1

I now routinely travel carry on only - particularly warm places - just packed for a few weeks in Samoa- 6.5kg bag - and that actually includes a netbook.

Its the ultimate freedom as far as I'm concerned. I generally travel no star - we are staying in beach huts in Samoa about $80/2 - that includes dinner and breakfast. I can't really see why I'd pay $200 and up /night to stay on a similar beach in a fancy hotel. The beach is the same - and that's the point of the holiday!

I usually stay in local places, but on the way home, in somewhere like KL I will get a deal on a 5-star for the last couple of nights. Pretty funny seeing our little, grubby backpacks being carefully transported by the bell boys!

2

I have been reading some of the blogs of some of the female travellers here, such as Lor, 60andonward, Lismh....to name a few and I felt such a newbie. It must take courage to travel solo especially in Asia. What if you had fallen ill? Who is there to look out for you?

I remembered feeling pretty miserable and wanting to head home when I had the food poisoning episode, but it was comforting to have hubby there. I did insist that he goes out to explore Hanoi and lTer to relate his outings, enjoying the outings vicariously.

Now in KL, staying in My Hotel In KL Sentral, 110 Ringgit, no breakfast. Missed all those breakfast that we get from all those budget hotels in Vietnam. definitely much cheaper to travel in Vietnam but I prefer the spicy food and the variety that are available in Malaysia.

3

I've travelled a lot by myself and got sick. In fact when I got sick with my partner in tow it was quite annoying - he wanted to hang around and watch me throw up! I was like go and do the day trip we already booked, bring back bananas and water, go AWAY! :-) He thought I was going to die - I knew however I was just going to feel like dying which is different!

My personal hell would be being sick and on a tour and to have to keep travelling. I've had food poisioning enough now to know what my body will do and how long it will take, and having to get on any form of transport would be absolute hell

When I've twice got very ill both times i was staying in small hotels and the staff and management were very kind. The main issue I had in Mexico, I ran out of pesos, and it was day's oftravellers checks so only I could cash a TC because you had to match your passport to your face. So eventually I had to go and face a long queue - but I looked so ill - even other backpackers waved me to the front!

4

I travel with a small med kit when off and about for more than a month – three of the goodies that are compulsory for packing in it are a course of Azithromycin (food buggie pills) if I am travelling in Asia, as Cipro doesn’t work there; hefty allergy pills for stings and Xtra strength Imodium so that if I am ill, I can still meet a travel date. If I have to use up either, I immediately purchase another for that emergency, which of course I hope will not happen. I once decided to be very ‘positive’ and did not bring along Azithromycin. I ended up collapsing from food poisoning in the middle of a desert. It was sorta funny with me stranded in the baking hot desert, and a black Mercedes suddenly appeared as someone had called for help - I felt as if I was experiencing a mirage. I was super lucky that they went on a search for someone to translate for the doctors and myself, as my Arabic was limited in the extreme being able only to count to ten, and pronounce some basic phrases being that my langenscheidt carries me through in many countries. The 2nd day when I was more cognizant, they handed me a telephone, for they had called my travel med company back in Canada, who wanted to speak to me. The doctors looking after me were more than fabulous – but 3-days of IV and I was out of there - yet I left with a piece of paper with wording to hand to restaurants of what my stomach would take/eat for a few days. Funny thing is I had been helping the Red Crescent for some time, and never expected pay back. Anyway - with that experience I never ever forgot to purchase some food buggie pills immediately upon entering a new country no matter how short my stay. The sooner I can attack it, the sooner it will go - and how am I to know if the one I have is the deadly one.

I haven’t used travellers cheques for a long time – too many places refuse to take them and they are too expensive to cash – also I have to wait until a bank opens to cash them and a holiday can make a long wait on top of a 2-day weekend. An ATM is open day and night.

5

I guess I started traveling alone, because of a "bludger" (a guy who wouldn't pull his weight, even if he hung himself) I got stuck with, in outback Australia. Couldn't get rid of him. About one road out of town.

So I owe him that. Much quieter, and you get to do what You want. And eat local as you want, No translated menus. Just say,"I want what hes having, at the next table."

6

I started staying at hostels for the cheap. And b'fast of sorts and washing machines. Now I stay for the conversations from other cultures too.

7

Perhaps I should start another thread, dinner in KL and breakfast in Sydney.......now back at work. Damn!

Really didn't want the trip to finish, didn't want to leave Vietnam and when I did, didn't want to fly back to Sydney but all trips ned to come to and end...right. The best thing is that I will be travelling again in November for three weeks .....to Rajasthan. Yippee!

Right now though, I really prefer to travel with a companion, perhaps I may change my mind after Rajasthan. Don't mind staying in hostels but for me at least, I have to have my own room. Couldn't bear sleeping in a dorm as it restricts when one goes to sleep.

OMG! I am truly bitten by travel bug......just want to keep travelling.

8

I've been pleasantly surprised by dorms. I'm 70.

Only one time, a girl rearranged her stuff for thirty minutes. Boy did she like crinkly plastic bags!

I finally said, "Do you have to have that stuff absolutely perfect tonight?"