doodoouk

Hi,

We're planning a 6 month trip away in October 2011 and are hoping to go to most, if not all of the following places - we'd love to get some tips from people who have been to these places as I always think it's better than looking at a book.

We love anything a bit mad, skydiving, kitesurding, scuba diving, etc, drinking, partying, chilling, happy to slum it. We'd also love to do some charity work along the way, environmental or help with building a project or something like that.

Northern India
Fiji
Tonga
Samoa
Australia
New Zealand
South America

Thanks!!!

mlgb

www.bbh.co.nz
www.yha.co.nz
www.hostelz.com

www.doc.govt.nz
www.newzealand.com

Susan7

To be frank, guidebooks are really the best starting point.
They will give you an overview of the different countries and will identify highlights. Perhaps your local library has guide books which could help to get you started. Lonely Planet books are good for Australia, they are not so great for Brazil or Argentina.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

If you can be more specific regarding where in South America and what you want to do in the way of charity work it might help. Its a vast continent, many countries and varied things to see. I have only been to Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru but I have been about 6 times so I know the place fairly well and its a fantastic destination. In terms of need there, Bolivia would be the poorest and in need of help, Brazil is a dangerous place and Peru would be the most interesting in terms of culture and Chile and Argentina would be the best for WOW factors with Argentina having one of the most beautiful places on earth in Bariloche and Chile with Terra Del Paine and in particular the Navigmag boat trip through the waterways down to that area.
Of course if you hurry you can give aid to North India and get the Commonwealth Games construction ready for October 4th

ivenotbeeneverywhere

PS: Add another month to your trip if you want to see South America or take out one or two of the island nations in the Pacific. You will need all of your 6 months +

RalphR

To be frank, 6 months seems like precious little time for all that you want to do. Australia, NZ and Pacific Islands in 6 months? - no problem. South America? Sure. But all of those places plus N. India in 6 months? Sorry, but it seems like a real stretch. Less is more.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

Here is a website link to a B&B in San Telmo ( best suburb with easy access for just about everything in Buenos Aires). Lovely Argentinian owners who will go that extra mile for their guests. I have stayed here and my daughter has twice - it is not the most luxurious place on earth but it sure has the nicest hosts and the prices are great. San Telmo is where the wonderful Buenos Airies markets are on the weekend, where most of the Tango places are and antique shops etc. http://www.tangohogar.com.ar/details.htm The names of the hosts are Norma and Oscar and their son Manuel. If you go there say that Elizabeth and Dianne from Australia sent you if you can remember to do that.
I also have a good suggestion in Santiago, Chile and another for Bariloche, Argentina if you want them. By the way do NOT pay the $150 US to take a bus and boat from Bariloche over the Andes to the Lake district in Chile - pay $15 and take the local bus instead. Have also got a wonderful contact in Cusco as well for a B&B and the owners have their own Travel agency next door and can arrange everything to anywhere for you - also "he" is an Inca who speaks wonderful English but I am not sure if his wife is as well. The place is nice and clean, cheap and well situated.

doodoouk

Wow - thank you so much for your help. We are thinking it might be too much to cram into 6 months, N India we were thinking would just be for 3 weeks. We may ditch one of Fiji, Tonga or Samoa but I think my husband wants to spend 3 months in South America so really - we want to do what is best in that time. It's not going to be possible to do it all I know.

Ivebeeneverywhere - thank you very much for your tips and advice. I'll definitely make a note of all you have said. Its hard when you know nothing about a place to plan a trip. I lived in Thailand for a year and could talk about that for hours but if someone has never been there themselves they would find it confusing I'm sure.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

Do some research on Argentina on say, Bariloche, El Califate, Ushaiua (spelling??????) Cordoba, Saltsa (sp??again) , Mendosa. Bariloche and surrounds are beautiful with a ski mountain only 15 minutes from the centre of town, its on a fantastic lake with many lakes around it and the place is just soooooooo beautiful. From there you can cross ( local bus from bus station) into the lakes district of Chile and onto Puerto Montt where you can get the Navigmag boat down to the south of Chile - a beautiful and very diverse country. Google 'Navimag Chile' and check it out for yourself. El Califate is where you leave to go to see the glaciers off the Patagonian Icecap - if you only have time for one then the Moreno Glacier is the one to see. Ushaiua is the most southern most town in the World and surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. Has the absolute BEST Argentinian bbqs there and if you have one of those you won't eat meat anywhere else again........ fantastic+++
I am NOT a fan of India, in fact if I was given a trip there I would not take it. I have been twice to India and if I never see anything like it again it will be too soon. I was there last month so my knowledge is recent.
If you don't go anywhere else in Bolivia, flying into or out of La Paz is wonderful and the trip from Cusco to Lake Titacaca ( again sp??) is not to be missed either by train or bus. Also never be slow to take a bus in South America as they are very good and never buy tickets for inside South America when you are outside of SA as there are better buys when you are there i.e Santiago to Arica return $140 then taxi across the border into Peru and bus from Tacna ( $5) to Ariquipa whereupon each sector flying in Peru is about $70 i.e Arequipa to Cusco - Cusco to Lima etc but I digress. However my excuse is that I love South America and the people and can never shut up about it.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

