I’ve been following a few amazing travellers who I can tell will be having some heaps good adventures over the coming few months but it was a tough decision decided who would add some chaos to the mixing pot!

So let me introduce our newest wandering nomad – Stephen…

So Stephen, introduce yourself…who are you and where are you from?!

Right! I’m an aspiring travel writer, adventure junkie, and world-wide vagabond from Ohio. In 2006, I took a trip to Ireland that rocked my world. After that trip, I went back home and nothing was the same. I had my first taste of a bigger world and backpacking culture; I fell in love with both.

Every year I would eagerly wait for summer, when I could take off for 3 months. At the end of each trip it was harder to come home. Two years ago I couldn’t take switching back and forth anymore and I started my path towards becoming a full-time vagabond. I worked, I saved, and I started a blog. Finally, a couple months ago, I set off to travel full-time; focusing and working two years to create the life I wanted was the best choice in my life.

I’m a backpacker to my core. I’m never more at home than when I’m showing up at a train station in a foreign country with my backpack and no set plans.

– You’ve just set out on your RTW adventure, any stand out highlights so far?

Can an entire country be a highlight? If so, Croatia holds that title.

However, by the time you read this I’ll have just  ran with the bulls. It is the main item on my bucket list, and if I survive I’m sure that it will be my greatest highlight.

– ….anything you’ve had to learn or adapt to quickly that you didn’t envision?

Ha, it is funny you say envision. Two days ago on the beach in Barcelona sand got into my contact lens and scratched my eye. Yesterday, I had to wear an eye patch, plus, take my contacts out.

Imagine navigating the trains and subways in Spain, while you are trying to keep your valuables safe with almost zero visibility. Luckily, I had some friends to help me out or I would have never made it.

Today I can see a little better, but everything is still blurry. I’m going to use my lack of vision as an excuse for any spelling errors in this post, just kidding.

– Tell us some more about your blog, what can readers expect from your musings?

Alright, time for a little self-promotion! A Backpackers Tale is an adventure/misadventures travel blog. I focus on all the adrenaline pumping activates around the world. I want to encourage others to travel, to have adventures and to explore the world. However, I also offer practical travel tips and personal stories from the road.

It’s weird because I thought my audience would eat up the adventure posts but my personal stories, and thoughts are by far the most popular post on my site.

– What inspired you to start writing about your adventures

After traveling I developed a reputation in my town as being the go to guy for travel advice. I would receive emails from friends of friends, people I didn’t even know asking me for advice. Then, I discovered travel blogs and saw a passionate group of people living my dream, and writing about it. There really wasn’t an option from that point. Travel writing is a perfect outlet to share experiences while helping others to travel.

– Shameless plug time, what’s your favourite post so far?!

I like my post What Two Years of Saving To Travel Taught Me. It captures the moment in life when my dream was shifting into reality, and when all the hard work started to pay off.

– What’s the plan for the rest of the year then, where are you heading and any epic adventures in there?

I’m packing in the adventures in 2013! The Mongol Rally starts July 13^th where I’ll be driving over 10,000 miles through two continents and nineteen countries in five weeks. After that, I have La Tomatina, Morocco and Oktoberfest. In October, I fly to India and from there; your guess is as good as mine until I fly to Australia in January.

– On your adventures what 5 things are you really stoked about doing?

I’m super pumped to be crossing some of the top things off my bucket list. My top five are the running of the bulls, camping in the Sahara, The Mongol Rally, Oktoberfest and Ye Ping Lantern Festival.

– Any awesome travel bloggers you’d recommend we all follow, who’s been inspiring you?

Well, Nomadic Matt taught me how to blog, so I always follow him closely. I also love reading Backpacker Banter; you’ve inspired me to pick surfing back up.

A few other blogs I follow closely are:

• Further Bond
• One Giant Step
• Expert Vagabond
• Active Backpacker
• Pause the Moment

– Any advice you’d give those thinking about long term travel?

Stick with it, traveling is awesome but like anything else you have days when all goes to hell. Use those days as a chance to learn. People are always surprised how strong and capable they are when they have to figure something out on the road.

