Text 297, 107 rader
Skriven 2006-06-19 18:02:52 av Nancy Backus (1:323/120.0)
     Kommentar till en text av Carol Shenkenberger
Ärende: Re: Seatime again
=========================
-=> Quoting Carol Shenkenberger to Nancy Backus on 06-18-06  12:41 <=-

 NB> Cost and distance are probably the key factors in making it a one-time
 NB> IF-ever visit.  Hubby was there once on a business trip, and I've had
 NB> very good friends from Japan over the years, so I do have an idea how
 NB> nice it would really be.

 CS> Well, if you have in mind visiting Asia, the first step is easy. 
 CS> Passport.  It  take a little while to get one but is good for 10 years
 CS> for an adult without  renewal.  Renewal is easy and requires little

Have that already... and am already about halfway into my first renewal.
I needed it for my trips to Britain, for family visits and genealogy
research reasons...  :)

 CS> For cost factors, the situation is not as obvious or at least was not
 CS> to me at the start.  The plane tickets may make some places look way
 CS> cheaper, but once you check the hotel rates, you can find some
 CS> countries are a lot cheaper as a total than others.  A flight from

That makes sense.  :)

 CS> What interests do you have?  I'm fairly well traveled out here and can
 CS> give  some tips based on what you actually want to do.  For example, if
 CS> money is NOT an issue but shopping is, Tokyo is a good spot.  If
 CS> nightlife (beer drinking  and party) is the main desire, you'd want
 CS> Thailand and the prices once there  are great for all sorts of shopping
 CS> things other than electronics.  Not a great  place for young kids
 CS> though.  Not terrible but not great.   

Well, money IS an issue (unfortunately)... and I'm neither a shopper or
into nightlife or even much of a tourist.  Most of my trips are either
family or genealogy related, although I'm also interested in the
culture/milieu of any particular area.  Asia wouldn't fit into either of
my usual rationale, just my curiosity about the region, based on friends
over the years and my definite affinity for the food.  :)

Kids aren't an issue... my only child is 32 and on his own, and no
grandchildren yet, or even very likely...  :(  And I'm not likely to
borrow any of my young nieces or nephews to go traveling with... ;)

 CS> If you want Asia all in one, and do not insist on a 5 star hotel, Hong
 CS> Kong has  that at a reasonable price.  If going too much 'Asia' on the
 CS> first trip makes  you feel uncomfortable, Singapore would be a good
 CS> bet.  Kid friendly if your  kids are reasonably well behaved (Asia
 CS> expects more there than USA) and very  westernized with shopping malls
 CS> but not very cheap.  Going to Singapore makes  me feel a bit like NY
 CS> City which isnt bad, but isnt like the rest of Asia that  I traverse. 
 CS> I havent been to 'Little India' there yet though and am told that 
 CS> would fit my personal style better. 

<smile>  I'm pretty modest in my demands... and don't really need the
westernization...  I tend to avoid shopping malls here at home... <G>  I
think in some ways I'm not as "western" in my attitudes as most... I do
remember getting raised eyebrows from customs coming home from Britain
on one of my trips.  ["And you were away how long?"  "A fortnight." 
"And THIS is ALL your luggage?" (Two small overnight carryons, a camera,
a totebag, a pillow and an umbrella) "Yes, sir."]  My first trip, with
my son, we had taken a large suitcase plus, and it had been a royal pain
for some of our situations... so I vowed that ever after I would take
only what I could carry by myself easily.  :)  I pack lightly nowadays.

 CS> My own habits flavor my review.  I like open air market shopping with
 CS> a bit of dickering for prices (outside Japan, this is expected
 CS> behavior), good food and  am not at all a picky eater, and an upscale
 CS> hotel at a decent price.  In  Okinawa, I paid (prepaid already) 387$ a
 CS> night for a really *nice* place with  lots of frills and right in the
 CS> better area for tourist things Charlotte will  like.  Normally I top
 CS> end pay 100$ max and tend to find 'great places for 50$ a  night'.

I'm more on the "respectable places for a really reasonable cost" end,
when I'm not staying with friends or family, although I've paid more for
a hotel when at a conference when necessary.  I'm not much of a shopper
of any sort, never really gotten into dickering, but I do like good food
and am not a picky eater, generally... :)  I prefer to go for local
cuisine, but not slavishly...  And there are probably some* delicacies
that I would gladly let pass without trying...  :)

 CS> If you want a hint, Marriot places in *Asia* are very nice.  The worst
 CS> one I've  seen was a cut rate in Hong Kong because that one was being
 CS> renovated but all  services were fine even if the view at the time was
 CS> not very good (blocked by  scafolding).  It was reduced from 200$ a
 CS> night to 50$. 

I'll keep that in mind.  :)  Is there an equivalent to a modest bed and
breakfast in Asia?  Or are they non-existant, or worse, only catering to
the luxury crowd?

 NB> think I'm a bit past the age to "Join the Navy and see the world"...
 NB> To say nothing of the encumbrances of life responsibilities...  :)
 CS> Grin, folks wonder why I put up with the hours that I do.  I do it
 CS> because it's  extremely interesting to live this way, but now, I am
 CS> at the end point of all  this.  Time to come home soon.

Under different life circumstances, I might have made a like choice,
many years ago, though...  But I can tell that you've enjoyed your time
in... and I'm sure you'll be glad to have the memories when you do leave
it behind.  :)

ttyl           neb

... Life is a Ferrari - costs too much and goes too fast

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