Toinho Posted February 20, 2018 Posted February 20, 2018 15 hours ago, nudge said: Anyone been to Beijing? Yep....
nudge Posted February 21, 2018 Posted February 21, 2018 6 hours ago, Toinho said: Yep.... Hope you don't mind answering a few questions then! How bad is it in terms of getting around? I've heard the subway is pretty efficient and easy to navigate? Also, any hotels to recommend? Preferably something below 60-70$/night... Best nightlife spots? Attractions that are most worth visiting when time is limited (only a few days)?
Marc Posted February 21, 2018 Posted February 21, 2018 On 3/8/2017 at 10:12, noelcwt said: If you happen to go to Malaysia again, visit Penang, which is about 4 hours drive / 1 hour flight up north. The street food there is at least 10X better than KL and cheaper. Certainly this.. Penang has amazing food, it's pretty and plenty to see and do. Penang seemed a very livable city to me. Langkawi is also cool and tax free (Cheap booze), just north of Langkawi is a Thai island called Koh Lipe which is possibly my favourite Thai island. That part of SE asia is often overlooked by backpackers doing the 'loop', but it's up there with the best places I've been.
Danny Posted February 21, 2018 Author Posted February 21, 2018 Flight booked to New Zealand, leaving Melbourne in a week and land at Auckland. Sad to see my Australian adventure end but looking forward to travelling properly again
Toinho Posted February 21, 2018 Posted February 21, 2018 16 hours ago, nudge said: Hope you don't mind answering a few questions then! How bad is it in terms of getting around? I've heard the subway is pretty efficient and easy to navigate? Also, any hotels to recommend? Preferably something below 60-70$/night... Best nightlife spots? Attractions that are most worth visiting when time is limited (only a few days)? Anything for you Nudge. I'll get back to you in detail on my break today.
Toinho Posted February 22, 2018 Posted February 22, 2018 On 21/02/2018 at 14:50, nudge said: Hope you don't mind answering a few questions then! How bad is it in terms of getting around? I've heard the subway is pretty efficient and easy to navigate? Also, any hotels to recommend? Preferably something below 60-70$/night... Best nightlife spots? Attractions that are most worth visiting when time is limited (only a few days)? From memory I walked mostly(1 taxi but had trouble flagging some down) I was in a great location not too far from Tiananmen Square area. I am pretty sure I didn't even use the subway, so can't help there. From the airport I think I got a taxi? That bit I am not remembering sorry 😂 I stayed at a hotel called JingTailong International Hotel, had just about everything you could imagine(currency exchange, bars, restaurants) including a telescope in the room overlooking (not sure due to summer pollution!). Two people it only cost about $70 a night I think, you'll find so many good hotels for cheap prices. It really did surprise me. This will shock you, but as I went with an ex gf, I didn't really look for many nightspots, I remember there being a few bars and good restaurants around the area I stayed in (Dashilan Residential district). Must do's: The Great Wall. Badaling is the top spot in terms of visitors and tourism etc but I opted for a tour with Beijing LandScapes to Mutianyu, which has now become very popular I believe. Has more original wall I think - I can't recommend that enough. Walk through Tiananmen Square. Forbidden Palace/City was also a top spot. How long are you there for and when? Be prepared for dirtiness. I am very glad I went but it has put me off China a bit even though I have been told eastern China is not the best part.
