Indie Travel Podcast

235 - Why to visit A Coruna

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 21 May 2012 19:34:24 +0200

Why visit A Coruña, Spain? Why not! It's a beautiful city far in the north-west, with long white beaches and lots of cultural and foodie opportunities. We talk about how we (accidentally) ended up here, and what it's like. http://indietravelpodcast.com/spain/visit-corunna-spain/

234 - How to prepare for your first trip

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:06:23 +0200

Ready to head out on your first big trip? Learn how to prepare for your first trip, whether that's a summer in Europe or a RTW extravaganza. http://indietravelpodcast.com/preparation/prepare-first-big-trip/ We cover: Planning Packing Money Airports Arrival So that you can confiently go and have the time of your life.

233 - Salta, Argentina

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:07:15 +0200

This Salta podcast covers things to do, places to see, where to stay, how to get around in Salta, Argentina. Rounded out with good stories & nice pictures. For more, see: http://indietravelpodcast.com/south-america/argentina/salta/ or http://indietravelpodcast.com/argentina/salta-podcast/

232 - Via de la Plata & the Camino de Santiago

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:55:40 +0200

We're back! The first podcast in almost two months recounts some stories and learnings from the Via de la Plata — the 1031km 'pilgrimage' walk we have just completed. Learn... * What is the Via de la Plata? * Our Stand-out moments on the Camino * Why we choose this to celebrate 10 years of marriage * Resources for the Camino de Santiago * How to prepare for the Camino * and for more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/spain/via-de-la-plata-podcast/

231 - Explore your backyard

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 04:00:36 +0100

Travel in your home country doesn't have to be a second-best option. Thousands of people visit your home area every year. Why shouldn't you be one of them? For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/travel/explore-backyard-travel-country/

230 - Best cities in Asia

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 09:28:34 +0100

The best places in Asia are hard to pin down, so this list comprises the places we've loved the most, and the places we're most fascinated by. Go travel... http://indietravelpodcast.com/thailand/best-places-asia/

229 - Belize travel advice

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:31:10 +0100

Adventure, food and fun are all to be found in the Central American country of Belize... at least according to today's interviewees. We speak with Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons and Lebawit Lily Girma about the time they've spent in what seems to be a marvelous country. http://indietravelpodcast.com/belize/adventure-food-fun/

228 - Buying Travel insurance

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:55:42 +0100

How to buy travel insurance? Look online! But how do you find the best travel insurance? What do you look for? What questions should you ask? Find out! http://indietravelpodcast.com/insurance We're now on Soundcloud! Find the Indie Travel Podcast at http://soundcloud.com/indietravel

226 - Carnival Rio de Janeiro Brazil

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:42:29 +0100

Carnival (or Carnaval) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is one of the world’s biggest parties. Joel Ward talks about learning to samba and enjoying the party. For more details, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/brazil/carnival-rio-de-janeiro/

225 - Accommodation for travellers

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:38:10 +0100

When it comes to travel, cheap accommodation options can help you to save money, but great accommodation will help you to really enjoy your destination. You might be overwhelmed by suggestions of where to go and where to stay. I'm sure you'll have some idea of your dream destination -- but once you get there, where do you sleep? There are a multitude of accommodation options, and your choice will be influenced by both your budget and your inclination. For more see: http://indietravelpodcast.com/preparation/travel-accommodation-options/

224 - Auckland city guide

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:02:43 +0100

Auckland, known as the "City of Sails" is New Zealand's largest city. It's surrounded by sea and is studded with volcanic mountains, and is a very pleasant place to live or visit -- it ranked third in the 2011 Worldwide Quality of Living Survey, up from previous years. This Auckland podcast covers: Layout Transport Accommodation Events Things to do For more information visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/oceania/new-zealand/

223 - Health and Safety Asia

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:46:32 +0100

Is it safe to travel in Asia? It sure is! But there are risks to mitigate. We give you the low-down on the best health and safety advice for travel in Asia. http://indietravelpodcast.com/travel-safety/health-safety-asia-safe-travel-asia/ This first half of this podcast deals with health concerns, while the second looks at safety and security issues. See the new book at http://travelsafetybook.com/ for more in-depth coverage.

222 - Thanks! and Happy New Year

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:30:43 +0100

Looking at our highlights from 2011, we realise we have a lot to be thankful for. Most of all, thanks to you — the Indie Travel Podcast Community — for inspiring us, for funding us, for talking to us every day. If it wasn’t for you, Indie Travel Podcast would have died a long time ago. Instead, it’s growing. Listen to this podcast about our travel resolutions for 2012, and how 2011 went for Indie Travel Podcast.

221 - Volunteer in Chile with Open Doors

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 23:38:24 +0100

Want to volunteer, but don't want to pay high "voluntourism" fees? This week we uncover a great opportunity to volunteer in Chile, with a government-backed project to put native- and proficient-English speakers into Chilean classrooms. You can travel Chile in 2012 without having to find more money than paying for the plane tickets. In this interview we speak with Dave Hanegraaff from PROGRAMA INGLÉS ABRE PUERTAS, or English Opens Doors -- he tells his story of volunteering in Chile, and also how you can get involved in 2012 and beyond. For more details, see http://indietravelpodcast.com/chile/volunteer-chile-english-opens-doors/

220 - Camino de Santiago planning podcast

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:19:16 +0100

The Camino de Santiago is a famous pilgrimage walk. In this podcast, we discuss planning for the Camino Frances & Via de la Plata. In this podcast we first talk about the Passports with Purpose fundraiser which we're supporting, then planning for the Camino de Santiago -- and how you can do it too.

219 - South America in four months

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:09:41 +0100

South America in four months? That's what we've just done! Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay -- we talk about it in this podcast. For more details head to http://indietravelpodcast.com/brazil/south-america-four-months/

218 - England travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:15:25 +0100

We talk about some of our favourite visits to England; give some tips on how to save money as you travel around the country; and finish up with 10 things to do, from our England travel resources page. http://indietravelpodcast.com/europe/england/

217 - Holiday travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:10:44 +0100

216 - Salta, Argentina and Cloudhead Art

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:47:18 +0100

Looking for a volunteer experience with a difference? Take a look into Cloudhead.org if you're heading through Northern Argentina.

215 - Travel gear recommendations

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:52:23 +0200

It's been some time since we've highlighted the best of the travel gear we are carrying. While there are thousands of new product releases each year, there's only so much stuff you can fit into a carry-on sized bag, so everything we carry is carefully considered in terms of both utility and weight. We cover: * Electronics * Clothing * Packs and bags * Equipment and other stuff * Things we don't carry We also have a new-look website at the same address: http://indietravelpodcast.com/ Please send in your feedback.

214 - Paraguay travel advice

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 01:44:51 +0200

Paraguay travel advice from independent travellers who have just been. We cover visas, Ciudad del Este, Encarnacion, the Jesuit ruins and the capital of Paraguay, Asuncion. Our world fact book claims that Paraguay and Bolivia have a very similar GDP, but our experience of Paraguay was that it was much more affluent and faster-growing than its andean neighbour. There seems to be more indigent people living in Asuncion than the other cities we visited, and there are large areas of farmland that provide little more than sustenance living for its workers ... so maybe those stats are true. All in all, we felt very safe travelling in Paraguay, even when walking the streets in the late evening or on long bus trips. While we've heard reports of some scams, we encountered none at all. We never felt threatened, hassled or oversold because we were foreigners ... which was a nice contrast with our time in Bolivia. Paraguay's a great destination, with lots more to see. There are wonderful natural sites, an intriguing and accessible modern history, and is very well priced. I really don't know why more people don't visit, so plan to go soon before tourism really picks up.

213 - Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro itinerary

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 21:27:11 +0200

We recently travelled from Buenos Aires, Argentina through Uruguay to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with Intrepid Travel. It was a fast and fun 17 days with lots of great stops along the way. In this podcast we break down the itinerary with our own comments and give the feedback we feel most important when considering this trip as part of the tour or independently. We visit: Argentina * Buenos Aires Uruguay * Colonia * Montevideo * An estancia * Salto Brazil * Foz Do Iguacu * Paraty * Ihla grande * Rio de Janeiro

212 - Travel scams, cons and travel safety

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 03:18:23 +0200

We talk about some of the oldest -- and newest -- tricks in the book for travel scams, cons, and how you can safeguard against them. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/travel-safety/travel-scams-cons/

211 - Things to do on Kangaroo island

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 02:08:40 +0200

Things to do in Kangaroo Island, South Australia ... Well know to many Aussies, this doesn't feature highly on international agendas ... perhaps because people don't know about it. For more (and photos!) visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/australia/things-to-do-kangaroo-island/

210 - Uruguay travel, independently and on tour

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 22:34:56 +0200

Uruguay is an excellent country to explore independently. The long-distance buses run frequently and are clean and comfortable, and there are lots of hotels and hostels to choose from throughout the country. That said, we recently travelled through on a tour and learnt a lot from that experience too. This travel podcast covers places to go in Uruguay was well as independent travel and intrepid tours through Uruguay.

209 - How to learn a language

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 21:49:05 +0200

What are the best ways to learn a language while you are travelling? What are the keys to success when learning a language? For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/ If you're learning a language to travel, your main goal will be communication … speaking! No matter how much you read or how many grammar activities you do, or how much vocabulary you understand … if you want to speak to people, you have to speak. We've been teaching English as a Second Language since 2003, and over the last two years have been learning Spanish. We've seen what works and what doesn't, and can recognise the same successes and failures in our own language learning. Here's the gist of what we've learned.

208 - Planning trips for couples

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:09:02 +0200

Trip planning for couples can be tricky, but we share everything you need to know to travel without fighting ... from dreaming to planning the trip. For more, see: http://indietravelpodcast.com/preparation/planning-couples-travel/ We talk about dreaming, creating a plan, and the four points to help you frame your next trip: 1. Time 2. Non-negociables. 3. Destinations. 4. Money

207 - Best Cities in Australia

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:51:21 +0200

Best cities in Australia - Australia is a huge country, but most of the population and action are centred in its cities -- each with its distinct personality. We cover: Perth Adelaide Melbourne Sydney, and Brisbane For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/australia/best-cities-australia/ or http://indietravelpodcast.com/oceania/australia/

206 - How to choose a flight

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:12:48 +0200

How do you choose the best flight? If you're travelling long-term, you'll probably need to book several. These notes help you choose the right flight. We discuss: 1. Price 2. Airline 3. Flight arrival/departure times 4. Extra benefits ...and our first few hours in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For more information, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/flights/choose-best-flight/

205 - Preparing for long-term travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:35:48 +0200

How to prepare for long-term travel ... on the third time around. Craig and Linda have had a few months at home, and show you how they prepare for another 18 months away. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/travel/preparing-travel/ WITH: Bonus ending interview with the Social Media Syndicate Mongol Rally 2011 team from Prague, Czech Republic.

204 - How to do La Tomatina 2011

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:28:56 +0200

How to do La Tomatina 2011 - the world's biggest tomato fight in Valencia, Spain. This podcast looks at preparation and what you might expect to see and do on the day of La Tomatina, based on our experiences in 2010. For more visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/spain/how-to-la-tomatina-valencia/

203 - Mongol Rally with Tom Morgan and ThePlanetD

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 04:07:15 +0200

We speak with Adventurists co-founder Tom Morgan about the start of the Mongol Rally and the other adventures to have come from it. Then, with Dave and Deb from the Planet D, who are participants in this years' rally as part of the Social Media Syndicate. http://indietravelpodcast.com/mongolia/mongol-rally-planning-tom-morgan-planetd/ for more.

202 - Things to do in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:23:05 +0200

Cheap things to do while you travel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia including Royal Palace, FCC club, Phnom Wat and cultural documentaries. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/asia/cambodia/

201 - Rugby World Cup 2011 New Zealand

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 07:18:25 +0200

The Rugby World Cup 2011 is coming to New Zealand. We talk transport, accommodation, parties and rundown the centres hosting world cup rugby games to help your travel planning. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/new-zealand/rugby-world-cup-2011-podcast/

200 - Travel photography podcast with Ralph Velasco

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 02:02:03 +0200

Travel photography podcast with Ralph Velasco, where we discuss composition time, shot lists, people and permission, and other travel photo advice. More at http://indietravelpodcast.com/photography/

199 - Best cities in Europe

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:08:32 +0200

The best cities in Europe to travel through, including unusual cities like Tallinn, Utrecht, Goteborg, Sofia and Vienna as well as London, Paris and Amsterdam. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/travel/best-cities-europe-travel/

198 - Travel in the Navajo Nation / Quincy Tahoma with Vera Marie Badertscher

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 02:44:30 +0200

In this podcast we speak with Vera Marie Badertscher about the life and times of Quincy Tahoma, a 20th century Navajo artist. As we talk, we explore the Navajo nation and how visitors can see the influences and works of Tahoma as they travel in America's Southwest. For more information, visit: http://indietravelpodcast.com/usa/travel-navajo-nation-quincy-tahoma For Vera's book, visit: http://tahomablog.com

197 - Wine tasting around the world

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 30 May 2011 08:35:30 +0200

Wine tourism is one of the reasons we love to travel! We tell stories about our wine tasting adventures on five continents in this travel and wine podcast. In this podcast we tell stories from: Champagne, France Swan Valley and Margaret River, Australia Auckland, New Zealand Battambang, Cambodia Malta Savoie and the French Alps, France Neusiedl am See, Austria St Anna am Aigen, Austria Montevideo, Uruguay Gibbston Valley, New Zealand Ica, Peru Cafayate, Argentina and give some general wine-tasting tips. For shownotes, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/malta/wine-tasting-travel And all our wine week stories at http://indietravelpodcast.com/travel/wine-week-2011/

196 - What is couchsurfing

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 23 May 2011 02:05:14 +0200

What is Couchsurfing, how to Couchsurf, and is couchsurfing safe ... Advice from years of couchsurfing, new friends and free accommodation around the world. For more, visit: http://indietravelpodcast.com/travel/how-to-couchsurfing/

195 - Bay of Islands, New Zealand travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 17 May 2011 02:27:31 +0200

Travel the Bay of Islands, Northland, New Zealand with things to do, where to stay and how to get there as an independent traveller. Spring, summer and autumn all offer plenty to the visitor, although the high season is definitely over the Christmas period: from December until early February. If you are visiting during winter, take a look at the things to do on a rainy day and the historic places ... Because most of the sports are right out. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/new-zealand/bay-islands-do-stay-travel/

194 - Mongol Rally Support

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 09 May 2011 07:36:42 +0200

Would you consider driving a third of the way around the world with strangers for two months over some of the toughest terrain on the planet? Does this sound like torture to you? It might once you discover their music tastes. Even the most intrepid travelers may shun this idea, but for four over forty travel bloggers this is just another adventure in their already crazy year of travels. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/mongolia/2011-mongol-rally-ultimate-summer-road-trip/

193 - Backpacking Europe this summer

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:14:05 +0200

This is our biggest podcast ever, and cover all sorts of hints, tips and tricks for saving money and having a blast while you travel in Europe this Summer. Shownotes will soon appear on http://indietravelpodcast.com but it's a really late night! Enjoy the show.

192 - Travel safety - Surviving a natural disaster

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 03:13:39 +0200

No-one wants to imagine an earthquake or flood ruining their travels (or happening at all!) but travel safety advice can help you survive a natural disaster. Craig Bidois, today's guest from Fearfree.co.nz, has trained over 15,000 people in travel security, from soldiers in the Middle East to humanitarian workers in Africa. We speak with Craig about travel safety and surviving a natural disaster. For more, visit: http://indietravelpodcast.com/travel/travel-safety-natural-disaster/

191 - Teaching English in South Korea

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:51:26 +0200

Learn about teaching English in South Korea with Valerie & Griffin Stewart. They've been teaching in Korea for 18 months experiencing expat life, well-paid work and travel. Valerie has written a book about their findings: Coming to Korea: A Practical Guide For Getting An English Teaching Job in Korea And What To Expect. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/south-korea/teach-english-south-korea/ For Valerie's book, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/links/comingtokorea

190 - Best of South America Travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 05:56:51 +0200

The best places to visit in South America, as chosen by Indie Travel Podcast hosts, Craig and Linda. Our favourite places and places we still want to visit in South America. For full shownotes, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/brazil/best-places-south-america/ For more about South America, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/south-america/ This episode focuses on Chile, Peru, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia with notes on Paraguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and mentions of Guyana, French Guyana and Suriname.

189 - New Zealand travel itinerary

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 03:12:50 +0100

This New Zealand travel itinerary will help you plan a breakneck journey through many of New Zealand's highlights in just four weeks. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/oceania/new-zealand Produced for #blog4nz. See http://facebook.com/blog4nz for more info.

188 - Manage Your Frequent Flyer Miles

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 07:47:09 +0100

Learn how to manage your miles and stop frequent flyer miles expiring in our interview with the experts at AwardWallet. Frequent Flyer Miles are becoming a hot topic of conversation as more young travellers look for ways to bankroll their RTW tickets without putting down cash. This week we speak with the crew from AwardWallet, who are currently tracking around 8,500,000,000 miles and rewards points. 8,500,000 miles sounds like a lot, but they estimate more than 10 trillion miles are currently sitting unused in people's frequent flyer accounts. Combined, that's an awful lot of travel. Learn more about how to manage, earn and stop your frequent flyer miles from expiring by visiting http://indietravelpodcast.com/. Further resources: http://indietravelpodcast.com/miles http://indietravelpodcast.com/travelhacking

187 - Mui Ne, Vietnam Travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 02:04:58 +0100

We recently spent three weeks in Mui Ne, a beach town in Vietnam, about four to five hours in the bus from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). It's a lovely town although quite touristy, but worth a visit if you're in the area. For more information and links, please visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/vietnam/travel-mui-ne-vietnam/

186 - Travel for five years - the highlights

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 22:42:00 +0100

After five years of full-time travel, hosts Craig and Linda Martin take a few minutes to reminisce and highlight some favourite moments from their travels. Highlights include: * Camino de Santiago, Spain * Perth, Australia * Istanbul, Bursa and Cappadocian cities, Turkey * Flitting around Europe - Austria and Czech Republic get a focus each * Couchsurfing in South America * Road-trips in New Zealand * Favourite natural attractions * Favourite man-made attractions For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/travel/five-years-fulltime-travel/ or listen to the podcast!

185 - Travel photography podcast

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:52:29 +0100

Travel photography is one of those things that can make or break your memories of a trip. And we're not talking about boring your friends and family to death once you get home. We're talking about how you take photos while you're on the road.

184 - Hiking across Europe on the Via Alpina

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 23:37:56 +0100

The Via Alpina hike runs over 5,000km through eight European countries. We speak with adventurer and author Brandon Davis about his experiences on the trail and slow travel in Europe.

183 - South Australia Travel part 2

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 03:23:11 +0100

In the last podcast we talked about how awesome South Australia is, but we ran out of time just talking about Adelaide and Kangaroo Island. And there's even more to the state than that! Northwest of Adelaide is the Eyre Peninsula, where you can swim with sharks or tuna, visit national parks, ancient caves and the Nullarbor Plain among other adventures. If you're looking for places called Eyre (perhaps you're a Charlotte Brontë fan?) Lake Eyre might be worth a visit. The lake is dry for most of the time but occasionally fills with water, especially after times of heavy rain in the north. The flooding in Queenstown this year and last has meant that the lake has had water in it for the last couple of years, and in 2008 we were lucky enough to see the lake for ourselves. If you don't have pilots as family members you can do a scenic flight from Coober Pedy, William Creek, Marree, Adelaide or even Brisbane, though it's a rather expensive day out. You could also choose a tour by 4x4 that takes you to the edge of the lake to see it from the ground. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/

182 - South Australia travel part 1

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 22:15:03 +0100

Let's be honest - South Australia isn't Australia's biggest drawcard. The states of New South Wales and Victoria host the biggest and most vibrant cities, Queensland has the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, and the Northern Territory has Uluru to draw people in. Even Western Australia has the advantage of being a short flight to many Asian cities, so is a popular stopover on the way to the eastern states. But South Australia is there in the middle, largely ignored by tourists to the country. That's okay though, they're the ones missing out! There's a lot to do in South Australia, and we're not just saying that because it's packed with wine regions. Adventure sports are on the rise, and there's plenty of opportunity to get up close and personal with the wildlife.

181 - Small things to pack for travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 23:52:35 +0100

Some small travel items are essentials, others are luxuries. Choose the ones that will work for you. For more information, links and photos, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com.

180 - 2010, A Year of Travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 13:50:19 +0100

We couldn't resist a little navel-gazing as 2010 finished up. In this podcast we relive our favourite moments in each country we spent time in this year. (There's no photos in this episode due to time constraints. Apologies!)

179 - RTW travel with Dave Dean

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 06:30:03 +0100

Round-the-world travel is nothing unusual for Kiwi, Dave Dean. He tells us about his travel in Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania. For more information, please see http://indietravelpodcast.com/travel/roundtheworld-travel-dave-dean/ Dave's website is: http://whatsdavedoing.com

178 - London travel guide

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 07:01:36 +0100

London is, quite simply, an amazing city: a meltingpot of cultures and experiences. It’s the home of dozens of world-class galleries as well as boasting thousands of excellent restaurants, theatres, fashion houses and attractions. London is a sprawling metropolis that grew up along the banks of the River Thames, which weaves through the city like a serpent. The M25 motorway marks the outermost boundaries of the city, but most of the city's attractions are a lot more central. Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are located on the northern bank of the river, with the London Eye and the aquarium just on the other side. A wander along Southbank will take you past a wide variety of theatres and galleries, and you’ll soon see the Tower of London (on the north side) and Tower Bridge. From Big Ben, Mayfair and Hyde Park are to the west, Regent's Park is to the northwest, the City of London is along the river to the east, and Greenwich (of Greenwich Mean Time fame) is to the southeast. For more, please visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/europe/england or http://indietravelpodcast.com/england/london-travel-guide/

177 - Fast travel in Laos, South East Asia

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 08:47:38 +0100

Laos is a truly beautiful country, with high, mist-covered mountains dropping into steep river valleys. We were lucky to have a lightening-fast 10-day tour through Northern Thailand and Laos. And we loved it... We had no problems checking out of Thailand, and caught a small boat across the river to Laos. Border control there was hectic and badly organised but, although it took forever, we had no hassles. Every ATM in the country was out of operation for the first two days were were in Laos, so we were glad Dave had recommended we carry cash in from Thailand. For photos and video, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/laos/travel-laos-luang-prabang-vientiene

176 - Emotional energy and travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:32:31 +0100

Travel can be stressful, physically, mentally and emotionally. You're constantly moving, and being exposed to new foods and diseases, which puts stress on your body. Your mind is being exercised as well, as you plan your trip and deal with challenges as they arrive - maybe you have to speak a new language, or alter your plans at the last minute. All of these stressors will have an impact on your emotional health, which is subject to its own problems - after all, you have to interact with people, which can be tough on your emotions. For more, visit

175 - Travel and money with Man vs Debt

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 11:07:01 +0100

World travel as a way to cut down your debt? That's exactly what this family started doing a few years ago. We talk family travel, work and travel and debt reduction. When they set off, the plan was to work in Cairns, Australia and make the most of the amazing diving opportunities right next to their apartment. What they didn't realise was that having a "dependent" (a child, in non-government parlance) meant they couldn't get the work and holiday visas they were relying on. With no time to change their plans, they still went to Australia hoping to make something work. It was next to impossible, so they moved down to Auckland, New Zealand where they were quickly able to find work and -- although the diving didn't happen -- a lifestyle. Travelling from there the three of them found a workable pattern of travel and Baker put a pile of work into his personal finance blog, Man Vs Debt. The family proved it was possible to cut down their US consumer debt and travel the world with a child. To read more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

174 - Cambodia - Siem Reap, Battambang and Phnom Penh

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:16:05 +0100

Travel Cambodia with us: we visit Phnom Penh, Battambang, Phnom Penh and cross borders on the way to and from Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok.

173 - Travel clothes for packing light

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 15:04:00 +0100

If you travel for any length of time, it's likely that at some point you'll encounter rain. Be prepared for it. A lightweight or heavy-duty jacket. If you're heading into summer, just pack a lightweight shell for emergencies. But if you'll be spending a winter or a rainy season somewhere, get a really good waterproof layer. Goretex is a good choice. Consider something that has a warm inner shell and a waterproof outer shell, then you can mix and match depending on the weather. An umbrella. Definitely not an essential, but if you plan on spending a lot of time in cities it might be worth carting one around. I like to be able to put it up and down without changing my clothes or carrying around a wet jacket (for some reason, a wet umbrella isn't as bad). We just have one between the two of us. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

172 - Denver, Colorado and community-centered hospitality

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 07:29:34 +0200

Two subjects today: Denver, Colorado and community-centered tourism with Milan Doshi from the Queen Anne BnB located in the city. We talk about waste and ecological developments in hospitality then move on and get a great overview of things to see and do in the "mile high city".

171 - Travel clothes - packing and cleaning

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:41:16 +0200

Washing your clothes while travelling is something you'll have to do if you're travelling for more than a week. And even if you're travelling for a week, you can pack lighter if you're prepared to do a little bit of washing along the way. The most important thing to remember when travelling is to pack light. This means you need to take fewer clothes, but you should also consider what each item weighs, and how easy it will be to wash - and of course, since you will have fewer clothes with you, you'll need to wash what you do have more often. Avoid very heavy things like jeans and bulky jumpers, as they are hard to wash and even harder to dry. Leave the big towel at home and pack a sports or travel towel, which takes up a fraction of the space and dries quickly. If you're going somewhere cold, the trick is layering. Pack lightweight trousers and thermal underwear to put under them. Instead of one thick jumper, pack three thin ones - it'll weigh the same or less, you can rearrange them for a change of wardrobe, and they'll dry so much faster when you wash them. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/

170 - Scandinavia travel advice

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:49:56 +0200

Scandinavia is a fantastic region of the world. We'd been wanting to spend time there for a while, and apart from a weekend in Helsinki in 2007, didn't manage to get there until earlier this year. Mostly, we'd been put off by prices - we'd heard that everything was expensive, especially accommodation, transport and alcohol, and this had been proven correct during our brief time in Finland. But thanks to eurail.com and couchsurfing.org, we managed to have a great time on a leaner budget than we'd expected. For more, and links to everything we talk about in this show, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/

169 - Fluent in three months, learn a language with Benny Lewis

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 10:37:23 +0200

Benny the Irish Polyglot isn't your typical crazy Irishman. He spends his time completing language missions and currently speaks eight languages. Learn how to learn a language with Benny. When he graduated from university with a degree in electronic engineering, he was fluent in only one language - English. He'd studied German at school, but didn't get anywhere with it, and after six months living in Spain was in a similar situation. But one day, he made a dramatic decision - he *really* decided to learn Spanish. He cut English out of his life as much as possible (he still had to work and talk to his parents) and spent the rest of the time speaking Spanish. It was the start of an epic journey. Benny learned that the big secret to learning a language is to speak the language from day one. Don't wait until you're "ready" - you'll never feel ready. But you can communicate immediately, using what you have. In Spain, he used his body and extrapolated new words from ones he knew and ones other people used. He learned that it's important to be confident and social. Just start talking to people with confidence and it will seem like you speak better than you actually can. To start, learn some phrases (Benny likes Lonely Planet phrasebooks) and leave the grammar to later - the point isn't to speak perfectly, it's to communicate. Break each task into small pieces and use creativity to help you learn - singing, for example, will help you remember phrases faster. It can be difficult to get around the problem of people wanting to practice their English by talking with you, but it's possible. Benny always helps them by explaining how they can improve their Enlgish (websites, couchsurfing etc.) but he explains it in their language - giving him more chance to speak his target language. Download Benny's book from http://indietravelpodcast.com/fluent

168 - Edinburgh travel guide

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:42:29 +0200

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and the second most-visited city in the UK - and for good reason. Our Edinburgh travel guide features Edinburgh-based travel writer Andy Hayes.

167 - Eurorail, Eurail and train travel Europe

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:49:21 +0200

As we travelled using the Eurorail/Eurail Global Pass, we took note of what we would have spent buying point-to-point tickets. Is a Eurail Pass worthwhile, or is it too expensive? Eurorail or Eurail? There's a little confusion over the terms Eurorail and Eurail. Basically, they're two terms for the same thing! The term Eurorail was replaced with Eurail a few years ago, so we're going to stick with that from now on. Our Europe train travel We had a 15-day Global Eurail Pass each, which meant we could travel in any of the countries covered by Eurail on fifteen individual days spread across the two-month validity of the pass. Every day that we wanted to use the pass, we wrote the date in the space provided. Our passes were checked every day that we used them, and usually stamped by the conductor - we'd heard stories of people trying to cheat the system using removable ink on their passes - this isn't going to work anymore.

166 - Round the World by Sea and Land

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 18:31:04 +0200

Jane Meighan set off on her first big adventure at the age of 17, heading to Australia to spend three months there. Her family hadn't travelled a lot, so it was an eye-opening experience for her, and laid the foundations of her love for travel. Since then, she's spent a fair bit of time in Western Europe, visiting friends and enjoying the art - especially the Gaudi museum in Barcelona. As an environmentally conscious person, a comment made by a friend about her carbon footprint made Jane realise how much flying she was doing, and what that was doing to the environment. So she's decided to travel around the world by land and sea. She'll start in Edinburgh, and travel down the UK to catch a boat to Amsterdam before travelling slowly through Eastern Europe. The Trans-Siberian train will take her across Russia, and she'll travel by cargo ship from Shanghai to the States and from the other side of the States back to the UK after cross-country trip. Although Jane has got the big picture sorted out, she plans to organise the details as she goes along. A bit of research has of course helped a lot - she knows, for example, that it's a lot cheaper to buy trans-Siberian tickets in Moscow than book them from the UK. She'll use point-to-point tickets in Eastern Europe, buying as she goes to keep her options open.

165 - La Tomatina, world's biggest tomato fight

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 10:54:59 +0200

La Tomatina is a giant tomato fight that’s held every year in Buñol, Spain, on the last Wednesday of August. There’s celebrations all week, but most people go just to throw tomatoes at each other, and this year we joined in the fun. We had a great time, but as always we learned a fair bit about what we could have done better. What we did right Arrived early Although the fight starts at 11am, you can’t get there at 10am and hope to be part of the action. The smart people are in the main square at 8am – we didn’t make it that early but we were there by nine. Didn’t prepare too much but knew where we were going We travelled by train, and we knew that the train we wanted left from San Isidre station and not from Valencia Nord, the main station in the centre of town. The night before, we worked out how to get to that station (by metro) and we got there as soon as we could. We’d tried to find out about train times, but couldn’t – which didn’t matter anyway, since there was a crowd waiting at the station and everyone just had to wait until the next train, whenever it might be. In Buñol, we followed the crowd to the main square, but we knew we wanted to be in sight of the ham, so we squirmed through until we could see it. We had a great spot which ensured we were part of the action. Wore sensible (and disposable) clothing Despite the fact that one of the few rules of La Tomatina is “don’t rip t-shirts” a lot of people lost the shirts off their backs. We wore shirts that we wouldn’t mind losing – in fact Linda’s was one wear away from the bin in any case, so she threw it out afterwards. Linda wore shorts with a zip pocket for a credit card, train ticket and a bit of cash, and bought a pair of cheap sunglasses instead of wearing her hat. Craig wore swimming trunks with a deep pocket. We both wore sneakers instead of flip flops. This was definitley a good idea, we saw hundreds of flip flops floating on the tide of tomato, and many people were shoeless at the end of the event. Washing our shoes wasn’t fun, but it was better than losing them. Didn’t take too much We didn’t take a bag with us. There just isn’t room in a crowd like that, and it would likely have been stolen. We took a cheap camera which we tried to waterproof, and a video camera that now needs a bit of love. We also took a plastic bag with some croissants in it, but we bought water when we arrived. There was plenty of food available, but we enjoyed having our croissants on the train. Were in a good mood Being in a good frame of mind is essential to enjoy La Tomatina. Some people were angry about being pushed around or having wine poured on their heads, others panicked when the crowd were too dense. We tried to relax and enjoy ourselves (and practise deep breathing occasionally) and left with a positive view of things. For more information, and to find out what we did wrong, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

164 - Career break travel and Meet Plan Go

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:52:24 +0200

Whether you call it a career break, gap year, or a sabatical, the movie Eat, Pray, Love has certainly created a lot of buzz around the idea of taking extended time off to travel the world. And, of course, that's something we approve of! One person fomenting the career break discussion is Sherry Ott from Briefcase to Backpack and one of the leading figures behind Meet, Plan, Go - a North American event with meetings around the US and Canada to help people find career break opportunities themselves. In this interview we talk with Sherry Ott about her own journey, about career break travel, and about Meet, Plan, Go. For more information and links, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

163 - Buenos Aires travel guide

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:56:46 +0200

Buenos Aires is located on the Rio de la Plata (the silver river). Most of the transport hubs are located on or near the river, and the city is laid out on a rough grid stretching away from the river. The city centre is centred around where Avenida 9 de Julio (which runs up from the river) crosses Avenida Corrientes, and that's where the Obelisk is located. The other principal street, Avenida 25 de Mayo, runs parallel with Av. Corrientes. Buenos Aires is divided into 48 barrios (neighbourhoods) but docsmost are residential - posh Recoleta is in the north near the bus station, and edgy La Boca is in the south near the river. In the city grid, the blocks are numbered by the hundreds, so each street you cross will take the numbers up 100, even though there aren't that many buildings in each block. This makes finding an address really easy! You aren't going to go hungry in Buenos Aires. There's everything from budget options like hot dogs on the street, to the lushest meal in a five-star restaurant. Don't miss out on an asado (barbecue) - if you can get yourself invited to a local's home you'll have the most authentic experience, but if not restaurants are tripping over themseves to feed you tasty Argentinian meat. Empanadas are a must - they're pastry circles folded over and stuffed with meat, egg and olives, There are different fillings but the beef ones are the most popular. You can find them in bakeries and some corner stores - make sure you ask for them heated or you might get cold ones. Alfajores are a typical Argentininan snack - two soft biscuits stuck together with dulce de leche and maybe coated in chocolate. If you take a long bus trip, they might just give you one, but the fresh ones from a bakery are much better. Medialunas (half-moons) are a great option for breakfast or a mid-morning snack. Mate is also worth a try, but it's difficult to buy just one cup. Mate is the bitter tea you'll see Argentinians drinking all day out of small cups, with a straw. You might have some problems if you're a vegetarian though, although most restaurants have some sort of vegetarian option, it isn't universal. There are quite a few vegetarian and vegan restaurants around though, if you do your research! Attractions Buenos Aires is an attractive city to walk around, with a lot of parks and squares to explore. Many are central, but Palermo is a great place to start, as that is where the Botanical Gardens are located. There's also a rose garden in Parque Tres de Febrero, and BA has the largest Japanese Garden outside of Japan. Plaza de Mayo is a square in the central city, and is lined with impressive buildings that house the government offices, and might be familiar as the location of one of Eva Peron's speeches. You can also visit Evita's grave in the stunning Recoleta Cemetery - many other historical figures are buried there, but it's worth a visit even if you hate history, the tombs are amazing. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

162 - Berlin travel with Paul Sullivan

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:55:57 +0200

Berlin is a vibrant city full of art, history, and fantastic people doing interesting things. We speak with Paul Sullivan from Slow Travel Berlin and try to get to grips with the best clubs, best restaurants and most interesting things to do in the city. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/berlin-travel/

