flag of convenience Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Your maybe right, might be better to do a bit of Thailand then go home and come back to New Zealand with more money and time. It seems to be another expensive country like here. Since I'm not doing my second year definitely going to come back in December but I'm going to make it a surprise, won't tell them the date and I'll just turn up lol As I've suggested all along. NZ is by all accounts expensive, but likely the pay somewhat less. South East Asia remains the cheapest and easiest part of the world to travel, though of course even that is increasing in price as well as places once Back packer/ Hippy type hang outs becoming corporatized. No need to limit yourself to Thailand, although easy place to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I don't like the thought of Asia very much. Officialdom is so corrupt in Asia you never know what trouble you might get into. I can't believe how corrupt the Malaysian Prime Minister must be. He has had $1 Billion dollars deposited into his personal bank accounts as so called gifts. Imagine if that happened in UK or Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Your maybe right, might be better to do a bit of Thailand then go home and come back to New Zealand with more money and time. It seems to be another expensive country like here. Since I'm not doing my second year definitely going to come back in December but I'm going to make it a surprise, won't tell them the date and I'll just turn up lol The money saved on air fares (UK - NZ) by doing NZ whilst you are over this side of the planet would go a long way to paying for (with some left over) the extra expense of NZ over a 5 week period. Doing Thailand etc later as opposed to NZ would mean not having to save up for as long. But then who are we on PIO to advise on what's best for you? go with your gut feelings and just let us know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I don't like the thought of Asia very much. Officialdom is so corrupt in Asia you never know what trouble you might get into. I can't believe how corrupt the Malaysian Prime Minister must be. He has had $1 Billion dollars deposited into his personal bank accounts as so called gifts. Imagine if that happened in UK or Australia. Yes Malaysia at the moment is a farce. A country quite close to my heart with some of the friendliest people on earth. I comment on a Malaysia forum, to which a critical post of past shenanigans going on there, led to an attempt to have me banned, by western ex pats living there no less, scared of government there monitoring post and somehow reflecting poorly on their remaining status within that country. Thankfully the monitor foreign based saw the sense in free speech ..but goes to show.... No reflection on visitors though going to that country. A little more expensive than surrounding countries, but easy and very pleasant to travel/live in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Asia is value for money. Perhaps the last true remaining Back Packers paradise. Safe and easy travel. Dead simple to hook up with like minded people. Easy to do it solo. Over subscribed being the only possible critique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Exactly you can pay peanuts for a hotel in Vietnam. Eat out local cuisine for couple of dollars. See some great sites. Totally different culture etc. Probably pick up life skills on the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Remember one month in OZ/NZ would likely equate three in Asia (without working, of course) Even cheaper in some, if eat local, especially street stalls, and keep off the booze which can be rather dear in Asia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 How much do you need to take for bribes when you are thrown in jail on a trumped up charge ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 How much do you need to take for bribes when you are thrown in jail on a trumped up charge ? Not much I imagine? Bribe before you get to jail. Or just don't do drugs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 How much do you need to take for bribes when you are thrown in jail on a trumped up charge ? You are being a dramatic Drama Queen. Folk will generally find far more freedom to do excess in Asian countries than in Australia. Stay away from politics and don't get involved in drugs ( knew many exceptions to this though where a few dollars would work wonders) If you need examples look up Full Moon Parties. I note Laos has cleaned up their act at Vang Vieng since I was last year. Completely insane in 2007. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Beer Lao not half bad either....Best in Asia IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisella Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Personally I would save money and hit SE Asia. Can see a lot of things and very cheap/better living too. Halong bay, Angkor Wat, yes please. All while knocking back cheap food and booze. I've suggested the same (I've just come back from Cambodia and Vietnam), value for money is extraordinary so would get to see so much more than in NZ and both felt very safe countries (once you get the hang of how to cross the roads amongst all the traffic!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 (edited) How much do you need to take for bribes when you are thrown in jail on a trumped up charge ? It's simple. Don't do drugs, don't do stupid anything, keep your wits about you (as you always should when travelling anywhere), have a good guide book (or digital equivalent) which advises of local scams/no go areas etc. OH and I survived 11 trips to Asia between us....and not the slightest trouble with anyone. But, if I were Quokka, I definitely wouldn't miss NZ. It's beautiful. Edited March 29, 2016 by Skani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Another vote from me for hitting SE Asia. There are millions of back packers there, the living costs are a fraction of Oz or NZ - you can rent a beach house in many areas for a few dollars a night. Eating is stupidly cheap. Getting work is more difficult as technically you cant, but many do but its hardly worth it unless they throw in accommodation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Now forgive me if I am wrong, but isn't the idea of back packing to visit the countries you want to see and not just about visiting the cheap ones to get a cheap beer or meal? one could surely do that with just a short holiday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 I'll have to sit and work out how much 6 or 8 weeks in New Zealand would cost me. I guess maybe the same as a few months in Australia - maybe 4 or 5 thousand dollars? Although I skydived I'm not a big adventure sports type person so I wouldn't spend much on that. I really want to see New Zealand. And I want to do a little of Asia, my friend loved Cambodia and Vietnam. It's just money. And I definitely want to be home for Christmas Day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Now forgive me if I am wrong, but isn't the idea of back packing to visit the countries you want to see and not just about visiting the cheap ones to get a cheap beer or meal? one could surely do that with just a short holiday. Your forgiven. Back Packing is about seeking value in countries visited and staying far longer than the usual package tourist. It used to at any rate, be about experiencing the country and people and seeing it through the eyes of a traveller rather than a tourist. South East Asia has been turned up side down in more recent times with Gap Year youth thinking their doing something very unique, flash packers more there to spend money and see the country without an element of risk taking with arranged trips and planned stays along with hordes and I mean Hordes of regular tourists which come in several shapes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I'll have to sit and work out how much 6 or 8 weeks in New Zealand would cost me. I guess maybe the same as a few months in Australia - maybe 4 or 5 thousand dollars? Although I skydived I'm not a big adventure sports type person so I wouldn't spend much on that. I really want to see New Zealand. And I want to do a little of Asia, my friend loved Cambodia and Vietnam. It's just money. And I definitely want to be home for Christmas Day You could make Kiwi another trip and get your hide over to Asia and start chilling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 Dont bother saying which one is the dog lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Dont bother saying which one is the dog lol [ATTACH=CONFIG]33212[/ATTACH] That's a great photo Stacey :smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 A few people have said I look like I've lost weight especially on my face. I think they need to go to specsavers lol. I like the photo though. I look really happy, that was a mixture of tequila and getting to meet Maggie haha. I miss my dog so I always get excited when I meet other people's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 You cut your hair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 You cut your hair. It's called a ponytail Parley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka2005 Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 Haha my hairs tied back in a pony tail although I got it cut just before I left and she absolutely destroyed it, I don't have that much left lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyHeart Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Haha my hairs tied back in a pony tail although I got it cut just before I left and she absolutely destroyed it, I don't have that much left lol Haven't seen your hair down since you cam out with me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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