My AIM:
Why am I creating this
very small Web site ? Well I suppose just for self enjoyment and if
anyone should drop upon it by mistake and they thinking of travelling,
just a few tips I thought handy for the traveller who has not employed
a travel agency just yet and wants to save a lot of money in hotel
costs, you can use the same hotel at a cheaper price if you walk in
off the street than paying the overheads to travel agencies.
The following information
I have laid out as in a briefing, even though many years have passed
since, the principles are still the same, except it is a much
dangerous world -- and the one main tip is 'do not travel alone' I am
not being macho meaning you must have a man in the pair, but four
pairs of hand are much better than just two -
My wife Choong Noi and I
were in our late 40 yrs when we undertook this journey, we did not
have lots of money, and to try and get a cheap open ticket was very
difficult, and at times I said to Noi 'we are not going to get it
cheaper than we have' -- but she replied 'We can just do some
more checking' , So you don't have to be a young student having a gap
year, you can do it --
Noi and I loved each other
more than life itself, and the journey up to this time was a difficult
journey, and this was going to be our last adventure we thought, We
did not know that at the time, Noi died two years later on a simple
trip to Spain.
We were organising a trip
to the Indian sub continent, but we decided to have a quick
holiday and meet up with our European friends, but she died
after collapsing in my arms. God Bless her.
This is a story of our journey and my memories of living with a
fascinating woman --- I hope you enjoy it ?
The Planning stage:
During the early early months of 1988, my wife Noi and myself, planned
a self - supported journey to an area of the world we both loved
-South East Asia.
We discussed the plans with our daughters Theresa and Susan, who were
independent and living in their respective houses.
It was our agenda to select a route, via different countries and NOT
use any travel agencies or help in any way.
We wanted an open Air Ticket in which we could change the dates of
departure from each country we landed in. We had no idea at the time
if this could be done but life is a challenge and we decided to go for
it.
When I think back at how strong we both were at the time, full of
confidence, excitement and no unease at all, as we were at a fitness
peak, swimming, squash, walking and I was into weight lifting and
running each evening.
This planning was done BEFORE the advent of the internet, I did all
the planning with the aid of a phone, note pad and pen -- it was a
fascinating experience -- and I found the embassy staff very helpful
I planned the holiday as a briefing in the army, there is nothing as
efficient as the British Army in planning and execution, we have had
centuries of experience.
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Planning:
a. Where did we want to go?? Concentrate on the three main areas --
Log each stop / work out timing.
b. The dates of the journey? ( July very hot Hong Kong.)
c. Wet seasons? This is a not too important point / Typhoons HK July.
d. Did we want to use any services? (agencies) Did not want to be in
the hands of local agents.
e. How long a time scale on holiday? (At least a month) Need to work
out how long each City/Town.
f. Air Tickets? (Open one if possible) Try Soho Chinese Agency/see any
specialist Agencies.
g. Which airline? BA/Singapore/Malay/China.
h. The cost? Did I need use of Visa/loan/what is the best way to take
money - Dollars/Pounds/Cheques?
I. Air flights?
j. Meals? Eat local / (Need medication stomach bugs)
k. Hotels? Cheap / comfortable / try and get tourism hotel guide each
country/cities.
l. Travel transport? Air/Bus/Train/Trishaw/Kerbau taxi (buffalo).
m. Maps? Will have to get maps for all regions / road / City /Town /
general.
n. Embassies / Singapore / Malaysia / Thailand / Hong Kong / China /
Get advice about China.
o. Visa / China?
p. Inoculations / Medical / Anti-Malarial.
q. Telephone communications each country / Viable?
First Aid:
a. We might be away from medical services - best to take a Mini First
Aid box.
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Languages:
Just in case Noi or I became in an area where either one was unable to
communicate (ill), we helped each other
--- I needed a brush up in Malay and help in bits of Cantonese.
So the Chinese and Malay became more frequent in our home; even the
dog learnt the words jalan jalan when it was walkies time.
Noi was fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, haaka and Malay.
The only country where we might flounder was
Thailand!
EXECUTION:
There was NO internet in those days, so everything had to be done by
writing letters or phoning or walking.
Not sure that I would have used the internet anyway.
We were both working at the time but because I was working in the
City, at lunch times I could ring and visit travel agencies/specialist
air travel reps to check out the feasibility of travelling on an open
ticket at the correct price?
WHEN: - We decided on the main areas of Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong
and Singapore. It is never cool or warm in Thailand or Malaysia, but
July was out due to typhoons in Hong Kong. We went there in 1982 and
it was awful in the typhoon, so we decided on October, and as I was
not being able to have more than one month's holiday from work, it had
to be one month.
FLIGHTS: This was the bugbear as on many visits to all the major
travel agencies, it was flights and hotels included.
I rang many and finally went to yellow pages, and THERE I saw it ---
specialist tailored flights Woodcocks -- but I had been there ? Tried
again and I was pointed to a set of stairs to an office where I sat
and discussed my plans. It was so easy - an open air ticket in which I
could contact the airline at each destination and ring and confirm my
next date flight out. Airline - Taiwanese (China Airways) cost £660
each. Nothing else included - just the flight - to Bangkok then to
Singapore and finally Hong Kong Any internal flights we could get
ourselves.
Booked tickets: - Flight from Gatwick to Schiphol/Midland Diamond
flight/ then to Bangkok on the 12th October return 16th November from
Hong Kong.
Maps:+
Contacted each embassy and asked advice, requested maps and
accommodations lists. These arrived in a very short time.
There were many hours spent looking at the maps and trying to get the
whole trip done within the time scale and yet see everything we wanted
and not be dependent on relatives - a difficult decision.
This was a simple plan of three areas, BUT you must not jump on a
plane and hope for the best --
Plan/Plan/Plan and Plan again --
DONT forget to leave an
itinerary for your relatives to keep a track of you - KEEP in contact
and do NOT travel alone, even in Cities/especially if you are of the
tender sex
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Lesparkin
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