Less than 2 months before Cambodia and I still haven't booked the tickets or settled accommodation. I really don't want to delay this any longer but the current situation in Phnom Penh is worrying. The protests have been put down but it all still seems pretty unstable...what with people getting shot and all. There isn't much word about how safe it is for tourists which probably means it should be okay but I just want more assurance. Dad's thinking of skipping Phnom Penh and flying to Siem Reap straight and I'm considering doing that too but it'll mean spending waaay more than I hoped on airfare:( But yes, money shouldn't be an issue when it comes to safety. I've been reading Tripadvisor forums and the situation doesn't seem entirely dire. I just wouldn't want to get caught near a protest...especially since people have been shot. Perhaps I'm worrying too much.
Ahhh, I just want to buy my tickets and start booking accommodation. The trip just doesn't feel like it's happening until all that is done. You know that feeling??? Haha.
On another note, I've been reading First They Killed by Father by Loung Ung. I'm not even halfway through the book but it's already making me think twice about visiting The Killing Fields and the Genocide Museum. People have been telling me that I should skip Phnom Penh because those places are depressing but I feel like I should still visit them though. I want to and I feel like I should face the harsh realities of Cambodia's painful past. It's going to be sad but I feel it is a sadness I should experience especially since I'm visiting the country.
Ahh, we'll see how this trip pans out.
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Monday, December 30, 2013
Where Do You Want to Go in 2014?
Inspired by Twenty-Something Travel
Read Twenty-Something Travel's post and decided to put together my own list of places I want to visit in 2014!
Cambodia
The return tickets have been bought. Now I'm just waiting for a good deal on the tickets to Phnom Penh. I've planned out the route and more or less figured out the places we want to cover. We'll be landing in Phnom Penh, taking a bus or car to Battambang and then a 6-7 hour boat ride to Siem Reap. All this over 7 days with visits to The Killing Fields, Genocide Museum, Bat Cave, Tonle Sap and Angkor Wat. We're going to ride on the allegedly soon-to-be-extinct Bamboo Train as well...(at least I hope to get my dad to do it. Haha). It's going to be a pretty short trip so I've got to make sure things are figured out before we embark.
Likelihood: Very high! :D
New Zealand
I've been telling my friend and cousin studying in New Zealand that I want to visit them while they're there and I think it's about time I actually go! I'm going to try my best to make this trip happen. It's going to be a longer than usual one, probably 3 weeks to a month . I'm waiting for cheap tickets and hoping like hell that I don't regret missing the sale that Jetstar was having about a month back! Bus and train will be my main transport options and I definitely want to do some treks, climb some glaciers and bungy off some ledges. Am considering couchsurfing and maybe WWOOFing for a bit too. We'll see how it goes. I'll probably be starting with Auckland and then heading down South. My sis and nephew might join me in North Island for a while too. We'll see how things go. I'm waiting for cheap tickets now so *fingers crossed* My eye's on the prize!
Likelihood: High!
South-East Asia
THIS is THE TRIP. The trip I've been wanting to do for years. Inspired after reading Tony Wheeler's blog on his Singapore - Shanghai overland trip years back, I made it a goal to do this is the near future. No planes, just land/sea travel.Years have passed and the near future has gotten further than I would have liked. Haha. Not anymore I hope! I wanted to do this after graduating from Poly but I never got around to actually doing it. I guess perhaps the time was not right? The universe has its way of fitting things unplanned into your timeline. Several years on now and after working full time for more than two years in an uneventful job, I think the time might be 2014. Although my dad has taken a step back and given my rein of my life, he still worries for me and if he worries enough, he might grab the reins back so I'm not sure if this trip will happen. I'll probably know for sure next year.
Likelihood: Maybe?
Sabah, Malaysia
To climb Mount Kinabalu of course! I would like to do this with family or friends though. If I can just find someone/ some people up for the challenge...
Likelihood: Who knows?
Vietnam
If my SEA trip doesn't happen, I want to visit Vietnam or more specifically the Mekong Delta and places around it with MY! She keeps saying she wants to sit in a boat with a straw hat. So this is the place to go. Haha.
Likelihood: Medium High
United States of America
There's talk of visiting Florida again with the kids. But talk is cheap. Hopefully this year it happens and if the time is right and all falls into place, I will be able to tag along!
Likelihood: Low
China
My dad's friend is organizing another trip there. This time to Xinjiang (if I'm not wrong). I would absolutely love to tag along if the dates don't clash with work. China has proven to be quite an amazing place and after my last trip there, I have been yearning to see more of her. I really did not give her enough credit before. The trip's not entirely confirmed yet so hopefully the dates will change and I will be able to go!
Likelihood: Low
Krabi, Thailand
I want to rockclimb again at Railay!!! And I want to check out the rest of Krabi too.
Likelihood: Medium High
Malaysia
It's just next door so why not put it in the list? I would like to visit Penang again if possible! Or maybe a family trip to Taman Negara?
Likelihood: Who knows?
Where do you want to go in 2014?
Read Twenty-Something Travel's post and decided to put together my own list of places I want to visit in 2014!
Cambodia
The return tickets have been bought. Now I'm just waiting for a good deal on the tickets to Phnom Penh. I've planned out the route and more or less figured out the places we want to cover. We'll be landing in Phnom Penh, taking a bus or car to Battambang and then a 6-7 hour boat ride to Siem Reap. All this over 7 days with visits to The Killing Fields, Genocide Museum, Bat Cave, Tonle Sap and Angkor Wat. We're going to ride on the allegedly soon-to-be-extinct Bamboo Train as well...(at least I hope to get my dad to do it. Haha). It's going to be a pretty short trip so I've got to make sure things are figured out before we embark.
