some advancement on travel plans

[joosie]

As I mentioned a few months ago I am planning to take a rather exciting round-the-world trip starting with a year in New Zealand from spring 2016. After a lot of thought and consulting with a highly-recommended RTW trip company, I have put together a basic travel itinerary, and am now at the super-fun stage of researching how to join the dots and what to do where and when. As well as being massively exciting it's also giving me something to take my mind off things and keep me nice and busy when I'm not working.

The first stage will be to fly from London to Auckland via Beijing and Hong Kong (flying into Beijing, and travelling overland to HK) and spending 12 months in NZ as originally planned. Australia next, flying into Sydney and out from Perth - I'm looking at spending around 3 months there, travelling mostly by rail. Then flying to east Africa to do a safari as I have dreamed of this for years! I'm still researching at the moment but keep being drawn back to one particular tour which had me quite literally drooling as I read through the itinerary. It's a 42-day trip from Nairobi to Cape Town and will eat quite substantially into my budget, but hey, you only live once, right? After SA it will be on to the USA, flying into New York and out of a city on the west coast - though I haven't got as far as planning for the States yet, there are a few places I'd like to visit but I don't have a shortlist just yet!

Although my savings are quite good for someone on such low pay, obviously I don't have an endless supply of money so working out how to fit everything into my budget is quite a challenge! - it IS do-able though, just about!

 

[Mary Poppins]

Who is going to look after your ponies when you are away? Will you be able to return to your job in France?

 

[joosie]

Well, the beastlings will go on loan while I'm gone. I'm not planning to come back to France to work afterwards, I have always planned to settle in Italy and will probably be back in the UK for a while as a stop-gap.

 

[KP nut]

Sounds like a fabulous trip! !

 

[Jessey]

Oh that sounds absolutely bloomin' out of this world I do hope you will keep us posted with lots of pics so we can see it all too

 

[juliecwuk]

will you put your horses on loan in France or back in the UK?

 

[joosie]

I've thought about this, and decided they'll only go to the UK if it's to people I know. I'm sure if I asked nicely I could persuade family / friends / forum acquaintances to check on them for me, but what if something went really wrong and the people wanted to end the loan for whatever reason, I will be too far away to do anything. My boss has already said that if they stay in France she is happy to keep an eye on them and that if the loan goes awry she will pick them up herself and bring them back here. At least then I'd know they were safe and cared for!

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Sounds awesome and amazing. All I would say is to be careful when planning African trips, especially this far in advance. My OH is South African and has family connections in Kenya and he suggests that you would be well advised to avoid Kenya altogether at present, especially if travelling overland on those big bus thingies. I would hold on to the money and the time for now and book much later, so that you know if the shit is going to hit the fan anywhere.

There are some stunning horseback safaris available in Namibia and Botswana, as well as SA. Steve says he'll make recommendations for you if you want them!

 

[joosie]

Thanks Jane. I am not planning to book anything for Africa yet, 2 years in advance does seem excessively early, I am just enjoying the research stage for now!

 

[Skib]

Agree with the above warning. One of my young family did Cairo to Cape town cycling and yes in either Kenya or Tanzania, there were political problems and emergency buses laid on. Nearer the time, you may be able to get some guidance from people who have just got back. It seems the experience of a life time.

 

[Kite_Rider]

I think it's an amazing thing to do Joosie and it sounds like a real trip of a lifetime.

 

[joosie]

Just come across these guys. Drooling!
http://www.wildcoasthorsebackadventures.com/riding-and-working-holidays-at-sunray-farm.php

 

[candyflosspot]

Train is extremely expensive in Australia - I would suggest using greyhound. Fares are dirt cheap however please keep mind Australia is an enormous country so journeys will be long so it's best to plan on the places you want to visit before hand - if you are travelling from east to west coast - flying is quicker & cheaper than train. You would be looking at a 24 journey ( talking from experience). The flight will be around an hour & half ish. I can't remember the exact cost but I think it was 150 dollars.

 

[Mary Poppins]

Are you going to work on your way round or will it be purely a holiday?

You are going to have an amazing time.

 

[joosie]

I'll work in New Zealand, to save more money for the rest of the trip so that the rest can be just travel.