The Travel Thread

[Twizzle]

not to mention all the kiwis

 

[Red Bear]

Kiwi's are generally pretty great. Love NZ

 

[Beeker]

LOL! It's a good thing though. I wish I got to travel half as much as you. :lol:

According to Mis I'm as old as Twizzle so when you're my age with a severe case of wanderlust... countries tend to happen. North America, Europe, Africa, Asia.

I need to get south of the equator though.

 

[muzby]

^ for you

[youtube]jXKUb5A1auM[/youtube]

 

[Beeker]

Back in Kunming, before heading south to Yuanyang for some impressive and flooded rice terraces, then further south through some smaller towns before dropping down into Laos. Just have to add Myanmar to complete SE Asia proper.

An extra $275 from my book sales in Q4 is gonna go a LONG way here. Huzzah!

 

[Amadaca]

Anyone been to South Korea? I'm not really interested but circumstance may take me there in the next year or so.

Stories? Positive? Negative?

 

[sportive cupid]

I found the men to be smart ,but hopelessly small in the donger department.
but I'll take big brain over small donger anyday...and so would most of the local girls so,if you're an Aussie ou will have to settle for the blow ins.

 

[Amadaca]

Blow-ins? Meaning other tourists? Well that's okay I guess.

I mean culturally though, is it a fun or interesting place? I prefer nature to cities when it comes to tourism...is there much of the former to see in SK or is it all bustling concrete jungle?

 

[Misanthrope]

Anyone been to South Korea? I'm not really interested but circumstance may take me there in the next year or so.

Stories? Positive? Negative?

Lived there for two and a half years. Two in Gwangju and six months in Busan. I loved the place. It's not particularly fascinating as a tourist, but it's pretty awesome for an expat. If going back didn't require me to do 40 hours of teaching a week, I'd be back there in a heartbeat.

 

[kia ora storm]

anyone been to auckland? thinking about heading to the 9s

Auckland is a cesspit...

But I am from Wellington and it is a bit like the Melbourne v Sydney thing here.

Seriously...good for a weekend but nothing more.

 

[Flapper]

Auckland is a cesspit...

But I am from Wellington and it is a bit like the Melbourne v Sydney thing here.

Seriously...good for a weekend but nothing more.

Hahaha, my missus is from Hamilton and she hates Auckland like no other place on Earth.

 

[Dani]

I have lots of family history in Pukekohe. Would like to see it one day.

 

[Gas Panic!]

Anyone got any accommodation recommendations in Bali, specifically Seminyak? I know it's an open ended question, but looking for inspiration. Not all that keen on going to be honest, but will be there in March.

 

[Amadaca]

Lived there for two and a half years. Two in Gwangju and six months in Busan. I loved the place. It's not particularly fascinating as a tourist, but it's pretty awesome for an expat. If going back didn't require me to do 40 hours of teaching a week, I'd be back there in a heartbeat.

What advice would you give to someone who might end up there for 12 months without the inclination to learn the language or get too entangled in the culture (if there's like an Australia Town over there or something, enquiring minds need to know)...

 

[Misanthrope]

There's not really anything like that, but you can get by with minimal Korean quite easily in most larger cities. My Korean isn't anything to write home about.

Any city of decent size will have a good sized expat community, and Korea is considerably more westernized than China, so finding western food isn't a big issue if you don't like the local stuff.

I would say that it's a fun culture to get involved in, but to each their own.

 

[Amadaca]

I'm sure if it happens I'll have to buck up & get my feet wet, as I'd be there for around 12 months. I am curious about one thing...I absolutely love my Asian girls --- but only the Westernised ones. Basically, I just want them to look Asian, but still be culturally familiar for me.

How do the Korean girls take to Western guys?

 

[Misanthrope]

I'm sure if it happens I'll have to buck up & get my feet wet, as I'd be there for around 12 months. I am curious about one thing...I absolutely love my Asian girls --- but only the Westernised ones. Basically, I just want them to look Asian, but still be culturally familiar for me.

How do the Korean girls take to Western guys?

If you're tall and thin, you'll be in for a treat.

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

Sorry on being a bit shit on the follow up Mis. With Thai visas, if you're planning on doing some ESL teaching in partnership with your writing, contact schools directly in the region you want to chill out in. Obviously, the richer the better. Try Hua Hin, it's where the King lives, and that means a lot of his "court" are there too. By going through a school, you are virtually guaranteed a visa. Hua Hin is a beachside resort town that has no dickheads. Most expats there are French.

Otherwise you will need to communicate directly with the Thai consulate in China for a visa.

 

[t-ba]

Guangzhou is a worse airport.

Meanwhile in Kunming, I'm staying in a gorgeous hostel for 40RMB a night (~$7) and in a province that dips to 75m above sea level to 3500m, there are soaring rice paddies, epic hikes and over 30 ethnic minorities. Mis... let's live here?! Oh... and direct flights between Chang Mai and Kunming. I might get a certain young lady to visit us in Thailand.

Is that The Hump by any chance? Probably my favourite accommodation in China. Absolutely loved the cheap homebrew there.

Kunming and Lijiang are absolutely amazing. Can't wait to go back one day.

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

How do the Korean girls take to Western guys?

In your case, with an axe.