

What’s been the biggest lesson so far?
Just how doable this sort of trip is!

When you take in the whole scope of driving across Central America — traveling into “dangerous” Mexico, dealing with corrupt cops or protests and blockades, and contemplating the logistical hassles of crossing eight or nine international borders with your vehicle and then loading it into a shipping container to South America — it can all just be overwhelming. It seems almost impossible.

But when you break it down into a day-to-day journey, it was all quite easy. One thing flowed from another, nothing was as hard as we imagined it would be, and we came out more confident and capable with every little bump in the road.

What’s your number one piece of advice for a trip like this?
I’d say one of the best parts about travel is overcoming challenges and embracing the unknown, so just let go of the idea of waiting for things to be perfect!

In the overland travel community, I’ve seen countless people who plan for years and years, investing more and more money into their vehicles and accessories, and spending more time and money on the “getting ready” stage than they do on the actual travel and adventures. It’s as if the planning becomes the substitute for actually doing.

But as for more concrete advice for a new traveler, I’d highly, highly recommend learning as much of the target language you can before leaving. The first time I came to Colombia, I had the basics of Spanish: ordering food, getting around in a taxi, other formalities. But my travels have become so much more rewarding as my language skills improved and I could really communicate with the people I was meeting on a daily basis.

What are the logistics of a trip like this? Is it hard to plan?
Logistically, there are a few basics you should have covered, which would entail having the originals (and lots of copies) of all the relevant vehicle documents: your title, registration, etc. But you don’t actually need much more beyond your passport, and a general idea of where you are going (or in some cases, places you shouldn’t go, for safety’s sake). But if you add in some equipment to allow you to camp and cook, you’ll be much more versatile on the road and have more options for saving money.

One incredible resource that initially planted the idea of driving all this way was the annual Overland Expo in Flagstaff, Arizona, where a few thousand people gather every spring to talk about all aspects of overlanding. They offer seminars and talks from experienced travelers on everything from safety and security to camp-cooking recipes to border-crossing tips and tricks. Attendees are a mix of people who have completed massive drives across the Americas or Africa, people in the planning stages for a big international trip, and those who just like camping out of their vehicles in the USA.

Being around so many like-minded people who had “been there, done that” was what initially made me feel like this was possible — though it was another two years before I drove across the border into Mexico.

Due to the sheer scale and uncertainty of a monster trip like this, it can indeed be difficult to plan everything out in advance in terms of where to go, where to stay, etc. Before leaving, we planned in broad strokes the route we would take, about how long we thought we would take in each country, etc., but we were open to being flexible throughout the journey.

Luckily there have been many travelers who have documented their trips on their blogs and can provide a good frame of reference on border crossings, where to camp, safety concerns as a driver abroad, and so forth.

One of my favorite resources while on the road was a website called iOverlander.com, where fellow travelers add prices, descriptions, and GPS coordinates to everything from free campsites to cheap hotels with secure parking lots. It has become the go-to resource for overland travelers.

What’s been the most difficult part of your journey?
The hardest part and the easiest part are both the same: traveling with your vehicle. An obvious foreign license plate can attract interest, both good and bad: friendly locals will take notice and chat you up about your travels — and more unscrupulous people might target your vehicle for the valuables inside.

Traveling with your own vehicle provides added worries at times. You must always be somewhat conscious of the general security of your vehicle so as to not expose yourself to potential break-ins when parking on the street — or even in some parking lots — and there are the added difficulties of traveling into small colonial cities with narrow roads. Then there’s finding a hotel that also offers secure parking for your vehicle when so many cater to the backpacker crowd.

That being said, we had no break-ins or anything like that on the whole journey, and while we were cautious, we weren’t overly so or paranoid.

The easiest part of this trip, though — again — is having your own vehicle, which means you are free to bring quite a bit more stuff than if you were backpacking. We travel with gear for cold and warm weather, for general camp comfort, and for cooking, as well as quite a few electronics: laptops, cameras, a small solar panel, etc. We also have the freedom to go when and where we want, without being tied to public transportation or the traditional backpacker circuit.

So there are two sides to the same coin, but I’d say the benefits of “overland” travel like this far outweigh the negatives.

