Where this Blog is Headed in 2013

I’ve outlined below a short synopsis of where this site’s headed in 2013. I’ve also listed my travel itinerary along with a few highlights that I hope you’ll look forward to reading. As Samuel L. Jackson says in Jurassic Park “Hang on to your butts”; 2013 is going to get crazy.

2013 is a busy year at A Backpacker’s Tale. This humble site will be seeing major changes as the clock ticks closer to May, when I finally start traveling full-time. I hope you’re looking forward to the adventures that await me while traveling some of the most beautiful places in the world. I’m beyond excited to start crossing off major items on my bucket list, having misadventures, and exploring new places. I’m looking forward to you coming along with me on this incredible life journey.

So what does traveling full-time mean for this website?

To sum it up, bigger and better things.

My site’s still in its baby stages, but so far, this humble blog has been successful because of all of you. Words can’t express my gratitude! So take a second to give yourselves a round of applause, and a hearty pat on the back. You’ve helped encourage me to make my dream a reality.

Also a huge shout out to Nomadic Matt whose guidance and advice has steered me in the right direction more than once, he has saved me a ton of headaches.

In earlier posts, I have mainly shared information about who I am, entertaining stories of past adventures, my dreams. I’ve expressed where my path is headed as a person, a traveler, and a blogger. I will continue to provide similar posts, while improving this site for you, the reader, in order to make your travels more adventurous, rewarding, and safer.

I’m ambitious. I feel the only limits are the ones we impose on ourselves, so in 2013 I’m diving into travel blogging whole heartedly to make my blog the best I can. My goal as a travel blogger is not to show off, but to inspire people to chase their dreams.

A few improvements you can expect in the upcoming year are:

 Dare me, I dare you!

Once I’m on the road I’m considering starting a section on my website, where you can (by taking a poll) dare me to do something on your bucket list ideas, no matter how random, or crazy. After all, how can I be a bucket list traveler without taking up new challenges (Please don’t make me regret this).

Do you think that sound entertaining?

If you have an idea for a dare leave it the comments below or email me.

Videos

Once I embark on my journey around the world, videos will become a big part of A Backpacker’s Tale. These videos will provide a realistic perspective on the culture and feel of a country, allowing you to decide if it’s a place you want to visit.

Full list of pre-trip preparations

This will include Information on obtaining visas, vaccinations, and advice on how to finalize your trip schedule. I’ll be documenting the process while experiencing it. This will ensure all my information will be fresh and up to date.

Safety tips

This will include information and advice on how to avoid mistakes. This advice will also come as mishaps are happening. I’ll be hitting the road bumps so you don’t have too which means you are free to enjoy your trip of a lifetime. I have already posted a few Europe safety tips which you can read here.

Featured Country

These posts will focus solely on discovering what one country has to offer. By covering what to see and experience. I’ll go in-depth on visa information, safety tips, and best way to travel around the country. You can view my post exploring “The Best Islands in Croatia“

2013 Itinerary

January –April: Preparation.

With less than four months to prepare, the mad scramble has begun. This includes selling everything I own, sorting out my visas and other important documentation, getting vaccinations, and finalizing my trip. I can see both, a good and bad side to the rush.

• The good: The months will fly by quickly.

• The bad: Rushing around in so many circles makes giving myself whiplash or permanently becoming cross-eyed a real threat.

So if I’m not traveling yet, what will I be blogging about?

Besides stories from my previous travels, adjusting to this new life, and featured country post

You can expect post about.

• Visas: Step by step walk through of how to apply and obtain Visas. This useful information will help anyone wondering how the process works. I’ll be walking you through this and breaking it into easy steps. Because this is first hand all my guidelines are going to be up to date.

• Vaccinations: shots shots shots ……. and I’m not talking about the kind you drank too many of New Years Eve. I talking about the “painful”,” hopefully going into my arm”, and “damn, that’s a big needle” shots. I’ll have a list of what injections you need for what continents, how to find out where to get them, how much they cost, and, if you get them in your arm or in an area that’s a little fleshier.

• Lighting the Load: Condensing my whole life down to the size of a 70 liter backpack will be fun and a somewhat painful process. I will document the process of selling, and getting the most money I can from all my possessions.

• Finalization: Your trip can be prepared or spur of the moment. In most cases, I’ve been guilty of planning nothing. This time my schedule’s tight (at least in Europe) with everything planned in detail. I will walk you through the process of planning your flights, hostels, and schedule to help you get the most for your time and money.

May: Egypt and Jordan.

Let the fun begin! I fly into Cairo early May where I’ll spend the better part of a month touring the country, sailing down the Nile, and exploring every inch of Egypt I can, before ducking over to Jordan for a few days to see Petra and a couple other sites.

Highlights.

• Cruising the Nile aboard a felucca

• Petra

• Valley of the Kings

• Camping in the desert camp outside Wadi Rum

June: Croatia and England.

June’s my beach month. I start in Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, and travel to Pilvarte Lakes on my way down to the Spilt to tour the Dalamation coast. I’ll be jumping on a Busabout’s Sailing Croatia Tour, which I heard’s a party tour (err…. bring on the island hangover) before flying to London to spend the summer solstice once again at Stonehenge.

Highlights.

• Stonehenge summer solstice party.

• Sailing to some of the best Islands in Greece.

• Pilvatre Lakes.

July-Aug: Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany; Czech Republic, Austria, and Italy.

I start July by doing one of the top 15 things on my bucket list and probably one of the scariest moments of my life — The Running of the bulls. This has been on my bucket list since the first time I traveled. After the run, (and a quick change of undies) I head all throughout Europe; zooming through eight countries in two months.

Highlights.

• Running of the Bulls.

• La Tomatina.

• Pailo de Siena.

Side note: I would never recommend hitting eight countries in two month. Travel slowly and thoroughly enjoy yourself. I recommend at least a month per country. I’m hitting eight countries in two months because I’ve been to all these countries before, and I am mainly going back to hit places, and festivals I missed the first time. By the way, I still feel guilty and don’t plan on doing it again anytime soon.

September: Morocco, Switzerland, and Germany.

Early September, I will fly into Casablanca (I get chills every time I say that) and from there I’ll tour around Morocco for approximately three weeks. After that I will rush into Switzerland for a quick visit before heading to Munich and put my liver to the test at Oktoberfest (another bucket list Item).

Highlights.

• Camel trek in the Sahara.

• Staying at a Berber Camp.

• Lauterbrunnen.

• Oktoberfest.

October: Ireland and Thailand.

After shaking off my hangover from Oktoberfest and exploring one of the best places to visit in Europe, I will be heading to TBEX (Travel Blogger Exchange Conference) in Dublin. My first blogging conference will be a highlight for me. Here I’ll learn tips and tricks of the trade, and meet some of my favorite bloggers in person that I have grown to know and admire. Then at long last, I will shoot over to Asia, where my travel schedule way more flexible. At this point, my schedule is up in the air.

Highlights

• TBEX ‘13.

• Thailand’s Full-Moon party.

November –January?

A few contenders. India, Vietnam, Mongolia, Indonesian, Laos, Nepal.

What countries would you most like to read about?

January 2014: Australia and New Zealand.

Early January, I’ll off for a quick visit backpacking in New Zealand , before heading back to Oz to work for a year, rebuild my bank account, and prepare my itinerary to South America.

What do you think about where this site is headed, and my itinerary? What do you have planned for 2013?

Let your voice be heard in the comments below! 

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