52 weeks and 52 nations, travelling around the globe at random on the most cost effective ticket each Tuesday? Some name it loopy. We name it ex-STA employees member and all-around solo backpacker extraordinaire Discovering Alexx.
Ever hear of these loopy adventures that you just’d LOVE to do however do not know how? That is a type of adventures, and I’m going to indicate you all of the ins and outs of how I’m making it occur.
I’m Alexx. A Kiwi, long-time STA Traveller, and now a full-time journey blogger at Discovering Alexx, and I’m exploring the world solo for a complete 365 days! I’m visiting a new nation each week for a whole yr, and my route relies fully on the most cost effective flight accessible every Tuesday. Sure, I’m loopy. Right here’s all it’s good to find out about my 52 in 52 journey, and how one can comply with the journey.
How’d you give you the concept?
I’ve simply been dwelling in London for 2 years on a working vacation visa, working at STA Journey’s head workplace within the international advertising workforce, however sadly my visa expired mid-June (sob!). Not fairly able to make the 18,000km transfer again to my little nook of the world in New Zealand, I knew that I needed to journey long-term, however had no thought the place to go! I endure from main evaluation paralysis (it’s a factor, okay…) so having to resolve the place to spend my restricted funds to go to was tremendous powerful – it simply compelled me into an countless downward spiral of Google analysis, going round and round in circles journey prices, flight logistics, occasions that I needed to see and making an attempt to prioritise my wanderlist (Which is not possible, by the way in which!)
Then I assumed, why not simply e-book the route based mostly on the most cost effective flight accessible every week? Which means I prevented decision-making anxiousness, stored prices down, AND added in some locations I wouldn’t have gone to in any other case. Win, win, win!
Gained’t you simply be going spherical in circles?
My route is to a brand new nation every week, so as soon as I’ve been to Paris for instance I can’t fly into some other French airports. If France is the most cost effective choice from a future vacation spot, I simply skip previous that and select the following nation that I haven’t been to on the journey.
Why are you doing it?
Apart from the truth that I believe it’s an excellent cool strategy to discover some new locations, I’m doing it to indicate how flexibility can massively maintain prices down! If I had selected a route that I wanted to stay to with particular dates then meaning I’ve no room for motion after I’m flight prices, however by simply testing all of the choices and never having a set thought of the place to do, I’m capable of keep on with an excellent tight flight funds.
I’m additionally obsessive about constructing out final itineraries after I journey, like the best possible issues to see, do, eat and expertise in every vacation spot, and I like the problem of discovering the issues which are completely value spending your cash on in 52 random locations. Generally that could be an expertise to splurge on, like a scorching air balloon trip in Cappadocia, however generally it might be only a particular meal at a cool cafe, just like the breakfast sharing plates at Holybelly in Paris. Divine! Nobody likes losing cash on their journey so I’m right here to share some recommendations on what I reckon was definitely worth the cash (and what wasn’t!).
So, are you travelling on a funds?
Ab. So. Lutely. I do have some financial savings (round £12ok complete after accounting for all my flights) however you possibly can run via that extremely rapidly whereas abroad. I’ll be doing somewhat little bit of distant freelance work on the highway which may help with free stays and day excursions, however in every cease I’ll be sussing out the perfect methods to save cash too.
How a lot will it price in complete?
It’s not possible to know, as a result of I don’t even know the complete itinerary but! From some check itineraries it appears to be like just like the flights for the entire yr will price between £four,000-£four,500, however that features a check-in bag (and can be about £1,500 cheaper with cabin baggage solely, if you happen to’re a packing wizard). Lodging will vary drastically relying on the location, however dorm rooms most likely received’t be any dearer than Paris, which was £35 an evening. Some locations, like Cambodia and Vietnam, might be extra like £5 an evening!
To maintain prices down I’ll be cooking my very own meals as a lot as potential, taking public transport or strolling as an alternative of personal transfers and taxis, and continually looking for the perfect offers on actions and experiences.
How do you put together for a visit like this?
To be completely trustworthy, I’m most likely not ready sufficient! I wish to say that I’m winging it with confidence. I’ve travelled a good quantity, have moved overseas solo and I actually thrive in fast-paced and barely hectic conditions which is normally a curse, however on this case, it’s been actually useful. I’ve my inter-country transport booked up till January however solely have a small quantity of lodging booked to date, that is one thing I’m engaged on in the meanwhile. I’m a mega-nerd for organisation so that is one in every of my favorite elements!
By way of preparation instruments, I can undoubtedly share some secrets and techniques. I’ve bought a Google MyMap for each single advice that individuals have given me for every totally different vacation spot, color coordinated into consuming locations, photograph spots, actions and lodging. Airtable can also be a lifesaver, it’s a spreadsheet/database hybrid with some wonderful capabilities that are perfect for itinerary planning. Then I take advantage of Google Calendar to plan out my days and ensure I’m benefiting from my time in every place, in addition to setting apart some down time for recharging.
Are you travelling solo?
I certain am! I do have some family and friends popping out to see me at numerous elements of the journey, however for nearly all of the time I might be actually flying solo. All the time eager to have journey buddies although so if anybody is crossing over with my itinerary please let me know!
Any solo feminine journey ideas?
Ask me in a yr and I’ll most likely be capable of offer you LOADS extra, however I’ve beforehand written a weblog with a few of my solo feminine journey ideas proper right here.
