Anyone have recommendations for my next trip?

slang · 02-26-2006, 05:20 PM

No I'm not "going to Hell" as some ask that I should.

The work here is up and down again and my passport is twitching. The "huge" wave of design work that was supposedly coming on in January seems mysteriously absent. The good folks at GE are asking that we ramp up but those that have been hired in the last 4 months have been twiddling themselves nervously hoping that they dont get layed off.

I, on the other hand would love getting another trip in so early in the year.

So...where have you been in Asia that you think was non-touristy but interesting? Where have you been in Asia where your head was not lopped off and you were not killed by a natural or political disaster? Where might someone crazy like me go for a few months to just wander around and learn about that area and those people? Where might I go that one doesnt need a million dollars to survive in common conditions of that region?

English speaking folks might be good as well but it's not required.

Japan...India...Malaysia....Korea...Russia...Hong Kong?

Japan is probably too expensive for a long trip but the 4 hours that I was there on the way to the Philippines, it seemed interesting.

India would be cool just because there are a few people that were here that I met through the years that I'd like to visit. That and looking for all those American programming jobs that were sent there might be interesting.

Malaysia seems interesting but not touristy from the quick research from the net. Not a common vaca destination but might be a cool place to visit.

Korea might be cool but there isnt much I know about it now.

Russia might be interesting in that mysterious "cold war" sort of way. There's a guy that works at the office from there that would rather die than go back but this would be just an exploration trip.

Not going back to drink Vodka til my liver explodes ( although there is something that sounds kinda appealing about that too ).

Hong Kong...dangerously close to mainland China and those legions of cheap workers that make everything here. Have to look into that one more. It seems creepy for some reason but I'll give it a look.

And given the last few trips and the unintended consequences of political and natural disasters upon my return.....who should I jinx next (jinx NOT Jinx mind you )?

This is all in the pre-pre-prep stages as something may come through at work but my life is centered around travelling light. Thank you, "new economy".

All home items are bought and intended to fit into the car. The car fits into the secure storage unit here in Cincy. Inside a week everything can be wrapped up and another great adventure can be underway.

So what do you think? Where should the Slang curse hit next?

Cyclefrance · 02-26-2006, 06:10 PM

If you're not hell bent on a true Asian scene, how about working your way around New Zealand? It's coming to the end of their summer mind you, but Auckland is noted to be an up and coming city, there is a good mix of business and leisure in the populated parts of the Islands, they speak English, and the South Island offers some magnificent scenery. Doesn't seem overly expensive judging by the exchange rate ($1 NZ = 65 US cents) - B&Bs for around NZ$75 per room per night. Hire a trail bike if you want something that'll get you around fairly cheaply, mix car and bike for best of both worlds. Check out here for initial ideas and use the search engine for answering specific ideas.

Failing the above, China could be a good bet as an alternative - I'm in Shanghai myself at the end of March on business, but only for a couple of days. If you end up there and at that time let me know and maybe we can down a few beers!

slang · 02-26-2006, 06:42 PM

That wasnt even on the radar but it sounds like a potential

Someplace bike friendly would also be cool. Biking daily has become a way of life now. A month of going without adds fat to me like crazy.

Griff · 02-26-2006, 07:10 PM

NZ is a bike target of mine. Nice call. I was gonna say Indonesia but you said you wanted to keep your head on your shoulders.

slang · 02-26-2006, 07:27 PM

Looks like a nice place

Have either of you guys taken a bike on a plane? Would it be better to buy one there or send it before the trip? Any suggestions?

This bike is no hybrid fancy ass sexy smooth lightweight carbon fibRe racing bike, just a general all around transportation tool.

The wheels would pack easy enough and the weight isnt a real problem but it seems like a big PITA to get it there with me on the plane.

Just checked on the visas requirements. "No visa required for a stay of up to 90 Days." Another money saving detail

Griff · 02-26-2006, 07:56 PM

You can probably rent one there. It is simple enough to pack a bike for flight. You can have a shop do it or just grab a bike box from the dumpster behind the bike shop. Take the air out of the tires! (People on planes hate loud bangs) Pull the wheels and maybe your handlebars off. Pad it with your extra clothes and maybe some foam. Put the wheels in next to the frame. Make sure all the tools you needed to take it apart are there for reassembly. My father in law had a pretty extensive list for touring. Tools/ spare tire/ spare tubes/ short piece of tire for an emergency repair if you cut your last tire spare spokes etc... Depending on where you are though a credit card is your handiest tool. Leave the box at your first/last accomodation. Most international airlines don't charge to haul your bike unless things have changed in the last few years. It is a nice ego boost to get off the plane assemble your bike and go.

