Bogota to Bangkok

yadid10 says on Oct 2, 2009, 16:21:

Bogota - LA - Bangkok

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marlydog1812 says on Oct 2, 2009, 16:48:

TY I better start saving my pesos that sounds like its gonna cost me

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yadid10 says on Oct 2, 2009, 17:23:

if you want send me an email and ill check the prices on the dates you want.

yadid10 at hotmail.com

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kramer says on Oct 2, 2009, 21:47:

Yes I agree, going through LA is the best route. Compare prices, occasionally there is a better fare out of San Fran (SFO) -- click the check nearby airports option as there are three international airports close together (SFO/SJC/OAK).

In November I am flying LA to Manila, seeing some friends, and then I pay cash for a cheap Cebu Pacific flight to Bangkok for under $100.

If you don't have a tourist visa for Thailand, you will probably need a round trip ticket. You only get 30 days (including the day you land) permission to stay in Thailand when you arrive by plane if you do not have a visa.

Kramer

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marlydog1812 says on Oct 3, 2009, 07:36:

Thanks Kramer, for all that slack u took from those racist comments, I think your allright..
Im looking at my date book now Yadid and throw a few dates at you...
ty

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soylocombiano says on Oct 3, 2009, 09:14:

Did you give up on the Machu Picchu trip? I'm gonna disagree on teh LA route, and suggest Dubai instead, but that's a matter of opinion. Possibly with more than one airline, like Avianca to Madrid, and look in Madrid for the cheapest route.

Living well is the best revenge

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MartinCartagena says on Oct 3, 2009, 09:38:

Hey J:

I am headed to SE Asia in December. Flying into, Ho Chi Minh City on the 11th and then out of Bangkok on the 20th of January. The route, Cartagena – Atlanta – Vietnam – Bangkok – Atlanta – Cartagena. I used miles for the ATL Asia portion and I will probably use Spirit for the Cartagena Atlanta portion. Paid tickets from most major USA cities to SE Asia are running under $1,000 until the 15th of December. Then they jump up from $1,500 to $2,000 from Dec 15 to Jan 15. Aires is supposed to be starting up Bogota to JFK and FLL in November and they may have some good start up deals.

I am going to try and get a small Motorcycle there and travel overland. Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and hopefully a week or two in the Philippines. I wold go more often, however it is just soooo far from here.

If you will be in the area, let me know.

Take it easy,

Martin

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kramer says on Oct 3, 2009, 10:35:

marlydog, happy to help, on the racist comment thing, I think you have me mixed up with someone else? I have been fortunate enough to have never been involved in any PBH controversy. My modus operandi is to post helpful items and keep other types of comments to a minimum ;-)


Kramer

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kramer says on Oct 3, 2009, 10:45:

If anyone comes to Chiang Mai, feel free to look me up.

Martin, you only get 15 days when you enter in Thailand by land so if you want to stay longer get a tourist visa during your trip.

I also ride a motorbike around town but nothing fancy, I rent a 125cc Honda for $70/month.

Northern Thailand has some of the best motorbike rides in the world. The route from Chiang Mai to Pai is very famous. I did the circle route in a car with some friends up to Pai, through Mai Hong Son and back to Chiang Mai last year in around 5 days. A friend did the round trip from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and said he would never do that again . . .

Kramer

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marlydog1812 says on Oct 4, 2009, 04:49:

haah Kramer it was a bad joke referring to Kramer from Seinfeld. Sorry! As for my Machu Picchu trip its in the works but after having a serious conversation with a friend about my future and a depleted retirement plan I may have to move to Asia to make some real money. There is job fair in Bankok for international teachers from January 7 to the 10th that has higgest paying jobs and many that have packages equivalent to six figures with the perks and lack of taxes weighed in. If I ever want to be like my hero Martin in retirement,I need to get going as I want to retire in 13 years at 50. I cant leave until around the 19th of December and have to return on the 11th. There is a chance I can land a job in Asia through Skype but the time to hire is not until around November 15th and Im assuming I need to buy a ticket to Bankok by then or I will get raped??

