It's official - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**U2fan** · 10-09-2005, 04:34 PM

So here is the plan!

Dec. 9 Atlanta to Los Angeles (visit best friend for a day)
Dec. 10 Los Angeles to Fiji (arrive Dec. 12)
Dec. 15 Fiji to Sydney
Jan. 7 Sydney to Singapore
Jan. 9 Singapore to Tokyo (arrive Jan. 10)
Jan. 11 My program begins (goes until beg. of May and then my plans are up in the air; don't have to be back in the US until school starts again in Aug.)

I cannot freaking believe it! I honestly feel like the luckiest person in the world. I am soooooooooooooooooooo excited it's unreal. I just wish I had more time to plan/read up/learn some Japanese but I'm working over 20 hrs/week now in addition to school so not much time to do that, and only have 3.5 days after my last exam to move out and get everything ready before LEAVING!

Don't know where else I'm going in Australia besides Sydney; 3 weeks and 2 days isn't very much and my friends are mostly in Sydney so it would be easy to spend the whole time there....Obviously I have to be there at the beginning, the end, and I'd like to be there at Christmas...

So any suggestions, thoughts, etc. would be greatly appreciated. I will prob. use this thread for updates. Or I'm thinking about having an online journal since this will be the longest I've ever been away for and I hate doing mass emails b/c I'm not sure who cares and who doesn't.

**LiveFreeorDie** · 10-09-2005, 05:24 PM

Sounds like an awesome itinerary U2Fan. I left you a post about Singapore already. Sydney is an awesome city, but there is so much to see in Australia that you do not want to overlook the rest of the country. Cairns, which is in the North (and very tropical) is kind of the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Rainforests. From there you can do trips to the GBR, trips into the outback (4WD + camping), trips into the rainforests, white water rafting, etc. Lot's of backpackers there.

Anyway - do a little research if you can and plan your time wisely.

Have a great time in Japan and keep everyone posted!

**bluepea** · 10-09-2005, 05:35 PM

You're right, you are very lucky!!! This sounds so absolutely amazing. You seem to have quite the life!!! Good luck!!! (I'm sooo jealous!!

)

**ScarlotteDorian** · 10-09-2005, 10:10 PM

whoa, that's awesome. just paint me out of the loop, but i'm guessing you have a study abroad thing set up? if so, what are the details. i'm so very interested in doing that.

**travelpunk** · 10-09-2005, 11:26 PM

That's awesome, Lauren! You are quite the travel....err...punk

!

NZ seems like it would be a good fit into your itinerary....just a thought.

Quote:

Or I'm thinking about having an online journal since this will be the longest I've ever been away for and I hate doing mass emails b/c I'm not sure who cares and who doesn't.

You know that we will all care in this neck of the woods, babe

.

Congrats on your trip B) !

**TheJake** · 10-10-2005, 01:07 AM

yeah i'm with SD... what are you doing?

**kingcrazylegs** · 10-10-2005, 01:48 PM

Awesome Lauren!

Sounds amazing!

**U2fan** · 10-10-2005, 04:41 PM

Thank you!!!!!!!

Yes, I am studying abroad. Temple University (Philadelphia) also has campuses in Tokyo and Rome, so you can go to these campuses for a semester or go for your entire degree there if you want. They have various majors for undergraduates, the law school, business school, etc. for graduate students. And you don't have to be American.

Temple in Japan

**omisan** · 10-17-2005, 11:05 AM

Damn, you're gonna have one helluva time...

**U2fan** · 10-18-2005, 12:17 PM

Thanks all. Yeah I can't think about anything else right now!

Omid, it's too bad we're going to miss each other.

**beergal** · 10-18-2005, 01:03 PM

well i will be in Beijing for 3 weeks from 20th March if you want to meet up on the mainland or Hong Kong?

**omisan** · 10-18-2005, 02:46 PM

It's alright, Lauren - I'll leave a nice trail of destruction and you can look at the scorched earth and scattered remains and say, "Yup, Omid was here alright..."

**U2fan** · 10-18-2005, 03:04 PM

I'm sure you will.

Quote:

Originally posted by beergal1@Oct 18 2005, 04:03 PM
well i will be in Beijing for 3 weeks from 20th March if you want to meet up on the mainland or Hong Kong?

[snapback]81888[/snapback]

Oh are you serious? I am trying to decide where to go for spring break and am thinking either Thailand, Korea, or Beijing but Beijing is coming out ahead....and my spring break is March 13-17 so I could be there from March 11-20 (assuming I don't have classes on Monday)......but the 20 would be cutting it close and I'd have to go back that day.....

**beergal** · 10-18-2005, 04:02 PM

yeah well i can leave up to 4 days earlier...the rest of my class will be getting there on the 20th march so i could always do a few days with you before hand if your seriously considering it? I will be booking my flight at the end of october