We've booked!

Hello everyone!

My husband and I have booked our round the world tickets, and will be heading to America in mid-May. After saving for so long, letting go of all of that money for the tickets was actually quite painful - but worth it!

We still have lots of planning to do. We have a basic itinerary, but it's very basic. We know that we're flying in to New York on May 15th and we're aiming to fly out of Los Angeles around mid-August but we only have vague plans of what to do in between. There's so much to see, it's hard to narrow it down!

Does anyone have any particular recommendations for places we ought to try and see? We'll probably be relying on buses and trains for travel within the USA. We do know that we'd like to visit Niagara Falls and Toronto, so a few days in Canada is on the cards too.

For the rest of our RTW trip we'll then be moving on to Raratonga in the Cook Islands, New Zealand, Australia, South East Asia and then Southern Africa before heading home to England.

We still have to sort out insurance, visas, immunisations. This hundred or so days is going to be hectic! Does everyone else find the amount of prep-work quite oppressive? Maybe it's just me. Reply to this

Hi Jo

We'll be spending about four weeks in New Zealand. We're flying in to Auckland and out of Christchurch - and we'll be there from late August to late September.

My husband is quite keen on the idea of renting a camper van while we're in NZ! Reply to this

Hi Shane!

We're flying into and out of Singapore, and I think we're hoping to do a nice tour of the region. We're hoping to go through Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. I would love to get the chance to visit part of China too, even if it were only a small visit. I think rather than trek back on ourselves we'll take a local flight back to Singapore to get back onto our RTW flight track.

I have to be honest - the food is something that a lot of blogs I've read have raved about, and I'm definitely looking forward to experiencing it for myself! Reply to this

First, congratuations on deciding to travel. Its always an adventure.

What do you like to see and do? The United States is such a large and varied country that the 'best' sights depends entirely on your interests. I could list the stuff I've liked, but it won't necessarily be what you will like.

These two Forum topics are worth reading for ideas:
Must-see attractions in the USA?
Ultimate USA holiday

Transport might be an issue. The country has a very bare-bones train network, especially in the western states. If you're used to Europe, it will likely be disappointing. Busses go more places, but they tend to be slow. If your budget can afford it, I would look into renting a car. One is almost a neccessity to get anywhere outside cities, and you'll have access to a much wider range of lodging and food spots. The lodging savings will make the rental more affordable that it initially appears. Reply to this

In response to: Msg #165648 Hi Ezra, thanks for your help.

We have considered renting a car but doing it locally and for short periods. We thought it would be affordable to rent a car on the West Coast as we have a lot of snooping around that we'd like to do there, and having a car will just be so beneficial.

I think hiring a car for our entire three months will be prohibitive re costs, but we haven't looked into it in any depth yet. We will - so thanks for the tip/reminder!

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In response to: Msg #165660

These photos show how I spent my KrisFlyer points last month ;-)

I don't drink alcohol at all, so can assure you it is easy to avoid the "nights outs" gang. If you are booking through such places as Hostelbookers or Hostelworld, look for the "atmosphere" rating (it used to be called "fun" on one site) - the higher the rating, the chances are the less that both you and I would like it.

Also read reviews on Tripadvisor or third-party booking sites such as Agoda or Booking. I always avoid hostels/hotels that have the following type of comments: "The bar was an awesome place to meet others", "They had soooo many drinking games!", or "We danced until late into the night", in favour of the following: "Quiet place to sleep", "The hotel had no bar or restaurant so one had to drink and eat elsewhere...", or "The hotel was a relaxed retreat from a busy city." Reply to this

In response to: Msg #165658
Monthly car rentals get a nice price discount, so one long rental should work out cheaper than many short ones. If your airline tickets have flexibility as to where you can fly in the US, check the rates in different cities. Car rental rates vary dramatically from one to another thanks to demand and taxes.

One thing to watch out for is the drop off charge. Its added to all one way rentals, and often costs hundreds of dollars. With a RTW ticket, its probably cheaper to do two rentals, one on
either side of the country. This way, you return the car to the same city where you picked it up and avoid the charge.

