anywhere in the whole world...

Dave! · 06-09-2006 11:12AM

If you wanna get away for a long time then get a work visa and go to Australia

ArphaRima · 06-09-2006 11:35AM

You are absolutely insane if you think E2,600 will get you anywhere for any length of time inside europe or north america. You need to go to SE asia or south america (lets be fair africa is probably not a place you want to go if you are disillusioned).
I travel a hell of a lot, and a good holiday without too much travelling is about E1000 pm. I average about $1000 pw though. A lot of people seem to be giving you annual holiday locations like berlin and mauritius etc. Grand for a few weeks, but then what? You are broke in a half decent place. Better to live well in paradise.

csm · 06-09-2006 11:50AM

fluffer wrote:

You are absolutely insane if you think E2,600 will get you anywhere for any length of time inside europe or north america. You need to go to SE asia or south america (lets be fair africa is probably not a place you want to go if you are disillusioned).
I travel a hell of a lot, and a good holiday without too much travelling is about E1000 pm. I average about $1000 pw though. A lot of people seem to be giving you annual holiday locations like berlin and mauritius etc. Grand for a few weeks, but then what? You are broke in a half decent place. Better to live well in paradise.

well yeah but what if you want to live and maybe work for a decent wage after a while? or learn a new language (that can be used globally, as opposed to, say, lao)? or you have moral issues with the sex trade/communism/dictatorships? or you don't want to get hassled by taxi drivers and con artists all day?

and by your calculations a good holiday without too much travelling would cost €1000 per month? well then, €2600 would give you about 2 months then wouldn't it (if you want a fall back fund)?

don't get me wrong, i loved south east asia and i would heartily recommend it. it's cheap and has some jaw-droppingly beautiful areas. but to call people insane for suggesting other places is ridiculous.

ArphaRima · 06-09-2006 12:01PM

Well i actually said insane for europe or north america. Not anywhere. It seems the OP is looking to run away from life for a while, and I havent seen too many people do a good job of it in europe or america. Its much easier to get lost for a while in more exotic places.
I am living in SE asia, and while I am not here to get away from life, I am earning a world class salary, have plenty of time off, and my career is secured and unaffected at home. Some research is all I ask for by the OP.
If its not work itself he's running from then I recommend talking to contract companies in the field he works in. Being an expat in asia is a great opportunity.

If averse to work, and the clock is ticking with cash dwindling, then anywhere but developing world prices would be disastrous to the plan..

Sleepy · 06-09-2006 12:06PM

It all depends on how you intend to travel imho. Europe can be done for €50 a day if you're staying in Hostels, not going out on the tear every night and just generally keeping an eye on what you're spending...

smk135 · 06-09-2006 12:28PM

yeah i'd have to agree with fluffy although he does reckon im insane, i do want to "run away from life for a while"... hmm that sounds bad.

anyway, what research are you asking me to do? im all ears if you have any sites or books for me get. and so you reckon that i could live much easier in South America on that kind of money compared to europe?
any idea on how easy it is to get a job in South America?
bearing in mind that i am alone and female is that not a huge risk?
which is why what Csm says makes sens too ( and a lot of the other posters)

and Sleepy have you been around Europe?

csm · 06-09-2006 12:36PM

you make fair points fluffer and i agree with you, i think SE Asia would be excellent. especially for a first time traveller. and of course you can earn a great living in some places doing some jobs (although the average wage is much much less). but i don't think you would be 'insane' to go to montreal for example. or riga. or athens. they are just other suggestions, they have pros and cons for sure. but i don't think they should be rejected out of hand.

how bout the rift valley in africa? incredible nature if you're into that. of course, that does include the fact that there are sh*tloads of bugs that can mess you up!

smk135 · 06-09-2006 12:43PM

csm wrote:

i think SE Asia would be excellent. especially for a first time traveller. and of course you can earn a great living in some places doing some jobs (although the average wage is much much less).

okay i have to admit i was never really all that enthralled by Asia but why do u think that SE Asia would be best for first time traveller? and also which countries exactly in SE Asia? this is so interesting to see all these different points of views!

Sleepy · 06-09-2006 12:48PM

smk135, I haven't done it myself yet so my advice is based on second hand experiences of a few of my friends. I'm looking at doing it for a few weeks next summer myself at the moment so I've been asking a lot of advice from friends and family who've done such trips.