161 - Eurail/Eurorail Pass - Tips and tricks

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:35:14 +0200

Trains are the best way to get around Europe and a Eurail Pass, also known as a Eurorail Pass, might be a good solution for you. Although budget flights have made air travel more affordable, if you want to explore, trains are your best option. And for short journeys or trips with good connections, taking a train can be faster than going by plane - not to mention that you don't have to go through airport security! If you're just taking one or two long train trips during your European vacation, you're probably best to just buy point-to-point tickets. But if you want to see more of the continent, a Eurail pass is a good option. A Eurail pass (also known as a Eurorail pass) is a ticket which allows you unlimited train travel in Europe. It comes in many different forms - you need to decide which region you'll be travelling in, how long you want the pass to last, how many days you'll actually be travelling within that time frame, and if you want a first or second-class ticket. For more information on Eurail/Eurorail tickets and train travel in Europe, visit: http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/eurorail-eurail-pass-tips-tricks

160 - Road Trip South Australia

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 12:41:57 +0200

Victoria Brewood was the winner of WorldNomads Vantastic South Australia, which means she got to spend six weeks travelling the state in a campervan called Geoff. We talk with Victoria about her South Australia road trip and look at things to do in South Australia. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/road-trip-south-australia/

159 - China - Travel off the beaten path

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:02:14 +0200

Ever wanted to travel to China? This week we speak with Coley Dale who has been living and travelling in China for seven years. Coley describes a China of amazing diversity, both physically and culturally. We talk about China's most well-known cities, then head west to get away from the big smoke and into the countryside. We discuss Beijing, Shanghai, Yunnan and Xianjing as well as budgets for travel in China and visas for China travel. Coley Dale is the Senior Manager of cTrip's English website and has offered his advice with your China travel planning. All photos are from Coley's Flickr account. For more visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/travel-china-interview-independent-travel-china

158 - Cheap Bath, What to do in Bath

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:35:39 +0200

Travel to Bath, England and you will be rewarded for your effort with Roman Baths, Georgian architecture and gorgeous parks ... all in a World Heritage site. For more visit: http://indietravelpodcast.com

157 - Things to do in New York City

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:00:50 +0200

New York is an incredible city - we’ve just discovered that six days is in no way enough. We caught a lot of the highlights though, such as the Empire State Building, MOMA, the Met, and the Circle Line. For more information on travel in New York City, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/things-to-do-in-new-york-city/

156 - World Cup wines of South Africa

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:57:25 +0200

Wine and football aren't the most obvious of combinations, but today we talk with Tara O'Leary, the Wine Passionista, about South Africa and wine travel. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

155 - South America travel: Chile, Uruguay and Argentina

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 00:47:37 +0200

It's our last week in South America, travelling with our friends Angela and Janine. It's been an amazing trip and we're sad that it's coming to an end. In this episode, we talk about some of our experiences in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. For show notes, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

154 - South America travel: Peru and Bolivia

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:43:55 +0200

We're coming to the end of our four-month trip in South America, and we've had an awesome time. In this episode we talk about our time in Peru and Bolivia, travelling with our friends Angela and Janine. Peru After being delayed by the Chilean earthquake, we arrived a little late in Lima, but managed to meet Ange and Mark on the day they arrived in the country. We headed north and spent too little time in the northern cities of Trujillo, Chiclayo and Chachapoyas, which were amazing. We all really enjoyed our time in Arequipa and Cusco - especially the language lessons. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

153 - Women travel solo, interview with Stephanie Lee

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 29 May 2010 00:48:56 +0200

We're just days away from launching our new ebook, The Art of Solo Travel: A Girls' Guide by Stephanie Lee. Today we wanted to introduce Stephanie and her take on travel. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/girlsguide or http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/153-interview-art-solo-travel-author-stephanie-lee

152 - Visit Iguacu Falls

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 15 May 2010 20:18:42 +0200

A visit to the Iguaçu Falls is a must on many travellers' itinerary of South America. And for good reason - they are incredible. You can view the falls from both Brazil and Argentina, and each side provides quite a different experience. We were staying in Puerto Iguazu, which is in Argentina, and we visited both sides from this point. It's equally easy to base yourself in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, which is a much bigger city. Brazil: getting there The border crossing between Argentina and Brazil was very straightforward. We decided to use the hostel-organised transfer instead of going independently, which would have meant three buses and a lot of time-wasting. So we crossed by car and didn't even have to get out - we passed our passports to our driver Susanna, who gave them to the border guards. They were stamped and we were in - possibly the easiest border crossing ever, although the Brazilian stamps are incredibly boring. Brazil: Pros and cons When we arrived, we realised that we didn't have any real, and apparently none of our credit cards were suitable for use. We withdrew cash at the ATM with no problems though. It cost R$37, which seemed a fair price to us. For more information visit:

151 - Vantastic Victoria Australia

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Wed, 05 May 2010 22:48:29 +0200

Tim Ackroyd spent six weeks touring Victoria, one of our favourite Australian states, as part of the WorldNomads Vantastic Adventure. We caught up with Tim to talk about his experiences and help you plan your own Australian road trip. Tim says... I have been making the video podcast 'Snowfix' for the last 5 years. It basically came about when a friend and I did our first ski season, we decided we wanted to keep skiing but didn't want to do the horrible resort jobs, so we started making videos. Within one year we had created the world's most popular skiing/snowboarding podcast and also turned it into a TV show on the Extreme Sports Channel on sky all across Europe. When I am not making the show, in the summer I move back to London and due to the short amount of time I am around for, generally live with Aussies that are over here travelling. Subsequently I have been saying for years that I was going to do a big trip and visit all those guys I lived with, and the Vantastic tour seems the perfect chance. This is going to be a total whirlwind 2 months for me because running up to the trip I am working presenting the London Freeze, the uk's biggest skiing/snowboard event (www.londonfreeze.com). The next day I fly to Oz for the trip and as soon as I return I travel back out to France to start this season of Snowfix. Expect strangers, sillyness, singing and special FX! For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/151-vantastic-road-trip-victoria-australia

150 - Bolivia in 10 days or less

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 02 May 2010 23:40:04 +0200

We've spent the last ten days in Bolivia, which isn't really enough to do it justice. But we've had a great time and have learned a lot about travel in this beautiful South American country. Border crossing The border between Peru and Bolivia is easy to cross. We went by bus, and the bus stopped outside the police station to allow us to hand in our tourist cards - it's really important that you don't lose this little piece of paper! You'll get it when you enter Peru. After the police station, we went to immigration for our exit stamp, then walked about 200m up the road to the Bolivian offices, where we filled in forms and got our entry stamps. Despite the fact that as Kiwis we can stay for up to 90 days, they only gave us 30-day visas ... apparently we can extend them in La Paz, but we didn't get the full quota automatically. And the border crossing wasn't easy for all of us. Ange's passport had been stolen in Cusco, and though she'd got a replacement travel document and had a full police report of what had happened, apparently this wasn't good enough for the Peruvian border guards. She needed an entry stamp, which she apparently had to get back in Cusco, but of course her travel document was only valid for that one day. Luckily a one-off fee solved the problem, and we were allowed to leave the country. Copacabana and the Isla del Sol Copacabana is a tiny little tourist town perched on the edge of Lake Titicaca. Its lack of ATMs made it difficult to get cash - always make sure you have a stash of emergency money for this kind of situation. US dollars are definitely the currency of choice to carry around in South America, and we found the exchange rates at the border and in Copacabana to be very reasonable. Copacabana is a good jumping-off point for tours to the Isla del Sol. You can camp or stay in a hostal on the island, but we chose to do a one-day trip. It was very well-priced: it would have cost us about the same to do the same thing independently. We were dropped off at one end of the island, and the boat met us on the other side. We've noticed that the Bolivians are much more concerned about time than the Peruvians - both boat trips left very nearly on time, and anyone who wasn't there to get on the boat was left behind. Bus journeys Bus travel in Bolivia has been an experience. It's a step down from Peru, which in turn was a step down from the excellent service in Chile. The trip from Copacabana to La Paz included a surprise boat trip, which we hadn't been told about and had to pay for. We had planned to get more cash from an ATM in La Paz and so didn't have much money, but luckily we'd changed a little more just before we left. We went across on a motorboat while the bus crossed by a wooden barge. It was interesting, to say the least! The bus from La Paz to Uyuni had a different seat configuration from the one we'd been shown when we booked our tickets, so we weren't in the seats we wanted, and our group wasn't sitting together. There also seemed to be a lot of extra stops along the way, despite the fact that we'd been told that it was a direct service. La Paz La Paz is a sprawling city with a lot of markets and hills. It's the highest city in the world, so altitude might be a problem for some - luckily coca tea is easy to come by, which should help you out. There's also a lot of excellent street food to try, like papa rellena (deep-fried stuffed mashed potatoes), freshly-squeezed juices, doughnuts and other gems. There are a lot of taxis to choose from in La Paz, but use ones with a radio for security. They should call their base to let the base know where they're headed and with how many people. As always in South America, agree on a fare before you get into the car, and if you don't feel safe, choose another taxi. For more visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/travel-bolivia-safety/

149 - Cusco, Peru ... We're ba-ack

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 21:22:44 +0200

We've spent the last three weeks in Cusco, studying Spanish, enjoying the history, and being frustrated with problems here on the site. we haven't done all the touristy things, but we've been enjoying relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere. Cusco Cusco is incredible. It's supposed to be laid out like a puma, but we haven't really seen it. It's in a valley, with the centre of action as the Plaza de Armas. Up one side of the valley is the hippy district of San Blas, with the head of the puma at the top. That's where the iconic White Christ is situated, with the Sacsaywaman fortress nearby. Food One thing that we love about travel is the food. And Cusco has a lot of it. We enjoyed juice and beer milkshake in the market, lots and lots of menus del dia, and the street food was varied and interesting. It was just sad that we only found that empanada vendor near our school in our last week. Things to do There's heaps to do around Cusco. It's the jumping-off point for Machu Picchu, and if you don't want to pay through the nose, there are lots of other ruins nearby too. We loved Tipon and our visit to the Sacred Valley with our friend Renzo. ATMs We've done a bit of experimenting here in Peru to find the best ATMs. Globalnet is really prevalent, and is often found in shops and hotels, but they have a limit of 400 soles and they charge you on this end to withdraw cash. We like BCP, which has a 700 sol limit and there's one in the Plaza de Armas and one around the corner on Avenida del Sol. School We've been studying at Wiracocha Spanish Language school on Cuesta San Blas, which is situated in the hilly hippie district of San Blas. There's a lot of nice places to stay around here, though the backpacker district is on the other side of the Plaza de Armas. We really enjoyed Cusco, and it's definitely worth a visit. Make sure you see what it has to offer, don't just get caught up in the tourist trail.

148 - Travel safety and security advice

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:25:50 +0100

I find it strange that concerns about safety are some of the main reasons people don't like to travel. Demolishing those fears is one of the things we like to do around here. Today we speak with travel security expert Craig Bidois, who covers travel safety strategies before leaving home, during transit times and while you are in foreign lands. For more, see http://indietravelpodcast.com

147 - Bus travel in South America - Chile - Peru

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:36:36 +0100

South America us huge, and full of interesting places to explore. Distances between destinations aren't short, there are no trains to speak of, and flights aren't exactly budget, so you'll probably spend a fair bit of time on buses. We've travelled a fair bit by bus in Chle and Peru, and we've picked up a few ideas that could help to smooth your journey. For journeys of less than six hours, your best bet is to travel by day and enjoy the scenery (at least in the south of Chile, in the north it's quite repetitive). But for longer journeys, save your days for sight-seeing and travel by night. The buses are generally safe and comfortable, and you can increase your comfort by paying more for a better seat. The names vary from company to company, but generally there are four classes of seats on night buses. For more visit: http://indietravelpodcast.com

146 - Basic travel security tips

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:15:33 +0100

Getting robbed is never fun, but I feel particularly stupid that my iPod was stolen from my bag yesterday. I wasn't following any of the security measures that I know I should have been paying attention to ... and it's all basic stuff. However, it does give us a very relevant topic for today's podcast. We've talked about security and your Personal Area Network before but I think security is something that can't be talked about enough. 1. In your main bag Wherever you're staying, it's a good idea to keep as much of your stuff in your bag at all times. If you're staying with people, this keeps things nice and tidy, and if you're in a hostel you can lock up your bag. Try to put things in the same place each time so you know where to find it and so that you're instantly aware if something goes missing. 2. Hostel safe If you're staying with relatives or couchsurfers, your stuff should be relatively secure, just don't leave valuables in plain sight. In a hostel or hotel though, your best bet is to make use of the safe. Store your electronics and extra cash there, and your passport if you're in a country where you don't need it with you all the time. 3. Hidden I used a stomach pouch for many years, and liked the feeling of security it gave me. I kept my passport, credit card and spare cash in it. These pouches are really useful but it's important to keep it totally hidden - don't keep going into and out of it. Have a coin purse in your pocket with your daily cash in it, and go to the toilet or into a bank if you need to access more. We've found neck pouches quite uncomfortable and the strap is a lot more visible. You can also get belts with a hidden pocket for extra cash, and it's always a good idea to have a secret stash somewhere. 4. Your day bag If you can't be bothered with a money pouch, your day bag is a good alternative - just watch it very carefully. Put valuables right down the bottom, keep it locked if possible, and never put anything of value in the front pocket (this was my mistake). If it's a backpack, keep the zips zipped right to the side, not to the top. You're usually okay to wear it on your back, but flip it to the front when you're in dangerous areas. The same goes for shoulder bags - wear them at the front.

145 - Chile earthquake and disaster travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:11:51 +0100

Following up on our close call with the Chile earthquake, we talk through our response to a natural disaster and offer some tips and advice along with our story. Craig Bidois from fearfree.co.nz emailed in some more tips, so our personal experience is supplemented by a professional approach to risk management and planning following an earthquake. If you can, please make a donation to the Chile earthquake relief fund -- your help is needed here: http://indietravelpodcast.com/article/teremoto-del-chile-chilean-earthquake-relief/

144 - Travel in Chile - First thoughts

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:46:29 +0100

For the last week we have been travelling through Chile with our friends Janine and Moroni. These are our first thoughts on arriving in Santiago and travel in Chile. Arrival We arrived in Santiago from Auckland, with Janine, after an eleven-and-a-half hour flight on the longest Wednesday in the world. There were some customs declarations to fill out, which was heavy on biosecurity -- which means it was illegal to bring in a lot of natural products such as honey, seeds and meat. This was patrolled by dogs and scanners -- similar to entering New Zealand. From the airport you can catch a TurBus or CentroPuerto bus into the centre of Santiago for around 1,700 Chilean pesos; buy your tickets onboard. Santiago For transport within Santiago, you can buy single-use tickets for the metro (subway) but there's no cash payment options for buses in the city. You need to buy a tarjeta BIP, which is a smart card you prepay. Journeys made within two hours count as one 400 peso credit. We recommend you load around 6,000 pesos on the card for a 4-5 day stay, around three credits per day. Despite guidebooks giving Santiago a "two-day" recommendation, we enjoyed our time there and would happily stay for a few weeks while travelling ... or six months if Linda has her way! There was plenty to do and there's plenty more we want to try in our next two-day stop when we return in a few days. Intercity buses Intercity buses, which we've used to travel from Santiago to Chiloe (where we're recording), are clean, safe and comfortable. There is a little food available for the longest journeys and a few people come onboard to sell snacks and, only once, coffee. Take your own snacks and drinks. The normal seats recline quite far, but the "full cama" option is a lie-flat seat, which is much more expensive. It's been highly recommended but so far we haven't been able to justify the price. Food and drinks We've been making use of the menu del dia to have a big lunch for 2,500 - 4,000 pesos, then eating fresh bread with avocado and pebre -- a mix of tomato, onion, coriander and chili pepper -- for most of our breakfasts and late evening meals. Street food mainly revolves around snacks like popcorn and nuts, rather than buying meals like kebabs or hotdogs. One thing to look out for is mote con huesillos, which is a local meal in a glass: half a cup of wheat, a dried peach and topped up with peach juice. Bar drink prices are similar to in New Zealand -- around 3,900 pesos for a couple of beers on "happy hour". During happy hour (which often lasts all day) you get two drinks for a reduced price, but they bring them out one by one, so you can't save money by sharing drinks. Kunstmann is the best beer we've found so far (and had a great few hours in their brewery near Valdivia), while the pisco sours (and mango sours) are delicious and really live up to their reputation. ...For more visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

143 - Christchurch travel guide

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:28:39 +0100

For show notes and links to everything we mentioned, please visit http://www.indietravelpodcast.com. Feel free to leave comments there or email mail@indietravelpodcast.com - We'd love to hear from you!

142 - Australia road trip, Vantastic Tasmania

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 02:01:53 +0100

Catherine and Dara talk about their Tasmania, Australia road trip with WorldNomad's Vantastic tour. For more details see http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/australia-road-trip-vantastic-tasmania

141 - Rookie flying mistakes

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:48:40 +0100

It's the start of our next epic journey - we've left our home city of Auckland and are spending a few days in the South Island of New Zealand before heading to South America. We're a little rusty on the travel front, and have already managed to make a rather spectacular mistake. When we booked our tickets to South America, Europe, and Asia we booked and paid for one check-in bag between us, more than enough for the stuff we're carrying. However, at around the same time we booked tickets to Christchurch for a week, and the baggage fee was so high we decided we didn't want to pay it and would make do with carry-on luggage. Well, I imagine you can guess what our rookie mistake was. We showed up at the airport with a bag to check in. We still could have taken it with us - if we wanted to pay $80 each way. That's about two-thirds of the total cost of the tickets! We managed to repack the essentials into carry-on bags and my mum picked up the other one - thanks Mum! So the tip for today is - check your tickets before you head to the airport. Check the date, the time, and what luggage you can take. It's also a good idea to double-check details like which terminal you're flying from, what you can put in your carry-on bag, and when you need to check in. Don't make the same mistakes we made, and you'll have a great trip.

