Top Tips For Travellers Please

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RTRsBM said:
It's money not time that's my issue. I'd love to visit s America and years ago started Spanish night classes for that reason. But they were too hard. As a vegan food quality is not a biggie for me but I think I'm looking at Asia ad the safer option.
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You will literally starve to death in South America!! They LOVE meat over there.
You will also find it surprisingly difficult to eat well in SE Asia as the concept of vegetarianism/veganism is not well understood in many places - just yesterday I opted for a vegetarian Bahn Mi sandwich in a vietnamese place only to find it heavily laced with pork liver pate. When i asked whether the sandwich was 100% vegetarian, the waiter said yes because "there are no big pieces of grilled pork or chicken." I am not a vegetarian so it did not bother me but it can get tricky. I have also seen vegetable chow main with small pieces of chicken offered as a vegetarian option numerous times. Chicken seems to exist in a bit of a grey area, half way between a kind of meat and a mobile vegetable.
 
air asia said:
You will literally starve to death in South America!! They LOVE meat over there.
You will also find it surprisingly difficult to eat well in SE Asia as the concept of vegetarianism/veganism is not well understood in many places - just yesterday I opted for a vegetarian Bahn Mi sandwich in a vietnamese place only to find it heavily laced with pork liver pate. When i asked whether the sandwich was 100% vegetarian, the waiter said yes because "there are no big pieces of grilled pork or chicken." I am not a vegetarian so it did not bother me but it can get tricky. I have also seen vegetable chow main with small pieces of chicken offered as a vegetarian option numerous times. Chicken seems to exist in a bit of a grey area, half way between a kind of meat and a mobile vegetable.
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reminds me of the scene from my big fat greek wedding when someone says tto the mom that they are vegetarian " oh thats ok have some lamb"
 
air asia said:
You will literally starve to death in South America!! They LOVE meat over there.
You will also find it surprisingly difficult to eat well in SE Asia as the concept of vegetarianism/veganism is not well understood in many places - just yesterday I opted for a vegetarian Bahn Mi sandwich in a vietnamese place only to find it heavily laced with pork liver pate. When i asked whether the sandwich was 100% vegetarian, the waiter said yes because "there are no big pieces of grilled pork or chicken." I am not a vegetarian so it did not bother me but it can get tricky. I have also seen vegetable chow main with small pieces of chicken offered as a vegetarian option numerous times. Chicken seems to exist in a bit of a grey area, half way between a kind of meat and a mobile vegetable.
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Boiled rice it is then. I had assumed that I would be able to get vegetables without meat already in them. Thanks I'll be ultra careful.
 
Anyone ever done a pre arranged route? I went into STA travel yesterday and they have a ticket that is for travel on a certain routes but accomodation and timing are bootable on the Internet. The ticket I'm looking at starts and finishes at Bangkok and goes North then through Laos to Hanoi, down the coast to ho chi Minh City then back to Bangkok. There's some activities on the way included. Once started the ticket lasts a year and then you stay as long as you want in each place and book the next journey online. I'm sure I could arrange the journeys myself but I duppose I'm getting a bit nervous and this gives some structure without it being an organised trip or a group holiday which I defenitly don't want.
 
Steesafc said:
I thought this thread was going to be about Gypsies.
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it still can be if we hijack it

Bukowski said:
Travel light. Costs pennies to get laundry done anywhere on the continent. Five days kecks, five days socks (you've be in flip flops mostly), five days t-shirts and a couple of pairs of shorts are essential. Joggers/light trousers and a light jacket are handy but not essential. Depends on the season though obviously.
Always ask for the taxi on meter, otherwise you will be ripped off. Meter ka/krap in Thailand.
Flying is as cheap as taking the train sometimes, use Skyscanner before booking any tickets and avoid using travel agents where possible. They're invariably gobshites who will charge you top whack to earn the best commission percentage.
Don't strap your shoes or trainers to your rucksack, feet and footwear are considered offensive in many Asian countries.
Avoid Changovers by drinking Chang Export. Much crisper than the sugary, albeit cheaper, regular and you're less likely to get snipered by the "average" volume, which ranges up to 10% if I'm not mistaken.
Don't be scared to barter with people - the Thais are tough negotiators, but don't rise to it, stay pleasant, because they don't like aggro.
Get out of Bangkok immediately and head for the North. Visit Chiang Mai but don't stick around too long, Pai, up in the mountains is where it's at.
Try to fit Malaysia into the trip. Friendliest people in the region for me and the best food by a mile; mix of Chinese and Indian cooking, on account of the huge immigrant population.
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you know a lot mate - where are the best lady boys?
 
lord of light said:
it still can be if we hijack it


you know a lot mate - where are the best lady boys?
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Hua Hin.

