Traveling B4 hell starts... ANY IDEAS???!

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mathlete

mathlete

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Just thought about starting a fun thread. I want to get out of the country for about 10 days to forget about this brutal application process and come back fresh for next year. With the dollar so weak student loans to pay off, I don't know where's best to go.

Europe would be the costliest. I've heard Chile, Thailand, Egypt, Dubai, Ireland... I don't know any thing really. I would soooo appreciate any suggestions or experience you'd like to share!!!

Thanks!
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Well due to the poor exchange with the euro, I think South America would be both awesome and reasonable. Chile is breathtaking, as are Argentina and Uruguay. A pretty affordable way to travel is by cruise. Have you thought about taking a cruise? Might be fun!
 
Take a chicken bus through Central America and get to know the locals, it's a blast.
 
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May I suggest a brisk vacation in Rajasthan, India? Very different from what you have experienced so far (assuming you're not a globe trotter) and the bonus is that the dollar is pretty strong over there :eek:.
 
I've been watching a lot of Three Sheets, the drinking show with Zane Lamprey. I suggest watching that and basing your choice entirely upon which country looks like the most fun to drink in. :thumbup:
 
I spent my winter in China, and it was amazing. There were lots of different kinds of food and everyone was incredibly friendly to me. People took me out to different restaurants and showed my landmarks. The culture is so different there that it is a great escape from Western Civilization. Best of all, things are very cheap compared to here, so you can get an amazing meal for 4 dollars and have a great trip on a budget.
 
if you wanna save money just go to mexico or something
or caribbean
 
Arjuna said:
May I suggest a brisk vacation in Rajasthan, India? Very different from what you have experienced so far (assuming you're not a globe trotter) and the bonus is that the dollar is pretty strong over there :eek:.
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I loved Rajasthan - very beautiful place to visit and yes, the dollar would be an added bonus. The only caveat is can you can deal with the avg. temps of 110 with like 200% humidity?!!? Nonetheless, a must see in India along with Delhi and Haridwar.
 
i'll be going to japan for at least two weeks. i set my budget to five grand for everything. if i still have money after two weeks, i'll stay longer. and no, i don't do hostels.
 
I'd highly suggest northern Australia. They're heading into winter so its bearable versus the summer down under. Check out Brisbane. Its a great city. Plus, its a dollar for a dollar roughly so you won't be losing money.
 
If you're traveling at a time where visas are easier to get, China makes for a nice traveling destination.
 
Chile is breathtaking, as are Argentina and Uruguay.
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They´re also cold and rainy, it´s just about winter down here. If you´re going South now I´d try Peru, Guatamala, Bolivia, and Mexico. Breathtaking yet also warm.
 
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Arjuna said:
May I suggest a brisk vacation in Rajasthan, India? Very different from what you have experienced so far (assuming you're not a globe trotter) and the bonus is that the dollar is pretty strong over there :eek:.
Click to expand...

Hey Arjuna,

If things don't work out this cycle, i'd love to visit India sometime this year. Do you know how far Rajasthan is from Delhi/Agra/Mumbai?

Actually, what are some nice places to see in India? I absolutely love Mughal architecture and culture.

Is Lucknow nice? (or have i been watching too many Bollywood/tawaif movies? hahah)
 
loganhayes said:
i'll be going to japan for at least two weeks. i set my budget to five grand for everything. if i still have money after two weeks, i'll stay longer. and no, i don't do hostels.
Click to expand...

I'm touring Japan now, $5000 will last a long time.

After flight and rail pass you should still have over $3000. I'm paying $50-80 for decent hotels in most areas. I'm eating well and not being cheap about paying to see certain things and my budget (hotel included) is $100/day.

You have to get the rail pass in advance so with your budget you may as well get the 21 day one, unless you plan on spending a week exclusively in the Tokyo area (where the rail pass isn't worth the cost), or Kyoto/Osaka/Nara, where you won't use JR much.
 
Europe isn't THAT expensive if you know how to handle it. (even with the exchange rate). Staying in hostels, especially private ones is usually a max of 15 euro per night, but I went about 2 weeks without paying that. If you volunteer to help out around a little bit by making some beds or doing a few repairs then you can get the night off usually. Food is cheap. You go to the grocery store and chip in with a few people and alternate who cooks for the night. The travel part..well I flew from Berlin to London for a weekend trip and the train and tube tickets in london cost me more than the flight. Also, you get interesting stories if you choose to ride share. I did that a few times and it is quite fun. Leads to some good stories. I was there for 3 months once and spent about 2000 dollars (including the roundtrip flight), housing, transportation, beers, and other extracurriculars *cough*. If you stay away from tourist trap type places then money can go a long way.

