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[mollster]

Hi all,

I'm heading off on my first ever real venture out in to the big wide world.

As of 30 November I will be out of work and have decided to put the redundancy money to better use than the bank would find for it.

Will be getting my feet wet with a volunteer project in Thailand to start but then I will really be on my own - unless any of you nice people out there are in the same vicinity at the same time and fancy meeting up? Two (or three, or four, or - you get the picture) can travel more cheaply than one!!

The rough plan is:

Volunteer project - Thailand 3 - 26 Jan 09
Few days on beach to recover - I'll need it! It's 6 days a week, getting up at 6.30!!
Couple of days in Bangkok
Head over to Cambodia - I MUST see Angkor Wat! - 3/4 nights
Fly down to Malaysia around 3 Feb for a couple of nights
Train to Singapore for a couple of nights
Fly over to Auckland 10 Feb ish
Meet up with a mate and cover North then South Island
Head over to Oz around 5 March starting in Sydney
Fly to Uluru and the Olgas - an absolute must
Then on to Cairns, head up the coast to Cape Trib area
Then drive/train back down the coast to Sydney
Fly over to San Fran around 23 March ish
A bit of West coast touring - San Fran, Yosemite, Las Vegas, LA, San Diego and a quick jaunt over the border to Tijuana (always wanted to go there!! must be all those Californian TV shows...)
Head over to the East coast and meet up with my other half before joining friends in PA
Then regrettably I have to be sensible and come home and start job hunting around the end of April 09/start May 09

Any advice, tips, places to stay, suggestions for getting around, places to get a good cheap meal and beer, will all be appreciated!
Advice for women travelling on their own will be particularly welcome.

Thanks for reading,
Sam

[starlagurl]

What a crazy trip. Where are you going to be on the east coast? Are you coming close to Canada?

[mollster]

I'll be making a sneaky trip over the border at Buffalo!!

The falls can only be appreciated, truly, from the Canadian side....

I've been to Canada previously and toured Ontario, only two weeks unfortunately so only got to see Toronto, Kingston, Algonquin Park and the Niagara area, but I would love to go back and see more.

You never know, I may just not go back to the UK....

[starlagurl]

Yes, that's right. Niagara Falls is my hometown, I know all about it.

I lovvvvvvvvve Algonquin Park, you lucky duck.

You should come to Ottawa, it's the capital and you've never been???

[mollster]

Oooooh, don't tempt me!!

I have had to trim my plans down as my redundancy will only stretch so far. I'll have to buy lottery tickets in bulk before I go and keep my fingers crossed - then I could just keep travelling!

I went to the Algonquin Park in October - it was beautiful, the colours of the trees were amaaaaaazing. Stayed in a log cabin at the side of the most peaceful lake I have known. Very treasured memories.

[starlagurl]

Never done the log cabin thing. Did you go canoeing? You can't go to Algonquin without canoeing...