I couldn't backpack, I'm far too much of a princess. And there's no way I could travel solo. I could travel with a friend or boyfriend though, just definitely not by myself.
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I couldn't backpack, I'm far too much of a princess. And there's no way I could travel solo. I could travel with a friend or boyfriend though, just definitely not by myself.
MEB I think you could, probably not right away but never say never.
By staying in hotels you just don't get a chance to meet other travellers or interesting people. Then again as I found out when I travelled through Spain last year not a lot of young people sit around and talk they are too busy being on their phones or the internet to take much notice. When I travelled in my late 20s and early 30s that's how you met people by talking and not glued to your phone.
BTW when I say backpack you can take your suitcase that has wheels and throw it up on the train and stay in three star hotels in you wish. Backpacking accommodation has changed quite a lot over the years.
By staying in hotels you just don't get a chance to meet other travellers or interesting people. Then again as I found out when I travelled through Spain last year not a lot of young people sit around and talk they are too busy being on their phones or the internet to take much notice. When I travelled in my late 20s and early 30s that's how you met people by talking and not glued to your phone.
BTW when I say backpack you can take your suitcase that has wheels and throw it up on the train and stay in three star hotels in you wish. Backpacking accommodation has changed quite a lot over the years.
Nah, you and your lady will have the best times.
I am strictly 4* and above for accommodation! Has our hotel not taught you anything?!
Nothing quite like the freedom of travelling. Its so good knowing you don't have a timetable or place to be and freedom to head in any direction you choose. Mostly my travelling has been all planned so i haven't done a whole year no plans etc travel yet, but i've done short stretches (a month for example) and its fantastic.
Its good because if you love (or hate) a place you can stay or go as you please, without already having everything locked in.
Its good because if you love (or hate) a place you can stay or go as you please, without already having everything locked in.
SE_Blue
Cancelled
See, that sounds awful to me. I need schedules and boundaries and spreadsheets with every detail planned. I'm just too neurotic to leave things open like that.
Four star hotels, man I could never afford that if I was going overseas for a long time. I've been doing air bnb and staying in apartments by myself or with the owner and you get a sense of the real place. I stayed with a great person in Madrid and got to see where she likes to hang out, instead of the receptionist at a hotel telling you where the most expensive places are.
SE_Blue
Cancelled
Oh, I have a lot of things planned. I've got names, numbers and addresses of hotels/hostels for everywhere we're going written down, for the embassies, for hospitals, bus/train routes etc. etc. I've also got a set route I sort of want to follow so I don't have to backtrack as much.
But, even then, there's still the freedom that if I get somewhere, I can just go: "oh this place is pretty s**t" and continue on my way.
Only that we charge too much for accommodation in Australia.
Ibis $35 in Ho Chi Minh
Have you been to Vietnam before ??
If not, drop me a PM with an snapshot of your itinerary and I'll give you some pointers etc, been there twice as well as next door to Cambodia too if that helps.
3 to 4 star hotels in Vietnam can be as low as $25-30 per night and include breakfast.
Never dismiss it out of hand, it varies from country to country.
SE_Blue
Cancelled
Haven't been before, first time. Focusing more on Cambodia as my girlfriend's from there, but might get over to Vietnam if some of my friends are there at the same time.
Phnom Penh is a great city, just don't hang too much by the riverside. The Killing Fields & Tuol Sleng are must-sees but they aren't glamourous, it is really important for foreigners to go there to get a good understanding of what those people have gone through, you really admire them once you do.
Siem Riep is like the Gold Coast with way too many tourists, Angkor Wat & the Tomb Raider temple are sensational.
Really liked Battambang for a change of pace & some time-out. Not much to do there apart from drink ice cold Tiger beer in the heat.
I can understand that. As a general rule i like knowing what i'm doing, and for most holidays that's how it is and i've planned everything perfectly, i love planning it all out.
When exploring completely new places the freedom can be so awesome. For example, Cesky Krumlov i only planned staying overnight in as it was just a small place, ended up staying 5 nights because its such a friggin cool place. Would've shot myself had i left so soon.
SE_Blue
Cancelled
I'm really looking forward to Battambang and hopefully getting up to Preah Vihear.
