Monthly Archives: November 2010
Today’ Photo – Australia Day Fireworks, Perth Water, Perth
Lotto Skyworks at Australia Day, Swan River Foreshore, January 26, 2010
Traveling costs for BALI – a guide for the 40+Traveler
Like my previous post on traveling cost in Nepal, this post is aimed at giving the prospective traveler an idea of the all-round cost associated with visiting and traveling around the countries that I have visited. As before, the assumption is that you would be traveling at the same level of comfort as I do, and, as such, is directed primarily at the 40 year +, long term traveler. This implies a moderate level of comfort but without they high daily budget of the 10 day tourist. So, on to Bali -
Costs for Bali
- Getting There - As with anywhere, giving a general idea on the cost to get to Bali depends completely on where you are coming from. As I am Australian, Bali is close, and very well serviced by discount airlines, so it is very cheap to visit. Return flights from Australia can be from as little as $250.00. And because the same network of Low Cost airlines service the other major centres in the region, flights from most major South East Asian cities are often even cheaper. I have seen Air Asia flights from Kuala Lumpur for $19. So by extension, Bali should be cheap to fly into from other destinations, as long as you are scouring the cheep airlines, and prepared to hop flights and airlines a bit. Long term travelers will usually be happy to take the slower, less direct flights, and save on expense!
Kuta Beach
- Getting Around - Once you arrive in Bali, transport certainly doesn’t get any more expensive! It is one of the cheapest places to get around, as always, depending on your mode of transport. Taxis, for example, cost around 50,000 IDR (around $6) from the airport to Kuta hotels. Once in Kuta, taxi around town (witch can often be very busy and frustratingly slow) will cost somewhere under the 50,000. A quick trip could be from 10,000 IDR ( $1.20 ish) An alternative to Taxis (cos they add up??really!) is a scooter. These cost around $5 a day, with a better rate often available if you want longer rentals. The advantage of the scooter is that you can get in and around traffic jams in the Kuta area easily, but also, you can explore the whole island from the back of a scooter!
- Accommodation – Kuta, Seminyak, Sanur and Nusa Dua, on the Southern Beaches, are where the bulk of the tourists visit, and these areas have the biggest range of hotels. Villa’s and Resorts at $500 a night are a plenty, but cheaper options are definitely available, often only a street or 2 back from the beach. I have always been able to find comfortable hotel accommodation, with own bathroom, air-con, bar fridge, TV and Pool, for around $40 per night in all of the above areas. Once you get out of these centres, to Ubud, the Northern and Eastern beaches and the inland parts of the island, even $25.00 rooms appear to be quite reasonable. Shop around n the net for Kuta, and on foot when you are visiting the other areas.
- Eating and Drinking – The Southern beaches are awash with bars and restaurants, so getting a feed is never a problem. Standard local/Asian/ simple western meals cost from 50,000 to 150,000 IDR ( $6 -$18), with 750ml beer bottles at about 30,000 each. Beer is around 1/2 that if you by from a supermarket, by the dozen (not a mini mart). Street food and local eats are available on the outskirts of the major areas, as well as in the capital, Denpasar. Also, away from the Southern Beaches, food becomes simpler, and cheaper, and the difference between tourist food and local eatery diminishes.
Ubud Hotel
- Attractions – Attractions can be more expensive, and many are charges in USD. Visit to the water-park at Waterbon is reasonable, and if you hunt around you can get Diving and Rafting adventures at reasonable prices. Like everything else, these are usually very negotiable, and I have found diving trips at 1/2 price when business is not good.
Bali is a wonderful place to visit, and very well suited to the long term traveler. The Balinese people are very welcoming, and, apart form the shopping areas, not completely focused on relieving you of your US$. A lot of visitors decide to stay, and there is a large Ex-pat Australian community. Living costs come down the closer you get to local living, such as self catering. I will post more later on Bali and specific destinations to visit as against this overview.
The next TRAVELING COSTS episode will be Vietnam, so stay “posted”
Today’s Photo – Sunset on Perth Water, Swan River, Perth
Sunset on Australia Day, January 26th ,2010. Fireworks in 15 mins!
40 Year old travelers to join our team
We need your help.
We want to keep our site fresh and relevant to travelers who are 40 years old and older, and to do that we are seeking contributors. We want a couple of guest writers who can get a post to us about once a week, who we can “travel with”. IE we want an ongoing series of posts where we can share your experiences as you travel, and you can run us through a summary of what you have been up to for the week. I am not really looking for philosophers, experts or travel advise, just some people who are living the dream, and want us to be a part of it. I would love to have a contributor who is currently traveling in, or about to take off for, Central and South America, one who is off to Africa, a Non European in Europe,and one or two in different parts of Asia.
Chris at an Indian Bank
Only qualifications are
1. you need to be 40 years old or older
2. you need to be currently long term traveling ( 3 months at least)
3. English needs to be your first language, and you need to be traveling outside your home country.
Any volunteers should send me an email via our contact page, and we can discuss. This is unpaid, and the only reward will be the warm, fuzzy feeling you get. It will however, be a record of your travel, published under your category and heading, and a link to your blog or website will be fine.