140 - Carry on luggage packing list

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:01:14 +0100

If you're travelling for any length of time, chances are you'll catch a plane at some point during your trip. There are a lot of ways to make a plane trip more enjoyable (especially if it is a long one) and one of these ways is to pack your carry-on bag carefully. The airlines will tell you what NOT to take (scissors, flammables ... the list keeps getting longer, actually) but we'd like to help you think about what you should put in that bag. For the packing list, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/carry-on-luggage-packing-list

139 - Vancouver Olympics special

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:01:10 +0100

With the 2010 Winter Olympics creeping up fast, Vancouver is coming under the spotlight as a winter vacation destination: especially for the powderheads looking to ski and snowboard. We know you're out there! This week we interview world Ski Cross champion Ashleigh McIvor about the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, independent travel in BC, and her local's advice for the ski resorts and restaurants. The 2010 Games seem a perfect time to visit Vancouver, so Ashleigh also talks about how you can win exclusive access to one of thirteen of British Columbia's ski resorts for you and nineteen friends. That's five days of luxury living and lift access after the Vancouver Olympic Games end. For more visit: http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/139-vancouver-skiing-vacation-winter-olympics

138 - New Zealand summer travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 03:52:19 +0100

It's summer here in New Zealand, and we're trying to make the most of it. The weather is a little erratic, but it's definitely better what the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing at the moment. If you're heading this way for a touch of sun, or if you plan to visit next summer, there are a few ways to really experience a Kiwi summer. That said, these tips also apply to Australia, if you change the slang a little bit. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/enjoy-nz-summer/

137 - New York travel guide

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 04:15:02 +0100

New York City hardly requires any introduction— people in even the most remote corners of the world have heard of this dynamic city, and most travelers — regardless of their budget — aspire to pass through this so-called “crossroads of the world” at some point. But there’s the New York City of TV and movie fame and the New York City of guidebooks. Both are different from the New York of New Yorkers. New York City means different things to different people… maybe that’s why it has so many nicknames. One writer has documented as many as 98, though I’d never heard of half of them. The three most popular nicknames — and the ones you’ve probably heard before — are The Big Apple, The City That Never Sleeps, and Gotham. For more visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/new-york-travel-guide/

136 - American south west road trip

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:01:01 +0100

American road trip to four beautiful spots: Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon near Paige, Arizona, Virgin River in Zion National Park and Bryce National Park.

135 - Tokyo Christmas and Tokyo New Year

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:01:01 +0100

Tokyo, Japan is a busy city full of interesting sites and sounds, but what do you do if you are in Tokyo for Christmas, or New Year's Eve?

134 - Australia road trip NSW

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:07:10 +0100

This week we speak with Kirsty and Carly Stark who have recently completed a six-week roadtrip in New South Wales, Australia as part of the WorldNomads Vantastic programme. Kirsty and Carly are sisters from South Australia, so they felt it was a great chance to see the sights and experience another part of Australia as they travelled from Brisbane down the coast to Sydney. They won the gig by putting together a cool video as part of their application. I love the stop-motion; great stuff! See videos and photos at http://indietravelpodcast.com. In the end, their number one road trip tip was to try to see less in more time. Even with six weeks the coastal highway through NSW was still too long! There were too many things to do and not enough time. There are still two chances to be part of Vantastic, so check out the application process.

133 - Tourist in your own backyard

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 04:09:23 +0100

Sometimes you want to travel but it’s just not possible – perhaps you can’t get the time off work, or you’re saving for something important. But it’s always possible to keep the travel mentality alive, by being a tourist in your own backyard. We’re definitely not recommending you scrap your travel plans and have a “staycation” (and oh, how we hate that word), but there’s a lot about your home town or region that you’ll never have seen because you just weren’t looking. And we’re not just talking about the tourist attractions, either. How to be a tourist in your own backyard 1.Take a camera Start small, by taking a camera with you. Head into the city, alone or with a friend, and decide on a number of photos you’d like to take. Keep your eyes open, and if you see anything worth taking a photo of, take it – even if it’s something you’ve seen a million times already. 2. Get a tourist brochure Go online or into the tourist information office and get information about your town. Usually there will be a list of recommended sights to see. Do them all. Take photos at each attraction, and blog about it afterwards. If there are a lot of things to do, divide the list into regions and spend a day in each region, but try to do everything, no matter how many times you’ve done it before. 3. Go public transport If you’re like us and you drive everywhere, using public transport can be an adventure in itself. But even if you catch the train every day, you can still make it exciting. Get a map of the public transport network, close your eyes and point at it; the stop closest to your finger is your destination for the day. Buy a ticket, hop on the bus or train and just wander around. How is it different to your neighbourhood? How is it the same? Take photos and blog about it afterwards. 4. Choose a theme Perhaps you don’t feel like doing touristy things, or the things in the tourist brochures feel a bit stale. Or maybe you’ve just followed our advice and DONE all the things in the tourist brochure. No worries – you can still dig deeper. Choose a theme and explore everything your city has to offer in keeping with that theme. You could visit all the parks within a 10km radius of your house, or all the cafes in the central business district. You might need to make a list and tick it off as you go – and make sure you keep taking photos. Theme ideas: visit every park visit every cafe visit every winery visit every children’s playground and go down the slide visit every building that’s over 100 years old, or that was built in a certain year have a picnic at every beach do a pub crawl 5. Become a collector Becoming a collector is similar to choosing a theme, but a little more refined. Instead of choosing things to do, you’re choosing things to find. They might be things you can pick up and keep, or things you can only take a photo of. Once you’ve chosen, head out and start collecting. We were once in Vienna for an extra day after missing a flight and didn’t feel up to visiting any of the tourist attractions – we’d seen everything we wanted to, and felt a bit bitter about still being in the city. So we decided to head out and collect photos of stencil art – small street-art paintings spraypainted onto walls and fences using stencils. We saw a side of Vienna we’d never seen before, and chose to go down streets we wouldn’t normally have taken. Plus, we turned a negative experience into a great memory. What does your town have to offer that you’ve never considered looking for? You could collect photos of posters, or of different street signs. Or you could collect physical items like funny-shaped leaves or the sugar sachets from different cafes. Collection ideas – photos street art (stencil art, graffiti, posters) road signs interesting letterboxes or fences flowers Collection ideas – physical items sugar sachets beer mats admission tickets For more visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

132 - Preparing and waiting and having itchy feet

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:52:04 +0100

In today's show, Craig and Linda express the itchyness of their feet and desperate need to hit the road again. At the same time, there's plenty of work to be done in preparation! This show gives you a good overview of the practical aspects of preparing for long term travel, including: Health checks and vaccinations. Passports, visas and red tape. Selling stuff and downsizing. What not to leave behind. Doing a travel budget and saving for travel. PASSPORTS WITH PURPOSE which was started last year. Travel bloggers work together to find sponsorship and raise funds for a charity. This year, our goal is to raise US$13,000 to build a school in Cambodia (through an approved US-based charity). The fundraising lasts until December 21 and the community has already raised over US$10,000! For each $10 you donate, you can elect to go into the draw for one of many great prizes supplied by travel bloggers and the travel companies they've roped into taking part. We were sad we couldn't afford to contribute anything this year, but look forward to doing so in the future. Please donate: http://passportswithpurpose.com

ITP Travel magazine #02

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:09:05 +0100

Travel magazine number two from the Indie Travel Podcast! Lots of travel information and travel advice from around the world. http://indietravelpodcast.com/magazine

131 - Prague travel guide

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 02:51:03 +0100

Prague, the Golden City, appears a magical fairytale of a place, with ancient buildings and cobbled streets. It's romantic, centrally located and a pedestrian-friendly city to visit, making it a perfect place to visit. In this free Prague travel guide, we talk about our experience of Prague, Czech Republic and how you can enjoy it too. Accommodation Prague is a bit of a backpacker haven, thanks to the cheap places to eat, play and to stay. The two big names that we hear again and again are Sir Tobys and Miss Sophies … these hostels are pretty much Europe-renowned for their fun atmostphere and great people that they attract. Hostels seem to be spread right throughout all the main central areas and, to be honest, most things are an easy walk. We stayed in a rather soul-less apartment block-hostel kind of thing, which was only a 15 minute walk from Stare Mesto - the old town. Camping is also a popular summer option. There are campsites along the Vlatava river, close to the Zoo. These tend to be small and crowded during the high season, so book ahead or have a backup plan! Food and drink Lunch is the big meal in Prague, with red meat and potatos being a main feature of a serious sit-down meal. We found that magical cover charges appeared on our restaurant bill that weren't in the menu and had some difficulty getting them removed sometime. If in doubt, ask before you order. The same goes for sides like bread that comes to your table unasked for. Prices for that kind of thing should be very, very small though. If you don't touch it, you shouldn't pay for it. Street vendors where everywhere, which kept Linda happy. During winter there's lots of mulled wine going on and hot dogs to be eaten. The hot dogs were a little on the tasteless side, so take the mustard even if you're not a great fan! Another favourite was a sweet dough, cooked on a circular steel tube then rolled in sugar and cinnamon. The Czech Republic is serious Pilsner country, with the famous brand Pilsner Urquell being the formost. There's also the real budweisers … you know, the beer from Budwies or Budovice. The local Prague beer though, is Staropramen, which is an excellent lager and dirt cheap in most bars throughout Prague. For more visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/travel-prague

130 - Hostels rock! or suck?

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:41:04 +0100

Hostels are excellent places for meeting like-minded travellers. With a constant flow of people from all over the world, hostels are a global melting pot for people interested in the region where the hostel is based and the people who live there. It seems that hotels create a feeling of individualism and people tend to be closed and reserved. On the other hand, hostels have common rooms and a friendly vibe that promotes meeting your fellow travellers. I’ve found most of my best “secret” travel tips and destination pointers in hostel common rooms. Need to know the cheapest way to get there? What the border crossing is like? Where to get a good exchange rate? Need a travel companion for a couple of days or weeks? Hostels provide. Really enjoy it by being friendly, helpful and avoiding dumb arguments. Share travel information without being overbearing. Be considerate of the group’s mood and individual needs and move the party to a local bar mid-evening... For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/7-reasons-hostels-rock/

129 - Holiday travel guide

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:28:20 +0100

With holiday travel season approaching, we talk about staying sane while travelling over the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holiday time. Family can be stressful enough, but the huge numbers of people doing "vacation travel" over late November, December and early January definitely adds lots of stress to family events. And nobody needs more of that. If you can avoid Christmas holiday travel, then make sure you do. It's the busiest, most expensive time to jump on a plane. Airports are horrendously busy, there's likely to be more congestion, less turn-around time for planes and less slack for the airline staff. If you have to fly, book now. Airline prices really aren't going to get any cheaper, so if you're going to book a flight and you haven't already, you may as well do it now. The best holiday travel guide tip, is to travel earlier, stay later. http://www.farecompare.com/articles/holiday-travel-2009-guide-for-buying-cheap-holiday-flights/ Farecompare had some really interesting stats on when people flew and how much the tickets cost over the last few years. Pack light (one bag!) and consider posting your gifts ahead of time. It'll help you avoid the Christmas shopping rush and, depending on your airline, might actually save you a big chunk of cash on bag-handling fees. Now, of course, this could get quite expensive depending on where you are and where you're going but it's definitely worth looking into. Electronic gift certificates and things like that are also going to be a great way to get around the weight issue. It's hard to lose an email. If you're travelling within the US, WorldNomads (our providers) can insure you if you're travelling more than 100km from home. We like them because you can sign up and extend from anywhere and they do ultra-short term packages too.

Burning Man Festival 2009

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:34:09 +0100

See the man burning and more at Burning Man Festival (BurningMan) 2009.

128 - Our Round the World Planning

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:35:45 +0100

In this short show, we speak about the trials and tribulations of planning and booking our round the world travel for 2010 and beyond. Thanks to your suggestions, we have a good idea of what to look out for as we make our plans for 2010. However, we're hamstrung by a combination of cash and freedom. The round-the-world ticketing options that we've found have either a) been too expensive, b) been too restrictive, or c) not gone where we want to go. We're currently looking at buying two tickets from STA travel. 1. A return ticket from Auckland to South America (either Santiago or Buenes Aires) 2. A RTW flight landing in Vancouver, Frankfurt and Bangkok. Given the centrality of these locations, we can easily string together budget flights and coach and rail travel to go where we want, when we want then return to the airport city to fly out again. By reducing the amount of flights we're committed to, we get the freedom we want and we might end up saving on money. In any case, we don't need to pay for everything up front. Resources We've used the following resources to help us plan and make these decisions: *Chris Guillebeau's Travel Ninja. We're going to be making use of his new air miles book too (reviews coming soon). *Go Green Travel Green's How to find cheap airline tickets (review). *We're probably going to be booking through STA travel. *The Global Traveller has given us heaps of time and advice on RTW fares and strategies. We're both a bit sick this week, so apologies for the short show!

'Eua, Tonga - water and wonders

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:17:28 +0100

Interested in Tongan tourism? The island of 'Eua off Tongatapu is beautiful but very far from the tourist trail.

127 - Travel in Rome

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:10:39 +0100

Rome - the Eternal City. This free audio travel guide takes you through the tastes, sights and attractions of Rome alongside practical info on where to stay, getting around and where to go next. Layout Modern Rome is huge and sprawling on both sides of the Tiber, but first-time tourists and short-term visitors will want to base themselves in "old Rome". With the spread of the city over time, it's now much bigger but you'll probably want to see the sights in Piazza de Spagna, Via Veneto, Quirinal, Esquiline, Lateran, Caracalla, Aventine, Palatine, Forum, Capitol, Campo de Fiori, Piazza Navona, and Piazza della Rotonda, and then Vatican, Januculum and Trastavere on the west of the Tiber. Accommodation If you're going to be spending just a short time in Rome, it's probably best to stay near the popular sites. Find yourself a hotel or hostel near the Pantheon and Campo de Fiori. The area around the Termini station is also convenient and in the right area. Hostel beds tend to cost less than 20 euros a night but — depending on the quality of the establishment — prices can drop as you move further away from the centre; in fact, they get really cheap. Although it's one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, competition keeps prices in check for the lower- and middle- ranges of the market. Even better value are the campsites out of the city center, combining great facilities such as swimming pools and scenic country views with easy access by metro into the city. Food Although Italian cuisine is well-known worldwide, we tend to combine all sorts of regional specialities into a big conglomerate. Roman cuisine tends towards pasta, sauces and cheeses with lots of deliciously prepared meat and vegetable dishes. One that caught our eye was Trippa alla Romana: a dish of tripe and tomatoes. Transport Public transport runs regularly and quite often. Buses, metro and trams are all integrated in the public transport system, so you can hop on and hop off within your time period. The cheapest ticket is 1 euro, which lasts for 75 minutes. If you're doing more than four journeys, more than 75 minutes apart during the day, you can get a 4 euro daily ticket. Three, seven and 30-day tickets also exist, as do yearly passes. Guidebooks With a culture- and history-heavy city like Rome, you'd expect Rough Guides' angle to treat Rome well, and it does. Time Out has the best guide to nightlife and the eating, drinking, party scene while Lonely Planet provides solid background and good on-the-ground choices and tips for getting around. Where to next Being the capital, you can get pretty much anywhere from Rome. Trains run in all directions; budget and legacy airlines lead all over Europe and the world. Special thanks to Jessica Stewart from Rome Photo Blog for supplying the photos for this episode. http://romephotoblog.blogspot.com/ For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com.

Hiking on 'Eua, Tonga

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:01:04 +0100

Hiking through the forests on the island of 'Eua, Tonga.

126 - Travel South East Asia with Stuart McDonald

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:13:45 +0200

Stuart McDonald runs the immensely popular South East Asia travel site Travelfish.org. We managed to catch up with Stuart to talk about his travels in the region, the genesis of Travelfish, and to get an overview on what to expect when traveling there. Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia all get spotlighted in this wide-ranging interview, but we also look at times and strategies for travelling the area as a whole. We recommend planning to spend at least three months of a RTW trip here ... and to knock half your to-do items off the list. Transport can be slow or terrain difficult, and the number one problem seems to be travel burnout as people attempt to do too much with too little time. Relax, spend some time on the beach and enjoy yourself. The Travelfish site has plenty of information and excellent, active forums; well worth a visit.

Photos from the road

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:26:37 +0200

A photo essay showcasing Kurt Wahlgren's travels through Asia and Europe.

125 - Indonesia and Pestablogger

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:14:19 +0200

Ever been to a blogger party in Indonesia? Anthony Bianco, the Travel Tart, talks about travelling through blogger communities throughout Indonesia. Anthony is currently travelling through Indonesia visiting blogger communities as he goes. Last year he attended Pestablogger -- a blogger party -- and he's back again, but taking a slow and people-oriented trip through Indo at the same time. In this interview he speaks warmly of his previous travels in Yogyakarta; highlighting the stunning temple complexes Borobudur and Prambanan, on par with Angkor Wat in Cambodia. We also speak about the future of blogging and travel; will we see more "amateur travellers" being partially sponsored on blogging trips? Will we see more people connecting through online social networks and planning their travels on the fly?

End of an era! Spaceships roadtrip finishes

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:24:23 +0200

The Spaceships roadtrip draws to an end with several beaches to enjoy: Mt Maunganui, Hahei and Cathedral Cove, New Zealand.

124 - Why we love travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:20:01 +0200

Why do we love travel? What's the kick that keeps us on the road? What drives us to wander? These are some of the questions Indie Travel Podcast hosts Craig and Linda attempt to answer in this episode. As well as sharing personal perspectives and stories, they bring in a range of answers from Twitter. To listen to their conversation, click "play" above or download it for free in iTunes. We also quote from Nora, the professional hobo, who asks if full-time travel is an act of withdrawal: http://theprofessionalhobo.com/2009/09/is-full-time-travel-an-act-of-withdrawal/ For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com.

Rotorua: Hot water and innovation

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:23:17 +0200

A brief glimpse of Rotorua's thermal landscapes and parks, along with an interview with Schweeb inventor, Geoff Barnett.

123 - Queensland adventures

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 06:14:42 +0200

Meet Hamish Cross and Adam Rikys. They've just finished a six-week Vantastic Adventure, travelling Queensland, Australia in a suped-up campervan and making the most of an array of outdoor activities. In this interview we talk about the Vantastic programme, their favourite Queensland adventures, and get some advice on touring from Cairns to Brisbane as backpackers or independent travellers. This episode is sponsored by Travellers' Auto Barn.

