The following is definite: I'm going to stay in India until June 22nd when my Indian Visa runs out. On that day I'll cross into Nepal, where I'll stay for at least a month.
After that, i.e. towards the end of July or exactly 12 months from when I left Ireland, I have two options. I'm going to outline them here, with their advantages and disadvantages... if I put them down in writing, then it'll help my decision making.
Both options end up with me in Melbourne, Australia, trying to find a job.
Option no. 1
Cross into Tibet, carrying on into mainland China and across into Vietnam, then travelling through South East Asia, the Malaysian peninsula and Indonesia, before hopping on a boat to Oz.
It should be noted that this may not be possible. Many people are saying that China has currently disallowed travel from the Tibetan Autonomous Region to Mainland China for foreigners. If I wanted to do this, I'd have to try my luck when I get to Nepal/Tibet, it wouldn't be guaranteed.
Pro's:
- This was the original plan, the achievement of overlanding to Istanbul to Oz,
- The adventure of travelling through China,
- Would need to be done at speed (2-3 months max from Tibet to Oz),
- Could leave me in small amount of debt,
- May not be possible,
- Do I want to travel more now?
Fly from Nepal (or India) straight down to Oz.
Pro's:
- I'd arrive in Oz with some cash in my back pocket instead of in debt,
- Could leave South East Asia for my return journey, maybe evening throwing in Japan and Northern Asia, bringing me back overland to Europe (just an idea)
- I kinda wouldn't mind the settled life for a bit!
- Abandoning of original plan and not overlanding Asia
- Will miss South East Asia (again),
So that's the cud I'm chewing for the time being... Even having put it down like that, it seems fairly obvious that I'm particularly partial to one of the options. Feel free to comment with thoughts. I've thrown up a poll as to your choice on the right hand side, just for a laugh and to use the polling function.
L8r, C
4 comments:
i'd say go for plan B.
Hafiz
Howdy Bill,
Tough decisions were always gonna be made.
If I was in your predicament - I would dodge China at all costs - make your way to Oz or NZ and then come home overland via the Aleutian Islands.....
Follow your heart.
Pete
Looks like Tibet just got reopened? http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/04/06/tibet.travel/?iref=mpstoryview
Not sure if that means you can go Tibet->China now or not. I'd say go to Melbourne now if that's what you're in the mood for and work up some cash, but on the way back get through China!!! I was only in Beijing for two weeks and it was fucking incredible. It was seriously swearword good. It's a horrible city but it's beautifully horrible, with the see-them-while-you-still-can hutong areas and the Forbidden City and the summer palace. It's like a train wreck full of mangled supermodels. I loved it. Although I can see why some would despise it...
If you feel that you 'wouldn't mind the settled life for a bit' it probably mean that you start to be a bit tired travelling around which is highly understandable... then, maybe you should fly straight to Oz, settle down some times while making money.
Once you feel like moving again, got that energy and desire to do so, complete the trip the other way round and fly back from India.
You get to complete the original plan (a different way though, but does it matter really?) and you might enjoy the Asian part a lot more.
Just my thoughts!
Enjoy!
Post a Comment