Organization: North Dakota Higher Education Computer Network
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 11:38:26 CST
From: <NU185650@NDSUVM1.BITNET>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.travel-l
Subject: Re: World Travel

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ON EXTENDED TRAVEL

MY WIFE AND I WERE PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS IN NEPAL FOR 2 YEARS AND PLANNED
EXTENDED TRAVEL AFTER THE SERVICE WAS COMPLETED.  WE HAD COMMITMENTS AT HOME
SO WE RETURNED TO THE US FIRST, PRIOR TO TRAVEL.  WE ENDED UP SPENDING THE SUMM
ER AT HOME AND WERE LEFT WITH 3.5 MONTHS BEFORE MY WIFE'S JOB LEAVE EXPIRED. WE
SCALED BACK TRAVEL PLANS TO ASIA AND THE PACIFIC.  WE VISITED THE FOLLOWING
COUNTRIES: THAILAND - 3 WEEKS
              INDIA - 2 WEEKS
          INDONESIA - 2 WEEKS
          AUSTRALIA - 4 WEEKS
       NEW ZEALAND  - 4 WEEKS

I MUST SAY, THIS SCHEDULE WAS AS INTENSE AS I WOULD CARE TO DO.  IN OTHER
WORDS I WOULD INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF TIME, AND/OR REDUCE THE AREA COVERED
NEXT TIME AROUND.  THE TIME IN THAILAND WAS QUITE RELAXING; 6 DAYS ON KOH
SAMUI, 6 DAYS ON KOH PHANANG, 4 DAYS IN CHANG MAI.  RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE
TOO.  KOH PHANANG IS VERY CHEAP, I THINK OUR BUNGALOW WAS $2 A DAY, 50 FEET
FROM THE BEACH.

IN INDIA WE TRIED TO SEE A LOT IN A SHORTER TIME.  NEW DEHLI AND OLD DELHI,
AGRA THE TAJ ETC.  THERE ARE CITY TOURS OPERATED BY THE GOVERNMENT THAT ARE
QUITE REASONABLE.  HOTELS ARE EXPENSIVE!  WE STAYED AT THE YWCA IN N DEHLI  FOR
 A COUPLE OF DAYS, BUT THEN IT WAS BOOKED UP.  WE MOVED TO A HIGH RISE DOWN
TOWN, THAT WAS NOT QUITE COMPLETED OR MAYBE IT JUST LOOKED THAT WAY.  AT $15
A NITE IT WAS ABOUT AS CHEAP AS WE COULD FIND.  IT WAS NOT CLEAN. BUT THE FOOD
IN THE RESTURANT WAS GOOD AND REASONABLE.  WE SPENT THE REMAINDER OF OUR TIME I
N INDIA IN BOMBAY AND GOA.  GOA WAS QUITE NICE AND REASONABLY PRICED.  BOMBAY I
S QUITE EXPENSIVE.  WE SPLURGED FOR A BETTER HOTEL THERE AND IT COST US $70 A
DAY.  THAT WAS A 3 STAR, BUT IT WAS NICE.  AND I THINK THE DESK CLERK SAVED US
A DAY BY STRAIGTENING OUT OUR GARUDA AIRLINES RESERVATIONS.

I GUESS THIS IS BECOMING A TRAVEL LOG.  SO I'LL END ON SOME POINTS.


  1. THAILAND, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE  OFFER TRAVEL BARGINS.  I WOULD
     GUESS THAT SPENT AROUND $30 U.S. PER DAY IN THOSE COUNTRIES. AVERAGE FOR
     TWO PEOPLE.  THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE FLIGHTS OR GIFTS.

  2. INDIA CAN BE EXPENSIVE, BUT IT IS A FASCINATING PLACE.  I THINK IF YOU
     ARE PREPARED TO SPEND A LITTLE MORE OCCASIONALLY, YOU BE HAPPY THERE.

  3. AUSTRALIA IS A BIG COUNTRY.  A MONTH IS VERY LITTLE TIME THERE.  WE CAME
     INTO PERTH AND LEFT FROM BRISBANE.  RENTING A CAR FOR TWO OF US WAS USUALL
     CHEAPER THAN BUS TOURS AND A LOT MORE FLEXIBLE.  COUNTRY PUBS OFFER LOW
     COST ROOMS....$20 US AND WARM HOSPITALITY.  A COOLER IS CALLED A "CHILLY
     BIN", GREAT FOR SAVING A FEW BUCKS ON NOON MEALS.

  4. NEW ZEALAND IS.....WELL IT'S EVERYTHING.  WE SPENT A LOT MORE THERE, BE
     CAUSE WE DID MORE.  WE WENT WHALE SPOTTING, FLEW UP TO MT. COOK, WALKED ON
     THE GLACIER, ETC.  STAYED IN MOTELS AT $30 US PER NITE, BUT HAD COOKING
     FACILITIES IN THEM, SO NOT BAD.  AGAIN, FOR TWO PEOPLE RENTING A CAR WAS
     PROBABLY CHEAPER AND GIVES YOU MORE FLEXIBILITY.

  5. AIR TICKETS.  CHECK WITH YOUR TRAVEL AGENT FOR THE EAGLE FARE OFFERED BY
     CANADIAN AIRLINES.  WE FLEW ONE-WAY TORONTO TO BANKOK FOR $400 US. AND
     ONE WAY AUKLAND - TORONTO $400 US.  SEATS ARE LIMITED AND ONLY TRAVEL
     AGENTS IN THE US HAVE THE INFO. YOU MUST PROVE US CITIZENSHIP.


                 GOOD LUCK!  WISH IT WAS ME.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU