Jackirius Posted 13 October 2011 Posted 13 October 2011 Try saying that when you've carted it around for 12 months without using it! I accept your challenge.
Jackirius Posted 15 November 2011 Posted 15 November 2011 Decided on a route, UK - Australia (Melbourne - Sydney - Brisbane - Cairns) - Indonesia (Bali - Jakarta etc) - Singapore - Malaysia - Thailand (Puckett then up too Bangkok and north of country) - UK - America. Should be going for around 11 months start to finish. Figuring our prices of flights, travel, visas, insurance, kit, daily living costs etc and trying to come up with a figure which we think we will need around. What are the best websites for helping out with gap years, I've looked on Lonely Planet and that's quite good but didn't know if there were any other bigguns which have some good info on. Anybody know of any? Still planning and will try and get everything in place for the new year and then just kick back and book things and apply for things when we need too. Also need to find a checklist of things to do before we leave so i don't forget anything, if anyone knows of one?. Trying not too over plan it though as that takes away a lot of the fun but i like to be prepared.
Jackirius Posted 15 November 2011 Posted 15 November 2011 Not Hong Kong? Booooo. I will probably land there on the flight from UK to Aus if that counts
Monk Posted 16 November 2011 Posted 16 November 2011 Decided on a route, UK - Australia (Melbourne - Sydney - Brisbane - Cairns) - Indonesia (Bali - Jakarta etc) - Singapore - Malaysia - Thailand (Puckett then up too Bangkok and north of country) - UK - America. Should be going for around 11 months start to finish. Figuring our prices of flights, travel, visas, insurance, kit, daily living costs etc and trying to come up with a figure which we think we will need around. What are the best websites for helping out with gap years, I've looked on Lonely Planet and that's quite good but didn't know if there were any other bigguns which have some good info on. Anybody know of any? Still planning and will try and get everything in place for the new year and then just kick back and book things and apply for things when we need too. Also need to find a checklist of things to do before we leave so i don't forget anything, if anyone knows of one?. Trying not too over plan it though as that takes away a lot of the fun but i like to be prepared. See a few pointers on my reply on page 1 of this thread. If you're in Indonesia around May time I know a lady who runs a tour from Bali up into Java. Small group, very very authentic. For Bali look up Pondok Ibu Anna. Amazing home stay / rental in Ubud. Re flights Qatar airways currently have a 3 day sale on to Asia, that could be a start. Failing that try a round the world tflight planner throu STA perhaps. For the US I highly recommend taking Amtrak, it's the best way to see the country, and apart form peak times it's very cheap. Spend lots of time in National parks, don't bother with LA or Florida. Read some old posts on my blog www.lostintrepid.com. Pm me if you want any tips. Would be happy to help. If you want a decent starter on traveling the world, read Vagabonding by Ralf Potts. Also worth reading a few travel blogs such as www.thepointsguy.com
Monk Posted 16 November 2011 Posted 16 November 2011 One other tip. Be ruthless with packing. Get, like a 40 litre back pack maximum. It's hard, but it'll pay you back a hundred times over. Learn how to pack effectively like rolling t shirts, get a non iron shirt. Get an iPad or a NetBook or a MacBook air. TRAVEL LIGHT. Take a good penknife.
Jon the Hat Posted 16 November 2011 Posted 16 November 2011 Take a good penknife. And don't leave it in your hand luggage to the delight of a security bloke in an airport in Vietnam.
Jon the Hat Posted 16 November 2011 Posted 16 November 2011 See a few pointers on my reply on page 1 of this thread. If you're in Indonesia around May time I know a lady who runs a tour from Bali up into Java. Small group, very very authentic. For Bali look up Pondok Ibu Anna. Amazing home stay / rental in Ubud. Re flights Qatar airways currently have a 3 day sale on to Asia, that could be a start. Failing that try a round the world tflight planner throu STA perhaps. For the US I highly recommend taking Amtrak, it's the best way to see the country, and apart form peak times it's very cheap. Spend lots of time in National parks, don't bother with LA or Florida. Read some old posts on my blog www.lostintrepid.com. Pm me if you want any tips. Would be happy to help. If you want a decent starter on traveling the world, read Vagabonding by Ralf Potts. Also worth reading a few travel blogs such as www.thepointsguy.com While Amtrak might be cool, for the USA you really cannot beat buying a car and driving. Had some awesome times on the road. No LA? Are you mad? Its all about the contrast for me. And Florida has its shit bits, but the Keys? Everglades? NASA?
