Everyone says you should travel after the bar. Since I'm such a travel addict, why should I object? Well, maybe because I've traveled so much in the past few years that lying on the beach somewhere seems like a better plan.
But after giving it some thought I got kind of excited about doing a Cathy-style trip. This is the kind of trip where the journey is the trip. No camping out in one place for days on end, it's all about going from one dot on the map to the next just to see what they're all like. And the perfect itinerary for this kind of trip I decided was the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
But then I discovered that I couldn't get to Vladivostok on a free plane ticket. In fact, I'm not sure I could get to Vladivostok at all even if I paid, nevermind doing a weird multi-continent open jaw Star Alliance itinerary. (Alaska Air used to go there but does not appear to anymore.)
So instead I've reserved a free ticket for a nearly two week trip to China. Which at first I thought I really wanted to do, but after having thought about the Russian railroad trip now doesn't seem quite as much fun as it did before.
Although maybe I'm just stressed because I haven't been able to reach my friend in Shanghai and may not be able to before the reservation expires in 3 days. This plan was originally born out of the idea that I'd get to see her and perhaps travel with her once I'm there. But since free seats are hard to come by (and money to actually pay for a ticket even harder...), I may have to just book it and hope I can work out an itinerary on my own later. Not speaking Chinese, however, may make this complicated...
(So I'm open for travel suggestions for China, or suggestions in the next few days for somewhere else in the world that might be interesting to go.)
Edit 5/26: Well, ask and you shall receive, sort of. Unfortunately I don't have $8-9000 to throw at this...
Comments (3)
I was sort of planning to go to China (in particular Shanghai) if plans ever occurred on the other end too - but my friend has also been sort of evasive on being able to meet. (Of course, it's much easier and cheaper for me to go on a week's notice :) If I do end up going, it would be Shanghai, and only for the weekend (work would get in the way for a longer trip).
I've only been to Beijing, pre-Olympic prep. It's sort of a huge sprawling city which was subwayable if you knew your way around, and taxiable w/o (although that leads to being ripped off if you look enough like a tourist).
Meanwhile, you didn't get to see half of the Disney Resort - although maybe you could see a country you haven't seen yet.
You could also do a Chinese railroad trip - although that would involve a language other than English (and possibly Mandarin), so well... On the other hand, Shanghai and Beijing could be English accessible in parts.
Posted by Koichi | May 27, 2006 6:59 AM
Posted on May 27, 2006 06:59
Yes, I hear Shanghai and Beijing are doable in English. But I'd also like to see maybe other places, and particularly Harbin.
You want to come to China with me?
Posted by Cathy | May 27, 2006 7:25 AM
Posted on May 27, 2006 07:25
Ask Professor Seidman for advice; he has traveled extensively there.
Posted by hi | May 27, 2006 9:13 PM
Posted on May 27, 2006 21:13