From what I can tell, the big factors determining cost are the standard of accomodation you're looking for and the amount of drinking you intend to do in bars/clubs etc. If you're not the sort who 'needs' to stay in hotels, dine in good restaurants, drink in classy bars rather than hostels/campsites, using the hostel kitchens and drinking local beers/wines bought in supermarkets it'll cost you a lot more, but if you're looking for the experience of travelling and meeting people rather than doing it in luxury, it seems to me you can do it on €50 a day or so.

06-09-2006 12:56PM

smk135 wrote:

but are the people not the stereotypical superficial stuck up snobs you hear about EVERY time someone brings up America, and in particular that side of America???

Not the students. They are from all over the world. And you can find "stereotypical superficial stuck up snobs" not just in the USA. You can find them in any city of the world that is experiencing a financial boom, where materialism is somehow factored into how some people see their self-worth.:rolleyes:

I find it ironic how people (in general) who have never lived in OC tend buy the stereotypes produced by Hollywood. Does anyone know that the OC show is not produced in OC, but rather in LA? Many of the shots and settings are from up the coast in Los Angeles County, not Orange County. In reality, OC is a checker board of diversity. For example, Little Siagon is only about 15 minutes from where I live, which is one of the greatest concentrations of Viet Namese people and their decendants in the world outside of Viet Nam. In nearby Santa Ana, which is largely Hispanic, the US Bureau of Criminal Justice Statistics reports that there are over 17,000 gang members. I live in a university community that some call "The Bubble," because it is so different from the surrounding residential area in that it's filled with faculty and students pursuing their courses of study, living in flats, and driving a lot of inexpensive cars with all the dents and scratches you would expect from bouts of weekend drinking. Sure, Newport Beach is rich, and has one of the largest yacht basins in the USA, but there are both rich, medium, and poor cities in OC, which is not the stereotypic image projected by the OC series on the telly.

csm · 06-09-2006 01:00PM

research-wise you could get in touch with the foreign office. they will know of crime rates, visa situations etc for the various countries. also, guide books like rough guides and lonely planets generally have sections on working, money, crime and that sort of stuff (although dont fall into the trap of following all their suggestions and relying on them too heavily when you go. apart from the fact that it removes a lot of the adventure, seasoned travellers will think you're naff :P ). google is your friend too obviously. and independent travel agencies like trailfinders and usit of course (of those 2 i generally use trailfinders, find them cheaper and more helpful)

the best thing to do is talk to people who have been there and done that. even if you don't know them that well, people ALWAYS want to waffle on about where they've been and what they did. i know it's why i'm on this thread!

also, i met loads of girls travelling on their own. and i only met one who even had a little bit of trouble (locals following her in a sinister manner in tunisia). this doesn't mean, of course, that the world is a trouble free place for single women travellers, but everywhere has crime of some sort and as long as you are sensible and don't take silly risks you should be ok.

greenkittie · 06-09-2006 01:22PM

I'd agree with avoiding north america and europe. I doubt they would meet your escapist needs. I personly recomend kenya, the cost of living there is nothing and the atmosphere is amazing. Best place ive ever been.

csm · 06-09-2006 01:23PM

smk135 wrote:

okay i have to admit i was never really all that enthralled by Asia but why do u think that SE Asia would be best for first time traveller? and also which countries exactly in SE Asia? this is so interesting to see all these different points of views!

sorry, didn't see this before my other post (i hate the way work keeps interfering with my day)

imo, SE asia would be good for a first time traveller because it is really easy to get around. english is spoken widely, especially in major centres and in areas that are of interest to tourists. also, there are loads of other independent travellers from all around the world there. so you get a taste of lots of different cultures, not just the one that you are in at the time. and of course you meet loads of new people and make lots of friends.

of course, europe has this too but SE asia is also more exotic and a helluva lot cheaper. and of first time travellers that have been there that i've talked to, they have enjoyed it more (so did i).

this does not mean, of course, that everyone will love it. i know a couple of people that hate the thought of backpacking and having to put up with more dirt and mosquitos than they are used to.

in terms of countries, thailand, malaysia, singapore, vietnam, laos and cambodia are the ones that i think are best for a first visit (imho). burma, indonesia, east timor, brunei and the phillipines are probably less visited (with the exception of bali in indonesia, big party place, especially for australians). all are very different.

