Amtrak’s
rail-sale is also a good alternative to flying. The boat option works
best outside of the United States. As romantic as it may seem to jump
on an Alaska-bound fishing boat out of Seattle, unfortunately, expensive
cruises and local ferries tend to be your only options.
While you’re
abroad, the obvious place to start looking is local ports, helped in
part by whatever meager information your guidebook may have. On a recent
www.craigslist.org
posting on this subject, one guy talked about his trip as a passenger
on a cargo ship from Lithuania to Germany. So, go to marinas, look at
their bulletin boards, ask around.
If you want
to tour Alaska by ports of call, check out www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs
Personally,
when living in Japan I wanted to take a boat to China but found out
that for longer boat rides factoring in all the food makes a cheap plane
ticket comparable.
However,
once in Thailand I found out that if you don’t mind sitting on
a sun-drenched deck for five or six hours you can save big bucks over
local flights or express boats to almost all of the islands. Sometimes
the cost difference is negligible, other times it’s huge.
As many
international travelers have probably learned, the hard part of getting
around isn’t figuring out what to do, but avoiding the locals
who want to “tout” you. Touting is when locals wait outside
the airport/train station and encourage you to use the minibus/taxi
of their best friend/brother.
Often these
touts will help you find good deals not in the guidebook, but, braving
the oft-government-controlled train/bus company will not only save you
money, but there’s a good chance you’ll be the only foreigner
on board and that the stops along the way won’t be shameless tourist
traps.
Last but
not least, there’s the old trick from Bugs Bunny cartoons: dress
like a woman (if you’re not one already) and show a little leg
on the side of the road. Maybe someone famous like Eddy Murphy will
pick you up and you’ll have the time of your life. It could happen.
Kidding
on the dress part, but, in certain countries hitch-hiking is not only
accepted but almost encouraged. So, if you are in a friendly country,
you’d be amazed at the adventures you’ll get for a raised
thumb (point to the other side of the road in the Middle East) and a
song. For the budget traveler’s hitch-hiking manifesto, start
at www.american-pictures.com/english/book/bookhike.htm
and look around.
That said,
your transportation options increase as your haste and narrow-mindedness
decrease.
Josh
Krist is the publisher and designer of InsideOut Travel
Magazine.
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