This three week adventure through parts of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam is one to cherish on many fronts. Always, seeing new sights, experiencing new tastes and cultures is fascinating, and sharing it with good friends who Jeanne labeled the Traveling Sisterhood makes it even more unique. The trip was seamless in every way, and that is due in large part to another Jean in Australia. She has Cape Lux Travels, and if you ever think about going to southeast Asia, you should contact her first. She is amazing!
If you are considering travel to the area, here are some tips that may be helpful.
1. Check to see if there are any special health requirements. You can do this online or by visiting a clinic offering travel consultation. These days there are fewer must dos, but it’s good to know what, if any, they are.
2. Be sure your passport is current as some countries will not admit you if it is close to expiration. Also, be aware of visa requirements and take cash enough to cover any associated costs at the airport. Entering Vietnam, for example, the visa fee for Americans is $60.
3. Make a to do list for things to be done in advance and compose a packing list. Check out an APP called Packing Pro that is invaluable for both purposes .
4. Take the smallest suitcase you possibly can which means planning carefully your clothing requirements. Most of us take far more than we need, and if you are moving from place to place, schlepping a heavy suitcase around gets to be a pain. Travel is not a fashion show, and you will enjoy it far more if you take clothes that are both comfortable, practical and can be mixed and matched .
5. Take appropriate shoes. If your feet don’t feel good, the rest of you suffers. On this trip, I took 2 pair of what are great walking shoes, but they didn’t allow my feet to breathe and in a hot, humid climate that was miserable. Luckily, I had a pair of very comfy flip flops in my bag and for 3 weeks they were my shoes of choice. Who knew, but I’ll tell you a little secret. I liked them so much I just bought another pair with a bit more support for the next trip!
6. Take extra camera batteries and a charger so that your camera will always be ready for all those photos you want to take. And, don’t forget to put a couple of those extra batteries in your pocket when you go out. Nothing is more frustrating than having your camera die part way through the day! Does that sound like I may not have followed my own advice?
7. Don’t carry lots of cash. There are ATM machines, or as I call them money walls, most places these days and often the exchange rate is better than you might get at an airport or hotel. In Cambodia, American dollars are welcome, but in Thailand and Vietnam, having the local currency is a must. Another handy APP is My Currency Converter which will keep you in the know about exchange rates, helpful, too, when you are shopping.
8. Eat the food. It is not only delicious, it is healthy. In fact, this is the only trip where I’ve eaten so much and came home having lost a few pounds!
9. Be prepared to sweat! Most of the time is is warm and humid in these countries which makes it all the more important to have lightweight, comfortable clothing. To lessen the physical impact, be sure to drink lots of water.
10. Most of all, travel with your eyes wide open. You never know what is going to touch your heart and mind and you want to be ready for that unique and special moment.
Enjoy your travels whether they are right down the road or far away, and if you have tips for us, please do add them. Again, thanks to all of you who traveled with me. It was great having you along.
i so appreciate your visit and the comments you leave behind
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Lulu's Musings 
Hi Linda.. I just stumbled upon this blog post.. :(.. it slipped through .. I was so chuffed I could assist your lovely group of travelling sisterhood friends and you have a mind altering trip through S E Asia.. what a joy it was for me to read your posts..you made me feel like I was with you there! Thanks for the great recommendations. Wahoo! Viva Vietnam! I appreciate our connection.. regards.. Jean Wethmar
My dear, Jean, you are more than welcome. I hope to have the opportunity to send some travelers your way.
I love your multi- colored toes! Fitflops is comfy for my regular walks but on my adventures on places with hills and beaches I go for crocs slippers — better than climbing shoes and no worries on getting wet on the shore.
Thank you for visiting Asia. It’s hot in here and so comfy get up will help you enjoy the travel 🙂
Good to hear from you, Spoon. Have you tried Keens? They are pretty good for walking, too, and getting them wet is no problem.
Loved looking at your blog! Thanks for stopping by and telling me your “Dad” story.
Great tips!!..As I will be traveling to France with some fellow bloggers in September! I may be asking you more questions!! Happy Easter!!
I really enjoyed following along with you on your trip (didn’t always comment, just too much to be in awe of!). You are quite adventurous, I’m trying to get my nerve up to go on a cruise! lol!
Settle in and relax for awhile. And thanks always for stopping by!
XO,
Jane
Wow, you are on an adventure with this trip. Great advise for travel. I love those flip flops……..
You touched my heart and mind with your blog posts all along the way. Thanks for the tips. What brand flip flop was so good?My feet are problematic on trips and my crocs aren’t as cute as yours.
I don’t know the brand of flipflops that I wore, but with arch support they were surprisingly comfortable. I liked wearing flipflops so much I bought a new pair yesterday that have even more support. They are called Fitflops.
Glad you had such a great time! I love Thailand but haven’t been to Cambodia or VietNam yet! Looks intriguing! Gotta put it on my list- when do you head up North?? We plan on mid May – hope the snow will be gone by then! HA !
When/if you make the trip, work with Jean. She is a total professional. Heading to Maine in May, that is if it stops snowing.
Great tips!
Great to have you be a part of Seasonal Sundays.
– The Tablescaper
I have several friends who have visited and even lived in Thailand, but I have never been. Thanks for the wonderful tips!
You are more than welcome. Thank you for stopping by.
I envy you. I have never traveled much. I went to the shopping mall though. Two years ago. Does that count ?
Did you remember to take your passport?
I am so glad that you had such a good time, Linda, and even more glad that you so graciously shared photos of your adventures with us. I am not a traveler, but I do enjoy reveling in the joy of others’ treks across various continents. You took such poignant photographs and really helped us to feel each one. I love the tips you’ve provided here, but I think you forgot one: Carry an extra straw in case you want to be a two-fisted smoothie drinker like you! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Extra straw….how could I not have thought of that!
I have so very, very enjoyed being on this exciting trip with you. Thank you for all your wonderful posts and letting us see this experience through your eyes. Your personal touch made it all the more interesting. We are leaving on a 6 week adventure to Portugal, Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Sicily and Malta in a few days and your travels have made me even more excited about our upcoming venture. Thank you again…………it was so very enjoyable.
6 weeks! Boy, do you have an adventure to look forward to and I do hope you will be sharing.