Eight Months, Four Continents, Many Questions
August 12, 2008 2:20 PM Subscribe
Your tips for our epic RTW journey?
Also an epic post, sorry:
Mngo and SO of Mngo are both academics who've managed to make our sabbatical calendars align, and we're off next week for an eight-month round-the-world trip that is a combination of field research, enhancing our teaching, and rest and relaxation.
I've looked at numerous great threads here, from recent posts related to travel gear and couch surfing to posts on travel insurance and on-line data storage. Fine if you want to chime in on any of those topics, but I'm wondering if you have suggestions for any of the destinations listed below related to the below needs/issues/questions. (Links below are mostly to related posts on the green and blue.)
Topics:
Theatrical performances (especially language-less or in English, but we go to anything) and interesting performance spaces.
Sites related to historical traumas—especially sites that include memorials but are less well known (this is research related, so yeah, we know about the mainstream ones).
Off-the-beaten path experiences we shouldn't miss.
Places to take a yoga class (Hatha/Iyengar or something new to us).
Good places to run / hike.
Opportunities (especially short-term ones) for volunteering (especially with an arts and/or human rights dimension)
Things we might skip as too touristy that are totally worth it anyway.
Good cooking classes in local cuisines (link is to a great one in Chang Mai).
Itinerary:
Denmark, Sweden and Poland to start (with a probable stop back at Berlin)--now through September
Africa, specifically South Africa and Rwanda—October through mid-November
India—through mid-January (8 wks). There will be some trekking at some point.
SE Asia (Bangkok, Cambodia, Laos)--mid-January to mid-February
..and then Easter Island, Patagonia and some of Chile on the way to Buenos Aries where we'll settle in to a self-funded “writers' colony” in an apartment for a couple of months
Also an epic post, sorry:
Mngo and SO of Mngo are both academics who've managed to make our sabbatical calendars align, and we're off next week for an eight-month round-the-world trip that is a combination of field research, enhancing our teaching, and rest and relaxation.
I've looked at numerous great threads here, from recent posts related to travel gear and couch surfing to posts on travel insurance and on-line data storage. Fine if you want to chime in on any of those topics, but I'm wondering if you have suggestions for any of the destinations listed below related to the below needs/issues/questions. (Links below are mostly to related posts on the green and blue.)
Topics:
Theatrical performances (especially language-less or in English, but we go to anything) and interesting performance spaces.
Sites related to historical traumas—especially sites that include memorials but are less well known (this is research related, so yeah, we know about the mainstream ones).
Off-the-beaten path experiences we shouldn't miss.
Places to take a yoga class (Hatha/Iyengar or something new to us).
Good places to run / hike.
Opportunities (especially short-term ones) for volunteering (especially with an arts and/or human rights dimension)
Things we might skip as too touristy that are totally worth it anyway.
Good cooking classes in local cuisines (link is to a great one in Chang Mai).
Itinerary:
Denmark, Sweden and Poland to start (with a probable stop back at Berlin)--now through September
Africa, specifically South Africa and Rwanda—October through mid-November
India—through mid-January (8 wks). There will be some trekking at some point.
SE Asia (Bangkok, Cambodia, Laos)--mid-January to mid-February
..and then Easter Island, Patagonia and some of Chile on the way to Buenos Aries where we'll settle in to a self-funded “writers' colony” in an apartment for a couple of months
In Laos, make sure you go to the Northeastern part of the country, which was brutally bombed by the US during its Vietnam-era "Secret War." The Plain of Jars is particularly arresting, with the combination of the eery, unexplained giant (human-sized) jars littering the plain and the house-sized bomb craters.
I assume you'll make the obligatory concentration camp stops in Poland and Germany.
posted by lunasol at 2:30 PM on August 12, 2008
I assume you'll make the obligatory concentration camp stops in Poland and Germany.
posted by lunasol at 2:30 PM on August 12, 2008
Best answer: Logistical tip: if you have someone left behind that you trust absolutely then consider whether you want to give them a limited power-of-attorney. It might be a bit late to arrange this, but it only took like fifteen minutes of lawyer time then about ten minutes waiting in line at the bank to have the arrangement registered in their files.
