Saturday, December 4, 2010

Budget~

I have made up the tables detailing all my expenditure on my upcoming trip. I have to use my money wisely in order not to go over the limit of $7000, otherwise, I am going to be having to deal with miserable bankruptcy rather than a joyful holiday.~
New York, USA

Item
Amount(AUD)
Air fare/transport
$ 1129.83
Accommodation
$97
Spending money
$185
Food
 $200
Total
$1611.83


France- Paris

Item
Amount (AUD)
Air fare/transport
$191
Accommodation
$82
 
Tour around Paris
$300
Food
$200
Total
$762


                   
London, UK
Item
Amount(AUD)
Air fare/transport
$574.90
Accommodation
$108
Spending money
$158.80
Food
$190
Total
$1031.70

Venice, Italy

Item
Amount(AUD)
Air fare/transport
$165.30
Accommodation
$104
Spending money
$200
Venice tour
$285
Food
$150
Total
$904.30


                    Beijing, CHina

Item
Amount(AUD)
Air fare/transport
$508
Accommodation
$63
Spending money
$200
Tour
$260.70
 
Food
$100
Total
$1131.70

From Beijing back to Sydney costs me $868.20
Medicare insurance costs me $78.99
This left me with a total of $711.28 as a sum of emergency money~ that's quite a lot, saves me from worries.
Bye~

FAQs

Frequently asked Questions
Answers
What is a passport and why do you need one?
A passport is a form of certification granting the tourists' permission to travel between countries.
You have to always ensure that your passport is valid.
What is the process involved in acquiring a passport in Australia?
Acquiring a passport is Australia takes 10 working days for the application to be approved. You will have to complete and print a copy of the Passport application form.And then,you will need to sign all the required documents, certified the translated version of certificates( if applicable) ,provides them your most recent photographs, pay the fees and attend the interview(if required)
What to do if your passport is lost or stolen overseas.
Immediately report the loss to the nearest Australian diplomatic or consular mission. If the trip is only short, you may be issued with a limited validity passport if you are unable to meet all the requirements for a fully valid passport.
What is a visa and why do you need one?
A visa is usually a stamp placed inside a passport that provides permission to transits between particular countries. It is placed in your passport by a representative of the country you will be visiting. It can be obtained from a nation’s embassy or consular office.
What countries in your itinerary require you to have an entry visa?
France
What are some medical requirements you should consider when travelling?
Injections may be needed for particular countries, the most common injections needed are for cholera, typhoid, malaria, tetanus and hepatitis B, H1N1.
Why are medical requirements necessary?
Medical requirements are necessary because people might put themselves in dangerous situations and risking their lives among the world of virus attackers.They may contract a fatal diseases which is unwanted for all of the tourists
Why should you consider travel insurance?
It is beneficial for the tourists as it covers the overseas travellors' loss of money, property and changes to travel plans.It compensates for lost luggage,delays due to strikes, hijackings, hospital and medical care.
What travel insurance have you purchased and how much is it?
I have purchased Medicare travel insurance. It costs AUD$78.99

transport Validity and special requirements for each city

London Travelcard validity




  • 1 day Travelcards (off-peak) can be used from 9.30am Mondays to Fridays, all day Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, on each day of validity and for any journey that starts before 4.30am on the day following the expiry date.







  • 2 and 3 day Travelcards (off-peak) have the same rules as 1 day Travelcard and can only be used on consecutive days.







  • 7 day Travelcards can be used at any time during the period of validity and for any journey that starts before 4.30am on the day following the expiry date.












  • For Paris, there is a special metro pass at a cost of $28, in includes the following features:
    • Unlimited journeys on all Paris Metros, RER, Buses, Trams, SNCF Overland Suburban Trains, and the Montmartre Funicular within zones 1 – 3, which covers the entire of central Paris
    • A hassle free and cost efficient day
    It is so convenient that the card is activated when I first use it and remains valid for the duration of two days.Insteads,the Metro train system is open from 5:20 a.m. until 1:20 a.m.
    For the other three cities, there are no such offer or special requirements on transport modes.
    That's it for now.^^ bye

    Attractions~

    Hi! everybody.~

    I have decided upon which tourists attractions I am going to visit.
    Firstly, New York is my very first destination, I have booked a New York Pass which is a SPECIAL offer ends in 6th December, luckily, I made it, what a bargain~
    It only costs me $77.00.
    There are a lot of tourist attractions in New York, countless to list of, my two days New York pass allows me to travel over 100 famous tourists sites.
    I will be circumnavigate Manhattan Island and see it all - 3 rivers, 7 major bridges, 5 boroughs, over 25 world renowned landmarks and a magnificent close-up of the Statue of Liberty through the circle sightseeing cruise.


