backpacking through North America (USA + Canada)

[The Stranger]

I'm planning a trip to these countries, and i'm wondering how much money I need to budget a day/month for normal living expenses. I'm planning to buy a little van there, which I would use to sleep in, so that can be left out. But can any american or canadian orgahs, or orgahs who have done a similar backpack, give me some advice/estimation of what my budget should be? I guess it will be mostly food/water and gas.

thanks!

[The Stranger]

a bit of both i guess :P

I don't have a set out trail, just roughly which countries i will hit most likely. Right now my idea is to start in Canada, travel around a bit, by foot/hitchhike/bus (so it might be nice to know what the average price would be for hostels in canada, but I can check LP for that). Then I will go south towards america and travel down the eastcoast. Eventually I want to end up in california and take a plane to Vietnam. So mostly I will just be bumming across country in a van, but I also do want to do some hiking and stuff if possible, but nothing as long and spectacular as the PC-trail.

[The Stranger]

well, Im going to apply for a longterm visa, so i'd have about 180 days to kill. I imagine i'd take alot of detours.

[Lemur]

We will expect photos, of course. And it might be slick to meet up with some Orgahs, assuming you and they are willing.

If I ever become an oil sheik, one of my first acts will be to fly all Orgahs to a pub somewhere.

[The Stranger]

i met some australian orgahs before :P so i dont mind, if its in the area.

^^

[Beskar]

We will expect photos, of course. And it might be slick to meet up with some Orgahs, assuming you and they are willing.

If I ever become an oil sheik, one of my first acts will be to fly all Orgahs to a pub somewhere.

I remember Major Robert Dump wanting to be a landlord of such an establishment.

[The Stranger]

haha ok! seems like most my expenses will be gas. I need to find a hot chick to share the ride (and gas) with me :P

[TinCow]

If you're going to do this in a van you pick up for cheap, be very careful about the quality of the vehicle you get. Just as a reference, driving from Montreal down the east coast to Orlando, then west to San Francisco is 7,000 km. That's the same distance as from Paris to Mongolia. So, you may encounter problems if you buy an unreliable vehicle. Just keep these distances in mind. One thing that many foreigners really don't grasp until they're over here is just how large the US and Canada are. This is a truly gigantic landmass, and much of it has little of interest for tourism. If you're going to be traversing the country by car, you're going to be spending a LOT of time staring blankly at boring roads.

[The Stranger]

i already spent a month in a barrel van in New Zealand, and while as a sleeping place it was pretty decent, if what overcrowded, the van itself was rather ****. I learned my lesson then :P I will buy something that won't fall apart around me, like that thing did.

But thanks for the headsup! I don't know what exactly I will do now, but I do plan on hitting some of the major national parks, I might buy a year card or something like that. At the same time I also want to go to the major cities, as I like cities :D. I guess ill try to find some balance. But first i need to work... atm my aim is to get somewhere in between 10k to 15k for 8 months travel through north america, and perhaps 1 month vietnam. this is including tickets, but excluding the cost for the van (which i hope to sell for a decent price again after im done). I did 7 months through south east asia and australia with about 6k. including the cost for the van (split 3 ways) but excluding tickets.

[Major Robert Dump]

I would advise you not to do this. You are going to get mugged, or shot by trigger happy cops, or broke down on the side of the road until you are captured and eaten by a family of chainsaw fanatics. Seriously, pulling over and sleeping in a van will get you harassed to no end by the police.... unless you stick to the northern, sparsely populated states like the Dakotas and Wyoming, which do have some great trails btw, andmaybe stick to national parks where you can rent camping slots.... grand canyon, Yellowstone, Wichita mountains etc.

If you must travel in this mode, then you want to search for "RV PARKS" like KOA Campgrounds etc etc. These are places where you can park your rig overnight for just a few dollars, they have shower facilities and security, and usually a nice mix of travelers and retirees and interesting people to meet. My parents do this in their third wheel, but at the places there are plenty of commuters sleeping in vans and cars etc.

Also, rest stops on highways would be the second best option so you want to google those and find the nicer, well lit ones on interstate highways. They are usually packed with trucker rigs and if you are lucky maybe some tranny hookers.