Tossing up how much of Cambodia to see. My girlfriend's the first generation to be born in Australia and so I think it's important for her to see as much of her family's country as possible (similar to when I went to Ireland last year). But then I don't know how much there is to see from going to places like Kep and Kampot. Will probably end up going to them, then going to Laos and Vietnam if we change our minds.
Planning on avoiding Sihanoukville like the plague.
If you go to Battambang, try and stay at Bambu, its a new place that resembles a very small resort complete with swimming pool etc.
We booked for three nights and got a fourth free, worked out to be around $40 per night for top shelf accommodation. Get online and make some enquiries, see if they will cut a deal. The manager is a pommy guy named Pat, really decent fella.
Get a tuk-tuk to take you out for a day to see the local sights (old Pepsi factory, fish sauce factory - byo smelling alternative, rice paper factory, rundown riverside dwellings, sugarcane train, etc), we found it really pleasant getting out into the burbs where the normal tourists & travellers don't go.
Didn't go to Kep & Kampot but they are seaside villages which specialise in fresh crab dishes which are so goddam cheap its near on embarrassing. Will go there the next time we go.
Have a look at Circa 51 in Phnom Penh, it's away from the main tourist strip so it's a lot quieter, has a huge pool and only 8 rooms all with ensuite. It's an old 60's home that looks like where the Thunderbirds was filmed. They have 2-3 tuk-tuks permanently out the front so getting around is really easy.
We booked for three nights and got a fourth free, worked out to be around $40 per night for top shelf accommodation. Get online and make some enquiries, see if they will cut a deal. The manager is a pommy guy named Pat, really decent fella.
Get a tuk-tuk to take you out for a day to see the local sights (old Pepsi factory, fish sauce factory - byo smelling alternative, rice paper factory, rundown riverside dwellings, sugarcane train, etc), we found it really pleasant getting out into the burbs where the normal tourists & travellers don't go.
Didn't go to Kep & Kampot but they are seaside villages which specialise in fresh crab dishes which are so goddam cheap its near on embarrassing. Will go there the next time we go.
Have a look at Circa 51 in Phnom Penh, it's away from the main tourist strip so it's a lot quieter, has a huge pool and only 8 rooms all with ensuite. It's an old 60's home that looks like where the Thunderbirds was filmed. They have 2-3 tuk-tuks permanently out the front so getting around is really easy.
Do it MEB traveling is the best thing ever.
How long are you going for SE_Blue ?
Back in 2010/2011 I spent 5 months backpacking through SE Asia.
Went through India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia. Hands down the best 5 months of my life.
Ticking off Europe next year too. Although only got 6 weeks so have to be fairly picky about where I go.
When I get fed up with my job though I am dying to just take 6months to a year off and give South America and Africa a good crack!
When I get fed up with my job though I am dying to just take 6months to a year off and give South America and Africa a good crack!
Got pulled out of the ballot to be able to attend the 100 year anniversary dawn service at Gallipoli. So that's what spurred the trip.
So at the moment planning on going to see the Northern Lights in Norway.
Then going through UK, France, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Poland and of course Turkey.
You've been J?
Jeremias
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Yep, I certainly have. Been to Europe a couple of times and absolutely love it over there.
Of the countries you mentioned I've been to England, France, Italy and Germany. More than happy to provide recommendations for those countries as well as any others I've been to where you may consider heading.
Never been to the Netherlands, Poland, Norway or Turkey unfortunately.
I did the Northern Lights in Norway Jan last year. Hands down my best travel experience yet. Have also done all those countries you mentioned, minus Turkey.
If you want to know anything, shoot me a PM!
Make sure you leave as much time as possible in Norway as you can go days without seeing the lights. We got lucky and had an awesome show on our first night. Oh, and make sure you get right out in the wilderness!
© Me
Make sure you leave as much time as possible in Norway as you can go days without seeing the lights. We got lucky and had an awesome show on our first night. Oh, and make sure you get right out in the wilderness!
© Me
Thanks mate. Yeah think we are staying there for about 4 or 5 days. This is the one thing the mrs has always wanted to see, so I've got my fingers crossed. Apparently this is the best time of year for it and the last few years are one of the best cycles for it for ages.
Will be unreal if we get a good showing.