...this turned out to save me ~$12K in money I'd have unexpectedly lost without someone who could execute financial transactions in my absence....
Note that you must be willing to trust that person with your life, or the POA can doom you to poverty.
posted by aramaic at 2:50 PM on August 12, 2008
...this turned out to save me ~$12K in money I'd have unexpectedly lost without someone who could execute financial transactions in my absence....
Note that you must be willing to trust that person with your life, or the POA can doom you to poverty.
posted by aramaic at 2:50 PM on August 12, 2008
Best answer: Don't know if you've already bought your tickets, but AirTreks is a company based in San Francisco which is dedicated to RTW tickets. They have a fun Flash tool that lets you price out itineraries, too.
posted by mdonley at 3:43 PM on August 12, 2008
posted by mdonley at 3:43 PM on August 12, 2008
Best answer: I have taken two RTW trips (6.5 & 14 months) but not to all of your destinations. Contact me if you're more interested or want a link to my site. Have you searched through the RTW forums on Lonely Planet's Thorntree and Boots n' All?
Theatrical performances
If you head to Southeast India definitely catch a Kathakali performance. There's plenty for the tourists that are only an hour or two but you can go early and watch the makeup being put on. I think it's hard to find a full traditional performance these days. It's performed through intricate hand gestures, little or no talking.
The only performers I can think of in Rwanda are the traditional dancers. It sounds really cool but the national group is often on tour outside the country so it will depend on your luck and you'll have to be proactive on getting information/tickets/dates.
Too bad you're not going to Myanmar. I saw a great performance of a traditional Shan dancing and costumes near Inle Lake. I was really lucky though, as a tourist paid for it all himself and they are not usually put on anymore because of political and monetary concerns.
In Nepal I saw traditional dance shows over dinner which you'll be able to find. I love the dancers with lit tea light candles in their hands. I've seen similar dances in Thailand and Cambodia. The Cambodian national dancers are beautiful but I'm not sure if they have regular performances.
Yoga
I spent about 8 days at Sivananda Ashram in Nyyer Dam, which is in the Southern tip of India. It's filled with 99% Westerners and the mood really depends on who's there at the time. Sometimes there's a class of teachers who are more serious. It's a nice break from the craziness of the rest of India. It's a good deal at around $11.50 USD per day including all food, instruction and housing. They like you to stay for 2 weeks but many people leave after a week, many stay for a month. Get reservations via email ahead of time as it fills up.
Too Touristy... but Go
Hiking in Nepal is super touristy but do it. It's beautiful. I flew up to Jomson and then Hiked up to Muktinath and then back down. It took 6 days with a porter carrying my bag, although it was billed as a 7 day trip. I went faster than I thought I would because my legs were so numb I just kept going. I went by myself but because of rules at the time had to hire a porter (their plane tickets are half the price of foreigners so it's not bad to pay for them). It was basically the second half of the Annapurna circuit. The people I met who did the whole thing were proud of it but said the second half was the most beautiful. A friend did the Annapurna Sanctuary trek to base camp and said the scenery wasn't amazing. I booked the porter/plane/permit once I got to Pokhara.
See the Taj Mahal. There are nicer marble temples in India (Mount Abu is fantastic!) but it's worth going and is convenient. Go as early as you can. It will be crowded and smell like feet, but go.
The temples in Bangkok are beautiful. Don't get caught up drinking all night and being lazy. Go see them.
If you go to Southern India get an elephant blessing. For one rupee the elephant bops you on the head.
The museum in Butare Rwanda was the best museum I saw in East Africa by far.
I wasn't planning on seeing the mountain gorillas but once I got to Uganda I changed my mind. All the Ugandan permits were sold out and the Rwandan ones had already been increased to $500 (Uganda and Rwanda were $500 as of last summer). I went to the Congo (DRC) for the day and paid $300 plus transport and tips to the rangers. I got out of there about a month before it was overrun by fighters and then ebola so I'm not sure if it's safe any more. I was lucky but that region can change really fast. Anyway, it was a once in a lifetime experience. I went with a woman I met in Uganda. Most treks have 8-15 people but for us it was only 2 people (with 7 armed guards + army guards between the park and Ugandan border).
