Marija - well... if the GTG were next April...

I think a day trip to Macau would be rushing it a bit. We spent 2 nights there (booked through a travel agent in HK who got us a posh hotel for about a quarter of the advertised price). I'm sure you don't want to spend your time gambling (?) but there is nice European atmosphere to enjoy and good Portuguese restaurants to indulge in.

gertie - thanks to the (un)availability of award seats it looks like I'll have an extra day in HK. I was thinking of spending one night at the Salisbury Y for the view, and then moving somewhere cheaper for the other nights, so I suppose I could spend that extra night in Macau since I'd be moving anyway - but it would mean schlepping the luggage along. I am totally uninterested in gambling or casinos. Although they might make for some interesting photos.

Did you book with the TA after you got to HK? Could you share contact info?

thursdaysd, I'd love to explore more of Kyushu and have it planned in 2011. Going to rent a car for a few days and drive from Kumamoto towards Aso and do a little ryokan there then on to Beppu and the hells. Then off around the coast towards Kagoshima then back to Kumamoto stopping and staying along the way.

Have you thought of doing some of the pilgrimage to the 88 sacred places of Shikoku? I plan to do a few in the future when we have time to get back there. Beautiful area with some great hiking I've heard....

http://www.shikokuhenrotrail.com/

Also was thinking of Hakone and while everyone does the loop you can also walk along the Old Tokaido Road, easy to do and lots of history along the way, quite beautiful in spots
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5205.html

Getting up in altitude late in your time there like Takayama or Matsumoto will enhance you chance of seeing the koyo of Japan.

Aloha!

Wow, what a fantastic trip!
My only word of advice is for the European portion. At that time of year, head south to Sicily or Andalucia where it's warmer. Since you are probably flying into London, you should be able to pick up a cheap budget flight from there anywhere you might want to go.
Oh, one more thing, bring the netbook! :-)

A poster here named laartista who was visiting Hong Kong recently on a budget was planning to stay at the Hop Inn, which on the website looked very cute (although rooms seemed <i>microscopically</i> small), it’s a block or two behind the Salisbury. I cannot find the website any longer, but see her post at http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...-hong-kong.cfm, and perhaps post a thread here to ask if she liked it. It may also be in Lonely Planet (which is where I think she found it, I don’t have the latest edition). There are other budget options in Kowloon. If you don’t mind a bit of a journey every day into town by ferry, there are places on Lamma Island which might be interesting, see posts like http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...mma-island.cfm for info. In late Oct and November the weather is so lovely to be on the island, you could actually just spend time on the island. There are two small villages, one of which is rather bohemian chic in its own way. Lantau would be another place to consider, some superb beaches and hiking there, several remote monasteries and villages. See the thread above for some info on Lantau. Also try vrbo.com, as there usually are some flats for short-term rent, especially on the “Gold Coast” west of Kowloon which IMO would be interesting; very local and good sea views in some cases.

For your Macau trip, you can store bags at the Airport Express train stations in either Kowloon or Hong Kong side if you don’t want to schlep luggage to Macau. I believe that there are some luggage lockers at the Macau ferry piers in both Central and Kowloon as well. It is also possible that the Salisbury would hold them for a night or so. (The Hop Inn did not look like it would have room for anything!)

<b>hawaiiantraveler</b> - this is my first trip to Japan (I don't count the one night between planes in '97). I had planned most of an itinerary in '08, but then went to Morocco instead... Thanks for the suggestion to save Takayama or Matsumoto for the end. I was wondering about the autumn color (had to look up koyo, lol) - on the one hand, should be beautiful, on the other, could be very crowded? I suppose if I book this far ahead I should be able to get accommodation anyway?

I remember reading a book by a woman (American?) who did the whole circuit on Shikoku, but I'm not sure I have time to visit on this trip. I do want to save plenty of time for Kyoto. Also, I will be traveling by public transport, and some of the places I wanted to see on Shikoku looked to be a little hard to get to. Kudos for driving yourself! Do you speak/read Japanese?

Love the idea of walking the Old Tokaido Road! Once I get my plane tickets sorted out (probably another hour on the phone), I'll start detailed work on the itinerary, beginning with Japan.

<b>Kristina</b> - definitely the south of Europe in March! Although maybe global warming will have improved things - I've encountered unseasonably warm weather in London a couple of times lately. I loved Sicily, but am thinking of southern Portugal (haven't been south of Lisbon) and France. Or maybe Corsica or Sardinia - need to check their spring weather. Having the netbook along would be so convenient, but if you add in the power cord it's another couple of pounds to carry.

<b>Cicerone</> - thanks for the links. Staying on Lamma or Lantau is an interesting idea, although I had been thinking of moving to Hong Kong island, maybe to Bishop Lei if the rate is good for my dates, although cheaper would certainly be better. I did have a harbor view room for two nights on my first (only) visit to HK (back when I was working), so I could even do without altogether this time.

Love the idea of an apartment!! And good to hear about the luggage lockers.

lol thursday, those little < things are a bugger, eh? One weeny mistake...

