Itinerary advice for long trip

SomethingClever · #1 09-07-2007, 01:59 PM

As you may have gathered from some of my previous posts, my wife and I are about to go traveling for a year.

We will be purchasing tickets in the next week or so, but we're still trying to figure out our itinerary. We know most of the destinations we want to hit, but the order is still somewhat up in the air. We want to save money, but we also have certain conditions.

Option 1

- Europe from October to mid December
- SE Asia from mid December to mid March
- Argentina from mid March to mid June
- Mexico from mid June to mid September

Option 2

- Argentina from October to January
- SE Asia from January to April
- Europe from April to June
- Mexico from June to September

We have to finish the trip in a spanish speaking country, which is why Mexico is last on both options. And we want to be in SE Asia during the cooler season, from January to March or April.

So the question is.... Europe or Argentina first? Which makes the most sense for flights? For weather? For saving money?

Kneel B4 Zod · #2 09-07-2007, 04:24 PM

wow that is a lot of time to dedicate to Mexico. any reason Mexico instead of a mix of SA/CA countries?

jesusarenque · #3 09-07-2007, 07:42 PM

[ QUOTE ]
As you may have gathered from some of my previous posts, my wife and I are about to go traveling for a year.

We will be purchasing tickets in the next week or so, but we're still trying to figure out our itinerary. We know most of the destinations we want to hit, but the order is still somewhat up in the air. We want to save money, but we also have certain conditions.

Option 1

- Europe from October to mid December
- SE Asia from mid December to mid March
- Argentina from mid March to mid June
- Mexico from mid June to mid September

Option 2

- Argentina from October to January
- SE Asia from January to April
- Europe from April to June
- Mexico from June to September

We have to finish the trip in a spanish speaking country, which is why Mexico is last on both options. And we want to be in SE Asia during the cooler season, from January to March or April.

So the question is.... Europe or Argentina first? Which makes the most sense for flights? For weather? For saving money?

[/ QUOTE ]

If weather is a major concern (and it should be), Option 2 is an easy call.

Cancuk · #4 09-07-2007, 07:59 PM

Flights make more sense for option one, but weather is better for option two. I hope you travel around in SA instead of just staying in Argentina the whole time.

PilotMatt · #5 09-07-2007, 09:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
wow that is a lot of time to dedicate to Mexico. any reason Mexico instead of a mix of SA/CA countries?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd second this, spend some more time in asia or maybe even Australia or NZ

SomethingClever · #6 09-10-2007, 05:15 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
wow that is a lot of time to dedicate to Mexico. any reason Mexico instead of a mix of SA/CA countries?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd second this, spend some more time in asia or maybe even Australia or NZ

[/ QUOTE ]

Austraila or NZ will almost certainly be too expensive.

SomethingClever · #7 09-10-2007, 05:18 PM

[ QUOTE ]
wow that is a lot of time to dedicate to Mexico. any reason Mexico instead of a mix of SA/CA countries?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, we will be doing some traveling within Argentina, and may hit up Guatemala as well.

I wouldn't mind seeing certain places in SA/CA (like Panama, for example) but I'm a little reluctant to do that much overland travel. It seems like we'll just be riding buses all the time, which I hate.

Kneel B4 Zod · #8 09-10-2007, 06:20 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
wow that is a lot of time to dedicate to Mexico. any reason Mexico instead of a mix of SA/CA countries?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, we will be doing some traveling within Argentina, and may hit up Guatemala as well.

I wouldn't mind seeing certain places in SA/CA (like Panama, for example) but I'm a little reluctant to do that much overland travel. It seems like we'll just be riding buses all the time, which I hate.

[/ QUOTE ]

huh, ok, so is your plan more to "park" in a place for a month or so? not be moving around a lot?

still, I think Central America for a few months would be a lot nicer than Mexico. unless there is some other reason you really want to see/visit Mexico you haven't mentioned.

SomethingClever · #9 09-10-2007, 06:40 PM

One other reason for mexico is that the spanish spoken there is basically the same as the spanish spoken in the states. And my wife wants to really work on her spanish right before the end of our trip as she will be a bilingual counselor when we return.

T50_Omaha8 · #10 09-10-2007, 07:36 PM

[ QUOTE ]
still, I think Central America for a few months would be a lot nicer than Mexico. unless there is some other reason you really want to see/visit Mexico you haven't mentioned.

[/ QUOTE ] Movement throughout Mexico is generally much easier than movement throughout central America. There's plenty to do in Mexico; it's got huge geographic diversity and lots of different places to see.

If you go to Panama, there are lots and lots of buses to take you around, but some places outside of the canal zone (Panama City to Colon) are extremely undeveloped. It's a very cool place to check out, however. PC is cheap, uses the dollar, and is very interesting. Colon isn't much of place, unless you like duty free shopping.

But if you plan on busing through Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica to get there, good luck to you.