Does this cost a lot to do? How do you keep costs down?
The big up-front cost for overland travel is obviously the vehicle. Vans, trucks, or SUVs are generally the vehicle of choice for most overlanders, given their size and the ability to create a space to sleep inside the vehicle (or on top of it, with a roof-top tent).

If you already have a truck or van, you’ve overcome the biggest cost. I used my old 1991 Toyota 4×4 pickup — the same truck I’ve had since high school — and it served me well with the addition of an elevated canopy and a simple build-out of the back to create a sleeping platform and storage system.

If you have to purchase a vehicle, you would do well to look for an older rig that is sold all over the world, like a Toyota, so you won’t deal with more obscure vehicle brand or engine parts that might be hard to come by in other parts of the world.

If you’re looking to buy, you could also join overlanding groups and try to purchase from a fellow traveler who has recently completed the trip and is looking to unload the vehicle at a cheap price rather than ship it overseas to their home country. They typically sell in Panama, Colombia, Argentina, or Chile.

There are people who have done the trip with a traditional car and many who complete the drive by motorcycle or even by bicycle — so don’t let the fact that you don’t have the “perfect” vehicle stop you from this adventure.

In terms of the actual costs during the trip, it can vary a lot from country to country and depending on the exchange rate, but I’d say our general rule of thumb for the entire trip thus far was about $75 per day, as a couple. That price is overall for everything, including gasoline, hotels or camping, food, etc. As always, you could do it for either less or more money, depending on the individual traveler.

The price breaks down to around $20/night for lodging, $20/day for food, and $35/day for vehicle expenses (gas, toll roads, paid parking, maintenance, etc.). But those daily averages can vary a lot from place to place.

Sometimes a country, like Mexico, is so cheap to travel in that we find ourselves eating out frequently and finding budget hotels. But other times a country is so expensive, like Costa Rica (for gas, lodging, food, everything!), that we spend virtually all our time camping and only occasionally eating out. Our strategy for keeping costs down is to sleep more often in the back of the truck at cheap or free camping areas, and to cook a little more often.

Surprisingly, there aren’t many costs associated with bringing your vehicle into each country. Some countries require you to purchase insurance, others don’t; some have small fees ($10-15) associated with bringing your vehicle across (temporary import permit, insurance, fumigation), some are free, some are kind of expensive, like Honduras ($40).

But overall it is quite affordable to cross international borders with a vehicle, and your biggest expenses remain the regular costs of gasoline and maintenance.

If you want to follow up on Ryan, he is the author of Big Travel, Small Budget and the blogger behind Desk to Dirtbag, detailing his travels and outdoor adventures after leaving his Washington, D.C. desk job. Right now you can find him road tripping across all of South America and follow his adventures on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

P.S. – Ever wanted to visit Austin? Next month, I’ll be leading a small group of people around my home city! We’ll be staying in the hostel I own, visiting my favorite locals bars and restaurants, hanging with some of my cool friends, and two stepping the night away! If you want to spend a few days down south, here’s more information!

The Best Way to Travel Around Southern Africa

Welcome to another edition of our new Africa column with Natasha and Cameron from The World Pursuit. While I’ve been to the continent in the past, I’ve only seen a few countries and this website is really thin on Africa content. I’m super duper excited to have these two travelers share their knowledge about traveling the continent. They will share budget tips, detailed guides, itineraries, and stories to get you excited and prepared for your own trip! Their second post is on how to get around Southern Africa with different budget travel options.

Ten months ago we started thinking about our trip through southern Africa. We knew that the region was vast and that travel there was a difficult mystery. We weren’t even sure if it was possible to cross the continent on our own. All we knew was that we wanted to see the great African plains, watch lions attack impalas, and have a drink while listening to the sound of fish eagles.

Fast forward nine months, and we now own a South African–registered Land Cruiser and have been touring the massive continent by ourselves. How did we get to this point? Was it the cheapest option? Or did we make a massive blunder by throwing a bunch of cash into a major liability, what with bad roads, border officials, bribes, and mechanical costs? Perhaps an overland tour would have been the best option? Or might backpacking across the continent have achieved our goal?

What is the best option for budget travelers in southern Africa: an overland tour, backpacking, or self-driving? It all comes down to what you want to see and how you want to experience Africa. Here are the pros and cons of each option:

Overland Tours

Overland tours are one of the most popular options for young people wanting to travel southern Africa these days. All transportation and accommodation, most food, and many activities are covered. They require little to no planning and no driving, are safe, and offer a sure way to meet other travelers.

