There’s No Chowmein In China

If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to our website and never miss what’s on the goat trail again.. Thanks for visiting! We all know what Chinese food is, right? Before coming to China, I figured it was ginger beef, sweet & sour pork, chicken chow mein, fried rice, spring rolls and insects & organs! Having travelled through China and lived here for 9 months, we’ve started... 

Backpacking Is Like Sex

If you think about it, a backpacking journey is a bit like having sex! Since these are two of the great joys in life, we thought we’d explain why the two of them are alike. Enjoy! In the beginning, you’re nervous and unsure of what lies ahead. This is true. Even though setting off on a great round the world adventure is exciting and you can’t wait to get out there and see what this world has... 

Planning Our Trek In Mongolia

There are a lot of things going into our next trip through Mongolia, Russia, Central Asia & Iran. Perhaps no part of this journey am I more excited for, than the 5-8 day expedition we’re planning in Mongolia! We plan to trek from the Chuluut River, in the Archangai Province of Central Mongolia, all the way up to Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur, fishing and camping along the way. We’ve had to start a whole... 

Teaching English: A Day In The Life Of A Teacher In China

We’ve written about many of the FAQ’s of teaching English in China and about how to get started teaching here, but we haven’t actually set out what a day in the life is like! For all of you who are thinking about teaching English in China, or if you’re just curious about what it would be like, here’s an example of our busiest teaching days, which are Saturdays and Sundays because... 

Applying For A Mongolian Visa In Shanghai

Applying for a Mongolian Visa in Shanghai? Here you’ll find everything you need to know including a 3 minute video on how to find the embassy and what to bring! The Address Of The Mongolian Consulate In Shanghai: City Gateway House 30th Floor No.3001 Caoxi North Rd. 398 (Near Xujiahui Metro Stop) Xuhui District, Shanghai, China 200030 Bring: 1 passport photo (any size and background color) Your passport A... 

Top Travel Blogs – A List Of Our Favourites!

As we continue to indulge in the wonderful world of travel blogging, we also find ourselves entering a great community of like-minded individuals who have the same interests and goals in mind. Goats On The Road is our pride and joy, but we would have a hard time keeping it fresh without the help, support and inspiration from our favorite travel blogs. Here’s a list of the top travel blogs out there. Check... 

Travel Creates Bad Habits

We love travel, I think that’s clear from the way we live our life… but travel does create some bad habits that you’ll start to notice when you return home. During an epic trip, you change so much that it’s hard to conform to a normal life when you go back to your home country. You don’t always fit back in with the same crowd, you have little to talk about with friends because... 

Travel To-Do List: Before We Go

Depending on which country we travel to, we have a different  To-Do List. Some of the items remain the same (getting vaccinations, budgeting for the trip, buying travel gear, etc.), but for this particular trip, which will take us through Mongolia, Russia, Central Asia & Iran, there is so much more that needs to be planned, dealt with and thought about. We can’t seem to find much, if any, current... 

Everything Happens For A Reason – Why You Should Go With The Flow

In our day to day life, we always live by these words: Everything happens for a reason. What’s meant to be, will be. While travelling the world, we’ve been in the right place at the right time on numerous occasions. I want to share with you a couple of moments in our travels that have changed us. There are two distinct events that happened in the past which altered the way we now look at travel... 

7 Seriously Strange Street Foods In China

We love eating at street-side vendors and have our favourite ones here in Yangzhou. However, those foods consist of delicious cold noodle dishes, soups, wraps and fruits, not insects! Here’s a list of some of the less appetizing street foods seen all around China: 1. Deep Fried Massive Spiders. These bad boys were spotted in Hangzhou and were so massive that I was even scared to take a photo of them! Eeek!... 

The Complete Travel Packing List For Men

We’ve written about what we consider to be “backpack essentials” for a trip around the world, we’ve given a breakdown of what’s in my backpack (and should be in every woman’s bag), so now it’s time to put together a travel packing list of what’s in Nick’s backpack. Nick’s 70L Deuter luggage entry backpack, with zip-off day bag However, before you... 

10 Reasons To Travel To Turkey

Turkey ranks at the top as one of our favourite countries to backpack through. We were only going to spend three and a half weeks there but ended up spending five weeks! There’s so much to see and do in this fascinating country that you’ll need all the time you can get. The stunning Ayasofya Mosque in Istanbul Here’s our list of 10 Reasons To Travel To Turkey: 1. The People. I know it seems... 

Pressures Of The Planning Process

We have 3 months left before our teaching English contract here in China is up and we’ve officially started planning for our next trip! It’s turning out to be quite the process. We knew that travelling to one of the least touristy regions on the planet would present some difficulties, but it has still surprised us just how much has to go into this trip. The visas in post-Soviet Central Asia are becoming... 

From Career To Dreams – Cez And His Escape From The Corporate World

This is a guest post from Cez of e-Tramping. Together with his best friend, Agness, they “tramp” around the world and write about budget travel, teaching English and living their dreams! We are excited to have this wonderful guest post from them. Enjoy! “Why do they always teach us that it’s easy and evil to do what we want and that we need discipline to restrain ourselves? It’s the... 

Our Top 10 Travel Experiences Of All Time

Travel is full of memorable experiences. But there are those moments in time that feel as if they were placed before you simply for your enjoyment. Times when everything comes together to create a memory that will stay with you for a lifetime. Here is a list of our favourite travel experiences to date, but there are so many to choose from that it’s really hard to narrow it down to 10! Goat Note: Click... 