122 - Burning man travel and tech

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:37:41 +0200

In this wide-ranging interview, Craig speaks with Kijubi.com CEO Billy Fried about his recent experiences at Burning Man and his take on current issues in travel and technology. *Burning Man A massive festival held yearly in the Nevada Desert, Burning Man is a modern "celebration of the human spirit". Billy has just finished up his time there and talks about its background, his love of the festival and how it ties into modern culture. *Travel and tech Billy has just launched a travel activity aggregator, Kijubi.com. With this unique industry view, we discuss some of the hot topics around technology use and travel. In particular we cover the trust factor of user reviews, the homogenisation of experiences (and the old traveller vs tourist binary) as well as the impact of mass tourism on a destination. This episode of the Indie Travel Podcast is sponsored by WorldNomads Travel Insurance: Keep Travelling Safely.

Creative in Sedona - the Traveling Poet

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:01:03 +0200

Join Apollo the Travelling Poet in Sedona and the Grand Canyon as he tours North America. http://indietravelpodcast.com, and http://travelingpoet.com

121 - Travel in Tonga

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:44:53 +0200

The Kingdom of Tonga is an idyllic collection of islands in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. Getting there can be a challenge, and you have to leave your schedule behind, but it's worth the effort. Relax on white-sand beaches, partake of island food and hospitality, and enjoy the history of the "Friendly Islands". *Layout Tonga is made up of about 170 islands in the South Pacific Ocean. There are four distinct groups spread out over a large distance. The Tongatapu group is the most southerly, and the Ha'apai group is 100km north. The Vava'u group is another 100km north and the Niuatoputapu group is 300km north of Vava'u. The capital Nuku'alofa is on Tongatapu Island in the southern-most group. *Accommodation Really budget options are limited, but do exist even if you can't find many listings on the hostel-booking websites. Tongaholiday.com lists many hotels, apartments and guest houses, or you can contact the tourism bureau for an exhaustive, if out-of-date, list. On Tongatapu, Toni's is a good budget option, especially since Toni runs a great tour of the island. There are a wide range of resorts for the mid- and higher-range, many of whom will give you a discount if you ask. Choose an off-shore island or a resort near the beach on the main island. There are no really superior hotels in Tonga. Options are more limited on the outer islands, but you have a choice on all but the smallest islands... For more visit http://indietravelpodcast.com. This episode is sponsored by http://bootsnall.com

120 - Cheap souvenirs and easy mail for travellers

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:50:54 +0200

When you travel, it's nice to buy something small as a memento, or as a gift to show people you were thinking of them while they were stuck at home. But what to get? If you're travelling long-term, it needs to be something small you can post back, or tuck into a side corner of your luggage. On the other side of the equation, how can people get mail and packages to YOU if you're busy gallivanting from place to place? For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

Norsewood Troll Stroll

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:31:18 +0200

There's nothing quite like pulling off the road into a small town to find awesome kitsch! The Norsewood troll stroll is a great break from driving New Zealand and a great little adventure.

119 - India and Bhutan

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:46:46 +0200

Beth Whitman is a publisher, author, tour-guide and traveller. We previously spoke with Beth about women travelling solo around the world, but today we focus on two of her favourite countries: Bhutan and India. India India is a huge country with amazing variety and an energetic vibe. Beth compares her budget travel there 20 years ago with her recent visits with friends who have hosted her. India is still a cheap country in - she estimates US$5,000 could last for six months or more and outlines several regions to visit during that time. We also touch on arts and politics, talking looking at practical ways to help alleviate the suffering of beggars and children. Bhutan Bhutan is a tricky country for independent travellers: the government mandates that everyone must be part of a guided tour! That said, Beth talks about the country's beauty, peace and culture. She tries to dig below the surface and give us a taste of travelling there.

118 - Culture and re-entry shock

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:13:44 +0200

When you've been away from home for some time, it's not unusual to feel homesick and even get a bit depressed at times. Over time, the constant differences can turn life sour as culture shock sets in. Don't panic though! We're here to help with some funny stories and serious tips to bring you through your culture shock…and then re-entry shock after you get home. **What is culture shock? Culture shock is more than experiencing a different place. It's a real form of shock which goes through several different phases. In the podcast we expand on this and a simple three-phase description of culture shock. **Three phases of culture shock At its simplest, the three phases of culture shock are: Honeymoon Negotiation Adjustment More complex models exist, but this one's easy to talk through in a podcast. Throughout the show we talk about our personal experiences and things that helped us cope with culture shock. **Re-entry shock Returning can be just as hard as going away. Now that you've adjusted to living in a foreign country, you may find yourself more than irritated with the way things are back home. Also known as reverse culture shock, this follows a similar pattern and, once again, we share our personal tales and ways of coping. Or not coping in some cases.

North to Wellington: Long roads and good cafes

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:00:08 +0200

Continuing their New Zealand spaceships roadtrip, Craig and Linda head north from Queenstown and explore the cafes of Wellington.

117 - Pack light smell sweet

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:16:19 +0200

Packing light is one of those topics we keep coming back to, probably because it's one of the most important aspects of independent travel. Plus, it's the number-one complaint that we hear from people: they've packed too much and have to carry it. Doing laundry is also important, especially when you've packed light and don't have a lot of clothing options.

Tokyo - The City of Blinding Lights

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:00:26 +0200

With a simple camera-phone, Roberto Drebes got this edgy, frantic shot of a frantic subway guard in Tokyo, Japan. This clip was the winner of http://tokyotopia.com's recent video competition.

116 - Playtripper, Sherpa and Hostelhero with Jason Morris

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:54:37 +0200

Jason Morris has developed several applications for travellers and today we speak to him about Playtripper, Sherpa and Hostel Hero. These three applications help us to research and to use our tech as we travel. * Playtripper Playtripper is a specialist travel podcast directory. It allows you to search for destinations and find a wide variety of podcast episodes. Unlike iTunes, it will find episodes across multiple shows, rather than just searching the podcast's title or description. * Sherpa Podcasting is great but, without a laptop, it's really hard to keep up to date as you travel. What if there was an easy way to stay up to date in an internet cafe? Sherpa is a small programme that runs on your iPod and allows you to keep a list of podcasts which it checks. You can then download them and copy them to your iPod. * Hostel Hero Hostel Hero is an iPhone/iPod touch app that helps you research hostels using Hostelworld's database. You can choose locations and those hostels will be pulled over to your device, allowing you to read them offline -- like on your plane or at the beach. If you're an iPhone/iPod touch user, see our five travel applications for the iPhone.

115 - Make money while travelling

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:12:24 +0200

Long-term travel without income is impossible for most of us. In this podcast we explore some legal methods to make money while travelling. Firstly we look at working for other people and some of the interesting problems you're likely to face. Then we talk about small businesses that you can run as a LIP - Location Independent Professional. This podcast's sponsored by BootsnAll.com

Nevis Bungy Jump, Queenstown, New Zealand

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:39:50 +0200

Craig and Linda jump the AJ Hackett Nevis, displaying two very different styles of approach. Motivational stuff for those facing fears or jumping off 134m wires.

114 - Travel in Saigon, Vietnam

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:55:03 +0200

Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam and is considered the financial hub. However even though it’s Vietnam’s most modern city, you will be amazed at how ‘old fashioned’ it seems. People actually do wear those conical hats on a daily basis! You’ll find people scattered all over the sidewalks in the morning eating their breakfast of soup and coffee and you certainly won’t find McDonalds or other big western chains. This is the reason I moved to Saigon – for these cultural scenes; something that is really dying out as Southeast Asia evolves to integrate into the modern world. This guide will hopefully get you off the tourist trail a bit and experience some of the fantastic culture for yourself! For more visit http://indietravelpodcast.com. Sponsored by: http://www.travelfish.org

Technomadia - Hi-tech trailer living

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:51:04 +0200

The Technomadia crew travel America while they keep up their business in a high tech trailer. Not quite as cool as Knight Rider, but good enough.

113 - Wanderlust and Lipstick - Beth Whitman Interview

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:17:14 +0200

Beth Whitman is a long term traveller and now the owner of Wanderlust and Lipstick: her own travel publishing brand and a tour company. We were interested to figure out why a writer who promotes independent travel came to start running tours and also her specialist tips for women travelling solo. This interview is not just for the ladies -- Beth's tips are have great practical application for single guys and couples too. It's also motivational, inspiring you to set out on your trip or pursue your goal of funding long-term travel. * about Beth, her travels and her publishing company. * myths about women travelling on their own. * research, be prepared, be confident, don't put yourself in dangerous situations * packing light and abandoning most electronics * can publishing travel writing keep you funded for travel? * Tours vs solo travel, or tours as a warm up for independent travel * Tours to Bhutan and India "Do the research and then allow for a lot of serindipity along the way." ALSO: The Rough Guides competition is closed, but you can get 20% off with the "ROUGH" code at http://roughguides.com. The Indie Travel Podcast Magazine subscriptions are now available. NZ$49 for a year's subscription including postage to most places. Indie Travel Podcast t-shirts and hoodies are now for sale. Pick them up at http://indietravelpodcast.com/store/indie-travel-podcast

Exploring Dunedin, New Zealand

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:56:08 +0200

Craig and Linda take a day off the road to explore Dunedin: penguins, albatross and, of course, beer await.

112 - Review Roundup

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:52:37 +0200

We've had reviews on the site since its inception, but haven't done a review podcast for some time. We have, however, had a lot of review articles going up - at least one every two weeks for the past few months. In this episode, we want to talk about some of the books and gear we've reviewed and why we liked them (or otherwise). We'll also talk about some of the reviews that are coming up soon. * How to find cheap airline tickets by Elizabeth Sanberg *Make money with your travel blog by Matthew Kepnes *Spaceships *The Rough Guide to Ultimate Adventures *The Rough Guide to the World: Make the most of your time on Earth *Wanderlust and lipstick by Beth Whitman To read more or buy these products, please visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/112-review-roundup/

Starting a roadtrip: Moeraki Boulders edition

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:48:58 +0200

Our New Zealand roadtrip begins with great joy and time in Oamaru, the Moeraki boulders and then into Dunedin. For more, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com.

111 - Travel in Bilbao Spain

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:30:46 +0200

Bilbao is an attractive city set on the Nervión River. It's the capital of the Biscay province and is the largest city in the Basque Country, an autonomous community in northern Spain. Layout Bilbao was built along the Nervión River, with the Casco Viejo (old town) in a bend of the river on the east side and the famous Guggenheim museum on the west bank, but about 3km away northwards. The winding of the river makes navigation by foot a little difficult, but there's a good public transport system to help you get around. On the west side of the river, the Plaza Eliptica roundabout is a focal point for many of the parallel streets, which are mostly filled with shops. Accommodation Finding a hostel in Bilbao is little short of impossible. The major hostel-booking websites mainly list pensions and guesthouses, so it gets a bit expensive if you're travelling alone. There are two Hostelling International (HI) hostels in Bilbao, but you can't book them online - you have to phone or send an email and hope they have availability. That said, if you can get in touch with them, you'll get a bed from €13.50 a night. Budget hotel brands Formule 1 and Etap both have branches about 10km from the centre of Bilbao (in opposite directions). Formule 1 starts at €32 per night for a double, and Etap starts at €42 per night. Both are great choices for the budget if you've got a car, but a little inconvenient when using public transport. in the mid-range there are a variety of character-filled pensions and guesthouses, and the high-end hotels like Carlton, Sheraton and Novotel all have a presence if you want to splurge. For more visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

URGENT - Win a Rough Guide

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:54:00 +0200

Listen to find out how you can win one of three Rough Guides.

Christchurch, New Zealand

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:31:26 +0200

Escape Rangiora and spend an afternoon in inner-city Christchurch -- bagpipes, trams, Cathedral, markets and art galleries await.

110 - Briefcase to backpack

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:18:00 +0200

This week we delve into one of the great travel cultural divides; adult gap years/career breaks/sabbaticals and how they differ between Americans and the rest of the world. The founders of Briefcase to Backpack, Sherry Ott and Michaela Potter, talk about the traveling career break. They interview Barbara Weibel of Hole in The Donut, an American who took a six-month career break and traveled the world. She provides some travel tips and inspiration for those considering taking a traveling career break. Traveling culture Why is there such a large cultural divide between how Americans, Brits, Canadians, and Australians look at travel? Americans think travel is a two-week vacation, as that’s all their time allows away from their jobs; they don’t feel like they can leave their careers behind for any longer, or it may be detrimental to their future. However, other cultures tend to consider long-term travel a ‘rite of passage’. For the few of us (Americans) who are out there doing long-term travel, it’s rewarding and can be life-changing. It’s Michaela and Sherry’s goal to inspire others that a career break isn’t a career-defeating prospect. The social hurdlesIf you do consider taking a traveling career break, then you must be prepared to face a number of social hurdles. These can include family concerns, financial concerns, feeling like your career is at risk -- which all leads to an uncertain future. Michaela and Sherry share the reactions they faced from family and friends when they decided to take a traveling career break. Inspiring other Americans to travel Michaela and Sherry created based on their own career-break experiences. They share their personal experiences and the experiences of others in order to help other adults take the career break leap. The site covers the different stages involved in taking a career break as an adult; including contemplating a career break, preparing for long-term travel, dealing with life on the road and re-entering into the job market again. The site provides stories from a host of other Americans who have successfully taken a break from their jobs and traveled long term. Interview with Barbara Weibel Barbara is an American adult career-breaker who is featured on the site. Barbara’s career break came after a lifetime of working in jobs that didn’t satisfy her. As she describes it, she felt like the proverbial “hole in the donut” – solid on the outside, but empty on the inside. She shares the circumstances that led to her career break, how she decided where to go, and how she handled adapting to life away from the office and out on the road. Share your career break story If you have taken a career break and are interested in inspiring others to do the same then consider providing a ‘testimonial’ to Briefcase to Backpack. It’s a great way to relive your experience and help Americans add ‘career break’ to their vocabulary. Or, if you are one of those many people that are thinking about it, but can’t seem to pull the trigger, then visit Briefcase to Backpack and meet others who will convince you that it will be a rewarding, resume-building experience!

109 - Transport for travellers

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:03:11 +0200

Deciding to travel is easy. Actually working out the practicalities of getting around is a little less easy. One thing to think about when planning for travel is how you're going to get around. Not around your destination (a combination of walking, taxis and public transport will usually sort you out there), but how to get from city to city or country to country. There are a surprisingly large number of options. Walk Bike Motorbike Car Hitch Campervan Boat: ferry, cruise, yacht, canal boat .. Public bus or coach Tour bus Train Plane Other For more visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/podcast/109-transport-travellers/

Travel Talks: Season two begins...

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0200

We launch season two of the Indie Travel Podcast video show - Travel Talks.

108 - Travel in Paris, France

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:30:41 +0200

Paris is one of the most well-known cities in the world. It's the city of love, the city of lights, the city of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Revolution - it's one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, one of the most advertised cities, and sadly (according to Tripadvisor users) the most overrated city in Europe - perhaps because of all the press it gets. There's definitely a lot to see and do, and it isn't just those images you've seen a million times. Sure, visit the Eiffel Tower and the Arc du Triomphe, but then dive into the suburbs, get lost and discover what else Paris has to offer.

107 - A Vantastic Adventure

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:57:39 +0200

WorldNomads is looking for seven teams of Van-Tastic Adventurers to travel across Australia on a 6 week road trip of a lifetime. They'll blog, share photos and create audio and video shows that will be showcased around the world ... including right here on the Indie Travel Podcast. Today, we're speaking with Amanda Byrne from WorldNomads, Peter Burke from Travellers Auto Barn and Amanda Pressner of the Lost Girls about her travels in Australia in the WorldNomads van. The skinny... You'll be flown to Australia to explore your favourite piece of the country in a fully loaded camper van, with fuel money, an action packed itinerary and all the gear you’ll need to share your adventure through videos, stories and photos. You can choose where you want to go, what you want to do and, with heaps of adventurous activities thrown in for free, you’ll have lots of stories to make a mini video documentary of your adventure. The team with the most popular video will win $10,000 cash and flights from Virgin Blue. There's heaps of laughs and lots of practical information for people planning an Aussie adventure or, more specifically, wanting some inside knowledge on their Vantastic Application.

106 - Travel around the world with Gary Arndt

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 29 May 2009 08:40:32 +0200

Gary Arndt runs one of the most popular travelogue-style blogs in the world. He's one of Twitter's top 50 people and generally pretty well known around most of the internet's coolest social networks. This week we talk to him about something more important than geekery: he's on the last leg of a mammoth two year round the world trip. During this interview we discuss his travels in the Pacific, Australasia, Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Oh, and his home country -- the United States. He talks about diving with jellyfish in Palau and visiting war zones in Cambodia; how to find accommodation and travel successfully without a guidebook. Gary supplies the monthly travel wallpaper, weekly photos and has also shared the best places to dive in the Pacific. Visit his site, Everything Everywhere and learn how to travel around the world. And now for something completely different... Honor Dargan, who we told us about travel in Tokyo, Japan, is a regular guest on the Japan Podshow (iTunes) which is a fun show about travel and expat life in Japan. She's also starting a live twitter chat along with Shane Sakata. They will be available to answer all your Japan questions at Japan Discovered. Hostelbookers are celebrating their fifth birthday with five cent hostel beds and a great giveaway. WorldNomads is launching a massive Australia-wide "vantastic" road trip which we'll be talking about next week.

