Travelling the world....where to go??

MooShop

im taking a year out next year and going travelling, anyone got any suggestions about where to go.

im definitely going to Australia for a few months (was there a few years ago and loved it) anybody got recommendations of places they went and loved??

PunyHuman

I'm currently on a RTW trip. Highlights so far:

Argentina, where I am at the moment. Friendly people, huge steaks

Cambodia. Angkor is unforgettable.

New Zealand for the scenery and wildlife.

But by far the best was India. Everything about it was just incredible.

Scubachick

ooooh, MooShop - you lucky duck!

I spend 18 months travelling about 5 years ago. When I came back I felt as if I had missed more than I had seen - there is soooo much world out there you could spend 10 lifetimes and still not get it all done! You will meet people on the way and find out things which will change your itinerary - just be open to suggestion and be flexible.

Things I wish I knew before I went:
1: Never pack a gob-sh**e as there will be one when you get there.
2: Try to buy a one-way ticket to Oz with as many stop-overs as possible. As nobody wants a flight to Sydney/ Perth with 5 stop-overs these tend to be really cheap. You can also get out on any stop-over and stay for weeks/ months. Your ticket is normally valid for 1 year from the first departure date - so you will have 1 year to get to Oz. You can do the same on the way back and go a completely different route. Otherwise, if you get a round the world ticket you have to be back home within the year and the ticket cost loads.
3: Bring twice the money and half the clothes.

If I was to go again, I would go along the west coast of Oz, rather than the east. There is still a great reef here - just not quite the hoards of British and Irish backpackers!
I found India really hard work - but then I am a girlie with blue celtic skin and we went down south where people never saw a white person - let alone a blue one! My sis has freckles and she had lepars asking her what happened to her skin. I was also on Larium (strong anti-malaria stuff) which made me really short tempered (not to mention the feaky lucid dreams!), so that probably impeded my enjoyment.
I really enjoyed Thailand and most backpackers we met felt the same way. Great place for lazing on idellic beaches and meeting interesting people.
Do bring a guidebook for your first country. You can pick up subsequent guidebooks on the way. We liked the Loney Planets, as they were bound together well so they took the use and abuse - some of the other guidebooks fell apart fairly easily! Read it up and pick a few places to go that you like the sound of. When you get there, you will meet other like-minded people who will give you ideas for the next leg.

Enjoy!

Scubachick

quad_red

Am planning something similiar in a couple of months time. I'm getting a loan for 5 grand and am heading off in Ocotber.

How far do you think that'll get me?
I'd like to see some of Oz followed by moving up through Southern Asia and ending up in Vietnam/Cambodia.

Is that realistic with 5grand?

MooShop

scubachick, thank you very much you have been more than helpful.

my lifelong dream has been to travel the world so i may as well do it while im young and nothing to tie me down. i have always wanted to scuba dive the great barrier reef so thats top of the list but also intend on travelling to the west of australia, i heard perth is a lovely place.

there's just so much of the world to see, where do you start, where do you draw the line?? im tryin to gather up as much knowledge (and cash) before i go, will probably be leaving next march or april so it nearly gives me a full year of non-stop saving!!!

one more question for you if you dont mind answering, did you bring all your money with you or did you work as you went along?? im trying to save as much as i can, then whatever else i think i need i'll take out a loan. what would you think is the best way to carry money i.e traveller's cheques, credit cards etc??

once again thank you very much for your help

MooShop

PunyHuman

Mooshop, I got loads of travellers cheques and they are a bit of a pain. If I was to take another trip I would just bring a few TCs and put money into the credit card via online banking every now and again. There`s another recent thread about this

Quad_red, 5 grand will get you as far as you want - it depends on whether you want to stay in hostels or hotels, eat decent food or McDonalds, or whatever. Australia is expensive, SE Asia is not.

humbleCounty

going round the world in october please god,

starting in south america, (argentina, chile, bolivia, peru, ecuador) then stop off in easter island, fijii, new zealand, oz, bali, up through se asia, and then india

canna wait, dont plan on spending too long in australia though, kinda just home away from home?

davros

How about going from Europe to Asia overland?

...Turkey...Iran...Pakistan...China...Hong Kong...

And once in Hong Kong, you can pick up a bargain flight to SE Asia, Japan, S. Korea, Oz...

LegacyUser

Meath...make sure you get out there along the way.

Fantastic place with amazing views.