Stephen will be blogging occasionally on RTW Backpackers – but you can also follow his adventures over at A Backpackers Tale and his tweets via @XXXXXXX

The post Introducing A New Face To RTW Backpackers – Meet Stephen! appeared first on RTW Backpackers.

Life as travellers took president and the organisational skills of backpackers failed us miserably!

The original cast got caught up in awesome new jobs and simply couldn’t find time in amongst all their travel plans…

…however – RTW is back and better than ever!

We’ve redesigned the site, created a shiny new logo and now there’s some old and new faces to introduce…

Chris – One of the original RTW members, Chris has since left South America after exploring Ecuador, Peru and the Galapagos. His travel plans changed, changed and changed again – and after 6 months bouncing around Asia and a random month in Switzerland of all places he ended up surf coaching in Morocco for the winter! Later this month he’s finally heading to NZ!

Dan – He’s still in the Welsh Valleys but Adventures With Dan is still finding time to live up to his sites name! Whether it’s white water rafting, learning to dive in the freezing lakes of the UK or plotting some adventures around Europe and beyond he’s still got travel on his mind.

Monica – The final original member, Mon has jumped into the travel industry with both feet – being the networking whizz behind Flight Centres social media team. Her job comes with a whole heap of travel perks and she’s been bouncing around the world – from snowboarding in Canada to camel trekking in northern Africa.

Sam – The first of the new RTW recruits! Sams currently on the home straight of travel planning before she flies off on her RTW adventure later this year from the UK. Expect a whole heap of planning advice from her and a greta person to pick the brains of if you’re heading out on your first travel experience soon.

Oceana – Our second new recruit and solo Aussie of the pack Oceana is currently pit stopping in Sydney to drum up some more dollar for an epic adventure in Asia. Having lived in Indo for most of her childhood and spending the last few years bouncing around in Australia she has a pretty unique take on life.

You can find heaps more info about the crew over on the new about us page – so go get acquainted with your new hosts!

But what are the original crew up to now?!

The original crew are still blogging away- here’s what they’re currently up too..

Bev – The Bevster has settled down in Auckland, NZ for the time being. She’s still blogging via Pack Your Passport as she explores the land of the long white cloud and she’s also already put together and epic set of plans for 2013.

Poi and Kirsty – Poi and Kirsty are back in the UK after an awesome time living and working in Asia. No Place to Be is still going strong and they’re slowly adjusting to life bck in the UK, but no doubt will hit the road again very soon!

Gemma – Media girl Gemma is still doing what she does best – social media, promo and planning her own epic trips!

We hope you enjoy following some new adventures, the new faces and the new look – here’s to some epic backpacking carnage! *cheers*

New Faces, New Places, New Adventures…

The post Meet The New RTW Backpackers Crew! appeared first on RTW Backpackers.

Seems like there is an upside to the economic global downturn after all.

Singapore Airlines, in a bid to attract more tourists to Singapore, is offering hotel rooms for just £1 a night.

If you choose to stopover at the minute Asian country en route elsewhere you can snap up the deal at a snazzy hotel such as the Grand Pacific and get a free transfer. All for less than a cheeseburger.

And any additional nights will be discounted by up to 56 per cent.

As the airline serves onward destinations across south east Asia and Australasia including Koh Samui (Thailand), Penang (Malaysia), Adelaide (Australia), Hanoi (Vietnam), Siem Riep and (Cambodia) it’s a pretty good deal. Plus flights to Singapore are currently only around the £400 mark.

Sean Tipton of the Association of British Travel Agents – The Travel Association said: “The travel industry sometimes offers amazing deals like this outside of peak periods when demand is low and many hotel rooms and airline seats are unoccupied.

“If you are lucky enough to be able to travel when these offers are around you can make some incredible savings.”

Fancy taking up the offer? Do you think Singapore is worth visiting as a backpacker? 

The post Travel News: Singapore Hotel Rooms For Just £1 appeared first on RTW Backpackers.