Terry · 06-09-2006 01:40PM

greenkittie wrote:

I'd agree with avoiding north america and europe. I doubt they would meet your escapist needs. I personly recomend kenya, the cost of living there is nothing and the atmosphere is amazing. Best place ive ever been.

yeah, just stay away from the shellfish. my friend just got back from there and got very bad food poinoning from the shellfish the day before he flew home. 2 weeks laid up because of it.

smk135 · 06-09-2006 02:32PM

wow so much info!!
okay so maybe ill just find the courage to go to SOuth America alone then.
to answer a lot of the posts, no matter where i stay whether it is as cheap as dirt or not i will defo not be staying in hotels and out clubbing every night. kind of defeats the purpose to me.

also, hwo will i ever meet anyone if i stay cooped uo in a hotel?!!
so no, am not afraid of living cheap for a while, its hardly an factor to me especially considering the amount of money i have! besides, wouldnt be a first for me either!!

the only problem is noe im starting to think of SE Asia on top of all these other places!! haha all this info is so great.

i have another question though, when you buy the Round the world tickets, from one of those places like Trailfinders or whatever, how long do you get to stay in each place and id it you whho decides how and when you leave??
how does that work??

csm · 06-09-2006 02:53PM

depends very much on the ticket, most are for a year and go to specific destinations. you then decide how long you want to spend in each place. eg, i want to go bangkok for 3 months, then sydney for 2 months then hawaii for a month and LA for 25mins. then when you are abroad you can change the days for each section by ringing up the office (or in some cases, visiting it in whatever country you're in). sometimes it costs money to change a date, sometimes it's free. keep in mind that when you book it, you can usually only book dates one year ahead from the date you book ie if you book today and depart dublin in november, then your return date will be the 6th of september 2007. you then change this when you're on holiday so that you can get the full year abroad.

you can get more flexible tickets with more destinations, and with longer timescales. the more flexible it is the more expensive usually. just don't leave it too late to change sections. if you want to leave hawaii say on 28th february and you only give notice on the 14th then you might not get a seat. although if you are pushing back a flight you might be ok. i shared a flat with a guy once who woke up on the 4th december and remembered his flight home was sometime around then. he checked his tickets and rang up the office:

guy: "hello, i'd like to push back the date of my ticket please"
airline: "no problem, when do you leave"
guy: "3 o'clock"

he got away with it too!

csm · 06-09-2006 03:00PM

i just reread my post and found it incredibly confusing and virtually unreadable. my apologies!

just ask the travel agent. if you have specific destinations in mind then they'll find you the best flight.

if you just want to decide where you're going after you've left they'll give you flexible tickets and instructions.

and if you have some idea where you want to go but not specifics they'll be good at that too (eg on my first long haul i asked them for a "flight to new zealand but stopping off somewhere interesting")

smk135 · 06-09-2006 03:03PM

haha lucky bastard!!!
thats sounds brilliant that ticket!

it would mean that i could go from place to place for a few months and work here and there for a few weeks?
also i presume that you could get a flight home without having to stay away for a year? as in they arent strict on that are they?
what are the cons to that ticket a part from having to be organised??

csm you are so full of useful knowledge!! if it wasnt really weird and freaky because of internet bein weird and freaky i would have bought u a pint by now, this info is so helpful!!

csm · 06-09-2006 03:20PM

damn!!

can you buy pints via paypal? :P

you can generally return on those tickets any time you want to as long as there are seats on the plane. cons would depend heavily on what airline you fly and how much changes to tickets cost, that sort of thing. you'd have to ask when you buy them.

if you went to SE asia by the way, i would just recommend getting a return flight to bangkok or singapore (best airport in the world by the way, you can even go for swim while waiting for a flight!). you can then go wherever you want by whatever method. they have loads of airlines that fly from place to place for incredibly low prices (put ryanair to shame) so you can just book them while you're there. i would suggest just getting buses and trains if you're not going huge distances or if you're not pushed for time, much more fun. and much cheaper.

god i'm really jealous now. maybe i can sell a kidney or something and come with...

Triangle · 06-09-2006 03:21PM

i'd recommend Central America Over South America.
South America has some lovely spots but for longer travel with lots more to see i'd defo say Central America.
Honduras (Utila Island) is a must - just stay away from Cancun. Guatemala is fantastic too - except for the danger (mugging if you are not careful), If you could - the Cloud forests are great - you might even be lucky and catch a glimpse of a Quetzal.

All through out S/C America they have very little respect for women. way below 2nd class citizens.

But you can go to a place like Utila and do something like a Divemaster course - 6-8 weeks for a flat fee - bringing people diving.

