Travel your way out of the recession

By TRINA STEVENS - The Dominion Post

It sounds rich to say you could travel your way out of the recession, but if you do the numbers, you may very well find it's cheaper to trade our windy city for an exotic beach, new and different people and foods, and live overseas for a while.

If you can cope with basic facilities instead of marble bathrooms and mini-bars, a mid-career break might be just the thing to escape the negativity of gloom-and-doom economics and give you a decent break and a fresh perspective on life.

TIME OUT IN THAILAND

Whether it's Thai green chicken curry or a chilled cocktail that takes your fancy, Thailand could be just the place to go and wait for the recovery.

Reasons to go:

* World renowned as having the friendliest people on the planet, with kind and generous hearts and a ready smile.

* Pristine white-sand beaches and dramatic limestone peaks around Krabi province.

* Gorgeous inland forests for trekking with hill-tribe folk around Chiang Mai and into the Golden Triangle area around Chiang Rai. The Opium museum in Chiang Rai gives a fascinating glimpse into the closely-guarded trade that still flourishes in the area.

* Some of the best, freshest cuisine in the world with tom yum soup, Thai green curry, and green papaya salad just three dishes that are now world-famous.

* More Kodak moments than you can handle at remote villages, especially in the north and east where minority tribal people still wear their colourful traditional dress.

* World War II and Anzac history at the site of the Death Railway and Bridge over the River Kwai.

* Beautiful handicrafts created in front of you that make great gifts for those stuck in the doom and gloom back home.

* Fabulous cycling throughout the country.

* Unesco World Heritage site Ayuthaya, the magnificent ruins of the Siamese royal capital and worthy of at least a day exploring.

* Extensive, inexpensive public transport and loads of cheap accommodation.

Things to avoid:

* Keep out of the local Red and Yellow Shirt disputes with the government.

* Bangkok itself is likely to chew up too much cash, and you get smokers' cough just from breathing in the car-congested streets. So get out of the big smoke to the villages.

* Tempting as it is with such beautiful clear waters, diving will kill your budget, so pack your mask and snorkel instead as the whole coastline is teeming with coloured fish. If you're after a treat and want just one dive trip, the Surin and Similan Island Marine Parks are the place to check out whale sharks, manta rays and magnificent coral gardens.

* Trying to pronounce local place names if you've had a beer or two.

* The local meat markets unless you don't mind witnessing cruelty that the SPCA would sue over.

GO TO GOA, INDIA

Everyone knows it's cheaper than a roti to live in India - if you're prepared to downscale your lifestyle. And you don't need to join the cast of Slumdog Millionaire to get a cheap place to stay for the long- term either.

Travelling in Goa, Southern India, was where I first encountered people who choose to work just six months of the year in so-called "first world countries", and then actually saved money being on holiday in India.

Although the differences between Northern and Southern India are so great you could be forgiven for thinking they are different countries, overall the colour and chaos of the streets, the intensely and sometimes over-friendly people, and the delightful madness that is India will either woo you to stay long-term, or you'll book the next plane out. No-one is neutral about staying in India - you'll either love it or hate it.

Reasons to go:

* Butter chicken, rogan josh and succulent tandoori - the food alone is one of the best reasons to say namaste (hello) to India.

* The people - incredibly friendly and in your face all the time. If they're not asking you 20 questions about your home town, they'll be trying to sell you a camel ride with their uncle.

* The backwaters of Kerala - coconut palms and mango trees fringe the coastal lagoons.

* Tiger and elephant spotting at one of many wildlife sanctuaries.

* Ghosts of colonists past with British architecture in its magnificent prime in Mumbai and extensive Portuguese homes and architecture at Kochi.

* Well ordered and extensive rail system - some say the best legacy of the British.

* The greatest monument to love in the world - the Taj Mahal, completed in 1653 by Shah Jahan as a tomb for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.

* The colourful and insanely busy streets. Try standing on a traffic island for a while just to watch the cows, camels, elephants, rickshaws, vendors and mass of humanity.

* To gain a fresh appreciation of how fortunate we are in New Zealand, where we expect to eat every day, live in a warm home, have running water and proper sanitation.

Things to avoid:

* Unboiled water - that means even salads are off-limits, and check the seal on your purchased water to check it hasn't been tampered with. Even close your mouth in the shower or else you'll become more acquainted with your toilet than you ever wanted to.

* Dodgy taxi drivers at airports or train stations who insist that your hotel has burnt to the ground so they can take you to a place where they get a kick-back. Insist on going to your original destination against all of their protests. Miraculously, rising like a phoenix from the ashes, your hotel will still be there.

* Be wary of witnessing some Hindu festivals unless you want to see men with arrows through their faces or meathooks lashed into their backs. Check with locals about the nature of festivals before you venture out.

