The Travel Thread

[Trojan97]

Well I've come to that point in my life where I feel a trip is necessary for me to figure out where I'm going with my life and all that jazz. I'm fed up with school at the moment and need to get away once this school year is done and do some major introspection. Having read a few threads from fellow CPers about their incredible life altering times abroad I'm pretty pumped to go somewhere. My only problem is I have no idea where to go or where to even begin planning a trip of this nature. Ideally I'm looking at going for three weeks to a month in April/May.

I've narrowed my likely destinations down to Thailand (thinking it would probably fit best into my price range) or Australia (love the culture) however I'm definitely not set on either of those places if something more appealing catches my eye.

I'm just looking for a nice leisurely get away where I can get myself straight (oh boy that doesn't sound good) and spend some time on the beach. I'm not really into the hardcore backpacking thing like some people but I would definitely be down for seeing as many sites as possible.

Anyways if anyone has any advice or experience in putting together a trip like this I'd love to hear it (maybe the secret is to just go?)

Also, if anyone else has anything similar in the works please do share with the rest of us. It's a fascinating topic.

Cheers

[Cheese]

go to Central America...Panama and Costa Rica...awesome beaches/temperatures/women and great cost.

[Incogneto]

I would HIGHLY reccomend Europe (Especially Eastern Europe), but 3 weeks DEF. isn't long enough. For 3 weeks, go check out Croatia. by far the nicest country I have ever been to, and I have been to almost 30 countries.

Croatia in june is amazing. just before tourist season, and the water is warm, and the women are beutiful.

CROATIA CROATIA CROATIA!!!!!!!

[habernac]

Costa Rica is most definitely very beautiful. Do as much or as little as you want. The Pacific coast is spectacular and there's always the jungle and the Arenal Volcano in the inland.

[Trojan97]

Thanks alot for the feedback guys. Costa Rica is definitely something I'll be looking into.

Incogneto-how's Croatia in terms of expense? Would I need to starve myself to afford the trip or is it not bad?

Thanks again guys.

[troutman]

I went to South America for 5 months after University (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile). Best experience of my life. Very affordable compared to Europe. Remember the seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere.

[FireInTheHole]

I would highly recommend Europe as well. I had never been until this year and I'm kicking myself for not going a lot sooner (I'm in my 30's). The culture over there is pretty different, and it's great to see the history over there. Price wise, Europe can be expensive, or it can be cheap. Hostels would be the way to go - and you can check out sites like www.hostelworld.com to get an idea of cost. A Eurail pass would also be highly recommended and they have good deals for students. You mentioned that you wouldn't be into backpacking - and believe me I didn't think I would be either (it was my wife that convinced me it would be ok!), but it was really a lot of fun and you get to meet some great people. You'd be surprised how many people you meet going to do your laundry! I just think that Europe is a great experience for everyone, especially students. It will give you a bit of a different perspective on things when you get back.

Good luck in choosing your upcoming adventure! Hope you have a great time.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

my big travelling experiance I went across Canada, seeing the provinces, and cities.

I figure why go abroad when you haven't seen your own country?

In the process I also saw every Canadian NHL team play in their home rink. I took the train, wonderful experiances, I feel richer for it.

[Phanuthier]

What's your budget?

I'm a bigger whiner then most, but I find alot of the popular places (Cancun, Florida ect) to just be packed, and not as fun. Too many kids and everything.

I've always dreamed about going to one of the smaller islands in Italy or something, but I've never been.

[return to the red]

i spent time in Thailand and that was one trip that I would recommend to anybody. We were on Koh Phi Phi two months before the tsunami wiped it out and what an amazingly awesome Island. My recommendation to you is to go when you have the opportunity to attend a full moon party. We missed the one at the time we were there but it was all the talk amongst travellers. Bangkok was ok but the best part of Thailand is the islands. Go in "down time" they say the weather isn't as nice but we were there at that time and it was perfect...plus in high season you are looking at very humid and 35 degrees.

All in all I would go back in an instant.

I've also been to the Phillipines (sketchy) and South Korea (dirty and nothing special)

[ah123]

My wife & I did a trip to East Africa last year (honeymoon & family visit rolled up in one) -- I would highly recommend a couple of weeks in Tanzania - a Safari followed by a week on the beaches of Zanzibar and you will be a have a new perspective on things...

[Igottago]

Great thread, I feel the same way right now..I think I'm gonna work a few more months and go live/work in England for a while, I'm a british citizen 'cause I was born there..from there I'll take some trips around Europe a weekend at a time...I'm just thinking, maybe I should wait til after the playoffs to do all this..

