Armed with a Passport
Twin brothers Arthur and Ben Bond have traveled all over the world to more than 35 countries -- and they just turned 21 years old. During their excursions, the Bonds have traveled with locals through the back roads of Mexico, slept in numerous hostels, and even enjoyed a meal at a restaurant called What's In The Pot (without ever discovering what was really in the pot.)
Both brothers attend Virginia Tech, where Arthur studies business and Ben studies civil engineering. In addition to managing a heavy course load, both men are in the U.S. Navy Corps of Cadets, a rigorous military program.
While in their first year of college, the brothers made it a goal to travel to more countries than their father by the time they were 28 years old. This may seem like a simple task, but their father is a well-traveled military man who has been to more than 55 countries in his lifetime.
By the age of 14 they had only been to four countries. But for the next seven years the twins seemed to push their traveling into overdrive, going to 31 countries, mostly on their own. For the majority of their trips they pick their destinations on a whim, often deciding the day's itinerary that morning.
The summer of their sophomore year, the brothers planned to visit Brazil, but the airline they were to travel on suddenly went bankrupt. Arthur and Ben immediately jumped on their laptops and planned a last minute trip to Mexico. With a budget of only $1,000 (that needed to include plane tickets), the twins had to find bargains. Arthur discovered that "finding a plane ticket so last minute was actually the easiest part." They were able to use online ticketing websites to find last minute deals.
Mexico was the brothers' favorite trip as of yet because they were able to fully immerse themselves in the Mexican culture. During their trip the twins used travel guides such as Fodor's and Frommer's in addition to The Lonely Planet, which includes both a website and a book series that gives insider advice on virtually every destination.
"Buying guide books saved us so much money and helped us choose which attractions were worth seeing," said Ben.
One thing the books fail to mention is to beware the occasional taxi scam in Mexico. For the first few days the twins rode in taxis, and they were surprised at the high fare charged each time. Soon after, Arthur asked a police officer about the prices of their rides only to find out they had been paying five times the amount they should have for the rides.
"Don't be afraid to bargain with the taxi drivers, if you don't, you'll be scammed," says Arthur. The brothers used public transportation for long trips, which involved riding brightly colored school buses that were extremely crowded. The ride from Belize to Guatemala was more then 14 hours, but only cost $15, saving the boys a ton of money. "One of the best parts was meeting locals and many other interesting travelers on the bus," says Ben. A memorable conversation was with a man who had been backpacking for three years non-stop.
When it came to accommodations the boys needed to stick to their budget, so they chose to stay at hostels. "A hostel is basically like a hotel, sometimes you find a really nice one and other times it's just okay," says Arthur. The cost of staying at a hostel varies, but it is usually about $10 a night, and the rooms often sleep four people. Some of the hostels they stayed in were dorm style with bathrooms down the hall, while others had bathrooms in the room. The beds ranged from hotel-style beds, to a mattress on the floor, to even a hammock! Although hostels don't usually serve food, they are often a good resource to find out about local restaurants.
One of the largest expenses on a trip is normally food. The twins cut costs by eating at cheap local restaurants and shopping in local markets. Arthur shared that, "Unless you eat in less trendy restaurants -- those that may not appeal to the more expensive traveler-- you can't really experience the local culture." The brothers claimed that the best place to meet new people --besides on the bus -- was in local restaurants.
"The hostel employee recommended we eat at What's in the Pot," says Ben. "When we got to the wooden shack that was supposed to be the restaurant, we were a little overwhelmed. We went up to the counter, and the employee lifted the lid and simply asked us what piece of food in the pot we wanted. To this day, I still have no idea what I ate that night for dinner, but I do know it was good!"
From the advice of their guidebooks and locals, they found that many attractions throughout Mexico were free on Sundays, so the brothers would plan sightseeing excursions for that day. Many nature trails and other not so typical tourist attractions are also free. "Our memories are extremely different than your typical college student who went to Cancun for spring break --we immersed ourselves in the country's real culture," says Arthur.
Ben and Arthur offered several travel tips to insure a cheap and unique vacation. The most important part of any vacation is to research your destination constantly-even during the vacation. Don't be afraid to buy books and research at the library (another cost saver- the library is free!), and always carry a map. Traveling in groups of four can save you money on transportation and lodging. Most transportation and lodging prices are negotiable, so don't be scared to bargain a little bit.
Consider staying in a hostel-when you do your research, you can find a great hostel at a reasonable price. Travel light and leave valuables at home. Don't be scared to ask for directions or just strike up a conversation with a new person. You can often learn something really unique about the culture. Arthur Bond offered one final thought: "You don't always need to follow a schedule to have a good time; just go wherever seems interesting to you and you'll have memories that last a lifetime."
© 2008, Young Money Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
