Without conservation projects, many species of plants and wildlife would cease to exist. In order to run these conservation projects successfully, volunteers are essential. There just isn’t enough money for these projects to go ahead without people volunteering to help.

As a conservation volunteer, you can visit some of the most beautiful places on the planet and do your bit to help stop these areas from vanishing. There are hundreds of conservation projects going on around the world all the time because mankind is constantly encroaching on the habitats of already endangered species and wildlife needs protecting.

As well as doing your bit for the environment and the future of the planet, you also get a very cheap holiday of course. No conservation project expects people to work all the time, so there’s always plenty of time to see the sights, and enjoy the attractions locally as well.

You could volunteer on a big game reserve near the coast of South Africa, or get hands on scientific experience of large carnivores in the African wilderness of Namibia. You could spend time nursing injured and orphaned monkeys, baboons, snakes, and crocodiles even getting the chance to help release monkeys back into the wild if you stay for a while. And if tending to animals isn’t something you can cope with, then there’s always tree planting, coastal restoration, and surveying the flora and fauna in places like New Zealand or Australia. There are just so many places and causes to choose from and all of them very worthwhile.

All projects vary in what they include and exclude, but as a guide, you might expect to find that your accommodation and meals will be provided, you’ll get a briefing and orientation into what the project is about and what will be expected of you, and support and assistance from the project co-ordinator while you’re there. You’ll have to pay for your own flights, travel insurance, excursions, and souvenirs, and in most cases things like e-mail, and phone calls.

Travelsupermarket.com recently conducted some research into what celebrities men and women would most trust to do their packing. For men the top pick was Daniel Craig and for women the top pick was Gok Wan, and unsurprisingly nearly a third of Brits voted Katie Price as the person they would least trust to do the packing.

Gok Wan and Daniel Craig are very stylish and no nonsense, whilst Katie Price is known for travelling with a mountain of luggage, no doubt containing a pick of several outfits per day! Katie Price backpacking? Never going to happen, not without a 10 man crew behind the camera anyway.

This research is a bit of fun, but there is an important take away here: Less is more. Whether you are going for a month or a year, there is no difference in the things you need take. A fortnight in Europe is easily done with a 25 litre rucksack, and by packing sensibly there is no reason you couldn’t do a longer solo backpacking trip anywhere in the world with a 40 litre rucksack. Whether it’s a month or 18 months would make no difference. A 40 litre rucksack isn’t too cumbersome to carry around, and you won’t find yourself digging out unused items and paying to ship them home half way through your trip.

Top packing tips from travelsupermarket.com:

· Make a check-list of your items, and don’t forget about liquid restrictions and banned items such as razors, scissors and knives. Toe nail scissors and Mach 3’s are lethal weapons.

· Plan your holiday wardrobe in advance – think about the climate and what you’re likely to be doing and then lay everything out and before throwing it in the bag ask yourself whether you really need it; Gok Wan is the king of the capsule wardrobe which is all about having items you can mix and match. Will you really wear those smart shoes and tailored shirt?

· Consider taking lots of thinner layers so you can wear several at once if it gets cooler or easily shed layers when it warms up – this saves valuable space and weight

· Where possible put heavy items at the bottom of your bag so they don’t make everything else creased.

So how big and how heavy can your bag be before you get charged extra?

Hand luggage allowances

Hold luggage allowances

Article written by Matthew Coughlan from the cheap hotels team at travelsupermarket.com

Hitchhiking
The cheapest way of travelling around the country is by hitchhiking. Due to the distance between larger popular cities within Australia, some journeys can last hours. If you are backpacking alone this is an excellent way of having human contact as well gaining knowledge about the country. Moreover if you desire adventure, hitchhiking can take you to some remote places away from the tourist trails. The long waits between hitchhikes means it is advisable to stay hydrated and well covered whilst waiting due to the extreme heat. Moreover it is important to be aware of the risks that come with hitchhiking, so never enter a vehicle you don’t feel comfortable about. However this way of getting around enables you to meet a variety of people and see a variety of places in order to gain unique Australian experiences for the cheapest price.

Buying or renting a car
Having your own vehicle enables you to travel with independence and freedom. In order to hire a car you must be over 18 with a valid license. Also you have to have been in Australia for less than 6 months otherwise you must apply for an Australia’s driving license or have an international driving permit. The traffic drives on the left hand side where speeds range from 100-110 km/h on country roads, 130 km/h on highways in the Northern Territory, 100km/h on motorways and 50km/h in built up areas. Be aware that the drives between areas can be long so require breaks along the way.