What have you got to lose?
Bruce
Today’s Photo – Bridge to Ngoc son Temple, Hanoi, Vietnam
Old bridge crossing to the island of Ngoc Son Temple, on Hoan Kiem Lake, Central Hanoi, Vietnam
40+ Year olds on the Backpacker trail?
Why not?
It worries me when travelers who are over 40 pigeon hole themselves into certain kinds and destinations of travel, sometimes just because they feel that that is what is appropriate. I am not saying as a 40+ year old traveler, you should not go on a Caribbean cruise, or a tour of London Museums, bit I also don’t think you should feel obliged that that is the type of travel you must experience.
Lunch break
If, on the other hand, you, as an over 40 year old, have a yearning to follow the South East Asian backpacker trail through Vietnam, then I think you should definitely do it. It is important to remember that the classic backpacker trails are classic for a good reasons. (Keep in mind, it was our generation and before that pioneered these travel adventures in the 60′s and 70′s!).
An important thing to remember when considering your travel options, is you don’t necessarily have to completely conform to the backpacker or Hippie lifestyle lust because you are thinking of visiting a backpacker orientated destination. I see no problem with a partial backpacker experience, where you extract the parts of the backpacker travel experience you want, and exchange the bits you don’t for something more suitable.
For example, a long term, unplanned journey though Central and South America would be a once in a lifetime experience for any traveler. If you are over 40 and going to embark on this type of trip, I think you can easily make a couple of substitutions, as per below, and still capture the essence of an overland adventure, without the things you just know will make it impractical.
Examples
1. Substitute backpacker accommodation in hostels for 1 or 2 star hotel rooms. If you are traveling as a couple, this will often be no more expensive, and definitely quieter and more peaceful! We are definitely going be more comfortable with our own room, and not needing to rely on communal activities.
2. Substitute Full Moon Parties and big nights of drunken partying, for a couple of drinks in a picturesque beach-side bar, after a great local meal from a street vendor ( if your game), or a local restaurant. What you will save here, you can spend on better digs!
3. Substitute Bungee Jumping, Abseiling and hang-gliding for less adrenaline pumped, genuine cultural experiences, like a walking or bicycle tour, or a guided hike.
Exploring Hoi An by bicycle
But once you take out some of the experiences that 20 year old backpackers are loving, and make a few substitutions to more age appropriate activities, you will find the rest of the experience can be very similar. Things like using local transport, walking and hiking, vegging out on a beach and people watching in a city cafe are all part of an enjoyable long term travel experience and should be appreciated. Some of the best experiences of travel come from being away from home for long enough to immerse yourself in a different culture, and to this end, the backpacking experience has the benefit of being able to stay away longer, by spending less.
So, in summary, I think the 40+ year old traveler should definitely get on the backpacker trail. It is travel, as against a holiday, and can be life changing, even at 40(+)! I am terming the phrase “OLDPACKERS” for us - Just like backpackers, but older, wiser and crankier if we don’t get enough sleep!
Beer Chang – Obscure Beer of the World #3
- A bottle of Chang
Time to review another South East Asian beer for the series of Obscure beers of the world. The beer I am remembering this time is a little less exotic than some of my previous reviews, being Thailand’s biggest selling beer, and one that is exported to both the UK and Australia. This week we are reviewing
Beer Chang
Chang is produced and bottled by ThaiBev, the Thai Beverage Public Company Limited, and I was very surprised to find out it was the biggest selling beer in Thailand, as I always remember Singha as being far better know and better distributed. I know I drank Beer Chang in stead of Singha, but mainly because it was considerably cheaper!
Chang means Elephant in Thai, and the brand is easily recognized with the two elephants pictured on the label. The bottle featured in the picture is on a balcony on Ko Phi Phi, overlooking some monkey laden patch of jungle. I think many people’s fond memories of Chang are more an association with a Thai holiday or adventure, than a true appreciation of the beer itself.
The beer, like other South East Asian beers, is reasonably light and suited to being serves icy cold in the tropical heat. I thought Chang was a little darker than most and also a bit stronger in taste. A good variation from the very predictable beers of the region. It pours well, with a decent head that seams to hold for a while. At 5% alcohol content it is a bit stronger that others also.
It works well with Thai food, diluting the chili burn nicely! But it is also quite enjoyable without food, with a noticeable light malt flavour. A bit of a hoppy aftertaste, but nothing that cannot be knocked out with another beer (again, best if it is cooold)!
I liked Chang in Thailand, but have not been even tempted to buy a bottle or case in Australia. Just don’t remember it that fondly, unlike a few others like Bintag and Kingfisher.
Opinion - pretty solid beer – “a work horse”
rating – 6.5/10
As I am going to Bali in a couple of weeks, I am looking forward to doing an up-to-date review of one of my favourite South East Asian brews – Bintag! looking forward to it, and coming soon!!
Today’s Photo – Cameron Highlands Tea Fields
A quite road in the Cameron Highlands, overlooking tea plantations
