Starting point matters a lot for cheap. But I'd also point out Jan 5th is basically around the corner. Cheap may be harder than you imagine.

Hello Amy and welcome to the solo forum.

I can see from your posting history that you are from the UK. Consequently your flight costs to any of your potential destinations are going to be the most expensive element of your budget. Then you’ll need to cost out any potential visa costs, plus travel,insurance and currency/banking charges. If you don’t live near a London airport, then you’ll need to add those travel costs too.

Once you’ve factored in all your basic travel costs, you’ll then have an idea of how much money you have left to actually spend in any of your potential destinations.

I’d suggest you start with a budget first and then see how far you can travel, and for how long.

Sensible advice been given.

Seeing as it's UK to Australia it may be better to do that last so the jet lag isn't so bad. You might want to factor that in as you are going to be flying a day every week leaving you 6 days in each country.

Also see if there's one of those countries that flys direct to Brisbane. From the UK they don't. But that would mean changing to going there last.

There are direct flights to Sri Lanka, then the Asian countries and drop down to OZ. That would save the most time and you would be fresher to explore.

As for budget, the cheapest way to fly is often to hop between airports/countries. It also helps with jet lag but you don't have time to do that.

Sorry you haven't got much inspiration, more practical info :-)

Welcome

this is all up to you. herres i i do my 1 month trips. NOte i do not go all over the globe on my 1 month trips, so far, but what i do is to pick a CONTINENT.

Since money is important use that as your guide !

> If you have access to a spreadsheet and know how to use it, start there. YOu can copy/paste info and hyperlinks so you dont have to research for things.

> look at your flights first. Its too bad you dont have a location in yoru profile, but this is up to you. So look at the flights for the 1st group. This is where most of uyour money will go to anyway. If you have any money left, then move onto the next item. Look at when/where you want to go and start looking at flight cost.

> Lodging. This is probably wherre your #2 cost will be. Again, look for a place to stay and add it to your spread sheet.

> #3 is attractions. Add those for each place.

> Use hte handy SUM feature on the spreadsheet. to see how much $$ it is justt for those 3 things.

> If you have any money left over, then add more more destination....look at the cost and if its still OK, then add the lodging. And again look at the costs. Once you cant afford to go or stay, then stop.

This hasnet even covered other things or FOOD either. So you will need to decide if you will budget or plan for it. On my 1 month trips i dont budget, but i do record costs.

You have the www at your flngertips and can look up alot of info and have software available, and yet we cant even do this.

its all up to you how you want to do this or not.

good luck

Perhaps sharing your budget would provide relevant answers easier to give. " Cheap" is very vague. Does cheap mean hostels or 2 star hotels or camping?

I agree with #2 and #6 - cheap is a subjective term, especially for a travel forum. And finding bargains usually requires flexibility, especially just over 2 months away. I would start getting out pencil/paper or spreadsheet and start working the possibilities quickly.

"Places on my list include, Bali, Gold Coast, Brisbane, with either Cambodia, Sri Lanka or Vietnam added on at the end." That's not a cheap trip. I personally would call it a bit on the expensive side. I am spending a month in Thailand myself. The round-trip from Sweden and 3 domestic flights within Thailand plus 26 nights at 2* hotels is costing me £3000. I figure transfers, food (no alcohol), and other miscellaneous expenses will be an additional £1500 at the minimum. So, what's your budget?

some info. take or leave. You dont say alot other than what you want. So im posting this as a FYI and just something to consider.

I dont know you, who you are and so forth. I dont know what makes you get up every morning or what makes you happy or sad or what motivates you.

Im 63 y/o solo male traveler. Ive been working more or less all my life and been working since i was 17 y/o. Started off working at my cousins clothing store on saturdays when i was in high School. for a kid, working on that saturday was painful in that it was 1 of 2 days off from school. But after a while, i made the most of it and made my sundays work for may "day off".

Ive had various hobbies and passions throughout my lifetime. Many were hobbies. Passions are something different. Dont know if you have a "passion" but when you do, you will know. Horses was a "passion" and now its "Travel". I still pickup rides here and there just to keep that "passion" going.

Passions keep me going and will get me out of bed. Now i work for "travel". I save my money and vacation time to do so. Its what keeps a smile on my face at work. People think im a happy at work where its just my mind is on my past and future trips. I can go to that "happy" place in my mind when things get tough.

Thats where i get my "inspiration" from. You cant open a box and get it, you have to find it - yourself. And sometimes it may change too. Sorry, i know and others want the easy answer, but this isnt one of them.

But when you do find your "inspiration" you will know and just grab and hold on as long as it lasts.

there are so many people that post questions like this and want the easy answer but dont/cant/wont do the work to find it.

If you really want this trip, you will make it happen and not much will stop you. think about anyting else you wanted and done so.

I met a single female in Venice several weeks ago. Shes from the Philippines living in Malta and working 2 jobs. 1 job was to make money for everyday living and the 2nd job was for travel. when she got enough money for whatever trip she was thinking/planning, she was off on that trip. she knows how much she had to use on that trip and when that money was gone, it was back to work at both jobs. And repeat when she saved enough money.

she also could pack and travel light. Alot lighter than i could and do.

but to me she had that "inspiration" and "drive" to make it work for her. I have no doubt not much will stop her and her dreams. She made a comment about finding that 1 job where she could afford both. I have no doubt she will or if not, will make it work. She knows how to do it the hard way.

I started to travel solo since 2012. I used travel books and started reading and researching. I used a spreadsheet too. I still do. Even with 12 years difference and knowledge, i still read and research and use that spreadsheet. the difference is that i can make a decision faster and i can fix things when they go down the toilet like they did on my trip to Europe.

But this is what i also learned. Ive been traveling 1 month every September since 2013. And those trips have cost me 5K USD for EVERYTHING other than food. EVERYTHING !. Now you maybe bug eyed and thinking thats EXPENSIVE. It is for some and for some not so. But you wont find many people posting what they spend on their trips. If you look at the 5K USD, its a big number. But how about if you look at per day, its 165 USD/Day. thats not bad and for some alot or not.

But i can say another thing too. Think about that 5K USD. that has been since 2013 and up to 2022 true. How many things could you buy and have the same price since then? Not much. But researching, planning and doing my own research, i have been able to adjust my trips/activities/places to keep it to that 5K USD. Think about it. You are trying to keep it cheap for several places on this trip. I have been doing 1 month trips every September since 2013 for 5K USD.

Cheap? I dont worry about "cheap". I look at real world numbers and what i can afford and do it consistently. Cheap is a vague and relative word. I get it. Its easier to say cheap. Than to come up with a budget/number. but have you tried?

My last trip in 2023 i went to the Galapagos and did an 8 day cruse in addition to my ground travels. That cruise cost me more money and almost as much as my 1 month trip . It wasnt "cheap" but it was "worth it". It cost me more, but guess what? it didnt just happen, it was known upfront so i could PLAN for that added cost and also SAVE for it.

You have a handful of place you want to see. great. thats up to you. Ever hear of the saying..."the world is your oyster". thats where im coming from.

I see travel as WHEN, not IF. When i will go, not IF i will go.

Im also FLEXIBLE too. I want to see alot of places where Americans are not wanted or if they do, they want to jail or do other things. thats fine. I can wait. I DONT NEED to go to any specific place right now. Again, WHEN, not IF.

Same for if a place is "expensive", whatever that may mean. If one place is "expensive" or dont like americans, i can skip that place. There are many, many, many other places to visit and more than once too.

How you want to do and see things is up to you.

good luck

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