Sean Hampson – Page 5 – The Traveling Barkeep

Landmark Events

I consider a landmark event to be something life changing. Something you can never do anywhere else and most definitely worth seeing.

The cost on these events is usually about the same as a days budget or more. However, it will cost a great deal more to fly back, book another room, pay for food, entertainment,etc.

Here’s a few of my landmark events:

-Climbing all night to Mt. Fuji’s summit to watch the sunrise.

-Bungee jumping the Nevis in Queenstown, New Zealand.

-Madame Butterfly in the Sydney Opera House

-AFL quarterfinal in Melbourne, Australia.

-A show at Moulin Rouge

-Visit the Shaolin Temple

-Experiencing Angkor Wat

-Touring the tunnels of Cu Chi in Vietnam

-Riding a camel into the Sahara desert to camp under the stars.

This is one of the few times where I advocate using a credit card if I don’t already have the money saved.

I always prefer to pay things off and not hold debt. So as somebody who thinks of money as potential opportunity and not just fun tickets. I assure you that you will still feel more guilty for the things you didn’t do then the experiences you chose to pay for.

Tips

Why budget travel is the best

7 years agoSean Hampson

Budget travel has allowed me to see many beautiful sights in the world and in some cases for less than the average bar tab back home.

I typically allow myself $80-$100 a day when I travel to western countries, which is generous compared to many travelers I have met while on the road.

This can be a meager allowance in some countries, while in others, it is an obscene amount of money. In some places $20-$30 dollars a day is more than enough to get by, so a little research into the average cost of each city you are visiting never hurts.

Knowing what weight the conversion rate carries also helps in understanding the cost of lodging, food, drinks, and other recreational/sightseeing activities while traveling.

As an example, a hostel in Europe has cost me around $25-$40 a night, while somewhere like Luang Prabang cost me $5 a night, Ho Chi Minh cost around $8-$10 for a nice hostel.

Location, Location, Location.

To continue on a cost comparison, a beer cost me about 5,000-8,000 kip. The conversion at the time of my visit was 8,000 kip per US dollar.

You can only imagine what sort of damage you can do to your liver on a budget like that.

A beer in Europe can cost from €2-€10. It all depends on the city. Is it Prague or Paris?

This is why I jokingly measure in beer.

It’s a good gauge for spending.

So if you can’t bring more money and are wise enough to avoid going into debt, learn the value of the local currency and where you can cut costs in each city you plan to visit.

This will make your budgeting more fluid and make you less likely to over spend.

Philosophy

10 reasons you should travel

7 years agoSean Hampson

A new perspective

Looking at the the world with new eyes can help mend the jaded soul. As someone who has suffered from career burnout in the past, I can assure you stepping away even if for a short while can adjust ones lens and determine if the problem is really the job, or just stress.

Sometimes little things add up when compounded with routine.

Trying strange new things

Travel abroad will certainly get you out of your comfort zone. The world holds many sights, smells, sounds, and flavors that are bound to inspire. With that being said…

Be brave and take risks

Bungee jump the Nevis, climb a mountain, dive with sharks, get so obliterated in Amsterdam it takes 4 hours to find your hostel, handle snakes in Vietnam. If you want to do it, you will most likely be safe as long as you do some research and use your better judgement, so get out there and live.

Meeting new people

The kindred spirits you meet along the road stay with you forever and sometimes you never see them coming. Sometimes it’s a conversation on a bus or in an airport. Other times it’s a roommate, a stranger that helped lead the way, or somebody you were bullshitting in the bar with. However life leads you to these friends, in the end they feel like family.

Learning new lingo

I love successfully communicating in another language.

Now let’s be clear, I’m by no means proficient in any language but English, but operating outside of the restrictions of your native tongue can allow you to enjoy the company of a person who an interaction with would have been previously impossible. You don’t need to master the language. Learn a few phrases, and build from there.

Usually people fear making mistakes when speaking in a language that’s new, but remember, you are here for the experience and most locals will appreciate the effort.

Share and share alike

Travelers in the hostel community, in my experience, have been pretty open and generous people. Basic childhood lessons, like cleaning up after yourself, and sharing are quickly reinforced.

If you meet good company, share info, buy a round, buy food, and give back what you borrow. Research bus schedules and accommodations as well since it will also be appreciated if you and some travel mates are headed the same direction.

Everyone appreciates someone who is resourceful and someone who shares.

It’s just like kindergarten. That’s it, simple.

Appreciation of others

Once in Germany I got sick. Really, really sick. We are talking bed ridden, 3 days, coming outta both ends sick. I was laid up in bed in Munich and my roommates took care of me for 2 days after seeing me do shuttle runs from the bed to the bathroom for 16 hours. If it weren’t for them, things could have gone far worse. After the years, I don’t remember their names, but I remember the water and fruit left by my bedside when I would wake up. For that, I’m forever grateful.

Self awareness and self confidence

I remember the day I was boarding my flight to Japan alone. Even though though I had always dreamed of going, I was filled with anxiety.

My last trip went over budget and I was broke within a week and a half. What if I do it again?

I didn’t speak Japanese. At all. My mind raced and my hands visibly shook with stress while thoughts ran rampant in my head.

What if I get stuck overseas?!

I had never hosteled. the movie didn’t deter me much, but I wasn’t keen to the idea of a blowtorch to the face or a sliced Achilles.

Plus, what if I can’t find my hostel and have to sleep on the streets?!? What if? What if? What if?…

Fortunately, I found solace in the airport bar until it was time to leave.

