Myanmar to Mongolia (M2M)

[HenrikCWT]

............

 

[wuso]

Hi guys,
I am a solo traveller & I have travelled solo in Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Taiwan, New Zealand, Thailand, Laos, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey & Bulgaria.

For my upcoming trip, I am travelling overland from Myanmar to Mongolia (M2M). The Countries I will pass through are Myanmar - North East India - Nepal - China (Tibet Autonomous Region, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia) - Mongolia. The plan is to be in Mongolia by winter this year.

I have been travelling a lot for the past two years & I always wonder why I don't meet fellow Singaporeans on the road. Also, is there a active backpacking group in Singapore?

Anyway, I am open to anyone keen to join me in any part of the trip. Let me know!

While I do meet Singaporeans on the road, they are a handful only. But I think there is more and more.
We have a travel community called sgtravelcafe, both an online forum as well as a facebook group, and we organize a travel presentation every month (we just had one yesterday!). It's not just backpacking, but rather I would term it independent travel. Many have done 1yr or 2yr trips etc. Just google it.
Drop by when you are back in SG!

Anyway, enjoy your trip!

 

[g_t2006]

Hi guys,
I am a solo traveller & I have travelled solo in Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Taiwan, New Zealand, Thailand, Laos, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey & Bulgaria.

For my upcoming trip, I am travelling overland from Myanmar to Mongolia (M2M). The Countries I will pass through are Myanmar - North East India - Nepal - China (Tibet Autonomous Region, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia) - Mongolia. The plan is to be in Mongolia by winter this year.

I have been travelling a lot for the past two years & I always wonder why I don't meet fellow Singaporeans on the road. Also, is there a active backpacking group in Singapore?

Anyway, I am open to anyone keen to join me in any part of the trip. Let me know!

U are aware of the restrictions for Tibet ya?

I've met 2 Singaporeans in St Pete and one in Taskent airport.

 

[HenrikCWT]

U are aware of the restrictions for Tibet ya?

I've met 2 Singaporeans in St Pete and one in Taskent airport.

Yup, I do know about the permit needed to visit Tibet Autonomous Region.
But it will not deter my travel plan!

I have only met a group of Singaporeans while travelling in Charyn Canyon, Kazakhstan! And no where else!

 

[HenrikCWT]

While I do meet Singaporeans on the road, they are a handful only. But I think there is more and more.
We have a travel community called sgtravelcafe, both an online forum as well as a facebook group, and we organize a travel presentation every month (we just had one yesterday!). It's not just backpacking, but rather I would term it independent travel. Many have done 1yr or 2yr trips etc. Just google it.
Drop by when you are back in SG!

Anyway, enjoy your trip!

Cool! I have never really met any Singaporeans only once I suspose.
I am actually a member of sgtravelcafe but never really use it because I forgot my password and the website did not send me any link to reset when I request to reset!

Are there any active group (other than sgtravelcafe) for Singaporeans travelling or planning to travel in Asia, Middle East, Central/South America & Africa continents? Would be interested to gain an insight into the independent travel scene in Singapore.
Anyway I am still in SG, planning my M2M trip. Waiting for Visas and so on.

 

[g_t2006]

Yup, I do know about the permit needed to visit Tibet Autonomous Region.
But it will not deter my travel plan!

I have only met a group of Singaporeans while travelling in Charyn Canyon, Kazakhstan! And no where else!

It's not just about the permit. No solo travel. You need a guide everywhere you go, except for Lhasa. Some solo travel allowed for Lhasa, not for the attractions.

 

[g_t2006]

Hi guys,
I am a solo traveller & I have travelled solo in Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Taiwan, New Zealand, Thailand, Laos, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey & Bulgaria.

For my upcoming trip, I am travelling overland from Myanmar to Mongolia (M2M). The Countries I will pass through are Myanmar - North East India - Nepal - China (Tibet Autonomous Region, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia) - Mongolia. The plan is to be in Mongolia by winter this year.

I have been travelling a lot for the past 1 year & I always wonder why I don't meet fellow Singaporeans on the road. Also, is there a active backpacking group in Singapore?

Anyway, I am open to anyone keen to join me in any part of the trip. Let me know!

- Travelling Choo (My Facebook Page where I upload some photos I took)

And what do you want to do in Mongolia in winter? UB is commercilaized with new tall buuldings and boring. Outback in winter?. If there's a guide who'll bring you, you will probably end up paying for the entire jeep.

 

[HenrikCWT]

It's not just about the permit. No solo travel. You need a guide everywhere you go, except for Lhasa. Some solo travel allowed for Lhasa, not for the attractions.

Yeah, I know about all this.

 

[HenrikCWT]

And what do you want to do in Monolia in winter? UB is commercilaized with new tall buuldings and boring. Outback in winter?. If there's a guide who'll bring you, you will probably end up paying for the entire jeep.

