Mekong River Cruise

Today's task: research river cruises on the Mekong
Follow-up task: Since we know we want to do this, I need to research each cruise line and select at least our prefered line. Once that's done, we can add the info to the "Top 20" page.

According to Cruise Critic:

• Itineraries are similar for all cruise lines
• Can be cruise-only or combined with land tours
• Most go between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
• Some sights are available with cruise extensions
• Cruise advisor suggests first deciding budget and sites to narrow the possibilities
• Best time is November through February (rainy season is July through October though rain falls only for about 30 minutes)
• River is highest in September
• River port highlights: Hanoi, Siem Reap, Kampong Cham, Phnom Penh, Tan Chau, Vinh Hoa, Sa Dec, Cai Be, Ho Chi Minh City
• Dress for heat, be a smart eater and don't pet the monkeys

Major cruise lines:

AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Pandaw, Aqua Expeditions, Uniworld, Viking Cruises, CroisiEurope 

Here's a summary I put together comparing these cruise lines. 

Additional sites visited:
River  Cruise Basics
The Mekong river cruise guide (Telegraph UK, 2014)

Kibbutz

Today's task: research kibbutz -- completed

We haven't decided for certain to go to Israel (we haven't decided on any place for certain, for that matter), but Israel appeals to me for many reasons, from general curiosity about the country to rave reviews from friends who have travelled there. John is less enthusiastic, but can be persuaded.

The Kibbutz way of life is unique and seems to be a great way to "deep dive" into a culture.

So, right off the bat, I find this on the Israel tourism site:

An unforgettable opportunity to get acquainted with kibbutz life, to make life-long friends among the kibbutzniks and other people from around the world, and to see Israel at the same time is by volunteering on one of 30 or so kibbutzim for a minimum of two months and a maximum of six months.

Volunteering is appealing, but two months is longer than I want to spend in any one place.

Ah, and it also seems that we're too old: Kibbutz Volunteering is a tradition that thousands of adventurers from all over the world have undertaken from the founding of Israel until today. The program offers people ages 19-35 the chance to spend 2-6 months living and working on one of about 30 Kibbutzim all over Israel. Begin your program ANY TIME with just four weeks notice.

One site suggests the age restriction is in place to increase the likelihood that the volunteer is physically up to the work required and that if you're over 35 to try writing an enthusiastic letter extolling one's commitment and physical abilities. But that is more than I wish to undertake.

One possibility is kibbutz lodging. Should Israel be part of our itinerary, that is worth investigating.

Sites visited:
Israel tourism
NYT travel (2008)
Kibbutz Program Center
Kibbutz lodging

Quito <-> Guayaquil Train

Considering this excursion if budget allows. Might be nice later in the trip, when we're ready for a vacation. :-)

See also post on Ecuador (April).

Description:
Brochure
Ecuador Rail
Train Ecuador

Cost:
Tren Crucero (2016: 4 days/3 nights, with meals and other stuff  - $1393 ea)

Reviews:
LonelyPlanet (2013)
The Telegraph (2013)
Trip Advisor (2014)

WWOOF

Today's task: research WWOOF -- world wide opportunities on organic farms. completed - for now

WWOOF appeals to me because of my love of gardening and the chance to be "embedded" with a farm in another country. Right off the bat, I worry whether I'll be up to it physically. John grew up on a farm and has the strength of an (elderly) ox. I am in great shape with one exception: my knees.

But for today, my task is to research just enough to decide whether this idea is viable enough to keep in the mix.

Sites visited: wwoof international, wwoof italia, wwoof australia

What I learned:

• WWOOFing is in line with our values and seems like a potentially "highlight" experience.
• On the other hand, enjoyment may be dependent on the host farm/family, which may be hard to fully know before committing.
• Therefore, we should consider WWOOFing, but not count on it.
• We should consider WWOOFing in more expensive parts of the world for budget management.
• We should settle on a country for WWOOFing and join WWOOF for that country during our travel year.
• A two week visit seems maximum for us. More likely, one.

The Plan

John and I are planning a year of travel. We're aiming for 2020. A good vision, I think.

This page will eventually hold all the posts about the places we want to go and activities we want to do. From this list, we'll map out an itinerary and budget, revising as necessary.

Right now, we're just researching possibilities. Everything we're considering is currently in the Sandbox -- ideas we're playing with. From this giant set we'll extract the Top 20.

We welcome anyone's input. Just add a comment here or on any post.

We'll be packing before we know it.