How to Travel the World on $50 a Day: Third Edition: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter

by Matt Kepnes

No money? No problem. You can start packing your bags for that trip you’ve been dreaming a lifetime about.

For more than half a decade, Matt Kepnes (aka Nomadic Matt) has been showing readers of his enormously popular travel blog that traveling isn’t expensive and that it’s affordable to all. He proves that as long as you think out of the box and travel like locals, your trip doesn’t have to break your bank, nor do you need to give up luxury.

How to Travel the World on $50 a Day reveals Nomadic Matt’s tips, tricks, and secrets to comfortable budget travel based on his experience traveling the world without giving up the sushi meals and comfortable beds he enjoys. Offering a blend of advice ranging from travel hacking to smart banking, you’ll learn how to:

* Avoid paying bank fees anywhere in the world
* Earn thousands of free frequent flyer points
* Find discount travel cards that can save on hostels, tours, and transportation
* Get cheap (or free) plane tickets

Whether it’s a two-week, two-month, or two-year trip, Nomadic Matt shows you how to stretch your money further so you can travel cheaper, smarter, and longer.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Self Help, Reference, Personal Finance, How To, Audiobook

368 pages, Paperback

First published February 5, 2013

Reviews

[James Hickel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Matt Kepnes (1) gave a short but very informative interview in the New York Times about travel, which (2) drew me to his blog, which seems current, lively, and useful, so I figured I'd (3) take a chance and invest $15.00 in his travel book. Well, two out of three ain't bad...I guess.

I was surprised that the advice in the book was so elementary. Join frequent flyer clubs, get a credit card that is affiliated with one or more of the clubs to maximize points, consider staying at a youth hostel, use secondary airports, search the internet for cheap airline prices. Very little that I haven't already read several times somewhere else.

Also, the thrust of the book was surprising to me. I'm an older (60+) occasional traveler, who considers the watch-out-for-the-hidden-fees world of travel costs to be alternately frustrating and scary, and I'm looking for protection. This book appears to be written for the youthful, carefree, sell-all-your-stuff-and-wander-the-world-for-a-year-or-more backpacking crowd. I really don't need a lot of advice about how to pare my possessions down to the minimum, and get rid of the stuff I don't need. Frankly, I love all my stuff -- PARTICULARLY the stuff I don't need!

Directing people to sites such as Priceline and Hotwire (and their shadow sites), and Craig's List, isn't exactly cutting edge advice for a book that has a 2013 copyright date. I would recommend taking advantage of Kepnes's well-written blog, and pass on this book.

[Karen! · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is definitely a book for rookies. Rookies who cannot use Google. Or common sense. It was anticipated that, weighing in at 316 pages, the "in-depth" region chapters were not remotely "in-depth". The majority of the specific advice is trite: join clubs and use sign-up bonuses on credit cards. Couch surf. Ride the bus or train instead of flying. If you're in a major city for a couple of days and are going to the major attractions, get one of those discount cards that you see advertised literally everywhere. In countries with potable tap water, use a refillable water bottle. Really, dude?

I also find it odd that a lot of his advice on how to save money and budget is to seriously skimp on food. Should one eat out for every meal? No. Should one eat at hotdog stands in Sweden? Hells No. Don't get me wrong, I hit up the grocery store when I'm travelling, but not for every meal.

Oh well. If you are a complete rookie, check it out from the library, or scope out this guy's blog. If your budget it really this tight, you can't afford this book anyway.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven’t already been bitten by the travel bug, this comprehensive guide to traveling to places well-traveled or isolated will certainly do the trick. Author Matt Kepnes himself notes that the tips in How to Travel the World on $50 a Day: Revised: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter come to an average of $50 per day: Obviously, travel in France and Germany will be more expensive, although that’s balanced out by travel in Central America and South Asia, which can run as low as $25 per day.

I had just about given up on foreign travel before picking up this book. Matt Kepnes finally gave me hope that I, too, may someday will be able to stroll down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées despite my pitiful teacher’s salary.

[Yazeed AlMogren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written for Americans, you will not see any tips for travel inside United States, but so far if you want to travel the world you will find a very helpful tips that will let you see a lot of countries with even a bare-bone budget.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I came across this book while scanning the library shelves. I had never heard of Matt or read his blog. I never gave much thought to backpacking and after reading up on the hostel and backpacking scene on the Internet I realized that I would not be into either. I’m too square, too old and have always been too much of a non-wild introverted female. I do like to travel, but would not like to travel like Matt.

