Ask a hitchhiking hippy....

[CapnAwesome]

No, I haven't had the need, although I tore my miniscues in my knee in Chile, however Chile is not the third world and their medical system is about on par with ours but waaaay more affordable.

As to the funds, I do lots of different things but mostly it involves intense seasonal work. I worked on a fishing boat in Alaska for example. This is the way to go, because not only can you make lots of money quickly but you can also go on unemployment afterwards and have income on your trip if you don't go over seas, so that way I can travel inside the US for a bit and then go on a trip. I've also worked a little as a street performer.

Sorry about the knee. Fishing in Alaska, will we see you on Deadliest Catch? Street performer doing what? Me thinks you have many hidden talents!

Ever have any off putting interactions with locals?

No, I worked on a Salmon Fishing boat, which isn't that interesting or dangerous. It's mostly just super long hours and a lot of work. Although that's not what I do now, but the point is that intense seasonal jobs are a good way to go if you want to live like me.

I'm a juggler, when I've done street performing successfully it's always been with a partner though, mostly my friend who spins poi.

Yeah, inevitably traveling someone will try to hustle you. We also had a pretty sketchy experience with a loud coked up drunk in El Salvador. This sort of stuff is pretty rare for me though, as I tend to travel dirty. I mean literally being dirty, bearded and looking like I have nothing to rob. I'm also 6' and athletic and during most of my time in South America was with a male friend who was also bearded, dirty and athletic. So two young fit guys who look like they don't have any money are not your ideal targets for anything. I would say that people are nice probably 50 times for every time someone is weird or creepy.