Whither to in November? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**worldwidemike** · 07-27-2004, 10:28 AM

I'm sitting here realizing that summer -- believe it or not -- is getting on, and sooner than I realize, November and my next overseas trip will be here.

Some thoughts on possible destinations:

* Australia - I've been wanting to go there, but will only have little more than a week -- including flight time. So, not sure if this is the time...

* Peru - As I've mentioned before, I've had to abort trips to here three times. And if I plan on going solo, like it appears November will be, I can forge ahead and maybe hike the Inca Trail.

* Easter Island - Another dream of mine...I'd love to see the island with the giant stone heads. I need to find someone who speaks Spanish and can sign me up for Lan Chile airline's e-mail updates on flights from Santiago to here.

* Maya Mexico - The fallback if cash is short. Fly to Merida, rent a car, and drive around and check out all the Mayan ruins in the area. I've already been to Mexico, but not this area of it.

* El Salvador, Nicaragua - Gotta look into these more on the safety side, but they're the last Central American countries I haven't been to...

* Cyprus - Always, the goal of getting there. Tough, though, from the states, with no direct flights (at least that I know of...)

* Any other suggestions greatly appreciated...

worldwidemike

**joanofarc** · 07-27-2004, 10:34 AM

i say peru - it makes perfect sense. having such a short time to tour, why not go back to a country you've been to before and spare the first few days "let me figure out the deal here" schtick - hike the inca trail, i've been dying too. it's a perfect amount of time, mike... think about it - fly into lima then train into cuzco - do the ancient hike and then still have 2-3 days to chill and meet some senor(ita)a's.

my vote: PERU.

**space virgin** · 07-27-2004, 10:37 AM

mike, they all sound incredible... but I agree with you, Australia may be a bit unrealistic if you only have a week. Peru sounds amazing, but I like the odd stuff so I would also vote for Easter Island. I speak fairly decent (not perfect) spanish so I'll check out Lan Chile's website and see if I can figure it out.

and I just decided to head to Egypt next spring! yaaay!

edited to add: I just looked at Lan Chile's subscribe thing, mike, and I can walk you through it if you want. It's pretty basic.

**omisan** · 07-27-2004, 11:21 AM

I'm thinking of doing the Mayan Mexico thing myself around November (Thanksgiving) if I can't make it over to Europe again... close, relatively cheap, and doable in a week without feeling rushed, methinks. Of course, like you, this is the backup plan.

I vote for Peru, too. A couple of my mom's friends recently came back from there and have been absolutely raving about it.

**beergal** · 07-27-2004, 11:25 AM

ive been to cyprus and did not enjoy it at all (admitedly i did have glandular fever) I found the place to be really expensive (probably cos of all the dr's bills) i spent £700 in one week and i couldnt even drink thinking about it i dont really know wat i spent the money on??? South America for me if i was you

**space virgin** · 07-27-2004, 11:42 AM

gawd, I just went and looked at your site again, mike-- every time I read something there I am totally inspired anew! I just read your sections on cambodia and myanmar, two places I've always wanted to go, in addition to India. (speaking of which, when are you going to get over there?)

**Sijuki** · 07-27-2004, 12:37 PM

I would have to say Peru... sounds close enough to do in a week. and the ancient Incan emprie... ooooh... history all over.

**worldwidemike** · 07-28-2004, 06:51 PM

Thanks for all the replies, guys! And Rob old buddy, howya been?

SV, I definitely would appreciate you walking me through the subscribe thing. I couldn't make heads or tails of it when I checked it out a few months back. Soooo, what are your plans for Egypt? I've been wanting to go there for ages, too. I think it would be cool to do a Nile cruise where you sail for a week or so down the Nile, getting off the ship to check out all the great archeological sites like Abu Simbal and so on. Oh, and thanks for the kind words on my website. The only thing I'm unhappy with about it is I want to be able to update it more often!!!

Hey Omi, keep me in my mind if you end up falling back onto your Maya Mexico backup plan, too...

Any other votes or ideas for this "Travel God" who hasn't gone anywhere since March?

worldwidemike

**LiveFreeorDie** · 07-28-2004, 07:08 PM

Hey WWM-

Not sure if your a big natural history buff or not, but the Galapagos Islands have always been on my list. I was just perusing a photo journal of the islands today, actually (which made me think to suggest it). All those crazy flightless birds, giant tortoises, etc. I think most of the trips are cruises? Anyway...that's my random idea of the night for you. Easter Island sounds really cool, though. Good luck in your decision....you can't really make a bad one.

**space virgin** · 07-29-2004, 10:50 AM

Hey, actually, Lan Chile has a function so that you can view the site in english!

Here's what you do:
go here, then in the top right hand corner there is a drop down menu-- click either "chile english" or USA/Canada, then the "Ir" (go) button directly to the right. Voila!! Over on the far left side of the page is a "Register Here" button, then click on the button that says "if you want to join our LANPASS program", etc etc. Or you can just sign in to become a lan.com user, whichever you want.

I've heard that the Galapagos Islands are really cool, I have an acquaintance that went there and did some scuba diving.

As for egypt, I think probably I'll spend a week in Cairo. That should give me enough time to see all of giza, saqqara and dahshur (and hopefully get a custom-made belly dance costume-- HO!!); then I'll head south, definitely to Luxor and Aswan (want to see Philae) and hopefully down to Abu Simbel. I was thinking a felucca trip from Luxor to Aswan would be fun but it's definitely not a spur-of-the-moment thing. I'd also really like to see one of the western oasis spots, but that might be too much for a 3-week trip.

**blinkchick2134** · 07-29-2004, 11:47 AM

Quote:

they're the last Central American countries I haven't been to..

I'm so jealous! Anywho I'd say Peru, you've always wanted to go and you get to see llamas!

llamas are great.

**Sijuki** · 07-29-2004, 03:48 PM

Quote:

And Rob old buddy, howya been?

Mike... I have been grand.. just working and such and trying to get stuff in order to get down my debt... have to just step up to the plate. But its good to be back on the boards? So are we still on for Buddy's in the D in August?

**worldwidemike** · 07-29-2004, 06:31 PM

You know it, man. When does T get back? We want to wait for her, I'd think...otherwise, YOU'RE dealing with a pissed off Tecia -- not me!

Side note, we lost our freebie Northwest passes, but I can still get them cheap. Plus, slug that I am, I could always drive...

Galapagos sound good, too, guys. A friend of mine did that...tiny boat...just a handful of folks and lots of animal species. My luck, I'd run into some new, air-breathing, boat-climbing, man-eating shark. Speaking of sharks, guys, wish me luck in not getting eaten this week in Hilton Head. I leave Saturday for a week with the family for a beach vacation. I am terrified of sharks...that is probably my worst fear in the whole world. If I saw one cruising towards me, it wouldn't even have to bite. I'd just keel over there...

Okay, enough of that...I'm freaking myself out now...

worldwidemike

**Sijuki** · 07-29-2004, 08:36 PM

Mike you big sissy.. you just punch it in the nose... that's it.

and T can't stay mad at me... she had just better hurry and get back to the states then....

**ScarlotteDorian** · 08-02-2004, 10:58 PM

my vote it peru too. you said that you had to pass it up three times right? my step-dad went to easter island 5 years ago for a ham radio convention. he loved it.