Itchin’ to Hit the Trail Again
As you all well know by now, the TravelnLass has gypsy juice running through her veins. Thus, staying put for nearly 6 whole months even here in the coool greeen Shagri-la of Dalat isn’t exactly what I was born for. Indeed, I didn’t move to the other side of the Planet to sit tight in some g-forsaken rice-paddy, but rather to use said rice-paddy as a base to explore this half of the globe.
And so I have. And so I shall.
My teach contract is up next month so I’m itchin’ to get back on the trail. And oh my but I’ve got quite the little adventure planned.
Everest is calling…
Um, make that adventureS!
For I started out with but a single target: those legendary Himalayan mountains in NEPAL!
So I fiddled with air fares and found that the best fare for my travel dates (late August) was on Air Asia (as usual) routing one way from HCMC (SGN) through Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Kathmandu (KTM) for $223.72. Fine. I didn’t book any return ‘cuz I’ll be footloose ‘n fancy free indefinitely.
But a few days later, I was Skyping with a chum in Saigon about our coming travel plans, and she mentioned that Air Asia had a fare from KUL to Borneo for a spell-binding $30 each way! Needless to say… Being the nimble nomad that I am (it pays handsomely to be footloose with no time/place commitments) and as I’d be no doubt routing into KUL on my return from Nepal, ANYWAY…
Borneo – land of pygmy elephants, orangutans, and…
HEAD-HUNTERS!
I mean – who WOULDN’T book a little side trip to Borneo for a mere… $60 rt.???
So I swiftly fiddled some more, opted for a 3 week stay in Nepal, booked a flight from KTM to KUL on 12 September, and then – treated myself to 17 days in Borneo for a handful of bucks!
So that’s the plan: Saigon to Kathmandu on 21 August; fly to Sandakan on Malaysian Borneo 12 September, and fly back to KUL on 30 September.
Wazzat you say? So I end up at an airport in Kuala Lumpur after nearly 6 weeks romping from snowy mountains to tropical jungles, and… then what? Presently I have NO ONWARD FLIGHT from KUL, and furthermore…
No immediate plan as to where on Planet Earth I might go from there.
You see, much as love my little L’Auberge Ami here in the cooool, greeeen hills of Dalat… And much as I genuinely ADORE the Vietnamese people and their remarkable culture,,. I’ve been living in Vietnam nearly two years now, and I’m itchin’ for a wholly new change. Not just a dash off to Myanmar for a few weeks (though I do plan to get there sooner rather than later), but a whole-hog MOVE to some place new.
And just where might that “someplace” be? I honestly dunno. The choices are vast, dizzying and utterly delicious. The entire world is calling and it’s tough to know just where my next Shangri-la might be. I’ve been mulling over the possibilities and have a few ideas, but all seem equally enticing at the moment:
- I have two fellow teach friends presently in Vung Tau (a beach town just 45 min. by ferry from Saigon, and could easily slide into another short gig with ILA (the school that I taught at in HCMC), or…
- Chiang Mai in Thailand is still whispering my name, so I might just give it a 6 month go. Or…
- I’ve also got a couple of more drastic options up my sleeve. Though I don’t think I’m quite finished exploring Asia just yet, I’m nonetheless thinking I might jump whole CONTINENTS and head…
Well let’s just leave that a cliff-hanger for now. Suffice change is in the wind for the TL, but there’s no rush to make any decisions just yet. After all, I’ve now got both Nepal and Borneo to explore, and who knows where my adventures there might lead?
In any case, stay tuned, and meanwhile check out some of the amazing sights I have to look forward to soon in Nepal and Borneo…
About the Author
Dyanne Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion,and I’ve always lived life “like-a-kid-in-a-candy-store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been: This ain’t a dress rehearsal, folks!
Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion, and I’ve always lived life “like a kid in a candy store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been:
Happy Travels Dyanne.
Wonder where you’ll end up?
Like your new design, well done.
Glad you like the new TL digs Graefyl. And yes, hard to know just where I’ll light next on the globe. Meanwhile, this morning there’s my first day in Kathmandu to savor…
(btw, I tried to comment on you latest post just now, but… I managed to get through all your little security gates (peck stray words), but there was no “submit” button only a “save” or “cancel”. And the former didn’t seem to do much but give me a blank page.) ;(
Enjoy.
Have you found out about the dreaded power cuts yet. Friends there have to use a special generator to keep their electricity going.
Thanks for letting me know about the comments. Managed to get that sorted out and it’s easier now.
Love your new site design! I still have very fond memories of Nepal and can’t wait to read about your adventures there. And, I’ll be waving as we cross paths at KUL:-)
Great to finally meet you Mary. Yes, I’m counting on you to blaze a trail in Borneo, and will wave in KUL as we trade places. I’ll be the one in the fabulous patchwork hippy pants – thanks! 😉
How exciting! Nepal and Borneo are both on my travel wish list so I can’t wait to live vicariously through you! While I love my somewhat structured life, I envy the freedom you have! Our time here in China is coming to a close, but the next three years of our lives are already mapped out. I’m a planner so this takes the stress out of things, but still, it would be exhilarating to be able to say at the end of a holiday, “I’m just going to jet off to X for a few more days!” Love the new site design, by the way!
Glad you like the new decor, Heather. And yes, I do love the exhilaration of flitting from global marvel to global marvel. But actually, I’ve never favored perpetual RTW whiz. (indeed, check out my 2+ yr. ago Global Glut post my feelings on just such constant scurry).
The truth is, I’m half “nester” at heart, much preferring to explore for no more than a month or two, then settle down somewhere and enjoy (yes, enjoy!) a monotonous same-ol, same-ol routine (well o.k. spiced with – as you do – foreign jabbering all around me, and exotic sights and foods) for 6 months or more.
So you’re leaving China soon, eh? Where to next my dear?
Wow, I can’t wait to hear what you decide. The suspense is killing me!
You and me both Amy, I honestly don’t know where I’ll end up after these travels. But as I’m pretty determined to make the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan come February 2014, likely I’ll not jump continents just yet. Probably I’ll hang out in Chiang Mai, Thailand til then.
Gorgeous re-design, D! (Even though the email link didn’t work…) Can’t wait to read all about your far-flung adventures. (I was trying to get some friends to go with me to Nepal next May via an AirAsia sale for $300 r/t to HCMC but they waited too long to get back to me and I forgot to book it for myself!) Grrrrrr.
Woo-hoo! Dearest James – leave it to you to be the very FIRST to comment here on the new TL digs. Sorry the post title link in your email subscription didn’t work, but that was probably due to the timing flux of the domain switcheroo today. Do let me know if it happens again on the next post.
That said, $300 rt. SGN-KTM? Wow that truly is a steal. Ah well, at least you’ve been there before, I simply can’t WAIT to gaze upon those lofty peaks.