Countdown to Australia, Bhutan, Thailand...

APL had a fantastic time with his Montreal cousins. But now that they have gone back to the Great Safe North, it's time for Boy to See World.

We will soon be taking off for Australia, Bhutan, and Thailand. APL is particularly knowledgeable about Sydney, given that a couple of his books take place there - as well as the notoriety it has since Nemo was saved.

We will be spending some time in Phuket but still have about 8 as-yet-unplanned days in Thailand. I'm hoping to get us to Phang Nga Bay. There are a couple of resorts in Thailand that really interest me. One is Six Senses Yao Noi. We stayed at a Six Senses resort in Vietnam a few years ago... which was unbelievable. Six Senses in Thailand is out of our price range... but there is a small possibility that we will work out the kind of arrangement that we had with Amanbagh in Jaipur, India. If not, there are a couple of other resorts in that area.

When I traveled in Thailand in the 90's, I remember paying $10/night for a bungalow on the beach in Ko Samui. I doubt that still exists. For the most part, it still is quite reasonable. For example, it's easy to find 5-star hotels in Bangkok that are in the $150 range. Even the Four Seasons can be had for $207 per night. That could be the least expensive Four Seasons on earth (I just looked it up - it is the least expensive Four Seasons on earth).

We will be staying at the Hyatt in Sydney - facing the Opera House - on points. That should help defray the cost somewhat. The Australian dollar is at a 30-year-high right now. There is a pretty involved story behind our Hyatt nights... but perhaps I'll save that for another post.