Help me........ Please

inspector_monkfish

squee wrote: »

Probably not much help this but have you looked into sea travel to the US via Guam? As it's US territory there might be a bit of traffic to and from there...?

The very best of luck with your trip. It sounds absolutelty fantastic. Have you thought about making a diary of your travels? As the public are starting to think 'greener' then it's a subject that might get snapped up by a publisher - it might even pay for the trip itself in the end!

S.

or get a TV Channel to cover it for you
they will love the 'kids element' of the whole thing

SKY will pay up for anything these days

don't go with Setanta-tatata though....
The Sturll on pay-per-view for 8 weeks?? Could be costly!!

conradmum

I've travelled a lot with young children. If you're travelling by land and sea you're going to be spending a lot of time on the road or on boats and not much time actually in the places you visit. So perhaps not much fun for the kids?

Sorry for the unsolicited opinion. :beer:

Although a flight across the Pacific may seem expensive or cheating, I doubt you'll get passage on a ship any cheaper. The only solution that occurred to me was to go from Japan to northern Russia, across to Alaska and down through Canada and the U.S.A.

olias

Why not try a multi stop airline ticket, taking in Fiji, Cook Islands, Tonga.
That way, although flying, you are giving the kids experience of 3 different cultures etc. Hostels and cost of living there are cheap, and I know the people of that region love kids and so you will have few problems.

I think the easiest ticket will probably be from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpar or Singapore to Los Angeles with the suggested stops on the way.

I know you can get round the world tickets that take in these stops from the UK for <£1000 so Travelling from Bangkok/KL/Singapore should be at least as cheap, if not cheaper

Olias

L.L_2

Sorry I can't offer any advice, just wanted to say have a blast - sounds amazing!

sturll

Thanks all for your great advice - humour and cheek

Firstly the time scale is fine, ive given us 30 days to get to USA, it takes 7 days to get to Beijing which leaves us three weeks to mooch about in the Far East.
After carefully considering my almost non existent and limited options i have decided im going to have to fly. So since i am saving a the time otherwise spent at sea were going to go right down to Singapore and assuming i can sort dates out and time frames i will fly to the US via Borneo so the kids can go and see the orangutangs.

In terms of the kids finding it boring - maybe the travel through Russia and Siberia, but once in the Far East visiting the likes of China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand and Borneo then almost three weeks traveling the USA (or maybe making it as far as Vegas ) - Hopefully they wont have time to get bored!

conradmum

Do go to Laos if you can. There's an overnight train from Bangkok, so quite cheap to get there, although you do have to get visas at the border which will cost you about £20 each. Get the overnight train, stay at the Mut Mee guesthouse in Nong Khai and hop over the border the next day. Laos has a unique history and is very cheap!

olias

conradmum wrote: »

Do go to Laos if you can. There's an overnight train from Bangkok, so quite cheap to get there, although you do have to get visas at the border which will cost you about £20 each. Get the overnight train, stay at the Mut Mee guesthouse in Nong Khai and hop over the border the next day. Laos has a unique history and is very cheap!

I would agree. I am an avid 'armchair traveller' (although I have travelled in Oz, NZ, Indonesia and The South Pacific. I have read a number of books concerning travelling in The Far East and South East Asia and they all cannot reccommend Laos highly enough, so much so, that I am tempted to visit myself! Apparently the people/culture/architecture/scenery are rated more highly than either Vietnam or Cambodia.

I definately would suggest at least a few days somewhere in your itinery for just pure 'fun' - ie beach/hotel with pool etc. Not only would it be a break from an overload of scenery/culture/educational value etc for the children, but would also give you a few well needed days break from what sounds like a fairly tiring and busy itinery. Perhaps a beach in Thailand or Malaysia (which seems about the halfway point in your trip)

Olias

point3

This will either be an adventure of a lifetime or one long nightmare. Not all children will travel well. Worst case is that you are stuck for 8 weeks with a miserable 4 year old who is irritable, sea-sick, sunburnt and stuck on the loo with "holiday tummy". A 4 year old may be just as happy with a week at Butlins; your schedule will mean much of the time will be spent travelling and not that much time to see the sights, they'll not take in all the experiences and they'll remember even less. Maybe scale it down a bit? Good luck anyway.

Pollycat

As someone who never tires of watching travel programmes (Michael Palin, Billy Connolly etc), I think it's an awsome adventure that you're planning.

I hope everything goes smoothly for you all.

sturll

Having just looked at Laos on Lonely Planet i have to admit, the place looks amazing.