Looking for travel buddy/buddies for July 2012

Hi,

Come July, I will have a whole month to myself and I’m planning to go
traveling! I was thinking of a cruise but can’t seem to find one in July, so I
will settle for air or land travel, unless there is one that I’m not aware
of?

I am looking for travel buddies. I will consider joining anyone or a group if
the itinerary is to my liking.

Please write to me at my email address at meiliiX@gmail.com.

Thanks

Mary

Author: Mary Chan

SHC708

27 thoughts on “Looking for travel buddy/buddies for July 2012”

  1. Wow!! Mary!!

    A whole month with you! No wonder your post was under moderation!

    Can I suggest going to an Arabian oasis, sail on a dhow from there to the Mediteranean, cruise up the Baltic, take the Orient Express to romantic Paris for a beautiful ending.

    Now, when am I able to get leave??

  2. Hi,

    I am interested in joining your travel group if the date suits me. FYI your email address has a typo error. I sent you an email but it was returned to me. Please correct it.

  3. Hee, Kenneth
    Wish I could, ;-) but what will your wife say?? Ha ha ha.
    I have to say your suggestion of an Arabian oasis and sailing on a dhow sounds SO romantic, but, but, but, ALL the way to the Medit on a dhow?? I’d probably die of sea sickness!
    Ah a cruise up the Baltic sounds better and a trip on the Orient Express to ROMANTIC Paris is exactly that, mmmm.
    Oy, wake up! it’s all a dream, ha ha ha.

  4. Lee Thean Hor

    First and foremost, are you male or female? My buddy has to be a female.
    I forgot to mention that. If you are, then please
    send your email again. My email address is correct.
    Also please introduce yourself a little. I don’t think I’ve met you.

  5. Yes, it is safer to travel single with the same sex especially for woman unless accompany by mix groups. When M & F together, you know ……………??????????? when both do not really know each other well, difference in opinions and suggestions when travelling make or spoil your plan sometime.

    Mary, good that you mentioned it or else lots of M out there thinking and waiting for opportunity. If you have such a long period, suggest you go to Europe on a free & easy. You can see Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany where there are lot of beautiful sceneries and places to visit and explore. Do some research first or get info from Tour Agency to start off. It can be tiring but plentiful of exploration and cultures to venture.

    Goodluck to your trip whichever countries you are going ! Enjoy yourself and take care too when travelling.

  6. Hi Danny Lye,

    I have been to Europe and don’t really want to go there again, at least until I have no other options. I dislike the long flights and transfers.

    My daughter and her family are going to visit her inlaws in Ireland in July and I thought it would be a good idea to go somewhere nearer, like Hong Kong may be, or China, even Japan.

    Thanks for your advice and good wishes.

    Cheers

  7. Kenneth Tan,

    My post was put under moderation because Terence was very busy with some other matters and didn’t have the time to look into it.

    Actually, after reading it myself, I realised that I should have specified that I wanted a FEMALE travel buddy. Anyway, I have written something about it in comment #4.

    I knew you were being cheeky and was pulling my leg when I read your comment. I know you are not the ‘buaya’ type lah and I had a good laugh about it.

    Thanks for the laughs.

  8. Hee hee hee!

    Mary, you’re absolutely right. And I was being cheeky!

    If you’d like to go to Thailand you can speak to me about it, but I guess you’d want somewhere more different or exotic. Japan may be a good idea… now that things are more settled and they’re hungry for tourists. Get somebody who knows her way around or use the Japan Travel Bureau to plan the route for you.

    I hope that you’ll find a travel partner in SHC, I know you’d make an ideal travel companion.

    Have a great day!

  9. Kenneth Tan

    Thanks for the compliment.

    On the contrary, I just may drop in to Thailand for a few days, probably Chieng Mai if I can find someone interested to go.

    I will most probably go to Japan in August as my WEC chairman is planning a trip to Hokkaido, so no problem there.

    I’ve had a few responses to my post but I will have to meet up with each one to ascertain if we are compatible.

    You have a good week ahead too!