    I am going to experience a thrill by heading straight ot the empire state building to view the most breathtaking panoramas across the rooftops of the New York Metropolitan areas, to as far away as four neighboring states. Wondered how  I would feel floating besides the clouds.


    In london, resonable price of only AUD$ 58.80 for a two days pass. I can visit over 55 fantastic tourist attractions with unlimited entry with only a London pass at hand. The pass is advantageous as it saves both my time any money, it saves me from having to waiting for long hours to purchase the admission tickets, insteads, it offers me queue jumping privileges. All these top tourists attractions ranging from historical museums to art galleries to entertainment centres are the most captivated sites in London that should not be missed.


    I am also going to visit the london eye and big ben, as they are the most recognisable and iconic architecture of London.


    Venice, the town on water is renowned for it's industry and tourist attractions.


    In Paris, one of the most visited tourist attractions is the palace of versailles,it is one of the largest and most opulent castles in the world. Boasting around 2,143 windows, 1,252 fireplaces, and 67 staircases.



                                                     Tower of Notro dame
    The Arc de Triomphe is perhaps the most iconic of all French monuments.

    The Louvre Museum is undoubtedly one of the most magnificent art galleries in the world.It is the home to thousands of classic and modern masterpieces.
    Supposedly, visitors could not possibly have visited Paris if they had never been to the Eiffel tower.
    The Eiffel tower has three levels for visitors. I am going to purchase the tickets to ascend to the first ,second and the third levels by lift as I am too lazy to walk up the stairs of over 300 steps,the third level which is hte highest level is accessible only by elevator. Both the first and second levels feature restaurants. The tower has become the most prominent symbol of Paris.

    In Beijing,

    there is plenty of history and traditional chinese architecture to discover such as the forbidden city,
    As Beijing was the host city for the 2008 Olympic Games and today I am going to visit the Bird’s Nest,  and water cube (Beijing’s Olympic stadium) for sure~



    One of the world’s most immense feats of engineering has to be the Great Wall of China. It extends over a distance of 8800kms, built in the Qing dynasty.


    Monday, November 29, 2010

    Transport

    Hey~ fellow bloggers, back again,
    I have made up the following table showing both the disadvantages and advantages for each of the transport options. There are a lot more disadvantages than advantages to  every single transport mode, out of all these, the one that I most favoured is aeroplanes and cars, despite of its high risks of road and air accidents. They are the most punctual , fast and easily accessible modes of transport.

    Types of transport
    Advantages

    Disadvantages
    Car

    1. Flexible- I can hire the car whenever to wherever I want
    2. Relatively reasonable car fares
    3. Easily accessible to attraction sites
    1. Inconvenient to hire in specific countries like United states and France.
    2. Increasing traffic congestions on roads causing delays
    3. Costs varies greatly through different countries and some countries' car fares are increasing, e.g. China.
    Rail

    1. Relatively inexpensive
    2. Less polluting than road
    3. Much safer
    4. Easily accessible-Main stations are usually located in the centre of a city
    5. Their departure time usually is very punctual
    1. Lots of delays 
    2. Might get dizzy
    3.  Noise are generated by train rails  rubbing against the tracks
    4. Often crowded with passengers
    5. Easily being targeted by pocket pickers
    Air(aeroplanes)

    1. Short durations
    2. Airfares have lowered during the past 20 years
    1. Danger of aeroplanes explosions or other accidents
    2. Airfares can still be the most expensive transport options  among all the others.
    3. Some people may not be able to afford the expensive airfares during peak periods  during Christmas  holidays ( the price might go up fairly rapidly)
    Sea(ships)

    1. Relatively cheap in price
    2. View the brilliant scenery along the way
    1. Passengers  may easily get sick and dizzy during the trip
    2. This might not be an ideal choice of transport for most tourists as it is dangerous ( in a tempest).
    3. Often took a long time to get all the passengers on board.
    4. Delays occur frequently
    Bus