The third option is just to take a bus, stay at bed and breakfasts and/or crash at Org members homes.

**edit
If you are going to Vietnam, you might as well go to the Philippines too

[Fragony]

My brother had zero problems. Just go.

[The Stranger]

I would advise you not to do this. You are going to get mugged, or shot by trigger happy cops, or broke down on the side of the road until you are captured and eaten by a family of chainsaw fanatics. Seriously, pulling over and sleeping in a van will get you harassed to no end by the police.... unless you stick to the northern, sparsely populated states like the Dakotas and Wyoming, which do have some great trails btw, andmaybe stick to national parks where you can rent camping slots.... grand canyon, Yellowstone, Wichita mountains etc.

If you must travel in this mode, then you want to search for "RV PARKS" like KOA Campgrounds etc etc. These are places where you can park your rig overnight for just a few dollars, they have shower facilities and security, and usually a nice mix of travelers and retirees and interesting people to meet. My parents do this in their third wheel, but at the places there are plenty of commuters sleeping in vans and cars etc.

Also, rest stops on highways would be the second best option so you want to google those and find the nicer, well lit ones on interstate highways. They are usually packed with trucker rigs and if you are lucky maybe some tranny hookers.

The third option is just to take a bus, stay at bed and breakfasts and/or crash at Org members homes.

**edit
If you are going to Vietnam, you might as well go to the Philippines too

hahaha they said the same thing when my friend and i planned to go hitchhiking from Sydney to Cairns. It ended up being the trip of a lifetime, and we met some really friendly people, instead of the crazy murderers people said we would. A few of them even offered us a place to stay for the night.

But again, I don't want to ask for advice and then ignore it, so don't think I wont heed the warning, I know there are risks involved, and for some reason (probably television) I also have a worse feeling about USA than australia (so I probably won't hitchhike, but why would I if i have a car :P). The RV parks sound like a good idea, because somehow I feel like sneaking into hostels and pretending i'm a customer to use their cooking and sanitary facilities will be alot harder in USA than in NZ... And the trucker stops are always nice, its where we ussually started our hitchhiking days (although truckers werent allowed to take us).

As for the third option, I won't say no to a free bed ofcourse, but who is to say those nice orgah's arent actually the chainsaw fanatics? I mean, staying at frags place would most likely get me killed by one of his crossbow bolts. Entirely accidentally ofcourse XD

<3 u frag!

[Fragony]

Correction, I could accidently kill you with a broadhead arrow from my recurve bow, or with a mini broadhead from my blowgun. Blowgun is unlikely to kill you all that much though. Perfectly safe ;)

[The Black Douglas]

Sounds like a great trip, i take it you will be travelling alone:- advice I would give is try not to look like a tourist, after a week or so you begin to get an eye for predators, and they avoid you once you're able to spot them early.
Also get a routine for checking your valueables & personal affects before you leave anywhere after a stop.
Dont take shortcuts.
Dont get complacent.
If you are Scottish/Irish tell everyone, if you are not, lie.
If you have time, make loads of friends online who live enroute, free bed for the night and maybe more.
Canada is cool... The only thing wrong with America are Americans.

[The Black Douglas]

i already spent a month in a barrel van in New Zealand, and while as a sleeping place it was pretty decent, if what overcrowded, the van itself was rather ****. I learned my lesson then :P I will buy something that won't fall apart around me, like that thing did.

But thanks for the headsup! I don't know what exactly I will do now, but I do plan on hitting some of the major national parks, I might buy a year card or something like that. At the same time I also want to go to the major cities, as I like cities :D. I guess ill try to find some balance. But first i need to work... atm my aim is to get somewhere in between 10k to 15k for 8 months travel through north america, and perhaps 1 month vietnam. this is including tickets, but excluding the cost for the van (which i hope to sell for a decent price again after im done). I did 7 months through south east asia and australia with about 6k. including the cost for the van (split 3 ways) but excluding tickets.

for around £10k (my rough budget) you could travel around the world, a basic 'world ticket' is around £1300 (+ airport tax) which gives you 10 airport stops, the only restrictions are that you must travel in one direction around the planet, in under a certain amount of miles. .