I've been reading your trip reports on Poland and Siberia, Mongolia and the Trans Siberian today - plus your Bongo saga in Romania [?]. Sounds like my Bhutan Bongo.

thursday,no I don't read or speak any Japanese. Well I can say a few words and phrases here and there but that is about it. Driving on Shikoku and the less inhabited parts of Japan is very easy to do. If you read my tr last fall it tells my experiences with driving in Japan. All signs are either Int'l or in Japanese/English. There are more English signage in Japan than you would ever imagine

I mentioned Matsumoto because when we traveled there last fall(see my tr) I saw some of the most beautiful views of the koyo on the little JR run train that travels between Nagano and Matsumoto. It is a small train that makes the small mountain village stops between Nagano and Mats. A few locals would get off at one stop and walk around, take pics then get on the next train to the next town or scenic area, looked like a good idea to me. I remember one stop just outside of Nagano where the train stopped at the top of the hill for maybe 5 to 7 minutes while the train tracks switched. Everyone on the little train(maybe 5 people)got out to stretch and take pics.

You can use Matsumoto as a base to the Giro Valley(Takayama) or vice versa. I mrwunrfl were here he might be suggesting a visit and overnight at a minshuku in Shirakawago where I have not been yet but is on my ever expanding radar.

Use this as a base of timing for viewing the fall colors in Japan. 2010 will be about the same as last year. You may ask how I know this, I don't, but I'd bet a cup of coffee it will be close,lol

BTW, have you seen this site about bus schedules in Japan?

http://www.bus.or.jp/e/index.html

oooops, gotta get back to work ;)

Aloha!

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2014.html

oops, link for the koyo timeline guide

<b>dogster</b> - yes, I apologize for shouting - should have previewed...

And yes, your Bhutanese saga did remind me of the delightful Ciprian. Would you believe he still occasionally sends me email trying to get me to take that piece down? Initially he threatened to sue me, but I pointed out that every word was true.

dogster - just reread the Czech and Polish piece - it's been a while. Still devastated by Auschwitz. Hope you noticed my dogster move to the Warsaw Marriott!

Are you thinking of a European jaunt? Hope you're enjoying my scribbles.

<b>hawaiiantraveler</b> As a solo traveler I seldom rent a car - not really cost-effective, and I don't like to drive and navigate at the same time. However, with the advent of GPS I may have to rethink that.

Once I get the flights nailed down (after I get my car back from having its AC fixed) I plan to settle in with a bunch of guidebooks and Fodor's TRs (yours will certainly be among them) and get the Japan leg laid out. Loved your cherry blossom photos, but those were some big crowds!

Thanks for the info about the train - I've been looking forward to the trains in Japan, and I just love little ones. And I'll certainly check into the minshuku. Can't wait!

I did it! Just got off the phone with American and have the itinerary ticketed. (And I'm stone cold sober, too.) I'm so excited. After a few minor changes I have:

Sep 10 2010 - AA RDU to LGA - since I couldn't route through DFW I figured I'd give New York another chance, but if it rains on me this time, that's it!

Sep 14 2010 - CX JFK to Vancouver - I was booked on this flight back in August 2001, and it was canceled - hope that doesn't happen this time! Also, it gets into YVR at 1:30 am...

Sep 19 2010 - JL Vancouver to Tokyo (arr. Sep 20)

Oct 10 2010 - JL Tokyo to Seoul

Oct 21 2010 - CX Seoul to Taipei

Nov 01 2010 - CX Taipei to Hong Kong - may change day trip to Macau to overnight, as I now fly to Nepal a day later.

Nov 07 2010 - Dragonair HK to Kathmandu via Dhaka

Open segment Nepal - India - Sri Lanka

Jan 27 2011 - CX Colombo to Singapore (no availability Colombo to BKK for one week either way!)

Jan 30 2011 - CX Singapore to Bangkok (very subject to change of date)

Mar 01 2011 - QF Bangkok to London (no availability on Finnair to Paris)

Mar 05 2011 - AA London to Raleigh-Durham (I will move this out as soon as dates at the end of March become bookable)

All of that came in it at just under 25,000 actual flying miles, so business class seats cost me 150,000 FF miles. In cash this cost $433 for the 15,000 FF miles I was short, plus $430 in taxes and fees. Love the OneWorld awards!

Now I can get down to some serious planning - I'll probably start country-specific threads for that.

Thursdays, it looks great. Congrats on getting your award flights - the hardest part of any trip!

Yes, I expected problems with outbound flights in September (a mere five months away, lol), but the difficulty with Colombo - Bangkok and Bangkok - Paris flights next year was a surprise.

BTW, just so I know, trip report penalties don't start until after I get back, right?

"Jan 27 2011 - CX Colombo to Singapore (no availability Colombo to BKK for one week either way!)"

Thats not possible, too unrealistic! I think CX is just not accepting booking that far ahead! BKK flights are frequent and not so hard to get at all.

The problem was that I was booking OneWorld business class award seats, which are often in short supply. CX was certainly accepting bookings, as I'm booked on CX to Singapore.

Ok, probably they don't have allocation of the "OWBC award seats" for that sector. There are some other airlines also that fly to CMB/BKK in case that sector is important you may considder.

Have fun planning your trip and even better fun on the trip...