nudge Posted February 22, 2018 Posted February 22, 2018 28 minutes ago, Toinho said: From memory I walked mostly(1 taxi but had trouble flagging some down) I was in a great location not too far from Tiananmen Square area. I am pretty sure I didn't even use the subway, so can't help there. From the airport I think I got a taxi? That bit I am not remembering sorry 😂 I stayed at a hotel called JingTailong International Hotel, had just about everything you could imagine(currency exchange, bars, restaurants) including a telescope in the room overlooking (not sure due to summer pollution!). Two people it only cost about $70 a night I think, you'll find so many good hotels for cheap prices. It really did surprise me. This will shock you, but as I went with an ex gf, I didn't really look for many nightspots, I remember there being a few bars and good restaurants around the area I stayed in (Dashilan Residential district). Must do's: The Great Wall. Badaling is the top spot in terms of visitors and tourism etc but I opted for a tour with Beijing LandScapes to Mutianyu, which has now become very popular I believe. Has more original wall I think - I can't recommend that enough. Walk through Tiananmen Square. Forbidden Palace/City was also a top spot. How long are you there for and when? Be prepared for dirtiness. I am very glad I went but it has put me off China a bit even though I have been told eastern China is not the best part. Thanks a lot, it's very helpful! Just checked that hotel, it looks great, just what I was looking for, really. A decent room for 56$ a night, lovely. I'm still considering my options; it's not a leisure trip, and I have to choose from either Europe or China, so I'm just trying to work out what works best for me, both financially, time- and fun-wise ... I'm leaning towards China simply as I haven't been there before haha. I'd be going sometime around August-September-October (the dates are quite flexible), for about 3-4 nights. Won't have much time for sightseeing during the day, so would have to decide what's the best place worth visiting, and then hope to have a few beers at night in some relaxed bar...
Danny Posted March 1, 2018 Author Posted March 1, 2018 Yesterday/day before I left Australia for what could be the final time in terms of living there and arrived in Auckland. Currently set up in a proper city backpackers, tiny 12 bed dorm. Needed something to perk me and the missus up after two days of travelling and getting a combined 6 hours of sleep over a 72 hour period so we went on a walk up to Mount Eden which was a nice view of the city. New home for a few months!
nudge Posted August 3, 2018 Posted August 3, 2018 A new bridge has been opened near Da Nang, Vietnam two months ago, looks majestic.
Bluewolf Posted August 3, 2018 Posted August 3, 2018 1 hour ago, nudge said: A new bridge has been opened near Da Nang, Vietnam two months ago, looks majestic. Love what they have done with that...
nudge Posted August 3, 2018 Posted August 3, 2018 15 minutes ago, Bluewolf said: Love what they have done with that... Yes, i think it looks amazing... It's called the Golden Bridge, was designed to portray the giant hands of God, pulling a strip of gold out of the land, and it's at over 1000m above sea level at the Ba Na Hills. The architects are also planning to build a Silver Bridge next which will be made to look like a God's strand of hair and will connect to this Golden Bridge above the hills. Must see for me, will try to do it in a few months...
Bluewolf Posted August 3, 2018 Posted August 3, 2018 1 hour ago, nudge said: Yes, i think it looks amazing... It's called the Golden Bridge, was designed to portray the giant hands of God, pulling a strip of gold out of the land, and it's at over 1000m above sea level at the Ba Na Hills. The architects are also planning to build a Silver Bridge next which will be made to look like a God's strand of hair and will connect to this Golden Bridge above the hills. Must see for me, will try to do it in a few months... You get that beauty and we get this.... Put some imagination in people please...
nudge Posted August 3, 2018 Posted August 3, 2018 3 minutes ago, Bluewolf said: You get that beauty and we get this.... Put some imagination in people please... The German part of me loves the efficiency of it though
Toinho Posted August 4, 2018 Posted August 4, 2018 10 hours ago, nudge said: Yes, i think it looks amazing... It's called the Golden Bridge, was designed to portray the giant hands of God, pulling a strip of gold out of the land, and it's at over 1000m above sea level at the Ba Na Hills. The architects are also planning to build a Silver Bridge next which will be made to look like a God's strand of hair and will connect to this Golden Bridge above the hills. Must see for me, will try to do it in a few months... Tax payer money?
nudge Posted August 4, 2018 Posted August 4, 2018 5 hours ago, Toinho said: Tax payer money? Mostly various private investor groups with government incentives; it's part of the $2 billion scheme to bring more tourists into the country. They already built a resort in the Ba Na Hills prior to building that bridge, as well as 5+ km cable car to enjoy the views over the area. The resort is a replica of French village. The Dragon Bridge in Da Nang, which "breathes" fire and water on weekend nights. The cable car system in the Fansipan mountain in Sapa, Vietnam's highest mountain. Many others are still being planned.
