AFTERGLOBE Magazine

Backpacking Essentials

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Money Saving Travel Tips

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Hit the Road: America the Beautiful

CONTENTS

MARCH 2013 VOL. 57, NO. 3

FEATURES

04 08

OTHER SECTIONS

Amsterdam: “Venice of the North” know how to pack: Backpacking Essentials

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hit the road

37

travel for less

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America the Beautiful Money Saving Tips

EDITOR’S NOTE

JACOB SHOURD

T

his month’s issue is awash in the latest news, gear, and of course the hottest travel destinations on the planet.

The staff and myself here at AfterGlobe magazine work tirelessly to make sure our readers are receiving only the best; whether it’s good deals on air fare or just tips on how to see the world for less.

Here recently I took a tour of nine European countries, my first time ever overseas. Before my trip, I had only traveled a small amount throughout the United States. I felt that as an editor of a travel publication, it was time for me to get my hands dirty and collect the stories myself. This turned out to be the best decision I have ever made. Not only can I explain to you the feeling of riding down Venice’s Grand Canal, I can tell you how to get there, how much it costs, and

what to avoid. Through my experiences, I can share with you, the reader, all of the details so when you’re ready to take off on an adventure, you will be confidently prepared.

I know it’s difficult to look at photographs of beautiful sunsets, phenominal architecture, and luscious landscapes, but you’re going to have to bear with me for a moment. I understand that reading this magazine makes you a better person and all of your friends are jealous of your upcoming plans, and I get it, travelling equals confidence.

March may be our greatest publication to date; it’s packed full of roadtrips, amazing European cities, and the best way to save money on the go, you’re not gonna want to miss it.

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urope is full of history and culture. Every city boasts architectural wonders, great regional food and drink, and a certain vibe you could not find anywhere else.

Last summer my friend and I took off on a month long backpacking tour of nine different countries throughout Europe. Though our stay in each city we visited was limited to one or two days, I felt it was substantial enough especially since it was my first time overseas. Growing up in a Searcy, Arkansas farm family, I had never experienced big cities before. Not only were the European metropolis’ substantial in size, but there was a whole different 04 | afterglobe.com | 03.13

way of life, language, and immense history to wrap my head around. I saw places that many dream of one day visiting: Cologne, Dresden, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Paris, Avignon, Toulouse, Nice, Milan, Florence, Venice, Prague, Vienna, and Bratislava among others.

Every location I stepped foot in was spine-tingling and I loved every minute of it. One city in particular though was different from the rest. It didn’t resemble a tourist destination like all of the others. This city had real character, inside and out.

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by Jacob Shourd

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Amsterdam is like no other city in Europe; it makes its own rules and resides in a category comprised only of itself.

The most famous qualities of Amste cannibis coffee shops, but the city ha T

he city in which I speak of is none other than Amsterdam, Netherlands. The nominal capital and the Netherlands largest city.

It’s origin can be traced back to the 12th century when it was just a small fishing village. To form the village, a dam had to be built on the Amstel river, “Amstel Dam”, and from there the name Amsterdam was formed.

The most famous qualities of Amsterdam are the Red Light District and cannibis coffee shops, but the city has much more to offer than just that.

One of the obvious features of Amsterdam that I noticed right away was the amount of bicycles in the city. The population of Amsterdam is about 750,000 people; the population of bikes is roughly 1,000,000! We learned quickly that you must have your head on a swivel in this city.

Not because of fear of criminals though; Amsterdam is ranked of the top 25 safest cities in the world, but because you will get run over. There are practically next to no traffic rules. It helps to have a partner to watch your back. I almost got ran over several times but lucky for me my buddy was watching out for both of us.

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Prostitutes come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and ages. Obviously there aren’t any that are under age, but there are some that I saw who were way too old in my opinion. I guess old guys need love too.

erdam are the Red Light District and as much more to offer than just that.

Amsterdam is often referred to as the “Venice of the North” because of its many canals and bridges. It has more than 1,200 bridges, about three times more than Venice. The difference between the canals of Amsterdam and Venice is that Amsterdam’s are tree lined versus the lagoon filled canals of Venice. In Amsterdam, each canal is lined with tall, skinny, colorful houses that are jammed up against each other leaving no room in between.

Amsterdam’s Red Light District is a very well know place throughout the world. This section of the city has almost 500 windows with prostitutes waiting in them for her next lover. 1,000 prostitutes are working in Amsterdam daily, and the city sees about 8,000 different ‘tutes in any given year. Strangely enough, the women are protected by the police, have legal documents, and there are day cares available for their children while they are on their shifts. Prostitutes may see over 100 men in a six to eight hour shift. At about $50 per customer, they do pretty well.

