Dom's Travelling thread!

domthecondom · 22 Apr 2013 at 16:00

Hi Guys,

This is my going Travelling thread!

So here is some background Info.

My mum got diagnosed with MS in Sep 2011 and I decided to go travelling before he conditions worsens. (if it ever does)

So In September 2011, I asked the Mrs if she fancied going travelling with me and….she said no….so after 4 years it was time to part.

Done and Dusted…. So after coming back from Outlook Festival in September 2011, I decided to start saving money to leave for January 2013.

Problem is when your with the same girl for 4 years and you suddenly become single, I went on a wrecker every weekend and before I knew it was September 2012 and I saved NOTHING!

I have since been a little better with saving and booked my first flight to New Zealand for October the 14th.
Flight was £605.60 and needless to say due to the cheapness I got 2 stop overs. I don’t make it too Auckland until the 16th.

I have booked the “Kiwi Experience”, which takes you around NZ in a minimum of 26 days for £500.00 (which is usually around £1000).

I have made no other real plans or booked any other flights yet, as I don’t really want a plan.

I am thinking to go to Australia for a month after and visit my sister who is living out there since January and meet my friend in Thailand for New years eve.

Then Maybe go

Cambodia
Vietnam
Burma
Laos

Then it all depends on what I feel like and how much money I have left.

Stuff left to do before I go

Go to London on the 17th of May to renew my German Passport
I still need to get a New Camera bag for all my SLR stuff
A Travel backpack
Sell my PC/Motorbikes other Random worth money.
A laptop to edit photos on
And a portable hard drive.

I will keep this updated with stuff that changes and my experiences.

Please feel free to share places to visit and your own experiences with travelling.

Also Tips and Tricks on not getting blagged / robbed.

I would like to think myself as streetwise but different country, different rules.

Money wise I should have around £4/5K saved up and will sell around 7K worth of shares before I go

sports_brah · 22 Apr 2013 at 16:05

Was she a Mrs as in married, or as in just girlfriend?

[DOD]Asprilla · 22 Apr 2013 at 16:38

So, you are looking at £11-12k?

About 6 years ago, two of my mates decided to travel as far as they could without flying so they went:

Coach from London to Moscow
Trans-Siberian Express
Trans-Mogolian Express
Though China and down to SE Asia to a couple of months in Thailand, Cambodia, etc.
Back up through China and Mongolia to Tibet and Bhutan
Bangladesh, round the coast of India and into Pakistan
Boat from Pakistan to Egypt to avoid the Middle East
Overland down to South Africa

I think it cost them £11k for the pair of them. If you are going for that much on your own then I'd think big.

domthecondom · 22 Apr 2013 at 18:28

she was just a Girlfriend sorry....she was a MISS.

Cheers for the Info Asprilla

I hope I can make my moooooney LAAAAAAAAAST

R-evans · 22 Apr 2013 at 19:35

Do it on your motorbike!

domthecondom · 23 Apr 2013 at 00:10

Haha what on a Honda XR 125 or my Husky WRE 125?

I am on my CBT

RimBlock · 23 Apr 2013 at 05:50

One suggestion if you are staying anywhere for any length of time is think about a local sim card and get some name cards to put with your stuff that you can write the number on.

I left my wallet in a taxi in Bangkok and because I had a local sim card and had written the number on a business card I got a call from the driver who then returned the wallet (minus cash of course). Running down to reception in a towel dripping wet got a few looks as he called as I was in the shower and didn't speak much English.

Other than that, just the standard stuff...
Eat local where you can, if you can. Tends to be much cheaper.
Get out for the tourist areas as much as possible and experience the culture.
Let someone back home know where you are as you move around.
Get decent medical cover just in case...
Plenty of tabs for dodgy stomachs.

Would love to have done this but I have only really done Thailand, Singapore and a little Malaysia.

Get plenty of photos and maybe something like a dropbox account so you can backup as you go.

Good luck.

RB

Ironic Namesake · 23 Apr 2013 at 05:56

Good tips from RimBlock, I'd also like to have some time to do this. Was one of the reasons I moved to this part of the world but been so busy working I haven't had any holidays recently

You got lucky getting your wallet back from a taxi driver in BKK! I left my wallet on a plane once (pocket of seat in front) which wasn't the smartest thing I've done

managed to get it back but had already blocked all cards by then which was quite a hassle to get sent out again from UK

fadetoblack · 23 Apr 2013 at 05:58

YOUR GERMAN! :eek:

Enjoy your trip

Raymond Lin · 23 Apr 2013 at 07:12

fadetoblack said:
YOUR GERMAN!

Enjoy your trip

His German what?

OP I have an old Samsonite camera bag, only big enough for 1 body and 2 lenses that you can have. I've not used it in years so someone might as well can make use of it, if you want to save a little money.

domthecondom · 23 Apr 2013 at 08:44

Cheers Rimblock

I should be staying about a Month at places at a time, I guess I better get my phone unlocked before I go. Can you remember how much you paid for the Sim in Thailand? Must be cheap.

I have a friend who lives somewhere in the North of Thailand, so if he is still in Thailand at the time of me visiting I hopefully can be more there….it’s the South that is really touristy right?

I’ll look into the Drop box account.

DARN just realised I better check out what countries need a Visiting Visa, as I am sure Australia does right?

YOUR GERMAN!

