Travelling with a camera in Asia, boy, has the time gone quickly. I travel a lot, but have never done anything on this scale. And to sum it up, it has been a fantastic, amazing experience. The Nikon and Fuji have been great, the Mac has had a few hiccups!
I have only just worked out the distance travelled between the stops, starting in Hanoi and ending in Singapore. And I was shocked to discover that I have covered 6760 kms / 4200 miles! That is 7 journeys from John O’Groats to Land’s End in the UK as the crow flies.
It was great to use lots of different types of transport between the stops – planes, trains, automobiles and buses. I preferred the latter 3 which enabled me to see more of the landscapes. Add in tuk tuks and cyclos, and it all made for some interesting travel, especially the driving and traffic at points!
When I ask myself what has made it so special – the people I have met along the way have.
Many of the locals don’t have a lot, but they will give you everything with their help, smiles and sharing of experiences. I have learnt a lot from them. I hope I have been able to pass things on to help them also.
Also, the western travellers I have met from across the globe have been amazing, the sharing of knowledge and then passing this on has been invaluable. New relationships have been forged and many I am keeping in touch with thanks to social media.
What learning would I pass on to others taking a similar path?
- Preparation is key. Spend time investigating your destinations so you don’t miss out on your interests / best places to stay / how to get around.
- Be flexible with your itinerary, you may want to stay longer in some places, and less in others, plus, fellow travellers will recommend places along the way that may not have been on your to do list.
- Add in rest days, it can be very tiring, especially in the heat and humidity. Plus you need time to research future destinations, book travel etc.
And what would I do differently next time?
I read up on blogs about backpacking before I left and thought I had been really good with the amount of gear I packed compared to my usual. I left with 16kgs in my main bag. ‘Wash one wear one’ was one comment I read. Not sure I could go that far, but it won’t be much more! Plus you can buy clothes so cheap out here, t shirt or long pants for a pound or 2 if needed.
A new word I have learn’t – ‘flashpacker’ which made me smile. It did in fact sum up my travel. A ‘flashpacker’ has a bit more budget than a backpacker, yet still wants that same experience. But just in a tad more luxury than sleeping in dorms and can afford a few luxuries.
On average in Asia, I have spent £20 – £25 per night on accommodation for 2 persons, sometimes breakfast included. These have all been clean, majority ensuite, and excellent customer service. Use online sites to read reviews on accommodation. However, take an average view as some authors must have stayed in a different place to me. I am not sure what some people expect for £20!
Dont’ forget there are loads of my travel hints and tips here – please share yours so we can help each other.
Look out for my Singapore blogs which will be live soon. Next stop, New Zealand, north to south in Lucy (she has already been named!), the camper van.
Cambodia – Phnom Penh > Kampot > Siem Reap
Thailand – Chiang Mai > Bangkok
Malaysia – Penang > Langkawi > Kuala Lumpur
