You are finished with all your preparations, and you are sitting in the plane to your first destination. Now begins your journey into the unknown.
But how does it continue? Where will you sleep? How do you get from A to B? What should you know about hygiene and safety? What should you consider when planning your budget?
My very first piece of advice: Do not worry too much in advance about all these points. Once you have started the trip, and you arrived at your first travel destination, you will notice that everything is working out somehow. And usually everything will be very different than you had planned previously. Relax! Nothing will work out as you think.
Sometimes, your patience will be put to the test. Not only once did it happen to me that I waited almost two hours for the meal I had ordered. Always remember the motto: "Do not fret, just wonder". But the food is usually prepared really fresh.
For example, if you order French fries, it may well be that the lady in the kitchen first goes into the garden to get some potatoes. Then she begins to peel them very comfortably. After a short talk with her colleagues, the potatoes are then cut into fries in slow motion. And at the same speed it goes on.
Or your planned bus simply does not leave for any reason. It has a defect or there are not enough passengers in it. Or the bus driver just does not appear. All of this is part of everyday backpacker life. Please do not let it make you go upside down. Better stop planning everything exactly, and always take a little more time.
Nevertheless, in this chapter I would like to give you some tips on the most important points to consider for your journey.