Will you be staying within the metropolis that you just fly into?
Not essentially! In some locations I might be staying put and exploring my arrival metropolis in depth, however in some locations I’m actually eager to discover additional afield.
The place is it taking you?
I’ve booked the primary 26 weeks to date, so I do know the place I’m going to be till January 2020! Flight tickets are usually solely launched 11 months prematurely so I can’t e-book all the way in which up ‘til the top (July 2020) simply but, however might be doing that within the subsequent few months. I’m at present penning this from my hostel in Zaragoza on the second week of the journey!
Thus far, the itinerary is as follows:
Week 1: Paris, France
Week 2: Zaragoza/San Sebastian/Bilbao, Spain
Week three: Brussels/Bruges/Ghent, Belgium
Week four: Warsaw, Poland
Week 5: Vienna, Austria
Week 6: Milan/the Dolomites, Italy
Week 7: Budapest, Hungary
Week eight: Jordan (exploring the entire nation on a tour)
Week 9: Cyprus (the entire island)
Week 10: Crete, Greece
Week 11: Sofia, Bulgaria
Week 12: Hamburg/Munich, Germany
Week 13: Porto, Portugal
Week 14: Zurich/Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Week 15: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Week 16: Dublin, Eire
Week 17: Bucharest, Romania
Week 18: Israel (numerous stops)
Week 19: Turkey (numerous stops)
Week 20: Baku, Azerbaijan
Week 21: Dubai, UAE
Week 22: Delhi & the Golden Triangle, India
Week 23: Bangkok to southern Thailand
Week 24: Malaysia
Week 25: Singapore
Week 26: Bali, Indonesia
Week 27: Every week off for a household marriage ceremony again dwelling in NZ
Week 28-52: No thought simply but!
And the place will the second half of the journey go?
It’ll undergo Australia and the Pacific Islands, extra of Asia, North and Central America, and again over to Europe. Sadly, flights to Africa and South America are by no means actually the most cost effective choice so it most likely received’t take me there. Oh properly, they are often for an additional journey!
What are you most excited for?
It’s not possible to decide on one however I do have a pair! Extremely excited for Jordan and Israel as a result of these are two locations that I by no means dreamt I’d go to, tremendous eager to lastly get to Budapest and Cyprus, and I LOVE Indonesia so I used to be stoked when that got here up for my New Yr’s Ever cease!
Anyplace you’re not wanting ahead to?
In no way, I’m a agency believer that every one nations have one thing wonderful so that you can uncover it doesn’t matter what you’re into. I’m additionally not visiting wherever with a severe security warning due to insurance coverage and likewise my mother and father’ psychological well-being, ha. You’re welcome, Mum!
The place are you going to remain?
I’ll keep in a mixture of hostels, motels and guesthouses, relying on the vacation spot and dwelling prices. In Europe it’ll largely be hostel dorms to maintain prices down, possibly a non-public room if I want a little bit of a well being kick and quiet time, however in Asia the guesthouses are tremendous low-cost and ultra-authentic which I like.
What about your environmental impression?
That is a extremely necessary matter for travellers proper now, and one thing I’m undoubtedly preserving in thoughts. To begin with, I’m not really flying each single week! I constructed the route off the most cost effective vacation spot to fly to however then checked every week’s journey on trains and buses too, and booked them in the event that they labored out logistically. Within the first six months I’ve bought three trains and two buses in there.
Secondly, whereas a flight each week does have an effect, it’s necessary for me to share that these flights are short-haul, totally on low price carriers who’ve newer fleets with extra environmentally-friendly engines, and that I’m offsetting each single flight all year long. I take advantage of myclimate.org to test my carbon footprint and the primary 21 flights even have a 25% smaller footprint than a single return flight from London to New Zealand!
All of us should be very conscious of our impression on the planet when travelling, however I additionally suppose it’s about minimising your destructive impression (offsetting carbon credit, watching plastic use and many others) in addition to maximising your optimistic impression (procuring native, opening your thoughts to new experiences and methods of life, and doing good wherever you journey). Whereas carbon output is a crucial evil, I reckon we must always all be utilizing journey as a pressure for good.
Another methods I’m making an attempt to be extra sustainable are:
Utilizing eco-friendly shampoo, conditioner, physique wash and laundry bars as an alternative of travelling with these little plastic bottles. I take advantage of those from Ethique right here.
I journey with Huel powder which is a nutritionally full meal, you simply add water and also you’ve bought a shake with all of the nutritional vitamins and minerals you want! I’ve this for breakfast every day simply to make sure my digestive system has some consistency whereas I’m travelling to locations with completely totally different cuisines every week. Huel is vegan and sustainably-produced, it avoids meals wastage (ideally suited for hostels!) and it’s tremendous simple to take with you for an journey day, which means there’s no want to purchase plastic-wrapped snacks.
Taking my Bobble filtered water bottle all over the place I’m going and by no means shopping for a plastic water bottle
Travelling with tour corporations with sturdy sustainability insurance policies, like G Adventures and Contiki
I’d like to know your recommendations on sustainable journey as properly, inform me within the feedback under!
How can we comply with alongside?
I’ll be writing some STA Journey vacation spot guides for quite a lot of cities and nations all through the journey, which we might be linking to simply under! Should you’d like to take a look at all my journey pictures you could find me on Instagram @findingalexx, or learn extra about my adventures at www.findingalexx.com