After 2 and a half weeks with no smart phone, credit card, or travel companion, I did it!

Initially, I was terrified. After navigating Japan without a companion, I felt more confident than ever! In fact, it paved the way for the rest of my travels and was my main inspiration to see the world.

Like anything else, with experience comes confidence. So, if you want to travel….you know, insert corporate slogan here.

Relaxing and opening your heart

Not every person you meet as you make your way through the various cities of the globe wants to steal your money. In most cases, they just want to practice their English and every once in a while somebody just wants to help.

If somebody is looking to make a profit off of you, respectfully say “no, thank you” and walk away if you aren’t interested in what they are offering. If you don’t want any help or don’t wish to be bothered, don’t be a dick.

“Fuck you asshole” can bring a lot more problems than it’s worth.

On that note, mistakes and oversights will always happen, so remember the people helping you are your means to a solution. They are not a punching bag for your frustration.

Being polite got me a free return train to Brussels when I fell asleep through my stop and woke up en route to Paris. You will miss a train or a flight if you travel enough times. It’s all going to be ok, remember to breath.

Enjoy the little things

I enjoy travel for the simplicity it provides me, but it’s always nice to go back home. When the comforts of home are gone long enough, I find that it makes the simple luxuries much more appreciated.

Philosophy

10 great travel quotes for the solo traveler

7 years agoSean Hampson

“The man who goes alone can start today, but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.” –Henry David Thoreau

“I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.”
-Mark Twain

“When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.”
–Clifton Fadiman

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” -Lao Tzu

“Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.”
-George Carlin

“There is nothing safer than flying – it’s crashing that is dangerous.”
-Theo Cowan

“Travel like Gandhi, with simple clothes, open eyes and an uncluttered mind.” – Rick Steve

“The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before.” – Albert Einstein

“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J. R. R. Tolkien

“Adventure, yeah. I guess that’s what you call it when everybody comes back alive.”
-Mercedes Lackey

Philosophy

Measuring in beer

7 years agoSean Hampson

I measure my travel costs in beer.

It started as just a joke and actually managed to become a decent gauge for general costs when abroad.

Most of us in the service industry are not shy about our pursuit of a good drink and an even better time. Comparing the cost of a purchase to that of a drink allows you a solid way of measuring your expenditures while on the road.

Keep in mind that the price and availability of alcoholic beverages fluctuates depending on the country and region of the world you are visiting. It’s due to this that I have adopted this method to aid my budget.

Having a cost comparison keeps you and your wallet happy. Let’s assume a beer is €5. If a hotel in Europe costs €120 and a hostel costs €40, that’s a 16 beer difference for a place to lay your head.

A cheap lunch will also help to stretch your money for a night out with a date or fellow travelers in locations where drinks are expensive.

Look for balance.

When it all looks like Monopoly money, it’s best to learn its worth or you will end up broke or in debt.

There are far more frugal travelers than myself, but I like a mix of culture and party. It’s about a 60/40 split where I also allow splurging on landmark events.

Should you not drink or dislike the notion of measuring in alcohol whether morally or socially, that’s cool. Just find something you enjoy to use as a cost comparison, a cup of coffee, or a piece of clothing for example.

For the rest of us, “Beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy”.

So be smart with your money and cheers, slainté, kanpai and prost.

Here’s to the world and all it has to offer.

Tips

Bed bugs

7 years agoSean Hampson

Fortunately I have only experienced bed bugs once.

These chinches cabrones, I hate them.

Lift the sheets from the corner of the bed, check your pillows and don’t leave your bags on your bed. If you wish to take extra precautions there are also bed bug sprays available.

If you feel itchy in bed I recommend you dress in long sleeves and pants and sleep on top of the sheets.

That is unless you don’t mind spending the next day scratching like a flea ridden dog or a crackhead going through withdrawals.

After that, either check out the next morning, or rough it out.

The choice is yours.

Experiences

A guide to avoiding food poisioning while traveling

7 years agoSean Hampson

One of the most common questions I get asked by friends and associates is that of the risks of food poisoning and how to prevent it.

Experiencing street food and the local fair can be a life changing experience, for better or worse. If you keep your wits about you and do a bit of research hopefully your adventures can lead to the former more so than the latter.

Though it is a definite concern when abroad, the fear of food borne illness persists regardless of where you are in the world, so be brave and live life.

In culinary school, an instructor of mine was quoted saying “If you wouldn’t serve it to your mother don’t sell it”. I have learned to apply the same rules when it comes to purchasing food abroad as well.

If you choose to eat meat in a country where the standards of service aren’t typically to your liking, opt for dishes that cook for long periods of time and meats that are cooked throughout.

Observation of the quality of equipment and the temperature regulation (if present at all) of food service items can also help prevent a potential travel disaster.

Some of the best local spots can appear the least appealing, but offer amazing rewards.

So use your better judgement and if you are still weary, beware of equipment that doesn’t have temperature regulation and nearby flies.

If you are very concerned when eating out, here is a list of symptoms of food poisoning don’t over plan your schedule so you can leave a few days to recuperate if need be. If you don’t like the quality of the meat, go vegetarian.

At times if I’m wandering around and find a place I would never try at home but is full of locals, I’ll throw caution to the wind and give it a go.

These experiences have not only allowed me to eat some of the best meals of my life, they help teach and reinforce many life lessons. You know, books and covers and stuff of that nature.

Culture is comprised of the arts and intellectual achievements of a civilization. Thus, food is included.

So be adventurous, that’s the purpose of travel anyways, right?