105 - Travel in Auckland, New Zealand

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 22 May 2009 00:28:48 +0200

Auckland, known as the "City of Sails" is New Zealand's largest city. It's surrounded by sea and is studded with volcanic mountains, and is a very pleasant place to live or visit - it ranked fourth equal in the 2009 Worldwide Quality of Living Survey. Auckland is a very spread-out city, with a land area almost equalling that of Los Angeles. It's divided into four main regions, which are autonomous cities: Auckland City, North Shore City (to the north), Waitakere City (to the west), and Manukau City (to the south). The central business district is centred around Queen Street, which runs from the harbour south (up) to Karangahape ("K") Road. Quay Street runs along the waterfront, with Viaduct Harbour at its western end and Britomart Transport Centre a little to the east of Queen Street. At the top of Queen Street, following K Road to the east will take you to to the Auckland Domain, and westwards is trendy Ponsonby. Auckland has the full range of places to stay. High-end options include the Hilton, the Stamford Plaza, and the Skycity Grand Hotel at the base of the Sky Tower. For budget hotels, try Hotel Formule 1, or see what wotif.com has to offer. There are a wide range of hostels to choose from, most of which have both dorm beds and private rooms available. Be aware that you might be charged extra for linen, as many hostels expect you to bring your own sleeping bag. As a vibrant multi-cultural city, Auckland has quality food on offer from all over the world. Takeaway options include sushi, kebabs, pizza, Chinese, Korean and a whole lot more. Make sure you drop into a dairy (convenience store) or bakery and try a hot meat pie - it's traditional. Another great cheap eat is fish and chips - you'll find a fish and chip shop in every suburb, and a feast on the beach is a great way to start the weekend. The meat in New Zealand is second-to-none, so make sure you have a juicy steak or dig into some lamb shanks if you're so inclined - animals in New Zealand have a good life before they hit your plate, so there's no guilt required. Sadly, Auckland's public transport isn't the most comprehensive, since the population density is so low. You'll be fine walking around the city, but if you want to venture further afield you're better off hiring a car. Taxis are generally safe and well-priced, though it's usually easier to call ahead for one than trying to hail one on the street. When you arrive, you'll likely arrive at the Auckland International Airport. Getting away from there is an expensive enterprise unless you get someone to pick you up. The Airbus is probably your best bet - to the city it's $15 one-way, $22 return. If you decide to brave the public transport, you'll probably be catching the bus. The train network has improved recently, but doesn't cover very much of the city. Buy your ticket for the bus from the driver - just state your destination and the driver will tell you the price. If you'll be travelling a bit, a day pass will probably save you some cash. Auckland's a city where a wander around will be rewarded. Explore posh Ponsonby, edgy Kingsland and the always-busy Viaduct, then head further afield to a suburb of your choice. Mission Bay is worth a visit, for a swim in summer or a coffee any time. There are a lot of parks to explore and relax in, or choose a beach you like the look of - Piha being the best-known surf beach. ...for more visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

104 - Travel Accommodation Options

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 15 May 2009 09:25:09 +0200

When heading out on the road, you might be overwhelmed by suggestions of where to go and where to stay. I'm sure you'll have some idea of your dream destination – but once you get there, where do you sleep? There are a multitude of options, and your choice will be influenced by both your budget and your inclination. From super-budget to high-end, let's look at some of the accommodation possibilities. Roughing it As a guest Couchsurfing Take your home with you Hostel – dorm Hostel – private room Budget hotel Motel Guesthouse/pension/bed and breakfast Vacation rental House swap Hotel Wherever you choose to sleep, make sure you take advantage of what your accommodation has to offer – have a spa bath if you've got one in your hotel room, hang out in the hostel lounge or swim in the holiday park's pool. But above all, enjoy yourself!

103 - Oaxaca in the time of swine flu

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 08 May 2009 08:02:47 +0200

The Amateur Traveler, Chris Christensen, usually interviews people for his podcast, but the tables have turned. In this interview, Chris tells us about his travels in Oaxaca, Mexico. Sights to see Oaxaca is a family-friendly city, so you'll have a good time just walking around and exploring the centre of town. The zocolo (central square) is the place to be in the evening - just show up and see what's happening. It's also a good place to have a coffee, a beer or a meal, and you might be able to find a local tour guide there, as Chris did. Two churches worth visiting are the cathedral and the Convento de Santo Domingo, and you'll find a good museum nearby as well. The Zapotec ruins just out of town are tourist drawcards, and for good reason. Chris recommends Monte Alban over Mitla, which isn't in as good condition. A good tour guide is worth the investment for the trip to Monte Alban, so that you can learn a bit of history about the Zapotec people. There are some good craft shops in the area as well, so get your guide to take you out and do your souvenir shopping there. Food In addition to the traditional Mexican fare of burritos, soft tacos and tamales, you should definitely try mole (mo-lay), a spicy sauce. Oaxaca is known as the "land of the seven moles", and the most popular one is a combination of chocolate and chillies, used over chicken and rice and with other savoury dishes. Moles tend to be named after colours - Rojo and Negro (red and black) both contain chocolate, but there's also Amarillo (yellow) and Verde (green). Make sure you have a cervesa (beer) or two, and try mezcal - an alcoholic drink that's similar to tequila. Coffee in Oaxaca is often drunk spiked with chillies, as is the excellent hot chocolate. Stay Chris recommends Hostel dal Mercado and Casa de Don Pablo Hostel, which both provide good accommodation for about US$12 per night, and are centrally located. There's a kitchen and a common room, and linen and towels are provided. Safety Although the swine flu is affecting tourism to Mexico at the moment, Chris doesn't advise against travel to Oaxaco. It's an affordable and interesting destination, and with fewer people travelling there, you'll be able to get some good bargains. He doesn't recommend travelling through the towns on the border of the US and Mexico at present, due to higher crime rates. You should be fine in Oaxaca, but if you're travelling through Mexico City, never hail a cab. Either get your hostel to phone for one for you, or take the subway which is cheap and efficient. Getting there International flights generally fly into Mexico City, which is worth exploring for a few days. From there, you can fly to Oaxaca, or catch a bus for the budget option. It'll take you about six hours, and you can choose between the plush first-class bus, or the cheaper second-class. All photos on this show are copyright Chris Christensen, used with permission.

102 - 15 essential items for a trip round the world

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 01 May 2009 13:40:50 +0200

So, you're heading off around the world. You've got everything you need - tickets, passport, your parents' approval ... Maybe. But do you have the gear to make your trip as enjoyable as possible? Run an eye down this list and make sure you're sorted. 1. A good backpack. 2. Good shoes. 3. A sleeping bag. 4. A rain jacket. 5. Thermal underwear. 6. A money belt. 7. A camera. 8. Travel adapter. 9. A padlock. 10. Ear plugs. 11. A travel towel. 12. A travel clothes line. 13. A good personalised first-aid kit. 14. A journal. 15. A pack of cards. Check http://indietravelpodcast.com/packing for more travel and long-term packing advice.

How to subscribe to podcasts in iTunes

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:32:43 +0200

This screencast walks you through the easy steps to subscribe to a podcast in iTunes. The example site is the Lonely Planet award-winning Indie Travel Podcast - http://indietravelpodcast.com

101 - To Queensland from the World

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:47:40 +0200

The final sixteen candidates for the best job in the world - a six month stint in the Great Barrier Reef - are about to fly to Hamilton Island for their final interviews. We caught up with Juweon Kim from South Korea, Magali Heuberger from the Netherlands and Clarke Gayford from New Zealand to talk to them about the position and their chances of becoming the island caretaker. In January, Tourism Queensland announced this position: living on Hamilton Island, flying and boating around the Great Barrier Reef, feeding the fish while diving ... all for a cool AUD$150,000 -- around US$100,000. Over 34,000 applicants tried their hand and over the last few months this number was whittled down to 50 then 16. Juweon Kim is one of the short-listed applicants. Born in South Korea, he grew up in the States and currently works as a radio journalist. An avid golfer, he's keen to hit the links as soon as he arrives. Magali Heuberger has travelled through Europe as well as Turkey and Cuba. She's a photographer from the Netherlands that has also worked in PR and Communications. We talk with Magali about the dive stunt she pulled: her first SCUBA dive in the middle of a busy Amsterdam square. Clarke Gayford is a radio and TV presenter from New Zealand. As part of his application he went swimming with sharks ... not a bad effort either! He's been able to fund his travels through his TV work and is looking forward to showcasing the Great Barrier Reef. His girlfriend, Hollie, makes a mean carrot cake too. This episode is sponsored by: BootsnAll.com

100 - Homecoming - Three years of indie travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:10:28 +0200

Today, the Indie Travel Podcast celebrates its 100th episode, and Craig and Linda celebrate their homecoming after three years of full-time travel. We decided to mark the occasion with a recap of our travels, and the life so far of ITP. So where have we been in these three and a bit years? 2006 February: South Island road trip (New Zealand) March: Hong Kong, Macau, and England March-August: Malta, and a holiday in Corfu (Greece) August-September: Sicily, Rome and North Italy September: Crazy Eurail trip through Switzerland, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands October-December: St Albans (England) December: Prague (Czech Republic) 2007 January: Scotland with family, Canterbury (England) and Paris (France) February: Italy, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia March: Austria April: Wales, England, Ireland and Austria May: Czesky Krumlov (Czech Republic), Austria, England and Scotland June: Belgium, Italy and Austria July: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland August: Bursa and Istanbul (Turkey), England, West Highland Way (Scotland) September: Italy and Austria October: Austria, Romania and Serbia November: Croatia, Austria and England December: Malta and Germany 2008-2009 January: Seven countries in seven days – but mostly Germany, Austria and England February: Turkey, England and Austria March: Camino de Santiago (Spain) April: Spain, Portugal, England, Bulgaria, Turkey, Switzerland, Germany May: France and England June: Isle of Wight (England) and Spain July-August: Hastings (England) September: Scotland, England, Malaysia and Australia September 2008-March 2009: Perth (Australia) March-April 2009: Aussie trip, home to Auckland (New Zealand) The birth of a podcast During our travels, we realised that we'd learned a fair bit about how to travel well, and decided to share our new knowledge with the world. We started the podcast during our time in St Albans, and introduced articles, videos and the enhanced version during our time on the Isle of Wight. It's grown pretty steadily since then, and last month won the Best Travel Podcast category of the Lonely Planet Travel Blog Awards. We're planning to continue travelling, and of course to continue with the podcast. We hope you'll join us for the rest of the journey!

099 - Mad Tokyo - Travel with an expat

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:33:45 +0200

Tokyo, Japan is a city of teeming millions, high speed rail and higher speed internet access. Years of history and modern development make Tokyo an exciting destination and, dreaming of going ourselves, we wanted to talk with someone who knew it well. This week we talk with Honor Dargan of Tokyotopia.com. Honor is a British ex-pat who has lived in Tokyo since 2001 and has written her own online city guide: Tokyo made simple. Tokyotopia is currently running a Tokyo video competition to which we're contributing a prize pack. We talk about: * Life as an expat * The visa application process for long-term travel * Arriving in Tokyo and getting from airport to city * The mythical communication problem faced by English speakers * Exploring historic and side-street Tokyo * Climbing Mt Fuji * Day trips from Tokyo If exploring Asia is your idea of a good time, check out the Mekong River semester program offered by Where There Be Dragons. SPONSOR: WorldNomads.com

098 - Road trip redux

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 11:06:15 +0200

In our recent road-trip episode, we mostly talked about planning for car journeys. Since then, we've headed out on the road ourselves (though certainly not for the first time) and have learnt a bit more. Last time, we discussed planning your trip, stocking up on food and drink, and considering on-road factors such as your daily itinerary and who you're travelling with. In this episode we take our recent road-trip as a case study and examine what worked and what could have been better. Our trip Having decided six months was enough time to spend in any city, we headed out of Perth on a Friday afternoon with Craig's dad and stepmother. Packing up a house and leaving on a road trip straight from your last day at work does tend to add a little stress to the equation, but the first destination, Margaret River, was enough of an incentive to make up for it. Our plan was to spend three nights in Margaret River, exploring the region before heading 400km east to Albany on the fourth day. Then we'd have two nights in Albany and drive north again to Perth, perhaps spending a night somewhere along the way. And then we'd be dropped at the airport and Craig's parents could spend a bit more time in Perth while we headed to Adelaide. What went well Quite a lot went well, actually. The pre-trip planning focussed on accommodation and planning a route, but we left the actual daily activities out of the equation altogether. There were four of us on the trip, perhaps the perfect number for a road trip, and the car was a good size - comfortable for the people in the back and with plenty of room in the boot for our bags. We pre-booked most of our accommodation, which meant we knew where we were sleeping and how much we were paying for it - accommodation costs can throw out any budget! Plus since we'd visited the websites of the places we were staying, and had discussed the choices between all travellers before booking, we all had a good idea what to expect. Each morning we discussed what we wanted to do and planned a rough itinerary, with plenty of flexibility for spontaneous stops. We shared the driving pretty evenly among the three drivers, and stopped whenever someone expressed an interest in stopping. Plus we prepared CDs to listen to with a variety of music on them, which eliminated the problem of listening to static while trying to find a local radio station. What could have been better Our sat nav left a lot to be desired in almost all features of its design, and we hadn't provided ourselves with the most useful of maps. Or perhaps the navigators just needed a little more training. Whatever the reason, we got a little lost a couple of times, but it didn't bother us too much. However, not knowing the opening times of local attractions did cause a little hassle - we turned up at one winery well before opening time, and arrived at Jewel Cave 45 minutes before the next tour. And there wasn't a lot to do there to fill time. We also missed out on a couple of things because we were running out of time, but I think that's going to happen on any trip. On the whole, it was a successful trip, made successful by planning routes and accommodation in advance, but not overplanning things to do along the way. Since it was a short trip, this technique worked well, but planning so rigidly might ruin a longer trip.

097 - Best travel iphone apps

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 03:54:47 +0100

iPhone, iPod touch or laptop? Are iPhones good for travel? And if they are what are the best iphone apps for travellers? Craig, Linda and Kev from Winging it Around the World talk tech in this episode of the Indie Travel Podcast. A laptop is not the best travel companion: it's big, heavy and valuable. You don't want to be worried about damage or theft while you're exploring the forests of South East Asia or the stormy streets of Iceland. You want to be connected but not burdened by the technology you travel with. Kev is about to set off on a round-the-world trip with his partner Lucy and they've decided to downsize to a iPod touch. At first they considered an iPhone, but data rates are expensive to start with and global roaming rates would bankrupt anyone. They've passed up the 3g connection and the GPS satellite navigation for the cheaper iPod Touch and its wifi internet connection. Both have a wide touchscreen and access to the iTunes application store. In his first podcast, Kev talks about his top ten applications for travellers and, here, we talk about the top three. Top iPhone apps for Travellers * Traverter * WorldNomads Language Packs * Rosyn Guides You can find Kev and Lucy at Winging it round the World or their podcast in iTunes. You can get a free subscription there and sign up for the Indie Travel Podcast on iTunes too. http://wingingitroundtheworld.com What do you think about travellers, laptops and smart phones? What iPhone applications would you recommend for Kev and Lucy as they set out on a round the world trip? Let us know in the comments. This episode of the Indie Travel Podcast is sponsored by WorldNomads.com

096 - Planning a road trip

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:00:00 +0100

Going on a road trip is a great way to see a country - you cover a lot of ground and you come across things you'd find on an organised tour. It's an especially good way to see your own country inexpensively. Planning It's worth putting a bit of effort into planning, but don't overdo it. A lot of the fun of road trips is the spontaneity that's possible - if you plan every minute of every day, the holiday can turn into a chore. First choose a general direction and consider some of the places you might like to stop along the way. With a group of people, each nominate one thing you really want to do, and plan your direction around these few things. Travelling with a tent in the car opens up a lot of options when it comes to accommodation - you can pull into a holiday park, camp on a friend's lawn, or camp wild where it's legal. Plus you always have the option of checking into a hostel or motel if the weather is inclement. Have some information with you in the car as well - a map is essential, but a map with campsites or hostels marked on it is gold. We usually have a tourist guide to the region we're touring for some light bedtime reading as well. Tourist hotspots can be booked up if you're there at the wrong time, so having a few numbers to call before you arrive can save a lot of stress. Stocking up Yes, it's important to have snacks in the car, but think carefully about what you want to eat - avoid the big low that comes after a sugar high by eating sweets in moderation. A bag of local fruit is a good alternative to lollies - just make sure you have a rubbish bag handy for peelings and cores. To avoid arguments, it might be worth creating individual snack bags with equal amounts of different snacks in them - this tip is not just for travelling with kids! When choosing drinks, think about the sugar and caffeine content. You might want a pick-me-up, but do you want the several extra toilet breaks? Water and juice are usually good options for any trip - keep the coffee for the coffee break. On the road Who are you going to travel with? Three or four people is an ideal number in terms of budget - you can split on-road costs and it makes it cheaper for everyone. More than four in a regular car is too much of a squeeze - get a van or take two cars. Also be aware that the more people you have with you, the less you're likely to see. Make sure you see what you want to see and leave some space in your itinerary for spontaneous decisions. And most of all, have a good time!

095 - Travel in Vilnius, Lithuania

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 06:38:32 +0100

While Lithuania might not be the first country one thinks of when travelling to Europe, its capital Vilnius is definitely worth a stop. It's the European capital of culture for 2009, and for good reason - Vilnius is packed with character. A long and turbulent history has resulted in an edgy, engaging city. Vilnius is a river city which can be considered in terms of the old town, Uzupis and the new business developments. Most of the old town was a Jewish ghetto during World War Two and it contains the town square plus many historical buildings and beautiful churches. Cathedral Square is a major landmark as is Gedeminas hill. Uzupis is a break-away republic within the capital itself; sit with a Baltic beer by the little river and watch all the artists and other denizens get together for a quiet drink themselves. Food in Vilnius, at least as we experienced it, was hearty, filling and basic: beef and potatoes feature heavily. Maybe we missed something, but years of war, occupation and want seems to have left Vilnius with a cuisine focussed on enjoying the simple things. Of course, the usual range of European- and Asian-style foods are available at restaurants throughout the city. If you like walking, you'll find the tourist-friendly areas of Vilnius to be quite accessible by foot. Wandering around the streets and squares is a great way to spend your day: you'll run into markets, little churches and strange combinations of modern and soviet-era design almost everywhere. Buses and trolley-buses create a low-cost network that runs through the city. Buying tickets from a newspaper kiosk will save you a little and also save you having to deal with the bus drivers; like everywhere they can be a bit scary if you meet the wrong one. Taxis are reasonably priced; like everywhere in the world, don't get into a taxi with a dodgy driver. At the start and end of the day traffic jams are common, even in such a small city, so walking is definitely advised then. The old town contains most of Vilnius's free attractions, and the Gate of Dawn is a good place to start. It's the last of the original town gates, and while it's plain from the outside, the inside is ornate and beautiful. In the old town, there's the Archcathedral Basilica, which contains a beautiful chapel of St Casimir. In the square outside the Cathedral, see if you can find the lucky wishing tile with the word "miracle" written on it in Lithuanian ("stebuklas"). Apparently if you stand on it, make a wish and turn around three times, your wish will come true. There are a lot of other beautiful churches to see, including St Ann's, and St Peter's and Paul's, and of course a visit to the Frank Zappa statue is a must, but the best free attraction is Uzupis - a breakaway republic within the city. Gediminas castle is a well-restored tower, and provides the best view of Vilnius, situated as it is on a hill behind Cathedral Square. You can walk up or take the funicular. The Lithuanian National Museum is also worth a visit, as is the Museum of Genocide Victims, located in the former KGB headquarters. 25km north of Vilnius is the "centre of Europe", and if you think that's worth the trip you should also see the rather overpriced European Park, which is full of sculptures by more than 70 artists. There's always something happening in Vilnius. There's a book fair in February, the huge Kaisiukas fair in March each year, and the Vilnius arts festival in June. August and September seem filled with celebrations, fireworks, concerts, raves and film festivals, and like most European cities, Vilnius has Christmas markets each year. Plus, basketball is the sport du jour, so if you're in Vilnius during the season, catch a basketball game and soak up the electric atmosphere.