I would not like Matt’s form of travel when it comes to hotels either. In my younger days, I slept in vehicles on the side of the road and in rest stops—so I have done the cheapest of the cheap. I have also tent camped, but at this point in time, travel is not something I wish to do cheaper than I already do if it means having to find free places to stay. I travel with a husband and two daughters, so travel that does not include a hotel is not for me.

I also do not like the amount of time Matt travels for. The longest I have ever traveled is a month with my husband and then toddler about 15 years ago. We tent camped, stayed in a few hotels and with family. It was a lot of fun and I could have traveled a bit longer back then. These days, however, I find that after two weeks away, I am ready to be home. Travel for the sake of traveling and traveling is not for me. I can only visit so many beaches, mountains, and tourist attractions, before I grow weary of it. Too much entertainment becomes too much entertainment just like too much work becomes too much work.

Matt’s book introduced me to W woofing a kind of working vacation. No thank you. Why? Well, traveling or not, if you are working for room and board, it is still work and it still has a cost. It can also be potentially dangerous. Who pays if you get hurt on the farm? I find it hard to believe that a person will pay for travel insurance if they are not willing to pay for a decent hotel to stay in. A hotel stay is a sure thing. Travel insurance? You might not even end up using it. Of course if you chose to Wwoof and you get hurt without it…...good luck.

Overall, this book was a miss for me. It might be useful for the young or inexperienced person who wants to backpack, couch-surf and work so they can spend an extended amount of time traveling. I’m not that person. Why? Matt’s form of traveling isn’t really travel in my opinion. It is just living a hobo lifestyle in the world. Homeless people do it all the time---only for a lot less than $50 a day and out of necessity. $50.00 a day seems luxurious for one person to spend while backpacking for a living.

Also, you don’t really spend $50 a day. It is about averages. Matt’s average is $50 a day. That is what happens in Matt’s travel world. Some days he spends a lot and some days he spends a little or none by couch surfing and staying with friends. In my day to day existence I don’t stay anywhere for free nor do I eat for free, get free transportation or have free entertainment—tvs, computers and radios all require electricity or batteries. I don’t expect my travels to include free things I don’t normally get in my day to day life. I do expect my travels to include things I have in my day to day life like a bed, healthy food, shelter, and comfort in addition to it adding something interesting to my day.

The more I think about it, $50 seems like way too much money to spend a day. I’m not even impressed with Matt’s average. I don’t partake in some of the high adrenaline activities Matt mentions, nor am I an avid drinker, or a big eater, if I ditched the husband and kids, I’m sure my average would probably be less. Since it is only the average that counts, I only have to throw in a enough nights on a friend’s or stranger’s couch to get to $50 or less---a tent on the side of the road where no one can see me would probably work as well. It works for many panhandlers. I’ll take a gun.

In all of my travels, I have discovered that when it comes to travel, longer isn't necessarily better and cheaper isn't necessarily smarter. Sometimes you spend more upfront (Matt touches on this) but end up saving more in the long run. When it comes to expenses, I have found that most people don't agree on how much expensive is. What is expensive for someone else, might be cheap for me and vice versa. For example, I often hear people complain about food at zoos and amusement parks. I find them to be no more expensive than most fast food places. Knowing that the money goes back to either the zoo animals or an amusement facility I enjoy makes my meal more enjoyable than knowing it is simply going back to corporate headquarters.

Some experiences are worth more to some people and less to others. Traveling what is best for you in time and expense is the smartest thing to do. Stay in those places you enjoy, travel to the places you enjoy and stay away from places you have doubts about. Budget more than you think you will need for your travels and you will never come home disappointed when you realize you still have cash in your pocket or in the bank. Budget the least amount for your travels and you will teach yourself to dread traveling.

[Chanel]

I don't want to rate this title, because it was not what I expected but I could see how it would be really helpful.

There wasn't anything in here that was enlightening or groundbreaking about international travel. There was, however, a great compilation of information and resources about how to travel cheaply to destinations all over the world.

I would only suggest this book to someone who is in the very early stages of planning an international trip who already has a clear destination or destinations in mind, is willing to take in a LOT of information, do their research, and has the time to sift through all of the helpful information provided by the author and his experiences/research.