Off the Beaten Path
Why not try to hike in Mustang in Nepal? It's expensive but it looked beautiful standing behind the sign that said "no access without special permit."
The valley between Kathmandu and Pokhara looked beautiful, maybe there's some nice, not so hard core trekking around there.
If you head North from Rwanda by land to Uganda stop for a rest at Lake Bunyoni. There's an island with an eco camp on it run by an American that is excellent. It's much better than the Lake settings in Rwanda, in my opinion.
Cooking Classes
I really wanted to go to a food decoration class in Chiang Mai (where you cut vegetables into cool shapes) and despite lots of flyers around town couldn't find one going on at the time.
Historical Traumas
Cambodia has a ton I'm sure you're aware of. I think the prison affected me the most. If you hire a moto go out to the killing fields the scenery is nice along the way.
After seeing the monuments in Cambodia I wasn't nearly as traumatized when I went to Rwanda. However, the fact that it was so recent and there are more personal stories attached is hard to take. The memorial in Kigali is definitely worth going to. Leave lots of time for all of the exhibits which do a good job of explaining events. It's too much for some people. I went to a church sort of Southeast of Kigali and it was pretty bad. I don't think the description in Lonely Planet are accurate as to what each church is like. This one had underground tombs you could go in with not just skulls, but also femurs etc. all organized by bone type. While I was there there was a funeral (there are still many as new mass graves are still being found). You're probably not going to want to go to more than 1-2 of these places.
If you're interested in learning more about the Rwandan genocide and events leading up to it (I know I didn't learn about it at the time or in school) there's a book by the head of the UN force there called Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda. I thought it was almost too much information for me and am currently reading A Thousand Hills: Rwanda's Rebirth and the Man Who Dreamed It which, so far, is more readable (not so many acronyms!) but I feel is a bit too in awe of Paul Kagame for my taste.
posted by Bunglegirl at 8:32 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]
Theatrical performances
If you head to Southeast India definitely catch a Kathakali performance. There's plenty for the tourists that are only an hour or two but you can go early and watch the makeup being put on. I think it's hard to find a full traditional performance these days. It's performed through intricate hand gestures, little or no talking.
The only performers I can think of in Rwanda are the traditional dancers. It sounds really cool but the national group is often on tour outside the country so it will depend on your luck and you'll have to be proactive on getting information/tickets/dates.
Too bad you're not going to Myanmar. I saw a great performance of a traditional Shan dancing and costumes near Inle Lake. I was really lucky though, as a tourist paid for it all himself and they are not usually put on anymore because of political and monetary concerns.
In Nepal I saw traditional dance shows over dinner which you'll be able to find. I love the dancers with lit tea light candles in their hands. I've seen similar dances in Thailand and Cambodia. The Cambodian national dancers are beautiful but I'm not sure if they have regular performances.
Yoga
I spent about 8 days at Sivananda Ashram in Nyyer Dam, which is in the Southern tip of India. It's filled with 99% Westerners and the mood really depends on who's there at the time. Sometimes there's a class of teachers who are more serious. It's a nice break from the craziness of the rest of India. It's a good deal at around $11.50 USD per day including all food, instruction and housing. They like you to stay for 2 weeks but many people leave after a week, many stay for a month. Get reservations via email ahead of time as it fills up.
Too Touristy... but Go
Hiking in Nepal is super touristy but do it. It's beautiful. I flew up to Jomson and then Hiked up to Muktinath and then back down. It took 6 days with a porter carrying my bag, although it was billed as a 7 day trip. I went faster than I thought I would because my legs were so numb I just kept going. I went by myself but because of rules at the time had to hire a porter (their plane tickets are half the price of foreigners so it's not bad to pay for them). It was basically the second half of the Annapurna circuit. The people I met who did the whole thing were proud of it but said the second half was the most beautiful. A friend did the Annapurna Sanctuary trek to base camp and said the scenery wasn't amazing. I booked the porter/plane/permit once I got to Pokhara.
