FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions will be updated as we recieve questions from our loyal readers. Our e-mail address is given here. When appropriate we will answer the question differently for various countries.

• How long will you be travelling for?

We have no return ticket at this point. We will travel as long as we are still finding it challenging and rewarding (and enjoyable). We also have a monetary factor that might come into play. We are hoping for at least 6 months on the road.

• How much money are you spending on average per day?

China: Our aim was to remain under 50$CAN a day, this includes all expenses; food, accomodation, transport. We are currently averaging about 40$CAN a day. When we leave China a more detailed breakdown of our expenses will be found in the Finance section.

• How do you find the time, the computer and internet connection to update the website?

China: There are tons of internet cafes in China, although they vary enormously in quality (speed). If we find a fast connection we take advantage and upload all our photos, if we cant find a good connection we wait until the next town. We have had some problems accessing our website in China but in general we have had few problems. On average internet cafes charge about 3Y/hour and many hostels have computers with internet provided at no cost to their guests. We were even able to rent a laptop for 20Y/day at one hostel (great for uploading photos while you sleep).

• Has the language been much of a barrier, or in general can get by with the amount of local language you know, English, and body language?

China: We have had absolutely no problems. All that is required is a little bit of patience and creativity. I think we have both greatly improved our charades and pictionary skills. In tourist areas it is rare that people dont speak a little bit of English, and after a few weeks here we have also picked up the few Chinese words that we found were absolute necessities : toilet, how much?, thankyou, hello...

• Do you book accomodation ahead of time, or is it arranged on a day-by-day basis?

China: The only accomodation we booked ahead of time was the first night stay in Shanghai. We have never had any trouble finding accomodation on arrival. The advantage of booking ahead is that you can honestly tell the touts that you have a place to stay and if you are arriving late somewhere you can save yourself a little bit of hostel seeking in the dark. In general if you book ahead you pay a little bit more because you cant bargain and many websites charge a booking fee. In the high season however, it might be wise to book ahead or you might be stuck with the expensive rooms.