[Igottago]

oops...double post..

[Sylvanfan]

Yeah, 3 weeks to a month is not very long...Going somewhere like Thailand will cost you 15% of your vacation time in travelling just to get there. Somewhere like Guatamala or Costa Rica is likely best if thats all the time you can afford. If you can swing 5-6 weeks than it would open up more options for you. I read these travel threads and there honestly isn't a bad suggestion made as to where to go. Lots of interesting places in this world, and like MQS says many in your own back yard.

[Rubber Ducky]

I currently live in Japan, and as a result, I've been to many southeast Asian countries, but it's tough to see a lot in a month. Plus it would be expensive to fly all over the place.

Some places to think about -

China - Seeing the Great Wall of China was unbelievable, and Tiananmen Square/Forbidden City were also cool. Make sure you go to Xian to see the Terra Cotta Warriors if you go. China's a cool mix of ultra-modern and dusty-old. But no beaches... at least in Beijing.

Malaysia - they're really trying to turn themselves into a major tourist destination, and you can see it all - Penang beaches, urban life of Kuala Lumpur and the rainforests - in Malaysia. Fairly cheap too.

Australia - I did a 3 month backpacking trip, from Sydney up to Cairns, into Alice Springs (to see Ayers Rock), down to Melbourne and back to Sydney. From what you first posted, it sounds like Australia is what you need. Great beaches on the east coast, lots of fun activities (both on land and in the ocean) and it's super easy to travel cheaply - Australia has an AMAZING set-up with regards to buses and hostels. I would say that Australia is what you need - tons of R&R, a chance to meet loads of people, and lots of beer and beaches.

New Zealand - Very similar to Australia, but on a much smaller scale. Some amazing nature - with the Rockies in our backyard, I was still impressed with New Zealand.

There's tons to see and do in this wonderful world of ours!! Have fun!!

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by Rubber Ducky

Malaysia - they're really trying to turn themselves into a major tourist destination, and you can see it all - Penang beaches, urban life of Kuala Lumpur and the rainforests - in Malaysia. Fairly cheap too.

I might be going there after I graduate this spring, I have family just in KL. I'd love to see the country and the world's tallest building (for now)

[Tron_fdc]

My $.02


It really depends what you're looking for. Oz is a good first choice for the novice traveller, for a lot of reasons. Language is the same, a lot of the same religion/customs, food is the same for the most part, and it's relatively safe. However, Canadians, Europeans (and a few Americans) all go there for those same reasons. The beaches are awesome and it's quite tourist/backpacker friendly, so if you're going somewhere to get away from it all I would suggest looking somewhere else. If you want to go abuse your liver for a month and meet people from all over Canada and Europe then Oz is PERFECT! I spent some time working (drinking) down under, and had a great time chasing women, barfing in gutters and attempting to steal inflatable Night Owls over the course of a year. Ohhhh the memories

Central America is pretty cool, but as a first time traveller I would suggest Costa Rica. My friend has a condo in Nosara, and we try to get down every year and unfortunately it's not as cheap as it used to be. Be prepared to spend some money on decent hotels/meals unless you want to try and sniff out ultra cheap accomodation. It can still be done, but it's getting harder and harder to do, especially in the popular areas (Jaco beach, etc). Check out the lesser known areas (like Mal Pais) if you want to find places a little more off the beaten track. Crime is a little more of a concern here than Oz, but not much more. Lot's of petty theft (stolen wallets and pick pockets, etc) but for the most part no violent crime. Nicaragua might be a thought, but there is a lot more crime there than Costa Rica, less English speaking locals, but budget wise can make up for the negatives.

China is OK if you want to see the Great Wall, Tianamen Square, etc, but beyond the history/culture it doesn't stack up too well against the beaches found little further south in say Vietnam. It's cheap though, and the shopping alone in the "knock off" market is worth the trip. I buy all my socks and underwear there.....$.50 per piece! I've also picked up Callaway clubs, North Face gear, Hugo Boss/Versace shirts/ties etc etc so it's pretty neat to see. Food issomewhat of a concern here, as the pallet is quite different than what is found at home. If you want to get away from the crowds in China be prepared to travel to remote areas (like Mongolia) but the food is TERRIBLE and no one will speak english. PASS!

Korea is kinda neat, but quite populated and polluted. The food is really good, has a really low crime rate, and has a big American influence so a lot of people speak English. Neat to see, but only on a stopover IMO.