Enjoy your trip

Yup...and I will be getting up at 5am every day too put my towel on the deck chair....and when I get too north Korea...i'll speak to Kim jong un about my plans to take over the world with the Fourth Reich....

His German what?

OP I have an old Samsonite camera bag, only big enough for 1 body and 2 lenses that you can have. I've not used it in years so someone might as well can make use of it, if you want to save a little money.

Thank you for the offer Raymond, but I got 1 Body, 4 lenses, and one Flash and a Tripod...which I might have too buy little Travel one.....

Not sure if all that would fit....but thank you very much again for the offer. Taking my GoPro as well

BlackCoat2k10 · 23 Apr 2013 at 09:50

[DOD]Asprilla;24162123 said:
'

Sounds like a phenominal trip that does. Would love to start saving and do something similar.. Will have to try and talk the gf into it.

CREATIVE!11 · 23 Apr 2013 at 10:37

Wow

OP you dumped your GF to gain life experience and enrich yourself as a human being?!

YOU CRAZY MAN!

*sarcasm

Good job first guy I've heard who is like yeah I'd rather live my life than remain in some comfort bubble with a girl who I can just replace.

Hope you enjoy your travels man.

TommyV · 23 Apr 2013 at 10:39

domthecondom said:
Hi Guys,

This is my going Travelling thread!

So here is some background Info.

My mum got diagnosed with MS in Sep 2011 and I decided to go travelling before he conditions worsens. (if it ever does)

So In September 2011, I asked the Mrs if she fancied going travelling with me and….she said no….so after 4 years it was time to part.

Done and Dusted…. So after coming back from Outlook Festival in September 2011, I decided to start saving money to leave for January 2013.

Problem is when your with the same girl for 4 years and you suddenly become single, I went on a wrecker every weekend and before I knew it was September 2012 and I saved NOTHING!

I have since been a little better with saving and booked my first flight to New Zealand for October the 14th.
Flight was £605.60 and needless to say due to the cheapness I got 2 stop overs. I don’t make it too Auckland until the 16th.

I have booked the “Kiwi Experience”, which takes you around NZ in a minimum of 26 days for £500.00 (which is usually around £1000).

I have made no other real plans or booked any other flights yet, as I don’t really want a plan.

I am thinking to go to Australia for a month after and visit my sister who is living out there since January and meet my friend in Thailand for New years eve.

Then Maybe go

Cambodia
Vietnam
Burma
Laos

Then it all depends on what I feel like and how much money I have left.

Stuff left to do before I go

Go to London on the 17th of May to renew my German Passport
I still need to get a New Camera bag for all my SLR stuff
A Travel backpack
Sell my PC/Motorbikes other Random worth money.
A laptop to edit photos on
And a portable hard drive.

I will keep this updated with stuff that changes and my experiences.

Please feel free to share places to visit and your own experiences with travelling.

Also Tips and Tricks on not getting blagged / robbed.

I would like to think myself as streetwise but different country, different rules.

Money wise I should have around £4/5K saved up and will sell around 7K worth of shares before I go

You will truly love the Kiwi Experience (or the big green **** bus as it's quite commonly known!), I did the same tour last September, my driver was 'dallas'. A hilarious bloke, If you have him, don't hide his hat, he is very precious about it

You will love Queenstown, it sucked me in for 9 days after having made a ton of friends on the bus beginning in Auckland!

domthecondom · 23 Apr 2013 at 11:02

CREATIVE!11 said:
Wow

OP you dumped your GF to gain life experience and enrich yourself as a human being?!

YOU CRAZY MAN!

*sarcasm

Good job first guy I've heard who is like yeah I'd rather live my life than remain in some comfort bubble with a girl who I can just replace.

Hope you enjoy your travels man.

Haha there was other reasons but that just gave it the final straw

. If she really wanted to come then I would have happly let her come....since our break up she seems a lot more mature now. But still...loving single life and can't wait to Travel

TommyV said:
You will truly love the Kiwi Experience (or the big green **** bus as it's quite commonly known!), I did the same tour last September, my driver was 'dallas'. A hilarious bloke, If you have him, don't hide his hat, he is very precious about it

You will love Queenstown, it sucked me in for 9 days after having made a ton of friends on the bus beginning in Auckland!

Good times, that is what I like to hear

which "tour" did you take? I have booked the Funky Chicken but upgrading to a "The Whole Kit & Caboodle" for an extra $314.00

domthecondom · 16 May 2013 at 12:48

I am off to the German Embassy in London tomorrow to sort my passport out

Can anyone recommed Hostels in Auckland?

tres · 16 May 2013 at 13:28

Do you really need a laptop? Internet cafe's are found throughout the countries, usually with card readers etc for you to do your bits.

[TW]Fox · 16 May 2013 at 14:01

tres said:
Do you really need a laptop? Internet cafe's are found throughout the countries, usually with card readers etc for you to do your bits.

Having a laptop is really, really useful.

tres · 16 May 2013 at 14:05

I've taken a laptop every time I've travelled thinking exactly the same, and hardly use the thing. Internet cafes provide internet, and a kindle provides music and reading (and battery lasts weeks!)

ikillbears · 16 May 2013 at 15:07

Raymond Lin said:
His German what?

OP I have an old Samsonite camera bag, only big enough for 1 body and 2 lenses that you can have. I've not used it in years so someone might as well can make use of it, if you want to save a little money.

just witnessed generosity in GD. call bruce willis

Dom's Travelling thread!

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