22nd July 2012
Travel planning never rests with me. But in the last couple of months, I had to really decide what I was going to do with my American leg of my trip due to take place in the last 3 weeks of my RTW Travel Plans for 2012.
When I was throwing myself in the surf of Sihankoville of Cambodia in early May, I got news from 2 of my good friends that they wouldn’t be able to join me for my USA Trip. I was very solely disappointed but also I had to decide myself if I could do it. Financially, it would be better if I did have 2 others with me as we would have been able to split costs for transport and accommodation but faced with the possibility of travelling solo in possibly the most expensive part of my RTW trip and I hadn’t even travelled in Australia yet, I knew there would be an extremely fine line if I could do it or not. Back in Cambodia, I decided to leave it until I was half play through my travels in Australia to make an informed decision and that time is now.
Should I or should I not do America? That is the question. And what better to make a decision than an USA Travel Expo that was taking place in Brisbane.
Walking through into the exhibition hall of the Brisbane Convention Centre on the Southbank, I was overwhelmed with offers and over eager agents of different travel companies wanting me to partake on their tours.
It seemed it was mostly the airline companies trying to get rid of their seats. Somehow I got a grim satisfaction of telling I already had a flight booked from Fiji to Los Angeles. Bwahahahahahahaha. How’s that for their egos pricked and deflated. No, I was here to check out their tours. Would a tour be cheaper than solo travelling?
Some became fearful of having a travel blogger in their midst and tried to court me with delightful deals. Expensive deals. No, I merely asked if they had any deals for backpackers on a low budget. Their silent expression said a million words.
After spending a couple of hours and attending some presentations that highlighted different sightseeing activities such as the Grand Canyon and San Fran, I was still the none wiser for a tour that would suit my needs.
Kicking my heels on the way into the Central Business District, where I bought a pair of jeans and a jacket for 15 dollars, it became clear that there was a dwindling possibility that actually, I will not be going to USA.
I jut can’t afford it and would it be worth worrying about spending money on a cup of coffee throughout. So what’s the choice?
Go to USA and return completely broke and possibly live below the breadline throughout?
Cancel my USA Trip completely and return to the UK earlier than originally planned?
Or go to a cheaper country instead of USA…I’ve always wanted to do more of Malaysia.
It’s tempting to do option 2. I’ve missed my parents and would like to see them again but I’m already on the other side of the world and it would be madness to pass up an opportunity to do more travelling.
Discussing this with a friend of mine online, he offered Hawaii. Hmm, no. I would have already been in Fiji beforehand and I wouldn’t want to go on another beach destination. What about South America? Do I really? Malaysia seemed the most viable option.
Still frustrated that I hadn’t come to a decision yet, Beech said we would go out to let down our hair. After all, I needed to experience a part of Australian culture. Sunday sessions.
Sunday Sessions is when you go it to a local pub or bar and listen to acoustic sets and have plenty of beer. I mean plenty! Fortitude Valley was for us and after our token fish n chips, we got cracking on the beer. What was a few pints turned into plenty and found myself on a bar crawl and a nightclub. Not been out in ages certainly was a factor in getting possibly a bit too drunk. Drunk enough to scoff 3 takeaways!
After a long awkward time of dancing, I collapsed into bed, checked my emails and laughed myself silly when I found out where I would be going for my second WWOOF placement the next day.
A Nudist Resort.
Watch this space.
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