Matt's secret holiday

Let's embark upon a voyage of self-discovery. Initially thinking the Benelux countries, and France/ Paris. But as Rob at work pointed out, Feb is the perfect time of year to go to Thailand (!) and Cambodia (!!).

Who's going

Matt

Hang on, I'm going on my own? Why not try to get someone to come with?

It's important that I go on my tod for the following reasons:

- It will improve my 'taking the initiative and doing something pro-active' skills, and also: my decision making skills may benefit from having to make so many decisions (in rapid succession). First decision: where to go?

- I will have to be totally self-reliant, and that's a good thing

- It will probably develop character, and might help me to find out who I am (bit deep, that one)

- I will have to make small talk with lots of strangers, necessitating conversational skill. That's quite scary and difficult (for me), but I have to do it. On the bright side, I'll probably have lots of interesting and fun chit-chats, that I would never have had otherwise

To do:

	Book time off
	Decide for sure where to go (Thailand/ Cambodia, if I have time to get jabs, visas and everything sorted)
	Get jabs, if needed
	Get any necessary visas
	Travel insurance
	Get 1 or 2 guidebooks, and plan an itinerary
	Book flights
	Get some currency (and a Nationwide or Abbey Zero account)
	Book accommodation - at least the first place
	Work out transportation to the airport (LHR)
	Stop momentarily and realise I'll be in a scary foreign country on my tod, and poo and wee my pants accordingly

Europe versus East Asia

Both high on cultural stuff to see, but which is better? There's only one way to find out... fight! Go on Thailand, get in there!

Benelux & France/ Paris:

Good:

Safer/ easier option

Quicker to get there, either by Eurostar or plane

No need for jabs or visas, can easily go from country to country

Get to go up the Eiffel tower, and witness some authentic French drivers take their lives into their hands going around the Arc de Triomphe roundabout at the centre of Paris

Get to visit Bruges (maybe while it's snowy), Amsterdam (for a hash brownie), Rotterdam, Luxembourg (I have no idea what's there) and Paris (cultural highlight of Europe, loads of stuff to see & do there)

Bad:

Bit chilly at 0 - 5 C

Will have to encounter French people at some stage

Bit too easy/ safe/ tame. Could save it for another time (like retirement)

Thailand/ Cambodia:

Good:

More exotic/ dangerous, makes for a more exciting adventure

The climate - will be nice and warm, at around 31 C

It's not the rainy/ monsoon season in that area in Feb

Get to see some giant stone heads and Angkor Wat

Bad:

Flight times of 11- 12 hours (if I can get a direct flight, it might be way cheaper not to)

There might be insects and stuff

More exotic/ dangerous, makes it more scary

When?

Saturday 13/02/10 to Sunday 28/02/10

15 days total

Itinerary

Sat 13th Feb

Get to LHR; fly to Bangkok

Sun 14th

Arrive at Bangkok, check into accommodation

Get over jet-lag and explore Bangkok

Mon 15th

More Bangkok exploring

Tues 16th

Possible day trip to 'Bridge over River Kwai' site, with museum. Also, there's a Tiger temple around there somewhere

Wed 17th

Mosey over (bus probably, or maybe train) to Phitsanlok

Thurs 18th

Travel to Sukhotai

Fri 19th

Go to Chiang Mai

Sat 20th

Chilling out in Chiang Mai, and exploring

Sun 21st

Fly from Chiang Mai (via Bangkok) to Siem Reap

Mon 22nd

Angkor Wat

Tues 23rd

Floating village, maybe massage as well

Wed 24th

Ferry to Phnom Penh

Thurs 25th

Do some of the [things to do in Phnom Penh http://www.igougo.com/attractions-l10177-things_to_do_in_Phnom_Penh.html]

Such as: dinner on the boat noodle restaurant

Fri 26th

Fly from Phnom Penh to Bangkok

Sat 27th

Fly home from Bangkok

Notes

£1 = 53 Thai Baht

£1 = 6,728 Cambodian Riels (KHR) (can't get their currency outside of Cambodia, for some reason)