[Jenny]

Hello,
I am the author of a small book entitled “Over the Hill (and Far Away) Backpacking: A Guide and a Tale”, which may be of interest to your members.

It is an account of, and practical advice from a retired couple, Canadian and Australian, who set out in 2002 to see the world. It is full of tips on cheap travel, health, food, what to take, border crossings, money, beggars, theft, etc., as well as many amusing, and appalling, anecdotes.

Over seven years we worked, volunteered, Wwoofed, Couchsurfed, hosteled, wandered and freecamped in many countries of SE Asia, in China, in Australia and New Zealand, and down the length of Central and South America, gradually paring down our “stuff” until we were left with a backpack each and an ever growing thirst for adventure. A typical stay in a country might, over the course of a month or more, involve all of those: working on an organic farm, staying with friends or with local families in their homes, housesitting for a few days or weeks, walking between towns and camping out in national parks or hidden along local roadways, and end by getting deliberately bumped from a flight and put up for a night in a star hotel – for free!

This is how we did it, and on a very small pension at that – under $1500/month! Yes, it can be done, on even less than that – and there are expense charts for various countries included. Forget your “stuff”, forget your “Security”, and step out into a world of generous and incredible people. There are bad ones too of course, by far the minority, and we did not get away unscathed. But then, neither had we been unscathed in our homelands. The most profound lesson that I have taken away from it all is that the Universe is truly bountiful and all that is necessary is to Trust. I hope to encourage others of my age (or any age) to do the same, to step out leaving fear behind, and experience the wonder that’s out there!

A revised and updated version is now available in 3 different formats: as an Amazon Kindle eBook; as a pdf eBook, or as a Print-on-Demand book. Links may be found on my website:

http://hannah.tonusvivus.com/travelwriter.htm

Again, I hope it may be of interest to readers who want to step out, to stop being tourists and start being travelers, but may be unsure how to do it; or to those who just enjoy a good story!

Sincerely,
Ron Hannah

Ron Hannah <>

[Author]

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