You pick where I go travelling!

joneeboy

fufu_banterwaite wrote: »

China doesn’t really appeal to me. Not sure why, but it doesn’t. Neither does India.

At the moment I am erring towards Central America.

I don't know why China does not appeal to you, because most people who visit it can't stay away form it, and return time and time again. It is a vast country. So many different places to go and so many different places to see. The most expensive part of a China holiday, as for many others to distant places is the return flight. After that, your money goes a long way. Thousands of very reasonably prices hotels, cheap internal flights by airlines with some of the worlds youngest fleets of Boeing and Airbus aircraft. An excellent rail system with trains superior to ours, including around 15,000 km of high speed trains. Dirt cheap buses. Friendly faces from the minute you step off the plane,( earlier if you fly there on China Airways, or China Southern), A vast variety of food to eat, more than any other country on earth, and some of the best shopping in the World. Add to that one of the world's lowest crime rates, what is there NOT to appeal?
The Americans, Germans Australians and Japanese have found it. So have an increasing number of Brits.
I have been all over the world because I worked for airlines for many years. I have enjoyed so many countries, but China takes some beating.
Anyone thinking of going there, or any other long distance by air, try STA travel for your tickets.
You can find it on 'skyscanner' or visit its website.
It has branches across the country, including at several universities, and can get cheaper tickets for students, young people under 26, and teachers of any age. Unfortunately I'm eligible...by around half a century, but I'll be at their Birmingham office tomorrow afternoon to get tickets for my next trip.
A tip! You CAN do your entire booking through STA Travel online, but if you are within reach of one of their offices, you can save a bit more. If you go to their website and on it book an appointment at one of their offices, you will be entitled to £30 off you ticket or holiday. Check that out on their website.
However, I agree with you about India. I had the misfortune to work and live there for a while, and couldn't wait to get out.
One of the most anti-British places I have ever been to.

fufu_banterwaite

Gavin83 – wow thank you very much for that extensive itinerary! If I do go to South America I’ve got my entire trip sorted.

Joneeboy – I don’t why China doesn’t appeal to me either but it doesn’t. There are other places I would rather visit first before I go there. I considered using STA when I went travelling for 18months in 2009, but in the end Flight Centre Round the World Experts were better value for money.

totallybored

How about Japan and Korea? I only did a few days in both but I'd love to go back for longer.

Gavin83

The only problem with my suggestion is that it's quite a lot to squeeze into 2 months! If you were actually interested let me know and I'll let you know how much time I reckon you need in each place and what can be cut out.

I should become a travel agent!

danandjens_worldtravels

I second (or is it thirds) too many new places to go back.

I also vote for Nepal and India. In Nepal its trekking season, we did an Everest base camp trek a few years ago and it was one of the best things ever. The views are fabulous and the sense of achievement is pretty cool too. We just booked when we got to Kathmandu. TrekNepal was the company (their website is orange if you look for it).

Combine that with India for a head rush. As someone already said there is no-where like it on earth and for cheap backpacking I don't think it can be beaten. There is also such diversity in India, beaches, monuments, mountains, hill stations, trains, buses, history, religion, great and terrible food, 5 star hotels and the most basic of rooms.

Peccary

South America again. It's a great time to go, Gavin's post is pretty comprehensive but don't disregard Colombia, it was my favourite country of the trip. Ecuador is good when you have limited time as you can do a lot there as.it is very varied but relatively compact (by SA standards!)

We had no.problems in Central America though some major cities feel a bit sketchy, you only need to go to them to change bus usually though. There are some beautiful colonial towns and amazing ruins to see. You could see a lot in two months, I recommend Costa Rica for the wildlife and Guatemala for the Maya culture and ruins (Google Tikal) Honduras' Bay Island are a great Caribbean chill out with fun diving.
We travelled from Panama City to Guatemala City through CR, Nicaragua and Honduras.

Gavin83

The only problem with India is that I think you've really got to want to do it. I've travelled fairly extensively and it by far the most challenging country to travel in. The infrastructure is actually pretty good but people are incredibly hard work there and naturally the place is pretty dirty. You'll be lucky to leave without getting ill and while you'll see some amazing sights you'll see some horrific ones too. It's a total assault on the senses.

I loved India but most people who I've met who went there hated it. I think you need to be an experienced traveller to appreciate it. Also I'll assume the OP is a woman. There is no way as a single woman I'd be going to India. It felt like a number of men there were raping my girlfriend with their eyes so quite what they'd have done if I weren't there I don't know.

I'd also recommend Myanmar. It's very fresh for tourists and it has similarities with India but is a whole lot more friendly. People stare but with more of a curiousity of your life rather than thoughts of what your insides feel like.

fufu_banterwaite

I am thinking it is likely to be Central or South America. Hadn’t thought about Burma though would love to visit there also. I am going to wait to get the start date for my new job before I booked anything up, but hopefully that will be in the next week or two. Thank you to everyone for contributing. I love preparing for your travels and can’t wait to pack in work and get on that plane for a couple of months!

fufu_banterwaite

Gavin83 wrote: »

Also I'll assume the OP is a woman. There is no way as a single woman I'd be going to India.

I am definitely, 100% a man.

duchy

China doesn't appeal to me either .......and just because other people love it isn't a good enough reason. Plenty of people love crunchy peanut butter but I don't.......

In your shoes I'd head to Asia or South Africa.