In Hong Kong I stayed in a hotel for 7 nights on Hong Kong Island. It was worth starting the trip with a bit of luxury as I knew there would be far worse places to follow.

I then moved on to Australia, where me and my mate spend 2 months in Sydney in an apartment with 2 girls we knew from the UK. The place was complete with swimming pool, sauna, gym and roof terrace. We then bought a car and drove 26km around the country staying in hostels in the cities and campsites win the desert.

We then did the hostel thing in New Zealand when a couple we were travelling with decided they wanted a bit of privacy and got a camper van and drove round both islands.

In Singapore, and Malaysia it was hostels all the way, and then to Thailand where we ended the trip in a beach hut on Ko Pha Ngan. Although we were pretty skint by this point even the cold water showers didn’t dampen the spirit. It’s well worth going backpacking – even on a shoe string budget.