Acacia Africa, Nomad, Oasis, and Absolute Africa are four of the most popular “budget” overland safari companies. These tours venture in and around South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi (as well as Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania). Some tours cut out a few countries, while the “mega” tours include all of them. Some of the tours spend only two days in a certain country; others may spend a week there.

Acacia and Nomad include almost all activities, food, and park fees in the cost. They save the additional expenses for specialty experiences, like bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Bridge or a hot-air balloon ride over the Serengeti.

Oasis and Absolute, on the other hand, opt for a pick-and-choose model and include only a limited number of activities. Instead, they drive you from point A to point B and allow you to book experiences with local operators. Oasis and Absolute also include only 60% of your meals. (If you want all of the adventure activities included, the four providers are similar in price.)

Regardless of the overland company, expect to add roughly $5-10 USD a day for various expenses, like waters, beer, and tipping your guides.

Tour Company Average Daily Cost Acacia $101.80 USD Nomad $100.00 USD Oasis $55.82 USD Absolute $64.46 USD

Note: The prices differ according to where in Africa you are traveling, albeit not drastically. This is a crucial detail when determining to take an overland tour or go at it alone. Southern Africa is intrinsically cheaper and easier to do on your own than the rest of Africa. I like to call it “Africa Light.” Gas is cheaper, national parks are cheaper, food is cheaper, and the infrastructure is better suited for tourism. A tour in South Africa may average $86 USD a day with Acacia, while its East Africa tour will average $121 USD a day.

Pros of doing an overland tour in southern Africa:

• Organized tour that requires little to no planning on a challenging continent
• Great option for meeting people, especially as a solo traveler
• Knowledgeable guides and safe drivers on harsh road conditions
• Groups can be great fun

Cons of doing an overland tour in southern Africa:

• Lack of “adventure” on an organized tour
• No independence and hard to get away from the typical tourist activities
• Lack of genuine local interaction
• High cost
• Enjoyment is subject to the atmosphere of the group

Note: There are a few experiences offered by some overland tours that we do not agree with ethically. Any tour that puts you in contact with wild animals, such as lion walks, cheetah petting, and elephant riding, should raise immediate red flags. Ethics and tourism in Africa can be very murky; don’t always expect your tour operator to vet every activity and attraction.

Self-Driving

There are a plethora of variables that go into self-driving, but we’ll stick with the basics. Operating on the assumption that you will not choose to purchase a vehicle in Africa (you’d have to be crazy like us), your four main expenses will be transportation, food, accommodation, and activities.

Transportation
When we first arrived in South Africa, we got a small pickup rental truck for $650 USD a month ($21 USD a day), split between the two of us. We went with a 2×4 to travel through Mozambique, but if you route carefully and skip the dirt roads and sand, it’s very possible to get around most of southern Africa in a sedan (we’ve even met people doing it on motorcycles)!

Rental vehicles are the cheapest in South Africa and can be driven into neighboring countries with a letter from the rental company stating your intent to cross borders. A manual sedan in Johannesburg can be rented for as little as $120 USD a week.

You may want to drive to remote areas, which means a fully kitted 4×4 rental; those come in at $800 USD a week out of South Africa and Namibia on the low end for a round-trip car rental.

However, for that price, you can score a truck that can go anywhere and has comfortable roof tents that can accommodate four people — which is the best way to get one heck of a safari for an affordable price. (We self-drove into the Okavango Delta and got further than any backpacker or overland tour could ever go.)

It’s important to factor in road tolls and gas into your costs. Tolls in southern Africa are few and far between, but they do exist and you can expect to pay $10–20 USD a week in tolls if you’re driving around South Africa.

Keep in mind that distances are vast in Africa, so you’ll be covering some major ground getting from point to point. Southern Africa is bigger than all of Europe, so expect to budget about $100–200 USD a week for fuel, depending on how fast you move and the distances covered.

While these numbers may be difficult for a solo traveler, a group of friends together can make an African road trip very cheap. Obviously, the cost per person goes down with the more travel companions you add; $10 USD a day for gas and the rental is possible per person in southern Africa if split four ways. With two people in a smaller car, it’s entirely possible to drive around for $15 USD a day per person. If you don’t have travel partners, try joining groups on Facebook like “Backpacking Africa” or posting in Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum.