Whatever you do - always research it alot yourself as what is said is sometimes not whats real....;)

Edit : Sorry the lack of respect for Women is mainly in Central America in places like Guatemala/Belieze.

csm · 06-09-2006 03:27PM

Triangle wrote:

Whatever you do - always research it alot yourself as what is said is sometimes not whats real....;)

definitely.

smk135 · 06-09-2006 03:29PM

ok Triangle thanx for that but if you ever come back to this thread, would you mind elaborating on the lack of respect for women over there? cheers.

csm, to be perfectly honest, who the hell needs kidneys anyway? and im not only saing this coz i wish i could actually find a travel partner but really in your best interest, i mean i owe you a few pints, and on top of that SERIOUSLy im sure you could get an virtual kidney or something nowadays!!!pff kidneys...who needs en?

*wonders why people would be worried bout her travelling alone when she knows so much bout the world...*

csm · 06-09-2006 04:00PM

"Kidney for sale! Get your fresh kidney here!"

smk135 · 06-09-2006 04:11PM

hahaha
GO ON PEOPLE it's for a good cause AND grapevine has it that she has some great kidney too!!

csm · 06-09-2006 04:30PM

voted best dublin kidney in 1999 and 2000.
spanning 2 decades!

slightly back on topic: you shouldn't worry about travelling without a friend. i much prefer to be on my own. you meet more people, you don't have to compromise about where to go/what to do and you'll always find someone to hang out with for a while if you're lonely.

veering wildly off topic again: so how come you're running away? rain getting too much? determined stalker? the gardai starting to get too close for comfort?!

smk135 · 06-09-2006 05:07PM

csm wrote:

you shouldn't worry about travelling without a friend. i much prefer to be on my own. you meet more people, you don't have to compromise about where to go/what to do and you'll always find someone to hang out with for a while if you're lonely.

veering wildly off topic again: so how come you're running away? rain getting too much? determined stalker? the gardai starting to get too close for comfort?!

hahaha

no you're right i do usually prefer to be alone for travels and in general i suppose but, you know just in case i do get lonely or scared or homesick...but na i'm sure i'll be grand.

wildly off topic: hahaha but no all my freaky stalkers are in France which is why i left there, and no havent been here long enuogh for the gardai to be on my tail and the rain...hmmm well has something to do with it alrighty!!

no i'm just needing to get away from a lot of stuff, mainly (i think anyway coz i presume ill know what im running from once im gone and feel releived) is my family members were a lot of crap has gone on the past few years and i get caught in the middle of it. otherwise as gay as this sounds the closest way i can find of wexplaining it is to say "i want to find myself..."hahaha well its more a case of being somewhere where noone knows me and all the usual crap really.

lets just say it's been a pretty heavy two years for me...

csm · 06-09-2006 05:24PM

smk135 wrote:

no you're right i do usually prefer to be alone for travels and in general i suppose but, you know just in case i do get lonely or scared or homesick...but na i'm sure i'll be grand.

ah, you've got 'personal issues' for that!

sorry for your troubles. if it's any consolation, i first bought a backpack for running away reasons and it's been brilliant for me (the travel, not the backpack. that was only mildly life-changing).

wherever you end up going i'm sure you'll absolutely love it and come back much better equipped for life's little stumbling blocks

smk135 · 06-09-2006 07:03PM

csm wrote:

ah, you've got 'personal issues' for that!

sorry for your troubles. if it's any consolation, i first bought a backpack for running away reasons and it's been brilliant for me (the travel, not the backpack. that was only mildly life-changing).

wherever you end up going i'm sure you'll absolutely love it and come back much better equipped for life's little stumbling blocks

actually, you ve no idea how great it is to hear that. really cause one of my hesitations is that i go away and feel the exact sam eway when i get back. (if i ever do!!). You know the way ppl always say that you're actually running from yourself? well i reckon it does have a lot to do with me and not everyone else so thats encouraging what you said. although, id say running from yourself must be physically tiring. kind of like a dog and his tail...hmmm.

ANYWAY, thanx a mil for all your comments and btw ive sent a few paypal pints your way.

csm · 06-09-2006 07:32PM

no worries

if you've any other questions feel free to PM me

good luck!

Smiley101 · 07-09-2006 06:15PM

Check out this link if you vaven't seen it already....you may appreciate it
www.wherethehellismatt.com

anywhere in the whole world...

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