Africa is one of the coolest places I've been. If it wasn't for all the violent crime over there it would be a HUGE tourist destination for people from all over the world. I've spent some time in J-burg, which while is a neat city and quite eye opening I wouldn't want to venture there without a guide. Too much crime for this guy. About 6 hours north I went on a safari in Botswana, which was one of the most amazing experiences in my life. I saw everything from cheetahs to lions to zebra to wld dogs, and hearing a male lion roar from about 50 feet away while sitting in an open top jeep was breathtaking. I would STRONGLY STRONGLY suggest someone do this at least once in their life. It was cheap too.....5 star hotel, all inclusive, on a private game reserve for $100 US a night. Soooooo worth the money.

I can't really comment on Euorope, the only places I've been are Scotland and England. Scotland was nice and the people were friendly, but the food kinda sucked and it rained all the time. I was on a rugby tour so I spent most of my time in the local pub or on the training pitch, and only had time for sightseeing in Loch Ness. Alas, Nessie was nowhere to be seen. I got robbed in England so FEKOFF to that place.

Give some thought to Bali. The incidents there were pretty isolated, and right now it's REALLY cheap to go and stay on some of th nicest beaches in the world. The people are amazing,the culture is super cool, and there are all kinds of remote areas you can get into to get away from the crowds. I'm considering going back in January for about a month, as the las time I was there it was a 2 week jaunt that was waaay to short and kinda restricted by an arm injury I had that required medical attention.

Never been to Malaysia (Singapore, but that doesn't really count) so I can't comment on it. I hear it's amazing and cheap though. I work with a guy from Vietnam that is always trying to get me to go, and he talks it up quite well, so it might be worth having a look at.

Hope that helps a little!!

[icarus]

I've posted a lot on here about Europe and I love it there. I've been lucky enough to go there five times before age 25. It is expensive there, especially Western Europe and Scandinavia, but worth it.

But now I too am ready for something new. My best friend just returned from his first trip abroad, to Thailand-Australia-Hong Kong and he had an amazing time so I'm sure you would also if you went. I am hoping to go away for an exchange to Australia next year and to do so some travelling around Asia if I manage to come up with some money.

[killer_carlson]

I've been lucky enough to travel a fair bit thus far in life. My thoughts

If you only have 3 weeks then South America, Australia, Thailand and Africa are seriously not options in my opinion. You're looking at least 1.5 days travel each way (probably longer). Then you have the obligatory day you arrive, where you'll probably sleep, and the day before you leave, which means you'll be stuck in a big city. That leaves you with only 2 weeks to see stuff and you honestly need more time in those areas.

Your most expensive days are the days you are travelling. If you're on a tight timeline you get stuck taking more expensive transportation. Be aware of that.

I just got back from Costa Rica and would put it into the top 3 or 4 places I've ever been (in the mix with Australia, South Africa and Peru). You can get daily flights out of Toronto (so fly Calgary to Toronto on the evening red eye, then catch the morning flight direct into San Jose). There was a good Costa Rica thread on the sight from several months ago. Do a search to find it.

Approximately 30% of Costa Rica is national park, so you'll get to see some really great nature. Rain Forest, beaches, mountains, you name it - you'll get it (except a desert I guess). Eco Tourism and adventure travel abound. Zip lines through the rain forest is one of the coolest things a person can do (in my humble opinion).

Be sure to hit Tortugero, Arenal, Monte Verde and then finish on the Pacific Coast. 3 weeks ought to be just right if you're backpacking.

As far as the other places I mentioned above, you seriously will need a few months to hit them. Thailand you'll need a good month. Australia two is the absolute minimum and even at that you're only getting the east coast. Australia 4 months is a good start, longer if you can swing it. South America .... 2 months to do the inca trail is about right. Africa .... 2 months, unless you have something really specific you want to see or do. Europe, get a rail pass and give yourself 2 months. Sleep on the trains at night and then rock and roll during the day.

[Footscray]

It's all personal preference really, you've got some good advice here from everybody. For a short trip like that where you don't really want to rough it too much I would do one maybe two mediterranean countries if you've got the cash. Spain is wicked, fun partying, nice beaches, interesting culture and history - + beautiful women. Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla are amazing places and the list could go on. Greece, Turkey, Italy, I really don't think you can go wrong though the price is higher than other places discussed. Really if you're interest or pleasure travelling you can't go too far wrong, you can have a good time almost anywhere with the right frame of mind.