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No matter where you travel, the gear you bring sets the tone for how successful your trip will be. If you lack certain items, it could bring down your whole experience and ruin what was supposed to be a great getaway. In this article I have gathered 10 must have items that i think are imperative to include on your next backpacking excursion.

The collection below would be most helpful to those backpacking in an urban environment, but those exploring dense forests and rugged mountain-tops should find these things helpful as well. So the next time you decide to get some fresh air and see what mother nature has to offer remember this simple list and feel confident that you have everything you need.

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In my opinion, having a sturdy, reliable, and comfortable backpack suited to your trip should be the first priority of any traveler. Look for several zippered compartments in which gear can be stored, waist and chest straps, expansion zippers, and a day pack, one small enough to fit easily into your larger backpack, to take with you.

This enables you to have a way of carrying water, souvenirs, or any other item you would want to bring while leaving your big pack at the hostel. I borrowed a Tatonka backpack from my friend who carried a pretty nice Deuter. Other top brands include Kelty, Northface, High Sienna, and Go Lite.

You can get a good one for about $140.

Having the right pair of shoes for the job is another very important aspect you should consider while traveling. In Europe, hiking shoes aren’t necessary, so a comfy pair of walking/running shoes will do. Remember that most roads are covered in cobblestone, and without the proper foot padding, hurt quite a lot to walk on over a period of time. I wore the Merrell Trail Glove during my backpacking adventure in Europe. They are light, flexible, fast drying, and are partly mesh for air circulation, but the one thing they were lacking in is padding in the sole. They have next to none, and my feet were in quite a bit of pain especially towards the end of my trip. My friend wore Asics running shoes and I envied how comfortable they looked. Don’t make the same mistake I did! Find some comfy shoes you can wear all day and you’re golden.

I know this is probably a no-brainer, but I just wanted to make sure you didn’t overlook it. Rain jackets can pull double or triple duty as part of your travel gear. You could use them for rainy days obviously, but you can also use them as a light jacket when the sun is out or as a blanket to cover you as you try to fall asleep on a chilly night train like I did. In any situation, a durable water wicking jacket with a hood is a must have when you’re traveling. I picked my Koppen rain jacket up at Dick’s Sporting Goods for around $45.

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Before my trip, i hadn’t really ever been much into sun screen or sun glasses.

During my trip though, I found it a pretty important asset to enjoying the day. We were outside most of the day non-stop and even the most overcast days could end up in dry or burned skin. Any inconvenience, no matter how small, will slowly eat at your moral when you’re traveling. I bought a 30 euro pair of sunglasses in Germany which i wore everyday on my trip. They were also good on the trains to keep the awkward eye contact with others down to a minimum.

The most special item to me once I returned back to the States was my journal. I had written in it everyday of my month long trip, recording the events of the day, my feelings, and the sights, sounds, and anything else I had time to write. Having a journal writing session at the end of each day was a kind of release and a good way to unwind and reflect on the days happenings. It’s a cool thing to have to remind you of the great time you had and also some of the details that had slipped your mind. I definitely recommend purchasing and writing a journal everyday of your travels. I bought a journal with an elastic strap to keep it closed and a loop to hold my pen. I used my journal to also hold my postcards which I bought at every city we passed through.

This is another obvious one, but hey it’s in my top ten. Though a camera doesn’t clothe you, feed you, or do anything to keep you alive, it captures moments and important memorable times that you will have forever. The whole point of traveling is for the experience and special memories, so it makes sense to record every bit of it.

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Knowing where you are going is a very important part of traveling. At the very least, i would pack a compass, just so you know which direction you are going. Having a good map or in my case an iPhone, telling you which way to turn takes a lot of pressure off of you when you are in an unfamiliar territory. City guides and proper planning will keep you from ever getting lost.

Having plastic bags around is very handy. Each bag has multiple uses, and really their application depends on your situation and location. I used bags to carry around food i had purchased, to put my dirty clothes in, and to further waterproof some things inside my pack. It doesn’t hurt to squeeze a few plastic bags into your pack; they don’t take up much room and the odds are you will almost for sure use them.

I feel that having a quick dry towel really gave me more space in my pack for other things. If I had packed a regular towel, it would’ve taken up a fourth of my pack on its own. The PackTowel that I bought at Gander Mountain for around $15 was antimicrobial, light and compact, quick drying, and easy to clean. I recommend buying the one thats about half to a quarter the size of a normal towel because that’s really all you need.

This one is for those that will be staying in hostels primarily during their travels.

Hostels supply lockers for you to put your bags in for the night. You never know who you are going to get bunked up with, so its good to be able to lock your things up just in case. If you are going out into the city and are taking your day pack, its a good idea to lock up your main bag while you’re gone.

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Expect the Unexpected.

Find what you are missing and more at www.arkansas.com

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