Planning a Trip Independently

Planning a trip independently can be fraught with problems. Booking an airfare to Myanmar via Kuala Lumpar was the easy bit! Now trying to co ordinate dates and days, flights and travel between Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Malaysia is proving the more difficult part.Tours are not for us!We are very independent travellers. But it does always mean more hard work in the planning stages, trying to co ordinate everything.

With an extra two weeks after our time in Myanmar, we want to visit Laos, and are hoping not to have to take the return leg from Yangon to Kuala Lumpar, but instead fly from Mandalay to Chiang Mai, and then to Luang Prebang or Ventiane.Unfortunately flights online will only let you book return fares....we only want one way! We may have to enlist the help of a travel agent.They always struggle with our complicated travel plans, that are not the "run of the mill" itinerary.

Somewhat reluctantly....the last week will have to be spent in either Bangkok or Phuket....it seems a good opportunity to have some dental work done. Highly recommended by many who have made the trip, I'll write more on this after the event!

As soon as the airfares are organised, it will be time to apply for visas. We know from experience this can often take quite some time.

This time we were very careful to check the weather, and go at the best time of the year. It is very easy to overlook the weather, or combine a holiday with an event that is at a quite unsuitable time of year.This inevitably means even the best laid plans can be totally ruined by the weather or other natural disasters!

Once all these tedious details are out of the way....we can look forward to the fun part of planning an itinerary.We are always flexible, but we do need to be sure we allow enough time in each place, and check for transport. Not all transport runs every day....so some panning is required.

We are also always looking for more unusual or out of the way experiences not mentioned in the travel guides.This part of the planning is always exciting...and for me is a big part of any trip. Planning a trip independently is very rewarding.

Arriving and Leaving Tanzania in 1973 - Snippets from my Diary

When I did an Overland trip through Africa in 1973, we had many rather unusual experiences. Arriving and leaving Tanzania were both far from straight forward border crossings.

At the time the government of the day was insisting everyone.........that included locals...........were to wear clothing that covered them well. Long skirts and short sleeves, necklines to the neck was the acceptable clothing for females, while males had similar, but long trousers.

Westerners clearly had created an impression of a decadent lifestyle the Tanzanian government did not want people in their country to emulate.The things they saw as Western included long hair for males, bell bottom trousers, denim...I suspect jeans was the clothing they disliked...........and of course clothing that did not cover enough of the anatomy!

It took us two attempts to get through the border.....that was after waiting in long, slow moving queues, and a return trip to Lusaka to get repeat visas!

Leaving was another story...........you can read about it at http://www.fascinating-travel-destinations.com/tanzania-border.html