From planning the journey to packing the bags, from organizing money to keeping in touch with home--truly the bible for hassle-free backpacking The result of extensive research and firsthand experience, this guide is crammed full of advice for the first-time traveler. It offers helpful tips on finding work abroad, obtaining travel insurance, being a responsible ecotraveler, and much more. It provides crucial information on personal safety and potential health risks, with newly revised and updated chapters to cover the increased international safety measures and the growth of internet-related travel assistance and social networking. The best guidebooks are recommended, together with a comprehensive selection of insightful travel reads. There's even an alphabetical guide to diplomatic contacts for each country, complete with details of typical regional climates.