Round the world trip

[Wind30]

You did not take a picture with the syt??? Omg? Why??

[Philipkee]

You should offer to buy her dinner to thank her. It's only courtesy. Then you can ask if she can be your guide for a few days.

she can't speak English. she typed in Russian and the phone translated it to English text and she showed me the phone.

 

but I will take your advice cos tomorrow I plan to visit lake Baikal if there is space on the tour and might walk around irkutsk another day so sure have chance to meet syt.

 

Don't forget I still have Moscow, Paris, USA and Japan to try my charms.

[Heartlander]

she can't speak English. she typed in Russian and the phone translated it to English text and she showed me the phone.

 

but I will take your advice cos tomorrow I plan to visit lake Baikal if there is space on the tour and might walk around irkutsk another day so sure have chance to meet syt.

 

Don't forget I still have Moscow, Paris, USA and Japan to try my charms.

Did you download Google Translate on your phone? You can point your phone xsmera on a foreign language document or signage and viola you eill see it in english in real time. This is beside the boring language translation by typing in english or any language. But not sure if need to have data connection to work.

[kdash]

Did you download Google Translate on your phone? You can point your phone xsmera on a foreign language document or signage and viola you eill see it in english in real time. This is beside the boring language translation by typing in english or any language. But not sure if need to have data connection to work.

yes need data but i think bro Philipkee should have.

 

being able to comms with xmm syt is important

[Philipkee]

I did not take the baikal tour in the end cos it's too expensive. So instead I took the shuttle to and from baikal. Cost about 300 rubles both ways. No cruise but no big deal. Just walk a lot. And lunch at lakeside with coffer while walking. Was cold in the morning before becoming warm in the afternoon. The shuttle does not go to lake baikal per se but to the town next to it which is Listvyanka so you have to say that to the driver. Saying or asking "Baikal" is not going to be helpful.

 

Someone skinny dipped but it was an old man so nothing to see so move on....

 

By the way, I was given a map but I just memorised the directions before leaving it in the hotel cos the labels on the map is different from actual signs. For example, it can be written on the map as "stalin lane" but the road signs are written in Russian language (Cyrillic alphabet?) so unless you know their alphabets it's kind of useless.

 

It is rare, for example, to see the words "lake baikal". It is usually written in their alphabets only so when i saw it in quickly snapped a picture.

 

Oh. And the shuttle bus is actually a mini van with a driver announcing the destination. No labels for most of them and no fixed departure times. It moves when it is full or close to full.

Edited June 30, 2018 by Philipkee

[Davidklt]

Solo trip ?

[Heartlander]

By the way, I was given a map but I just memorised the directions before leaving it in the hotel cos the labels on the map is different from actual signs. For example, it can be written on the map as "stalin lane" but the road signs are written in Russian language (Cyrillic alphabet?) so unless you know their alphabets it's kind of useless.

 

It is rare, for example, to see the words "lake baikal". It is usually written in their alphabets only so when i saw it in quickly snapped a picture.

 

Oh. And the shuttle bus is actually a mini van with a driver announcing the destination. No labels for most of them and no fixed departure times. It moves when it is full or close to full.

That is the situation where Google Translate app will be very helpful.

 

Russia has signages mostly in their native language. But point your phone camera with the app will magically transform them to english worded ones. I even point to the notices pasted at their subway counters to get useful information. Not 100% accurate but you can deduce the meaning from the broken sentences. 

 

I am sure it will come in handy in other European countries along the journey, but need data connection which might be challenging some times. And it can work on pictures too.

[Philipkee]

Solo trip ?

Yup. Solo trip and some parts of the trip are decided on the spot. Like I have not decided where to stay in Paris or in USA (or even where to go) or in Japan.

 

Will retain the flexibility by doing things as last minute as possible.

[Davidklt]

I recall you told us you are a nurse.

 

Did you quit or go on no pay leave ?

 

I have a friend that likes to travel the world as well.

 

He would take short term contract jobs. When his contract is up, he would go somewhere and live for 3 to 6 months. Come back, repeat.

 

Of course, he doesnt have family or other obligations.

Yup. Solo trip and some parts of the trip are decided on the spot. Like I have not decided where to stay in Paris or in USA (or even where to go) or in Japan.