It's full of rich Scandinavians and expat pensioners but I've never seen such a high concentration of prossers.

RTRsBM said:
Anyone ever done a pre arranged route? I went into STA travel yesterday and they have a ticket that is for travel on a certain routes but accomodation and timing are bootable on the Internet. The ticket I'm looking at starts and finishes at Bangkok and goes North then through Laos to Hanoi, down the coast to ho chi Minh City then back to Bangkok. There's some activities on the way included. Once started the ticket lasts a year and then you stay as long as you want in each place and book the next journey online. I'm sure I could arrange the journeys myself but I duppose I'm getting a bit nervous and this gives some structure without it being an organised trip or a group holiday which I defenitly don't want.
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Fuck that. Book everything yourself mate. The freedom to do whatever and go wherever is the vital ingredient of travelling. The people you meet along the way will shape your route and your experiences, not travel agents.
 
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Bukowski said:
Hua Hin.

It's full of rich Scandinavians and expat pensioners but I've never seen such a high concentration of prossers.



Fuck that. Book everything yourself mate. The freedom to do whatever and go wherever is the vital ingredient of travelling. The people you meet along the way will shape your route and your experiences, not travel agents.
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out of interest - wonder what happens if you chat up a tasty woman and go back to her only to be confronted with the undeniable fact she is infact a lady boy - i always wondered if people run or just think ah well in for a penny!!!! :) poll?
 
air asia said:
I agree that if there is time, do both. However if it comes to either/or, then SE Asia wins big in 2 very important areas. First is that it is much much safer than S america - take a wrong turn in just about any city there and that could be your lot. Second is the food which is consistently excellent in SE Asia and consistently shite in S America.
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Disagree really, I've been to both and felt perfectly safe in both. Had very good food in South America.
 
lord of light said:
out of interest - wonder what happens if you chat up a tasty woman and go back to her only to be confronted with the undeniable fact she is infact a lady boy - i always wondered if people run or just think ah well in for a penny!!!! :) poll?
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Nowt a bit lube can't sort.

Think someone else mentioned the seat61 website. It's really one of the best things on then internet and fair play to the fella who did it. But travelling SE Asia by train is class. Get the overnight sleepers with a few beers and there's always a bit of craic to be had somewhere.
 
get used to cockroaches... (prompted by the thread about them).

the first day/night of or our round the world trip we stayed in this shitty hotel (brothel, rooms by the hour etc) in philidelphia which was infested with cockroaches. the girlfriend made me stand in the shower with her to protect her from them... really!
 
Bukowski said:
Hua Hin.

It's full of rich Scandinavians and expat pensioners but I've never seen such a high concentration of prossers.



Fuck that. Book everything yourself mate. The freedom to do whatever and go wherever is the vital ingredient of travelling. The people you meet along the way will shape your route and your experiences, not travel agents.
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Yeah horse, like when some kernt steals your wallet and docs. and fcuks off in a tuk tuk.

Those kernts will shape your route for sure,:rolleyes:
 
Bob Fleming said:
Nowt a bit lube can't sort.

Think someone else mentioned the seat61 website. It's really one of the best things on then internet and fair play to the fella who did it. But travelling SE Asia by train is class. Get the overnight sleepers with a few beers and there's always a bit of craic to be had somewhere.
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but Bob!!!! its still shagging a fella!!!!!
 
Bob Fleming said:
Think someone else mentioned the seat61 website. It's really one of the best things on then internet and fair play to the fella who did it. But travelling SE Asia by train is class. Get the overnight sleepers with a few beers and there's always a bit of craic to be had somewhere.
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Couldn't agree more with this. The overnight sleepers going north from Bangkok to Chang Mai or Nong Khai (for Laos) are class, as is the one going south to Surat Thani (for Koh Samui). Trains in Vietnam are also a great way to see the country. By way of a warm up RTRsBM needs to read The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux. If that doesn't get the travel juices flowing, nothing will.
 
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