[Candice Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider myself an experienced traveller, and find myself learning a ton of new stuff. Especially when it comes to banking and exchange rates, cuz I'm just no good at that shiz. (Although most of the info is catered towards Americans, it's applicable to Canadians as well.) Just take into consideration that everything in this book is written from Matt's experience, and he really knows his stuff. But experiences may vary.

Popped in to offer a review early, since it's ridiculous someone has rated this with a one star before the book is even published. Ah, the Goodreads community.

[Mary Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was considering backpacking Europe in the summer, I had a wide variety of enticing titles to choose from- "The Rough Guide", "The Savvy Backpacker", "The Lonely Planet Guide". Ooh, how Very! But how to choose?

My answer was to look to the bloggers, look the folks who had actually done it. Look to the travelers on limited budgets and see what they say. Fortunately for me, one book came up over and over: "Travel the world on $50 a day".

Matt Kepnes ("Nomadic Matt") has left a big footprint in the budget-conscious travel world. His blog was full of interesting advice that was new even to me, a fairly seasoned traveler.

I buckled down, bought the book, and shoved the extra half pound in my 20lb backpack. For the next two and a half months wandering Europe, it was my bible.

From the first chapter, Matt saved me money. Although I knew about things like Skyscanner and Airbnb, I didn't know about Blabla car or workaway.org. Though it wasn't my first time around the block, I suddenly realized how much money I had been losing through poor exchange rates and foreign banking fees (!!) Thanks to Matt, my husband and I stayed in a Scottish castle for free for two weeks with a ragtag bunch of musicians. We met Italian bankers and Spanish cinematographers through ridesharing. We were even able to save 3% on all purchases and use points to pay for our flights home at the end of the journey. Matt motivated me on how travel is even cheaper than I had imagined and gave me the confidence and savvy to look into other more exotic areas.

If my advice is unclear, even if this isn't your only travel guide, make sure it makes your list. You will be very grateful. Thanks a lot, Nomadic Matt. Travel safe everyone.

[Completely Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so informative and incredibly helpful! I have already started using some of the tips that I have learned from this book and applying them to a trip I am taking this summer. I will probably even bring this book along with me over the summer as well.

[Madikeri Abu · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The World Isn’t as Dangerous as the Media Says”

Though written keeping American travellers in mind, this book contains tons of information for travelling cheap for all those who are interested and/or aspire to travel and explore the world, from the initial planning stage to embarking on that much anticipated journey to experiencing the joy of seeing and meeting different places and people and to finally returning home. The claim of $50 a day may seem dubious bogus for those who are in the west but at the same time for people in the least developed countries where the per capita income is less than $2 a day, it is a fortune and again it may seem ridiculously meager in some Scandinavian countries but in many parts of Asia and Africa it is a huge sum. Basically at the end of the day it is not the total amount that is spent but where one spends that amount is more important and the experience one derives for that sum is all the more important.

Another drawback of the book is the writer has completely ignored the whole of South Asia, all of Africa, Middle East and most of Central Asian countries where most of the humans reside and where most of the historical monuments and places are located and to tittle the book "How to Travel the World" and miss those parts of the world is an unforgivable omission. Nevertheless this is an informative book and for some it may act as a guide in planning that much anticipated travel.

To put it succinctly the concept of this book can be surmised in a few tips:

1. If possible ditch hotel rooms and opt for hostels so that the accommodation, one of the major expenses, can be drastically cut down and if you can pitch a tent, it will be even better.
2. Avoid buying food from posh restaurants and instead eat street food or cook your own food wherever possible.
3. Always take public transportation or opt for shared conveyance.
4. Avoid suitcases and use backpacks!

Favorite Quotes:
1.“You don’t need to be rich to travel—you just need to travel smart.”
2. “When you travel, you are never alone.”
3. “As a whole, the world is no more or less safe than any part of the United States."

[Steffani · Rating 4 out of 5]

(NOTE: I was contacted by the author who was stunned I said there was no Europe section in my book. We have concluded that I must have been stuck with a weird misprinted copy, and since I worked in a bookstore for a few years, I know that can happen. I've left my review below as it was originally done, but I'll say that I'm now 250 days into being a nomad and this is one of the books that was hugely inspiring and helpful in getting me out there and living my dream. I'm glad Matt Kepnes reached out and checked in with me. I've changed my rating to 4 stars since the issue I had with the book is apparently not an issue but rather a publishing gaffe. C'est la vie!)

