Quote:
Originally Posted by bluejays
Thanks a lot all. I'm going to use this trip to refresh a bit. Doing an advanced scuba diving course a day after I arrive, taking in the full moon party for a second time, and just hanging out on the peaceful Koh Tao as much as possible. I've done Thailand before and just want to take it in more than I did the first time. Thank you for all the suggestions for Vietnam. I will research the suggestions and will make those decisions accordingly! Awesome!
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One thing I always do, is try to find a few moments early on, and just stand and watch. Watching how traffic works, taking in the sounds, smells etc. to prep to immerse myself in the different culture.
July/August is hot, get a compact fan to stay cool (manual or battery fan, hats etc.) and stay hydrated even if it means you sweat like a pig or pay for overpriced beverages. Heat stroke sucks. I've refused to spend double or triple on beverages in some touristy areas (extra $3-5 max) and later needing 2-3 hours to reset from heat stroke. It sucks and is just a silly way to miss out on things.
Remembering the feeling of liquid dripping down my body, underneath my clothing still makes me uncomfortable. In the past, I usually used a folding fan, but something like this would have been amazing if it was invented years ago:
https://www.amazon.ca/10000mAh-Waist..._source=1&th=1
One of the things I've occasionally heard from those who go to Vietnam, is that if you have the ability to call on local to tour you around, take advantage of it. Not only will they help you explore more efficiently/effectively, perhaps find/order things you wouldn't have considered otherwise, but you can also share meals and thus try even more food that you would normally. I think the big cities you're going to have options to request a student tour guide, not sure about the smaller cities though. It's different than specific guides for specific activities. If you get a good guide, treat him to a meal. Win/win if they accept as it seems like an extra added to the tip they deserve. The place is a foodie haven and your stomach is only so big. No idea on how much you're supposed to tip them though, but I'm sure you can find that info online and IMO it's typically worth it. You can also kinda ask them to keep an eye your stuff while you do certain things. It helps give some peace of mind so that you don't have to watch your valuables with as much of a hawk eye if you have to put your bag down for part of an activity or whatever. You don't need the tour guide every day, but it's nice to have one for a full day and try things in ways you may not have considered.
Make sure you take something for travelers diarrhea (Dukoral?) because you don't want to miss out. There's a reason why the word food keeps showing up. Bringing your own probiotic pills, mint/ginger candies (helps settle stomach or nausea) and maybe some diarrhea treatment like Imodium gel capsules is a good idea. Some of the stuff they have out in Asia is just different and doesn't seem to get me on my feet as effectively as what we have here, even if the contents are similar (ie: Panadol/paracetamol vs Tylenol/acetaminophen vs ibuprofen). Extra few hours for it to kick in/feel better or figure out the difference in dosage per pill is kind of a waste of time and that's not including the detour and the time spent staring slightly confused at what is available in the drug store. Even when I go to places like Japan and Hong Kong, I bring stuff from Canada that is fast acting that I know my body is used to.
Every corner seems to have a different variety of food and no matter what, almost every place seems to be damn good, at least far different and/or better than what we have here and for ridiculously cheap. You could choose one single category of food and eat that only for the whole trip (ie: sandwich, noodles, wraps, skewers, vegetarian, seafood, fruits etc.) and you could theoretically get a different type/variation of that category every meal and not have to eat the same version you got before (ie: different spices/sauces/base). Also consider at times upgrading the occasional meal and getting the most expensive thing on the menu. $100 CAD of food out there is no where close to that here in terms of quality and volume.
Absolutely yes on the massage/spa thing, serious massage, not the sketchy kind. I don't know if it's also because of getting older, but especially since you're out there for so long, having a day to address the lactic acid build up so that you can really aid the enjoyment of running around/not slow down as much. If you have an activity tracker, you'll probably go from your baseline to potentially 3-8x average activity per day. There's also different types, some of which are not common here. Foot massage, shoulders/neck, head/face, deep massage/stretch massage etc.
As mentioned about the luxury options, an
extra $500-1500 CAD or maybe $50-100 CAD every other day or $25-40 upgrade per day. It is a bit of money, but it's an amount that can hugely alter the post enjoyment/experiences on a trip in that region. I'm usually quite frugal, but for scenarios like this, I feel it's better value to tighten the belt for a few months when you return to Canada than save the difference oveseas and miss out. Don't haphazardly blow money, but don't be penny wise, pound foolish.
I highly recommend you budget about $200 CAD (might be less) to buy a second luggage out there/luggage fee for airline. I know that some people hate this fee in principle and absolutely refuse, but IMO from Asia/Europe to back home, it is something I honestly contemplate. $500 CAD on that side may amplify to something like $1500-2000 for something "equivalent" or more here, and it won't even have as cool of a story of being purchased on a trip across the world. Also don't lie on customs. You don't want to lose the cool stuff to the CBSA and also be flagged in the future. It'd be a crappy way to end such an amazing sounding trip.