Guest MattP Posted 16 November 2011 Posted 16 November 2011 Agree with everything Monk says except no LA. One of my fave cities in the world, spend a couple of days in Santa Monica, you will have some great stories to tell.
somebum Posted 16 November 2011 Posted 16 November 2011 If you want my advice, don't risk it. There are far too many dangers and nah, I'm kidding, I admire anyone for having the bottle to do it and I hope it goes well. I can see myself doing it at some point in the future. I always was a Nomad. Good luck mate
Monk Posted 16 November 2011 Posted 16 November 2011 While Amtrak might be cool, for the USA you really cannot beat buying a car and driving. Had some awesome times on the road. No LA? Are you mad? Its all about the contrast for me. And Florida has its shit bits, but the Keys? Everglades? NASA? Agree on a car. When I did trans America on Amtrak I stopped off at grand junction on the west side of the Rockies and drove to the grand canyon via arches national park, monument valley and some other places. Words fail me to describe how cool it is. If you do Amtrak cross country and combine it with some short car rentals, then it saves money in the sense that you don't need to pay to pick up in one place and return in another. I'm actually in the US right now, taking a month doing a city tour, mostly seeing friends and family. Went to a wedding in LA. personally thought it was a rather soulless and artificial place compared to other big cities like San Francisco and Boston. Florida has its cool bits, yes the Everglades are cool. Kennedy space centre is very cool, I was lucky enough to see a launch there in 2001.
FoxesAreBlue Posted 16 November 2011 Posted 16 November 2011 Agree on a car. When I did trans America on Amtrak I stopped off at grand junction on the west side of the Rockies and drove to the grand canyon via arches national park, monument valley and some other places. Words fail me to describe how cool it is. If you do Amtrak cross country and combine it with some short car rentals, then it saves money in the sense that you don't need to pay to pick up in one place and return in another. I'm actually in the US right now, taking a month doing a city tour, mostly seeing friends and family. Went to a wedding in LA. personally thought it was a rather soulless and artificial place compared to other big cities like San Francisco and Boston. Florida has its cool bits, yes the Everglades are cool. Kennedy space centre is very cool, I was lucky enough to see a launch there in 2001. One of my old clients told me that back in the 80s if you flew home from Florida you took off from the same runwaythat the shuttle lands on and the whole departure procedure was decorated NASA style and it was like a start of the flight was like a theme park ride
dave the caveman Posted 16 November 2011 Posted 16 November 2011 Decided on a route, UK - Australia (Melbourne - Sydney - Brisbane - Cairns) - Indonesia (Bali - Jakarta etc) - Singapore - Malaysia - Thailand (Puckett then up too Bangkok and north of country) - UK - America. Why not go UK-Asia-Australia-America-UK? That way you'll be able to get a round the world ticket which should be cost effective. Unless you have some specific reason for wanting to return to the UK in the middle of your trip.
Jackirius Posted 16 November 2011 Posted 16 November 2011 Why not go UK-Asia-Australia-America-UK? That way you'll be able to get a round the world ticket which should be cost effective. Unless you have some specific reason for wanting to return to the UK in the middle of your trip. The time we are going we miss most of the wet seasons and miss a lot of the really warm seasons. As we are leaving October/November time it seemed more feasible. And going back to the UK part, we may stay out and get a direct flight to USA but we are going to Camp America and the dates aren't fixed and can start from anytime May 1st - to start of June.