Food
Food in Africa can be very affordable (of course there are some exceptions to this if you are eating out or have a special diet). You can find almost everything you want at large Western supermarkets in South Africa; however, as you work your way north, Western-style grocery stores become a rarity. Outside of big cities, most food will come from roadside stands or tiny convenience stores — all of which offer affordable local prices. If you’re cooking your own meals, you can get by on less than $70 USD a week for food. That includes eating three meals a day and items that may be considered luxuries to backpackers, such as steak, real coffee with milk, and a decent sandwich lunch.

Accommodation
Campsites can range from $5–15 USD per person a campsite; this does not include a tent or sleeping bag. Camping in southern African national parks is closer to $20–30 USD per person plus daily park fees. The campsites, except in Botswana, are usually fenced in to provide protection from wildlife and have facilities such as an ablution block. In major cities, you will be able to find hostels, budget hotels, and Airbnb rooms, and it’s possible to get a bed for the same price as camping. Dorm beds run $10–20 a night and a double room $25–50 USD a night. But this isn’t Europe, so don’t be picky, and prepare for some less-than-desirable rooms. If you’re feeling truly adventurous, rooms in local roadside establishments cost around $3–8 USD a night but don’t plan on sleeping much because they’re often noisy and a little dirty.

Activities

You can’t get around Africa without some activity expenses. However, if you have plans on seeing any wildlife, you will have to pay—national parks, private game reserves, and safaris all cost money. The good news is that park costs in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe are all reasonable, considering that these are some of the best game parks in all of Africa. Although you won’t have the comfort of being in a big game viewer and will have to spend money on fuel driving around the park all day, you will still able to see wildlife driving your own vehicle on your own time.These are some average national park fees in southern Africa:

Namibia $9 USD Botswana $12 USD South Africa $15 USD Zambia $25 USD Zimbabwe $30 USD

Note: These fees are based on international passports and do not include vehicle fees. Note that almost every park in Africa charges a vehicle fee for self-drivers. The fee can range anywhere between $5 USD and $50 USD a day, depending on the country and the car’s type and registrationIn summary, it is next to impossible to estimate a budget for driving yourself. Here are some average self-driving costs per day per person:

Rental car and fuel (two persons)* $15 USD (sedan) to $57 USD (4×4) Accommodation $10 USD (camping) to $25 USD (dorm or shared private room) Food $10–15 USD Activities $10 USD Total $45–105 USD

* Prices are based on weekly car rentals starting in South Africa, where rentals are cheapest.

Pros of self-driving southern Africa:

• Sense of adventure tackling southern Africa on your own
• Freedom to drive wherever you want
• National parks are cheaper than hopping on an organized safari
• You can take as much or as little time in a place
• You can delve deeper into local and rural African life with your own set of wheels

Cons of self-driving southern Africa:

• The paperwork and bureaucratic headache of crossing borders with a car
• Constant planning and routing and always being “on” can become exhausting
• Maintaining and fixing the car if anything goes wrong
• Little to no help if problems arise
• Poor road maintenance can lead to potholes and road corrugation

Public Transport or “Backpacking”

It is incredibly hard to estimate the cost of backpacking around southern Africa because it can vary so widely depending on one’s style. It’s also dependent on if you want to completely go off the grid or if you want to do touristy things. Some may be okay with walking into a village, paying a few dollars to the local chief, and pitching a tent in the dirt, while others wouldn’t dream of this and would rather take public transport from campsite to campsite. Living like a local in southern Africa is very hard if you’re traveling. Poverty is rampant in Africa, and many Africans can’t even afford to adequately feed themselves, let alone travel to the next town while living on a dollar a day. Due to the lack of demand and infrastructure for long-distance travel, the transport options are much more difficult compared to the West and Asia.

Transportation
Local buses around town can cost anywhere from $0.25 USD to a $1.50 USD. They also only serve local towns and villages. For the larger intercity buses, you can expect to pay $8–25 USD for a 4–12-hour bus ride (sometimes longer). Tourist spots, parks, hostels, and campsites are often not near any major towns or villages, so you’ll need some budget for local taxis or plan on hitchhiking. The price of a taxi can range from $3–15 USD, depending on distance and remoteness.