Likelihood: Very high! :D
New Zealand
I've been telling my friend and cousin studying in New Zealand that I want to visit them while they're there and I think it's about time I actually go! I'm going to try my best to make this trip happen. It's going to be a longer than usual one, probably 3 weeks to a month . I'm waiting for cheap tickets and hoping like hell that I don't regret missing the sale that Jetstar was having about a month back! Bus and train will be my main transport options and I definitely want to do some treks, climb some glaciers and bungy off some ledges. Am considering couchsurfing and maybe WWOOFing for a bit too. We'll see how it goes. I'll probably be starting with Auckland and then heading down South. My sis and nephew might join me in North Island for a while too. We'll see how things go. I'm waiting for cheap tickets now so *fingers crossed* My eye's on the prize!
Likelihood: High!
South-East Asia
THIS is THE TRIP. The trip I've been wanting to do for years. Inspired after reading Tony Wheeler's blog on his Singapore - Shanghai overland trip years back, I made it a goal to do this is the near future. No planes, just land/sea travel.Years have passed and the near future has gotten further than I would have liked. Haha. Not anymore I hope! I wanted to do this after graduating from Poly but I never got around to actually doing it. I guess perhaps the time was not right? The universe has its way of fitting things unplanned into your timeline. Several years on now and after working full time for more than two years in an uneventful job, I think the time might be 2014. Although my dad has taken a step back and given my rein of my life, he still worries for me and if he worries enough, he might grab the reins back so I'm not sure if this trip will happen. I'll probably know for sure next year.
Likelihood: Maybe?
Sabah, Malaysia
To climb Mount Kinabalu of course! I would like to do this with family or friends though. If I can just find someone/ some people up for the challenge...
Likelihood: Who knows?
Vietnam
If my SEA trip doesn't happen, I want to visit Vietnam or more specifically the Mekong Delta and places around it with MY! She keeps saying she wants to sit in a boat with a straw hat. So this is the place to go. Haha.
Likelihood: Medium High
United States of America
There's talk of visiting Florida again with the kids. But talk is cheap. Hopefully this year it happens and if the time is right and all falls into place, I will be able to tag along!
Likelihood: Low
China
My dad's friend is organizing another trip there. This time to Xinjiang (if I'm not wrong). I would absolutely love to tag along if the dates don't clash with work. China has proven to be quite an amazing place and after my last trip there, I have been yearning to see more of her. I really did not give her enough credit before. The trip's not entirely confirmed yet so hopefully the dates will change and I will be able to go!
Likelihood: Low
Krabi, Thailand
I want to rockclimb again at Railay!!! And I want to check out the rest of Krabi too.
Likelihood: Medium High
Malaysia
It's just next door so why not put it in the list? I would like to visit Penang again if possible! Or maybe a family trip to Taman Negara?
Likelihood: Who knows?
Where do you want to go in 2014?
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Indonesia
BALI
Going to spend some quality time with 5/9 of the family in Bali this weekend. We haven't got much planned so it's just going to be a totally chilled and "see how when we get there" trip. We'll be staying at Nusa Dua, a gated high end resort area with a supposedly nice beach. Looking forward to just chilling with the family and spending quality time with my nephews who are growing up so fast. We only have 4 days there so we'll be focusing mainly on places in South Bali. Sis left me to plan where to visit so I'm trying to read up about places and stuff. So far, Kuta (You can't go to Bali without at least checking out touristy Kuta right?), Seminayak, Nusa Dua (Duhh), Jimbaran and Tanah Lot are on the list. I'm hoping we can do some snorkelling too but we'll figure out how and where we can do that when we're there. We won't be renting a car so I guess catching their Bluebird and Bali Taxis to get around would be the best option.
It's a bummer we can't cover most of Bali on this trip. I'll probably have to make another trip to visit Ubud, Northern Bali, Lombok and Komodo Island next time! No complaints there!
EAST JAVA
Plans for Bromo, Malang and Yogyakarta are really coming together. We've found accommodation and tours and bookings have been made. Am really looking forward to see how the trip will pan out. I still haven't figured out the less exciting part that comes with trip planning- insurance, emergency contacts, phone connection, etc., but I'll get there. I still need to break the news to dad too! Haha. That's the scariest part.
Alright, back to Bali reading. Until next time, safe travels and happy planning!
Going to spend some quality time with 5/9 of the family in Bali this weekend. We haven't got much planned so it's just going to be a totally chilled and "see how when we get there" trip. We'll be staying at Nusa Dua, a gated high end resort area with a supposedly nice beach. Looking forward to just chilling with the family and spending quality time with my nephews who are growing up so fast. We only have 4 days there so we'll be focusing mainly on places in South Bali. Sis left me to plan where to visit so I'm trying to read up about places and stuff. So far, Kuta (You can't go to Bali without at least checking out touristy Kuta right?), Seminayak, Nusa Dua (Duhh), Jimbaran and Tanah Lot are on the list. I'm hoping we can do some snorkelling too but we'll figure out how and where we can do that when we're there. We won't be renting a car so I guess catching their Bluebird and Bali Taxis to get around would be the best option.
It's a bummer we can't cover most of Bali on this trip. I'll probably have to make another trip to visit Ubud, Northern Bali, Lombok and Komodo Island next time! No complaints there!
EAST JAVA
Plans for Bromo, Malang and Yogyakarta are really coming together. We've found accommodation and tours and bookings have been made. Am really looking forward to see how the trip will pan out. I still haven't figured out the less exciting part that comes with trip planning- insurance, emergency contacts, phone connection, etc., but I'll get there. I still need to break the news to dad too! Haha. That's the scariest part.
Alright, back to Bali reading. Until next time, safe travels and happy planning!
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