GenghisFaun

anyone else? first time in southeast asia, girlfriend and I are going and are open to suggestions about itinerizing. basically planning to relax whilst seeing hearing smelling eating feeling new things.
i think we are pretty well prepared for the jump, but still can hone the image.
want off the beaten trail, suppose, but fellow travellers/other people in general are not a problem. i think we want to stay on some beaches, see some islands, temples etc. rent a motorbike/do some hiking and camping if possible. full moon type parties welcome. where they at? good hiking/camping. more laid back islands, crusty expats? camping beaches?
we'll be in Wyoming for Rainbow if that happens to intersect with anyone.

sf>hong kong>bankok
july 20 - sept 2

istanbul>black sea/greece/croatia>syria>lebanon>cairo
sept 2 - oct 12

Canadian Bacon

Welcome to the boards!!!

Wow, both sound like awesome trips.

I went to Greece-Turkey-Syria last year... both great places, very beautiful, and (mostly) quite safe.

My route was Athens-Ios-Kusadasi-Selcuk-Bergama-Istanbul-Aleppo-Hama-Palmyra-Damascus... it was a great trip.

Some of my Syria pics from the trip are in this thread: http://travelpunk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=14355

It's really another world over there... its awesome

__________________
Vincent: "So what you gonna do?"
Jules: "Well, basically, I'm just gonna walk the earth."
Vincent: "What you mean 'walk the earth'?"
Jules: "You know, like Kane in 'Kung Fu'...go places...meet people...get in adventures."

Trips (only counting recreational travel):
FIRST TRIP (2005): FIRST EUROTRIP EVER! UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Holland
SECOND TRIP (2007): First Solo Trip! Greece, Turkey, Syria, Spain
2008: China (Beijing, Shanghai, Yangshuo) ...right before the Olympics!
2009: Japan & HK, Southern Spain
[size=1]2010: All over Lebanon, Ibiza (Spain), Oktoberfest (Germany), Thailand.
2011: India (Goa), Jordan, Jerusalem, San Sebastian (Spain), Amsterdam (again), London, Driving from Vancouver to L.A. (stopping in Portland, Seattle, San Fran and all the little stops), Montpellier (France), Geneva and Lausanne (Switzerland)

"Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it."

worldwidemike

I agree that Syria was awesome. If you haven't been to Egypt before, I'd recommend getting outside of Cairo, too. Even though it is a "touristy" thing to do, maybe take one of those Nile cruises. You can probably find a great deal if you wait till you're there. Luxor, Aswan, all that stuff was amazing.

Sounds like a great trip. If you want to read about my trip there, feel free to click on the link in my signature...

worldwidemike

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"Life is not measured in the number of breaths we take, but by the places that take our breath away..."