Matt's secret holiday: Difference between revisions
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Let's embark upon a voyage of self-discovery. | 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== | |||
{| border="0" cellpadding="2" | |||
| [[Image:tick.gif]] || 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: == | ==To do: == | ||
| Line 6: | Line 24: | ||
| [[Image:tick.gif]] || Book time off | | [[Image:tick.gif]] || Book time off | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Image: | | [[Image:tick.gif]] || Decide for sure where to go (Thailand/ Cambodia, if I have time to get jabs, visas and everything sorted) | ||
|- | |||
| [[Image:tick.gif]] || Get jabs, if needed | |||
|- | |||
| [[Image:tick.gif]] || Get any necessary visas | |||
|- | |||
| [[Image:tick.gif]] || Travel insurance | |||
|- | |||
| [[Image:tick.gif]] || Get 1 or 2 guidebooks, and plan an itinerary | |||
|- | |||
| [[Image:tick.gif]] || Book flights | |||
|- | |||
| [[Image:tick.gif]] || Get some currency (and a Nationwide or Abbey Zero account) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Image:blank.gif]] || Book | | [[Image:blank.gif]] || Book accommodation - at least the first place | ||
|- | |||
| [[Image:tick.gif]] || Work out transportation to the airport (LHR) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Image:blank.gif]] || Stop momentarily and realise I'll be in a scary foreign country on my tod, and poo and wee my pants accordingly | | [[Image:blank.gif]] || 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? == | ==When? == | ||
Saturday 13/02/10 to | |||
Sunday 28/02/10 | |||
15 days total | |||
==Itinerary== | ==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 | |||
==Where to stay== | ==Where to stay== | ||
==Notes== | |||
£1 = 53 Thai Baht | |||
£1 = 6,728 Cambodian Riels (KHR) (can't get their currency outside of Cambodia, for some reason) | |||
Latest revision as of 23:43, 5 March 2010
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
Where to stay
Notes
£1 = 53 Thai Baht
£1 = 6,728 Cambodian Riels (KHR) (can't get their currency outside of Cambodia, for some reason)