094 - Tread lightly

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:51:00 +0100

Years ago, the concept of eco-tourism was little more than a dream in a hippie's eye. But the movement gained momentum, and has now passed through popularity and out the other side. Now, everyone wants to be seen to be green. But appearance isn't the same as genuinely good for the environment. Tour companies greenwash their tours so they seem eco-friendly when actually they are the same as they were last year, and consumers choose a “green holiday,” because it makes them feel better, not because it's something they believe in. People throw money at schemes promising to “offset your carbon footprint”, but don't investigate where that money is going, and airlines introduce such schemes to improve their image. There are a lot of ways to make your trip a bit more eco-friendly, which will not only help the environment, but will increase your enjoyment and the enjoyment of others with you or following you. It doesn't matter what sort of trip you're taking, there are some things you can do. Camping is a great way to interact with the local environment. It's cheap, it's easy, and there's often some fantastic views to be had just around the next corner. It isn't difficult to minimise your impact on the often unspoiled natural beauty of popular camping spots, just take your rubbish with you and don't light any fires – if you do light fires, use existing fire pits wherever possible and follow fire-safety procedures. Also, use biodegradable soap and go to the toilet away from water sources. If you're backpacking, you're sure to stay in a shared environment occasionally. You can make this environment more pleasant for all concerned by thinking about the others around you – don't just think about what's good for you, consider how others might like to live. Most people don't really enjoy having to wade through other people's belongings, or to see a random stranger's undies in the middle of the room. For hostel-dwellers, please don't spray on your cheap deodorant in the dorm room – some of these “scents” are almost toxic, and can frustrate the efforts of people trying to breathe. On a similar note, be quiet when you come in late at night, so others can enjoy an uninterrupted night's sleep. One of the biggest ways you can tread lightly in a hotel is to reduce the amount of laundry you create in terms of linen and towels requiring washing after you use them. So, stay longer. If you stay for one night, all your linen must be washed. But if you stay a little longer, they don't need to wash everything. Most hotels change the towels daily, but there's a growing movement against this policy. You'll often see a sign in the bathroom giving you the choice – if you want fresh towels, throw your old ones in the bath or shower, and if you're happy to reuse, hang your towel on the rack. It goes without saying that choosing the latter is the greener option. Tourism is often a large part of a nation's income, but with huge tour companies, sometimes as little as 10% of the money you spend stays in the country. Plus, it's cheaper to buy local. Or use Responsibletravel.com – they book the local tours for you. Or you could try a volunteer holiday – donate some of your time into improving the place you're visiting. There are a lot of options to choose from – teach English, work in an orphanage, or do farm work like WWOOF– Willing workers on organic farms. Make sure you buy your souvenirs from local market stalls, and not at the airport where you'll get charged triple the price and the producer will get even less of your money. Of course, feel free to give a donation to a carbon-offset scheme. But you might be better giving your donation to a local forest preservation group, who will keep you informed about the state of your personal source of air.

093 - The twichhiker

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:18:04 +0100

Paul Smith hails from Newcastle upon Tyne, England but he's hoping to get as far away from there as possible. He calculates the furthest landmass is tiny Campbell Island, south of New Zealand. It doesn't seem too difficult, but Paul is attempting to do this in 30 days. And he's "hitch-hiking" by only accepting offers of transport and accommodation from users of a social media site called Twitter. The rules are simple: *I can only accept offers of travel and accommodation on Twitter, from users who are following @twitchhiker This means if a Twitterer’s sister’s boyfriend’s father has a spare train ticket, I can’t use it; the help the person has to be a Twitter user, and they have to be able to directly action the offer of help. This may be too restrictive, but I want to draw on the support of the Twitter community, not to use Twitter as a search engine to find third party services. *I can’t make any plans further than three days in advance It’s entirely possible that before I begin this challenge, I could have my entire route pre-determined and that would be no fun at all. So unless an offer of transport or accommodation is made within 72 hours of it being applicable, I can’t accept it. Damn. * I can only spend money on food, drink and anything that might fit in my suitcase All travel and accommodation must be offered to me through Twitter. If I can’t, then I’m sleeping rough. *If there’s more than one offer on the table, I get to choose which I take. If there’s only one, I have to take it within 48 hours. I’m not entirely happy about this bit. If any part of this challenge is going to see me dead in a ditch or under a patio, it’s this part. * If I’m unable to find a way to move on from a location within 48 hours, the challenge is over and I go home. I hope my fellow Twitterers won’t let that happen. SOURCE: Twitchhiker.com Getting past the press We wanted to get past the press and talk with the twitchhiker himself. During the interview we discuss his motivation, the charity he's supporting and the trip itself. Click the play button at the top of this post to hear it, or subscribe in iTunes and download it for free. You can help the Twitchhiker by: Following him on twitter and offering transport and accommodation http://twitter.com/twitchhiker Making a donation to charity:water http://justgiving.com/twitchhiker Reading about his journey on Twichhiker.com http://twitchhiker.com You can also find us on twitter and plenty of other social media sites. http://indietravelpodcast.com/contact NOTE: The chance to speak with Paul came through at the last minute, after we had already recorded this week's show. So next week we'll also talk about some of the same things and, strangely, call it show 93. We know ... thanks in advance.

092 - Travel in Perth, Australia

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:43:28 +0100

Besides its location, Perth has a lot going for it. It's friendly, hot, and has a huge range of events in summer, not to mention the many year-round free attractions. Layout The CBD is spread along the River Swan where you'll also find the Esplanade and Bell Tower complex. Like most cities in Australia, Perth spreads into surrounding suburbs which seem to continue forever. To the north of the CBD, you'll find the party and restaurant suburb Northbridge. Beyond that are the two cafe and fashion regions of Mt Lawley and Leederville. If there are no events happening, these areas are much more lively than the city centre. Accommodation We've been to review a few hostels around the city and those in the city suburbs seem to be nicer than those right in the middle of town. Three that caught our eye were Billabong Resort, Witch's Hat and Emperor's Crown. The word "hotel" on the side of a building is not a guarantee of accommodation. Throughout Australia, but particularly noticeable here, a hotel is actually a pub. There are also a lot of B&Bs to choose from, but make sure you look into transport options before you book one, as it might be far removed from the city centre. Chains like Hilton, Hyatt, Holiday Inn, Mercure all have 4.5 and 5 star hotels in Perth. Food Australia's food is based on its colonial British foundations but then spiced up by its closeness to Asia and the large Italian, Greek and other European communities. Perth is no different and a full variety of food can be found. Once again, the suburbs outdo the CBD with Northbridge, Leederville and, to a lesser extent, Mt Lawley serving great dishes in small, friendly restaurants. Han's cafe is somewhere to look out for: they have dozens of locations and serve good, cheap food from a variety of Asian countries. Or try Siena's for Italian fare. Perth's real glory isn't its food, it's the drink. Two micro-breweries are really top notch: Little Creatures, based in Fremantle, has a cafe that's perfect for Sunday brunch, and Feral Breweries in the Swan Valley is a worthwhile stop during a winery tour. If you are going wine-tasting, we recommend Houghtons for their gardens, Upper Reach for the quality and range of their wines, and Jane Brook for their service and fantastic gold-leaf wine. Transport Transport in Perth is constantly being upgraded, and the current system is mostly efficient and well-priced. The train network especially is great: the trains are clean, they run on time, and the price is fair. If only it was more extensive, it'd be perfect. Attractions - free There's a wealth of free things to do in Perth. Start with Kings Park – have a picnic or explore the gardens, which have plants from all over Australia. Take a walk along the banks of the Swan River and go shopping in the city malls or Harbourtown. Jump on the CAT buses for a free city tour, but jump off to visit the museum, the art gallery, and to hear the Swan Bells ring on the hour down by the jetty. Beachlovers will enjoy Cottesloe and Scarborough, and partygoers will find all they need in Northbridge. Plus you can go wine tasting in the Swan Valley, walking in the Perth Hills, or shopping at the Fremantle markets. Attractions - paid If you didn't find enough to do for free, never fear. The Perth mint should tide you over while you plan your trips slightly further afield. Within an hour, there's AQWA – the aquarium of WA; Penguin Island – a chance to see some cute penguins and lazy sealions; and Caversham Wildlife Park – a really good place to see Australian animals. Rottnest Island is a 90-minute ferry trip from the city, but well worth the journey. Attractions - seasonal Perth is also full of seasonal attractions. Summer is the best time for events and festivals, but there's usually something happening – check out www.perth.wa.gov.au for upcoming events. For further shownotes and other free guides please visit http://indietravelpodcast.com

091 - UK travel-consumer issues

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:52:24 +0100

Travel can be tough. Ever wondered what other people are ranting about? In this inteview Craig speaks with Darren Cronian of Travel Rants to find out what's going on the world of UK travel rights and consumer issues. They discuss: Darren's site and focus Short-term European travel from the UK Single supplements on travel packages Budget airlines and charges Changes to law regarding UK travel insurance Hot locations for UK travellers in 2009 We finish the interview by speaking about UK travel destinations outside of London. Darren suggests Leeds for a weekend city break with excellent shopping options. Nearby York is also popular with its historical elements. Both are just a short train journey from London, but book tickets in advance to avoid extortionate prices. Use either as a gateway city to head further north to Glasgow or Edinburgh. Scotland's largest city and its capital are both excellent places to explore.

090 - Win the best job in the world

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:57:12 +0100

The "best job in the world" or the "island reef job" is a position being offered by Tourism Queensland. The successful applicant will be flown to Australia and given the use of a three-bedroom house on the Whitsunday Islands. Over the next six months you will maintain a blog, work with photos, video and audio to share the offerings of the Great Barrier Reef with the world. For your trouble you'll take home AUD$150,000 -- about US$96,000. I think you can see why it's being touted as the best job in the world. Competition is tough though. As we publish this over 10,500 applications have been made by video upload to the official site. There's still sixteen days to go before the cut-off date. In this podcast we speak to Nicole McNaughton, the PR manager for the project. She talks us through the position and we squeeze some advice for potential applicants out of her. We want to wish our interviewees and you, our listeners, all the best with your application for the best job in the world. Good luck...and make sure you let us interview you when you're all big and famous! Visit http://indietravelpodcast.com for links and further notes.

089 - Travel toiletries: slim down in 2009

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:11:06 +0100

Toiletries are one of the heaviest items you'll pack, and most of it is dead weight – you're carrying it, but you're not using it. Don't make the mistake of emptying your bathroom cupboard into your toiletry kit! There are quite a few ways to cut down on your toiletries, but the most important is to be ruthless; don't carry anything you don't use regularly. Buy a smaller toiletry bag to help you cut down and if you have a travel companion, don't double up – have your own toothbrush and disposable razor, but share everything else. Whatever you do, steer clear of electric items – they're bulky and you might have trouble finding an outlet. That means no hair straighteners, girls! Another bulky item is your towel – pick up a mini one at a camping store and you'll suddenly have a lot more space. In terms of actual items, don't bother with mini-sized items, but don't carry more than you'll use. A mini shampoo is great for a weekend away, but if you're planning long-term travel, a 200ml 2-in-1 shampoo is a great investment – it's got enough in it to last a few weeks, but won't take up too much space. Plus, you can use it for everything – hair, body and clothes. And don't forget the deodorant – a roll-on one will probably be smaller and last longer than a spray-on. And you won't smell out the hostel dorm room! So what do you actually pack in that toiletries kit of yours? *Toothbrush *Toothpaste *Dental floss (this is really handy for other uses as well – think minty-fresh string) *Camp Suds (or 2-in-1 shampoo) *Razor *Shaving gel *Comb *Roll-on deodorant *Hair ties (for girls – don't underestimate the value of a hairtie. Even for guys, a few rubber bands might come in handy) *Girls – enough sanitary equipment for your whole next period (but no more) *Any other essentials (contact lens solution, moisturiser) First Aid And what about your medical kit? It's important to have a first-aid kit with you on any sort of travel, but adapt it for the circumstances. A mountain biking expedition in the Andes is going to need different gear than a city-hopping bus trip. A general list then: *Any medicine you personally need – enough for the whole trip if possible. If not, research availability in the places you're going and take enough for the first month *Any medicine necessary for the destination e.g. malaria tablets *A few band-aids *Antiseptic cream *A sewing kit *Thick tape (for larger wounds or wrapping Christmas pressies) *Hand sanitizing gel *A small pack of tissues (to double as toilet paper if necessary) *A few cotton pads for wounds *One blister pack of ibuprofen (painkiller with anti-inflammatory properties) – don't take the extra-strong one with codeine as codeine is illegal in some countries (eg Greece) *Four anti-diarrhea tablets *One other item – we always have a few strepsils and eyedrops – maybe pack three or four of each of these items if they're something you use regularly but not often. *Condoms

088 - Travel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 07:33:24 +0100

Kuala Lumpur is a bustling international city and the capital of Malaysia. Sometimes described as "Asia lite" this is a great place to accustom yourself to the bustle of an Asian city and is a perfect jumping-off point to further explore South East Asia. With quite modern and efficient infrastucture, it's a city for everyone, but a particularly useful gateway for those feeling a little uneasy about haggling in markets and squat toilets. Layout KL is a sprawling mess and no brief description will really help. Pick up a map from the tourist information centres but be aware that the different maps you can get may be aligned differently. Accommodation The full range of accommodation is available in KL, from the Couchsurfing network, to hostels, to high-end hotels. It's worth investing in a room with air-conditioning, since the weather is uniformly hot and muggy. Food A huge range of food is available in KL – from street hawkers to five-star restaurants. Every major Asian cuisine is well represented and American fast-food and Australian coffee chains help give a reminder of home to Western tastebuds. Alcohol is relatively expensive, even in supermarkets, but the supermarkets are great for stocking up on drinks and breakfast foods. Eat out for lunch and dinner though – food courts and street stalls are cheaper than self-catering. Transport Public transport system is quite good, if sometimes a little infrequent. There's a network of buses, trains and a monorail, which all use different tickets – the best idea is to buy a ticket before each journey. If you're going to be there for a month or more you can get an integrated ticket, but there isn't one for daily or weekly use. Attractions – free In the city, the Petronas Towers are worth a visit. The Golden Triangle is the region for high-class shopping, and Chinatown and Little India boast tourist markets and ethnic restaurants. So head to Chow Kit for the local food markets, or the Central Market for high quality Malaysian souvenirs. An hour or so out of the city by bus are the impressive Batu Caves. There's an immense staircase leading to a cavernous cave at the top. Attractions – seasonal The Batu Caves are also the home of Thaipusam in Malaysia -- it's one of KL's best-known seasonal attractions. In January or February each year tens of thousands of tourists come to watch over a million Hindu devotees celebrate this ancient rite in KL. Chinese New Year is another big event for KL happening in late January through to mid-February each year. Unsurprisingly the celebrations centre around Petaling street and Chinatown. There are three massive shopping events each year; people fly in from all over the place in March, May and December. These massive sales were designed by the tourism industry to help KL boost its profile as an international shopping destination. And it sure works! Attractions – paid The Menara KL Tower is the place to go for high views of the city, but the Bukit Bintang forest at its base is also worth a visit; regular tours are given and there's the chance of seeing some amazing Malaysian wildlife right in the centre of town. The Aquaria KLCC is right next to the Petronas towers and is a huge complex with thousands of species of fish. Guidebooks * Lonely Planet Kuala Lumpur Melaka & Penang; * Lonely Planet Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei; * Lonely Planet South East Asia on a Shoestring. * DK Eyewitness Travel Guides Malaysia and Singapore * Rough Guide to Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei. Where to next? * Rest of Malaysia * Borneo * Singapore * South East Asia Something to note By law, visitors must carry their passports at all times. Spot checks may be carried out to deal with illegal immigrants. This is *very unlikely to happen to you but there have been some unfortunate instances when people have not been able to produce a passport immediately.