About buying a car: A beat up clunker is a pretty bad idea, because it will almost certainly break down in the middle of nowhere with the next human being at least an hour away. They also have trouble with steep mountain roads. Newer models are readily available but involve high up-front costs.

The train and bus network in the Northeast part of the USA is extensive. If you are willing to stick to cities for that part of the trip (and either stay in hostels or pay high accomodation costs) going carless is managable. Reply to this

A few places that come to mind that fit into your travel plans that I would highly suggest:

While traveling throughout the US:
If you're interested in vibrant larger cities, in addition to New York City (Check out the various burrows of NYC!), check out Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Philadelphia. Each of those cities have a lot of character and unique niches within them.

Since you are headed west from NYC, be sure to stop in Utah! It is a destination that goes overlooked by many, but it is gorgeous. The capitol Salt Lake City is surrounded by gorgeous mountains. I highly suggest spending some time in Park City which is approximately 30 minutes outside of Salt Lake City. Park City is historically a mining town turned resort town. The town is situated in the mountains with plenty of excellent hiking and biking. In the summer time there is a fun Sunday Silly Market every Sunday with live music, great food, fun crafts and art, and a lot of people having a great day. After checking out Salt Lake City and its surroundings, be sure to head down south to southern Utah. Take in the beauty of the red rock and mountains. There is excellent hiking and biking.

Another place that came to the forefront of my mind after reading your general plans is the province Phang Nga of Thailand. Phang Nga is just outside of Phuket. Phang Nga is not only gorgeous, but also has a less consumer tourism feel. It also tends to be less expensive than areas such as Phuket. The people are just as incredible as the scenery. I highly suggest taking a boat trip that goes around some of the various islands that stops at various places for you to get off the boat and sea kayak to islands and through caves.

Wherever you go, with a positive attitude and a great sense for adventure, you will surely have an incredible experience. Be sure to check out some photos of these places and be seduced by their beauty and culture! And do not forget to take advantage of the locals! They will be able to tell you the best of the best, and you'll make some friends along the way!

Wishing you an exhilarating adventure,
Sarah Waugaman
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Hello Pete and Ju,

Congratulations on the big trip! It must feel like it is getting close now and yet you still have a lot to do. It is an exciting time.

Purchasing your airline tickets is the 1st big step.
We live in the U.S. and have plenty of information for you but we have a few comments about your other travels first.

When traveling in New Zealand please allow extra time. The roads are narrow and have plenty of twist and turns.

A hint: Don't over plan as you will want to have some free time to change your mind as you go.

Sadly, the United States has never excelled at trains and buses. We are a country of cars. You may be able to make it work but it will be work.
Public transportation in our big cities is not bad but getting from city to city can be a challenge.

If you rent a car in the U.S. you will need to be older than 25.

In the U.S. low end or reasonable hotels are: check out their web sites.
Motel 6
Super 8
America's Best Value Inn

Check out Southwest Airlines. They often have airfares that are often more reasonable. They should be able to get you from city to city.

When in the U.S. and want to really understand the U.S. you will need to visit some of the smaller towns. NYC is a must but we can give you a list of suggestions for other towns to consider.

Please look in the North American forum as you will find many ideas.

I'm putting a few links here to help make it easier for you.
Take a look and see if this is helpful.













Once you read through a few of these please ask us additional questions.



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I found the planning of our trip actually quite stressful. There were so many decisions to make that sometimes I found other things to do so I didn't have face it. I'm a bit of an ostrich in that respect, though. Your trip sounds like a lot of fun. In my 20s, I did a 'driveaway' with a friend from Boston to San Francisco. Heaps of fun and very cheap. We travelled by train from Seattle to Boston via LA, some southern states across the bottom, a stop in a flooded New Orleans, and then up the east coast. It took about a month or so and then we had a few weeks in western Canada before flying to the UK.
My most recent trip was with my husband and daughter from Japan to KL in just over 4 months. Again, lots of fun and not too many 'nights out'. Reply to this