This is sort of like two books in one. The first half is a must-read info for anyone seeking to travel the world -- but it's all very basic stuff. Nowhere did I see a recommendation to appoint an enduring power of attorney or more complicated advice like that.

The second half only addresses certain regions of the world -- and doesn't include ANY advice on Europe, as if one cannot travel there affordably, and in all my research, it can certainly be done and done very, very nicely.

Matt writes economically and clearly. There is no razzmatazz here but it's a practical look at how to get the finances tended to with your travel.

If Asia and Australia are where you're seeking to travel, he's got a lot of information in the second half on that. But Europe, Africa, not so much.

I was pretty resentful that it went into specific regions, actually, since that stuff's easy to find out on the web. I'll have to look for some other books in hopes they might have more insight.

[Darcey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm more than a little disappointed in the Kindle edition of this book. The structure is… okay; the writing style precisely what one would expect to see on Kepnes' site (which is good: he stays with his voice!) However, this did not cover anything new or groundbreaking that you wouldn't be able to find with some concerted searching on his blog, or on the internet in general. The travel regions he covers (Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Central America & South America) are also easily covered on other sites. I had been hoping for information on Asia in general (China, India), Africa (Egypt specifically), Jordan (Asia/Middle East) and the border-crossing Turkey, as Egypt, Jordan and Turkey are all on my very-budget travel plan for this summer… And none of them were even given a mention; the closest it gets is mentions of Balkans train passes that may count Turkey in, and Royal Jordanian airlines as well as Egyptair.

In short: Kepnes combines the contents of his blog for an easy one-stop reference, but I would suggest saving your money and getting the content - for free! - by browsing his, and other, blogs. There's nothing here that isn't there already: save the $10 for the Kindle version of the book and tuck it away for a hostel in Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul. If returning it were an option, I'd be doing so.

[Steven Grimm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super-practical book with a lot of up-to-date information. Based on my own travel experience, I think it comes pretty close to delivering on the promise in its title. I give it 4 stars as of March 2013. But the problem with this kind of book is that it will gradually get less accurate over time as its information falls out of date. For example, right now AirBnB may have few apartments listed in certain parts of South America as described in the book, but in a year or two maybe it'll increase in popularity and be the right go-to site for finding short-term housing.

That said, it also works as inspiration: though the specifics will change over time, the general principles of not sticking to the typical (expensive) tourist path will likely be true for the foreseeable future. So it's worth reading as an exploration of possibilities, even for people who don't have any big trips planned in the near future.

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Matt for the endless tips and inspiration! I’d recommend the book for everyone who has a passion for travel and a desire to see all that the world has to offer. I’ve taken lots of notes and can’t wait for the next travel adventures! I’m hoping my boys read this after they finish college and are ready to see the world. You’ve made travel accessible for the home free travelers (that my wife and I are considering after retirement) as well as the ones who just want a longer and more affordable vacation from their everyday life. It all sounds amazing! Loved the practical tips overall and the notes about specific countries. Thank you! Can’t wait to read your blog next and happy travels!

[Stefano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scritto peggio del libro di Claudio Pellizzeni o di "Travel the World without worries". Spesso i paragrafi sono self-expanatory e i capitoli presentano di frequente liste di siti. La seconda parte non è bella perchè è una passata in rassegna di regioni del mondo, analizzate sempre e solamente con lo stesso template (cibo, alloggio, trasporti), tra l'altro con un focus solo sui soldi.
Detto questo, ho dato quattro stelle perchè comunque l'argomento è interessante e, di consequenza, la lettura è piacevole

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy shit, I finished this ages ago. Whoops. Pretty much changed my view of travelling from "something you save up oodles of money for and then splurge until it's done, and repeat" to "possibly, MAYBE something you could consider doing longer term despite not being rich." And it has some awesome tips for someone like moi who has never travelled in their life.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some helpful info, but a lot of common sense for anyone who has researched traveling on a budget before. A lot of the book is geared towards single travelers in their 20s who are traveling for months to years at a time. I'll definitely be coming back to it for region-specific tips as needed.

[KATHERINE · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically stay in hostels cook food there and take public transportation or hitch hike.

[Taryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fantastic! I loved all the information compiled in one spot! It was very concise,to the point, encouraging,and makes me want to book a trip right this minute!

[Shahab · Rating 2 out of 5]

کتاب چگونه با 50 دلار در روز سفر کنیم نوشته مت کپنس
نویسنده کلا در حوزه سفر کتاب نوشته و قبل از این کتاب هم سه تای دیگه ازش چاپ شده بوده که البته این کتاب محبوب ترینشونه
این کتاب سال 2013 منتشر شده و جز نسخه اصلی 7-8 چاپ مختلف هم ازش منتشر شده
حرف اصلی نویسنده در این کتاب اینه که چطوری میشه به ترس های معمول از مسافرت غلبه کرد
نویسنده میگه ترس از سفر معمولا در سه دسته کلی ترس از قیمت و گرانی، مواجهه با خطر و یا پیری دسته بندی میشه
طبق تحقیق موسسه PEW در آمریکا10.5 درصد اخبار رسانه های امریکایی مربوط به مسائل خارجیشونه
ولی از این اخبار چیزی که تیتر میشه معمولا اخبار قتل، تروریسم و خطراتی از این دسته است.
نویسنده میگه ممکنه شما مخاطب رسانه هایی مثل CNN یا FOX News باشید که در اینصورت طبیعیه که از خطرات کشورهای خارجی بترسید اما من (نویسنده) به عنوان کسی که 10 سال اخیر رو مدام در سفر بودم هیچوقت با این طور مسائل مثل خشونت رایج، تروریسم و یا نفرت از آمریکایی ها مواجه نشدم. در اصل شما اگر در لس انجلس، نیویورک، لندن یا پکن یا هرجای دیگه زندگی کنید ممکنه با خطر قتل و مواردی از این دست مواجه بشید
اما این ها ترس اصلی مردم نیست، مشکل اصلی پوله
نویسنده میگه میتونید هزینه های ماهانه تون رو حساب کنید و در 12 ضرب کنید تا کل خرج یک سال در بیاد. بعد چیزهای غیرضروری رو ازش حذف کنید تا پس انداز داشته باشید و ازش بتونید برای تامین هزینه سفر استفاده کنید.
راهکارهای دیگه هم میگه مثل اجاره دادن خونتون و نقل مکان به خونه پدرمادر و ازین دست چیزها که شاید زیادم تو ایران جواب نده 
همچنین پیشنهاد استفاده از یک نوع بلیت هواپیمای بخصوص رو میده که وسط راه جاهای مختلف توقف داده و چندتا شرکت با هم دارن یک پرواز رو میگردونن که البته زیاد به درد ایرانی ها نمیخوره
یه راه دیگه هم اینه که وسط هفته، اخر شب یا صبح خیلی زود رو برای مسافرت انتخاب کنیم. نویسنده اینو درباره خرید بلیت هواپیما میگه اما میشه برای ورورد به جاده چالوس هم تعمیمش داد!
نویسنده میگه میشه در طول سفر غذا رو هم خودمون بپزیم تا هزینه بازم کمتر بشه
جای جالب کتاب اینه که میگه میتونید مقصدتون رو تنظیم کنید برای سفر به جنوب شرق آسیا که خیلی ارزون تموم میشه ضمنا توضیحاتی هم درباره وضعیت غذایی و هزینه های سفر به این مناطق میده
البته نویسنده قطعا حدس نمیزد ارزش برابری ریال به دلار یه روزی چقدر میشه چون اگر میدونست قطعا کشورهای غرب آسیا رو برای سفر تقریبا مجانی پیشنهاد میداد
در کل نویسنده میخواد هر طور شده خواننده رو مجاب کنه تا از این چسبیدن به خونه خلاص بشه و بره به سفر و عشق و حال !

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some useful tips and a decent price breakdown. Particularly helpful for those new to budget traveling internationally and want a quick comparison between the most visited international places. The downside is that despite being up "updated" I found myself thinking that most of the information was from trips around 2014. Websites and apps have changed quite a bit in some places, so don't really on this book too closely for the most up to date info.

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good place to start in planning a trip, particularly for setting a budget for lodging and travel. I prefer to read his blog and Facebook articles as they are specific to traveling in certain areas.

