Backpacking in Queensland

Q: I'll be backpacking in Queensland, Australia, in November, but on a tight budget. Can you recommend must-see places for a 10day trip? Jaima

A: The bus is the cheapest way to get to see most places in Queensland. If you fly from Bangkok, start your trip in Brisbane, the state capital, where there are many inexpensive spots to enjoy, especially if you love parks.

You can go bush-walking and see rainforest, waterfalls, crocodiles and much more. The Queensland Museum is free, as is the nearby Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art.

The larger cities along the Gold Coast have free, council-run activities like concerts and art shows, so check out the local websites. The beaches are free, too - head to the Sunshine Coast.

Fraser Island is not to me missed, but it involves a day trip from Hervey Bay, and it isn't cheap but well worth the expense.

In northern Queensland's Cape Tribulation and Daintree national parks are the Great Barrier Reef, rainforests and white sandy beaches. Cairns is a good base. With limited time, book a guided tour that includes Mossman Gorge, Port Douglas and Four Mile Beach, and the koala and kangaroo-friendly Rainforest Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary.

And if you're an experienced diver, head for Yongala in Townsville.

You will love Oz!

Q: I want to witness the Mekong River fireballs in the first week of October. Is it true that the best place to see this phenomenon is Phon Pisai?

A: The Naga fireballs draw huge crowds during the full moon of the eleventh lunar month, a time known as Ok Phansa - the end of Buddhist Lent.

Phon Pisai district in Nong Khai province is indeed one of the prime viewing spots, others being Pak Khat, Bung Kan, Tha Bo, Si Chiang Mai, Sangkhom and Muang.

Glowing spheres seem to rise from the river, shooting into the air again and again. Science has an explanation, but many people prefer to believe the "fireballs" are hurtled aloft by Phaya Nak, the great underwater serpent.

From Bangkok there are daily flights to Udon Thani, and from there it's a 40minute ride on a minibus to Nong Khai. If you've got more time, trains leave Bangkok for Nong Khai every evening.

You have to book a hotel well in advance, and note that few of them are near the river. Once checked in, you'll have to hire a ride to the Mekong bank.

Head out early in the morning to beat the traffic and get a good spot. Be prepared to sit all day in the hot sun, though food and drinks will always be on sale close by. Just make sure there's a restroom around, even if it's a squat toilet at one of riverside temples.

Is it worth all the hassle when there might be only two or three fireballs, each appearing for 30 seconds?

When you see them, it's spectacular, and in between sightings, it's great fun just sitting around under the stars discussing their origin with your neighbours, a cup of rice whisky in hand.