Adventure Cycling is a nice resource. If you really get the bug I can dig up some of the old guys lists etc... Makes it pretty easy.

From your link.
Bicycle Rentals.co.nz
52 Rutherford st, city, Nelson

Bicycle rentals offer mountainbike, touring bike tandems , city bikes trailers, panniers and much more. We have drop off points thoughout the country for one way hires and offer a buy back option which means we sell you a new or used bike and gear and buy it back for 50% of the cost at the end of your tour, as long as it is returned in good condition.

zippyt · 02-26-2006, 08:18 PM

I have been to HK a twice ( befor the Chinese took over ) , it is on the list of places that I would like to get back to , Aus is up there as well .

richlevy · 02-26-2006, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zippyt

I have been to HK a twice ( befor the Chinese took over ) , it is on the list of places that I would like to get back to , Aus is up there as well .

Well, Sunsparkz did say she was lonely.

Tonchi · 02-27-2006, 12:21 AM

Costa Rica. Or the Peruvian Amazon. Don't push your luck with the bird flu, it's gonna be all over Asia in a few months.

Cyclefrance · 02-27-2006, 06:14 AM

Hi Slang - haven't planed a bike myself, although met a guy transporting his by air to the Canary Islands last year. He used a purpose built carrier. Looked like an expensive option to me, and Griff has given plenty of alternatives - that sell and buy-back looks pretty intersting and even the one way hire would make sense as you could do a bit of cycling plus add car or trail bike occasionally (I was actually proposing a motorised bike to begin with - didn't click that you wre a pedalling man!) as a means to cover distance more quickly.

It sounds so good I might even end up trying it myself!

The only proviso I think will matter is that you're coming to the end of their summer and the weather may not be so kind as a result. I'd check this out before your visions of sunny days cycling turn into battles against wind and floods (well maybe not that bad but best to be clear on what to expect weather-wise.

barefoot serpent · 02-27-2006, 11:11 AM

Yeah, NZ would be on top of my list. Spent 2 weeks there last year. Very easy to get around. Rented a bike in Mapua (near Nelson) and spent one week exploring around the NW coast of the South Island. Lots of wineries and great beaches!

I also know some people running an ecotourism outfit out of Kho Samui, Thailand. They do bike & kayak tours.

Undertoad · 03-07-2006, 05:58 PM

Did you make a choice about this? I forgot to check in to the thread and I regret it.

slang · 03-07-2006, 06:23 PM

I've officically pulled the trigger on re-assignment. After 10 months of promises and "optomistic assessments" of work coming, with minimal monetary results, I'm setting up in another city. I'd have loved to stay here and this company wanted me to stay but they just dont have the work for me.

It's frustrating to me because I actually believed that there would be work here for me "for at least the next four years". Silly me. There was a sizable pay cut to come here in the first place.

No, I'm not bitter.

It looks as though a trip at this point is not in the cards. The details that allow such things change so quickly though and are completely out of my control.

So what does that mean? I'll more than likely set up another trip, do the research, etc, etc for sometime later in the year.

Did you have a suggestion?

Undertoad · 03-07-2006, 06:43 PM

#1 Kurdish Iraq

#2 Bhutan

slang · 03-07-2006, 06:59 PM

There's a guy at the office that's a fellow world traveller. He's going to Bhutan this fall, and pretty jazzed about it.

It seems that there are motorcycle rides across many Asian countries and are very popular with Westerners.

Not out of the question but sounds a bit "bhudda-ish" for me personally.

Iraq would be a definate GO but they are not issuing visas last I checked. They're silly about civies wandering around drunk with cameras in "war zones".

You can bet your ASS there would be memorable photos coming in from a slang trip to Iraq.

From the Iraq link - " that the distance between the Iranian people and their hideous regime is galactic"

Just for the record, this would appear to be true from the small number of folks that I've run into from there. Those Iranian online chatters are unconfirmed but have been consistently polite and curious about the English language and general conversation.

