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.

Cape town in August

I'm making plans to go to Cape Town (where JW is from) in August.
Its his Dad's birthday, so we are going to do a special party for him.

I'm hoping it's also another opportunity to do some touristy stuff as well.

Last time we were there we did the Table Mountain cable car (which was a.ma.zing) and the waterfront, beaches etc
But I'd like to do a little more exploring...

Stuff that I want to do in Cape Town...

1. Whale watching
2. Couple of days in the winelands doing some wine tasting
3. Robin island
4. Avoid any English tourists left-over from the world cup
5. More beach time

JW is born and raised in Mitchell's Plain (TOTALLY not a tourist area- in fact more like a place the guidebooks warn you to avoid) and we'll be spending a lot of time there with his parents.

What a place to start...

Kathmandu looks amazing...

All moved and raring to go!

After lots of stress and a few arguements, I moved everything I own into one room in my parents house this weekend.

I'm back to work today, and can now really start thinking about where, what, when and how much?

I've been reading my lonely planet books like crazy, and trying to get together plans where I can!

So now have a few more route details...

Hopefully, should be starting in Kathmandu in Nepal, then travelling from there to Lhasa, Tibet.

On the way doing Everest base camp.

From Lhasa, travel through Tibet to Golmud.

Through Qinghai province to Xining,

Then on to Langzhou in Gansu.

And head towards Xi'an.