Food
There shouldn’t be any difference here compared to self-driving. The only exception is that self-drivers have the advantage of buying items in bulk and carrying cooking gear with them. If you are traveling by local transport and backpacking, your food options may be cheaper as you eat more and more of the local food and have less access to supermarkets. On the other hand, your costs could rise since you may not have the proper gear to cook all your own meals and may, therefore, frequent restaurants more.

Accommodation
Campsites, hostels, and guesthouses will not differ in pricing compared to those for self-drivers. However, as an overland traveler without a car and just a backpack, you can sometimes instead pay a small fee ($3–5 USD) to a local village chief and pitch a tent in the community.

Activities
While you’ll be able to save on most things when backpacking southern Africa, you will lose out when it comes to seeing wildlife. Whereas overland tours and self-drivers have their own vehicle, backpackers will have to pay for each and every safari experience they want to have. Hopping on a day game drives into game parks costs $40 USD on the cheap end and $200 USD on the high end. The price difference is large, but most backpackers may visit fewer parks, so the cost difference isn’t out of this world. These are some average backpacking costs per day:

Transportation $9 USD Accommodation $10 USD Food $10 USD Activities $15 USD Total $44 USD

It is possible to backpack Africa for cheaper; we’ve even met people walking, backpacking, or cycling around the continent. However, someone who travels slowly, camps in villages, and skips national parks will have a much different trip than overland tours and self-drivers in southern Africa.

Pros of backpacking southern Africa:

• Complete integration into local life
• Cheaper than a tour or self-driving
• Breaks boundaries with locals as they do not view you as having many means
• Operate on your own schedule

Cons of backpacking southern Africa:

• Uncomfortable, exhausting, long, and even dangerous bus and train rides across the continent
• Greater chance of getting in an accident or having items stolen
• You should get used to being dirty
• No one to help you should something go wrong
• Constant routing and planning can get tiring

Final Verdict

So what’s the best option for seeing southern Africa? It’s a difficult decision because overland tours are certainly the easiest, but also the most expensive and least adventurous. Backpacking can be difficult and uncomfortable and may hinder your experiences in Africa as most of the natural sights and national parks are far removed from populated cities where public transport operates. However, if you’re looking to meet some of the friendliest people on earth Africans are quick to befriend a backpacker. Self-driving falls somewhere in the middle, as it can be incredibly adventurous but will offer the most flexibility with a more mid-range price tag.

In my opinion, southern Africa is best done on your own because of its infrastructure and lower cost. Travel through each country varies a lot. In the end, it comes down to what you are looking for in terms of adventure, interactions, costs, comfort, and ease.

Natasha and Cameron run the blog The World Pursuit, focusing on adventure and cultural travel. The two of them met in the film industry before they decided to abandon the American lifestyle and travel the world together. They’ve been traveling together for three years across 55 countries and six continents.  They recently bought a 4×4 at the tip of Africa and are traversing the continent while documenting their story on Instagram and Facebook. 

7 Things I Learned While Driving Through the American South

The American South has a mixed reputation in U.S. popular culture: it’s home to sweet tea, greasy but delicious food, country music and the blues, friendly and helpful people, and beautiful and diverse landscapes. However, it’s also supposedly filled with guns, racists, bigots, and rednecks, and it’s the subject of other negative stereotypes.

The first time I visited the South was in 2006 on a road trip across the United States. As a liberal Yankee, I wanted the negative stereotypes to be true and my beliefs to be validated. Instead, I found an incredible region of helpful people, a countryside dotted with rolling hills, farms, and forests, and hearty food rich in flavor. From Charleston to New Orleans and everything in between, the South was extraordinary.

Now, nine years later, on another road trip through the South, I wondered if it would provoke the same warm feelings. America is a more politically divided country. The South has drifted to the right politically, and I wondered about heated debates about “that president,” gay rights, and more. Would I feel like a stranger in a strange land?

