- Quick facts
- Total days on the road: 586
- Currently in: USA
- Miles Driven: 36821
- Countries Visited: 17
- Days Camping: 389
- Days Indoors: 202
- Get Updates via Email
Visa Basics
{jcomments lock}If you’re new to international travel, acquiring a visa can be very confusing. Rules and regulations differ depending on your citizenship, country of residence and where you’re headed. Here are a few tips to help you understand the basics and avoid making mistakes.
What is a Visa?
No, it’s not the credit card that’s accepted everywhere Master Card isn’t. It’s a document, a stamp, sticker, or simply an electronic record. A visa is issued to an individual, by a government, and allows you to enter a country.
Who needs a Visa?
That’s a complicated question. Short answer: you need a visa if you are traveling to a country you are not a citizen of, and a visa waiver program does not exist between your home country and your destination country.
How to Document Travel Destination Research
{jcomments lock}When planning for a trip, there are three ways of thinking:
Do lots of research and schedule everything!
I used to be this type of person. No matter how long or short a trip was, I planned every day. Scheduled it out. Made reservations. It was exciting – until the trip started.
Do lots of research, but still schedule nothing!
I’m this type of person. I love to know everything I can about where I’m going, yet I’ve traveled enough to know it’s likely that all the research I’ve done is wrong. Or at least wrong enough I’ll end up changing my plans.
Why You Need 4x4 Driving Training
{jcomments lock}Our first 4x4 overland trip was in 2008 through eastern and southern Africa. Before the trip it was recommended that I take a 4x4 training course from the Four Wheel Drive Club of Southern Africa.
I questioned the $100 fee for a long, hot day of driving. I was under the impression that I knew how to drive and had faith that my 4x4 could go anywhere. I was about to discover how ignorant I was about 4x4 driving and the limitations of my truck.
The course changed the way I look at and use the road. I had no idea that there were so many facets to driving an overland vehicle that could not only save the lives of other drivers, but also everyone in the vehicle.
Prior to the 4x4 training course I had done research on how to drive through soft sand, gravel roads and overcome small obstacles. I watched videos on how to use my recovery gear and thought that I was prepared for the road ahead. It’s true what they say, you cannot learn to drive from a book.
Researching Travel Destinations
{jcomments lock}The easiest way to start your travel planning is to make a few lists of what you want. Something you can refer back to while you're plodding through guide books and web sites. Having a list of criteria helps to keep you focused and eliminate destinations that won't work.
Personal, professional and financial choices may limit your choices. That’s not to say you can’t travel where you please. You may have to weigh options and find creative ways to deal with a location’s shortcomings. If you are a location independent professional, choosing travel destinations that can accommodate your work is crucial.
Spares and Safety Equipment
{jcomments lock}There are many types of spares and safety equipment to consider packing, whether you are on a weekend getaway or a year long adventure. To help you decide which equipment you need, I have compiled the list below. It is by no means comprehensive, rather an overview of the vehicle spares and safety equipment we carry with us on our overlanding trips.
Basic Tools
A small set of basic tools can help out in many situations, even those that are not vehicle related. On big trips we carry two sets of screwdrivers (one large, one small), vice grips, pliers, electrical tape, adjustable wrench, Allen wrenches, a socket set and wrench set with the most common sizes for our vehicle. On shorter trips, or when space is a concern, we omit the wrench sets and extra screwdrivers.
Wrench Set vs. Adjustable Wrench
Adjustable wrenches are compact and at times will be all you need. But there are tight spots where the adjustable wrench head will be to big, and not provide the secure fit to apply the necessary force to loosen or tighten a bolt or nut. If you have the space, carry a set.
Nuts and Bolts
Read the factory service manual for your vehicle to see what the most common sizes of nuts and bolts are. Make sure to buy hi-tensile nuts and bolts as replacements and then make sure you have the wrenches that fit.
Filters, Belts and Fuses, Oh My!
Unless you are positive spare parts will be easy to find everywhere on the road, bring a set of belts, air, oil and gas filters and fuses. Also consider the most vital sensors for your model of vehicle. If the lack of a $2 fuse could leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere, you might want to pack it.
Duck Tape
1001 uses, 'nuf said.
More Articles...
Subcategories
-
Plan & Prepare
Plan & Prepare
Planning for a big travel adventure can be a daunting task. There’s much to consider and even more to research. Properly planning your trip will make life easier on the road and allow you to spend less time worrying about details and more time having fun. These articles cover the basics of researching and documenting your travel destinations and other pre-trip activities we find valuable.
-
Overlanding
Overlanding
Traveling by vehicle is a great way to see places that are normally difficult to get to. Having a car or truck makes it easier to camp and cook, giving you ways to save money and enjoy natural and cultural heritages that may be out of reach of traditional backpacking travelers. In this section we offer advice for choosing the right vehicle, renting, outfitting and staying safe while driving in foreign countries.
-
Health & Safety
Health & Safety
Staying healthy and being safe on the road is 20% preparation and 80% common sense. We’re here to help you be prepared, you’ll have to supply the rest. Know what the risks are, what diseases are common and how to prevent them, where it’s safe to go, how to deal with corruption and avoid petty crime. Pack a first aid kit that can handle common health problems and have insurance for yourself and your stuff in case of emergency. Be ready to deal with the unexpected and have enough information to let your common sense do the rest.
-
Cooking
Cooking
It seems all we do is talk about food, what we are eating and when. When people first meet us they quickly come to realize we eat a lot and we eat well.
We thought it is high time we share some of our culinary shenanigans with food lovers alike. If you have any recipes you would like us to add, let us know and we will get right on it.
-
Photography
Photography
There are books to be written on the subject of travel photography. Hundreds of thousands of tips to be given on lighting and lenses, composition and cameras. In fact one member of the Life Remotely team spent four years of her life studying it. There is no possible way to pack all that info in one little website, but we vow to do what we can.
Occasionally people ask us how we take certain photos, and what type of gear we recommend. We’ll publish some articles here to help you out. Most are written by request. Send us an email if there is something you’d like to know, and we’ll do our best to say something smart about it.
-
Budget & Money
Budget & Money
Budgeting is all about getting the most out of your trip. Putting in this effort before you leave to help reach savings goals, pick good bank accounts and ensure your travels will be as successful, stress free and long as possible. Maintaining and sticking to your budget on the road will help you make better decisions with the least amount of worry. Trust us, it’s not much fun, but financially planning for your trip will always be worth it in the end.
-
Camping
Camping
Camping while traveling can be a fun and convenient way to save money and experience new places off the beaten track. It can also be such an uncomfortable and frustrating hassle that you run screaming for the nearest hotel. In this section we share some of our experiences from years of traveling and camping. We’ll help you decide whether or not to camp, how to stay comfortable and sane when you do camp, and what to bring with to make life on the dirt a bit more enjoyable.
-
While Traveling
While Traveling
As any experienced traveler knows, you will run into difficulties while you're on the road. How you deal with the hard times will make the difference between a miserable trip and a memorable experience.
Travelers seek to grow themselves personally, and come home with amazing stories to tell. We do this by being prepared for the expected and by dealing with the unexpected with a positive attitude. Here you'll find common advice we've gained through our years spent traveling, and general tips to help you avoid and deal with the tough times.