Congratulations, it has always been on my bucket list and yet sadly haven’t got around to it.
I admire anyone who has attempted it let alone complete it
Glad to hear it worked out great. My folks swear by them and I’ve lost count of the number of these Chinese trips they’ve done. They tend to just wander off and do their own stuff now and don’t do many of the day tours. Not sure of which company he uses but they are off again soon and have 3 trips back to back pretty much. China, Vietnam and Cambodia and then Myanmar.
says you and Shiel
Yes after seeingNackers post 3 months ago myself and bomber3232 also went on a Tripadeal tour 12 days at $1998.Had a great tour even after delays on our flight over 2 people missing flight from Brisbane to Sydney. https://www.tripadeal.com.au/deals/3103-11-day-warriors-of-china
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Just in Fiji, Denarau to be exact.
Things were going ok, till some idiot pooed in one of the pools (the best one), and then I read an article that an American couple died here a couple weeks ago with no known cause.
Other than that, I never thought I’d be ok with a resort style holiday. Yes the beach is pretty pox, but weather is epic, proximity to airport is great, a heap of pools (-1 today), not too busy, and simple enough a holiday.
https://i.imgur.com/aYrSTzt_d.jpg?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium
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I just booked a cruise through the Panama Canal for next March (leaves LA Feb 29) ends in Fort Lauderdale. Emerald Princess is the ship.
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Thanks @Bacchusfox all good advice, I’m not sure I had the ideal preparation though with 3 buffet meals a day in China for 2 of the last 4 weeks.,
We’re in Port Moresby now, I really haven’t done that much fitness work but I think I’m fairly fit and have handled a few walks in the Dandenongs easily, I guess I’ll find out tomorrow when we hit the trail.
Our guide is Charlie Lynn who is 74 years old, is as fit as a fidfle and is doing the trail for the 96th time. I think he is one of the original guides opening up the track for tourists so has a wealth of knowledge, it should be fascinating.
Well backers, good luck and take it very easy. Keep hydrated and keep your feet as dry as possible.
Check your insurance helicopter ambulances are expensive.
surely keeping hydrated is better?
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oops !!!
Fixed
I know its miles away, but I’m researching a few options for January 2021 before submitting a recommendation to the steering committee (wife & 15 YO daughter) for endorsement. Anyone been to any of these places who can chip in with an opinion on relative worth?
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda / Uganda + Tanzania safari.
Costa Rica (+ Nicaragua maybe).
Belize + Guatemala.
Colombia.
Argentina.
India.
Norway or similar for Northern Lights.
All are new destinations for us (other than Guatemala in 2000), and all are good in January.
Loved Tanzania. Did a private safari which was actually reasonable with a small mob run by a Pom, about a week all up. Our driver/guide was an absolute gun. One of our favourite travel experiences.
India was loud and colourful and fascinating and irritating. Avoid New Delhi if you can but don’t miss Old Delhi. Have you considered Nepal?
Of those I’ve really only got experience with India and Scandinavia, a couple of others we have done stop overs or the like.
It depends on your timeframe, what you want to see and do and how financially you are placed.
I absolutely love the Nordic countries but man they can chew through your wallet. The Aussie dollar is poor against the Euro and that’s compounded by Scandinavia being already far more expensive than most of Europe
I’d like to be contrary to the common opinion and say I really liked Delhi (old, new, and the rest) — lots of relics and forts and other goodies, easy to get around thanks to the Metro, and obviously much cheaper than your other options (both getting there and being there).
However, January has a great risk of being foggy/smoggy in the north. The last evening I was in Delhi (mid February) it got quite nasty.
India is a lot bigger than just the north, of course. Did you have anywhere particularly in mind?
Agree 100%. India gets a bad wrap but I’ve found it quite a pleasant place to visit with some amazing scenery and architecture.
@GRR do you have a link for your Tanzania mob? I’d head back to Nepal in a heartbeat, but (unless you know otherwise) I think January is a bit cold for anything other than a low altitude trek.
@Aceman we would have about 4 weeks all up, including flights / stopovers, so about three weeks on the ground. We are OK financially, but relative value is a factor (i.e. cost vs quality of experience per option). I’d prefer to retire sooner than later!
@theDJR I know little about India other than the obvious hotspots - Rajasthan, Agra, Kerala, Darjeeling. Of these, I would gravitate towards Rajasthan only because the photos look amazing. Is this a good choice?
I’ve only done Northern India (bar a couple days in Chennai) but I liked it. I can see how it may be love or hate, though. Taj Mahal was one of those places I had unreasonably high expectations for… and it easily met them. Most of the things I liked I’d never heard of before this trip, though.
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I went to Norway for the Northern Lights in January 2015 and it was even more spectacular than I can say. I went to the Lofoten Islands and stayed in Svolvaer. Flew from London to Oslo then Narvik. It was a couple hours bus to Svolvaer. Being on the coast you have a greater chance of little it no cloud cover at that time of year. Or if clouds come in, they mover quickly away. Also, the Gulf Stream ensures that it isn’t really stupidly cold. It was about -5 during the day and -10 at night. These are cold temps for taking photos (and losing charge in your battery) but perfect for aurora photography. If you go inland, it’s -35c.
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Argentina - spent a month there in March 2018. Best country I’ve visited.
Varies from the tropics at Iguasu Falls, high altitude near Salta, temperate in BA, cooler in Bariloche, & El Calafate, and cold in Patagonia.
Must love steak!!! Not a country for vegans.
Colombia - a couple of weeks there in March 2019 after Peru and Bolivia
Bogota is ok (got my Pablo Escobar T-shirt!), Cartagena and Tayrona National Park on the Caribbean cost are great.
Great for shopping, particularly head phones.
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India - have done 2 x 6 weeks tours but both were years ago.
Not a country for women unless they like to be ogled by hordes of local yokels.
The north has all the traditional sites like the Taj, Jaipur, Jodphur, Rajastan, Varanasi, etc, etc.
The south is completely different in terms of climate, peoples, culture. Much more relaxed.
Avoid Goa, and go further South for beaches, Kerala backwaters and inland cities like Mysore and Madurai worth visiting.
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