Wanderlust

Sitting at your desk at work dreaming about exploring the world outside your window is one thing. Making it happen is another. Dreams don't require a lot of effort or sacrifice, and everything seems so much more easy and doable in your head.

My enthusiasm surrounding my RTW trip, which was at a high a few weeks ago, has waned considerably following a recent setback. In the past weeks, I have been thinking less and less about it, and now I'm depressed as hell!

So, I've decided to record the intended itinerary on my blog as a constant reminder of what is ahead of me.

I recently decided to abandon the traditional RTW ticket and wing it instead. There are a number of reasons for this. I dont like being restricted (hence the travelling solo ) Having to stick to ticket schedules, etc...is not really how I wanted to do this trip. I'd much rather just move from/stay in a place as I felt like it. Okay, so yeah I'm a little bit worried about the fact that it might cost me a LOT more doing it this way...but I should be okay. Shouldn't I? :D

Getting the money together for all this is the bitch! In the headiness of previous weeks, I went shopping for a few important essentials, such as

- backpack
- hiking boots
- camera
- travel accessories
- waterproof gear

So, on the upside, any money I do save from now on will be money I'll be leaving with. Although, I still have to pay for travel insurance and the dreaded JABS!!!

On the downside, it's so hard to save, living in Ireland. Grrr...everything is sooo expensive here. I've been staying at home on Saturday nights as much as possible to try and save the pennies but it is hard. Plus, the Summer is here now and that makes it even more difficult!! My friends and workmates think there'e something up because I keep making excuses for not going out. I can't tell anyone about this trip yet because I cant blow my cover too early at work....they wouldn't be too happy if they thought I was planning to leave..so I have to keep schtum for a while yet. So, Ive been telling them all that I'm thinking of getting a new car and I'm saving for that.....tee heee...

I wish I could win the Lotto! Now, that would just solve everything. And I could leave straight away!! :D

But seeing as that's PROBABLY not going to happen, I must keep scrimping and planning, and keeping my spirits up until I can afford to hit the road.

When I said, I was planning a round the world trip, I wasnt joking. The list of countries is ambitious...maybe too ambitious, I dont know. I could be back in Ireland after a few months...but if not, this is the plan:

India 1 month approx
Nepal/Tibet 2wks/2wks
China 1-3 months (possibly to work)
Myanmar 2-3wks
Laos 2-3 wks
Vietnam 2-3wks
Cambodia 2 wks
Thailand2 wks
Malaysia 2-3 wks
Borneo 1wk
Singapore2-3 days

After this, it's difficult to plan anything remotely concrete

Australia 3-6 months (not sure whether to work here......)
New Zealand 6mnths - 1 yr (Working VISA)
One of the Cook Islands or Fiji - 1/2 wks

Easter Island 1-2 days
Chile 3wks-1 month (depending on whether I decide to see Patagonia
Peru 2 wks
Bolivia 1 wk

I said it was ambitious! Lol! If I get this far, I will be doing great! If I still have money and time and energy, I will add some more South or Central American countries on, and possibly Canada.....

At this point in my life, all I can think about is getting away from everything I know at home. I definitely have the will to embark on this adventure, but I wonder how long I can last....really. Looking at my intinerary, I just want to keep lengthening the list, but 1-2 yrs of roughing it is not easy on anyone...and I may find that I dont manage to see half of that list.

I don't imagine that I will get terribly homesick at first, but a trip of this magnitude means leaving your family for a long time. And then, there's your family. Is it selfish to leave them for such a prolonged absence?
I am lucky that I have parents who have never stood in my way and who encourage me in all my dreams and goals, even if they sometimes dont agree.
Is their a cost for them in me trying to realise these dreams?

Doing this trip boils down to one thing for me. I want to have an adventure. I want to be able to eventually buy my house/apartment and settle into my chosen career, have a family..etc...and be perfectly content to do that because I have made the most of my young life. I will have embraced the restlessness of youth and looked my fears and dreams right in the eye. Having done that, I think that middle age and beyond may be a happier and more content prospect.

Hi everyone,

Okay, so it's pretty obvious that I'm bored at work this morning. Just started copying and pasting entries from old posts to make up some new entries. I'll actually dust off my old travel journals now and use them for this.

