Ultimate Challenge. 457 days / £16600!!!

NinjaSavingKat

I thought of Avon but its a time and financial commitment I don't want. I don't want to have to "think" if that makes sense. With a full time job, overtime most weekends... it just has to be simples... but I know what you means about deliveries - puddy-tat food is coming shortly and will no doubt be sent somewhere else..

liltdiddylilt

How about distributing leaflets? There are tonnes of those type of jobs around here. I would do it if I had the time and energy after work

Taylor132

Hey Kat

The colour is right , thanks

Loving all the talk about travelling.

I had an amazing few years with my ex where we covered quite a few places... Vietnam (3 week tour down the country), Thailand, Marrkech and a few, week long sun breaks - corfu etc.

Amazing times but sadly I am still paying them off. Would love to do what you are planning and save up and go for a whole year....

NinjaSavingKat

Taylor how long did you go for? And how much much did you take with you?... How much did you actually spend...? Anything you would have done differently..?

Taylor132

Heya Kat

Firstly Vietnam is a total bargain!

We went for 3 weeks, we flew into Hanoi and flew out of HCMC (about £800 for a return flight, you may be able to do this cheaper by flying to Thailand and getting a local flight over).

Budget wise, this was pre LBM so I don't know the total but I know accomodation in Hanoi was around £5.50 per person per night including breakfast (can't remember the name but I've got all the info back at home so if you are interested just PM me). We were so impressed with this little hotel we went back after the Sapa tour. The service is beyond amazing in Vietnam, the staff can not do enough to help you.

Train tickets to Sapa were about £35 in a 4 berth cabin but I would strongly recommend you buy out the cabin as with 4 ppl in, make it unbearably hot. Hotel costs in Sapa were slightly more expensive and accomodation wasn't as nice. Staff were still amazing. Mentally prepare yourself for the local ladies from the tribes tho...

We then went back to Hanoi on the overnight train before heading over to Halong Bay which was nice but sadly its being destroyed so had lost some of its charm. The boat was just pure luxury - around £180 per person for 3 nights and 2 days including all food and transport (Halong bay is about 4-5 hours from Hanoi). It was worth doing but not sure I would go back again.

We then we went to Hue, Hoi Ann, Mui Ne and finally ended up in HCMC.

I would avoid Mui Ne, I found it like a disappointing black pool but it was for a number of reasons - accomodation, travel etc. On the plus side we got a sleeping bus to take us from Mui Ne to HCMC for £6. It was comfortable and safe so would definately recommend that way of travelling.

I could go on for ages about this stuff so any questions, I'm more than happy to share my experiences

NinjaSavingKat

How much money did you save before you went though - and was 3 weeks the entire trip or did you go on elsewhere..?

Taylor132

It was pretty much 3 weeks (give or take a day)

For travel and accommodation I reckon we spent about £1800 each but we did what we wanted and that includes a luxury 2 day/3night cruise (including all food and drink), 2 internal flights, a £100 taxi (5 hours), luxury accommodation for 4 days, a bike tour between Hue and Hoi an (cannot recommend this enough).

If I did it again, I would work off the following:

Hanoi (£6 per person per night and this would be for a private a conditioned room including brekkie)

Sapa £6 pppn including brekkie and transport - we stayed at Luong Thuy Family Guesthouse. It’s a bit basic but the views were out of this world and the staff/family were amazing.

Hue £7 pppn including brekkie (and this is over estimating). We stayed at the Jade hotel and it was nice, bed was a bit hard but again service and food were fantastic.

Hoi An - £12 pppn including brekkie. We stayed at the Hai Au hotel - staff amazing. They got us up at 4.30 to get a plane and had a little bit of brekkie ready for us. We didn't ask for any of it and they did all this at 4.30 in the morning with a massive smile of their face. I did want to stay at the Ha An hotel which is a bit pricier. We accidentally went there first (instead of to the Hai Au hotel. I was suffering from travel sickness and considering I wasn't staying there they were really lovely, got me a drink offered to let me lay down in a room for a little while. I'm a bit biased tho as I wanted to stay here tho...

HCMC £7 pppn including brekkie

As you can probably tell I spent ages finding nice places to stay but they would all be classed as backpacking places. We always stayed in private rooms for the above prices and to be honest I never felt like I was slumming it. Yeah the bathrooms may not have been the prettiest or up to date but it was always clean and had hot water. Rooms were generally decorated really well. Would happily go back to Vietnam now, if I could....

As for your question about saving, this was pre LBM; there was no saving that I can remember. It all went on a credit card (which I have nearly cleared now). Not ideal and not the way to do it, but I don't regret it at all

Hope that helps.

NinjaSavingKat

I think I might look to spend 3 months in South East Asia exploring every part I can manage. It will give me an idea as to whether I can do on for longer and its a cheaper option. Monthly motorbike rental looks possible to...ha! Thanks for all your information though.

It also means I can possibly be out of the country before summer next year.. and not work every weekend for another year to fund a years travel.... then hate it....

Something to mull over...

NinjaSavingKat

Have you all melted yet..? I am about to leave work and bask. Shall be bringing my diary, cat, pen and water into the garden and penning some website ideas. Gonna get something priced to see what is viable... however one needs ideas first....

NinjaSavingKat

I am sat here at work, sunshine streaming in through my window. Reminiscent of an old black and white film I am being drenched in rays interrupted only by the useless aluminium venetian blind. I should have a cigarette mounted on a holder, a coiffed and blazai demeanour whilst being questioned as to my rich husbands untimely death......

Yet I stare, squared faced at what can only be described as a nemesis due to it's hold on my life and consquential effects of it's use on my body.

Sugar.

But formed gloriously into the coating of a tooth-rot-inducing raspberry filled delight (donut), squished firm into a healthy oat coated deception (flapjacks), placed delicately and flattened to form chip laced treats that can't be enjoyed in the singular (choc chip cookies) and something not only diabetics should avoid like the plague (millionaire squares)....

A colleague "forgot" he was back to work yesterday following his holidaying in another country. He has paid his penance hence my current dilema. They are calling me.

A colleague recieved news of a new job yeaterday. She was fined due to leaving us. Despite not having a new date for her transfer she was frog-marched to Sainburys to pay HER penance.

I ate - 2 donuts, 3 chocolate crispie thingys and 3-5 chocolate chip cookies. My body went into almost immediate rejection. Bloating and discomfort ensued.

So despite my need to sniff the above mentioned goodies I am refusing to touch them. I have read so much about sugar and am only now, in my 30th year of existance on this planet refusing it all. I have had enough.

What has this to do with money saving you may ask. Not al lot other than healthy eating is expensive and I struggle as it is! The aim of this thread is to chart my stresses and struggles is it not.... so I have successfully cut out tea, milk, cheese, eggs, yoghurt, bread and now sugar will get the cut. We are going back to basics to lose weight and feel energetic.

You may wonder what I will eat... Plants. Vegetables, Fruit, Pulses, Nuts, Seeds, Grains - and it is virtually impossible to have a protein difficent diet as a vegan.

I am aiming for the future now that stretches beyond my debt free day. I am aiming to halt the aging process as much as possible through optimum nutrition.

Bye bye donuts hello mango.