Where to go...

[devilsadvocate]

Work and life in general is giving me the shits at the moment, so I need something to motivate me through this glum spell. Help me pick a destination / adventure.

Criteria:
It's gotta be a sightseeing adventure. Laying on a big busy beach or by a pool in a 5 star resort is not my idea of a holiday.
I've got 3 weeks and a relatively unlimited budget given I'm having a midlife crisis.

Ideas:

Japan during fringe winter/spring - Skiing, trekking and maybe a bit of biking/rafting.
NZ for similar to the above. Hire a campervan and get about.
SE Asia - Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia.
Tassie - Similar to NZ less the skiing.

Thoughts? What would you do?

[Dirko]

All comes down to cost.

Japan = Expensive

Cambodia / Laos / Vietnam = Cheap

New Zealand isn't the cheapest place around either, and Tassie they all have two heads

I'd go Laos / Vietnam for the 3 weeks. Show those chumps how to tube properly.....

[devilsadvocate]

I'd go Laos / Vietnam for the 3 weeks. Show those chumps how to tube properly.....

I'm kind of leaning that way. Tubing after a goon bag can't be THAT hard????

Should have added a constraint being a 2 year old and a 3 month old, but why should that stop us travelling. Does make snowboarding tough, hence my preference for SE Asia at the moment.

[Q.]

I'd go Laos / Vietnam for the 3 weeks. Show those chumps how to tube properly.....

I'm kind of leaning that way. Tubing after a goon bag can't be THAT hard????

Should have added a constraint being a 2 year old and a 3 month old, but why should that stop us travelling. Does make snowboarding tough, hence my preference for SE Asia at the moment.

I was going to say Myanmar, but I don't think the young'uns would appreciate the mammoth bus journeys.

Cambodia was lovely and Laos is okay with Kong Lo Cave being my highlight from there.

[AFLflyer]

With the family D.A?
Personally I would go Japan, we have wanted to go for years but have decided it would be good to visit there with a young family!
Culture, food, scenery sounds amazing in Japan.

What about OZ?
campervan through Tassie!

[devilsadvocate]

With the family D.A?
Personally I would go Japan, we have wanted to go for years but have decided it would be good to visit there with a young family!
Culture, food, scenery sounds amazing in Japan.

What about OZ?
campervan through Tassie!

Yeah, gotta bring the young'uns. I am leaning towards Japan. Only drawback being that we'd need a babysitter if both the ball n chain and i wanted to go boarding at the same time.

[devilsadvocate]

I was going to say Myanmar, but I don't think the young'uns would appreciate the mammoth bus journeys.

Cambodia was lovely and Laos is okay with Kong Lo Cave being my highlight from there.

Yeah, big long bus trips probably a bit of a stretch.
Will save those types for when i get my 2nd youth or when the young fellas are a bit keener to rough it.

[Q.]

I was going to say Myanmar, but I don't think the young'uns would appreciate the mammoth bus journeys.

Cambodia was lovely and Laos is okay with Kong Lo Cave being my highlight from there.

Yeah, big long bus trips probably a bit of a stretch.
Will save those types for when i get my 2nd youth or when the young fellas are a bit keener to rough it.

You could always fly between cities, but then you'd mentally scar the kids from having been thrown around the turbulent skies in dodgy twin prop Myanmar Airways rust buckets.

[Mic]

Japan. It's awesome.

[MagicKiwi]

New Zealand.

But then I would say that....

[Yardy Lard]

New Zealand is a stunning place. Loved both Islands, however the South Island is probably best with more tourist type things.

Great for skiing, white water rafting, Shotover Jet, Gondala car ride in Queenstown, Milford Sound, Dunedin and the castle, Invercargill down south. Take a ride in a 6 seater plane and land on the Fox Glacier, right next to Mount Cook and just look over the world from about 12,000 feet. Simply stunning views in the Mount Cook National Park. Stay in the Hermitage which is right next to the little airport and it is superb. The only way to describe the South Island is that nothing in Australia, except the snow fields has anything even remotely like it. It is just so much different in contrast to Australia and has absolutely stunning scenery, which won't disappoint anyone.

The North Island is great as well, but different entirely and just a different culture and landscape. Been there twice for 2 months at a time and loved the place and found it very inexpensive, especially against the Australian dollar. Good exchange rate. The twice we went, we did both Islands and probably have seen more of NZ, than most Kiwis. The North Island is great though in Hamilton, Whangheri - pronounced as Fongerhei. Up to the Bay of Islands and the hole in the rock, to Nelson and Hastings, Auckland and down to windy Wellington. Just so much too see. Must is Rotorua, which is just so much different to anything you will ever see with the molten lava and the stench of sulphur. Am guessing that Rotorua along with Milford Sound (which you just can't explain) and the most beautiful place I have ever seen in Queenstown, are the absolute highlights from a country, that is full of surprises.

Cheap air fares to Christchurch at the moment and just the world in one. Seen a reasonable amount in my time, but for value, close to home, safety, great time, great food etc, etc, always find it hard to surpass NZ.

[devilsadvocate]

New Zealand is a stunning place. Loved both Islands, however the South Island is probably best with more tourist type things.

Great for skiing, white water rafting, Shotover Jet, Gondala car ride in Queenstown, Milford Sound, Dunedin and the castle, Invercargill down south. Take a ride in a 6 seater plane and land on the Fox Glacier, right next to Mount Cook and just look over the world from about 12,000 feet. Simply stunning views in the Mount Cook National Park. Stay in the Hermitage which is right next to the little airport and it is superb. The only way to describe the South Island is that nothing in Australia, except the snow fields has anything even remotely like it. It is just so much different in contrast to Australia and has absolutely stunning scenery, which won't disappoint anyone.

The North Island is great as well, but different entirely and just a different culture and landscape. Been there twice for 2 months at a time and loved the place and found it very inexpensive, especially against the Australian dollar. Good exchange rate. The twice we went, we did both Islands and probably have seen more of NZ, than most Kiwis. The North Island is great though in Hamilton, Whangheri - pronounced as Fongerhei. Up to the Bay of Islands and the hole in the rock, to Nelson and Hastings, Auckland and down to windy Wellington. Just so much too see. Must is Rotorua, which is just so much different to anything you will ever see with the molten lava and the stench of sulphur. Am guessing that Rotorua along with Milford Sound (which you just can't explain) and the most beautiful place I have ever seen in Queenstown, are the absolute highlights from a country, that is full of surprises.

Cheap air fares to Christchurch at the moment and just the world in one. Seen a reasonable amount in my time, but for value, close to home, safety, great time, great food etc, etc, always find it hard to surpass NZ.

Great wrap mate, cheers for that!

Got any good tips for XC mountain biking trails?

[Dutchy]

Yeah pretty keen to do NZ in a campervan or similar while the kids are still young.

[Yardy Lard]

Yeah pretty keen to do NZ in a campervan or similar while the kids are still young.

We were given cars to drive around with, during our two x 2 month tours of NZ. Very mountainous and not an easy drive. Not entirely sure about wanting to be on the road all the time there, as it was a bit treacherous at times on the roads IMO. The cars we were given, were good as well and just a tough drive for all of us, especially when in the mountains. Much of the travelling in NZ is done on roads that are full of twists and turns and up and down hills. No tips on the mountain bike trails sorry - did not do them. Don't want to put people off driving in NZ,, but just be aware it is not a flat landscape and it is NOT like Australia, for the better part, and just completely flat.

[Tooting Bec]

Just slight change of tact, how bloody hard do you have it that you are having a mid life crisis at 31?
Spurs are going well mate and footy season hasn't started so you can't be washed up from that.....

[AFLflyer]

Yeah pretty keen to do NZ in a campervan or similar while the kids are still young.

We were given cars to drive around with, during our two x 2 month tours of NZ. Very mountainous and not an easy drive. Not entirely sure about wanting to be on the road all the time there, as it was a bit treacherous at times on the roads IMO. The cars we were given, were good as well and just a tough drive for all of us, especially when in the mountains. Much of the travelling in NZ is done on roads that are full of twists and turns and up and down hills. No tips on the mountain bike trails sorry - did not do them. Don't want to put people off driving in NZ,, but just be aware it is not a flat landscape and it is NOT like Australia, for the better part, and just completely flat.

IMO campervan is the best way to see NZ.
especially the south, roads are very good. Pull over whenever and werever you want. Lunch on the run, remote camping. no better way!
also loved my trip to NZ, will definitely be back.

[devilsadvocate]

Just slight change of tact, how bloody hard do you have it that you are having a mid life crisis at 31?
Spurs are going well mate and footy season hasn't started so you can't be washed up from that.....

Ease up mate, I'm only 30!

Nah, just burned out from job, kids, wife, drinking
And Spurs didn't go too well Sunday

[southee]

South island of New Zealand is amazing!!

Highly advised

Plenty of crazy stuff to do

[mal]

Peru, South America
Machu Piccho
The mountainous trek from Cuzco doing the Inca Trial
Follow this with an Amazon River escapade by canoe


Trekking the Andes Mountains, swimming with Piranhas , sleeping in jungles
Thats a life long memory for me

Can recall getting back to Adelaide Airport
The woman in customs asked me if I had anything to declare
I said "' Piranha teeth.""
Off course the inquisitive officer wanted to see em
She showed em to the other customs officers, they were intrigued
Imagine when I told her I was swimmig in the Amazon with these fish !

[devilsadvocate]

Peru, South America
Machu Piccho
The mountainous trek from Cuzco doing the Inca Trial
Follow this with an Amazon River escapade by canoe


Trekking the Andes Mountains, swimming with Piranhas , sleeping in jungles
Thats a life long memory for me

Can recall getting back to Adelaide Airport
The woman in customs asked me if I had anything to declare
I said "' Piranha teeth.""
Off course the inquisitive officer wanted to see em
She showed em to the other customs officers, they were intrigued
Imagine when I told her I was swimmig in the Amazon with these fish !

Sorry to sterotype, but I'd never had picked this! Great wrap!

I'm saving South America for my 2nd youth when I'm child-less again. Columbia.....'nuf said

Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Columbia are a must do for me. I really want 4+ months to get to experience them properly.