They Make Things So Difficult!

The application for a Vietnamese visa seemed so straightforward at first. It was one of the three countries on our trip that require a visa at all and one of the two that require you to have it prior to entering the country (China being the other). There are as many companies dedicated to muddling this process and making it more confusing than it has to be and who try to trick you into paying between $50 - $150 for their services in addition to the price of the visa. Turns out, after emailing the Vietnamese Embassy directly, that civilians are capable of applying for their own visas rather than going through a 3rd party broker. It ultimately saves a minimum of $15 a person for express service, not to mention the fees (and it would have been more like $50 each if we had gotten a jump on things sooner and could afford for the Embassy to take up to 10 business days to process our request). But alas, I never do anything until the last minute and I had to pay the $20 extra for express 2-3 business day service. Not a big deal in the scheme of things.

I say that lightly now, but the biggest downside I can see about doing this myself is that the Embassy won't take express carriers like FedEx or UPS, they only deal with USPS. So that tacks on an additional two days in transit, which is VERY VALUABLE TIME. Especially when I've left myself only two days room for error. Attempting to go about getting my visa solo is a bit intimidating due to the hype that travel agencies spew (i.e. listing the documents you need to submit and claiming that they'll be there to take care of "any other paperwork that needs to be submitted on your behalf in case there are any issues"). Of course they say these things to drum up business but it works. Who knows what types of delays I could have at the Embassy without having someone watching over the process. Updates to come....

The Beauty of Snail Mail

I thought I had made all the tough decisions about confirming my travel plans. It wasn't an easy task but I was locked, loaded and ready to go. And then David came along and shook things up. I've always wanted to spend an extended amount of time in Australia and New Zealand and suspected that I would fall so much in love with the area that I wouldn't want to leave. I was extremely disappointed when my original itinerary had to be condensed and those countries got the axe.

David's original plan was to spend 3-4 months in New Zealand kayaking and I thought it would have been cool to head down there to meet up with him, as our trips were supposed to overlap. He moved things around to join me in Asia and asked me the right questions at exactly the right time. Why not come with me to Australia and New Zealand? Why not go to see the things you've always wanted to see? You're in the area and already on the move. It makes perfect sense. Especially since it won't be alone. Although my name would probably be mud if I didn't make it home for Christmas this year and I might be wearing out my welcome for my dog at my parents house by leaving him for six months, the idea of just going is extremely appealing.

One of the biggest things I hope to get out of all this travel is just to be. And my whirlwind pace is not exactly conducive to that idea. Extending my trip for an additional four months would most certainly allow me to achieve that goal and give me time enough to see the things I'd like Down Under. I'm trying to get my head around the concept of being gone for so long. Its a good thing I sent my check through the mail instead of paying with my credit card because, once again, my travel agent, Kristina, has her hands full!

Its All Happening

I started writing a post a few days ago about how I had been procrastinating and dragging my feet about finalizing my flights. It had been five days since I had signed off on the itinerary my travel agent worked out for me and there was no reason for the delay other than I was standing in my own way. The act of writing the check and mailing it made the whole thing seem more real than I was willing to deal with at the time.

Despite my attempts to have others join me abroad, no one was able to make my plans work with their budgets and/or schedules and I had resigned myself to traveling alone. While I'm not opposed to solo travel, there was something scary about making it official. I had known going into the whole planning process that the chances were excellent that I would be unaccompanied on the bulk of the journey. There aren't too many people I know who are capable of uprooting themselves on short notice and taking off for an extended trip around the world. And that's okay--I realize that my migratory patterns fall well beyond the realities of most people. If I only had two weeks off for the year, I doubt I'd blow it all on a trip to Asia either.

But about the time I lost all hope of seeing a familiar face abroad (outside of Japan, of course), I crossed paths with one of those people. Over dinner I managed to talk David into joining me on my adventure. It wasn't a difficult decision for him and I found it completely refreshing because the decision to join me overseas for more than 6 weeks was as casual to him as would be the decision to see a movie or meet up with friends at a local bar that night. His commitment has reinvigorated me and given this trip a dimension that I hadn't dared hope for--a shared life-altering experience and the companionship of someone I truly respect and enjoy.

