My husband and I plan to take two months to travel through SE Asia, primarily Thailand and Cambodia. I know two months isn't that long by BNA standards, but it's all my husband can take off at one time, and to someone who has been seeing the world one week at a time, it sounds positively luxurious (and to our family and friends, downright radical). But I have no job plans or prospects when I get back (I'm a newspaper reporter), and I may have to switch career fields entirely. I volunteered myself for a layoff, so I will get severance and unemployment, but it makes me nervous to be without an income while spending thousands of dollars on a trip. We have saved more than we need for the trip, but I'd like to have a bit of a safety net for when we get back and I'm out of work.
One of the reasons we chose SE Asia was the low costs, but I think this trip may still end up costing us at least $6,000, not including airfare. We plan on staying in very basic accommodations, but not hostels. We're assuming a very general budget of $100 a day. Is this realistic? Is there a way it can be done more cheaply without having to pinch pennies? We plan to avoid the over-touristed areas (if such a thing is possible anymore), spending only a couple of days in Bangkok and traveling from the northern hills to some (hopefully) more off-the-beaten-path beaches.
I realize this is a rambling post, but I'm hoping those of you who have gone before me can help allay my anxiety. This is a longtime dream for me and I'm so excited about the trip I could burst, but given the economy, I worry my timing was terrible. This website has been my salvation through years of cubicle dwelling, and these forums have helped me make a life-changing decision. Any words of wisdom or comfort would be much appreciated.
