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Just wondered if anyone here had been travelling? Thinking of just going away for a month, not that long in travelling terms i know but thats what im doing. But wondered if anyone had any ideas/advice on where's good to go just for that amount of time?

Current ideas are West Coast of USA or Fiji Or Oz?

 Think most people on here have been travelling...I'd go to Thailand via India, and meet up for some STFC bonding with Bob's Orange and BR.

Something I've been thinking sbout for a while now. If I go I'd hope to go to Oz, NZ & Fiji. I'd also like to go to South Africa for a month or so too.

11 June to 11 July 2010?  :football:

Don't go to Bangkok, so the foreign office say. Bangkok Red?

How about somewhere like Vietnam or Cambodia? Asia is really cheap once you get there. South America?

What kind of a holiday do you want? What kind of things do you want to do?

I've been to HK, oz, NZ, fiji, US and Canada. would recommend all except US. For a month travel I would say NZ, happy to give more experiences if required.

Kinda just want to chill out, have some good times drinking in the eve's as well, parties etc. Nice scenery just to get away before i attempt to get a job, im just finishing Uni - what a shit time to do so!

Was thinking Fiji? Nice beaches looks lush etc but would i get bored there for a month?

A month is probably too much for fiji, I would suggest 3 weeks in NZ travelling around, and then a week in Fiji - the Yasawas are are always good, the main island and Nadi are not very nice.

  Id agree, with that quote, although the 3 weeks for nz is a little short, if you could stretch another week, would make a lot of difference. Been twice for 10 weeks and 6 weeks, and still have loads to see. Fiji is ace if you stay away from the big hotels. Only time i've ever passed out on a beach was there, after being on Fiji gold and cava all evening!

Technically with the recession and job market i realistically could stretch to a year! soapy tit wank Thanks for the advice. Out of interest why would you stay away from US axs? The pipe dream we originally had was to get a campervan n drive around for a month in that...

Depends where you go in the US, or where axs has been,he may have been places i haven't. I've been to california 3 times found that very good, particularly San Fran. He's right about Nadi in Fiji, but if you head along the coast towards Suva there are some really nice backpacker places en route.  And if you can do a few months you'll never get bored in NZ.

nz and fiji is a good call, then again i will always direct you to central america for culture beaches nightlife and the one thing that matters most.... football.

Dartmoor is nice.

Just thought the US was a bit shit, went to LA, NY and Detroit, but was travelling on my own and found it to be a less easy place to meet people and have a laugh than anywher else.

I imagine going in a group is a wole different experince, if I go again it would probably be to the west coast, seattle / san fran, that sort of thing.

LA is a shit hole



FACT

Football might be limited in July/August though...

Yeh we were thinking if we go to US it will be the West Coast. Seems like NZ or Fiji are the most recommended though...Only problem is the cost of flights to Fiji are mahoooosive

Direct flights are, but if you get a multi stopper, they aren't too bad, although i havent checked for 18 months so that may have changed. I got a 9 stopover for £1200  a few years back inc Fiji,NZ, OZ, the us and Asia, so worth looking around.

 Years ago, I had planned a trip to Iran...travelling overland through Turkey, and maybe getting as far as Afghanistan.

 Unfortunately the plan went out of the window, when the Shah was overthrown by the Ayatollah, and Iran became a pariah state, which it largely still is today.

 Now Afghanistan is off the menu as well...nevertheless back then such places as Kazakhstan, Turkestan, Kirgizstan and Tadzikstan were impossible to visit.

 If I still had a spirit for adventure (which I don't) that's the way I'd head...you could even tie it in with England's game in Almaty in June...get to meet up with TEFer Eddie T...not sure if axs is going.

Neither of us are anymore, money got prohibitive.

Just wondering when travelling round NZ...is it all done by internal flights etc?

I hitched around the whole country other than the picton ferry (between north and south islands). There are buses everywhere, you can even get on the NZ Bus which is like a tour guide for young travellers, I thought it might be a bit prescriptive on itinerary so I didn't bother.

Right...shame, would be an epic trip. I recall a drunken night back in the summer, when plans were being discussed and was left feeling a bit envious. :)

There is also a train auckland down to wellington, and Wellington to christchurch, via aformentioned ferry, which is in my opinion the best ferry ride in the world. And as Axs says the buses are regular with jump on jump off when ever it takes your fancy. Flights are hourly on north island also if in a hurry,

Try STA travel for the flights...they seem  pretty reasonable.

Amazing. Going into look at places on weds so think i'll enquire how much maybe a month in NZ will be with a possible fleeting visit to Fiji if i can stretch the purse strings and time im away for.

Yeh ive been looking on STA for flights, thats where i found those prices

Wellington has the Te papa museum, which is the best free museum I have ever visited. Auckland is a bit of a dump. The South island has loads to do, and pick a glacier, I did Franz-josef and really enjoyed it.

it will be cold and wet there when you go

Paihia on the North island will not be, it was lovely when I went in early Sept, 25 degrees and sunny.

it was 8 and drizzle when i went there in july

Dumb luck I guess.

if you go to the US, visit the south - the people there will be very welcoming and friendly from my experience.

norway is nice but there's fuck all to do here...

I guess it's a case of what you're looking for....I recently talked to a woman who'd been to NZ, albeit connected to work, and expressed surprise she'd come back.  She said she didn't much like it, because everything closed at 9:00 pm.

http://www.kiwiexperience.com/kava-haka-combo-pass.aspx

found that? Anyone thats been reckon it would be worth it? See and do as much as poss in the time ive got?

That's certainly a packed itinerary, and if you don't mind the organisation then it looks like it encompasses most things, although it may feel like you seen the sights but not really experienced the country and culture, if that doesn't sound too hippyish.

I did Oz and Fiji for about 10 months and 3 weeks in Fiji.  Fiji is ace, if you like snorkelling/diving etc. its superb and as axs said, the Yasawas are pretty accessible.  The further north you go the more primitive it is, some of the islands only have cold water/sea water for showering etc. but makes it part of the experience.

Oz is great but only if you get out of the cities and see a bit of the Northern Territories/Central Australia as well.  The Cities eat your money like you wouldn't believe!

TBF I'd call that a package holiday...a tasty vacation but not exactly travelling.

I came back from New Zealand in December having spent 8 weeks out there and I would recommend that a couple of months is the right amount of time to see a decent amount of the country without being rushed and/or working over there, basically long holiday. I knew a few people doing the entire circuit (North and South Island) in 23 days which on reflection seemed crazy due to the amount of travelling but I'm sure they had an awesome time because you'd be hard pushed not to over there.

In terms of getting around you've found the big green fuck bus (if thats your thing), but there are also a couple other companies Stray/Magic that do similar things. I went with Stray, was cheaper than Kiwi Experience and had a similar comprehensive coverage of the country, whereas Magic didn't. But depending on how much money you could book coaches between places at Information centres, which has been already said in the thread. It could be cheaper and you have the power of deciding where to go.

But bare in mind the weather as the South Island from April-September, especially on the West Coast is not very favourable.

I've heard good things about Stray.......

I did OZ Experience and although it has a reputation, I thought the tours etc. were excellent.

Stray was set up by the same bloke who started OZ experience/Kiwi experience, as he thought they'd both changed from what he originally wanted. They state they want to "get off the beaten track" - whether thats a good thing I'm not sure as I did go to a couple odd, random places - but saying that I didn't mind as I spent a decent amount of time throughout the country.

Compared to Kiwi/OZ experience I'm sure there's not too much difference - excellent options for tours with the only differences probably coming from slight deviations in routes, but with great atmospheres.

No way is a month too long in Fiji. I could happily spend 6 months there. My fave island was Robinson Crusoe with crazy Ziggy. Anyone who has been there know this place?

Beachcomber island was a top spot too. Pricey (ish) but great fun.

LA is a great big freeway Fred,  you should have put $100 down and bought a car....

(I agree with you by the way, and I'd add dangerous)

 She must have been in Invercargill or the like then Reg, as If you want to stay out all night in Welly, Auckland or Napier for example you can, (i have)  And the shops are like here, there is normally something open for insomniacs.

Auckland on a Sunday is very, very shut - the south islanders we spoke to all claimed it was north island church types.

Went into STA today, going to book up this time next week -

4 weeks in OZ and just a week in Fiji...whistle stop but should be sweet

Nev

I stayed at the Hollywood Roosevelt on Hollywood Blvd and was too scared to venture outside the hotel for 3 days !

Pure Gangsta innit

I wish the Uk still shut down on Sundays

i stayed in a hostel down the other end of hollywood blvd (sign end). Had a wander round and it is a shithole. went to see a tv programme being made and then ended up lost at night somewhere in LA. fun fun fun.

Yep, the only time I stayed there (can't remember the name of the hotel) the staff looked horrifed when I asked if there was anywhere interesting to walk to nearby (this was  safety based, not exercise based horror). Was confined to the bar for two evenings, but did discover Long island Iced tea, so it wasn't all bad.

Ah, Long Island Iced Tea, got smashed on that at the Marquee Cafe in the early 90s...it was a long happy hour :girlchat:

Best bet if you're going to LA is to stay in Santa Monica - close to the airport, nice beach ,bars,shops ,restaurants etc .

What Fred & Neville said about downtown LA - crowded ,dirty and dangerous . Went on coach trip one day when the driver thought it would be a whizz idea to come home via downtown - he proceeded to lock the doors, turn the lights out and tell us to keep quiet!

Reminded me of the time the Rimes coach driver decided to do a tour of New Cross Gate after the Town had played Millwall................................................

Cliff,

Your surname isn't Pypard is it? ;)

No , it's Ponting -  :)but the comparison to an ancient bit of Wiltshire is accurate ! :)

 :D