HOW: My Plan
There are a lot of things to gain from this experience. I plan to expand knowledge of myself as well as the others that occupy this vast world. But all anxious speculation aside, I need a plan to turn these dreams into a reality.
I’ve made the resolution to sell my house, car, and most of my worldly possessions. I will leave a few mementos of the past with my mother, as well as the recording equipment so I can resume business upon return. I will be giving anything I can’t sell to friends, or donating it to goodwill. The goal is to get enough money together to purchase a flight out the country, buy a pack and other gear, have enough left over to travel for about a year on a less than moderate budget, and put the rest in a CD waiting for return to a new life.
Currently the house is on the real estate market, and I’ve already signed a contingency offer (waiting for their house to sell and then we close). As soon as I know the final closing date I will book my flight, and consequently begin my journey. In the meantime, there is plenty of research to do. I’ve only found reassurance of this dream being obtainable with the advice of a few friends currently living it, various websites, BBS forums, as well as a great book called ‘The Rough Guide to First-Time Around the World’.
In my search I have found out how inexpensive it is to live and travel in most of the world. I’ve been told of a two week stay in a bungalow on an exotic paradise beach in Thailand; food, accommodations, activities, and drinking only cost $75! I have found that as long as I don’t stay in expensive hotels and eat at the best restaurants, I could conceivably live for $10-$20 in a lot of rural areas and developing countries that I’ve always wanted to see.
On top of that, there are plenty of opportunities reduce the cost even further! In many places you can volunteer in exchange for food and lodging. Such as putting in a small amount of manual labor on an organic farm, or even staying with a family so they can practice their English skills. There is even the possibility of working as crew on a ship and getting free passage to the next destination. These are all types of culture immersion that I was hoping to pursue in the first place, and will ultimately help to extend the journey.
It becomes more apparent every day that a trip around the world is going to be a part of my future. I can only anticipate the day when my house closes and I can step on the plane. Until then I can only make preparations… for example on Wednesday I’ll be getting seven immunization shots. Ouch!
Tags: - Preperation, - Reflection
Adam Shane
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