That is if you aren't the stereotyped abrasive american. I befriend lots of people and slept on a few couches. Personally, I think that is much more fun than staying in a generic hotel all the time. I like meeting families and having local cuisine. I had a woman in Belgium tell my fortune and then try to hook me up with her daughter.
 
Thank you so much everybody for your responses so far...

Hong Kong seems very attractive, somehow the tickets are insanely cheap! and I think it'll be fun with much to do and with not much language barrier.

I was also looking at Tokyo, tickets are reasonable but I would hate to worry about spending on anything once I'm there, I've heard it's very expensive to live/eat/travel there.... any thoughts?

I hope none of you knew anybody that was hurt in today's earthquake in China... Hong Kong wasn't affected as far as I know, but it'd still be sad to travel there after what happened.
 
mathlete said:
Just thought about starting a fun thread. I want to get out of the country for about 10 days to forget about this brutal application process and come back fresh for next year. With the dollar so weak student loans to pay off, I don't know where's best to go.

Europe would be the costliest. I've heard Chile, Thailand, Egypt, Dubai, Ireland... I don't know any thing really. I would soooo appreciate any suggestions or experience you'd like to share!!!

Thanks!
Click to expand...

That's so cool! All these places would be fun to go to. It would also be good to try Hong Kong and Tokyo. I've actually gone to Nagoya and it was super fun. :)

Oh and I'd also suggest Paris and the Netherlands. :D
 
mathlete said:
I hope none of you knew anybody that was hurt in today's earthquake in China... Hong Kong wasn't affected as far as I know, but it'd still be sad to travel there after what happened.
Click to expand...

Yeah, what happened in China is devastating...:( Also what happened in Myanmar...
 
Another not-yet-mentioned place down South is Ecuador. I've been living here for almost a year now, and it is easily one of the most affordable places I've lived in. It's SO easy to travel...take a bus anywhere. Flights, should you not want a long bus ride, are also affordable. Because of its location, the entire Western side is coastline (with BEAUTIFUL beaches), the central part is in the Andes and includes part of the Incan trail, and the Eastern part is all jungle. Plus, you can easily get to Peru from Ecuador.

Best part of all, the currency is the US dollar, so you know EXACTLY what you're spending...of course it is all very inexpensive.

Another place I would HIGHLY recommend after living there is South Africa. You can visit so much within the country itself, it's relatively cheap, and there are other beautiful countries nearby (Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho). I actually plan to return to the area in the future to do some more travelling.
 
I live in FL so i am bias but a trips to the Caribbean is always great since you are only doing for 10 days and its not very expensive. Get some sun in before being indoors for a long time :D
 
I am currently in Thailand and I love it here. The country is very cheap and it's a great place for backpacking! The tickets are a little expensive, but you could find a deal online.
I went to a few places in central aamerica and I loved Costa Rica! The country is amazing, especially if you like nature, jungles, bungee, white-water rafting, ATV, etc... Highly REC! :thumbup:
 
I second the Costa Rica and Argentina suggestions. Argentina is nice and highly affordable (3 to 1 exchange rate). Dubai is pretty expensive and the only bars are inside of the hotels and charge like $6 for a beer. I would avoid Ireland or the U.K. right now with the dollar being so weak. Hong Kong seems like it would be a great place to visit... also China will be hopping this summer with the Olympics in August. You could also do Prague, which is very affordable due to the fact that the Czech Republic hasn't switched over to the Euro just yet.


Or, you could just do what I did and get a part time job for an airline so that you can use your free flight benefits to go to all of the aforementioned places before med school :)
 
I'm going to try to go to either europe (my school has great trips every summer which combine edu and vacay), or I'll go to my uncle's beack house for a week or two and just chill out, which is a lot less expensive!

I say go somewhere you have never been, or somewhere you have always wanted to go back to. Either way it's a win win.
 
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I was in Peru last summer from May 15th - June 15th. I stayed in Cusco (see main square above), which is essentially the tourist destination when traveling to Machu Picchu.

