The Grand Tour Itinerary

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After months of planning (years, really - but most of that was just daydreaming), I think I have finally started to narrow down on a kind of itinerary.

So for those of you who are interested in trying to meet up with me; for those of you who are worried about me; for those of you who are just curious, and for those of you who don't really care but are reading this anyway, here's the lowdown:

I set out on June 8, 2009 (only 12 days from now!)

Hong Kong - June 9 - June 17
My good friend Travis has agreed to let me crash at his super-posh apartment somewhere on Hong Kong Island, where I can recuperate from jet lag and gently ease into Asia

Vietnam - June 17 - July 17
I'll be flying into Hanoi, then organizing trips to Ha Long Bay and Sa Pa before heading south around the beginning of July. I intend to hit up Ninh Binh, Hue, Da Nang, and Hoi An before hightailing it to Ho Chi Minh City before my visa expires.

Cambodia - July 17 - 27
Angkor Wat. I think that is what inspired this entire journey in the first place, now that I think back. I first heard of it (believe it or not) in the Tomb Raider movie that came out in 2001. I can't wait to explore it for myself, but I promise not to "raid" it. I'll be coming overland from Ho Chi Minh City, and spending a couple of days in the capital of Phnom Penh

Thailand Jul 27-30; August 26-18
While I would love to hit the beaches of Thailand, there are several reasons that I'm putting it off for this trip. First, it is monsoon season, and the west coast (the one I really really want to see) is at its worst. Secondly, I have centered this trip around a lot of experience and activities, not just lazing on a beach (as much as I love doing that). Finally, my boyfriend would never forgive me for hitting the beaches without him! I'll start out in Bangkok, taking a quick jaunt to Burma (see below), then returning to explore the north, basing myself in Chiang Mai. I'll take a lot of classes - everything from Buddhist meditation and yoga to Thai dance and cooking. I've tried to make this part of the trip really flexible.

Myanmar/Burma - July 30 - August 26
While many people would argue over the ethics of travel to Burma (on account of the fact that most tourism dollars go straight into the hands of the - extremely repressive - government), I believe that it is mostly large tour groups that fork over money to the current regime, and independent travelers are more likely to place much-needed foreign currency into the hands of the population at large. And let's face it: Burma has some of the most fantastic sights in Southeast Asia: the temples of Bagan, the villages of Inle Sap lake, the mist-shrouded valleys of Mrauk U, and the Schwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon.

Laos - September 18 - October 27
I am really excited about Laos. I intend to start off with the south by seeing the Four Thousand Islands, Wat Phu, and the Bolaven Plateau before reaching the capital of Vientiane. From there I hope to take a short side trip to the Plain of Jars, then spend a leisurely couple of weeks taking river cruises and relaxing in Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw, and Muang Ngoi. I'll end it by crossing to northern Thailand by slow boat

Some of you may have noticed that China and Tibet dropped out of this list. After much research, I determined that travel to Tibet at present is too costly and difficult, especially as a solo traveler. It would be possible, but since the Chinese government has cracked down on travel restrictions in the area, I would be forced to visit as part of a tour group and locked into their itinerary, with a guide hounding my steps (and preventing my interaction with locals as well as any solitude for the enjoyment of the enormity and wonder of such an amazing place), and that is absolutely my least favorite form of travel.

These plans are all subject to change, based on current conditions, political stability, acts of God, visa troubles, and my own personal whims. Suggestions are welcome!


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