#straytravel

[xuanthangqb]

Đường rẽ sóng nè... #vietnam #vietnamisawesome #beautifulvietnam #straytravelasia #straytravel https://www.instagram.com/p/BoVfeEdhwJ2/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=v3vgt01wrsh5

[xuanthangqb]

Only a glass of cocktail mix from Jack Daniel, southern comfort, amaritto and orange juice #hoian #cocktail #vietnam #hoianancienttown #straytravel https://www.instagram.com/p/BoRfgdvBiIW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16173hlbksu85

[xuanthangqb]

Sunrise in Ghenh Rang, Quy Nhon Chỉ là bình minh thui.... #vietnamisawesome #quynhon #baixep #strayvietnam #straytravel https://www.instagram.com/p/BoNUmmAhviT/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=sk900x6yrbik

[gottogetoutblog-blog]

First days in South East Asia, with Stray Travel

It is such a relief to have been able to finish work (my real job, the one that pays for me to travel the world!) on Friday afternoon. I had been manic with running a major event and was working long hours right up until the last minute I walked out the door. Almost like a weight taken off my shoulders, I was able to change focus after my last meeting was over, and start prepping for my trip - about 12 hours before i departed! (kids, don't try that at home..) After all my trips, there isn't THAT much to arrange anymore other than to lay out my gear and ensure I have the right kit. For a trip like this one where I intend to be hiking and walking as much as possible checking out the sites, I pack lots of lightweight breathable fabrics, good walking boots / shoes, all loaded into a 40L Macpac day pack and bigger 60L travel bag. Travellers are also meant to get a range of injections before leaving, but I got most of them (like Typhoid, Malaria, HepA and B etc) earlier in the year when visiting Nepal, and by the time I asked the doc about it I was too late anyway. Travellers note, y ou need about 2 weeks ahead of most injections!

First thing Friday (day of departure) I start the day by heading to Macpac to get the few bits of extra gear i need. I had researched that both countries are hot at this time of year (average 30 degrees), and wet. So i wanted to have light clothing that was quick-dry, breathable, and would keep the mosquitos away. The team at Macpac newmarket were helpful as usual and I left with a long sleeved shirt, pants, a new hat, and also some mosquito repellant that is suitable for the conditions. 

I was starting to run behind schedule by this point as I battled Friday morning Auckland traffic to get across town to the Stray Asia headquarters, where I was to meet with Marketing Manager Antonia. She is an expert on the South East Asia region and has travelled extensively through Laos and Thailand where I am heading. Antonia gave me some great tips and advise about the areas I was visiting and I really appreciated her first hand experience and recommendations. She made the point that some of the best missions around South East Asia need a little more time than I was able to take off work, and to get really off the beaten track means less tourists and commercialisation. Never mind, I will get a good taste of the adventure and can always come back again.

I mentioned that my goal is to do as many action-based activities as possible. Whilst cultural immersion, cuisine and heritage spots are of interest, what I really want to be doing is hiking, mountainbiking, rafting, kayaking and climbing. I got some good tips on what to do to satisfy my thirst for adventure then left (quickly!) on my way to the airport.

One travel tip I would give anyone interested in doing international (or domestic for that matter) air travel the 'easy way' is to work hard to build up your airpoints, and to stay loyal to a network when you travel. In my case I have worked hard and consistently to earn air points and status points with the Air New Zealand Airpoints program and I recently clicked over from SIlver to Gold. Gold has a tonne of benefits and one of them is priority queuing andboarding, so despite arriving to the airport in just the nick of time (and with a rather large queue ahead of me in line) I was able to jump straight to the front, then relax over a salad before boarding.

I am flying Thai Airways to Bangkok on this trip, which is a Star Alliance member. This is an example of where your Air New Zealand membership still works and gets you benefits on another airline. The service was very attentive and friendlly, as they are famous for, and the plane was sparsly filled which meant an empty space next to me which was nice. The flight was about 11.5 hours and I used my time reading about the areas I was to visit in my slightly out of date Lonely Planet guide. Mum had picked it up at a garage sale or something and although it was 10 or so years old, the monuments and landmarks desribed in its pages are in some cases thousands of years old - so I don't think it matters too much. The fact the book describes places where to buy camera film from is a bit telling, but who cares? waste not want not. I just won't trust the information about internet cafes or best places to eat too much as they are quite possibly outdated by now!

I have found out some interesting facts about Thailand such as that the monsoon season arrives between May and July and lasts until October. this is followed by a dry period from Novemeber to may. So, I am going to get wet. The temperatures during the cool season (Nov-Feb) may dip to 1 degreees at night, 28degrees average during the day. For my visit however I am expecting temperatures to 32 degrees and 26 at night.. hot!

Bangkok is famous for being a mixing pot of activities and for having many faces: on the one hand, amazing ancient ruins, temples, and culture prevails. On the other, modern shopping, high rise buildings, over population and transport pressure give a very different experience. It will be interesting to get a closer look, though I am only stopping in Bangkok for one evening before boarding my Stray bus and heading off towards our first point of call at 8am after my arrival.

Standby for my next update as I aim to do ten adventures in ten days, thanks to Stray Asia!

[gottogetoutblog-blog]

Got To Get Out does South East Asia!

My name is Robert Bruce and I am the founder of this adventure / outdoors group called Got To Get Out. Got To Get Out is all about encouraging people to see the world, make new friends, and be active! Over the next couple of weeks I am going to share my experiences of 'getting out', off the beaten track around South East Asia, all thanks to Stray Asia. Stray Asia is the 'hop on hop off' bus company that allows travellers the flexibility of visiting countries like New Zealand, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and others in their own time. The whole idea of the company is that if you like the look of a place, you jump off the bus and take a look around - then wait for the next one in a few days before moving onto the next location.

I am in the very fortunate position of having an audience of a few thousand followers (and growing) on our Facebook page to share experiences with, and the responsibility of giving Got To Get Out fans useful tips and inspiration about 'getting out' is one I take seriously! As background, In late 2014 I had somewhat of a life transformation which resulted in me deciding that being active and healthy was more important than sitting at a computer desk all day eating high calorie foods and dying a slow corporate death. After losing close to 30kg over 5 months by changing my diet and by getting active, I then hiked to Everest Base Camp in the Himalayas in the middle of their winter (January). The experience gave me real clarity of thought as I trekked for 15 days (8 hours a day of climbing) and I decided I wanted to encourage others to get off the couch and into the outdoors too. So i started sharing my stories via the GTGO facebook page, and here we are. 

Got To Get Out has now arranged hikes and treks all around New Zealand, catering for hundreds of people and inspiring many others through our interesting content. We have been caving, kayaking, mountain biking, paddle boarding, and completed several overnight treks such as The Pinnacles Corormandel and Tongiraro Crossing with groups of people ranging up to 35 on a trip.

Got To Get Out often books Stray NZ buses for our excursions around NZ, and the team at Stray Asia have very kindly invited me to check out their service around Thailand and through Laos (called the Tom Yum trip) so that our followers get to learn about this interesting part of the world too. For more information or to book your own trip, simply go to www.straytravel.asia