brrrrrr update

Almost a year ago (how time flies)

I posted about Tibet and how its going to be really cold for part of our trip, well...

Im looking again at jackets at Uniqlo and this one... ...seems a lot more practical than the one I mentioned in that post,

It is made from special down material and stuff designed to keep you warm, and is also lightweight (250g apparently) and fits into a bag when not in use...

I likey!!!

Only £39.99 (eek!)

Photos of Tibet

Came across some photos taken by British invader John Claude White in 1904
This one is of some Tibetan nuns...

New Route ideas

New Plan- Fly into Chengdu, travel around China from there( not sure what route yet), include trip to Seoul in S.Korea for a week or so (there is a boat from Tianjin to Close to Seoul)
And head to Japan (by boat) for around 2 months, before heading back into china and then South to Vietnam.

Lots of planning needed, but I feel a little better now I don't have to worry about tours from Kathmandu and Tibet visas!

So, its quite exciting that we'll go to Seoul, that I never really factored in before. Its kinda compensation for not doing Kathmandu!

Seoul, S.Korea

Ok, ok, ok, So I keep changing my mind

I have been researching routes almost every day this week.
I sadly have come to the conclusion that to travel to Tibet through Nepal is just toooooo awkward and expensive ( you need special permits, guides, to join a tour and then it effects your china visa)
So Ive come to the conclusion that after all that, I'll have to kiss goodbye to Kathmandu (for now) and start back at the drawing board again!
I think what the easiest thing will be is to fly directly into China (Possibly Beijing, or another major airport) and travel from there, hopefully still getting a chance to travel in Tibet at some point. I think it might be good to get a multiple entry visa, and then we can head intro S. Korea and Japan from China, instead of doing them later in the trip (might be good because I was worried about missing the Japanese blossoms in spring, but this way it might work.
Its weird how these things evolve over time eh?
Anyway, rather more important things are going on as JW's Dad is very ill, so JW is going out to Cape Town this weekend ( I wish I could go, but with saving money and work, its just not possible)So his focus is on that.

Brrrrrrrrrrr

So the recent weather got me thinking about warm and cold clothes to take with travelling.
(Also I watched the Michael Palin Himalaya when he does Everest base camp and felt inspired and itchy-footed as always!)
When we travel through Tibet, its going to vvvvvery cold, but the further South we go, the warmer we get and less clothes we'll wear... But eventually we will be heading south again through Japan, and could get to some pppretty cold places in the North.
Not sure what the best thing to do is, and I can imagine in a steamy Cambodia we might be quite pissed off that we have to carry the jackets etc in our luggage (on our backs ) the whole time.
Judging from forums, a lot of people just buy as they travel, or send stuff home- but both cost money which will be tight already so I'm not keen.
Not sure what the best thing to do is........?

Either way, I know its probably not great at keeping you warm... but i want this Jacket from Uniqlo..(only £19.99-whoo!)...

Inspired...

At the weekend I watched some of Michael Palin's 'himalaya'

He reminds me so much of my Dad, actually he was travelling through Sudan at the same time my Dad lived there, shame they didn't bump into each other!


Anyway, I was watching the one where he is travelling through Tibet, and it made me really inspired and excited about going...

Thinking about routes...

I've been thinking a lot about what direction we should travel in, and where to start.
I thought it would be good to start in Tibet and travel east,
But someone suggested to me that I should start in Delhi, then travel through Nepal (adding extra weeks to my trip)instead.
But, im not sure if Im already taking on too much, and adding more places is over-complicating things...?
On the other hand the more places to see the better, and it is easier and cheaper to fly into Delhi...???
Also been doing a lot of thinking about going to OZ.
I've been doing some research about working holiday visas.
JW is 28, and apparently you cannot get a working holiday visa if you are over 30, that only gives us (well, him) a couple of years before we wont be able to do it at all.
Also with him being South African, we have to apply for his British citizenship before we go (figured it would make travel a lot easier if we are both on a British passport) it costs crazy money, and kinda feels like its a chunk out of what we could be spending on travel.
Although, I know I wouldnt want to do this without him (what fun would it be on my own?)

where, when, how?

The plan is to start in Tibet, travel through china for a few months.
Then through
Cambodia
Vietnam
Laos
Thailand
Malaysia
Singapore

Then spend a few months exploring Indonesia

Through the Philippines, Taiwan.
Explore the Islands around Japan, then spend a few months travelling through Japan.

Then, possibly travel to Australia and New Zealand to do a working holiday for a few months

(possible detours through Northern India, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and North and South Korea?)