We, as human beings, do not exist in isolation we are embedded within and dependent upon the natural world and any action we take has repercussions. However, sometimes we fail to take into consideration the possible consequences of those actions.

The technological development of long distance travel, the desire to see new worlds and experience new cultures, coupled with the development of the tourism industry to cater to our every desire, means there is now no longer a corner of the world that we cannot reach. It means the footprint we leave behind in those places we visit is a heavy one.

You are deciding to take a small risk, but, I guess, a very dangerous one, in putting your thumb out. There’s no better way to feel the beating pulse of a place though. You can wind up anywhere. Eating bee larvae in a cliff-top restaurant, watching girls audition to study opera in a musikschule in Cologne - who knows. Of course, you could also end up chopped into pieces. Here are some of my guidelines to successful hitch-hiking.

Melbourne Art - The bird
Street art has helped Melbourne, Australia, position itself as a leading cultural destination. Melbourne’s street art and laneways were recently voted the most popular cultural attraction in Australia in a Lonely Planet web poll.
Street art combined with an enviable cafe culture, innovative restaurants, live music, major events and liveable lifestyle have led to an increasing number of appreciative backpackers coming to Melbourne. The best part about street art for a backpacker is that it’s free. All you need to know is where to go in Melbourne. …

Entering a foreign country
Entering a foreign country as a backpacker means having to suspend your view of the world and the assumptions you grew up with.
You need to open your mind, open your heart and open your eyes, becoming sensitive to unfamiliar behaviours and beliefs. It’s a period that is going to test your character and inner resources to their limit, big time!
This means you are definitely going to grow as a person, developing skills for empathy, problem solving, tolerance and patience, as well as broadening your respect and appreciation …

South America - Truck pass
I have always been fascinated by the idea of crossing South America by road. Long before my first visit to this vast continent, I enjoyed following the Pan-American highway with my finger on the map, until I reached its end at the southern tip of Chile. I followed with equal interest the course of the Transamazonian highway, as it dissected the Brazilian Amazon from east to west. However, during my first yearlong stay in South America I discovered that road travel on this immense continent is …