Boozing for Cheap: What To Drink Where

by Martha Edwards on

The average backpacker is typically always looking for ways to entertain themselves inexpensively. And whether we agree with it or not, the fact is that most of the time, drinking=fun. But also, drinking=expensive, in many cases. Unless, of course, you know what to get. Based on my experiences, here are the cheapest things you can get wasted on, depending on where you are:

  • When in Australia, drink the boxed wine. A box of wine will run you about $10 AUD for 4L. And 4L is alot when you’re talking wine. That’s enough for you and you close travel buddies to have a few really good nights on, not to mention a few really bad of days battling hangovers. Not that I have any … um … experience with that or anything …
  • When in Thailand, drink Thai Whiskey. Sure, Chang Beer is a favourite among many travellers and locals alike, and it’s fairly cheap, but if you’re going for the best value, Thai whiskey is where it’s at. Especially if it’s of the home-brewed variety and you pick it up from some random dude in a remote village. But … um … be careful ….
  • When in Greece, drink Ouzo. A couple of my travel buddies bought a 4L bottle of Ouzo for about 3 €. It wasn’t the best Ouzo I ever had, but it wasn’t bad when mixed with something, and it did the trick. We travelled together for a month and it seemed like every night was an ouzo night. Still, I don’t think we finished it …
  • When in Mexico, drink the tequila — from Wal-Mart!: I felt a wave of shame when I entered the Wal-Mart in Puerto Vallarta, but that passed when I got to the alcohol section. There was at least half a dozen aisles of just tequila, and it was so, sooooooo cheap. Did I mention so cheap? Now, if I could only stomach the stuff ….
  • When in Canada, drink … water? Seriously, I love my country, but based on my travels, I think we must have to most expensive alcohol in the world. It’s always a shock coming back from a trip and realizing that 4L of anything will cost me 10 times as much as that Ouzo … unless it’s homemade moonshine. What do you think — is Canada an expensive place to drink, or is it just in my head?

Traveling When the Dollar is Weak

by Martha Edwards on

When the dollar’s down, what’s a traveler to do? Stay home? Welcome to the life of a Canadian for the past decade and a half. We’ve been avoiding the US for the past few years because it was just too darn expensive. But now we’re about on par and I for one intend to take advantage of it.

But with the weakened US dollar, there’s bound to be less Americans at the Eiffel tower this year. As I know very well, Europe’s really expensive when you’re not at the top of the currency game, but just because it’s out, doesn’t mean there aren’t other affordable places to visit. Have you considered a trip to:

  • Canada? I can vouch for the fact that it’s beautiful here, for those who love both urban landscapes and rugged wilderness. My loyalties lie with Western Canada, but the east is ok too.
  • New Zealand? Sure, the airfare can be expensive, but the USD is stronger than the NZD so you’re bound to save some money. Plus, it’s absolutely gorgeous.
  • Thailand? Again, the airfare is a bit pricey, but Thailand is a bargain. You can easily live off of $30 a day.
  • Costa Rica? Although they boast beaches and rainforest and everything in between, this central American getaway is still one of the more affordable destinations.

Want some more advice for traveling when the dollar is down? Check out this link.