Things I'll Miss

Less than three weeks to go now and instead of focusing on my to-do list I've been picking up extra shifts at the hospital, shopping for cool travel gadgets (and cool security gadgets to guard my travel gadgets), and trying to soak up as much as I can of the things I'll miss the most next year. Now that I'm all set to leave on a grand adventure, everything about my existence as a 24-year-old seemingly aimless college grad living in my parents' spare room at home in Colorado seems much more appealing than it has for the past two years. The small details of my life here that were boring or even annoying just months ago are now practically miraculous. I've started making a list of all the things I'm going to miss the most when I leave.

Arian/Forrest/Alexandros

My cousin/college roommate/best friend since baby-hood and her husband just had their first child in October. Babies are great in general, but this baby is by far my favorite. I'm going to miss his huge, kissable marshmallow cheeks, perpetually concerned and surprised expressions, and Flipper imitations (I'm not sure why, but the kid sounds like a dolphin). By the time I get home he'll have aged 400% and will look like a completely different human. Hopefully his arms will be more in proportion to his head. It makes me sad that I'll miss all the fun first-year stuff. And I'm going to miss seeing my best friends act like parents.

My Parents

My parents have taken me in after every epic failure of my short life and given me a place to stay until I can plan and execute a new potentially epic failure. And while moving home after college and living with the folks isn't very cool, I think I've found a utopian balance of maximum freedom and minimum responsibility. I've somehow convinced my parents that my life is in some semblance of control, and they seem to trust that I'm not going to do anything too life-alteringly crazy, so they give me my space and let me do my thing...with their car, their insurance, their house, their food, and sometimes even their money. My mom still gets up at 6:00 every morning to make me tea and honey toast so I don't rush to work without breakfast. Every year when summer fades and I start complaining about the temperature, flannel sheets and a space heater magically appear in my room. When I forget to finish my laundry (which happens approximately twice a week) I find it dried and neatly folded on my bed. Despite the fact that both my parents are busier, older, achier and harder-working than I am, I can easily score a back, neck, or foot massage by whining that I've had a long day. If I don't like what Gragg is watching on his huge flat-ish screen TV he'll usually change the channel for me. When I procrastinate studying until a few days before a big test and then freak out, pull an all-nighter, and have a complete emotional breakdown, they'll chauffeur me to school so I can study for an extra 15 minutes in the car. I'm just not going to get service like this on the road.

My Brother

No matter how poor he is, he'll always buy me a chai. I'm going to miss his random quirks and brooding philosophical nature.

My Dog

Daisy, Daisy, Daisy. The world's most perfect cat-dog. I can just picture her now, rubbing herself along the entire length of the couch, half-sighing and half-grunting, trying to get someone to pet her or give her a scrap of food. So timid that she's scared of puppies, and so good-natured that when grumpy Sam, the crazy shadow-watching border collie, snaps at her, Daisy thinks Sam wants to play. Ignorant in the most endearing possible way, simple, loyal, easy to please.

The Weddings of the Century

My cousin Winter and his fiancee Mary are tying the knot next summer, and I'm so bummed I won't be there :( And now another cousin, Kylee, is engaged and I'll probably miss that, too. And another cousin, Ashley, is prego. So much going on this year.

More Family and Friends

Neala, Gwen, Laura, Diana, and others who I don't see as much but always mean to visit. Matthew, Nicole and the girls. Camping trips in Wyoming with the family next year. All the boys that spin me around until I'm sick at salsa dancing Tuesday nights. Troy and his terrifying mopeds. The awesome people at my job. Not that I spend much time with anyone right now because I'm inherently introverted and perpetually busy, but I like knowing I could if I wanted to, and it's sad that option won't be available next year. Luckily Danielle fulfills a sizable chunk of my emotional needs.

The Rocky Mountains

Beautiful as well as utilitarian. Probably won't know which way is west anywhere in the world except here.

My Job

Not very glamorous, but I can honestly say I'm going to miss the gig and the incredible people I worked with. Nurses are the best people on earth.

Summer Time

We're probably coming home in August/September, meaning I'm going to miss my favorite season here.

My Life

But it'll be nice to take a break from it for a while.

"OMG!!! Sweet!!! Crap!!"

Last week I sent a text to Danielle to remind her we were just 60 days away from leaving, and her response became the title of this post. It pretty much sums it up - shock, excitement, and panic. We still have a ton to do. Our flights keep getting canceled, we have organizations to contact, guide books to read, research to do, vaccines and visas to get, and in my case I still need to figure out whether or not to apply to medical schools this year, study for the MCAT and potentially put together a resume, CV, letters of recommendation, etc. And all this on top of both of us working/going to school full time. I'm also taking Krav Maga at the insistence of my parents, who were already freaking out about the trip before Yemen decided to make headlines as a terrorist threat, just days after we bought our ticket from Nairobi to Europe via Yemen. We'll need to figure out if our flights are going to be canceled, as many flights from Yemen to Germany have been recently, or if we want to keep our 3 hour Yemen layover to save a few hundred bucks.

But Danielle's been super productive, and made some cool-looking shirts as a fundraiser for our trip. Take a look at dannyliz.etsy.com.

Creativity For Sale

Danielle has started an awesome fundraiser for our trip on her online store:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/dannyliz.

She is selling postcards, miniature art, and t-shirts, with all the money from sales going towards our trip. There is also a place on her website to donate to us if you're feeling extra charitable :)

More Flight Finalizations

The downside of booking flights so far in advance is the inevitable shuffling and canceling of routes, and because a lot of our flight carriers are not based in the U.S., contacting them to reschedule can be a bit of a hassle. So far it hasn't been too bad, but it might prove more challenging when we're on the road with no phone...

We had to change our flight from Honolulu to Seoul, so now we have an overnight layover there instead of just an 8 hour day trip, and we had to change our flights from Kolkata to Mumbai, so unfortunately we won't have time to leave the airport in Kolkata now.

We also booked the final major flight segment from Africa to Europe. It's taken a month or two to get this done, because Yemenia had the cheapest flights but the WORST customer service. Emails went unanswered, or poorly answered, or answered in English mixed with a language I don't know, and there was no way to buy some advertised routes through their online booking service. Plus they required the passport numbers and expiration dates of all passengers, and Danielle's needed to be renewed. Finally I figured out it was easier to book through Expedia, which didn't charge a booking fee. The flight we picked goes from Nairobi to Sanaa (I doubt we'll leave the airport) to Rome to Frankfurt. We'll probably get off in Rome and volunteer on an organic farm for a month, and find a different way to Germany, but this way we have the option of going straight to Frankfurt if we want to.

So here's the updated itinerary:

Mon, Jan 17, 2011
Depart Denver at 1:05 pm and arrive in Honolulu at 8:35 pm (after a quick layover in L.A.)

Tues, Jan 18, 2011
Depart Honolulu at 9:05 am and arrive in Kona at 9:45 am

Thur, Jan 27, 2011
Depart Kona at 6:10 pm and arrive in Honolulu at 6:50 pm

Sun Feb 6, 2011
Depart Honolulu at 1:30 pm and arrive in Seoul at 7:20 pm on Monday, Feb 7

Tues Feb 8, 2011
Depart Seoul at 5:25 pm and arrive in Bangkok at 9:10 pm

Tues Mar 15, 2011
Depart Bangkok at 09:20 am and arrive in Mumbai sometime that afternoon after a short layover in Kolkata

Tues Mar 29, 2011
Depart Mumbai at 4:10 am and arrive in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania at 6:40 pm after a day-long layover in Nairobi

Mon Jun 13, 2011
Depart Nairobi at 4:30 pm and arrive in Rome at 4:00 am Tues, Jun 14. Possibly connect to Frankfurt at 5:00 am, arriving at 6:50 am.

Total cost so far: $2224.70 each

The Ultimate Sacrifice

I finally did it. I sold my beloved motorcycle, Trogdor, to raise money for the trip. So many good memories - going on long rides to see the fall foliage in Michigan, zipping through traffic on the highway, one last late-night ride under a clear sky on Monday before turning the keys over to the new owner. I had to turn away to keep my emotions in check as I listened to the engine's smooth purr fade into the distance. But I'm a few thousand dollars closer to supporting myself for a year on the road, and I know it'll all be worth it come January. Til we meet again, Troggy.

Websites for Cheapskates

www.airtreks.com - we used their route planner to find the cheapest hubs, routes and layovers

www.cheaptickets.com and www.priceline.com - useful for finding the cheapest dates for traveling or bidding on round-trip tickets

www.fly.com - to find the cheapest flights after we'd planned our routes and dates

www.workaway.info - to find places that will exchange a few hours of work a day for room and board (similar to http://www.wwoof.org/)

www.couchsurfing.com - to find free places to stay

www.craigslist.com and www.ebay.com - to find backpacking and travel gear

Vaccines and Health Info

Here is a list of vaccines that are recommended for the areas we'll be traveling to:

Measles/Mumps/Rubella - Two doses recommended for all travelers born after 1956, if not previously given

Tetanus-Diptheria - Revaccination recommended every 10 years

Polio - Recommended for adult travelers who have received a primary series with either inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) or oral polio vaccine (OPV). They should receive another dose of IPV before departure. For adults, available data do not indicate the need for more than a single lifetime booster dose with IPV.

Typhoid - Vaccination recommended for all travelers at least 10 days before travel

Hepatitis A - Vaccination recommended for all travelers - 2 weeks before travel

Hepatitis B - Vaccination recommended for all travelers, especially those who may come into contact with bodily fluids - 2 months before travel

Yellow fever - Required for all travelers greater than one year of age arriving from a yellow-fever-infected area in Africa or the Americas. Not recommended otherwise. CDC yellow fever vaccination recommendation for travelers to Tanzania/Kenya/Ethiopia is for all travelers ≥9 months of age. Many countries require travelers arriving from countries where yellow fever is present to present proof of yellow fever vaccination. Vaccination should be given 10 days before travel and at 10 year intervals if there is on-going risk. See: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/yellow-fever.aspx#823

Meningococcal meningitis -Not required except for Ethiopia; recommended if you plan to visit countries that experience epidemics of meningococcal disease during December through June (see map).

Tuberculosis - Vaccination sometimes recommended 3 months before travel

Rabies -1 month before travel - Only recommended for certain travelers, including:

• travelers with high occupational risks, such as veterinarians
• long-term travelers and expatriates living in areas with a high risk of exposure
• travelers involved in any activities that might bring them into direct contact with bats, carnivores, and other mammals, such as wildlife professionals, researchers, veterinarians, or adventure travelers visiting areas where bats, carnivores, and other mammals are commonly found

Cholera - Vaccination sometimes recommended - 2 weeks before travel

Japanese encephalitis - Vaccination recommended for travelers who may spend a month or more in rural areas and for short-term travelers who may spend substantial time outdoors in rural areas, especially after dusk - 1 month before travel

Malaria info

How to choose a malaria drug: http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/travelers/drugs.html

I think we'll go with doxycycline.

To prevent insect/mosquito bites, bring:

• Lightweight long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and a hat to wear outside, whenever possible.
• Flying-insect spray to help clear rooms of mosquitoes. The product should contain a pyrethroid insecticide; these insecticides quickly kill flying insects, including mosquitoes.
• Bed nets treated with permethrin, if you will not be sleeping in an air-conditioned or well-screened room and will be in malaria-risk areas. For use and purchasing information, see Insecticide Treated Bed Nets on the CDC malaria site. Overseas, permethrin or another insecticide, deltamethrin, may be purchased to treat bed nets and clothes.

Other CDC Recommendations

• Medicine for diarrhea, usually over-the-counter.
• Iodine tablets and portable water filters to purify water if bottled water is not available. See A Guide to Water Filters, A Guide to Commercially-Bottled Water and Other Beverages, and Safe Food and Water for more detailed information.
• Sunblock and sunglasses for protection from harmful effects of UV sun rays. See Basic Information about Skin Cancer for more information.
• Antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.

Equipment Splurges

Spending a ton of money on stuff to take on a round-the-world trip is a bad idea. The goal is obviously to pack as light as possible to maximize mobility and minimize extra luggage costs. Plus the more nice stuff you take, the more nice stuff you stand to lose to theft, lost luggage, water damage, forgetfulness, or perhaps a stray hippo attack (you never know). But there are a few things that I decided were worth splurging on.

I got my dream backpack, the Osprey Womens Waypoint 85, on craigslist. It's still going for $279 on the REI website, but I found a "used" version of exactly what I wanted for $125 in Denver. The previous owner took it on a 2 week trip to Europe before deciding to sell it, so it's in practically perfect shape. Score.

I found a refurbished Canon PowerShot SD780 with a 3 year warranty on eBay for about $125. Kind of pricey for my budget, but a great deal for a 12 MP digital camera, and I wanted a tiny, reliable camera I could carry inconspicuously in my pocket.

I don't consider myself to be a girl who compulsively collects footwear, but it is a little difficult to fit all the types of shoes needed for almost an entire year into one little backpack. Instead of packing bulky athletic shoes for hiking, running, and trekking, I bought a pair of these glove-like Vibram fivefingers, which also double as slippers and watershoes. Probably not going to do anything for the reputation of weird traveling Americans, but they weigh next to nothing, supposedly reduce running injuries by encouraging barefoot running-like form, are very comfortable (once your toes get used to their new freedom), and are easy to wash. They're around $100, but I got a $75 gift certifcate to JAX from an award at work, so I got mine for the bargain price of $25 plus tax. I noticed some on eBay for around $40. At that price they're probably knock-offs, but considering the whole idea behind these babies is minimalization, I doubt it'd make too much of a difference. I would, however, recommend trying before buying to ensure a comfortable fit around the toes.

I'm jumping on the crocs bandwagon half a decade late, but these little shoes are awesome. So comfy and light as air. Plus they're not even that ugly. I found a used pair at Repeat Boutique for $6.

Committed Noncommittal

We bought our tickets!!! At least most of them. The idea is to commit to a few big flights now to save money, while leaving ourselves as much freedom as possible. So we just decided approximately how long we wanted to spend in each place, figured out the cheapest hub near the areas we wanted to visit, and booked flights on the cheapest day that week, which usually ended up being a Tuesday. Here's the flight itinerary:

Monday, January 17, 2011
Fly from Denver to Honolulu (around $300 each)
Alaska Airlines?

Tuesday, February 7, 2011
Depart Honolulu at 1:30 a.m. and arrive at Seoul at 7:20 a.m. on Feb. 8. Depart Seoul at 5:25 p.m. for Bangkok, arriving at 9:10 p.m. ($620 each)
Korean Air

Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Fly from Bangkok (departing at 9:20 a.m.) to Mumbai (arriving at 6:10 p.m.), with a layover in Kolkata from 10:20 a.m. until 3:35 p.m. (THB 15,920 total, which is around $260 each)
Jet Airways

Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Depart from Mumbai at 4:10 a.m. for Dar es Salaam, stopping over in Nairobi from 7:35 a.m. until 5:25 p.m. Arriving in Tanzania at 6:40 p.m. ($430 each)
Kenya Airways

Total so far: $1610 each

We still need to buy a ticket from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Frankfurt, Germany, which we've found through Yemenia Airlines for under $400 each, and we'll be doing a lot of smaller overland or roundtrip traveling (i.e. Honolulu - Kona - Honolulu, Bangkok -Cambodia - Laos - Bangkok, Dar es Salaam - Addis Ababa, Frankfurt - the rest of Europe) and then at some point we'll have to fly home from Europe, but we can worry about that later.

A Total Eclipse of the Heart

Inspired by Airtreks Round The World ticket specials, we've decided to completely change the direction of our trip and skip the Trans-Siberian Express altogether. Hopefully this way we'll be able to squeeze in a few awesome stops in India, Athens and Istanbul. We're hoping to have our tickets bought and paid for by the end of the month, and then we're going to start putting together a sort of "Choose Your Own Adventure" book like the ones I used to read in elementary school so that we can plan without really committing. Perfect. More to come.