Gecko’s Tour Review: Ain’t No Mountain High Enough


Gecko adventure tour ‘Ain’t no Mountain High Enough’ 12th July – 30th July 2014 To start off our travels we booked a Gecko’s tour which began in Kathmandu, Nepal and finished in New Delhi, India. As we lacked in travel experience we chose to go on this tour for the following reasons: Have a smooth introduction into our travels The tour is a great combination to visit two countries which we knew little about in regards to arranging transportation, language barrier, safety etc.

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Pre -Travel Accessories


Once we had purchased our Osprey backpacks our next task was to maximise the amount of space inside. We actually decided before our bags what kind of items we needed. We ended up purchasing most of our items online (mainly via Amazon and eBay) as it worked out much cheaper. Here’s the following items we purchased – •Packing cubes – great for organising items in backpacks. I recommend Exped. A set of these waterproof compressions bags come in a variety of colours and sizes so our backpacks are organised by colour.

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Creating a Travel Itinerary


Preparing a travelling adventure is indeed an exciting chapter. There are many variables to consider which (lets face it) can easily be overshadowed by the golden idea to ‘drop everything and leave’… BUT! Where do you go first? Which continent will you be challenging? How long do you intend to be away for? And most importantly… Have you set yourself a budget? Admittedly when we thought about our travelling plans we got pretty excited and initially thought about visiting Asia, Australia and South America – ALL within one year!

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Do You Really Need Travel Insurance?


The simple answer to this question is a resounding YES! Choosing which backpackers insurance to go for is far more complicated than we anticipated. It took over 2 weeks to choose the right type of cover – something which we thought would take a day to complete! It is essential choosing the right insurance – going with the cheapest option is not always your best bet. Here are a few tips I can recommend for those looking into travel insurance policies:

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Choosing the Right Backpack


The most crucial part of travelling is having the right equipment – but most importantly a decent backpack. We initially checked a few backpacks online but realised that there’s no way of finding out if these backpacks are suitable for our frames – I’m only 5’3 whereas Kyle is 6’1. Plus, we didn’t want the hassle of ordering a backpack, waiting for delivery then finding out it wasn’t the right fit and then having the faff of sending it back!

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Choosing a Travel Credit Card


Just the idea of being a credit card holder sends me in a bout of confusion! Let’s face it…there are plenty of banks offering an abundance of shiny pieces of plastic all offering ‘competitive’ deals and super low interest rates. We initially decided to not apply for a credit card, instead applying for the Caxton FX card – a prepaid card to be used overseas. However when we received the cards we faced an impossible task of trying to load them with money!

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Preparing to Leave the UK


When we booked our flight to Kathmandu that we were committed to travelling – there’s no backing out now! Our next stage was the long and tedious process disconnecting ourselves from the many contracts, bills and responsibilities we have here. We composed a list of things to do which helped us throughout the process. Here’s the most important things we did: •Quit job: make sure you read your contract regarding notice periods.

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Which Vaccinations do you need before your Travels?


Depending on where you travel in the world, it is vital to go to your GP (doctor) to discuss what vaccinations you’ll need before you travel. An appointment should be made no later than six weeks till departure – this is so there is enough time to receive injections (as some require more than one dose). As we reside in the UK we are fortunate to receive the following vaccinations free of charge from the NHS:

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Malaria Prevention


There are many vaccinations that will boost your system before you go travelling. Unfortunately there’s one serious disease that doesn’t yet have one – and that’s malaria. Malaria is usually found in tropical regions around the globe and is prevalent in large parts of Asia and Africa. It only takes a single bite from a female mosquito which can affect you with this potentially fatal disease. Symptoms of Malaria The initial symptoms of malaria often include:

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