In Santiago, Chile this B&B is in a good situation and the owner, named Urania, speaks reasonably good English and is very helpful and is a lovely person. She can help with getting a bus to anywhere and the trains as well. Has a good knowledge of the city and the country. http://www.allbedandbreakfast.com/be...t.php/bbID/441

ivenotbeeneverywhere

This site for Chile is worth looking at:
http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blog...hile-fjords-40

lavandula

In Australia you might be interested in WWOOFing (Willing Workers On Organic Farms). You typically work on a farm in exchange for accommodation and food. Tasks vary widely - you might end up planting hundreds of baby trees or cooking for the farm hands and family. Sometimes there are environmental projects, often not. I have had several guests who have done this with great success. http://www.wwoof.com.au/

Lavandula

doodoouk

Thanks a lot for all your help. See I loved India, I did the south a while ago and really wanted to go back and do the north. I love the craziness of the place. Asia is very dear to me though as I grew up in Hong Kong (12 years) have travelled a lot and also lived in Thailand for a year.

We spoke breifly about things this morning and thought we would probably have to ditch India though to make the journey make sense. If we focused the majority of our time in South America we can do as much as possible.

If however, we still went to NZ and Aus but only had limited time there, say a month in each or less what would be the absolute must do's do you think?

Thanks a millin again!

ivenotbeeneverywhere

Much better idea doodoouk. Depending on the time of year of course in Australia you could start in Darwin through to North Queensland and the GBR then Sydney and the southern states and spend time in Tasmania ( small but packed with things to see and do). If you are talking about only one month then that would limit time in a lot of places and if you are starting in October in Australia then I think I would be inclined to take out the Northern Territory as it would be starting the "build up" which can be draining. Start with the GBR at that time of year and head south.
Need to know WHAT you would like best of all but as you were thinking of the islands in the Pacific then Cairns and that region onto the Whitsundays would give you a wonderful overview of the islands and GBR.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

Hit the wrong button:
For and entree of wildlife of Australia try and stay at " Daintree Wild", which is north of Cairns, for a night or two as this place is fantastic being a little zoo where you can play with the animals if you stay there - the accommodation is lovely as well and a beautiful pool is just outside your door. Kangaroos and wallabies are roaming around and they have lovely little critters who are tame to play with as well - my favourites being the Sugar Gliders . Wonderful memories for you too with the breakfasts there as it will contain a platter of tropical fruits.
From the Whitsundays head to the South East of Queensland and travel around the hinterland of the Gold Coast and into Northern New South Wales making sure you go to places like Binna Burra, Lamington National Park, Nimbin ( take you to the 60's) Byron Bay. Then head down to Sydney for a time. From each of these places you could arrange to fly very cheaply if you buy in advance. It would be Cairns - either Hamilton Island or Prosepine ( not sure of where the flights from the north land ) from there then to Brisbane and by train (short trip) down to the Gold Coast. After doing that area then you would fly from Coolangatta to Sydney. If you only have 1 month then that will have been filled up by then and it would be on to New Zealand.
Just one thought here though - if you are going to South America and intending to see the Patagonian Icecap glaciers then miss out on seeing the ones in NZ because they are only midgets in comparison and the ones in S.A ( particularly the Merino ( sp???) are always calfing and it is about 90 ft high and clean and clear and spectactular, so are the Andes for that matter.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

PS If you are doing an around the World trip and using One World then Qantas flies to Tahiti where you can pick up a Lan Chile flight into Santiago or Buenos Aires. Or perhaps you can get Lan Chile from Tahiti
into Easter Island then onto Santiago. I think the flights only go once or twice a week using that route.