This thread is here to keep track of where we've stayed along the way and how we got there. We will update it with each stop.

This is part 2 of the transport thread and includes Asia and South America.

*********** Transport Asia and South America ************

* Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Sao Paulo, Brazil

Local bus

Comments: Normal seats on a normal bus

Cost: BRL 50 (about USD 28)

Time: 6 hours

* Florianopolis, Brazil to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Avianca Airlines

Comments: Decent airline with very modern plane.

Cost: BRL 306 (about USD 170)

Time: 2 hours

* Puerto Iguazu, Argentina to Florianopolis, Brazil

Local Bus

Comments: This time we had to take normal semi-cama seats. In Brazil this means a normal bus. The bus stopped every three to four hours making sleep quite difficult.

Cost: ARS

Time: 15 hours

* Buenos Aires, Argentina to Puerto Iguazu, Argentina

Local Bus

Comments: We managed to get 4 of the limited semi-cama seats for this bus. In Argentina semi-cama is effectively the same as a business class seat on a plane. Full-cama or Leito is a fully reclining seat that can be used as a bed. Cama is a normal seat as per a normal bus. Busses in Argentina are much better than in Brazil. The trip also included meals and onboard toilet as the bus hardly stopped. Lastly, you can only take cama and semi-cama during the day as full cama is reserved for late night busses.

Cost: ARS 540 (about USD 125)

Time: 17 hours

* Manaus, Brazil to Buenos Aires, Argentina

Gol Airlines

Comments: Flight went via Sao Paulo (as most flights within and out of Brazil do). Great website and online help. Decent planes and pretty much the same as Tam.

Cost: USD 670 … ouch!!

Time: Should be around 7 hours

* Sao Paulo, Brazil to Manaus, Brazil

Tam Airlines

Comments: Typical low cost airline but had drinks and some food.

Cost: USD 230

Time: 4 hours

* Bangkok, Thailand to Sao Paulo, Brazil

Emirates

Comments: Planes are pretty good. Terminal 3 in Abu Dhabi is terrible. Grossly over-packed with people and way too few toilets.

Cost: Included in round the world ticket

Time: 25 hours (including 4 hour transit in Abu Dhabi)

* Siem Reap, Cambodia to Bangkok, Thailand

Tourist bus

Comments; First leg to Thai border was in a terrible and over packed mini-van that didn't have proper seats or working seat belts. This leg was luckily only 2 hours. The Thai leg was very comfortable in a great mini-van.

Cost: USD 15

Time: 8 hours

* Phnom Penh, Cambodia to Siem Reap, Cambodia

Tourist mini-van

Comments: Packed minivan that takes about 2 hours quicker than bus. Bus may be better option though cause the mini vans are a tight squeeze and not comfortable at all.

Cost: USD 10

* Vientiane, Laos to Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Vietnam Airlines

Cost: USD 197

Time: 2 hours

* Vang Vieng, Laos to Vientiane, Laos

Tourist bus

Cost: LAK 50,000 (about USD 6)

Time: 4 hours

* Vientiane, Laos to Vang Vieng, Laos

Tourist bus

Comments: Pretty comfortable bus. Fun drive where it's probably best not to watch the road ahead, but guess it is 3rd public transport.

Cost: LAK 50,000 (about USD 6)

Time: 4 hours

* Koh Samui, Thailand to Vientiane, Laos

Bangkok Airways to Bangkok

Cost: THB 8920 (about USD 149)

Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Local overnight train from Hualumpong Station to Nong Khai (Thailand side of Thai/Lao border)

Comment: Interesting transport option as second class doesn't have cabins. Instead you have a bed with a curtain. We had to take a 3 hour detour to avoid flooded areas around Bangkok.

Cost: THB 758/second class bottom berth (about USD 25); THB 688/second class top berth (about USD 23)

Time: 15 hours (including 3 hour detour)

Local train to Thanaleng (Laos side of Thai/Laos border)

Cost: THB 20 (under USD 1)

Time: 15 minutes

Tuk-tuk to Vientiane

Cost: THB 300 for 4 seater tuk tuk (about USD 10)

Time: about 40 minutes

* Koh Phanhan, Thailand to Koh Samui, Thailand

Local Ferry

Cost: THB 200

Time: about 2 hours

* Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam to Koh Phangan, Thailand

Air Asia to Bangkok

Comments: Typical low cost airline.

Cost: USD 102

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Bangkok Air to Koh Samui

Comments: Get to use their lounge before flying with food and wifi. Includes in-flight meals.

Cost: THB 4,033 (about USD 131)

Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Local Ferry to Koh Phangan

Cost: THB 250

Time: about 2 hours

* Hanoi, Vietnam to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Jetstar

Cost: VND 1,679,000 (about USD 80)

Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

* Krabi, Thailand to Hanoi, Vietnam

Thai Airways then Qatar Airways

Cost: GBP 143 (about USD 230)

Time: 4 hours 40 minutes, incl 1 hour 30 minute transit in Bangkok

* Phi Phi Island, Thailand to Krabi, Thailand

Local Ferry

Cost: THB 250 (about USD 8)

Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

* Railay Beach, Thailand to Phi Phi Island, Thailand

Local Ferry

Cost: THB 450 (about USD 15)

Time: 2 hours

* Bangkok, Thailand to Railay Beach, Thailand

Thai Airways to Krabi, Thailand

Cost: THB 2775 (about USD 91)

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Long Tail Boat to Railay Beach, Thailand

Cost: THB 100 (about USD 3)

* Beijing, China to Bangkok, Thailand

Thai Airways

Cost: Included in our round the world ticket

Time: 5 hours 10 minutes

* Xian, China to Beijing, China

Hainan Airlines

Comments: Uses older planes but includes meals and don't charge for checking in luggage.

Cost CNY 968 (about USD 151)

Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

* Shanghai, China to Xian, China

China Eastern Airlines

Comments: Uses older planes but includes meals and don't charge for checking in luggage.

Cost:: CNY 1,498 (about USD 236)

Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

* Hong Kong to Shanghai, China

Hong Kong Airlines

Comments: Uses older planes but includes meals and don't charge for checking in luggage.

Cost: HKD 2,060 (about USD 265)

Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

* London, England to Hong Kong

Etihad Airlines

Cost: Included in our round the world ticket

Time: 5 hrs to Doha, 1 hr layover, 8 hrs to Hong Kong