Ask A Sacramento Expert: Tips For Traveling Internationally On A Budget

Dreams of traveling to a far-off tropical paradise or zipping around Rome on a Vespa scooter are often put to bed when eager travelers get the first glance at the price tag for their vacation of a lifetime. But there are tricks to traveling internationally on a budget that can help make your dreams come true. Here are some tips from Richard Mason, a frequent traveller with the United States Gold Panning Association, who's had his fair share of horror stories and successful trips abroad.

Richard Mason
Director
United States Gold Panning Association
Placerville, CA
www.unitedstatesgoldpanningassociation.com

Richard Mason is the head of the United States Gold Panning Association, and the reason that the 2016 World Gold Panning Championships will be held in Placerville, California. He is a tax guy and realtor, and a passionate gold panner. His trips to pan in the world competitions, and to research how they were run, have taken him to Canada, South Africa and Europe. He's done so on a budget, all the way. Here are Mason's tips.

Flexibility With Your Budget Is Important

"We have no real budget that we must stick to. They just don't work out that well. Things change all of the time. We've found it's best to be flexible. Our experience is that, aside from airfare, auto rental and train costs, my wife and I can get by on about $200 US per day."

Take Only What You Need

"We start by packing what we think we will need. Then, we pare it down. We carry one briefcase and one backpack each. When we go to the panning championships, we have one large checked bag with clothes only. We have one carry-on case, two backpacks and the gold pans as a carry-on. We make sure everything fits the airlines' guidelines for carry-on. We do pay attention, as going over their limit can be expensive, and we like the budget end of things a lot. We always carry with us a five-day supply of any medications we need, tablets and phones, and anything of value, just in case we get stuck somewhere. We carry our money, credit cards and passports in our money belts."

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When Your Luggage Doesn't Arrive With You, Relax

"When we arrived in South Africa, both checked bags failed to arrive. What you do when that happens is wait to see if they come in on a later flight. If that doesn't happen, then you have to have the airline trace them. There isn't anything else to be done, and remaining calm is going to be helpful. If you have the really important stuff with you (meds, money, passport), you'll be OK despite your wandering baggage."

Book Your Flights As Far In Advance As Possible

"We usually book in January or February. We do this because we've found the cheapest prices for a planned trip for our business interests are around this non-peak time. It's best to book your flight as far in advance as you can. Remember to get, in writing, the cancellation policy just in case something prevents you from going. If you goof up on that issue, you could be out a lot of money, and the budget part of your travel plans is out the window."

Get the Euro Pass For Train Travel In Europe 

"The public transportation system in Europe is outstanding. The best value is a Euro Pass for the train. If you need to, renting a car is next. Flying within Europe, we've found that Ryan Air is consistently the most economical."

For Economic Lodging, Choose Places Off The Beaten Path

"We stay at hostels, pensions and look for rooms in private homes. It's pretty expensive to stay in big hotels. There are really good values in booking your stay in guest rooms in small, off-the-beaten-path hotels, and private lodging in homes. Quite a few places in Europe have these kinds of opportunities. Most of these places offer at least a European-style breakfast. We also read Rick Steves' travel books on how to find good economical lodging. He's pretty up to date on what's real over there."

Expect The Unexpected In Underdeveloped Countries

There are a lot of underdeveloped areas around the world. We experienced that in South Africa. Electrical black outs are common. Generating capacity hasn't kept up with demand, especially outside the big city areas. You have to be aware that things just aren't up to most European or American standards in a lot of the underdeveloped countries. Don't drink the water is real. Do so at your own risk. Pay attention to security cautions. Enjoy the local flavor of the place, just be careful about what you do and where you go.

Change Money to Euros Or The Local Currency Before You Go

"Find a bank in your area that is capable of changing dollars into euros or whatever the local currency is before you leave. You'll get a better rate of exchange, and you'll be ready for a taxi, train or bus when you arrive at your overseas destination. You can always change more when you get there, but do so at a bank."

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Go Big At Least Once While In Europe

"It's worth the experience, at least once, to check into one of the bigger, well-known hotels while you are traveling. Yes, it'll cost you. But it may be the only time you get to do it. Good European hotels, on the upper end of the scale, can be very wonderful places to kick back for a couple of days. A great down comforter, with rich euro-roast coffee, fine service and breakfast after a great night's sleep in a grand hotel is worth it. If you've got the wallet for it, you may decide to stay a bit longer."

Charles Ferris is a freelance writer who has lived in the Sierra, halfway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, for the last 37 years. In 2010 he retired from teaching after 36 years . He and his wife hike, kayak, cross country ski, snow shoe, ride mountain bikes and road bikes, year round. His work can be found at Examiner.com.