Jackirius Posted 16 November 2011 Posted 16 November 2011 See a few pointers on my reply on page 1 of this thread. If you're in Indonesia around May time I know a lady who runs a tour from Bali up into Java. Small group, very very authentic. For Bali look up Pondok Ibu Anna. Amazing home stay / rental in Ubud. Re flights Qatar airways currently have a 3 day sale on to Asia, that could be a start. Failing that try a round the world tflight planner throu STA perhaps. For the US I highly recommend taking Amtrak, it's the best way to see the country, and apart form peak times it's very cheap. Spend lots of time in National parks, don't bother with LA or Florida. Read some old posts on my blog www.lostintrepid.com. Pm me if you want any tips. Would be happy to help. If you want a decent starter on traveling the world, read Vagabonding by Ralf Potts. Also worth reading a few travel blogs such as www.thepointsguy.com Now reading through it, Thanks for the help and i may take you up on the pm offer!
Jackirius Posted 16 November 2011 Posted 16 November 2011 If you want my advice, don't risk it. There are far too many dangers and nah, I'm kidding, I admire anyone for having the bottle to do it and I hope it goes well. I can see myself doing it at some point in the future. I always was a Nomad. Good luck mate Yeh it is all ways something i've wanted to do and just though i would end up putting it off, but took the plunge and starting to bring it all together. If you ever need a hand getting started with it all then i will be happy to help, took me a while to get everything together and find a starting point.
FoxesAreBlue Posted 17 November 2011 Posted 17 November 2011 I did Camp America, absolutely brilliant. I only intended to do it once but went back a second time. Also travelling the states is so easy and cheap it's unreal. I did NYC, Philli, Vegas, LA and Hawaii after camp - fookin brill
chuck'em Posted 27 March 2012 Posted 27 March 2012 How is everyone's travelling/planning going? I'm looking at heading out in August, just waiting for a Sharesave plan to pay out. I'm planning on starting in Melbourne and doing a bit of work to help fund the first leg of my trip. Then I want to see a bit more of Australia until March when I have to pop back home for my sisters wedding. Not really planned where I'm going after that, there are so many places I want to go to, but obviously my budget will ultimately have a big say in what I manage to do.
Captain... Posted 27 March 2012 Posted 27 March 2012 How is everyone's travelling/planning going? I'm looking at heading out in August, just waiting for a Sharesave plan to pay out. I'm planning on starting in Melbourne and doing a bit of work to help fund the first leg of my trip. Then I want to see a bit more of Australia until March when I have to pop back home for my sisters wedding. Not really planned where I'm going after that, there are so many places I want to go to, but obviously my budget will ultimately have a big say in what I manage to do. My advice would be don't work in Australia, unless you have decent work lined up, if you are doing the fruit picking thing then it is long hard work for little pay and it is difficult to save any money, because you spend it all in your free time. You are much better off trying to work here in the UK (better money) and save money so you can actually enjoy yourself rather than work. Obviously if you are currently unemployed and have no chance of getting a job, but I went with money in my pocket and pitied the fools who were working to fund their trip and often ended up not going anywhere for the majority of it then trying to fit it all in the last month or so before they got shipped off home.
chuck'em Posted 27 March 2012 Posted 27 March 2012 I will have a decent amount in the bank before I set off, but I'd like to preserve this for a while if possible by working. Im not relying on getting a job to be able to do anything.
cambridgefox Posted 27 March 2012 Posted 27 March 2012 The time we are going we miss most of the wet seasons and miss a lot of the really warm seasons. As we are leaving October/November time it seemed more feasible. And going back to the UK part, we may stay out and get a direct flight to USA but we are going to Camp America and the dates aren't fixed and can start from anytime May 1st - to start of June. I was in Bangkok last year and in the red light district its always the wet season!
Jackirius Posted 8 July 2012 Posted 8 July 2012 Hows everyones plans going? I've got my date set, October 5th flying to Mumbai, then on too... Vietnam - Lao - Cambodia - Thailand - Malaysia - Phillipines - Singapore - Indonesia - Home/Europe. Pretty much got every thing set now just need to do all the kit buying/changing banks etc and send off my visa apps. Looking back on this thread my trip has changed a bit Pretty darn excited.
