Solo f traveler - itinerary suggestions??

hello fellow travelers,

i have been going thru books and forums for months eagerly planning my trip but I am still finding it very overwhelming.

I will be flying into HCMC, Vietnam in mid Sept and staying for 5 wks. The first 3 weeks I%26#39;m doing solo, then my boyfriend is flying into HCMC and doing the last 2 wks with me. So, here is hte tentative itinerary I%26#39;ve come up with so far.. PLEASE PLEASE let me know if you have advice, suggestions, what to skip, what to see, how to travel, etc... much appreciated! I%26#39;m on a moderate budget and can afford flights to save time. but would%26#39;nt mind longer routes if its worth the adventure.

In Cambodia I%26#39;d like to do PP, SR and maybe Shanoukville..(i can%26#39;t decide whether i want do see VV) then off to

Laos, where I%26#39;d like to see Vietenne, LP, Plain of Jars and do the Gibbons Experience and/or 2-3 day Elephant Camp with Tiger Trail Outdoor Adventures, then (esp welcome your input on this part!)

Vietnam - Sapa, Hanoi for the 3rd week before I head back to HCMC to meet my bf and cover Hoi-An, Mui Ne, HCMC, Mekong etc etc

I heard you can book Mekong epxress on the day of travel but not sure about hwo to get between the other destinations.. I can%26#39;t seem to buy flights on any of the Asian airlines websites.

Also, I saw on CNN that there is massive flooding in Laos.. how will weather affect my travels?

Since I%26#39;m traveling solo if anyone is going to be around at the same time i%26#39;d love to meet up!

Thanks everyone for all the input! :)

Solo f traveler - itinerary suggestions??

Can you elaborate a little more on the amount of time you plan on spending in each place? It sounds like there is no way you%26#39;re going to fit all that in, and I may even suggest to skip a country if all you have is 5 weeks. Travel is quite slow in those countries (esp. Laos), and unless you plan on flying between major cities, you will be spending close to a week on buses getting from here to there.

Yes, Laos has been inundated by floods, and I too am concerned as I will be heading out to some small villages during mid-September myself. It seems the rains have subsided somewhat, and all we have to worry about is whether the roads have been washed out or not.I am still going, as I have friends to visit, but if indeed the roads are washed out, it is going to take longer than expected. I am waiting for word from friends on the roads situation in some of the areas I am going. I%26#39;ll post more later when I get the info.

Solo f traveler - itinerary suggestions??

Yes, now that I think about it I suppose my itinerary is overly ambitious... Maybe I%26#39;ll cut out cambodia and do Laos + Northern Vietnam for 3 weeks.

Any tips on how to book flights?

I don%26#39;t know how often you get to Southeast Asia, but to miss out on seeing the temples at Angkor would be really unfortunate. I love Loas and visit frequently, but it is a very laid back place that requires a fair amount of time to get to the sites and explore. Incidentally, I just heard regarding my road inquiry, and the roads are indeed out heading to the south, and they may or may not be repaired in a month%26#39;s time. Anyhow, if you do decide to do Cambodia, I would recommend 3-5 days in Siem Reap (you can get a 3-day pass to the temples, then spend the other day seeing other sights) and 2 or 3 days in Phnom Penh, a lovely little city with a charm all its own (and a tragic history). If you%26#39;re into beaches, Sihanoukville is 4 hours by bus south from Phnom Penh. I%26#39;ll keep you posted on what I hear regarding the roads, but there are flights if you have the cash...

Oh, forgot about the flights question. You can book online for most flights. Don%26#39;t know your route or preferred airline, but you can check this site for some info:

http://www.travelfish.org/airfares-asia.php