Hit 12 countries on a $3,800 shoestring, here's what surprised me most
Just got back from a 5 month loop through Southeast Asia and I somehow stretched $3,800 from Bangkok to Hanoi to Bali (plus a random week in Kuala Lumpur). The big shock wasn't the hostel prices, it was how much I saved by taking overnight buses instead of flying, like $40 a pop on average, and never once regretted the lumpy seats. My budget spreadsheet said I'd run out by month 4, but eating at damp night markets with locals instead of tourist spots cut my food bill in half. Has anyone else tracked their actual spend and found one unexpected line item that blew their whole estimate?