The Holidays Thread

[lordofthepies]

Circumstances usually dictate that when you're younger you have more free time, energy and disposable income to spunk on that sort of stuff, but I think it's a richer experience if you travel or back-pack when you're older. Most of the interesting types I've met in hotels and hostels around the World are the ones in there 30s and 40s, who have seen a bit more, avoid the 19 year olds on the organised pub crawls...

I'm 30 now and had never left Europe before I was 26. I've done a fair bit of travel since - I sometimes envy the 18-22 year olds we meet when travelling but there's simply no way I'd have got as much from it when I was younger. I'd have done it all wrong at that age.

 

[nousername]

As corny as it sounds, I think most people go on big trips when they're ready, or feel comfortable taking long stints out by themselves. I went away when I was 23, and like yourself, envied some of the younger types, but more so because they had levels of confidence that I never had at 18 or 19 to do things like that.

For me travelling about gave me the confidence to seriously consider living and working abroad and I've now not moved home since that first trip.

 

[nousername]

Thanks for the link Techno Natch , I'm not away until December, so will have a look closer to the time.

 

[SF_]

I'm 27 too and yet to leave Europe, been up and down this continent but I'm really keen to do Thailand & Cambodia for 2/3 weeks next summer. Always wanted to visit that part of the world and price wise, it wouldn't work out much different to two weeks in Europe.

Failing that, i've been looking at flying into Helsinki, getting the boat down to Tallinn and stopping off at a few place in Estonia on my my to Riga.

 

[blademan89]

I'm 27 too and yet to leave Europe, been up and down this continent but I'm really keen to do Thailand & Cambodia for 2/3 weeks next summer. Always wanted to visit that part of the world and price wise, it wouldn't work out much different to two weeks in Europe.

Failing that, i've been looking at flying into Helsinki, getting the boat down to Tallinn and stopping off at a few place in Estonia on my my to Riga.

Nice place tallinn id advise going in the summer though had a much better time in june than when we went last october.

 

[Megaclyde]

As corny as it sounds, I think most people go on big trips when they're ready, or feel comfortable taking long stints out by themselves. I went away when I was 23, and like yourself, envied some of the younger types, but more so because they had levels of confidence that I never had at 18 or 19 to do things like that.

For me travelling about gave me the confidence to seriously consider living and working abroad and I've now not moved home since that first trip.

If you don't mind me asking, what do you do for work?

I ask because as much as I enjoy where I am, and South America in general, I could be making twice as much doing the same back home so I'm kinda looking to see what other options there are for jobs, besides English teacher.

 

[Stagat]

If you don't mind me asking, what do you do for work?

I ask because as much as I enjoy where I am, and South America in general, I could be making twice as much doing the same back home so I'm kinda looking to see what other options there are for jobs, besides English teacher.

Work for yourself. Set up online business. Freelance if you have the skills. Relocate to Medellin!

 

[Megaclyde]

What if I have 0 skills?
Haven't been to Medellin, couldn't even handle the constant boner suppression needed for Bogota

 

[nousername]

If you don't mind me asking, what do you do for work?

I ask because as much as I enjoy where I am, and South America in general, I could be making twice as much doing the same back home so I'm kinda looking to see what other options there are for jobs, besides English teacher.

I work in construction - chartered quantity surveyor.

Took a hiatus when the economy went tits up in 2010 - ended up working in New Zealand following the earthquakes in 2011. Two years there and now spent the last few years between Hong Kong and Macao working on casino projects.

Moving to UAE next year...

 

[Stagat]

What if I have 0 skills?

Learn some!

I haven't been to Medellin either. Or South America for that matter.

 

[lordofthepies]

Medellín is awesome.

 

[smat]

í

Fuck you.

 

[Megaclyde]

I highly recommend it,
Although I'm not sure how it compares to Asia (I'm assuming you've been to Asia because of your avatar)

 

[Stagat]

I highly recommend it,
Although I'm not sure how it compares to Asia (I'm assuming you've been to Asia because of your avatar)

I highly recommend Asia.

How long have you been teaching for?

 

[Megaclyde]

I'm not a teacher, I just used that as an example of something I could possibly take up if I decided to quit my job.
I'm a turbine technician.

 

[lordofthepies]

Fuck you.

Fuck yoû

 

[mpmbee]

Off to New York in February with a few mates. Managed to get decent flights and a pretty fancy hotel for five nights for £550 each. Pretty chuffed with that.

 

[TomPNE94]

repeating the same routine week after week

Paraphrasing Reverend and the Makers, good work.

 

[M Dogg]

Off to New York in February with a few mates. Managed to get decent flights and a pretty fancy hotel for five nights for £550 each. Pretty chuffed with that.

That is a steal, particularly as I found hotels there to cost a fortune.

New York is great. And 5 days is more than enough there, IMO.

 

[mpmbee]

That is a steal, particularly as I found hotels there to cost a fortune.

New York is great. And 5 days is more than enough there, IMO.

Yeah I've been before so wasn't too fussed about going for that long but no one else I'm going with has been there before so they all wanted to do five days.

 

[smat]

Fuck yoû

Sorry, I was just being a... diacritic.

(Dire critic)

 

[smat]

yesssss week well spent

 

[lordofthepies]

fucking hell, mate

 

[Techno Natch]

I'm planning to move to Berlin for 6 months in the summer of 2017. We've had planned to do a few months traveling before hand by going to a psy trance festival in South Africa and then travelling to a few countries round there before heading to Ethiopia and then onto Berlin.

However I think the cost would spiral and we don't want to delay our plans to much so settled on the idea of doing south east Europe and then the normal route up to Helsinki then down into Germany via ferry.

However I was having a think the other night and am now considering starting in Istanbul and trying to catch the train to Tehran which takes 2.5 days. I've wanted to visit Iran after studying it a while back and I am just about bringing my girlfriend around to the idea. Has anyone been to Istanbul or Tehran before? Istanbul is obviously quite popular and heard good things. I don't think I'd want to travel for months in the middle east but Tehran would be a good introduction I think.

 

[nousername]

I spent last New Years in Istanbul on the way back to Hong Kong Techno Natch, really enjoyed it.

Only there for 4-5 days, so wouldn't claim to have seen most of the city (it's a massive place). However, we found a few nice areas. We stayed around Galata. A lot of cool bars, restaurants and a few nightclubs too - although I think you might struggle to find a techno joint.

Really nice blend of Mediterranean and Eastern cultures, with a bit of Russian in there too. Fantastic history as well if you're into that as well. It's a well connected city, so probably a good place to start or end a journey, or for a stop over flight somewhere else.

 

[SF_]

Next year's holiday plan is to fly into Bangkok at the end of May, stay there for three or four days, fly across to Phnom Penh for four or five days and then get the bus up to Siem Reap and staying there a while before flying back to Bangkok. Accommodation is stupidly cheap and the flights are reasonable, I reckon it can be done all in for less than £700 for around 13 nights.

 

[Luke_1884]

Just got back from a 5 day trip to Budapest with the missus for my birthday and absolutely loved the place. I see you're going too Techno Natch , whilst I unfortunately didn't drop on any sort of tech or any other uniquely identifiable music the City is rammed full of ruin bars, pubs and clubs.. I can't say I was particularly looking for any decent nights being with the other half though.

We didn't plan on doing most of things we actually did but we kind of got hooked in by the whole history/communist side of Budapest and Hungary itself. Ended up doing all the free walking tours including the Jewish and Communist tours, they were really good. Staying in the Jewish district ourselves we were pretty much on the doorstep of all the better bars and restaurants which was handy too. All in all a very enjoyable trip, picked up some serious knowledge. No chance speaking Hungarian mind....

 

[Van Der Graaf]

This blog rates Iran highly, been looking into going because of it:
http://www.heartmybackpack.com/category/iran/

 

[Techno Natch]

Just got back from a 5 day trip to Budapest with the missus for my birthday and absolutely loved the place. I see you're going too Techno Natch , whilst I unfortunately didn't drop on any sort of tech or any other uniquely identifiable music the City is rammed full of ruin bars, pubs and clubs.. I can't say I was particularly looking for any decent nights being with the other half though.

We didn't plan on doing most of things we actually did but we kind of got hooked in by the whole history/communist side of Budapest and Hungary itself. Ended up doing all the free walking tours including the Jewish and Communist tours, they were really good. Staying in the Jewish district ourselves we were pretty much on the doorstep of all the better bars and restaurants which was handy too. All in all a very enjoyable trip, picked up some serious knowledge. No chance speaking Hungarian mind....

I found a promoter doing Techno nights so fingers crossed. Even Psy trance or Drum and bass would be fine so I know we will find something. You recommend the tours then? I always turn my nose up at them but we went on the alternative one in Berlin and it was great so I am a bit more open to them now.

 

[Luke_1884]

I found a promoter doing Techno nights so fingers crossed. Even Psy trance or Drum and bass would be fine so I know we will find something. You recommend the tours then? I always turn my nose up at them but we went on the alternative one in Berlin and it was great so I am a bit more open to them now.

Nice, do you know the venue yet? Which area are you staying in?

I've always been one to dodge those tours too but I'd definitely recommend the Budapest ones, I thought they were good. I suppose it's also who you're on holiday with and the "vibe" you're looking for. Me and the missus enjoyed them, where as I don't think me and my friends would have even bothered attending. Nice to do a bit of both.