any tips/ travel mates for Thailand, Oz and New Zealand

[alolia2k]

Hi my name is Lexi and I have been thinking about travelling for ages now and really want to go in october 2007. I would really appreciate any advice or recommendations anyone might have for things like, whether to use organised tours, where to buy tickets and stuff. I am also a bit nervous like most people seem to be, about heaidng out via asia on my own as I have never really travelled before except round europe. It would be fab if anyone in a similar situation to me would want to meet up or chat about plans and stuff.

Thanks

[lucysteans]

Hi Lexi, my names Lucy. Sounds so exciting that your going in october im very jealous!If your going on your own and a bit nervous I reccomend going with an organistion company. This is what I did last year I went to austrailia on a programme with the company www.realgap.co.uk they sorted everything out for me and i felt safer going with people who knew what they were doing. Have a look at the website and get a brochure see what you think. There are many other companies you can try out too, i just know realgap cos i used them , let me know what you decide x

[simmonz]

Hi Lexi, my name is simon. I'm going travelling at the end of october myself, never done it before either. I'll be starting in Sri Lanka then going India-Kuala Lumpa-Bangkok-Phuket-Oz and maybe other's (depend's on money) I trawlled through houndred's of site's looking for help and found the best site was www.statravel.co.uk. They have a page where you can click on the destination's you want to go to and it work's out a price, then submit it and someone then call's you up to go through it with you. I'm booking mine on sat hopefuly. Hope that's been of some help? Let me know if you need any more info. simon

[blackholesun]

hey, i travelled through S/E asia last year and it is one of the (in my opinion)easiest and safest regions to travel, and there are loads of travellers that you meet up with along the way so you never truly have to be on your own. I agree with previous post, STA travel are good for RTW flights, i havent found any company who is cheaper, plus the staff are generally really friendly and knowlegable. With regards to trips, they obviously work out quite expensive compared to independant travel but all the hassle gets taken out of it and you get to see lots of things in a short space of time - i did a two week thailand tour with imaginative traveller (through STA) round about in the middle of my trip and it was amazing, its fun being in a group for a while as well and not having to worry about organising anything, you can just relax and enjoy yourself. Don't book accomodation from home though unless you arrive in a new place really late at night, it is much cheaper when you actaully get there. Singapore is a really good place to start out in S/E asia, its really tame, well organised and a total travellers hub. Hope that was of some help.

[tessaf]

Hi i used a company called GlobalXperience, there site is www.globalxperience.com. They helped me sort my trip out. I went to Thailand. I was a very nervous to say the least. but these guys helped me out and put everything in place. The place i went to was amazing.