087 - European visas for newbies

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:27:08 +0100

Europe is a great place to visit – there's a lot to see and it's easy to get around. If you travel to the UK, it's only a short hop across the channel to France, which is bordered by Germany. And Spain. And ... well, you get the idea. If you want to explore Europe, but you're not sure which visas you need, you should find all the answers in this episode. When travelling to Europe, you'll first need to check if you need a visa. If you live in the EU, you won't need a visa to travel within the EU or in most other countries in Europe. If you live anywhere else in the world, you might or might not need a visa. Visa waivers There are many places where you can get by without a visa, using the visa waiver programme. If this is the case — and we'll tell you when it is — you don't need anything but your passport. Although visa waivers exist, you may still be asked about your plans and be asked to provide proof of means or a return ticket at any border control. Border guards in Europe are generally friendly and professional, but remember they have the right to search your belongings, refuse you entry or even arrest you if they suspect something untoward. Dual citizenship If you or one of your parents were born in a country other than the one you have citizenship with, you can probably get a passport from that country. There's huge advantages to doing this, since you can choose which passport to travel on. If one country requires a visa for entry and the other doesn't, you can choose to travel on the passport that doesn't need a visa. However, there can be issues surrounding having dual nationality. You might have obligations or responsibilities in the second country that you don't know about - for example, if you're over 18 and a male Greek citizen, you should perform military service. Some countries deem it illegal to have two nationalities. Japan, for example - if you are Japanese and get a passport from a second country, you have effectively renounced your Japanese citizenship. However, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the UK and the US allow dual citizenship. Be aware that if you're American and you have a second passport, you must enter the US on your US passport. Nationals of about half the countries in the world can visit the UK for up to six months without a visa. This includes NZ, Australia, Canada, South Africa and the US, however citizens of some countries require one. Visit www.ukvisas.gov.uk to see if you need a visa and what sort. You cannot work if you enter the UK using the visa waiver programme. Shengen One of the factors that makes travel in Europe more doable is the existence of the Schengen zone – a group of countries that have agreed to share a common border. This means that if you can enter one Schengen country, you can enter them all. The Schengen zone is not the same thing as the European Union. Most countries in the Schengen zone are also in the EU, but the UK and Ireland are EU members but not Schengen, and Iceland and Norway are Schengen but not EU. And Switzerland isn't a member of the EU either, despite its very central location, but has recently joined the Schengen zone – it's implementing changes at the moment. Other countries have expressed an interest in joining the zone, so this list is subject to change. Work and travel visas If you want to explore Europe long-term and don't have the cash to pay for two years of travel, a work and travel (or work and holiday) visa might be what you're after. They're usually valid for one or two years, and you can work for up to half of that time (i.e. six months or a year). There are lots of options around, but make sure you check the small print before you apply. Remember that countries change their immigration policies often, so use this information as a guide only. Check with your embassy for up-to-date visa information. A lot of this information came from Craig's ebook, Travelling Europe, which is available from http://indietravelguides.com.

086 - Plan your 2009 travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:17:22 +0100

The credit crunch is causing many people to tighten their belts and cut back on non-essentials. It may seem to follow that we should all be travelling less in 2009. However, an economic downturn can be one of the best times to travel. When the economy is bad at home, living or travelling in a cheaper country might actually be a way to save money. If there aren't as many jobs to go around in your city, find one in a completely different part of the world; have a fantastic experience and escape the moans and groans of the financial analysts. If you don't want to work away, now's a good time to be a tourist too - since more people are cutting back on travel, many tourist hot-spots are experiencing a drop in visitor numbers. There are less tourists around, which means there are bargains to be had if you're brave enough to ignore the nay-sayers. Travel is possible on almost any budget, and in any economic climate, but you need to prepare if it's going to happen; now's the time to start planning your 2009 travel itinerary. Set goals, make a schedule, and sort out a budget to start the ball rolling. Goal setting First, dream. Think about what you'd like to do and where you'd like to go. Write everything down, and don't worry if it isn't realistic. Some of the things you write will have to be scheduled for another year, but many will be possible now. Next, plan a trip away for every month of the year, using the dreams you've just written down as a starting point. Plan at least one longer journey, but in the other months a trip away could be as simple as an overnight at Grandma's or a camping trip with friends. Going home for Christmas counts too. Sleep away at least once every thirty days, and if you're worried about accommodation costs, try couchsurfing. Join the network and you can stay on couches all around the world for free. Not only do you get free accommodation, but you'll be staying with someone who lives in the area you've landed in, and who will probably be more than happy to advise you about what to see and do. These mini-trips are easy to plan, mostly involving pulling out a map or checking a bus timetable. But plan at least one longer trip as well - it could be as short as a week or as long as the whole year. Either way, longer trips require more consideration and planning. You'll need to think about transport, accommodation and budget, as well as smaller details like insurance and vaccinations. Set goals and then create steps for reaching each goal. ....See more at http://indietravelpodcast.com

085 - Internet telephony for travellers

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 01:48:15 +0100

This week brings in the new year and we're glad to welcome Sasha Zahn from Yankee in New World as our guest podcaster. Sasha tells us all about internet telephone services (VOIP) for travellers. During her sojourn in Hungary she's tried all the major players and here outlines the pros and cons of each one.Skype.com Upsides:Lots of different services.Subscription payment plans are available outside the US.A Skype In number allows people to call your computer from any normal phone. Skype Out allows you to call from your computer to any normal phone.You can forward calls to the landline, in case you miss it, but not recommended if you aren't staying in your own home/hotel room. Downsides: Call quality can be very spotty - you've heard how bad it can be sometimes.You need to have a microphone and speakers or buy a headset or Skype phone.You are yoked to the computer.There's no web-based interface. You must download the programme for each computer you use.Free Call Upsides: Sound quality is better than Skype.Much cheaper to have longer conversations, say if you were calling home.Phone2Phone service - Using the program you DL, can type in the landline number of you where you are staying, and the phone # u wish to call, and your landline will ring. Downsides: If you let your 90 free days expire, then standard rates apply, not the 5 cent rate.If the other person isn't there, 5 cents is charged anyway, but it is not a big loss, as getting through to voicemail on a Skype Out phone call is about the same. My friend said that sometimes she feels like they charged her for more calls, but I have never had that issue. I think they were trying to call UK mobiles, which can use a lot of credit.Jajah.com With Jajah, there is no program to download. Simply go to Jajah.com site, and sign up for an account. Upsides: Two methods of calling: by web interface or on the phone. Available without downloading a program, in case you are on a shared or public computerYou can check rates for the country you are dialing from/ to here: http://www.jajah.com/prices/ Downsides: Prices tend to be higher than Skype/ Freecall You must check prices individually; calling to or from different places has different rates.Rebtel.com My favorite VOIP service. Like Freecall, can use your regular phone; like JaJah, it's all web based -- there's no program to download. Rebtel works like JaJah phone - by assigning local numbers to international ones. Upsides: You use credit like with the other programs - and it will charge you by the minuteYou can call your friend with the local number then have them call you back on the number that displays. You can talk for FREE! Don't Hang up, though: just let them hang up and call u back. This trick only works for certain countries.Great sound quality.One of the cheapest ways to call cell phones.Automatically how much it will cost per minute. Downsides: Um...No voicemail or extra services. Conclusion For anyone with a business, I would recommend Skype. For those who want land lines only and slightly cheaper prices, Free Call. For travelers, JaJah. For expats, and travelers alike, Rebtel.

084 - Travel at Christmas

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:50:34 +0100

A lot of travel goes on around Christmas and New Year's - people head home to spend time with family, or meet friends somewhere in their own country. But Christmas is also a great time to experience the wider world. So, why travel at Christmas? Visit family far far away Most people have family living abroad - what better time to catch up with them than at Christmas? Or perhaps you're the person far far away - you could arrange to meet your family in some random location for a family Christmas you'll never forget. Get away from family By the same token, most of us have spent many, many Christmases at home, having the same arguments and eating the same overcooked turkey (or other, culturally appropriate meal). Give yourself a year off the treadmill and do something completely different. See the Christmas markets and nativity scenes If you're wondering where to head, Europe is a good starting place. Many cities have Christmas markets (I like the ones in Vienna and Prague), and others celebrate by building nativity scenes everywhere (Malta is especially prone to this). Or just choose a location and find out when you get there how Christmas is celebrated. Get some sun You might have noticed, if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, that Christmas is usually quite cold. But it doesn't have to be. Christmas means summer in the Southern Hemisphere, and beach barbecues and picnics are normal Christmas meals. You know you need some Vitamin D - so head to Australia and New Zealand with a suitcase full of shorts. Experience a completely different Christmas If at all possible, join a local family somewhere overseas. They'll know all the Christmas traditions and will probably be more than happy to teach you all about them. One of our most memorable Christmases was Christmas 2007, spent in Wustrow, Germany, with an ex-student and her non-English-speaking family. We were adopted for a week, showered with gifts and plied with traditional German Christmas food. It was amazing. If you can't get in with a family, celebrate with old or new friends - get a group of expats together for a meal or travel with your best mates. Skip Christmas altogether Sometimes Christmas can be a bit much. If you're feeling a bit Scroogey, it's easier to avoid Christmas if you're not constantly surrounded by it. Head to Asia - you can find some celebration if you look for it, but it's a lot more low-key.

083 - What clothes to take

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 09:14:43 +0100

Clothes make up a fair percentage of the things in your backpack. If you take too many clothes, you end up with a heavy bag or no room for other essentials, and if you take too few clothes - well, let's not go there. It's important to consider what clothes you need. You'll be surprised, you don't need as much as you might think, and you certainly don't need to take your whole wardrobe. We took 20-litre daybags for a week in Greece and wondered what other travellers (on the same one-week package) had in their two huge suitcases. This list should cover you for any eventuality. We've been travelling for almost three years carrying basically these items, and we don't need much else. What to bring 1. Five pairs of undies (and a couple of bras, girls). 2. Four or five pairs of socks. Good quality ones, you'll be walking a lot. 3. Sneakers or hiking shoes. 4. Flip-flops. 5. Lightweight nice shoes (optional). 6. Three or four t-shirts. 7. A nicer t-shirt or top. 8. Two pairs of trousers, preferably non-wrinkle, zip-off. Not jeans! 9. Shorts or a skirt for the beach. 10. Thermal underwear if going somewhere cold. Merino wool is good and black is always a good colour – you might be able to use your thermal top as an outer layer. 11. Two thin long-sleeve tops 12. A heavier jumper (but not very heavy or bulky). 13. A rainjacket 14. Hat, gloves and scarf if heading into winter anywhere. 15. A sarong can be handy for girls and guys – as beachwear, for heading to the shower cin or as a spare sheet. 16. A sun hat. EXTRA TIPS 1. Think about where you're going, and when. Investigate temperatures and pack for temperatures more extreme than what you discover. 2. Pack layers. You keep warmer and have more options if you can layer up.. 3. Make sure all your items match – choose a colour scheme and stick to it. 4. Add extras as necessary. Buy country-specific clothes in that country. 5. Remember, you don't need to pack everything in your wardrobe. Pack light and you won't regret it. You can buy things along the road, in fact you'll need to because things wear out quite quickly when you wear it every day or two days. 6. Category pack: have a small bag for undies, one for winter gear (that can be pushed to the bottom of your back in summer), one for summer gear and one for work/party stuff. It'll be easier to find things and the things you're not using will be out of the way. 7. It's quite a good idea to take some old stuff with you when you travel. Wear it a couple of times then chuck it and buy something new. You'll probably want a souvenir of your travels anyway, and clothes can be a great way to do it. Sure it'll wear out, but it'll be in all the photos! 8. Don't take anything that needs ironing! If possible, hand-wash your clothes before you go and see how quickly they dry. If you're thinking about taking jeans, this experiment should dissuade you. 9. Cotton undies tend to breathe well – get thin ones that pack small. GIFT LISTS Christmas is drawing ever closer so let's have a quick roundup of travel gift guides that have surfaced online. - Our own - Travellious has four different guides for: travellers, backpackers, first time travellers and urban travellers - Nerd's eye view - Go green travel PASSPORTS WITH PURPOSE Passports with Purpose is a fund raiser for Heifer Intl, organised by four travel bloggers from Seattle, USA. Buy a US$10 raffle ticket and enter the prize draw.

082 - Travel in Vienna Austria

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:56:26 +0100

Vienna, known for its elegance, its opera, and its schnitzel, is the capital of Austria and one of our favourite European cities. It was ranked first equal for quality of life in the Economist's 2005 report; it was the home of Mozart and Freud; and the Hapsburg empire, the Holy Roman Empire and Hitler were all based there at some point. Fact box Name: Vienna Place: Capital of Austria Population: 1.7 million Known for: The Third Man & Before Sunrise Average temperatures: summer 22-25 degrees / winter 0 Airports: Vienna-Schwechat Airport OR: Graz, Linz or Bratislava Price of a pint: €3-4 Price of a dorm bed: €20 Price of a public transport ticket: €1.70 single Layout It's easy to get lost in Vienna, since the street names change often, but then again it's also easy to get around. Most of the main attractions are in or around the multi-named ring roads, including the Rathaus, the Museumsquartier, the Opera and a variety of parks and squares. Mariahilfer Strasse heads west up to the Westbahnhof, the main train station, around which you'll find the backpacker mecca of hostels, supermarkets and cheap eateries. Accommodation There's a huge variety of beds to choose from. We like Hostel Ruthensteiner, near the Westbahnhof, and Wombat's nearby is also popular. Check Hostelbookers for a wider range Food You're spoilt for choice in Vienna. Have a sausage from a street vendor or sample one of the ubiquitous kebabs - they're cheaper near the Westbahnhof than at the other end of Mariahilfer Strasse. Definitely have a coffee in one of the Viennese coffee shops, but be aware that the coffee might taste different to what you expect! While you're at it, sample Sachertorte at Cafe Sacher. Yum. If you're on the cheap, buy rolls at the supermarket or eat at University mensas (eating halls). Making lunch your main meal will save you a packet due to the prevalence of meal deals at lunchtime. And visit a heurige for an authentic local experience, sampling local wines and locally produced food. We love the Naschmarkt for the variety of restaurants, especially the Japanese one where you can get a bento box for €7 even at dinnertime. Transport €1.70 for a single ticket will get you almost anywhere you want to go, but most of the attractions are walkable. The transport network is excellent though if you do use it. Attractions - free Vienna's a great city for just wandering around in. Visit Mariahilfer Strasse for shopping, or the banks of the Danube for a beer in a floating pub. See more at http://indietravelpodcast.com

081 - Preparing to travel

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:37:59 +0100

Many people dream of travelling full-time. Most never fulfill their dream, since it seems too expensive, too difficult, too much work. But it can be easy if you prepare in advance, sort out your finances and start dreaming specifically rather than generally. Money Travel isn't as expensive as you think it is. We love to pamper ourselves on holiday, to make up for having to sit in an office for the other 50 weeks of the year. And the flights are expensive when you're only going for two weeks. But the flights seem cheaper if you're travelling for six months, and you can spread your money more widely if you stay in hostels rather than hotels. Plus, you won't spend as much on food if you don't eat in flash restaurants every night. Finding the money You do need some money though, to pay for the flights and to have a buffer for if things go wrong. But you probably have plenty coming in if you just spend a little less and organise it better. Check out episode 67 on our cash budgeting system to give you some ideas. Start by killing debts and cancelling subscriptions, and cut down to just three bank accounts: a current account, a savings account and one credit card. Remember to never spend more on your credit card than you can pay back at the end of the month. The cash trap Don't fall into the trap of buying heaps of expensive travel gear. Make a list of what you need and budget a certain amount per week to buy it. Keep the money that you would have spent on gear in the bank and buy yourself several meals in Malaysia or a week's accommodation in West Africa. Timeframe Keep dreaming, but set a date for your escape. Give yourself plenty of time for the preparation you need - we gave ourselves four years to pay off debts and save, which took the pressure off our finances and a lot of stress out of planning. Having a rough date set for departure will give you motivation to prepare and should keep the dream alive. Social Research Start researching by subscribing to travel blogs like Almost Fearless, Nomadic Matt, and Ottsworld; and listen to podcasts like the Amateur Traveler, Everything, Everywhere, or of course, the Indie Travel Podcast. Join online travel networking sites like Matador, the Thorn Tree, Couchsurfing or Hospitality Club. The last two give you the opportunity to offer your couch or spare bed to an incoming traveller for a few nights, and in return you can stay with people all over the world when you do start travelling. Training Do some training so you can work on the go. Bartending or teaching English are great jobs for travelling, or investigate if you can use skills you already have. Learning a language can be a great way to get into the travel spirit - you'll want to go so you can use it. Spanish, French or German are useful in Europe, or try Mandarin or Japanese for Asia. Try to find a language exchange group rather than shelling out on a school course. You can travel full time. Start preparing now.

080 - Get good travel insurance

mail@indietravelpodcast.com (Craig and Linda Martin) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:21:35 +0100

Last week we featured an interview with Graham Kingaby, who is the Insurance Director at World Nomads Travel Insurance. We talked about travel insurance tips, what to look out for and about how World Nomads specifically caters to travellers' needs. This week we want to talk about our approach to travel insurance as well as look at how to find travel insurance and approach making a claim.

Finding insurance

Finding insurance can be hard. There's lots of small print to get through and plenty of traps. Not to mention really strange pricing. The three main types of policy are: Single trip Multi trip, and Backpackers When looking for insurance, if you have any questions AT ALL about your coverage, pick up the phone and ask. The wait times and treatment you experience as a potential customer won't neccessarily show you how good their customer service is, but it'll help. Ask about: Do I need a home address? Must I be in my country of origin when I start and finish? Do they cover each country you're going to? It is more expensive for some countries? If so, can you specify when you'll be in the expensive ones? Do they cover flights home in case of emergencies? What about cancellations or bankruptcy? How do you make a claim and what's the average response time? Chris and Marta from http://atravelaroundtheworld.com have just been pricing insurance for a 11 month trip. They're based in the UK, and you can read their quotes here. http://www.atravelaroundtheworld.com/2008/11/insurance-dilemma.html

Recording Purchases

So how can you make sure you're actually going to get what you claim? This is the big question and one that makes me really sceptical about insurance. Obviously travellers are not going to keep paperwork! We try to: Scan/photograph receipts. Keep them locally and upload them to a website and email them to ourselves. We use flickr.com and their private settings. Try to create believable evidence.

Acting responsibly

Last week Graham's main tip was to act as if you were uninsured. If companies can prove you were acting negligently, it's probably they won't validate your claim. Finally, a tip from twitter.com, where we asked about experiences with travel insurance. Achuka said: "don't let travel insurance expire while you are out of your native country... ask J - she'll know the prob with that :)" We do! That's why we've ended up using World Nomads for our insurance. You can start your policy from any country in the world. Thankfully someone does! Don't forget to check out the competitions on this month at Everything Everywhere and also drop by Irish Fireside if that's your cup of tea. Or shot of baileys. Our poll of the month asks what you'd like to hear more of on the Indie Travel Podcast. Please take a moment to vote or email us - mail@indietravelpodcast.com