Everyone has one so why not..

[claypole]

Mate, deffo go travelling. Its the bollocks and the best thing about playing poker for a living, freeeeeeeeeeedom. I went to Oz and NZ last yr and it was best ever. Maybe our paths will cross in the next 12 months because i dont know where im gonna be. Obv got the villa in Phuket for 6 months and your more than welcome to come visit me and Costa at anytime bud. Hit me up on msn or pm me if u want any advice m8.

Definitely going to do it, which places in Oz/Nz would you recommend visiting, did you stay in hostels when you where there ?

Cheers for the Phuket offer, maybe will be to early, will give you a nudge on msn for advice/tips etc.

Hostels ftw in Oz and NZ - some shabby ones bust most different gear and you can't help but meet people...I found the "I play poker professionally" particularly good value on 21 year old Irish and German girls when I was an old man - you're 25 so will clean up Ray

PS - I owe you a measly $15 - where do you want it?

[mondatoo]

I did a year in 2007 when I snap resigned the first time at 36, best year of my life by a mile despite being 10-15 years older than most people I met. Agree redarmi, SE Asia is a great option, Thailand especially if Amatay there, Cambodia, Laos and Veitnam cool too.

New Zealand and Aus cool...could do a whole post on NZ but fav bits Queenstown, Kaikora  just to swim with dolphins, kayaking Able Tasman, Franz Josef, do Doubtful Sound, awesome and most do Milford, which is good but commercialised.

having just come back from Oz a word of warning, ridiculous expensive at moment there, just unreal -  salaries reflect though so if you plan to work with your quake 3 months in Sydney may pay well and set you up for trip. Using UK money doesn't go far at $1.46 at mo.

Id love to chat about this, my fav subject and you'll find most people that have done it say the same. Only other advice, don't overplan! You'll meet people, do things you didn't expcect etc. I'd put 5 big stops in over 12 months, check cost to make changes pre booking and use internal flights. I had a plan and still changed my ticket so many times, often down to meeting a girl lol.

Be in Melbourne January / Feb....Tennis incred, Aussie Millions a real experience and you can nip any of the boys out there if skint lol

Add me on msn or skype mondatoo, would appreciate the advice. First site I looked at you can get round the world flight with 4 stops such as UK-Bangkok-Aus(flights around Aus £40 extra)-NZ-LA-UK for £1052.00 inc taxes, is that right ? Really suprised it'd be that cheap ? Definitely agree about not having set arrangements. As for working I wouldn't be planning to work and if I had too I'd want it to be grinding poker if needed.  

[mondatoo]

Mate, deffo go travelling. Its the bollocks and the best thing about playing poker for a living, freeeeeeeeeeedom. I went to Oz and NZ last yr and it was best ever. Maybe our paths will cross in the next 12 months because i dont know where im gonna be. Obv got the villa in Phuket for 6 months and your more than welcome to come visit me and Costa at anytime bud. Hit me up on msn or pm me if u want any advice m8.

Definitely going to do it, which places in Oz/Nz would you recommend visiting, did you stay in hostels when you where there ?

Cheers for the Phuket offer, maybe will be to early, will give you a nudge on msn for advice/tips etc.

Hostels ftw in Oz and NZ - some shabby ones bust most different gear and you can't help but meet people...I found the "I play poker professionally" particularly good value on 21 year old Irish and German girls when I was an old man - you're 25 so will clean up Ray

PS - I owe you a measly $15 - where do you want it?

Just call it the advice fee and get me a pint when a see you

[claypole]

Yeah, this prices seem right - mine was £890 in 2007 with £50 changes - they are incred value. I used Air Asia loads in Asia obv lol. I wasnervos when I went - guess for different reasons, but still found it good to put in events like Aussie Millions, mates for England NZ cricket, Vegas in my schedule. They didn't take over but gave me stuff ton look forward too.

I'm down with dad on iPad, I'll add you on skype when back and as you start planning just fire any questions mate, like I say fav subject! Think you'll like NZ...allow at least 6 weeks!

[Redbull]

Hey, you coming down for the Monte Carlo?

[mondatoo]

Anyone travelled to Africa/South America and got any recommendations for places to go ?

This maybe ambitious but at the moment I'm thinking: UK - USA - South America - Africa - Thailand - Aus - NZ - UK.

[mondatoo]

Hey, you coming down for the Monte Carlo?

Nah won't be playing, probs won't bother playing live for a while now, might fancy something though, glgl if playing.

[Redbull]

OK mate, cheers.

Oh and make sure you def do the travelling thing. Nothing compares to those experiences and memories you gain.

[mondatoo]

Playing with some numbers and this is very rough figures/dates to work on.

costings :

flight £1600
Hostels: Aus 2 Months :£1100
         NZ 2 Months : £900
         Thailand 2 months :£650
         Africa 2 months :£500
         South America 2 months : £700
         USA 2 months : £1200

Total Hostels cost: £5050

Flights & Accomadation : £6650

Living expenses : £15000

Total needed : £21650

Thoughts on that ? As I said I'm a bit of a noob to all this so if you think I'm way out lmk please. I was thinking 20k, obv the living expenses fig is hugely fluctuable. For most of the hostels I picked more on the expensive side but not just always picking the most expensive one, mostly just those close to highest rated. I'm thinking of starting the trip in Vegas, is this an abolutely terrible idea

Also, thoughts on the route, is there a better/quicker way to go around, I put them in order of what I think would be convenient working from USA upwards.

[claypole]

When you thinking of going? I'd decide that first then decide route...I'd strongly suggest Oz / NZ Christmas time....if you could go July time do I. Reverse, Asia first, then Oz etc over Summer end in Vegas June - we can all sub you when skint. Personal thing, I think 2 months in Oz is tight if you love it and do the Sydney / Melbourne thing and want to see some of West Coast as well as East Coat - I've never done Africa so not really qualified to comment but I'd maybe do 3 months Oz and Asia and drop Africa for another trip. You can easily do 6 weeks in Thailand, 2 in Laos, 3 in Vietnam, couple of weeks in Cambodia.

If in was single and you could cope with old man I'd come lol - excited for you.

[claypole]

Budget = about right  in my view although plenty of people do on less although Oz may hit you hard at mo. I spent 20k in 2007/8 including 3 sats to Aussie Millions, some decent hotels and only cooked liked twice in a year in hostels

[mondatoo]

When you thinking of going? I'd decide that first then decide route...I'd strongly suggest Oz / NZ Christmas time....if you could go July time do I. Reverse, Asia first, then Oz etc over Summer end in Vegas June - we can all sub you when skint. Personal thing, I think 2 months in Oz is tight if you love it and do the Sydney / Melbourne thing and want to see some of West Coast as well as East Coat - I've never done Africa so not really qualified to comment but I'd maybe do 3 months Oz and Asia and drop Africa for another trip. You can easily do 6 weeks in Thailand, 2 in Laos, 3 in Vietnam, couple of weeks in Cambodia.

If in was single and you could cope with old man I'd come lol - excited for you.

Those time periods where just to get a rough fig together, definitely won't be sticking to a schedule. Thinking of going next summer, I agree with being in OZ Jan/Feb time. The trip will be for around 12 months.

[pleno1]

hotels seemm a little small, massive gl tho

[mondatoo]

hotels seemm a little small, massive gl tho

It's Hostels not hotels

[Simon Galloway]

I'm thinking of starting the trip in Vegas, is this an abolutely terrible idea

Rut-roh..