Pondering luggage options...

Currently giving some thought to the issue of whether to travel with a light rolling case or a ruck sac. I am not one to to travel with much luggage-- generally amounting to just a couple of books, a change of duds, Lonely Planet plus my computer, plugs and leads. 2014 on my 90 day rail trip around India, I opted for the rolling case. This worked well, as it was small enough to haul up and down the countless bridges over the tracks featured in most Indian railway stations. It fitted handily under the seat, or in the case of over-night travel, could be hauled up securely onto the sleeping berth with me. Transport to or from the railway stations to hotels in the various towns was mostly by motorized tuk-tuk, occasionally by pedi-cab and the rolling case option worked well. Not too often did I have to traverse the cracked, broken and deformed city streets and foot paths pulling the trusty case towards & from main rail stations.

On this 2016 jaunt across S.E. Asia, likely most inter-town mileage will be done in motor coaches ranging from mini vans to top of the line jobs, complete with multi-level passenger seats that can be configured into small beds. I will have to locate occasionally obscure city bus terminals (likely more difficult to locate than railway stations) and pick-up points that appear from Google Map searches to be frequently on the edge of towns and away from hotels near the beach or in the centre. I envisage that this will involve increased walking with luggage. I am therefore giving consideration to the ruck sac option. Not a huge expedition pack, but the manageable medium 45 litre format. I am highly cognizant of the fact that traveling with excessive baggage can destroy a trip and have seen too many westerners exhausted hauling massive loads around in the stifling Asian heat and humidity. Hopefully a ruck sac would be more acceptable as carry-on baggage on buses and less likely to be consigned to stowage in the cargo hold underneath, where it might be more susceptible to go mysteriously AWOL at stops en route.

Making initial travel plans...

Getting around to constructing this blog site for my next big travel adventure--at fully 11 months prior to projected departure in September 2016, I am, by my standards rather tardy. In retrospect, I have enjoyed the advance planning process for my three recent (2010 /12/14) long trips almost as much as the actual voyage. Call me a planning freak, but I prefer to confront avoidable problems in advance, so that I can confront any curve thrown at me by 'Murphy', confidently en-route from my 'travel bag of solutions'. For example, on my 2014 rail journey around India, I met more than a few tourist folks who had refrained from making advance seat reservations in the name of a 'flexible itinerary' and who as a result, had spent many hours in 40 C+ heat, waiting in long queues for a third 'cattle' class seat availability-- not an inviting prospect on Indian Railways!

Deciding upon a region for this trip has been difficult for me. I considered South America. To my surprise, this region has become an expensive destination, as actual prices in the area are generally based on $US exchange rates. My currency, the Canadian petro $, has swooned 35%  the past 12 months due to the collapse in world oil prices. In general, the South East Asian currencies have also weakened somewhat in defense of their export sectors against the rampant $US. Internet reviews of travel options in Asia, indicate that places like Vietnam & Cambodia appear to be relatively still 'cheap' with reasonable & central city hotel rooms offered at $20 or less/night and bus fares at 5-6 cents per kilometre.

The transport mode of preference for 'budget travelers' in SE Asia is the humble inter-city bus. Railways, seem to be a limited alternative option due to a very limited passenger network---contrast India. Air travel within Asia by air is cheap and fast, but is a non-starter for this tourist. Who has ever had a 'real' travel experience sealed in an metal tube travelling at 700 kms/hour? So local buses it likely will be.