02-26-2006, 06:42 PM	#3
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	That wasnt even on the radar but it sounds like a potential Someplace bike friendly would also be cool. Biking daily has become a way of life now. A month of going without adds fat to me like crazy. Last edited by slang; 02-26-2006 at 07:17 PM. Reason: learning to form sentences

02-26-2006, 07:10 PM	#4
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	NZ is a bike target of mine. Nice call. I was gonna say Indonesia but you said you wanted to keep your head on your shoulders. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

02-26-2006, 07:27 PM	#5
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	Looks like a nice place Have either of you guys taken a bike on a plane? Would it be better to buy one there or send it before the trip? Any suggestions? This bike is no hybrid fancy ass sexy smooth lightweight carbon fibRe racing bike, just a general all around transportation tool. The wheels would pack easy enough and the weight isnt a real problem but it seems like a big PITA to get it there with me on the plane. Just checked on the visas requirements. "No visa required for a stay of up to 90 Days." Another money saving detail Last edited by slang; 02-26-2006 at 07:34 PM.

02-26-2006, 07:56 PM	#6
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	You can probably rent one there. It is simple enough to pack a bike for flight. You can have a shop do it or just grab a bike box from the dumpster behind the bike shop. Take the air out of the tires! (People on planes hate loud bangs) Pull the wheels and maybe your handlebars off. Pad it with your extra clothes and maybe some foam. Put the wheels in next to the frame. Make sure all the tools you needed to take it apart are there for reassembly. My father in law had a pretty extensive list for touring. Tools/ spare tire/ spare tubes/ short piece of tire for an emergency repair if you cut your last tire spare spokes etc... Depending on where you are though a credit card is your handiest tool. Leave the box at your first/last accomodation. Most international airlines don't charge to haul your bike unless things have changed in the last few years. It is a nice ego boost to get off the plane assemble your bike and go. Adventure Cycling is a nice resource. If you really get the bug I can dig up some of the old guys lists etc... Makes it pretty easy. From your link. Bicycle Rentals.co.nz 52 Rutherford st, city, Nelson Bicycle rentals offer mountainbike, touring bike tandems , city bikes trailers, panniers and much more. We have drop off points thoughout the country for one way hires and offer a buy back option which means we sell you a new or used bike and gear and buy it back for 50% of the cost at the end of your tour, as long as it is returned in good condition. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis Last edited by Griff; 02-26-2006 at 08:06 PM.

02-26-2006, 08:18 PM	#7
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	I have been to HK a twice ( befor the Chinese took over ) , it is on the list of places that I would like to get back to , Aus is up there as well . __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

02-26-2006, 05:20 PM	#1
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	Anyone have recommendations for my next trip? No I'm not "going to Hell" as some ask that I should. The work here is up and down again and my passport is twitching. The "huge" wave of design work that was supposedly coming on in January seems mysteriously absent. The good folks at GE are asking that we ramp up but those that have been hired in the last 4 months have been twiddling themselves nervously hoping that they dont get layed off. I, on the other hand would love getting another trip in so early in the year. So...where have you been in Asia that you think was non-touristy but interesting? Where have you been in Asia where your head was not lopped off and you were not killed by a natural or political disaster? Where might someone crazy like me go for a few months to just wander around and learn about that area and those people? Where might I go that one doesnt need a million dollars to survive in common conditions of that region? English speaking folks might be good as well but it's not required. Japan...India...Malaysia....Korea...Russia...Hong Kong? Japan is probably too expensive for a long trip but the 4 hours that I was there on the way to the Philippines, it seemed interesting. India would be cool just because there are a few people that were here that I met through the years that I'd like to visit. That and looking for all those American programming jobs that were sent there might be interesting. Malaysia seems interesting but not touristy from the quick research from the net. Not a common vaca destination but might be a cool place to visit. Korea might be cool but there isnt much I know about it now. Russia might be interesting in that mysterious "cold war" sort of way. There's a guy that works at the office from there that would rather die than go back but this would be just an exploration trip. Not going back to drink Vodka til my liver explodes ( although there is something that sounds kinda appealing about that too ). Hong Kong...dangerously close to mainland China and those legions of cheap workers that make everything here. Have to look into that one more. It seems creepy for some reason but I'll give it a look. And given the last few trips and the unintended consequences of political and natural disasters upon my return.....who should I jinx next (jinx NOT Jinx mind you )? This is all in the pre-pre-prep stages as something may come through at work but my life is centered around travelling light. Thank you, "new economy". All home items are bought and intended to fit into the car. The car fits into the secure storage unit here in Cincy. Inside a week everything can be wrapped up and another great adventure can be underway. So what do you think? Where should the Slang curse hit next?