* Poo-on-the-shoe scams. Gross as it seems, a popular way of making money in crowded streets is for someone to flick some fecal matter on to your shoe discreetly and then make a big deal of pointing it out to you. Of course the nearest shoe cleaner, their cousin, is just across the street, or, while you're panicking, your pockets may have been picked.

BUENOS DIAS TO ECUADOR

The entire South American continent offers exotic living at bargain basement prices and learning Spanish by immersion with the locals gets tossed in for free.

The mainland has got more in store for the average long stayer than you can shake a llama at and the Galapagos Islands await exploration, should your budget allow.

Reasons to go:

* Soak up the atmosphere and the rain in the Amazon jungle while spotting wildlife such as snakes, monkeys and tropical birds. Perhaps you may even spot a sloth hanging around.

* Visit a tropical butterfly breeding centre, a niche but successful export industry for Ecuador. Witness the miraculous transformation of a boring-looking brown cocoon into a butterfly with the most vividly colourful wings you can imagine, or one that is so well camouflaged you'd be lucky to distinguish it from the tree it rests on.

* Homestays with local families in countryside villages allow priceless, wonderful interactions with the locals, immersion in the Spanish language and are a cheaper alternative to staying in hostels or hotels.

* Make your little sister back home nervous by trying the local delicacy of Cuy (guinea pig). If you can stomach looking at the whole roasted animal, complete with claws and teeth, you'll discover the flavour is much like slightly tough roast chicken.

* Step back in time by exploring the best-known Inca ruins in Ecuador at Ingapirca, or you can even hike a section of an Inca trail.

* Charming colonial vestiges from the Spanish conquest grace almost every town square with beautiful churches, government buildings, hidden courtyards, patterned tiles and wrought iron.

* Regain your mojo and hang out with backpackers who visited and just can't leave Vilcabamba, known as the "valley of longevity" as residents find the climate so agreeable many reportedly live to be well over 100 years old.

* Take your life into your hands by hiking among Ecuador's spectacular Avenue of Volcanoes. Or take an easier route and participate in gravity-assisted mountainbiking down the side of one of the major peaks such as Cotopaxi.

* Go mad buying up llama wool jerseys, mittens, hats and socks at the many colourful markets usually held each weekend in town squares around the country. For the biggest and best Saturday market, head up to Otavalo, north of the capital Quito.

Dating from Inca times the animal market makes the most interesting stop, but if you don't fancy adopting a llama or screaming pig, then the clothes market is the place to spend most of your time and money. Local weavers and other craftspeople also open their homes to visitors so you can learn how the crafts are constructed.

* If you dare, swim with, then fish and eat piranha - I tried it and survived, all toes intact. Just make sure you check with the locals first to see if the local pond has enough existing food for the piranha so they don't feel the need to feast on you.

* Try your hand at weird experiments such as balancing an egg on its end and letting a basin of water drain, while standing on the equator.

* If you can afford it and want to make the most of being in the area, a trip to the Galapagos Islands can't be ignored. The birds, such as blue-footed boobies, and animals, such as iguanas and giant tortoises, are so tame you can get right up close for National Geographic-like photos, even with a simple point-and-shoot camera.

Things to avoid:

* Departing for Ecuador without adequate vaccinations and medications is a big mistake. Malaria is a major issue in the Amazon lowlands, and even yellow fever, cholera and rabies are present in some areas. Book a session at a specialised travellers vaccination centre well in advance of your departure date.

* Petty theft is a problem on the rise in Ecuador. Always have cash in multiple places on your body (most cash and all credit cards in your money belt and a small amount of cash in your pocket) and some spare cash hidden in your backpack for emergencies. Photocopy your key documents (passport, credit cards, air tickets, itinerary) and have copies in multiple places and one with family back home in case your bag goes walkabout.

* Unboiled water (and ice in drinks) is the most likely cause of any traveller's diarrhoea, so treat all water, all the time, or buy mineral water.

DOING THE NUMBERS

OK, so airfares do cost a bit. But once you're at your destination you could very well be making money compared to living at home.

Lonely Planet offers guidelines for what you'd expect to spend each day if you were prepared to live and eat simply, travel on inexpensive transport and limit your sightseeing.

Staying in one place will allow you to rent even cheaper long-term accommodation.

Thailand: 500 baht per day, around NZ$23 or around $161 per week

India: 450 rupees per day, around NZ$15, around $105 per week

Ecuador: US$15 per day, around NZ$24, around $169 per week

The latest Household Economic Survey from Statistics New Zealand,  shows the average New Zealand weekly household net expenditure was $956. So travelling your way out of the recession, if you pic  the right country, can be a viable option financially - let alone the lifetime of experiences, friendships and memories you'll gain.  Perhaps it's time to get packing?