[The Stranger]

yea so thats about 12.5k euros. which is what im aiming for. I'm not sure yet if I will buy a world ticket, I think it would be better to buy a 1 way ticket to canada. Go from Canada to the USA by bus, and if i go to vietnam I will just buy a ticket in the USA. I think that will be cheaper.

[TinCow]

I know there are risks involved, and for some reason (probably television) I also have a worse feeling about USA than australia (so I probably won't hitchhike, but why would I if i have a car :P).

Hitchhiking is also probably a lot harder to do in the US than in many other places. Hitchhiking 'culture' has largely died out in this country, particularly in the more urban states. People just don't pick up hitchhikers in many areas anymore. You would have a very hard time getting a ride this way in a lot of places, particularly the kinds of places you'd want to go to. It might be possible in more rural areas around national parks, particularly out west, but you'd have a hell of a time traveling down the east coast that way.

[The Black Douglas]

if you're even considering hitch-hiking, you must be mad. In which case you probably have a big gun waiting for you when you get there... if not order one, or two smaller ones.

[The Stranger]

haha, no im not considering it, thats why im going to buy a car :P

[Moros]

Bloody hell, now you're making me jealous. I always planned to do exactly that, but alas life has not given me the chance yet.

[Andres]

Bloody hell, now you're making me jealous. I always planned to do exactly that, but alas life has not given me the chance yet.

The older you get, the less likely it is that you'll undertake such adventures.

So if there's nothing really holding you back aka you have no real responsibilities towards other persons, with real responsibilities meaning: people depend on you to live, then you should just do it, imo.

[The Stranger]

Bloody hell, now you're making me jealous. I always planned to do exactly that, but alas life has not given me the chance yet.

if you are willing to pay for gas, you can hitch a ride XD

[Fragony]

Counts for me as well? I am always willing to do something stupid, just because I can.

[The Stranger]

sure, as long as you promise not to embarrass me infront of the ladies, old man :P

[Fragony]

Don't worry there won't be any left for you for me to embaress you. I am only going by cruise though, the stick that's big enough to get me into a plane has yet to be invented, if it's higher than a tree I simply don't belong to be there. If you are into it you got a road-buddy to burn the whole place down in the most legendary way. I got more than enough cash for just about every vice.

Sounds like fun, if you are go so am I

[The Stranger]

well, if you really mean it, we could discuss it and come up with a plan. but just to be clear about it now, i also like to travel on my own, and I plan on doing so. I don't mind if you tag along and travel a part of it together, but at one point our ways will seperate again. if we don't get along this will be sooner rather than later, and vica versa. if thats no problem with you, send me a pm and I will send you my details and we can talk about it.

[Fragony]

well, if you really mean it, we could discuss it and come up with a plan. but just to be clear about it now, i also like to travel on my own, and I plan on doing so. I don't mind if you tag along and travel a part of it together, but at one point our ways will seperate again. if we don't get along this will be sooner rather than later, and vica versa. if thats no problem with you, send me a pm and I will send you my details and we can talk about it.

No need for a pm I already got a brilliant plan. Boat->America. That's about it. Don't worry about not getting along with me, I am really nice company to have around. I also promise I won't kill you. We'll see from there, all options are open I won't be offended whatsoever. If you want some time on your own that's perfectly ok. You won't want that though. Time and place will do fine, Rotterdam has cruises to NYC, I might just stay there.

[The Stranger]

haha ok :P in that case, im planning to leave to canada in november, I should be in NY in january 2015. ill probably buy a car there and travel down to the south crisscrossing across the east coast. if ur in NY around that time too, youre free to tag along :)

im not afraid about not getting along or that you will kill me :P just wanted to make clear that i would go do my own thing at a certain point again.

[Fragony]

We probably got a deal then. But don't kick me out at an airport when you decide to do your soul-searching, I am terrified of hights. I only travel by cruise so keep that in mind. Cruise needs to be close.

[Moros]

The older you get, the less likely it is that you'll undertake such adventures.

So if there's nothing really holding you back aka you have no real responsibilities towards other persons, with real responsibilities meaning: people depend on you to live, then you should just do it, imo.

I've got school and a GF who doesn't let me. So yeah.

[Punk]

Remind me who exactly cares about this nonsense?

[Moros]

Remind me who exactly cares about this nonsense?

