Ideas needed for an adventure

[Mr_Wendel]

As it appears I rather under-estimated the state of the job market when I left what was a pretty cool job with a rally team at the end of February, I am now considering scratching my itch to travel.

I don't fancy doing the typical 12 months in Oz and Thailand or round the world ticket.

Ideas so far:

1. Cycle round Britain - Cheap but is UK based which isn't really travelling far!

2. Cycle up through South America (high risk of kidnap and death?!) to LA and then get a one way hire car that needs driving back to New York.

3. Spend a season snowboarding in the French Alps.

4. Road trip to Nepal and hike to Everest Base Camp.

5. Find some sort of summer job in the Med.


All ideas and advice gratefully recieved.

[v15ben]

I'd probably say Number 4 out of all those. Something really epic. However it depends how long you want to be away for. If it's a long stay, I'd go for working somewhere warm and with plenty of beaches!

[mechsympathy]

How long and how much have you got? And will you keep looking for work while you're away, that limits your road trip ideas as sorting the car out to come home can be an arse.

[VxDuncan]

Never been to base camp (though have met a few who have), but have to say Kathmandu is the most wonderful place I've ever been too. Granted I was off the main hiking season, but it really is wicked. Very chilled, cultured, lovely people, good eateries, chilled beer glasses, great galleries and the best random jazz bars. From what I've heard the annapurna route itsn't too bad. If the altitude sickness doesn't get you that is!

I'd consider something like fly into Dehli, down to Agra and visit the Taj Mahal for a couple of days to get rid of the jet lag, then hire an BSA bike and get to the Nepalese border via Varanasi (Kinda the spiritual heart of India on the banks of the Ganges), fly into Kathmandu, then onto Pokahora...

[ShadownINja]

I'd vote for (4), too. It will be an experience you won't forget. There are some dangerous aspects to it in terms of falling into a crevasse or the risk of falling ill and experiencing high altitude pulmonary edema or high altitude cerebral edema thanks to hypoxia but being able to experience a completely different environment to what you're used to or what the average traveller is used to will be something to remember. Certainly more memorable than sitting on a sandy beach. You can do that when you retire.

Oh, and there's the flight in to Lukla Airport: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUQ8K1V0MQc&fea...

Edited by ShadownINja on Monday 20th April 23:01

[Mr_Wendel]

Thanks for the input, there are some good ideas here.

Number four is a trip that my late father wanted to do in an old Land Rover when he retired but he never got the chance. His idea was based on a book by Eric Newby called 'A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush'. However, I don't fancy having to wear a blue hat and paint a UN symbol on top of an old Volvo to enable me to make the trip to Kabul and Helmand so maybe I will give the idea some thought!

As with all travel, I think this would require a bit of planning (not too much detail though) and a reasonable bank balance so I would probably aim to save a bit before disappearing off. There is then less pressure to find work along the way.

Maybe a UK registered car would be a bind / security hazard in some places? Therefore a overland trip to Everest base camp, using various means of transport, would maybe be a better idea and it would attract less hassle at border crossings. That airport looks amazing!

I love the idea of hiring an new old motorbike for part of the journey. Although I would probably last about 100 yards before I was off through a hedge, backwards, or embedded in the side of a cow and condemmed to enternal damnation!

I guess afterwards I could always turn myself into a cliche and nip down to Thailand to get used to the thick air at sea level.

[ShadownINja]

TBH I wasn't even considering the roadtrip (or drive, as we call it in Surrey ) to Nepal. Get a plane there. You'll need all the energy you can to get to base camp.

[Mr_Wendel]

I suppose you'd also suggest hiring a slave or two to carry my equipment for me as well? How very colonial of you!

There is half a world of things to experience on the way to the Himalayas! It's not as if I intend to jog there!

[mechsympathy]

You can skirt Afghanistan to the south, although whether pakistan is safer at the moment is another question

The problem with the road trip is being sodding unfit by the time you get there. It took us 3 months to do the same trip and although I'd lost weight (by crapping it away) I was not in good shape by the time we got to Nepal. But the base camp trek is well trodden with little risk of serious altitude sickness if you're sensible.

[Plotloss]

Number 3 but do it in Canada rather than the Alps.

[ShadownINja]

Mr_Wendel said:

I suppose you'd also suggest hiring a slave or two to carry my equipment for me as well? How very colonial of you!

There is half a world of things to experience on the way to the Himalayas! It's not as if I intend to jog there!

You've entirely missed the point. As stated by mechsympathy, you will not be in the best of health. You need to be at your fittest.

And yes, you will need to hire a porter to carry your equipment. You need food and water for four weeks plus somewhere to store your refuse.

I think you need to do your research.

Edited by ShadownINja on Tuesday 21st April 10:43