I'd be getting in early and asking for a re-route. QTR are part of One World. I'd be asking for a flight with Finnair via Helsinki. They have 2 a day from there to Bangkok and one most days to Phuket.Qatar from Edinburgh
If you're driving, be wary of tunnels and sat nav. A number of key turn offs around the lakes are just after you exit a tunnel, at which point sat nav has no coverage. So you end up missing the turn off unless you think ahead.We are going to lake garda at Easter for a week never been that area before really looking forward to it.
Be careful of motorbikes on the pavement in cities! There's a thing called a Hanoi tattoo, which is basically burns/scars on legs/calf caused by hot motorbike and scooter exhausts.Any top tips for Vietnam?
Not really ,as a solo traveller i just fancy a few weeks travelling around.Have you got an itinerary?
And people pay to go to Vietnam ? Fucking hell !!Be careful of motorbikes on the pavement in cities! There's a thing called a Hanoi tattoo, which is basically burns/scars on legs/calf caused by hot motorbike and scooter exhausts.
Also, DONT buy bottled water from anyone but reputable looking shops or hotels. We got really ill and dehydrated, kept buying water from street vendors, only to realise it was the water making us ill. Many of them just fill up bottles from any water sources they can find and sell as spring water. We literally saw sediment and crap at the bottom of the last bottle we drank before realising. Locals then backed this up with clear warnings about what these street vendors do.
I'd be getting in early and asking for a re-route. QTR are part of One World. I'd be asking for a flight with Finnair via Helsinki. They have 2 a day from there to Bangkok and one most days to Phuket.
The Foreign Office advise only essential travel to/through Doha. You may well not be covered with your travel insurance. I'd be surprised if QTR don't offer an alternative. I'd be making the phone call whatever quoting the FCDO advice. Neither QTR030 or QTR032 have operated since the war began so they seem pretty much cancelled for the foreseeable anyway.You can only get a reroute after they have actually cancelled the flight
The Foreign Office advise only essential travel to/through Doha. You may well not be covered with your travel insurance. I'd be surprised if QTR don't offer an alternative. I'd be making the phone call whatever quoting the FCDO advice. Neither QTR030 or QTR032 have operated since the war began so they seem pretty much cancelled for the foreseeable anyway.
Amazing country ,been 4 times now.Not really ,as a solo traveller i just fancy a few weeks travelling around.
Many thanks for your interesting insight.Amazing country ,been 4 times now.
Really cheap ,friendly locals, amazing beaches.
Hanoi is more cultural than Ho Chi Minh but both are worth a visit.
Da Nang is a good place to fly into as its close to Hoi Ann if your just doing that area , very touristy at Hoi Ann tho with loads of Chinese and Japanese tourists. Hue is near there but haven't been yet but always fancied it and again the golden bridge is near .
Halong bay is a must do if your in Hanoi and the Chi Chi tunnels and war museum in Sgn .
Nha Trang was a nice place to chill but Ive heard its full of Russians now.
We got the train from Sgn to Nha Trang which was very interesting.
If you have the time try to nip across to Cambodia for a few days as its easy to do. Siem reap for Anghor wat and Phnom penh for the killing fields.
Be careful of the weather it has different seasons between north and south.
Watching people cross the road is fun ,you can tell when somebody has just got there as its impossible to cross without just stepping out into the traffic, the hint on my first trip was just start walking into the road as they will avoid you and dont catch there eye as they will assume you will avoid them ... its worked so far ..
and the scooters are everywhere and i mean everywhere .
Vietnam is more like Thailand was 15-20 years ago.
Not been for a few years but remember a lot of good eateries in the Jewish Quarter so worth checking that out. One place we did eat and had a great steak was Beerstro14 https://www.beerstro14.hu/Budapest for 5 days this Saturday. Hungarian colleague told me I should go about 25 years ago and finally got around to it.
Looks like loads to do and see and weathers looking promising too.
Any recommendations for where to eat would be appreciated, but don’t do fine dining. Local(ish) or independent smaller places preferably.
Took probiotics before and during our stay. Never had any stomach issues and we ate everything. Down load grab. Really cheap. Look for the 2 for 1 offers on beer! Pavements are an issue, full of scooters and you'll have to walk on the road, for most of the time. Scooters are everywhere, pay attention when crossing roads, they come at you from every angle.Any top tips for Vietnam?
My favourite city in the world (after Prague of course). I'm sure you'll have a great time.Venice a week on sunday for 4 nights.
Staying just outside, a water taxi ride away from the centre
went to banjul 30 years ago was a shithole then might have improvedIm going to Gambia tomorrow
We did the cao bang loop, a quieter version of the more popular ha gang loop. Was incredible, going to mountain villages and drinking happy water and singing with the locals. My most favourite country in the world. We also did the hang en cave trek and camped inside a cave for the evening, unforgettable experience. I would also recommend the hai van pass tour (if you don't want to drive the bike yourself) utterly stunning.Not really ,as a solo traveller i just fancy a few weeks travelling around.
It all sounds wonderful!We did the cao bang loop, a quieter version of the more popular ha gang loop. Was incredible, going to mountain villages and drinking happy water and singing with the locals. My most favourite country in the world. We also did the hang en cave trek and camped inside a cave for the evening, unforgettable experience. I would also recommend the hai van pass tour (if you don't want to drive the bike yourself) utterly stunning.
yepwent to banjul 30 years ago was a shithole then might have improved