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10 Jan

Get moving.

Posted January 10, 2011 by Kim in adventures, appropriate technology, living without money. Tagged: , , , , , .

From the zine How to have an amazingly adventurous life for zero dollars a day.

So how do you get around without using money?  Try these:

Walk. The original.  No resources required, and if you’re tough you don’t even need shoes.  It’s the best way to observe what’s going on around you, be present, and stop and smell the roses.  And everything else as well, there’s no reason to limit yourself to roses.

Cycle. Bikes can be usually be obtained for free without to much asking around, since buying bikes and then never riding them is fairly common practice in modern Australian culture.  Cycling is another great way to be fully present in your surroundings, while getting exercise, an endorphin hit, a tan, fresh air, find useful and not so useful things on the side of the road, opportunities to stop and pick fruit (and reach high up fruit by standing on your bike), and it’s so much fun!  Beat the traffic, avoid road rage, make new friends while waiting for the lights to change, and experience the satisfaction of getting around completely under your own power.  Forget waiting for a taxi, asking people for a lift, or missing the last bus home.  Go around the block or around the world.  Did I mention it’s really fun?  I’ve cycled around New Zealand, Scotland and recently spent a month cycling Tasmania, camping in bushland and eating predominantly wild food that was growing along the roadsides.

With panniers or a trailer you can carry everything you own on a bicycle.  Even furniture removal is possible.  Check out Bike Moving Co-op on youtube.

Hitch-hike. Open yourself up to all manner of adventures.  Like a choose your own adventure story but sometimes the adventure chooses you.  Which can be fun or scary depending on how you look at it.

Ride a horse. With a horse-drawn caravan you get even more street cred in the free-adventurer scene.

 

Hitch a lift on a yacht. Occasionally yachtspeople are looking for extra crew or a cook for a voyage.  If you’re looking to go somewhere, ask around at a port or marina, and you might find yourself sailing away.

Jump a freight train. I haven’t heard of anyone doing this is Australia, but it’s fairly common in North America.

Share a ride. Backpackers hostels have noticeboards for people looking to share a car trip, and there are some ride-sharing websites that serve the same purpose.

Relocate campervans or hire cars. Hire companies need vehicles moved between cities, and will give you free hire if you can fit your journey into their time schedule.

Run a diesel vehicle on waste vegetable oil. Free fuel, and you’re reducing waste going to landfill.  People pay to have this stuff removed.  You can choose from fish & chip, donut or dim sum scented exhaust.

Localise. Reduce your need for transport by meeting all your needs in the local area.

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