Gone Fishin'

Rakon

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So I posted a while back that I want to quit my job and go traveling, so I am. I leave December 2nd for Bangkok, and I plan on doing 2-3 months in S.E Asia, South Korea, Japan, then West Coast USA. I'm pretty pumped, but most of the excitement hasn't hit yet. I've still got a lot of things to figure out, but the trip is official.

Anybody else every done trips like this? Any tips? Master_Craig, you told me I should document it, which I'm totally down for, let's talk more. Also, I'll be in the Bay area (hopefully), so whoever is around there or anywhere on the West Coast let me know and I can add to my record of GR's most met person.

Maybe I can drop by the GR HQ?
 
Dude thats awesome and scary at the same time! I just got back from a 2 week trip to the EU, and came back broke. I honestly believe that you're money out in SE Asia will go WAAAYYYY Farther. I'm also in the bay and I'd be up for a beer or something if you ping me.

I think Schimmel went out there for a family vacation or something, but Im not sure. One thing I'm sure about is that we run the risk of losing you forever, because most people who go out and do trips like that never come back. :3

Definitely document it, so it doesn't seem like youre a rogue agent abroad - plus I'd be interested in seeing what the lady's look like on that side of the world.

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Yeah, you're going to get a lot more bang for your buck in South East Asia than Japan or the West Coast. But if you've never been, it's worth coming here. Probably. You'll need to either stay near SF or rent a car.
 
Dang. Good luck to you Rakon. It'll be a blast! You'll love every minute. Absolutely take as many pics as possible. Is it just you, or are you going with a mate?
 
I'm about three hours away from the bay now. So I'll let you know when it gets closer to that time.
 
Hey Rakon, I think documenting this epic journey of yours would be pretty cool. I guess there's a few things you should consider:

-A decent video camera. You don't have to go all out but when I say "decent" I'd suggest something that's capable of recording up to 1080p resolution (full HD). You can get one of those small handy cams, or you can get those sorta... mini DSLR cameras, capable of taking not only good photos, but good video too. Hell, you could even use your phone too, depending on what kinda phone you have. Because you're on the go, the quality doesn't have to be super awesome. That "shaky cam" look is a bit more authentic, especially for a traveller.

-SD cards, you'll need a few of 'em. I'd recommend big ones too, like 32 GB or so. They can be a bit pricey but if you shop around online you might be able to score a good price. I'd recommend "Class 10" cards as well, anything lower than that and video won't record properly, especially on DLSR (or those mini ones) cameras that are capable of doing video.

-I'd recommend having two batteries for your camera. Buying a second battery can be a pain in the arse sometimes, so if you can't find a second battery for a decent price, don't worry too much about it.

-You'd need a laptop or something to be able to download your footage too. Also you'd need software to be able to edit your video. You could always roll with Windows Movie Maker, or the Adobe CS2 suite as it's currently free online from Adobe themselves (although you have to make an Adobe account to get 'em). If you want to, I could essentially give you Adobe CS2 via Drop Box? Just let me know and I'll see what I can do.

-I'd suggest getting a hold of an external HDD, a big one (like 1 or 2 TB or something). I'd also recommend an external HDD that doesn't require a power source, so it's just more convenient for you to back stuff up.

-Finally, I'd suggest either documenting your travels in the form of a YouTube channel or maybe a blog. You can have it private or public if you like, just means you gotta set it up that way. I'd suggest trying to make your documents/recordings at least once a week, or once every two weeks. You could also use other social media to help document your travels, e.g. a Facebook page, a Twitter account etc. I'd suggest only running with two forms of social media, any more may tend to water down your efforts so to speak.

-You could also have a note book with you, as in... traditional pen and paper. Write down anything you think might be interesting to talk about, something you saw that day, ideas you come up with etc, just to help you remember stuff.

If there's anything else I can do to help you, please let me know. :)
 
Rakon can use me as a reference, he was an awesome guy to chill with and not once did he try to kill me, rape me, or both while he filmed it.

Seriously though Ira (can I call you that on here?) All the best man, I know you will have a great trip and you'll meet all sorts of great friends along the way. Document it like MC suggested and just enjoy the ride brah!!!

GR, if Rakon is near you, do yourself a favor and chill out with this Canadian.
 
WickedLiquid said:
Seriously though Ira (can I call you that on here?) .

Only you can. And we'll hang out before I take off.

WickedLiquid said:
Rakon can use me as a reference, he was an awesome guy to chill with and not once did he try to kill me, rape me, or both while he filmed it.

You weren't awake the whole time
 
I honestly have little to contribute right now to this, other than a be safe and have fun with it.

A while back a friend of mine did something similar, except he was couch surfing across Asia, most of his experience was basically living on the hospitality of those around him.

Japan and South Korea in particular may help you out there. Also check out this mini documentary called Kintaro Walks Japan, stars a college student who basically walked the length of Japan for his girlfriend for six months, he recorded almost the whole thing.

So yeah, document, enjoy, give updates. Kick ass, have fun. Make new friends.
 
Kintaro Walks Japan is a great documentary. Very well recommended of Links, I second that recommendation.

Bonus info - the fella from Kintaro Walks Japan (real name Tyler MacNiven) was on The Amazing Race reality TV show back in 2006 with a mate of his. The other teams nick named he and his friends "the hippies". They were in my home town for a day during the show.

Tyler and his mate won the race. Since I was a fan of Kintaro Walks Japan, I watched The Amazing Race just to see him and his mate. They were the most entertaining of the show.
 
Oh, another suggestion, the Lonely Planet guide books for Japan and Asia are phenomenal. Look at them.
 

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