Will retain the flexibility by doing things as last minute as possible.

 

[Philipkee]

That is the situation where Google Translate app will be very helpful.

 

Russia has signages mostly in their native language. But point your phone camera with the app will magically transform them to english worded ones. I even point to the notices pasted at their subway counters to get useful information. Not 100% accurate but you can deduce the meaning from the broken sentences.

 

I am sure it will come in handy in other European countries along the journey, but need data connection which might be challenging some times. And it can work on pictures too.

Sign languages make it more interesting actually.

 

But I get your point. But after the Russia it's a direct ride to Paris then USA so should be OK unless I have another adventure on the train at Belarus.

I recall you told us you are a nurse.

 

Did you quit or go on no pay leave ?

 

I have a friend that likes to travel the world as well.

 

He would take short term contract jobs. When his contract is up, he would go somewhere and live for 3 to 6 months. Come back, repeat.

 

Of course, he doesnt have family or other obligations.

Nope. Did not quit. Took leave plus no pay leave.

 

It's very hard to get no pay leave to travel round the world cos acceptable reasons to HR for no pay leave are things like maternity leave plus want to bring up child for two years, sick elderly parents and so on. A lot of negotiations had to be done to allow a no pay leave with the reason of "travel round the world".

 

So now that I got it better do it.

Edited June 30, 2018 by Philipkee

[Davidklt]

Can share your budget for this entire trip?

[Philipkee]

Can share your budget for this entire trip?

I don't have a budget in the sense that I set aside only a specific amount for the trip. But in general

 

1) visas to Russia and Belarus (S$500+)

2) trans siberian from Beijing to irkutsk to Moscow to is USD 1300.

3) Airfares total about $1.5k so far. Not yet got the return ticket from USA

4) hostels at night so far is about $20-30 SGD a night excluding the nights on the ferry or trans siberian.

5) I brought about $2k of cash in Korean won, Chinese yuan, euro, USD and Japanese Yen. The Russian rubles were changed from my balance of Chinese yuan as I left China.

6) $400 (not exact amount) for Japanese rail pass

7) $200 for ferry ticket from Korea to China

 

The expenditure is not final cos I am still not even half way through my trip. Yeah I have not used up all my cash but I foresee i will have to use a lot of credit card also.

 

The trip will cost easily $10k but it should not exceed $12-$15k unless I suddenly go crazy and want to splurge on a sports car ride across USA or stay in 5 star hotels. I plan to stay only in hostels or basic hotels but you never know how a person can suddenly crave luxury after so many days cooped up in trans siberian.

 

Perhaps after the USA portion I will have better info.

 

Oh. The trip easily costs $15k IF you include the lost income from no pay leave as expenses as well.

[Davidklt]

And how many days?

[Fitvip]

But still better than cross continental flight.

Train space is bigger and more easy to walk around.

Totally agree with Tohto! Philipkee, grab the chance!

[Philipkee]

And how many days?

Not fixed but I have slightly over 60 days to return to Singapore. Not fixed in the sense that I have not bought return ticket. But I think it will not exceed 55 days of travel cos I don't think my heart can take it if I land today after a long trip and start work the next day. Hahaha

Totally agree with Tohto! Philipkee, grab the chance!

Yup. I am on the train from Beijing to Paris.

Has anyone ever been on a round the world trip? Been dreaming of one since 2004. As I get older I think to myself my life is half over....

 

I plan

Singapore to Seoul by plane

Seoul to China by ship

China to Paris by train via transfer sobering and whatever rail there is

Paris to new York by plane

New York to West coast by land

West coast to Japan by plane

Japan to Singapore by plane

 

Anyone ever had such dreams? Anyone ever travelled from Seoul to China by plane or china to Paris by train?

 

As I get older I thinking to myself just yolo.

To know my general itinerary and route and how I plan to travel, you can refer to post #1. It never changed. Since 2004.

[Davidklt]

After you are back, you should set up a blog for this !

 

$15k for 55 days and a lifetime of memories is totally worth it.

[Thaiyotakamli]

I saw in taiwanese news today that a man bought a round the world air ticket for $1k lol

[inlinesix]

I saw in taiwanese news today that a man bought a round the world air ticket for $1k lol

 

Possible with CC points and air mile.

 

But not in Singapore.