Travelling

[Nate]

I'm thinking about going travelling this year for 6 months, I'm liking the idea of Asia. Would like to go to Japan, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia to see the sites, culture and wildlife. Might work out there if I find I need the money, I hear you can get in to working hostels which have work.

Have any of you been travelling? Where did you go? What did you do?! HOW MUCH DID IT COST!?!??! Did you join a travelling group and fly with them or do it all alone?

 

[Ch3tan]

£1000 a month for 6 months, although I hardly did it on the cheap. Australia and the US mainly. If I did it again I'd do it very differently. Planning is key, you can wing it and change as you go, but make sure you know they key things you want to see, and a ballpark of how many days you'll spend in each place.

 

[DaGaffer]

I did it for a year, but spent quite a lot - £20K (but I did go to nearly 30 countries). Hostels mostly, but the odd treat in a hotel, and I did tons of adventure-type stuff like bungy jumping, diving and skydiving. If you're going to concentrate on Asia you can do it very cheaply except in Japan, which will cost an arm and a leg. China is also a lot more expensive than it used to be, but its still possible to rough it. You'll also find work quite difficult to come by in Asia (lots of local competition) whereas its pretty easy in Oz/NZ or even in South America.

I met plenty of people who were on very tight budgets (like £10 a day), but generally that was because they were trying to stretch their budget over too many countries. If you're struggling to feed yourself, you're not enjoying yourself frankly.

 

[taB]

I'm very anti the idea of working as you go to fund travelling, it's great if you want to spend a long time somewhere and immerse yourself in culture but you're far better off earning the cash in this country and spending it in theirs. I met a lot of people who went with bugger all cash and ended up working in hostels for a wage which hardly covers your beers let alone gets you to the next stop on your way.

I have done travelling with a group and without. I like the group idea when travelling to difficult places as you get to see the important sights and also keep moving. Travelling by myself I cover a lot less ground but tend to meet more people and still thoroughly enjoy myself. For some places a guide / group is not optional, e.g. Tibet.

I would start by writing down everything you want to see in these places, then researching what else to visit, then working out how long it would take & cost and then filling the gaps with other recommendations.

I would advise anyone spending that amount of time in that part of the world to also visit Laos and Vietnam too.

 

[Cadelin]

I'm thinking about going travelling this year for 6 months, I'm liking the idea of Asia. Would like to go to Japan, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia to see the sites, culture and wildlife. Might work out there if I find I need the money, I hear you can get in to working hostels which have work.

Have any of you been travelling? Where did you go? What did you do?! HOW MUCH DID IT COST!?!??! Did you join a travelling group and fly with them or do it all alone?

All those countries are good. Going with a friend or group friends makes it a lot easier. That day you get food poisoning (or some other health issue) its nice to have someone who can look out for you. Also if one of you loses (or gets stolen) wallet, passport etc, it alot less of a disaster.

Don't work out there if you want money, a few extra hours overtime in the UK will make you more cash than weeks abroad. Having said that my brother went to India and spent a few days being an extra in a Bollywood film. He was British solider that got killed by the hero. He got paid ~£14 for a days work which was a huge amount for an extra, although he only did it to be in the film (Veer (2010) - IMDb).

£1000-£1200 a month is a reasonably budget. Stay in cheap places, but do the exciting things. Total cost depends on how much flying you are doing as well. If you want to see China and Japan and Indonesia and only have 4-6 weeks....

 

[DaGaffer]

One other thing, do as much as you can overland, far more rewarding; you see more stuff and meet more people.

 

[ford prefect]

If you can find around a grand a month, you will be laughing in Asia, esepcially Thailand and Indonesia. That is more than most people make in six months there. China can be expensive though - never been to Japan.

 

[leviathane]

thailands getting more expensive these days, but still cheaper than most places

 

[Nate]

Thanks a lot for your input so far guys, £1000 a month doesn't sound too hard to come by. I see your point about the working thing will go with just doing overtime where I can here and enjoying myself out there instead. Have added Laos and Vietnam to the list. Thanks for the heads up on Japan too I'll have to have a look in to how long I want to spend in each country and what's the best/cheapest way to get about.

 

[Ovron]

I think you should go see North Korea, Nate. With a little bit of luck, you won't get out again!

:lol:

 

[taB]

I think you should go see North Korea, Nate. With a little bit of luck, you won't get out again!

:lol:

I wouldn't go there at the moment but it's a pretty amazing place to visit.

 

[xenia-]

Just get a mailorder bride instead, saves you loads of cash

On a more serious note, why only Asia? A friend of mine did a 4 year(!) tour of the world by bike (http://www.worldtravellers.dk/) - maybe you can do the same on your lollerskates? Wear a Marks & Spencer miniskirt the entire trip and your funding is sorted as well

On an even more serious note, consider Asia AND South/Central America, via Australia or New Zealand or even some the smaller island in the pacific on the way. 6 months is a long time and with the right planning you can get some serious discounts on the more costly bits like plane tickets.