You won't have enough time for the Inka Trail which is a 4 day hike from Cusco to the Machu Picchu ruins, but you can take the train for about $100 round-trip and that was for the nicer train and not the back-packers.

Cusco is small enough that you could see most of the city in a few days and have about 3 days in Machu Picchu.

Fly into Lima, book a flight on LAN from Lima to Cusco and you're all set. Hotels and hostels are extremely easy to find in the main square of Cusco and very tourist friendly. Same goes for hotels in Aguas Calientes, the small town at the base of the mountain Machu Picchu sits on, and where the train will take you from Cusco.

Machu Picchu will change your life. It is one of the most amazing places to experience in the world and this time of year it is perfect. Sunny and about 60-65 everyday.
 
Im planning a trip to South America. Brazil, Argentina, Colombia...
 
Bahadur said:
Hey Arjuna,

If things don't work out this cycle, i'd love to visit India sometime this year. Do you know how far Rajasthan is from Delhi/Agra/Mumbai?

Actually, what are some nice places to see in India? I absolutely love Mughal architecture and culture.

Is Lucknow nice? (or have i been watching too many Bollywood/tawaif movies? hahah)
Click to expand...


Agra, Delhi and Rajasthan are all in North India. Physically they are close to each other, but due to poor infastructure, it takes a while to get to some places. Udaipur is one of the best places I have ever visited (staying in the lake palace was awesome and worth the price).
 
Bahadur said:
Hey Arjuna,

If things don't work out this cycle, i'd love to visit India sometime this year. Do you know how far Rajasthan is from Delhi/Agra/Mumbai?

Actually, what are some nice places to see in India? I absolutely love Mughal architecture and culture.

Is Lucknow nice? (or have i been watching too many Bollywood/tawaif movies? hahah)
Click to expand...

I doubt I could convince you to go, but Lahore, Pakistan has some of the most beautiful architectural relics of Mughal Era. The Badshahi Mosque, the Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens, and the Tomb of Jahangir are all impressive off the top of my head. I think Shalimar Gardens and the Lahore Fort are UNESCO World Heritage Sites too. Lahore is only a train-ride away from India, so if you're feeling adventurous, definitely consider visiting Pakistan.
 
TexanGirl said:
I doubt I could convince you to go, but Lahore, Pakistan has some of the most beautiful architectural relics of Mughal Era. The Badshahi Mosque, the Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens, and the Tomb of Jahangir are all impressive off the top of my head. I think Shalimar Gardens and the Lahore Fort are UNESCO World Heritage Sites too. Lahore is only a train-ride away from India, so if you're feeling adventurous, definitely consider visiting Pakistan.
Click to expand...

Hey,

Actually i would love to go to Pakistan if i'm ever in the area. Those places are all on my "to visit sometime before you die" list, haha. Isn't Noor Jahan also buried in Pakistan/Lahore? (Maybe you already mentioned the name, sorry if you have).

It'd be nice to visit the Northern Pakistan areas as well, like Chitral, the K2 ranges, and the Wakhan area (bordering Afghanistan).
 
TexanGirl said:
I doubt I could convince you to go, but Lahore, Pakistan has some of the most beautiful architectural relics of Mughal Era. The Badshahi Mosque, the Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens, and the Tomb of Jahangir are all impressive off the top of my head. I think Shalimar Gardens and the Lahore Fort are UNESCO World Heritage Sites too. Lahore is only a train-ride away from India, so if you're feeling adventurous, definitely consider visiting Pakistan.
Click to expand...

Hey,

Actually i would love to go to Pakistan if i'm ever in the area. Those places are all on my "to visit sometime before you die" list, haha. Isn't Noor Jahan also buried in Pakistan/Lahore? (Maybe you already mentioned the name, sorry if you have).

It'd be nice to visit the Northern Pakistan areas as well, like Chitral, the K2 ranges, and the Wakhan area (bordering Afghanistan).

Thanks for your suggestions!
 
Bahadur said:
Hey Arjuna,

If things don't work out this cycle, i'd love to visit India sometime this year. Do you know how far Rajasthan is from Delhi/Agra/Mumbai?

Actually, what are some nice places to see in India? I absolutely love Mughal architecture and culture.

Is Lucknow nice? (or have i been watching too many Bollywood/tawaif movies? hahah)
Click to expand...