Whilst car hire may be expensive, if you hire for a short period of time it gives you the freedom to explore areas of Australia in depth without having to rely on coach timetables. Make sure the hiring company has drop off points around the country so you can return the vehicle easily. There are many online car hire brokers to help you find cheap car hire deals. If you are backpacking for a longer period, buying a car may be advantageous. A private sale with another traveller can be the cheapest option and may come with handy tips on essential backpacking routes.

Travelling by Tour bus
Within Australia, there are many tour buses set up with the sole purpose of transporting backpackers to and from locations. As this is a popular way of travel, there are many companies commuting between larger cities. This enables you to search around to find the cheapest possible deal. However this mode of travelling means you can become dependent upon timetables and may lose the freedom which is essential to backpacking.
Each variety of transport on offer within Australia has its advantages such as cost, freedom and exploration. This range enables you to pick the transport which suits your budget, your time within the country and your preferred way of backpacking.

When planning a holiday to Turkey many people choose to go to Istanbul, which is the largest city in Turkey and a ‘must see’ attraction there is the Kariye Museum. This museum is actually an 11th century church, which has absolutely gorgeous mosaics that tell different stories of the amazing life of Jesus. Many guests recommend having a guidebook when visiting this church, as there are so many mosaics, each one telling its own story. Another must see attraction in Istanbul is the Istanbul Archeological Museum. This museum is home to a large collection of artifacts from Rome and Greece, and is in fact several museums combined into one.

During their stay many visitors choose to go to the city of Antalya. This city is in the south western part of Turkey along the breath taking Mediterrian coast. Antalya has many beautiful beaches for visitors to enjoy and the Duden waterfalls are another tourist attraction favorite. Being able to walk under the falls and viewing the water from the other side is a once in a life time experience that visitors won’t want to miss, which is why many people pack a picnic and spend a whole day at the falls. Antalya is also home to some of the best diving in the world. Both new and experienced divers are welcome and one shall not leave disappointed.

There are many places to make your bookings from and prices can vary quite considerably, so it is advisable to use a service that checks deals for you, such as ulookubook.com.

Another must see city, when going on Turkey, is Marmaris. The Dalyan Mud Bath is something everyone should try when visiting. Many people believe that these mud baths have healing properties. Even if tourist don’t believe this they still have a great time bathing in the mud. The summers in Marmaris are absolutely gorgeous and for young travellers Marmaris also offers great nightlife as well. For those tarvelling as a family, the AquaDream Water Park in Marmaris is a great place for both parents and children alikeo to have fun. With many thrilling waterslides and a wave pool and a smaller kid’s pool for younger children to enjoy, there is something for any age.

Anyone looking for a amazing time should certainly consider looking at Turkey holidays. There are so many things to see and do in Turkey that visitors are sure to create life long memories.

For water sports there is windsurfing, sailing and glass-bottom boats along with sunbathing and enjoying a swim in the warm waters. Nightlife offers casinos and nightclubs for adult entertainment. Make sure to catch the early sunrise over the Red Sea as this is a beautiful sight to see. For a real treat climb aboard a camel for a trek out to the Bejouin villages to experience some real Egyptian culture.

Another place that attracts many visitors is Mount Sinai. This is where Moses supposedly encountered God and the Ten Commandments were etched into stone tablets. As Sharm El Sheikh is mainly a diving resort, the weather is extremely hot in the summers, but swimming and diving in the Red Sea helps keep people cooled down. There are also shops for souvenirs such as Egyptian cotton, silver and gold jewelry. The perfumes are very popular also. While the ladies shop, there are wonderful golf courses for the guys to enjoy as well.

For accommodation during holidays in Sharm, you will find excellent hotels for families with children of all ages. You’ll also get to experience the excellent cuisine of Egyptian cooking. Beaches here are clean and safe so all can enjoy them as well. As Sharm El Sheikh is surrounded by majestic mountains and the beautiful blue sea, the coastline consist of 10 miles of beaches that lie between Sharm and the coastline regions of Ras Nusrani.

Located 8 km from Sharm you will find Sharks Bay where divers can enjoy beautiful coral reefs and take a cruise along the Nile to the beautiful city of Cairo and Alexandria.

Before booking your holiday, whether it is just flights or an all inclusive package, one should visit a few comparison sites, such as dealchecker, to find the best deals available.

Thailand is a great place to back pack, independent travel around this country is easy, and there is plenty of cheap accommodation that’s easy to find. The country is very westernised and that means that most of the things you’re likely to need, you can easily buy there particularly in the south of the country.