[Candice Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Matt's newest edition, with some additions and updates throughout. I forgot about how great of a resource this is. Mostly for new travellers, but still some great info in here if you're more seasoned!

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book full of good advice. I'm not sure if all the prices are current, but it's definitely a good starting point to have an idea of how much to budget per country and how to save while on the road.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review of the 2015 version of this book, which is not listed on Goodreads.

For the most part I enjoyed this guide. It was a quick read, at first glance it seems like a lot of info to take in but not everything in this book will apply to you. While in terms of long-term travel and in-depth travel hacking, I'm considered a rookie, most of this information I already know from a) experience and 2) other guides and blogs.

For someone totally new to this concept, whether or not they've traveled before, this could be a good thing. If you're used to traveling on the cheap: you're already a pro. While there's always new tips and tricks to be gleaned, checking out the author's blog, nomadicmatt.com, will give you a load of topics, and you can target what you're looking for specifically.

He did reference quite a few credible sources, like thepointsguy.com and Benny of fluentin3months.com, both of which I was already familiar with. I liked that for information that was not his particular area of expertise, he used other people's examples, or at least used them to beef up his points.

You could definitely benefit from "How to Travel the World on $50 a Day" if you have absolutely no clue about traveling and the travel industry. If you're fairly competent in the subject, you are not really going to gain any new information. To be honest, I was hoping for more "travel hacking" tips. While not the advertised book, it would have made this a bit more interesting and informational.

[Damali · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never read any of these types of books, so I've obviously chosen the wrong one.
So far, it's talked a lot of getting credit cards with points to save money on travel and from past experience, I prefer not to jump back into the credit card game at all, so none of it really applies to me. It's talked about getting airline deals. I more or less figured out my own system by having alerts sent to my email for two years, so I know what to expect for the lowest price for the places I plan to go, and I'm traveling during the cheapest part of the year.

Travel insurance, I'm opting out of that also to save money. Moving back home to save money or renting out my house doesn't apply to me. It has given me a few websites that may be useful, but that's about it to far.

To be continued...

[Sheena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most seasoned, or even just moderate, travelers likely won’t take away anything they haven’t already considered. But it was an easy and quick skim. Highly recommend getting it from a library before buying.

I recommend double-checking the mentioned resources and references, as this was published in 2013. His suggestions aren’t all the revolutionary, but for those not wanting to spend a lot of time figuring out how to plan HEAVY travel, all these tips gathered together in one source could be helpful. The target audience is more the beginner, responsibility-less, single traveler. Example: For accommodations many of the suggestions for hostels, couch surfing, etc would not be an ideal solution for say a couple, or someone with kids. But if you’re traveling alone and only ever have to consider your own comfort (or discomfort), then this book could be more useful for you.

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Matt Kepnes' blog, except for how overly commercialized it is - it feels like the end of every paragraph is an encouragement to buy on of his products. That being said, this book didn't have any of the commercialization but I still didn't like it.

At the base level, he took his blog and put it in book form. Therefore, it's still a blog...

The majority of the book is broken down by geographic section of the world and follows the same format: accommodations, travel and things to see. It gets extremely repetitive: no one camps anymore, hostels/guesthouses are the way to go, tours are expensive and eat street food or at grocery stores.

Frankly, I see this being a good thing to give to your mother before you got on a year-long ATW trip but that's about it.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not good in audiobook format given the long lists of websites and prices etc. But I won’t count that against the book since it was my decision to use that format.

This is geared much more towards college aged kids who want to live out of a backpack on the road full-time. I didn’t find of the info useful or practical for the average traveler so unless you’re planning to undergo a major lifestyle shift to vagabonding, this really isn’t for you.

The info was also pretty dated and much more suited to a website (which is where this author started) rather than a book since info changes so quickly.

The only useful bits I took away were on travel insurance so giving 2 stars but wouldn’t really recommend this to the average person.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mix of captain obvious and not for me. It is not entirely hostels and peanut butter sandwiches, but a lot of his methods have the potential to decrease one's joy in the experience.

I did like his notes on city museum passes. I love museums, but generally had a mildly negative view of the passes in the past. I'll try them next time I travel and probably will save about a good lunch worth of cash in each city.

This was also a little dated when I read it and think that several aspects of transport and accommodation have changed .