Heheh.. I came across this thread VERY recently while checking my post history. Hhaha sorry for not replying earlier. Well, let me tell you one thing:

Lucknow is a very filthy place. And I mean filthy in the worst sense. The only sanitation you will find there is in the pristine (by Indian standards) temples/mosques and the occasional five start hotel/good restaurant. However, you shouldn't let hygiene stop you. Because if it did stop you, I assure you that India is not the place for you. Not that its an incubator for germs...its just that..people are very nonchalant about throwing their garbage/disposing of their excrement. Anyways, back to the topic of travel. Instead of Lucknow, I would highly recommend visiting Varanasi, a great place to visit, the ghats on the Ganges river have great vistas, and in general exude a feeling of holiness that's hard to find in other Indian cities. In fact, its considered the most holy city in the subcontinent. In addition, as I see you are fascinated by Mughal era architecture, I have to suggest visiting Agra, which is in the state of Uttar pradesh. Aside from the Taj Mahal, you must visit Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's abandoned palace which is now a ghost town, Ajmer Sharif, the second Mecca for Muslims (for its architecture, and Yes, non-Muslims are allowed) and in general, just roam around the city. A tip: Splurge and stay in the Amarvilas, one of the best hotels in the WORLD. Anyways, moving on, visting Bodhgaya in Bihar is another MUST. It is where Budhha acheived enlightenement under that very Bodhi tree + Amazing Buddhist/some Mughal architecture. Finally, as to how far Rajasthan is from Delhi- Not very far; By car, it would take you approximately six-seven hours in traffic that is moderate. Have fun and let me know if everything works out!!
 
hey i live in Japan. highly recommended and if anyone is coming here then I can tell you some places to go based on the time you are coming for. The yen is 103 for a dollar so its pretty similar in price to america. The plane ticket over isnt gonna be cheap though.
 
Peru is pretty awesome, and the previous poster has everything dead on, except I wouldn't fly Lima -> Cusco via LAN but rather another carrier like TACA. Save yourself 50%.

If you want cheap, check out Roatan in Honduras. I backpacked through CA a few years back and Roatan was one of my fav. places: gorgeous beaches, an ok night life, great fresh seafood.
 
hawaii
 
Doing HK myself. The plane ticket is definitiely cheap!
 
I vote Ireland. Not only because I'm biased, but because, well, it's Ireland. Come on.
 
I've been trying to payoff my all my student loans (about 18,000), before school, and just moved (ugh..way too costly), so I will be doing mini-vacations exploring the U.S.

Just came back from a Philly trip with a stop in Delaware. Next I hope to go to Memphis and visit Little Rock and Lake of the Ozarks. While, I would love to do some world traveling.. I do really enjoy visiting little slices of America.
 
Tokyo is nice if you want a friendly tourist experience. Some of the people are friendly to Americans, but they keep it impersonal. Flying in to Narita is pretty cheap compared to Haneda and the only difference is a 45 minute train ride. If you stay in Tokyo, getting a 2-day metro pass at the airport for every two days you stay there is useful and relatively cheap compared to the rail pass. Once your in Tokyo, it is crazy and you'll have a lot to do for up to two weeks.
 
I am heading to Costa Rica this summer. Only $400 for a ticket from Michigan to Costa Rica (including all taxes) which is cheaper than a lot of domestic flights. Plus once you get there things are cheap as long as you avoid the really touristy spots. There are suppose to be great beaches. And Costa Rica has a wealth of animal and plant life. We are planning on touring the cloud forest and seeing the big volcano. Lots of canoeing, tubing, waterfalls, horseback riding and nature hikes. But if you would prefer to relax there are lots of resort areas too.

I had looked at S America, but quickly realized it would be too cold for my taste.
 
I flew to Dublin this time last year, putzed around Irland, bought a RyanAir ticket to paris and a Eurail pass and spent 7 weeks bumming around europe with two buddies. The eurail pass gave us flexibility to go wherever we wanted to, just made hostel reservations online a couple days ahead of time. Hit up Ireland, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. Met some really cool people along the way. Got to see some really incredible things.

Comes highly recommended.
 
Schemp said:
I've been watching a lot of Three Sheets, the drinking show with Zane Lamprey. I suggest watching that and basing your choice entirely upon which country looks like the most fun to drink in. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

A great approach
 
So I think Costa Rica sounds great weather and price wise... What do you guys recommend doing there? I've heard they have the best coffee btw...
 
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