One location that is often used as a starting point for backpackers is Khao San Road in Bangkok. The area has many travel agents and cheap guest houses, and you can also find very cheap internet cafes, bars, and restaurants. From here, you can arrange travel to many other destinations in Thailand. The option is there to use ordinary busses, or tourist busses. These tourist busses travel at night, and are just for the use of tourists not locals. They generally work out cheaper than ordinary busses, but they won’t allow you to see or experience Thailand much.

If you’re travelling into the north of Thailand, it’s worth remembering that there are some things that are harder to buy here, particularly in the more remote areas. Tampons for example are something that women will want to carry a supply of as they’re tend to only be available in the main towns and tourist areas. Another useful but possibly unusual thing to carry with you is a plug for a sink or basin – these do unfortunately go missing often in cheaper accommodation, so carry your own just in case. Condoms are another item which some westerners prefer to carry for themselves. They are available here, but they’re designed for the local market, and some westerners find them a little on the small side.

Travel light if you can, but remember to take the basics such as penknife, sunscreen, emergency medical kit, insect repellent, mosquito net, torch and good quality walking boots if you intend to do any walking or hiking.
Although Thailand is quite westernised in some ways, it is very worth while to make a point of learning some of the local customs and traditions.

• Greet people with a ‘wai’ the hands together gesture made when praying in some cultures, is used in Thailand as a greeting instead of a hand shake. Do not however use this gesture towards a child, even if they use it to you first.
• If you see a pile of shoes outside a shop or other building, then its because taking off your shoes when you enter a building is a tradition. It is a good idea to do the same. In some quieter less touristy areas, not doing so may be taken as a sign of disrespect.
• If you visit a temple, cover up! Men should wear long trousers and sleeves, and women should cover themselves as much as possible.

Remember the more respect you show for local customs and traditions, the more the local people are likely to treat you with respect and friendliness.

TEFL has over 25 years of experience in teaching abroad, in the UK and teacher training. The TEFL England team aims to provide high quality training at the best value possible.

On the website, you can find information about online courses and classroom courses, what is taught and how it works, the costs, and which course is right for you. There is a section about TEFL England, and the team involved, and a large section about TEFL jobs giving information about the sort of job doing a TEFL course could lead to. This includes information on Summer camps and schools in England, Scotland, Spain, China and Italy, as well as TEFL jobs in Greece, Korea, China, Japan and the UK.

In the sections about courses in the classroom and courses online, clear information is given about each course, what it costs, and how long it is.

You can request a brochure or teacher starter pack, or contact the team by phone or e-mail to learn more. http://www.teflengland.co.uk/

The website has a great FAQ section which covers many of the questions you might want answering about courses, how to apply, what qualifications you need, and much more, and is laid out in a really easy to use way that makes the website feel very user friendly.

TEFL England is SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) approved, ODLQC (Open and Distance Learning Community Council) accredited, and is a member of both IATEFL (International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language) and SATEFL (Scottish Association for the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language) as well.

However, if you are planning to keep on the move and only stay in each country for a short period of time, you may want to just seek unskilled employment that you can find in each locality as you arrive there. You can ask for recommendations from the locals, hostel employees, backpackers, staff in restaurants and stores. Also be on the lookout for “help wanted” signs and look in the local newspaper for ads. Even if you work only for lodging, food, and a bit of pocket money, it keeps your travel expenses very low and thus well under control so that you can travel for a longer time.

There are various sources online that can help you in making a decision on where to go, what to do, and what the chances are for finding the type of work you are willing to do. You need to decide ahead of time what your skills and anticipations are so that you can be realistic.

HELP EXCHANGE is one such online listing of host farms, ranches, lodges, inns, and even boats who use volunteer helpers on a short-term basis in exchange for food, lodging, and sometimes extra benefits such as being able to have days off to go horse and bike riding, kayaking, sightseeing, and more. Regular membership sign-in is free, and a premier membership for only 15 euros for two years gives many additional benefits. Once a person finds a host and work and living schedule that is appealing, he or she can contact the host directly and make arrangements that are agreeable to both parties. Giving the host a list of skills such as experience with farming, agriculture, fruit picking, trades, boat crewing, landscaping, carpentry, building, working with horses, cleaning, babysitting, or whatever the specific skills are, make it more likely that a host will be interested. The hosts look at the helper lists to find workers as well as waiting to be contacted.

If you have a particular skill such as playing an instrument, painting, sculpting, making jewelry or other items, you can do these right on the streets, especially in larger tourist areas, to make money for your living expenses.

If you have a particular project that you are trying to accomplish such as cycling or backpacking through certain countries, or having a particular goal in mind, or partially working for a charitable project, you can put up signs on the streets and explain to people what you are trying to accomplish and see if they will help fund your efforts.

Malaria is a disease which is caused by a parasite and carried by mosquitos. It is passed to humans when the mosquito bites them to feed. It can take anything from one week, to one year from being bitten, for the symptoms of malaria to appear, and left untreated it can cause series illness, and even death.

Where could I catch Malaria?
Malaria is endemic in well over one hundred countries, so it’s important to research the country you are visiting before you travel. The worst affected areas are generally those which are near the equator, but if you are travelling to anywhere in Asia, Africa, or South or Central America you could be at risk. The CDC has a table of countries which are affected by malaria here.

Malaria Prevention – Anti Malarial Drugs
Taking anti-malarial medication during your travels is the best form of prevention for malaria, and you should talk to your GP about this before you begin your trip. Tablets should be taken according to instructions, and you must take them before, during and after your trip to avoid infection.

Malaria Prevention – Avoid being bitten
As mosquitos bite mostly in the evening and at night, a mosquito net is good idea. Spraying the net with an insecticide first can make it even more effective. There are many different types of net available, some free standing some that need to be hung from hooks, so this is something you should take time to research before you buy it. Always carry one with you, never rely on hotels and hostels to have one, it’s too important an item to be without.

An effective insect repellent is something else you should think about carrying as well. The most effective contain at least 50% DEET. Covering your arms and legs in the evening can help as well, and you can get hats with nets that will come down and cover your face and neck. – The less flesh you have exposed the less chance you have of being bitten. Keeping doors and windows shut between dusk and dawn so that mosquito can’t enter the room you are sleeping in is also sensible.

Could I still get Malaria, and how would I know?
It is possible unfortunately to still catch malaria even after taking all the above precautions as even anti-malarial medication isn’t an absolute guarantee.

Although symptoms can appear as soon as one week after being infected, and as late as one year after, the most common time frame is ten to thirty days. Early symptoms include Fever, shaking, chills, aching joints, muscle pain, headaches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Following on from this, later and more severe symptoms can include things like severe anaemia, confusion, difficulty breathing, convulsions, coma, neurological damage and kidney damage or failure.

If you are travelling in a malarial region, or have travelled through one in the last year, and experience flu type symptoms, you should seek medical advice and make sure that you have not contracted malaria. Malaria is a serious illness and needs to be diagnosed and treated as promptly as possible.

Useful websites –
http://www.who.int/topics/malaria/en/
http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home.aspx

There are a few things however that you should bear in mind about your mobile phone and its capabilities, depending on where you are travelling.

Keep your phone and yourself safe
Mobile phones can attract thieves particularly if they’re the newer more expensive models. Make sure you keep yours hidden and out of sight just as you would things like cash and keys. It is best not to store details of your bank account or other important information on there that might help a thief. Keep a copy of your provider’s customer service contact details, your phones serial number and your mobile phone number somewhere separate from your phone, that way, if your phone is stolen, you can call the provider and get it blocked easily.

Dual or tri band
If you are planning on travelling in the US, you need to remember that they work on a tri-band system and most European phones are only dual band, so won’t work there. You can check if your phone is tri-band or dual band by asking your service provider or looking in your manual.

International Roaming
Most phones are capable of international roaming, but this facility is switched off as standard to stop thieves from using stolen phones abroad to run up huge bills. Generally speaking if you are on contract you should be able to talk to your provider and have this facility turned on. If you’re on PAYG however, you may find that your provider won’t offer this feature. Don’t forget also to talk to your provider about the charges as these will be more expensive than they would be at home.

Local Sim Cards
For some countries, or if you’re planning on staying in one country for some time, it can be worth buying a local sim card. Just remove your normal sim, put it somewhere safe, and pop the new one in. (Don’t forget to tell family and friends you are doing this and how to reach you in an emergency!). If you plan on doing this, you will need to make sure that your mobile phone is unlocked and open to all networks.

Changing Networks
When you’re abroad your phone will automatically search for the strongest network that it can so that you get the best signal possible. However, different networks can charge different amounts, so if you know which countries you are going to, it is worth checking in advance which networks are cheapest as it’s possible to manually change networks if you want to do so, and the signal on the cheaper network may not be the strongest, but it may be perfectly adequate.