MooseBreath Posted 8 July 2012 Posted 8 July 2012 My advice would be don't work in Australia, unless you have decent work lined up, if you are doing the fruit picking thing then it is long hard work for little pay and it is difficult to save any money, because you spend it all in your free time. You are much better off trying to work here in the UK (better money) and save money so you can actually enjoy yourself rather than work. Obviously if you are currently unemployed and have no chance of getting a job, but I went with money in my pocket and pitied the fools who were working to fund their trip and often ended up not going anywhere for the majority of it then trying to fit it all in the last month or so before they got shipped off home. Nah, obviously working is not the same as being on holiday, but it's still a great experience as you get to live the real culture of the country. Much better to work in another country if you get chance rather than just be doing the same old shit at home.
MooseBreath Posted 8 July 2012 Posted 8 July 2012 Hows everyones plans going? I've got my date set, October 5th flying to Mumbai, then on too... Vietnam - Lao - Cambodia - Thailand - Malaysia - Phillipines - Singapore - Indonesia - Home/Europe. Pretty much got every thing set now just need to do all the kit buying/changing banks etc and send off my visa apps. Looking back on this thread my trip has changed a bit Pretty darn excited. You gonna overland from Laos down to Cambodia? I did it that way and it was great, fairly off the beaten track, some beatiful places in southern Laos and northern Cambodia was interesting. Are you staying in Mumbai or just connecting?
Tomassi Posted 8 July 2012 Author Posted 8 July 2012 Hey Jackirius. Great to see that you are going travelling. It is one of the best things you can do in life and will make you appreciate life so much more especially when visiting countries like Laos and Cambodia. I echo Monk's words when he says to travel light! I have a 65 litre backpack and it sometimes is a bit of a struggle but I wanted the extra room incase I picked some things up along the way. Try and pack as little as you can. Forget the tent idea just find places to stay. I once stayed in a Lao house with 12 other backpackers, we just turned up and asked if we could stay! There will always be somewhere and after a long days trek your not going to want to put a tent up! A friend I know travelled all of SE Asia on a motorbike and just rocked up at peoples houses! Guesthouses throughout asia are rediculously cheap. Most days I was spending less than 3 pounds that would get me all my food and drink and a comfortable bed. Beers in Cambodia are like 12p ! I only did Thailand, Laos and Malaysia. Plan as little as you can and go with the flow. You and your friend will meet so many people along the way and things will happen and you will go places you least expected to. Also, most places have free wifi, so worth buying an ipod which you can access the internet from. It will be a lot better than taking an ipad or laptop as it will save you a lot of room. It saved me a lot of hassle finding places. Also, best to stay in dorms when you can, best way to meet people and a lot of dorms are well maintained these days. Make sure you eat well and try not to get silly with your beers. You dont want to end up in hospital in asia. I had gastritis in Malaysia but fortunately was in a good area. Laos and Cambodia will literally blow you away. Laos especially is still very raw and only opened up to tourism a few years ago. Unfortunately most people go just for the tubing, I didn't bother with that but did everything else and there are some stunning places. The people are incredible. And the Cambodian recent history is very sad what with the Kmher Rouge killing fields from the 70s but a definate worthwhile visit! If you do end up going to Austalia, I would certainly recommend getting a working holiday visa. Its very expensive here but the pay is incredible now. I was earning 40 dollars an hour (28 pounds) cleaning an airport, 60 dollars overtime! Don't do fruitpicking work at all costs but theres plenty of good jobs out there. Im currently doing my regional work at the Cocos Keeling Islands which is an Aussie owned set of Islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean! So I will be able to extend my visa for a second year after doing my 3 months here. Have been away from home 10 months now and absolutely loving it. If I get offered sponsorship in Oz then I am going to take it which would mean 4 more years here If not then will be going onto NZ for a couple years and probably stick to my original plan. If you want to add me on facebook or pm me feel free Tom
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