~:mecry:

[The Stranger]

I've got school and a GF who doesn't let me. So yeah.

i just finished uni, but i have a gf too :P

[Fragony]

No go de moi, going to Copenhagen instead. Have a fun trip.

[Moros]

i just finished uni, but i have a gf too :P

Yeah, but mine is a bit clingy. And well I doubt I'll be able to write a thesis while backpacking abroad.

Edit: Oh Fraggy that's a shame. Umeu would have some stories to tell about you, when he'd get back!

[The Stranger]

haha all girlfriends are clingy :O

on a sidenote, anyone has a nice job for me?

[Moros]

haha all girlfriends are clingy :O

on a sidenote, anyone has a nice job for me?

Philosophy degree right? I'll have a look around.

[The Stranger]

so i got my visa, my drivers license and my ticket now, things are starting to shape up. any orgah's that live in the area of NYC that can help me buy a decent van for a decent price? or any orgahs that can give me tips in general about what to look (out) for when buying a (cheap) car


also, does anyone have experience with couchsurfing (or anything similar)

[Vuk]

I don't MRD, I have spent months sleeping in my car once and only got questioned about it once. I guess it may depend a lot where you are...

[The Stranger]

like outside the city?

[Strike For The South]

I don't MRD, I have spent months sleeping in my car once and only got questioned about it once. I guess it may depend a lot where you are...

Don't listen to this

[The Stranger]

Don't listen to this

so u agree with mrd and say its not safe to do it? or actually illegal? i dont know american laws that well.

[Vuk]

Don't listen to this

Strike likes to argue for the sake of arguing. He never emotionally developed past 8 years old, so you will have to forgive him.

To answer your question, no, not in a city. It was when I got a new job a few years back and was still looking for a place to move into. I found what used to be a driveway going into what then was woods on a side road right beside the highway, so I parked there. It was less than a minute from a truck stop that had showers, restrooms and stuff so it worked out well. I did after two weeks or so have a statey approach me and when I explained why he suggested that I went to the truck stop and asked if I could park in the back of the lot at night till I got a place. I did and they were very obliging about it so it all turned out well. The cop didn't tell me there was a law against it or say that he was going to make me stop if the truck stop said no, so as far as I am aware it is ok.

[Fragony]

Why the hell aren't you allowed to sleep in your car

[Beskar]

Why the hell aren't you allowed to sleep in your car

It is more to do with 'where'. Most land is owned by someone else, and they can ask you to leave. Or you could go to a campsite, pay to use that, and sleep in your car. If you decided to have a nap in a car in your own driveway, people would think you are really strange, but it is not illegal.

[The Stranger]

ye MRD suggested something similar, about camping sites where i could stay. I wouldnt just park my car on the side of the road ofcourse. When I was in New Zealand and slept in our van, we usually went to free campsites or parkinglots on the side of the road where people usually stop to take a break before driving on. We never had any trouble with it, but im aware you cant do that everwhere, some places might not be safe.

[Strike For The South]

so u agree with mrd and say its not safe to do it? or actually illegal? i dont know american laws that well.

It's not safe and very well could be illegal depending on where you are. America is a vast and empty place.


Strike likes to argue for the sake of arguing. He never emotionally developed past 8 years old, so you will have to forgive him.
I did develop past "holding down menial work". Does that count for something?


To answer your question, no, not in a city. It was when I got a new job a few years back and was still looking for a place to move into. I found what used to be a driveway going into what then was woods on a side road right beside the highway, so I parked there. It was less than a minute from a truck stop that had showers, restrooms and stuff so it worked out well. I did after two weeks or so have a statey approach me and when I explained why he suggested that I went to the truck stop and asked if I could park in the back of the lot at night till I got a place. I did and they were very obliging about it so it all turned out well. The cop didn't tell me there was a law against it or say that he was going to make me stop if the truck stop said no, so as far as I am aware it is ok.

1. This isn't on the side of the road
2. 1 states law is not applicable everywhere
3. The police take pity on the retarded and the indigent. You're batting 2 for 2

[Fragony]

1 I hate being patronised
2 I hate irony
3 I hate lists

What's it to them ffs, what is wrong with sleeping in your car. Vast enough to find a place, gawd