Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘RTW Trip’ Category

One Month ’til Departure

Posted in Pre-Trip, RTW Trip on November 19, 2011| 6 Comments »

With only a month left in Denver, there is a lot going through our heads, a lot of anticipation, and a ton of excitement!  Each of us have different feelings about our impending trip around the world, different apprehensions, various things that we’re looking forward to, so here is a taste of what is going on in the brains of Mike and Amy. We wrote them separately so you will be just as surprised to read them as we were each others.

Amy

Most looking forward to…

  • Doing something I’ve never done
  • Asia
  • Trying new foods, even if they are weird and freaky
  • Spending a whole entire year with Mike!

Most anxious about….

  • No homebase to call my own
  • Not seeing the family for a year
  • Leaving my hairdryer behind

Luxury items that I’m going to sneak in my pack…

  • A pair of jeans
  • Qtips
  • An eyelash curler

Mike

What am I most excited about? Almost a ridiculous question considering the journey in front of us, but I’ll give it a shot….

  • Istanbul, where East meets West.
  • Spain (I love all things pig) and Spain is the homeland.
  • South Asian beach, stoked for some intense relaxation
  • Returning to Chile where I studied abroad in 2005

I couldn’t be more excited for this trip, but there are for sure a few anxieties:

  • I  only speak 2 languages.  There are hundreds if not thousands spoken in this world.
  • There might be such a thing as too much free time.  Filling it on a budget could be a challenge.
  • Safety is always a concern when exploring the unknown.

Tourist Traps I Definitely Want to Fall Into:

  • The Great Wall of China
  • Iguazu Falls
  • The Great Barrier Reef

Read Full Post »

Budgeting for a RTW Trip

Posted in Pre-Trip, RTW Trip, Travel on November 18, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Round the World (RTW) trips can take many forms.  Deeper pocks=more luxurious accommodations.  If you’ve read our aspirations for this trip on our About Us page, you know that our plan is to simplify our lives and connect with new cultures (i.e. backpacking, hostel living, meals from grocery stores=cheaper travel).  Many people have asked us “how can you finance a trip like that?!” so we thought we’d share some details on how we’ve managed to budget for this RTW trip and our anticipated costs during the trip.

Pre-Trip Budgeting

While we haven’t drastically changed our lifestyle, we have made a conscious effort to cut back.  Our budget has evolved during the planning process in an effort to be as realistic as possible.  Here are some ways we’ve managed to save:

  • Make a budget, and stick to it
  • Limit shopping for new things (saying yes to new socks when needed, but foregoing the new couch)
  • Less traveling (ironic, huh?)
  • Brewing coffee at home
  • Eating in, not out (rice & beans have become a big part of our lives)
  • Creative gift giving (re-gifting anyone?)
  • No TV

RTW Trip Expenses

We won’t know exactly how much a RTW trip costs until we’re actually on the road and then back home again, so we’ll share what we’ve learned after the trip is over:)  Here are somethings you’ll definitely need to take into account if you go on a trip around the world.

  • Vaccinations
  • Gear
  • Travel insurance
  • Daily living expenses (this blog has some good examples)
  • Transportation (RTW plane tickets vs. pay-as-you-go)
  • Visas/passport services
  • Loans (student/car/house/loan sharks), if applicable
  • Storage
  • Emergency funds
  • Return home funds (what are you going to live off of if you don’t find a job?!  Those with trust funds may ignore this bullet point….we however do not fall into this category)

We hope this helps anyone who aspires to take a trip around the world.  Bottom line is that the cost of a RTW trip depends on a lot of things – where you plan to go, how often you move, solo vs. companion traveling, type of housing accommodations, health needs, comfort level…the list goes on.  Feel free to contact us with any questions!

Read Full Post »

The Dreaded Resignation Talk…dun dun dun.

Posted in Pre-Trip, RTW Trip, USA, Work on November 10, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Willingly resigning from a job that you love to go on a trip around the world for a year doesn’t sound that bad, but when it actually comes down to it, its not so easy, and definitely not fun.

Informing our employers about our pending trip was something we knew we would have to do eventually, but time flies, and November was here before we knew it.  Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone and take a risk in order to reach for a goal.  Traveling is ours, so we said adios stability! Shit just got real.

Both of our companies were surprised but supportive.  We will be sad to leave, and we think the feeling is mutual.  A lot of people at work have asked about our travels (we hope you’re following the blog!) and have made some great suggestions too.  It’s nice to leave a company on good terms, knowing it’s a place where you would happily return to work.

After the dreaded resignation talks were had…dun dun dun…bubbles!

Champaign Celebration

Celebrating taking a major step towards realizing one of our dreams!

Resigning was a bit of a relief, to be able share our excitement with everyone, but also a reality check, to realize how much more planning and preparation we need to accomplish before we leave.  Did we mention that Mike had shoulder surgery 2 months ago?

We did check another big item off of our to do list recently, selling Mike’s car.  Craigslist once again proved its greatness; car sold to the first person who made contact.  Score.  $$ in the bank.

The next few weeks will include a roller coaster of emotions, finalizing details, hiring our replacements, packing and moving, and yes, more immunizations.  Mark your calendar for December 16th going away party at our place.

And likely more bubbles.

Read Full Post »

Pre-trip Preparation

Posted in Gear, Pre-Trip, RTW Trip, Travel on October 28, 2011| 2 Comments »

Countdown to departure: 53 days

Today someone asked us “How do you plan for a trip around the world?” Amy’s response, “Google it.” It’s hard to describe step-by-step what you have to do to plan a trip like this. We’ve been planning for some time, Googling and such,  but are just now beginning to physically take action, to do things.

Last Friday we started on our first round of immunizations. 3 injections each. Today we went back for batch #2. Before all is said and done, we will each be vaccinated for yellow fever, rabies, meningitis, the flu, typhoid fever, Tdap and Japanese encephalitis. Also there are the dreaded malaria pills. Creepy!

Last night we cracked out our packing list and put it to the test. Not a bad first try. Amy’s portion fit in Mike’s 40L backpacking pack with room to spare.

Is this really a year’s worth of gear?

It all fit!

We still have a lot of gear we still need to get.  But after this successful packing test, we were so excited that we impulsively purchased a new Gregory Jade 38 (in Beta Red, actually 39L) for Amy. Stoked!

Like we said before, it’s hard to know exactly what you need to do to prepare for a trip around the world.  Have you ever considered what you would do if you ran out of pages for stamps in your passport?  Mike had that very thought.  So, today we mailed in our applications to get an additional 48-page added (see Form DS-4085).

So far, we’re having a blast!  Can’t even imagine what fun the trip itself will bring.  Here are a few tasks on hand we’ll be tackling in the coming weeks…

  • Continue researching awesome destinations, visas, etc.
  • “Go talk to Chuck”
  • Finish last round of vaccinations
  • And of course, keep shopping for new gear!

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts