Pricing the plane tickets was the easy part, the safest part for sure, no surprises there. Costing all the rest was more difficult and no matter how many calculations and research we have done, the truth is that we won't know for sure until we get back. Obviously we have a figure in mind, we can make a reasonably educated guess, add contingency, but until August the 20Th when we'll be back on Irish soil we can't give a definite answer.

Once again the key to tackle the problem was dividing the eight months into smaller segments and start budgeting for the shortest ones: the first 3 weeks in China and the last 5 in South America. Up until now we have always used the 'Rough Guides' every time we traveled and were never disappointed. We'll trust them even this time :
China 70$ pp a day
Chile 350$ pp a week
Bolivia 40$ pp a day
Peru 60$ pp a day
The figures refer to food, accommodation and transport. All touristy stuff is extra, at least the big ones like a trip to Machu Pichu or a cruise on the Yangtze river. For the children we have budgeted half quote.

The guides always provide three budgets: economic (for backpackers using exclusively hostels and sometimes not even those), moderate (B&B or Hotel and a bit more comfort) and luxury (for who travels 4 stars all the time). At this stage of our life we fall into the second category. Adding the tourist's bits and contingency, the budget for the holidays within the holiday is as follows:

China 4000e
Chile 1700e
Bolivia 1000e
Peru 1300e

We still have to add 5 days in Buenos Aires for which we haven't a figure yet but we assume a cost of living similar to the one in Chile rather than Peru or Bolivia where it is definitely lower.

The next segment to be quoted was the week in Fiji. Even there no surprises because it will be a week in the sun staying put in a resort, getting ready for 5 weeks in South America where we'll be constantly on the move, covering the distance between Santiago and Lima by land. We'll then jump on a plane to Buenos Aires where we'll spend the last few days before getting back to Europe. Prices in Fiji vary greatly. For now we stuck to the middle range and budgeted 2500e for the week, but we won't book anything until much closer to the date.