Hello All; This update is much later than I had planned, but for several reasons. I had just returned from Turkiye for about two weeks when that series of earthquakes hit the south of Turkiye, and Syria. Because of that, all travel plans were put on hold until we had time to digest what options would work for all. It had been my plan to return to Istanbul in June, and some of my friends from Thailand would meet me there. Along with my friends living in Turkiye, we were going to do a trip into the south for two weeks or so. All planning for that was put on hold, and finally cancelled.
A new plan has been almost finalized. I will now be going to Thailand in May travelling via Europe, and spending about six weeks between Thailand and Vietnam. My friends in Thailand live in the north of the country, in a village called So Phisai, which is not far from Udon Thani and Vientiane, Laos.
Departing on May 16, my routing will be from Ottawa to Montreal with Air Canada, then to Zurich Switzerland and on to Bangkok with Swiss Air. I arrive in Bangkok on May 18 in the morning. I will have about ten hours stopover in Zurich. On the return, June 21, at midnight, I will fly from Bangkok to Vienna, Austria, and on to Montreal with Austrian Airlines, and home to Ottawa with Air Canada. I arrive home on June 22 at five in the afternoon.
We plan to spend about half the time in Thailand, then the remainder in Vietnam. I have been to Vietnam but my Thai friends have not, so I am the tour guide. We will fly over to Hanoi, spend some time there, then take the train south to Danang, a few days there..(it is a great city for walking), then the train on to Saigon, also called Ho Chi Minh City. We will fly from there to Bangkok.
I am presently working on Visas for both countries. More later when our plans are finalized.
