Although I haven’t actually bothered to get a passport, I am starting to plan a little more. It looks like I will be getting a local teaching job, which I'm happily surprised to say I am excited about. This will give me some income, which I need. Funny how all these places actually want money! The nerve...

The upshot is my SE Asia trip will be relatively short, in Boot terms, only a month to six weeks. No worries though, this will give some experience and the chance to recon for a longer stay next time, or a permanent (insofar as that word ever actually applies to me) change of venue.

I'm also getting stoked about the possibility of a London Boot Bash. My initial research indicates that I can start my SE Asia jaunt in London for about the same airfare (possibly the only benefit of flying out of DFW). Being of at least 3/4 Scots-Irish descent I have always wanted to see the ancestral homeland. Clan Galbraith had its meeting at Castle Culcrech last year but I couldn't attend. I think my grandmother could die happier with a picture of me at the old clan castle. I might be able to zip over to Ireland and dig around for genealogical info for her before winging over to the tropics.

So anyway, based on the recommendation and exhortation of the Boot boyz, I used trip planner to rough-in my itenerary and am now corresponding with Greg at Airtreks.

So far I am pleased. My only gripe is that he asked me right out for my "estimated budget." Maybe I'm paranoid but this seems like the typical used car sales pitch: "so how much you lookin' to spend?" which invariably leads to spending just that much. So I just told him "No thanks, I don't kiss on the first date. Tell me what it costs and I'll tell you if I can afford it." Am I being a paranoid corporate lawyer a*hole or am I being humble-teacher prudent? I don't know, but done is done.

Right now the itinerary looks like this:

Dallas -> London:
Boot Bash, overland to Scotland for a couple days, shuttle to Eire for a couple more.

London -> Bangkok:
All the guides say that Vietnamese visas are best obtained in Bangkok. I also want to get some suits made up.

Bangkok -> Angkor Wat:
I'm a history/geography teacher now. Gotta go someplace to get the tax write-off (as if I would actually make enough to itemize).

Angkor Wat -> Bali:
I want a place to chill for a week or two, soak up some sun, run on the beach (maybe bump into Bo Derek... no, that was Hawaii, never mind) read books and catch up on my writing. Nick makes Bali sound perfect for my temperament, budget and proclivities.

Bali->Saigon
The real reason I began this whole thing was to check out VN as a possible site for expatriation. I want to spend a couple of weeks checking out Saigon and Hue, as well as do some multinational networking--see if some outfit needs a broken down 'merican lawyer.

Saigon -> Dallas (via LA):
By this time Chinatown will seem tame, but God help me, I do love, especially Hollywood which is tawdry/tacky and brimming with interesting folk. I can see a friend or two and maybe hobnob with some cool people traveling the US, before I head back to the ranchito.

Oh, and a quick update on some issues raised in another entry: I'm still on drugs, but I've lost over 20 lbs and still losing. I've started walking a lot more, and as soon as school starts I can get a great deal at a great local health club.

All in all, life is good.