I'm often asked how much will it cost for six months budget travel in Asia, or to travel around South America.

Of course every traveller has a different budget. One person's budget for a fortnight in Egypt might well run to a couple of thousand dollars, for others it would only be a few hundred.

Prices are dependent on where you like to stay, your prefered mode of transport and whether you eat regularly at street markets or prefer an air-conditioned restaurant.

I class myself as a 'budget traveller' but that doesn't mean I don't stay in the occassional five-star hotel.

Even on a really tight budget - in a traffic-swarming, sweaty country - visiting an international hotel offers some sort of respite from the heat and noise; if only for a cold beer and a change of scenery. The toilets are cleaner too.

Another thing to affect the total 'budget' cost is which countries you'll intend to visit; as some are cheaper to get around than others. Some travellers also like to buy 'souvenirs' of the places they visit.

With check-in luggage on round-the-world flights becoming increasingly restricted, postage costs will need to be added to these superflous items; with the added risk that something might get broken.

Personally, I used to send a postcard home from every country and major place of interest. It's cheap, and you can read back on your thoughts in years to come; when it's time to get all sentimental.

As you can see, saying 'how much it will cost' will receive a very vague answer indeed. But to get a rough idea of what it might cost, for staying in hostels and eating as cheaply as possible, you can always try Steve's Round the World Budget Calculator; which will add up expenses in a number of countries with how many weeks you intend to spend in them.

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