  10. Mary,

    If you are going to Japan, my advice is to buy the Japan rail pass in Singapore before proceeding to Japan. Once you are in Japan, you will not be able to buy it and the rail pass is a bargain. If this is your first trip to Japan, try not to use the rail pass when you arrive at the Narita Airport. At the airport, buy a slow train pass to Tokyo. Stay a few days in Tokyo and travel around using the subway. There are many great places to see in Tokyo and the surrounding places. After that when you are ready to travel further (like Yokohama town), on the night before travelling, go to a Japan Rail Office to book your seat on the “Sinkensan” bullet train for the next day travel. Make sure you are at the correct platform waiting for the train whih is usually very punctual. Get into the right cabin and right seat and you will be amused how smooth and fast the train speed along.
    If you are going to Europe, it’s also good to buy your Euro Rail Pass before travelling. The Japan rail pass is avilable for continuous use for a number of days depending on how many days you decide to buy, whereas for Euro rail pass, you could buy for example 7 days of use spread over a period of 1 month. Before buying, do check with the agent whether you have other ombination to give you a wider choice to feed well into your travel plan. Have a wonderful holidays!

    JL2e

  11. Hi Jeremy,
    I have been to various parts of Japan, mainly in Kyushu and the southern areas of Honshu, including Kyoto, which is my favourite city.
    We are planning to go to Hokkaido in August and I hope to stay in one of those quaint, traditional houses with their own onsens. Forgot what they are called.
    I’m not much into ‘roughing’ it out. I much prefer to have everything taken care of, especially the luggage.
    We are trying to customise our trip although it may get to be quite pricey. Anyway, we’ll see how.
    Thanks for your advice. :-)

  12. Hi Mary and Jeremy,

    Mary, you have visited Japan and hi Jeremy you are very familiar with the areas.

    May I take this opportunity to ask both of your opinion and advice?

    I am planning to tour Japan next year during the cherry blossom season. There are tour agency which offer 9 pakages for different zone. My thought is why not holiday in Japan for about 6 weeks. Subtracting 8 times air tickets and cut off some duplication of places will reduce the number of days and savings. The sum for this 9 packages is $23,097.00 and going 9 times I need 63 days.

    I will list all those places of interest and approached tour agency to customize with their required minimum of pax in a group or shall I go free and easy to save more. Taking trains and stay in accomodation which cost $100.00 per night?

    Thank you both in advance.

    Regards,

    johnny pow

  13. Aiyoh Johnny Pow
    I travel but don’t ask me about how to plan and economise. If I feel like traveling, I go, as long as it’s within my budget and doesn’t create too big a hole in my pocket.

    If you want to see more of Japan, I suggest you follow the series “Japan Hour”. You get to see places your tour will not bring you to.

    Cheers

  14. Got it!
    The name of the quaint Japanese house is RYOKAN! You get to dress in a YUKATA and soak in an ONSEN, sleep on a FUTON spread on the TATAMI floor.
    I may even try gettin myself buried in warm sand up to my neck, ha ha.

  15. #12 Hi Johnny,
    MY suggestion is to planned about 3 to 5 day in Tokyo. If you have time buy a 3-week Japan rail ticket. At Tokyo, go to the Japan Rail office and ask for a train route map and train schedule.My suggestion is: Let say, you go North first, so first town is yokohoma, follow by whatever towns. Number the first town as No.1, the next town as 2..and so on.You will end at Hakkaido. So for the going up trip, take the bullet train to first town. Get down walk around for an hour or so and look around, if you like the town, stay for the night and book your hotel. If you don’t like the town, go to the train station and take the train to town no.3 (skip town 2) and do the same. That way you go free and easy and see what you like to see and have fun spending your time there.On the way up, visit the odd numbered town. On the way back from Hakkaido to Tokyo visit the even numbered town. THAT WAY YOU WILL NOT MISS ANY TOWN.
    If you go south from Tokyo you will end at Sapporo and can repeat the same system. It is relatively safe in Japan, But low crime does not mean no crime! EACH WAY MAY TAKE UP TO ABOUT 7 TO 10 DAYS. Have fun and enjoy yourself!

    JL2e

  16. Hi Mary #13,

    Although I have not meet you personally, your response make me understand you. Many will share your view and my wife will agree with you.

    In my recent visit to Kuching the first time, four in a group, I am the one who plan and make arrangement for free and easy travel. All enjoy this trip and gave their tumbs up for the hotel I selected.

    Japan is a bigger country with lots of interesting places, more challenging. Those places you mention I have noted. Didn’t spend much of my time watching TV show, so no Japan Hour for me.

    Thank you for sharing. Please mention more on your post if you have the time. :)

    Regards,

    johnny pow

  17. Hi Jeremy #15,

    Really appreciate your suggestion. Very systematic way for travelling in Japan (long shape). I have been gathering all the places of interest promoted by our local tour agency and group them by prefecture. After which will follow your suggested routes.

    Once this is completed and with price indication, I will then post asking any travelling kakis to tour for the next cherry blossom season in Japan.

    Thank you once again for your suggestion.

