Travel: Asia & Further Afield

[pharvey]

Well the LHG and I have recently returned from a trip to Sicily (beware a "Report" may follow...) and my dearest is now planning 5 odd trips ahead of me I thought it may be an idea for a thread perhaps not focussing on Thailand as such, but a little further afield - hey, after all there's those of you in HH/Thailand who do travel/have travelled/have the "know how"...

Of course we will travel back to Thailand and Asia in the future if only to visit family and friends, but I was looking through a few possible destinations in Europe and also the US where I haven't visited for many years now, and came across this site : -

https://www.budgetyourtrip.com - taking what they say about Thailand (https://www.budgetyourtrip.com/thailand) and/or the US for those of you in the know, are the budgets and info. quoted realistic? I thought comments regarding some of the locations I've briefly looked at to be fairly close.

[buksida]

3,000 THB per person per day in Thailand would be about right if you're holidaying in expensive tourist places such as Samui or Phuket, etc. However, you'd need much less if you go to quieter places like Ban Krut or Bangsaphan where things are not inflated for the tourist markets and there is no dual pricing.

Can't help at all with Europe or the US though, pretty much all of my travelling over the past two decades has been in Asia.

[pharvey]

Can't help at all with Europe or the US though, pretty much all of my travelling over the past two decades has been in Asia.

The Japan comparison would be interesting though! I know it was a complete mix on your last trip - camper, hotels, touristy/not-so-much etc.

[buksida]

Japan was a big eye-opener for me. Price wise, very similar if not cheaper than Thailand for many things, but the hotels are the biggest sting. Hopefully will be back there next year.

[pharvey]

Japan was a big eye-opener for me. Price wise, very similar if not cheaper than Thailand for many things, but the hotels are the biggest sting. Hopefully will be back there next year.

Does the "Budget" quoted here make sense though - https://www.budgetyourtrip.com/japan

[buksida]

I guess so, accommodation will eat most of the budget in Japan. But these things all depend on what you want to do. If you're inclined to eat at five-star restaurants every night (which we're not), you'll need much more than that! Our trip included the motorhome rental, which wasn't cheap (but about half of what it would cost in Thailand).

[Dannie Boy]

To arrive at an average you have to take into account the highs and lows - you’ll know roughly where you fit on the bell curve, so depending on that should answer your questions?

[STEVE G]

I have regular weekends away from Luxembourg when I'm working and I always manage to keep it reasonably cheap as it's basically nonessential travel.
In the last year or so I've been to Valletta in Malta, which is a beautiful historic city, Lisbon which I also enjoyed and several cities nearby, Trier and Koblenz in Germany and Metz and Nancy in France.
I also had a weekend in Cambridge staying at Christ College where you can rent rooms outside of term time which was fun.

[PeteC]

I can't help unfortunately Pharvey. I've been back to the USA 5 times in 20 years, with the last time in 2019 just before Covid began. My advice is worthless concerning current prices and the like. If I see or hear something useful I'll post it up.

[pharvey]

I have regular weekends away from Luxembourg when I'm working and I always manage to keep it reasonably cheap as it's basically nonessential travel.
In the last year or so I've been to Valletta in Malta, which is a beautiful historic city, Lisbon which I also enjoyed and several cities nearby, Trier and Koblenz in Germany and Metz and Nancy in France.
I also had a weekend in Cambridge staying at Christ College where you can rent rooms outside of term time which was fun.

For me, "City Breaks" are ideal - a quick hop from Bristol Airport to numerous locations and cheap flights with the likes of Easyjet or Ryanair. Unfortunately, the LHG has to apply for a Schengen Visa which is a pain in the @rse as they need loads of info and we need to book way ahead of time - I could pick up the phone now and be in a European City in time for dinner. Thanks for the tips though Steve - we'll look at doing a "European Tour" to get in as many places as we can on a single visa.

I can't help unfortunately Pharvey. I've been back to the USA 5 times in 20 years, with the last time in 2019 just before Covid began. My advice is worthless concerning current prices and the like. If I see or hear something useful I'll post it up.

Thanks Pete - I think my last "Tourist" visit to the States was near 40 years ago! I've been back there working on several occasions, but then you don't really get any idea of "Holiday Budgets"...

[STEVE G]

^What I've found recently in Europe is that these apartment type hotels can be a really good deal, you get basically a double room but with a kitchenette as well which can be handy.
It gives you the option of eating in if you want which I find makes life easier if you can't be bothered to eat out.
I was recently in Nancy, which is a very nice city and I planned to treat myself to a meal in a famous restaurant but when I got there, I took one look at the snobby looking staff and went right off the place. I grabbed a meal from a supermarket, eat it in the apartment and went to a couple of pubs where I had a great time!

[pharvey]

^What I've found recently in Europe is that these apartment type hotels can be a really good deal, you get basically a double room but with a kitchenette as well which can be handy.
It gives you the option of eating in if you want which I find makes life easier if you can't be bothered to eat out.
I was recently in Nancy, which is a very nice city and I planned to treat myself to a meal in a famous restaurant but when I got there, I took one look at the snobby looking staff and went right off the place. I grabbed a meal from a supermarket, eat it in the apartment and went to a couple of pubs where I had a great time!

TBH, I far prefer the apartment/Self-Catering option for much the same reasons as you mention. I just wasn't sure when talking just a couple of nights - how do you tend to book things, part of a package or by yourself through the likes of Airbnb? France is high on the LHG's list and I can't say I'd be against a visit - how was Nancy?

[STEVE G]

Nancy is a pretty normal French city until you get to the centre, where it goes all Louis XVI:

[pharvey]

Nancy is a pretty normal French city until you get to the centre, where it goes all Louis XVI:

Oh, the LHG would love it - a little bar by the side for me to "People Watch" along with some French cuisine, a beer or 2 and we're sorted!!

[STEVE G]

And I forgot to mention the Brexit pub: