I will take a year off from the work force. With this time I will travel the world. With this blog I will document my experiences. ( Well, that year turned into a year and a half, and that turned into a job in New Zealand!)
My Travel Path
Thursday, July 19, 2012
The "Plan" - 1st Draft
Once back in Texas I will spend 2 weeks hanging out with my family. My mom is back home from teaching abroad in Bahrain for the summer. I will enjoy the time I have with her.
The last 2 weeks in August with be spent on a road trip with my dad to some of the National Parks in the Colorado/Wyoming area. Hopefully we will hit Rocky Mt National, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Arches National at the very least.
I have some time in September to kill. I tossed around the idea of visiting some place in Europe with my friend Matt. I'm not sure if ill be able to fit it in just yet. I have purchased a ticket to the Aggie Football game on Sept 22!!! WHOOOOOP! So that's another thing to work around.
I fly to Nairobi, Kenya on September 27 with two of my very good friends. We have signed up for a 77 day camping/overland tour of 8 countries in Africa. Included is Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, and South Africa. Here is a link to the daily itinerary, http://www.africantrails.co.uk/tour/gorillas-to-cape-town-joburg/itinerary.
After Africa we will hit Southeast Asia!
Leaving
I move out of my Lexington apartment and into a storage building back in Texas next weekend.
It hit me yesterday that I will be leaving the place I have called home for the past 4 years. The place where I officially transitioned from student to professional, from stranger to friend, where my adventurous spirit finally took over. I realized, though, that some of the very things I am sad to leave behind are the very things I have to look forward to on my travels. I will leave behind great friends, but I'm given the opportunity to add to my list of great friends. I will leave behind my career, but I'm given the opportunity to become a professional me. I leave behind the comfort of home, but I'm given the opportunity to see that I have many places where I feel at home.
It hit me yesterday that I will be leaving the place I have called home for the past 4 years. The place where I officially transitioned from student to professional, from stranger to friend, where my adventurous spirit finally took over. I realized, though, that some of the very things I am sad to leave behind are the very things I have to look forward to on my travels. I will leave behind great friends, but I'm given the opportunity to add to my list of great friends. I will leave behind my career, but I'm given the opportunity to become a professional me. I leave behind the comfort of home, but I'm given the opportunity to see that I have many places where I feel at home.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Getting My Ducks In A Row
The following is simply a list of things I have done to prepare for my journey around the world. I included approximate costs for any interested.
Passport:
I had only 4 full pages left in my passport so I had 48 pages added to it. $82
Immunizations:
I visited a travel Dr. specializing in world diseases and immunizations. I have had two trips thus far and now have a total of 13 vaccinations not counting those I had as a child. I got the Yellow Fever vaccine and an updated Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis) back in 2007 before I traveled around Central America for 6 weeks. The newest vaccines include Typhoid, Meningitis, Hepatitis A and B, adult MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), Flu and Polio. The Hep A and B was a single shot but I need three rounds of it for it to be effective for life. I have only one more round to go. All of the latest immunizations set me back $697, but I figure I would much rather pay up front for this than pay later.
Retirement:
I have consulted with a financial adviser and have rolled over my 401K, pension and IRA into a single IRA to be managed while I am away. This is a fee based on how my portfolio performs. No upfront cost.
Insurance:
I have researched travel health insurance and find that it is quite affordable. Most are less than $2 a day. That's much cheaper than normal health insurance. It also includes trip insurance should something go wrong or my luggage be lost. I have not yet decided on a specific plan though.
Packing List:
I have started formulating a list of things to take. Some essentials that I did not already have include a Steripen for sterilizing water, a good head lamp and a travel blow dryer (yes, a blow dryer). I will be taking my tablet with me to keep up with this blog and to talk with friends and family via email, Facebook or Skype. I ordered the keyboard attachment so that typing and communication will be easier. That should arrive on Friday. When I get the packing list finalized I'll post it.
Storage:
It just so happens that my Mother already has a storage building rented out since she is living and working in Bahrain for a 2 year stint. I will be adding my stuff to her building and splitting the cost with her on that. $40/mo That's much better than rent anywhere.
Truck:
I have decided its best to go ahead and sell my pick up even though I JUST paid it off. It will be hard to let it go because it is kinda my dream car, but it wont do it or me any good sitting around for an entire year.
Passport:
I had only 4 full pages left in my passport so I had 48 pages added to it. $82
Immunizations:
I visited a travel Dr. specializing in world diseases and immunizations. I have had two trips thus far and now have a total of 13 vaccinations not counting those I had as a child. I got the Yellow Fever vaccine and an updated Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis) back in 2007 before I traveled around Central America for 6 weeks. The newest vaccines include Typhoid, Meningitis, Hepatitis A and B, adult MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), Flu and Polio. The Hep A and B was a single shot but I need three rounds of it for it to be effective for life. I have only one more round to go. All of the latest immunizations set me back $697, but I figure I would much rather pay up front for this than pay later.
Retirement:
I have consulted with a financial adviser and have rolled over my 401K, pension and IRA into a single IRA to be managed while I am away. This is a fee based on how my portfolio performs. No upfront cost.
Insurance:
I have researched travel health insurance and find that it is quite affordable. Most are less than $2 a day. That's much cheaper than normal health insurance. It also includes trip insurance should something go wrong or my luggage be lost. I have not yet decided on a specific plan though.
Packing List:
I have started formulating a list of things to take. Some essentials that I did not already have include a Steripen for sterilizing water, a good head lamp and a travel blow dryer (yes, a blow dryer). I will be taking my tablet with me to keep up with this blog and to talk with friends and family via email, Facebook or Skype. I ordered the keyboard attachment so that typing and communication will be easier. That should arrive on Friday. When I get the packing list finalized I'll post it.
Storage:
It just so happens that my Mother already has a storage building rented out since she is living and working in Bahrain for a 2 year stint. I will be adding my stuff to her building and splitting the cost with her on that. $40/mo That's much better than rent anywhere.
Truck:
I have decided its best to go ahead and sell my pick up even though I JUST paid it off. It will be hard to let it go because it is kinda my dream car, but it wont do it or me any good sitting around for an entire year.
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