    1. Cheap bus tickets
    2. Easier to get as there are many bus stops around the main attraction sites
    1. Lots of traffic  congestions on the way
    2. Lacks punctuality
    3. Exposed to traffic accidents
    4. Crowded by passengers
    5. Very few seats
    6. Inconvenient to board when carrying large luggage
    7. Very difficult to stand properly on buses

    Friday, November 26, 2010

    Passport and Visa requirements

    hi! my fellow bloggers, how have you been?
    I will just go through the basic ideas of what passport and visa are in case if any of you are unsure about these.
    Visa is a permission issured by a representative of the country you will be visiting (usually is the officials in a consulate) visa is in the form of a stamp placed inside the passport representing you as a non-citizen's permission to enter, transmit or remain in the country.Usually, it states the length of time that you will be allowed to visit the country.
    Whereas, passport is just an official document issued by a national government, granting the holder certification of his or her identity and nationality for the purpose of international travel.
    When I browsed through the smartraveller site, it strongly advised us not to travel to the following countries:
    Luckily, I do not need to apply for a visa to travel to the United Kingdom
     The World Health Organization has confirmed human deaths from avian influenza in China, so I am going to buy medical insurance before my departure to cover any overseas medical costs.
     There is a tightened currency policy stating that people entering and/or exiting the European Union (EU) carrying 10,000 Euros or more (or the equivalent amount in another currency) are required to declare the cash at the place of their arrival or departure from the EU. However, I do not need to worry so much about that, as under the legistration,there is no requirement to declare cash for people travelling to or from another EU country.
    In italy, demonstrations and strikes are a common occurrence. Often lead to disruptions to public transport services, including air, shipping, train and taxi services, leading to delays and cancellations, particularly in tourists areas.Petty crime including bag snatching, pick-pocketing, passport theft also is a frequent occurrence. I need to be extremely wary about where to put my bags and valuables when I am aboard trains and other public transports.

    Tuesday, November 23, 2010

    My itinerary ---- > flying across the CONtinents

    Hi~!
    I have now scheduled a complete itinerary of my trip. Travelling over five different countries and experience the exotic scenery as well as the local cuisine.How exciting is that!
    I have scheduled my commencement of this trip to be on the 20th of January, the first destination I am aiming to travel to is New York in USA, because it is the furthest country from Australia out of all the five countries that I am desire to go. All the flights that I have booked are in the economic class and I browsed through a lot of websites to make a comparison on the prices and quality of airlines, because it is the only way that  I can minimize my expenses on airfares.
    On 20th of January, I am going to take the 602 Asiana airline departing from Sydney international airport at 10:10 am, this flight will first arrive its first terminal in Seoul at 18:40,total duration is approximately 10 hours 30 minutes. And then, I will have to wait at the Seoul airport for 3hrs 20 minutes until the flight 222 Asiana airline depart for New york. Arriving New York airport the next morning at 10:00.It took about 28 hrs from Sydney to New York by flight, covering a total of 19,420 km. It is such a long way away`.Wondering how bored I will be on the plane alone for 28 hrs.
    I am going to stay in New York for 2 nights and I have already booked the hostel as these 2 days accommodation. This hostel is located in the central region of New York city, that is why I chose to accommodate in this hostel in the first place, it will save a lot of travelling and time when I will be visiting the famous tourist attraction in New York city.
    The next country I am leaving for is going to be London, there is also going to be a stop in Dublin during the way from New York to London, the total distance is 5,552km. At 10:30 on 23rd, the 104 flight of Aer Lingus flight is taking off from New York to London. The connections in between is going to be 1hr 20 minutes. If there is no contrary, I will be arriving London at 19:55 on the same day.
    After the two days visiting in London, I am going to head towards Paris, because Paris is right under London.The 316 flight of British airway is departed London at 11:15 on 25th and arriving in Paris at 12:30.

    At 11:05 on 27th, I  am going to take the 309  flight from Paris to Venice, total duration is going to be 6 hrs 30 minutes.  So I will be arriving Venice at 17:35.
    I will be departing Venice for Beijing on 29th, taking the 137 flight of emirates. Deparing at 15:35, arriving Beijing at 15:45 on 30th. A stop in Dubai is going to be for 3:40 minutes. Another long wait.:( Nevertheless, the trip to Beijing is the one that I am most looking forward to!
    On the 2nd of February, my trip around the world is going come to an end.I will be departing Beijing at 21:35 and returning to Sydney at 10:05 on the 3rd of Februay~ I bet I will not be willing to be back from such an wonderful trip.