See the Taj Mahal. There are nicer marble temples in India (Mount Abu is fantastic!) but it's worth going and is convenient. Go as early as you can. It will be crowded and smell like feet, but go.
The temples in Bangkok are beautiful. Don't get caught up drinking all night and being lazy. Go see them.
If you go to Southern India get an elephant blessing. For one rupee the elephant bops you on the head.
The museum in Butare Rwanda was the best museum I saw in East Africa by far.
I wasn't planning on seeing the mountain gorillas but once I got to Uganda I changed my mind. All the Ugandan permits were sold out and the Rwandan ones had already been increased to $500 (Uganda and Rwanda were $500 as of last summer). I went to the Congo (DRC) for the day and paid $300 plus transport and tips to the rangers. I got out of there about a month before it was overrun by fighters and then ebola so I'm not sure if it's safe any more. I was lucky but that region can change really fast. Anyway, it was a once in a lifetime experience. I went with a woman I met in Uganda. Most treks have 8-15 people but for us it was only 2 people (with 7 armed guards + army guards between the park and Ugandan border).
Off the Beaten Path
Why not try to hike in Mustang in Nepal? It's expensive but it looked beautiful standing behind the sign that said "no access without special permit."
The valley between Kathmandu and Pokhara looked beautiful, maybe there's some nice, not so hard core trekking around there.
If you head North from Rwanda by land to Uganda stop for a rest at Lake Bunyoni. There's an island with an eco camp on it run by an American that is excellent. It's much better than the Lake settings in Rwanda, in my opinion.
Cooking Classes
I really wanted to go to a food decoration class in Chiang Mai (where you cut vegetables into cool shapes) and despite lots of flyers around town couldn't find one going on at the time.
Historical Traumas
Cambodia has a ton I'm sure you're aware of. I think the prison affected me the most. If you hire a moto go out to the killing fields the scenery is nice along the way.
After seeing the monuments in Cambodia I wasn't nearly as traumatized when I went to Rwanda. However, the fact that it was so recent and there are more personal stories attached is hard to take. The memorial in Kigali is definitely worth going to. Leave lots of time for all of the exhibits which do a good job of explaining events. It's too much for some people. I went to a church sort of Southeast of Kigali and it was pretty bad. I don't think the description in Lonely Planet are accurate as to what each church is like. This one had underground tombs you could go in with not just skulls, but also femurs etc. all organized by bone type. While I was there there was a funeral (there are still many as new mass graves are still being found). You're probably not going to want to go to more than 1-2 of these places.
If you're interested in learning more about the Rwandan genocide and events leading up to it (I know I didn't learn about it at the time or in school) there's a book by the head of the UN force there called Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda. I thought it was almost too much information for me and am currently reading A Thousand Hills: Rwanda's Rebirth and the Man Who Dreamed It which, so far, is more readable (not so many acronyms!) but I feel is a bit too in awe of Paul Kagame for my taste.
posted by Bunglegirl at 8:32 PM on August 12, 2008 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks, all. Aramaic, we don't quite have POA but do have some safeguards in place. Mdonley, Airtreks looks great and has a good rep but because one of us is claustrophobic we needed to be able to upgrade some legs, and on the phone airtreks admitted they couldn't compete on price in that case (they were great on the phone BTW). And Bunglegirl, thanks for all the details. I've read the Gourevitch book on Rwanda, but not the ones you mention, though I read one review of Thousand Hills that really took it to task for being a hagiography of Kagame that minimizes his authoritarian behavior in the last 14 years...
Africa and India still seem a long ways off but we'll do some of our arrangements while in Europe so this is all helpful. Expect to see a few more (but not too many) questions from me as we go...
posted by Mngo at 4:18 PM on August 14, 2008
Africa and India still seem a long ways off but we'll do some of our arrangements while in Europe so this is all helpful. Expect to see a few more (but not too many) questions from me as we go...
posted by Mngo at 4:18 PM on August 14, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by nitsuj at 2:25 PM on August 12, 2008 [1 favorite]