Marc Posted August 4, 2018 Posted August 4, 2018 Vietnam has so much natural beauty and history they really don’t need to be spending 2 billion on man made tourist attractions when the majority of the country still lives in poverty. The word is getting around already, and with prices still cheap tourism will continue to grow. Tourism is booming as it is, without a new flashy bridge. I do agree that the pictures look cool but here are so many other things to do in and around Da Nang. Hai van pass, marble mountain, monkey mountain, explore Hoi an and loads of amazing beaches. That area of the Vietnamese coast is stunning.
Toinho Posted August 4, 2018 Posted August 4, 2018 3 hours ago, nudge said: Mostly various private investor groups with government incentives; it's part of the $2 billion scheme to bring more tourists into the country. They already built a resort in the Ba Na Hills prior to building that bridge, as well as 5+ km cable car to enjoy the views over the area. The resort is a replica of French village. The Dragon Bridge in Da Nang, which "breathes" fire and water on weekend nights. The cable car system in the Fansipan mountain in Sapa, Vietnam's highest mountain. Many others are still being planned. Yep, heard of that Village! Think Jack Whitehall went there on that show with his dad. I still want to get to Vietnam. Last country in Asia left on my must do list.
nudge Posted August 4, 2018 Posted August 4, 2018 2 hours ago, Marc said: Vietnam has so much natural beauty and history they really don’t need to be spending 2 billion on man made tourist attractions when the majority of the country still lives in poverty. The word is getting around already, and with prices still cheap tourism will continue to grow. Tourism is booming as it is, without a new flashy bridge. I do agree that the pictures look cool but here are so many other things to do in and around Da Nang. Hai van pass, marble mountain, monkey mountain, explore Hoi an and loads of amazing beaches. That area of the Vietnamese coast is stunning. Oh you're absolutely right, they don't need that, but that's sadly the trend in most SE Asia countries; they want "wealthy" tourists and attractions developed for them where they pay over-exaggerated prices for everything. Many places in Thailand have been ruined like that, Cambodia and Vietnam to follow. That bridge, for example - it's part of the theme park and the resort, so you are automatically paying the entry fee (I think 700k dong). That said, for someone who does photography as a hobby, that bridge looks absolutely fantastic and I'm definitely going for taking photos alone... at least they got it right unlike that monstrosity of Swarowski crystal cloud haha.
nudge Posted August 4, 2018 Posted August 4, 2018 41 minutes ago, Toinho said: Yep, heard of that Village! Think Jack Whitehall went there on that show with his dad. I still want to get to Vietnam. Last country in Asia left on my must do list. Who's Jack Whitehall?... Anyway, Vietnam is great. I've only been twice, and both times didn't have much time for sightseeing. Going again in November, and will try to see more this time...
Danny Posted August 26, 2018 Author Posted August 26, 2018 I am 27 years old and so what to do over the next few years has been a mindbender. By the time I'm finished in NZ I'll be 28, if I do any more travelling I'll probably end up finishing at around 30-33. Have a missus so on top of that I have the "when should I have a kid, how early or late?" and thinking about marriage as well. Some of you may know that I had bollock cancer and that took about two years of my travels away from me as I had to stay in the UK for constant checks. Last year my partner suffered a family loss and so we flew home for the funeral, put ourselves in debt and spent two months of our years visa for Australia in the UK. So we've both lost about 2-4 years of travels through shitness. We have decided that when we get home in February, we're going to save for around 1-2 years and have enough to do around a full year of an around the world trip, North, Central and South America. Hawaii, Cook Islands and the other Pacific Islands. Go to south east Asia, maybe Japan (@Toinho), try Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and India. Venture into Africa too. Am enjoying my time in NZ, but cannot wait to start saving for a proper year, maybe more, of backpacking, hostels, new food and languages; people, cultures and religions. Boat trips and coach journeys, travelling by car, Motorbike, horse and camel! It will be a final farewell to constant travelling before I fall into a world of studying, working a career I want to, setting up a home and family. Been umming and aahing the decision for a while now but if by the age of 30 I have no money to my name but a million memories and experiences around the world then I'll have left my 20s behind in a very happy way.
nudge Posted May 11, 2021 Posted May 11, 2021 Found this today: https://basementgeographer.com/the-longest-train-ride-in-the-world/ EXTREMELY tempted. It's similar to what I always wanted to do, and I think I will finally bite the bullet once this whole pandemic shite is finally over.
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