Spring Has Sprung In China!

Ah, spring time, one of the most beautiful times of the year. The flowers are in full bloom, the trees are blossoming, everything is green, the sun is poking its head out and everyone is coming out of winter hibernation! Spring here in China is lovely. Here are some of our recent spring photos from around Yangzhou, Shanghai and Hangzhou: Beautiful blooming trees near our house in Yangzhou Brilliant yellow... 

Weekends With Bernie!

Have you ever met a fabulous friend while on the road and then met up with them years later? We’ve gone to visit travel friends in England, but this time we were having someone come and see us!  We’ve been travelling around for 3 years and have yet to have any visitors…which is understandable while actually backpacking around, but since we’ve been living in China for 9 months and are stationed... 

The Complete Travel Packing List For Women

We’ve written about what we consider to be “backpack essentials” for a trip around the world, but we thought we should put together a travel packing list to show exactly what’s in each of our backpacks. Obviously, there are differences between what Nick packs and what I pack, so this post will be all about what a woman should pack on a journey around the world. My 60L Mountain Equipment... 

You Know You’ve Been Travelling A Long Time When…

We’ve been travelling for over 3 years now and one thing has become quite apparent: not much phases us anymore! You name it, we’ve seen it, and probably even done it. Some things we may not be too proud of, but that’s the life of a backpacker. So, without further ado: You Know You’ve Been Travelling A Long Time When… 1. A cockroach tries to steal your food and you think it’s... 

10 Reasons Why Living Abroad Is Awesome!

When we set off from Canada to live abroad in China, we knew it would be awesome, but we didn’t know it would be this amazing! We’ve travelled around lots, but apart from staying somewhere for a month, we’d never actually lived anywhere overseas. Everything was different from travelling, in a good way! We were ready for a bit of a routine after being on the road for so long and living in Yangzhou,... 

Our Daily Budget For Every Country We’ve Visited

We’ve travelled through 35 countries and kept to a very typical backpacker budget in all places. We thought we’d share with you our individual cost summaries for every country we’ve visited along with a quick breakdown of expenses. We have a very comfortable travel style, but we always opt for the cheapest double private rooms and we allow enough extra funds for excursions, but none that seem... 

South African Safari: National Parks You Can Afford!

When people think of seeing the Big 5 in Africa, they typically picture the Masai Mara, Kenya, the Serengeti in Tanzania or Kruger National Park in South Africa. These parks are all fantastic, but they can be quite crowded and not to mention, pricey! South Africa boasts some of the best national parks for viewing wildlife, yet most people only go to Kruger NP. There are other places to see beautiful wildlife... 

Borneo On A Budget: Top 2 National Parks To Visit Independently

Borneo has to be one of the most diverse and stunning islands on our planet! There’s so much to see and do here that you could spend a lifetime and not see everything. With amazing flora and fauna, stunning coastlines and lush jungles, Borneo has it all. There are many National Parks here which cost a lot of money to visit, and you typically need to have a guide with you. However, these two amazing parks... 

The Day We Got Paid To Be White In China

Before we came to China, we had heard plenty of stories about “whiteys” getting hired by companies to pose as foreign employees but we never thought we would be involved in such a job. Turns out, these jobs are quite common in Yangzhou. We’ve been asked to be interviewed by two different TV stations (denied because of timing) and just last week we were asked to participate in an ad campaign... 

Budget Guide To Backpacking China

This budget guide to backpacking China will give you everything you need to know about China travel. From the cost of accommodation to cuisine and culture, we’ll cover it all right here! We’ve travelled around China for a month and have now lived here for 8 months, so we consider ourselves experts on this amazing country. With world-class hostels, unbeatable history, second to none sights and extremely... 

Top 10 Things To Do In The Philippines

The Philippines is a awe-inspiring archipelago consisting of over 7000 islands! Obviously, you won’t be able to see and do everything there in one visit, but here’s a list of our Top 10 Things To Do In The Philippines: 1. Go Scuba-Diving. The underwater world in the Philippines is stunning. It’s like being in an aquarium! Don a mask and fins and get under there. You can see everything from... 

Eating On The Street, On The Cheap: Our Favourite Food Vendors In China

It’s no secret that food is a runner-up on our list of passions in life (others being travel, chocolate & wine), so what better place to be in than China?! The restaurants serve some amazing dishes; from tofu to chicken to noodles and frog, China has it all…literally. Even though we love eating at the very affordable and delicious restaurants here, one of our favourite places to enjoy a meal... 

We’ve Been Published!!

It’s a great day for Goats On The Road. The website has been consistently picking up steam thanks to our loyal followers and satisfied readers! We’ve been lucky enough to be able to share our “off the beaten track” experiences with our readers, and in October of 2012 we were asked to publish an article for Southeast Asia Backpacker Magazine! The article is called “10 Places Off... 

Should I Travel With A Tour Group, A Guide, or Neither?

There are three main ways to travel: With a tour group, with just you and a guide, or, independently. Here we’ll explain the differences between the three options and the pros and cons of each form of travel. Travelling With A Tour Group. For some, going on a guided tour is perfect. With this type of travel, there’s little to no planning on your part, everything is set up for you and all you need... 

Why Are We So Damn Happy?

Shouldn’t everybody be happy? Shouldn’t we all be blessed to wake up every morning beaming with excitement for what the next day holds? We like to think so. We’ve found an amazing balance in our life between work (which isn’t really work because we enjoy it) and play (which is a life of travel and experiences). We literally wake up each morning and thank the world for what it has provided...