This new blog might actually rekindle the travel spark again. I was due to leave on my RTW this coming October, but I have had to push the departure date back by two months now for various reasons. So, I'm feeling a little down in the dumps about that.

TP seems to have "quietened" somewhat in recent times for me also so I have been less enthusiastic in researching the various aspects of my trip, I think. James is leaving us, which I am very sorry to hear Rich is somewhere out in the big wide world depriving us of daily lashes of his sarcastic wit, and Dave sent me a lovely email yesterday saying his goodbyes. Everybody's leaving!! And where the HELL is Nikki??!!

But, I was really happy to see this blog added when I logged in this morning. It might help me to stay focused on my trip So, a big thanks to Sam & Peter for provding me with a new way to doss at work. Lol!

Well, back to work.....for now.....

As some of you know, I'm planning a round the world trip in the not too distant future. After much deliberation and driving shop assistants round the bend, I recently invested in a new backpack. I found it pretty mind-blowing looking at all the different packs that are on the market. It took some time to eventually find what I think is a good one. So here are a few points about the pack - they might help others who are looking for something similar.

It's the Berghaus Spirit 65+15. I'm extreeeeemly happy with it. It fits like a glove!

1) It has a Biofit backsystem which is really comfortable. It's designed so that the main body of the pack is away from your back. Allows a lot of air between you and the pack. The hip straps seem to take a lot of the weight as well(so far...admittedly, I'm basing this on walking around the sitting room with some stuff in it...but I suspect that I wont have any complaints)

2) It comes with its own waterproof cover. This attaches with a velcro strip and a zip and completely covers the pack.

3) It has a zip-over cover for the back straps for when you're not carrying it on your back.

4) It has a side handle and also a detachable shoulder strap

5)It has a 15L day pack which has two compartments and a side pocket for a water-bottle or whatever

6)It has a bottom compartment for shoes/smelly clothes/etc

7) It has zips which open down the sides for easy access to your clothes.

8) There is a medium-sized mesh compartment inside the pack and one or two small pockets as well.

9) It has a strap at the top of the pack which can hold a sleeping bag/mat/etc

10) It also has this i-trak thing (which it a total gimmick although might come in handy). Basically, you register your details and the pack number online and this will enable Berghaus to track your pack anywhere in the world if it gets lost.

It cost me €220 and I think its going to be worth every penny.

The best thing about the Berghaus Spirit: It's very very very comfortable.

E

Ps: Will upload a pic soon

When I was on holidays in Alicante a couple of years ago my friends and I met an old hippie. We were just sitting outside a bar having a few beers in the sun and he came up and sat near us with his little dog, Mica. He was a complete stoner and it appeared that he spent most, if not all, of every day completely wasted. We bought him a beer and he sat and chatted with us for a few hours. As the afternoon went lazily by, he sat there skinning up joints one after another.

Every now and then, he'd take a big drag on his spliff, take little Mica on his lap and blow a stream of smoke into the dog's mouth. Mica didnt seem to have much of a problem with this, other than walking around banging into tables and walls. Lol! Then he'd launch into a 20 minute rant about something or other (he was actually pretty interesting to listen to) and direct the odd question at Mica who'd gaze up at him adoringly.

Debiliating drug habit aside, he seemed like a very content individual who was seeing the world with his little dog. He seemed to have little or no possessions and not a lot of money, but I found myself feeling pretty happy just spending a few hours chatting to him.

I was chatting to someone today and I remembered something that happened to me and some friends when we were in America a few years ago. I had forgotten about it, and it had me in knots laughing today just thinking about it.

We had hired a van in San Fran and drove up to Yosemite. We arrived pretty late the first evening and picked a spot to camp in. We left our car at the spot and went off to do a bit of exploring before dark. When we got back to the spot, some German travellers had set up camp there and had settled in.

We explained to them that we had picked this spot and that we even had left some stuff in the metal bunker. They argued a bit but eventually gave in and moved somewhere else. We settled down for the night, happy that we had stood our ground.

The following morning we got up and were greeted with the following sight - the word "DICK" had been scratched into the side of the van in massive letters. YIKES!!! We could only assume it was the Germans from the night before....

That was early in the road trip. We had to drive around California for the next week with DICK on the side of the car.

When we got back to SF all the girls stood in front of that side of the van so the guy at the car hire place wouldnt notice! LOL!!
We never heard anymore about it!