It’s time to start seriously considering my phase 2 route. As most of you know I initially wanted to travel Japan> China> Vietnam> Cambodia> Laos> Thailand> Tibet> India> Jordan> Egypt> Tanzania> Madagascar> South Africa> Chicago. I got as far West as Myanmar (a country I wanted to go to but hadn’t mentioned to my parents since they were scared of Cambodia!) before I had to come back home to be with my family. So, what should I do when I pick my trip back up? Should I start where I left off or add in places that I heard about while I was away? I haven’t figured out travel times, seasons etc. yet and these maps aren’t exactly accurate but let’s look at the options:
Here’s an overview of the bigger route with the most crazy route possible (I probably won’t go to South America):
So, assuming that from India Westward I’m more or less set in a general route. So let’s look at the different routes through Asia I could take.
1. I could fly into Tibet (I suppose I would actually fly to Chengdu and the get a ticket to Tibet) and overland through Nepal to India… fly to Jordan, Egypt, Eastern Africa etc. This would be picking up where I had left off.
2. I could basically do #1 but first fly into Bangkok and pop over to Myanmar for one month. I was there last February and really loved it. I would like to see more of the country (particularly the North (Bahmo, river to Mandalay) and East/South (Mrauk-U, pop into the Chin State, then down along the coast to Yangon)). I would then fly back into Bangkok and then get to Tibet somehow.
3. I’m interested in central Asia. I never considered it before my RTW but now it seems like
it would be interesting to travel around. I also would love to go to Mongolia. So I could fly
into Mongolia, travel around and take the train North and West through Russia to get to
central Asia. Then I could come back through NW China and swing down to Tibet (either by
land or by purchasing a flight from Chengdu). I know all of this would take quite a while,
and am open to any route and/or destination suggestions. I’d love to see Russia sometime
but I don’t think it’s this trip. (Don’t the pastels make the ‘stans look more friendly, mom?)
4. Instead of going through Russia to central Asia I could fly into Beijing (maybe do a loop
up through Mongolia and back out the way I came) and head West by rail along the silk
road to Central Asia. But then I guess I’d be backtracking to get back into China to get to
Tibet.
5. I could skip Central Asia and fly into Mongolia, come out through China, take the train
as West as I can and go to Tibet.
6. I could say screw it all and decide to head East instead of West and start in South
America, then Africa and head back toward Asia.
Things to Consider:
- I imagine flying into Bangkok might be the cheapest option from Chicago.
- I really enjoy traveling overland.
- It’s important for me to see Tibet on this trip, as I’d like to arrive before the railroad.
However, Tibet’s not the easiest place to get to and has me backtracking a bit. - I travel pretty cheaply and don’t like to spend money but will pay for something that’s
really worthwhile. I’d rather pay for the flight to Tibet than not go at all. I have enough
money saved up to go for probably another year or more if I really want to.
What do you guys think? Which route sounds fun to you? Am I crazy? Am I overlooking something obvious?
4 responses to “Where To Go?”
I like #6, start in South America so you will go there and I can meet you. But give me enough notice to get my ticket.
Make sure you go to Tibet, you want to and when it comes down to it, back tracking will be less expensive than a whole flight to see it some other time. Or you could just wait for that railroad to be built.
I think you should go to Tibet FIRST since thats where you want to go for sure then fit the rest in as you go. Thats just what i would do if there was someplace i wanted to make sure i visited.
ive enjoyed your blog keep it up its the only travel i get to do now lol
I think you should go with no.1 I know you want to go to Tibet & Nepal, but try not to do any backtracking. Remember the long bus rides in Chinia. Forget about any of the Stans even if they are pretty in pastals.
based on the things to consider list, and since you loved myanmar last time, go for # 2. this is assuming you’d rather go myanmar again and forgo mongolia.
chicago – bkk – yangon – bkk – chengdu – tibet
(the ‘Stans and russia can be left for another trip)
beautiful maps you have, keep up the travels.