Its a win win though....Bankok for Christmas or one hell of a moto trip!

Martin once again thanks for your wealth of info...

If I go to Asia I will be given a sweet deal on my KLR in June, which even though I will only have had it for a year and will lose a ton of cash on, I dont regret buying it for a second
of cash on it.

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MartinCartagena says on Oct 4, 2009, 08:22:

Kramer:

It is a plan! I have wanted to visit Chiang Mai since my first visit to Thailand 30 years ago.

I was thinking of a Honda 200. 3 years ago I rented a CR(?) 200 in Angeles City for a month and a group of us went all over Luzon. Great bike that can handle anything. I have been reading up a little on motorcycle availability in Vietnam and I do not think it is as easy as in Thailand or the Philippines.

Perhaps you may be able to help me out here. I want to start out in South Vietnam, head north to Hanoi, across Laos to Chiang Mai and then south to Bangkok. I would like to end the trip there. If I rent a bike in HCMC, I have no idea how I get it back with out riding it. If I buy one in HCMC, then I need to sell it in Bangkok. That could be a real hassle and a big money looser.

I know you can rent a small bike, like you do for under $200 a month. Do you have any Ideas for me? I guess the worst case scenario is that I return to HCMC through Cambodia.

Another thought would be to start out in Bangkok and go the other way around. I am sure a bike is easy to be had in Thailand. Any thoughts you may have would be a great help.

I am thinking that 3 to 4 weeks would be plenty of time for the overland part with another 10 days to set things up.

Any thoughts would be helpful.

And marlydog, don’t you think 50 is a little old to be retiring? Try setting your sites on 47, only 10 years away. I know you can do it if you keep your eye on the ball!!!

Martin

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kramer says on Oct 4, 2009, 11:51:

Marly, my mom came over to visit me last year, and I carefully noted when the prices when up for Christmas season. The prices started going up on December 16, peaked just before Christmas, and then went down to normal (for the return) around the 5th. She flew over on January 6 with a normal fare. Anyway, that may give you an idea. Hey, I retired at 41, you can do it ;-) I am 44 now.

Martin, I doubt that you can cross any border with a rented motorbike. You would need to search in a more specialized travel forum (thorntree.lonelyplanet.com for instance).

Renting in the Philippines is more expensive. It should be cheaper in all the other countries you mentioned. Remember the rainy seasons and distances. HCMC to Hanoi alone is something like 1000 miles by road. Also, Vietnam has 3 distinct weather systems and there is never a good climate in all 3 simultaneously.

Hope to see some folks in Chiang Mai ;-) I will be living there during your trips.

Kramer

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MartinCartagena says on Oct 4, 2009, 14:37:

Kramer:

I think you are right; it will be very hard to get a rented bike across the border. Two other options, begin in Thailand and purchase a bike then sell it when I am finished, or travel Vietnam on a rented bike, then fly to Thailand and travel Thailand on a rented bike.

I am a member of Horizons, I am sure I can get some more info there.

I rode my Vstrom from Atlanta to Colombia earlier this year, 5,000 miles. I have been all over Colombia and I will head south to Argentina early next year. I love seeing the country side whiz by and stopping where ever I see something interesting. I took a break at 45, 6 years ago. I have a lot of the world left to moto through before I get too old. Maybe I have 10 more good years and then I can go back to work. I am looking forward to greeting shoppers to WallMart. Marly, do it now, later you will be just old and all fucked up.

Born on a mountain, raised in a cave. Bike’n and fucking is all I crave…..

Martin

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marlydog1812 says on Oct 4, 2009, 18:19:

youre my hero Martin...how long u planning for the Argentina trip? Im thinking 47 would be great but I got to go next year to do it. I can save about 4 grand a year with no plan in Colombia versus 30 grand and a plan in Asia. Cant believe that my
KLR may never leave Colombia. But I shall return....thanks for your two sense..keep u updated this time and looking forward to hearing about your trips...lates

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