02-26-2006, 06:10 PM	#2
Cyclefrance Pump my ride! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Deep countryside of Surrey , England Posts: 1,890	If you're not hell bent on a true Asian scene, how about working your way around New Zealand? It's coming to the end of their summer mind you, but Auckland is noted to be an up and coming city, there is a good mix of business and leisure in the populated parts of the Islands, they speak English, and the South Island offers some magnificent scenery. Doesn't seem overly expensive judging by the exchange rate ($1 NZ = 65 US cents) - B&Bs for around NZ$75 per room per night. Hire a trail bike if you want something that'll get you around fairly cheaply, mix car and bike for best of both worlds. Check out here for initial ideas and use the search engine for answering specific ideas. Failing the above, China could be a good bet as an alternative - I'm in Shanghai myself at the end of March on business, but only for a couple of days. If you end up there and at that time let me know and maybe we can down a few beers! __________________ Always sufficient hills - never sufficient gears Last edited by Cyclefrance; 02-26-2006 at 06:14 PM.

02-27-2006, 12:21 AM	#9
Tonchi Victim of gravity Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hiding in plain sight Posts: 1,412	Costa Rica. Or the Peruvian Amazon. Don't push your luck with the bird flu, it's gonna be all over Asia in a few months. __________________ Everything you've ever heard about Fresno is true. Last edited by Tonchi; 02-27-2006 at 12:24 AM.

02-27-2006, 06:14 AM	#10
Cyclefrance Pump my ride! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Deep countryside of Surrey , England Posts: 1,890	Hi Slang - haven't planed a bike myself, although met a guy transporting his by air to the Canary Islands last year. He used a purpose built carrier. Looked like an expensive option to me, and Griff has given plenty of alternatives - that sell and buy-back looks pretty intersting and even the one way hire would make sense as you could do a bit of cycling plus add car or trail bike occasionally (I was actually proposing a motorised bike to begin with - didn't click that you wre a pedalling man!) as a means to cover distance more quickly. It sounds so good I might even end up trying it myself! The only proviso I think will matter is that you're coming to the end of their summer and the weather may not be so kind as a result. I'd check this out before your visions of sunny days cycling turn into battles against wind and floods (well maybe not that bad but best to be clear on what to expect weather-wise. __________________ Always sufficient hills - never sufficient gears

02-27-2006, 11:11 AM	#11
barefoot serpent go ahead, abbrev. it Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 2,623	Yeah, NZ would be on top of my list. Spent 2 weeks there last year. Very easy to get around. Rented a bike in Mapua (near Nelson) and spent one week exploring around the NW coast of the South Island. Lots of wineries and great beaches! I also know some people running an ecotourism outfit out of Kho Samui, Thailand. They do bike & kayak tours.

03-07-2006, 05:58 PM	#12
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Did you make a choice about this? I forgot to check in to the thread and I regret it.

03-07-2006, 06:23 PM	#13
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	I've officically pulled the trigger on re-assignment. After 10 months of promises and "optomistic assessments" of work coming, with minimal monetary results, I'm setting up in another city. I'd have loved to stay here and this company wanted me to stay but they just dont have the work for me. It's frustrating to me because I actually believed that there would be work here for me "for at least the next four years". Silly me. There was a sizable pay cut to come here in the first place. No, I'm not bitter. It looks as though a trip at this point is not in the cards. The details that allow such things change so quickly though and are completely out of my control. So what does that mean? I'll more than likely set up another trip, do the research, etc, etc for sometime later in the year. Did you have a suggestion?

03-07-2006, 06:43 PM	#14
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	#1 Kurdish Iraq #2 Bhutan

03-07-2006, 06:59 PM	#15
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	There's a guy at the office that's a fellow world traveller. He's going to Bhutan this fall, and pretty jazzed about it. It seems that there are motorcycle rides across many Asian countries and are very popular with Westerners. Not out of the question but sounds a bit "bhudda-ish" for me personally. Iraq would be a definate GO but they are not issuing visas last I checked. They're silly about civies wandering around drunk with cameras in "war zones". You can bet your ASS there would be memorable photos coming in from a slang trip to Iraq. From the Iraq link - " that the distance between the Iranian people and their hideous regime is galactic" Just for the record, this would appear to be true from the small number of folks that I've run into from there. Those Iranian online chatters are unconfirmed but have been consistently polite and curious about the English language and general conversation. __________________ FTFF Last edited by slang; 03-07-2006 at 07:04 PM.

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