Well, of course to experience Mongolia during winter & also to experience the local nomadic lives during winter. I wanted to experience and see how the nomads live during Winter and I did not have the chance to do so when I was in Kyrgyzstan last year. I left the country in Autumn and thus I am curious how the nomads live during winter season. I know in Mongolia during winter, some people still stay in the Mongol Gers and welcome foreigners to stay with them whereas in Kyrgyzstan, the nomads starts bringing down their Yurts and move to lower grounds as early as mid-autumn due to harsh winter conditions.

And I am sure I can find some travellers or even locals to share the jeep ride in the outbacks.

 

[invisible999]

Yeah, I know about all this.

What are your planned costs and what were expenses in past? Did you have budget planned before leaving and were you able to fit into budget?

How do you minimize expenses? Outside of airfares, what are other large ticket expenses?

 

[kitkat2]

are we allowed to cross the indo-burmese border by land?

 

[wuso]

Cool! I have never really met any Singaporeans only once I suspose.
I am actually a member of sgtravelcafe but never really use it because I forgot my password and the website did not send me any link to reset when I request to reset!

Are there any active group (other than sgtravelcafe) for Singaporeans travelling or planning to travel in Asia, Middle East, Central/South America & Africa continents? Would be interested to gain an insight into the independent travel scene in Singapore.
Anyway I am still in SG, planning my M2M trip. Waiting for Visas and so on.

Well, I believe there are facebook groups etc (I mean, they have groups for everything eh), but I don't know of any.

Having attended the sgtravelcafe gatherings for the past years, I have to say its pretty varied! There are those who backpacked and stay in hostels etc but essentially just join tours organized by the hostels. There are those who really explore on their own. The guy who presented Tajikistan last Fri went into the Fann mountains on his own for a week! And of course, there are many others somewhere in-between. Ok, this may not be the insight you're looking for, but hey, just sharing mine

Anyway, if u want, u can pm me your userid in sgtravelcafe and I can help reach the right people...

 

[Din0saurus]

Which month were you in Georgia?

 

[invisible999]

went into the Fann mountains on his own for a week!

Venturing into mountains and other wild place in you own obviously comes with elevated level of risk. Everybody remembers story of the guy who cut his own hand?

 

[wuso]

Venturing into mountains and other wild place in you own obviously comes with elevated level of risk. Everybody remembers story of the guy who cut his own hand?

yeah, which is exactly my point - the independent travelers range from the super play-safe kind to the higher-risk kind

 

[HenrikCWT]

What are your planned costs and what were expenses in past? Did you have budget planned before leaving and were you able to fit into budget?

How do you minimize expenses? Outside of airfares, what are other large ticket expenses?

That's the question I get asked a lot. How much did I spent? Well I have no budget in mind whenever I set off for a trip. I will have some USD (mainly) or SGD in my wallet and that's all. I just try to keep my budget as low as I possibly can everyday while travelling. That is how I do it.

To minimise my travelling cost, I prefer to travel overland which I realise is possible from anywhere in Asia to Europe, Middle East & even Africa continent. I actually hate taking flights, unless I have no choice (for example going to Sri Lanka & Maldives, there is no way I can sail from India to Sri Lanka, so I found a cheap flight and flew to Sri Lanka).
Food wise, I eat local food which are pretty cheap in countries I have been to so far.
Transport wise, I hitchhiked in countries where it is possible and acceptable. If not, local transports will be fine.
Accommodation, I use Couchsurfing whenever I can or stay in backpackers hostels.

 

[HenrikCWT]

are we allowed to cross the indo-burmese border by land?

Yes, as far as I know the Indo - Burma border is opened to foreigner for crossing, just that a permit is required to do the crossing.
Do a check, the land border is Tamu (Burma side) - Moreh (India Mainpur state).

 

[HenrikCWT]

Which month were you in Georgia?

I was in Georgia last year towards the end of the Autumn Season. It was already snowing really hard in the Mountains.

 

[HenrikCWT]

Venturing into mountains and other wild place in you own obviously comes with elevated level of risk. Everybody remembers story of the guy who cut his own hand?

True, as a solo traveller who also happens to appreciate hiking & mountain wilderness, I always set out for hiking alone too. There are risks involved of course. But I guess just be aware of your surrounding, sense of direction will do you fine.
Also, I realise when you are travelling alone, your survival instincts will definitely improve over time & it is vital in the outdoors. If you are friendly enough, you can always meet other hikers.

 

[HenrikCWT]

Well, I believe there are facebook groups etc (I mean, they have groups for everything eh), but I don't know of any.

Having attended the sgtravelcafe gatherings for the past years, I have to say its pretty varied! There are those who backpacked and stay in hostels etc but essentially just join tours organized by the hostels. There are those who really explore on their own. The guy who presented Tajikistan last Fri went into the Fann mountains on his own for a week! And of course, there are many others somewhere in-between. Ok, this may not be the insight you're looking for, but hey, just sharing mine

Anyway, if u want, u can pm me your userid in sgtravelcafe and I can help reach the right people...

Thanks for the insights! Any insights to more off-the-beaten destinations will be fine for me because all my circle of friends are more into visiting Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Australia (countries which are more popular among Singaporeans).

Unfortunately, I forgot my own userid for sgtravelcafe too! It has been a really really long time since I last login. I think I will create a new account using my other email.