Trying to decide where to go this winter.

So I'm really curious, what exactly do you think Rae Vynn and I do for work? There's a lot of assumptions in that post and I'm seriously curious what inspired all of them.

 

Okay, so I didn't completely explain just how I would go about going to a disaster area to help.
First, I would contact several agencies that are doing disaster relief work in the area, and inquire as to whether they needed volunteers, and what skill sets they were looking for. Then, I would find out about transportation, either through the agency or on my own.

There are a great number of disaster relief groups that never get the press coverage the big two or three get. One of the best ones I know of, is the Amish/Mennonite Aid Society. They usually get there really fast, they work their butts off, and they are generally self-sustaining - they aren't looking for on-site support, they aren't asking for donations on site, and they bring their own tools.
One of the newer ones is Avalon Cares, a pagan organization of firefighters, EMTs, and police officers, that has helped with Katrina, the Indonesian tsunami, and the California wildfires. Right now, they are focusing on the Australian wildfires.

No, I wouldn't just show up like a clueless tourist. If I went, it would be because someone there could use my help.

 

Philipines, shopping there is suposed to be awesome. (Go bride shopping Daniel.)

 

I agree.Just weed out the obvious gold diggers and scammers.Tell them you are poor.
I think Russia would be more intellectually stimulating though.

 

Not to knock the Philippines, but in Russia there are Phds wanting to meet American men.

 

Hay, my wife still has several very eligible nieces still over there

 

Phuket sounds like a great place to go!
Our local Thai restaurant has a slide show going on a PC on their counter, which is just scenic shots of Phuket. It looks beautiful. It also SOUNDS great. *evil grin*

 

Sorry mate, it was just a fun suggestion.
Beware of Phuket, full of underage prostitutes apparently. Seriously.

 

Phuket and underage prostitues. Not really.

It's a major beach resort. For hookers try Bangkok or Pattaya.

Bunny, how could a place with a vegetarian festival be full of hookers.

[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phuket_Province[/ame]

Vegetarian Festival (เทศกาลกินเจ(กินผัก-เจี๊ยะฉ่าย)) is held on the first day of the 9th lunar month (end Sept or early October). Phuket islanders of Chinese ancestry commit themselves to a 9-day vegetarian diet, a form of purification believed to help make the forthcoming year “trouble-free”. The festival is marked by several ascetic displays, including fire-walking and ascending sharp-bladed ladders


Phuket








Is she pimping these kids?

 

http://phuket101.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/yanui-beach-phuket-thailand.jpg

 

Any child prostitutes here?

 

Okay, there is SOME Hanky Panky

http://images.travelpod.com/users/katshannon/korea_2006.1155217260.phuket_thailand_089.jpg

 

Well then - would New Zealand or Australia be considered too far for you? Yes it's a long flight but I'm assuming you can easily afford business class. Both meet all of your posted requirements - they're warm when it's cold here in the US, they both have excellent first-world infrastructures, and they both have amazingly diverse amount of nature to explore and hike through and wonder at.

I seem to remember that you've been to NZ before but I got the impression (though my memory may be faulty) that it was a relatively brief trip jumping from place to place. Maybe you'd like a more extended stay in one particular region?

God knows if I had the time and money I'd be back in NZ in a flash.

** One hike I wanted to do but am not up to physically at this point is the Banks Peninsula Track (4 day walk):

New Zealand Walking Tracks - Banks Peninsula Track Home
Banks Peninsula

After the hike you could explore the Christchurch and Akaroa areas.

** One hike I did do when I was in NZ was the Abel Tasman 3 day hike along the Coastal Track (a Great Walk) with an outfit called Wilsons:

Multiday Guided Walk Trips in the Abel Tasman National Park : Wilsons Abel Tasman

Abel Tasman is an absolutely gorgeous place and the hike is never far from the coast so you get the shade and the beauty of the forest/bush as well as the views of the beaches and bays. Wilsons has very nice lodges along the walk that you stay at - these aren't huts but actual "bed and breakfast" style places. They also prepare excellent pack lunches and hot breakfasts and dinners.

I wish I had had the time to do the 5 day walk. The 5 day walk is the same as the 3 day walk except you get to spend an extra night at each of the lodges.

I believe they also offer lodging separate from a guided hike but I'm not sure about that. Should be on their website.

** Another thing I'd love to do that I wasn't able to do when I first visited Australia is go island hopping: Kangaroo Island, Tasmania, Magnetic Island, Fraiser Island, Lady Elliot Island (LEI).

I actually did get a chance to visit LEI and it was wonderful. But it's very small (you can walk around the entire island in about 20 minutes) and more of a "veg-out" resort style place with a coral beach. The island is mainly for snorkeling and scuba diving. I'd imagine you'd spend a week there at most before moving on.

Obviously the main drawback here for both Oz and NZ (aside from the travel time) is that you'll be traveling during the height of their summers - along with throngs of other visitors and natives. Places and trails will probably be more crowed, the sandflies will be out in force and prices may be higher. If these aren't significant hurdles though I'd strongly recommend either country.

 

Until the James Bond movie The Man With The Golden Gun, those interesting islands were virtually unknown to Western society. Now they are a major tourist attraction, very easily recognized from the movie