    Regards,

    johnny pow

  18. Hi Johnny

    I was in Tokyo/Nagano during the CNY. My family and I enjoyed ourselves very much. It was easy for me as my eldest and youngest daughters took Japanese as a third language in JC and Uni and my second daughter took it at evening classes so mummy just wait at the side while my girls make all the arrangements and bought train tickets and check out the maps.

    We took the express train from Narita to Tokyo and then another express train to Nagano enroute to Hakuba – a lovely ski resort area. Its a small “village” with quaint houses and it was winter – lovely snow fall and a beautiful sight to behold. Of course, it would be good to share it with a “companion” cos its such a beautiful and romatic sight, watching from the windows of the apartment. Four days there was good enough.

    It was back to Tokyo. We took the trains to visit the Nissin Noodle Museum, the Fish Market and the Kirin Beer factory. We did not have time to see more cos we had only three full days there. The Ramen and sashimi are to die for. Jeremy’s suggestion of 3 to 5 days is good, of course with 5 days the better choice.

    Do keep me in the loop when you have finalised your trip and if the timing is right, would like to join you and your lovely wife on your Japan trail. Like it very much. Wish to take you all to this lovely restaurant tucked in some alley(in the heart of town)that serves the best fish dishes I have ever tasted. My eldest daughter found this place when she was working in Tokyo many years ago.

    Have a great weekend!

    Cheers
    Carly

  19. #17 Johnny,
    When you arrive in Narita airport, take a slow train to Ueno station which is near a big garden/park and there are many cherry trees in the park. There is also a very busy street market which start around noon till late in the evening. It could be a good starting base. Try to book hotel near the station through internet for 1 night. After that you can source around and use the subway to move around Tokyo.My suggestion:borrow Tokyo travel guide book from our national library and use it for planning your trip.

  20. Hi Caroline #18

    Nice of you to contribute and share of your previous trip to Japan. It will be great if you can join my wife and me as this will make the trip more interesting.

    Jeremy#19 mention there is this big garden/park with cherry trees. If there is also a rock platform can I request you sing a japanese song to entertain us? :)

    Last year in Finland, the finnish tour guide sang us a song at their Sibellius Park. He got good high pitch voice. I show him the video with Annie mimicking him. He like it so much and gave Annie the t-shirt he just bought to requset I send him a copy. I uploaded this on Youtube for him to easily share with his wife, relatives and friends. When travelling to other countries we make sure to have fun
    among ourselves beside appreciating their sceneries.

    Caroline, I will definitely keep you in the loop.

    cheers!

  21. Hi Jeremy #19,

    I believe you have been to Japan very often. Your guidance is good encouragement for me to make this trip a reality.

    Hope to meet you either at the monthly gathering or activities that you attend.

    Regards,

    johnny pow

  22. Hi Mary,

    Hope you don’t mind I used your post to let known of my plan trip and now having Jeremy and Caroline to give me their encouragement and guidiance.

    I got a year to work on this Japan’s trip. I am in no rush and want to make this a successful and enjoyable holiday.

    Me and my wife also hope to have an opportuniy to meet you so that when you post again in future to ask for travelling buddies at least you know who we are.

    Regards,

    johnny pow

  23. Hi Johnny

    Its my pleasure.

    And yes, if I am with your group to Japan, I will sing the only Japanese song I have learnt by heart, if given the chance.

    You and Annie are very easy going and fun people so I am sure you will make good company.

    When you are ready, you can start your own thread for your trip to Japan. I will be looking out for it.

    All the best!

    Cheers
    Carly

  24. Hi Mary,

    I will let you know once I finalise my plan.

    My current thoughts is to have a sytematic routes where it’s flexible to choose either 2 weeks, 4 weeks or 6 weeks itinery. This offer flexibilty and members can choose their own travelling buddies in a group and which places they prefer. Those who choose from start to end of schedule will have opportunity to tour with all SHC members. The objective for this “Japan’s cherry blossom tour” is to build fellowship and fun for SHC members.

    This is what I can say presently.

    Thank you for your interest and usage of your space. :)

  25. Hi Johnny

    We met at the last walk. Any advice on the better months to do Scandinavia?

    Was your trip to Finland last year done as an FIT or were you on a group tour? Any tips if it’s the former?

    Thanks.

    Daisy

  26. Hi all,
    I don’t mind anyone ‘borrowing’ my post but if you have any discussion with anyone other than myself about my search for travel buddies, could you please start one of your own?

    My reason for this is, that whatever is written on my post goes to my email address. I dislike having irrelevant emails.

    No offence meant. Thank you.

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