After spending months exploring the region, I realized that the Southern states, encompassing a large area of the United States, are not as culturally and politically monolithic as they once were. There is prodigious variety here, and the region left me with many impressions:

The food will make you happy

Food plays a central role in Southern life and is rich in both flavor and diversity. Each region has its own specialties — barbecue in Missouri, Memphis, and North Carolina; Creole food and oysters in New Orleans; Cajun food on the Bayou; fried chicken in Nashville; the growing organic food scene in Atlanta; and upscale dining in Oxford, Mississippi. I pictured Southern food as greasy, fried, and heavy fare. While much of it is hearty, the richness in flavor and variety was outstanding. There is something for everyone, and if you go hungry while visiting, it’s your own fault.

Music makes the region go ’round

Music is a way of life here. The sound of live music filled the air everywhere. Nashville, Memphis, and New Orleans are famous music haunts, but even the tiniest towns have robust live music scenes. From jazz to country to blues to bluegrass, there’s a music soul to this region. I danced, jammed, and sang, and it was wonderful.

The people really are friendly — There’s a common belief that the South is home to the friendliest people in the country. I’m not sure I believe that, but I would agree that Southerners are certainly friendly. They are cheerful, talkative, and incredibly helpful. Strangers waved hello, inquired about my day, were quick with invites for drinks, and generally made an effort to make me feel welcome. The folks here have hospitality down to an art. Plus, they seem to have an endless supply of sweet tea and I can’t get enough of that stuff!

The landscape is stunning

The Southern landscape is beautiful and diverse. The Smoky Mountains are a vast, dense forest filled with inviting rivers, lakes, and trails. The Louisiana bayou is haunting with moss-covered trees and eerie calm. The hills of Appalachia stretch for wooded miles, and the whole Mississippi Delta, with its swamps, marshes, and biodiversity, is gorgeous. And the beaches of Florida are so white they sparkle. I could spend months hiking and exploring all the parks and rivers in the region. (Mental note to future self: Do that.)

To understand it, you have to understand its past

As a former high school history teacher (I taught right out of college), I was excited to explore the area’s colonial cities and Civil War sites. Cities like Natchez, New Orleans, Vicksburg, Savannah, Memphis, Richmond, and Charleston helped shape the country, and their history and influence are important to the story of America. It was in these cities that many American cultural and political leaders were born, the Civil War began, battles were won and lost, the rise and fall of slavery was sown, and many of the biggest names in American cultural history were born. These cities and their history help explain a lot about Southern pride, culture, and current feelings.

It’s politically conservative — Though the Ashvilles, Nashvilles, Atlantas, Austins, and other big cities of the region have become more liberal (thanks in part to open-minded college students, Northern transplants, and hipsters), the rest of the region has moved more to the right recently. Besides country music, radio options seem to consist only of Christian lectures and music or right-wing talk radio warning of immigrants bringing in polio, evil Muslims, and Obama the antichrist. I overheard many conversations about “that guy” (the President) and “queers.” The big cities may be liberal, but in the rest of the South, it’s as conservative as conservative can be.

It’s racist (but it’s not 1950s violent racist) — I found the racism in the modern South to be more an “off-the-cuff racism” than a deep-seated hatred. It was based on stereotypes that lingered because they simply became habit. From the B&B owner who made an offhand comment about Jews to the guys in Nashville who talked about blacks being workers because “that’s the way it is,” to the folks in Atlanta making fun of gays, to college kids in Mississippi telling me racist jokes (or singing racist songs on buses), most came across simply as unthinking. If asked if their remarks were prejudiced, they would probably say “No, it was just a joke.” But it’s still very offensive. No one seems to question these ideas, which is why these attitudes seem to linger. Does this mean I think everyone is a deep-seated racist? No, not at all. I think the South has made incredible strides towards equality and racism is an issue in many places. While better than it used to be, it’s still very prevalent, and with the move toward the political right, I don’t see it going away anytime soon. I had hoped this stereotype would turn out to be outdated but sadly, it was not.

Despite its flaws, I grow to love the area more with each visit. It’s one of the most culturally rich areas in the country. There’s a reason why its cities are booming.

Go visit the region, get out of the cities, travel through the mountains, and find your way into the small towns. You’ll discover friendly people, heavenly food, amazing music, and an appreciation for a slow pace of life.

Travel breaks down barriers and misconceptions about people and places. The more you travel, the more you understand people (even when you don’t agree with them). The South and I may not agree on a lot of issues, but it’s not the region the negative stereotypes make it out to be. It’s a vibrant, lively, interesting, and friendly part of the United States.

And one more people should get to know.