Thailand is highly overrated btw, and crowded with brits! :england:

If you are serious about the culture bit then Vietnam and Cambodia are the best bets imo (Ho Chi Minh trail, Hue, Angkor Wat etc.)

 

[DaGaffer]

Just get a mailorder bride instead, saves you loads of cash

On a more serious note, why only Asia? A friend of mine did a 4 year(!) tour of the world by bike (http://www.worldtravellers.dk/) - maybe you can do the same on your lollerskates? Wear a Marks & Spencer miniskirt the entire trip and your funding is sorted as well

On an even more serious note, consider Asia AND South/Central America, via Australia or New Zealand or even some the smaller island in the pacific on the way. 6 months is a long time and with the right planning you can get some serious discounts on the more costly bits like plane tickets.

Thailand is highly overrated btw, and crowded with brits! :england:

If you are serious about the culture bit then Vietnam and Cambodia are the best bets imo (Ho Chi Minh trail, Hue, Angkor Wat etc.)

You can do the full RTW thing in six months, but you'll be rushed; I did it in 11 months and that was just about right. As for Asia v. South America, I had a great time in both, and would recommend either/both (especially the less obvious places like Bolivia). In fact if I was to pick the one place for backpackers that's HIGHLY overrated, it would be Australia (NZ on the other hand, is awesome); don't get me wrong, there's plenty to enjoy, but I had more "meh" moments there than anywhere else, and it cost more money per day than anywhere else (except, bizarrely, Belize - which was ridiculously expensive). Thailand on the other hand was brilliant; it may be full of Brits but to be honest, so is everywhere else (and Irish, and Israelis).

NB. The "Island in the Pacific" option on a RTW trip is a right pain in the arse. You'd think that say, NZ-Fiji/Tahiti-South America would be doable, but its almost impossible; in the case of Fiji you'd have to go back to NZ (which breaks the "direction of travel" rules in a lot of RTW tickets) and in the case of Tahiti you'd have to fly from there to LA and then on to your south American destination, which is a bit shit really.

 

[Nate]

There's an event coming up in London at the end of the month, think I'll check it out.

Adventure Travel Live :: Home Page

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Personally think "travelling" (i.e. spending months away at a time seeing lots of places) to be a vastly overrated experience. Although it does mean you get to feel super smug about your middle class self, as you're clearly better than people who haven't travelled.

 

[TdC]

you're quite correct Wazz: travelling has enriched my life to the point that I do actually feel kind of smug and superior.

 

[DaGaffer]

Personally think "travelling" (i.e. spending months away at a time seeing lots of places) to be a vastly overrated experience. Although it does mean you get to feel super smug about your middle class self, as you're clearly better than people who haven't travelled.

Well, better than you anyway. But that's hardly a challenge.

 

[Ch3tan]

Have you done it Wazz, or are you criticising something you've never experienced?

 

[TdC]

nah, Wazz would never do such a thing!

 

[Ch3tan]

Of course not. I'd never imply that Wazz would try to hate on something simply because he's bitter he's never done it.

 

[TdC]

indeed! and I would never imply that you would imply such a thing just because you're a travelled and cultured individual either

 

[Ch3tan]

And I'm certainly not sitting here with a smug look On my face.

 

[TdC]

of course not!

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Yeah, and TdC doesn't have his penis out!

 

[Wonk]

Has anybody here been to Honduras?

 

[DaGaffer]

Has anybody here been to Honduras?

Yes. Tegucigalpa is a total shithole, but the Bay Islands (I stayed on Roatan) are great, some of the best and cheapest diving I've ever done and pretty cool nightlife, and everyone speaks English (unlike the mainland). Can't go on the beaches because the sandflies will devour you though.

 

[Wonk]

Yes. Tegucigalpa is a total shithole, but the Bay Islands (I stayed on Roatan) are great, some of the best and cheapest diving I've ever done and pretty cool nightlife, and everyone speaks English (unlike the mainland). Can't go on the beaches because the sandflies will devour you though.

I'll be going there next year, however I've only really heard about the islands. I was about to ask if you knew anything about the mainland, but it doesn't sound like you spent too much time there

 

[DaGaffer]

I'll be going there next year, however I've only really heard about the islands. I was about to ask if you knew anything about the mainland, but it doesn't sound like you spent too much time there

Only a little bit of the coast (La Cieba) and Tegoos. I'd already done jungle-type stuff further south (Costa Rica and Venezuela/Brazil before that) and I was running short on time by that point. The only minor word of warning I'd make about the mainland is that the crime rate is pretty high; lots of carjackings and the like; Tegucigalpa was one of only two places on my entire trip where I felt a bit nervous going out at night (the other was Manaus in Brazil).

 

[Wonk]

yep, I've unfortunately heard lots of first hand stories about robberies and stuff like that. Oh well, time will tell. I've not got much planned yet.

 

[TdC]

Yeah, and TdC doesn't have his penis out!

ofc I do! how do you think I type?