Its a done deal now! The check is in the mail, my visa applications are printed, filled out and ready to go and I'm researching the immunizations needed to keep myself from contracting some really nasty illnesses. Here we go!!

Making It Work

So I've been playing around with my trip itinerary trying to finalize the major details. My travel agent, Kristina, at Air Brokers, has been amazingly patient with me as I've sorted through my dysfunction (we're talking weeks of changes and at least a half dozen "what-if" scenarios). Ultimately I decided on a minimalist itinerary that provides flights for the beginning and end of my journey, leaving me six weeks in the middle to make changes as needed and linger in places that appeal to me. Of course, this means much less flying and much more over-land travel, which has positives and negatives (cost/convenience vs. time/scenery). Ultimately I made this decision because it was almost $1000 cheaper, but it has the added benefit of giving me a more local perspective of the countries I plan to visit. Also, the idea of trying to cram 6 countries in 8 weeks is an overwhelming notion that I still can't get my head around.

I did a foreign study through Central and Eastern Europe in college with a similar time-frame and similar pace and, although I enjoyed the trip immensely, there was absolutely no point on the trip that I felt as though I had made a connection with the local culture and done anything more than pass through on my way to the next thing. I really want to get my hands dirty and soak up some culture and I'm setting myself up to improve my odds at having a more profound and meaningful experience this time around. The problem with overland travel is that I now have to factor several overnight train trips into my very limited schedule and this may mean cutting some of my already-pared-down plans. While I have the flexibility to be able to do that, I'm not sure if I have the willingness. There's a lot of ground to cover and not nearly enough time to make it as leisurely as I'd like.

I've been asked why I'm trying to do such a marathon trip in such an abbreviated time and the answer is complicated. First, visa applications do not happen overnight unless you are willing to spend a small fortune. Several of the countries on my list require visas before you arrive and will deport you if you don't show up with the proper documentation. Second, I am currently fostering a dog for a local animal shelter and need to find him a home before I run off around the world. My parents generously have agreed to watch my dog while I'm away, but that offer will not be extended for a second animal. Third, my original plan after wrapping up the house flipping project at the end of July was to return to Colorado for a few months to earn some more money to fund part of the trip, see my friends and take long weekend excursions around the desert. But when those plans fell through I ended up staying in Tennessee and finding ways to stay busy. Earning money is still a priority. Fourth, I'd be disowned if I weren't home for Christmas. None of us kids are married, so the holidays are still very much a family time.

Ultimately, with all those other reasons (excuses?) aside, the biggest reason I'm not making my way through Asia right now is that my 10-year high school reunion is scheduled for the middle of October and I want to be here for it. Its an odd sentiment I never expected--to look forward to this event. High school, for me, was not the best time of my life. Hands down that was college, although the last two years are a very close second. I spent years feeling awkward, melancholy and stifled by my small town and by others' expectations. I didn't feel capable of being "me" and felt that I was playing the version of myself that my friends had known since I was seven years old, incapable of personal growth or change. During those formative years, I was not comfortable in my own skin and didn't feel like I'd ever be at a place in my life where I could sit around with those people and reminisce about "the good old days" because for me, they just weren't that good. Sure, it wasn't all bad and I do have several fond memories, but the overwhelming feeling I get when looking back is "UGHH!"

I heavily considered blowing off the reunion and sending my regards from China or some other far-off place, but the reality is that I'm in a good place now and feel capable of revisiting those years without bitterness and discontent. I grew up with these people and even though I haven't kept in touch with more than a handful of them over the years, I'd like to see many of them and find out how life and circumstance have shaped their journeys over the last decade. Equally, I want to show up and be proud of my decisions and the differences in the "me" from long ago and the "me" I have become. I doubt I'll return for my 20-year reunion, and if I did, I'd likely have more in common with those people than I'd care to admit. So it makes it more important to show up for the pomp and circumstance that these occasions inevitably have and put myself on display for all to see. One of the biggest reasons I'm undertaking this two-month trip to Asia is for adventure and self-discovery. I'd say that, on a different smaller scale, my 10-year high school reunion offers a similar set of challenges and rewards. Given my current aspirations and ambitions, I'd be foolish to turn away from either opportunity.