Today was my first day of unemployment. I've been super busy, what with the packing and the running around looking for gear. I still don't have a backpack, but I do have some nifty low cut hiking boots, which should be sufficient until I get to Nepal. I am also done with shots for six months, when I can finish up Hep A and B.

I will be unplugging the cable modem so I can return it tomorrow, so I will be signing off until I can get resituated at home, probably next week some time. Oh, and I just wanted to clarify that my last entry was partly tongue-in-cheek, and I am not really considering calling everything off (at least not yet, I have non-refundable tickets!). Thanks for the advice to all who replied, though. I intend to write more on this eventually.

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It's one thing to have a crazy plan like I have, and another to carry it out to fruition. There are many points where what you are doing hits home, and one of them is packing all of your worldly possessions into a small room. At times like this, it's pretty easy to think "this is silly," quit, and go on with a normal life. However, I though of Those who have Gone Before, pulled myself together, and continue to work towards my goal of freedom. I spent the day collating my personal contacts, financial information, bookmarks, and passwords. It's surprising how long this takes. The whole process of gathering your material and intellectual possessions into one place is not unlike preparing for your funeral. If I were to die tomorrow, things would be pretty easy to sort out. Perhaps it's good to periodically get your affairs in order, even if you aren't going anywhere. It's kind of like spring cleaning for your life. Or perhaps I am just being morbid. Whatever the case, things should get interesting pretty soon. Only 34 days to go.

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I finally have most of my gear, and I just ordered a pack. You would think that the longer the trip, the bigger the pack you would need. However, I've been doing allot of reading on this, and I haven't read about anybody who wished they had a larger pack. Quite the contrary, in fact. The bigger your pack, the more stuff you will fill it with, and if you don't use something every day, you will eventually send it back because you get sick of lugging it around. There is an important principle that can reduce your load: If you have enough clothes for a week, you have enough clothes for a year, since you can wash them. I am accepting the fact that I will not be attending any black-tie affairs, which eliminates a bunch of unneeded clothes and shoes. Also, clothes are available everywhere, and are much cheaper in Asia anyways (Have you ever looked at your labels? That's where the Nike and Martha Stewart sweat shops are.) This is not going to be a camping trip, so I will not carry a tent. A sleeping bag is always useful, but I will carry a sleep sack for hostels instead. I can always rent gear if needed. This is what I will do in Nepal, of which a recent traveler said "Katmandu: come with nothing, buy it all here for cheap."

So, I decided to go with an Eagle Creek travel pack, since it will be easy to carry on planes since the straps fold away, and I will not have it on my back that often. However, it should be OK even if I am hiking with it for a couple of days. I hate the way all the Eagle Creek packs have so many gadgets and gizmos on them that scream "tourist," like zip-off day packs. Luckily, they just came out with a "back-to-the-basics" line of packs, the Global Traveler. I tried the 65L version, which was big. I tried the 40L version, which was great, but small. No stores have the 50L version in stock, but it seems like a good compromise, so I just ordered it. I think I got a good deal at $99. I'll let you know how it is in 6 to 10 days.

Coming soon: adventures trying to fit my stuff into a small pack, and eventually, my complete packing list.

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It’s one o’clock Thursday morning, but I don’t have to go to work tomorrow, so what’s the point in going to bed? So I read John’s latest entry, and it got me thinking. You come up with an idea, and it captures your imagination. I worked towards my goal for about two years also (even though I lost sight of it for awhile), saving, reading, planning. But as my departure date approaches, it seems unreal. I seem to have adjusted quite well to having no job, although I’ve been incredibly busy this past week. I guess I’ve handled it by staying busy organizing and getting gear. I can’t actually comprehend the trip itself, though. What will I do when I finally get to New Zealand? Will I finally be able to relax? Will reality finally catch up with me?

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Today I attempted to apply for an Indiana Driver’s License, since my Maryland one will expire next Tuesday. Unfortunately, you have to provide two proofs of residency, which is a bit tricky for me. I will have to wait until my credit card and bank statements start coming at the end of the month. If I have to, I can always open up a bank account here, which will provide one “proof.” Also, for some unfathomable reason, Indiana requires out of state applicants to pass a written test, with 50 multiple choice questions. Maryland required nothing like this, and the driving is more complicated there, with all the 20 foot merge areas. I went ahead and took the test, which I passed, but will have to come back in a couple of weeks with my proofs.

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It's hard to train for a hike in the Himalayas in Indiana. I went for a run among the cornfields Saturday, but the terrain is totally flat. My mom was going to pick me up after an hour, but I took the wrong road back, and it took her an hour to find me, so I got a good two hours in, one running, one walking. It all looks pretty much the same: cornfields as far as the eye can see. Actually, the corn is pretty high, so the eye can’t see too far, but you can see over the soybean fields, and they go on forever. I had a suspicion I made a wrong turn when the dog that chased me on the way out was nowhere around on the way back. I didn’t grow up in Monticello (pronounced Monti-sello, not Monti-cello, like Thomas Jefferson’s home), which is why I don’t know my way around. The “town” I grew up in is about an hour away, and consists of a post office, a tavern, and a grain elevator.

There is a hill not too far from the house, so Sunday I ran to it, then ran up and down it about ten times. Then tonight I ran through town for an hour. It’s good to have the time to exercise every day, hopefully I will be in shape in a month. Of course I’ll probably lose the conditioning in New Zealand and Australia, but at least it keeps me busy.

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Today I turned 28, and celebrated with mom over dinner.

My last bills are coming. After this month, I will have no more cable, phone, electric, cell, rent, car insurance, or car loan to pay. Strange, but liberating. Theoretically, my money will last a long time without bills, if I can keep day-to-day costs down.

I finished reading Colin Thubron’s “In Siberia” today, and heartily recommend it if you are the least bit interested in Russia and its people. Thubron’s trip was amazing, going far off the beaten path, visiting gulags, and being invited into people’s homes. Not knowing a word of Russian, all I can hope for is getting off the train and looking around. I started Paul Theroux’s “Great Railway Bazaar,” which is pretty much required reading for the type of trip I am taking. I enjoyed his musings on the beginning of his trip:

Unfortunately, I have no cold (just hay fever), and will be flying from summer into winter. I do have thermal underwear, long sleeve tee shirts, and fleece, though.

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I read somewhere that the International Student ID card, which they pretty much give to anybody who asks for it, is not valid without a college ID. So I made sure to put my Johns Hopkins ID card in a special place for safekeeping. What usually happens when I do this is I lose the important item, and this time was no exception. Mind you I still have my 10-year-old Purdue ID, but I look like I am fresh out of high school on it. So I have been trying to figure out what I would do. Then, out of the blue, I got mail from Hopkins (to my old address), which contained a brand new Hopkins ID card. Never mind the fact that I graduated this spring, am not registered for any classes, and have not given them any money since last year. I have no idea why they randomly sent me a new card, but I will accept it as a good omen.

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After several days of research, I finally purchased my travel insurance. I found a plan that does not insure the trip itself, since I am not buying all my tickets up front, but provides major medical, evac, trip cancellation, emergency reunion, and lost luggage coverage. One million dollars of coverage, $250 deductible, and hazardous sports coverage for $58 a month. A bit pricey perhaps, but it will be good to have the peace of mind.

My backpack arrived today. I managed to get all of my stuff in it, but barely. Over the next few weeks I will have to really go through my stuff to be sure I am only taking what I need, since it would be nice to have some extra room. Then I put it on my back and took it on a shakedown hike through town for 2 hours. It felt pretty good. Things are starting to feel more real.

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I taught myself how to bundle wrap today, and boy oh boy, now I am a believer. Now it's just like putting a big pillow into my backpack. Of course it will be a bit harder to get at my stuff, but the space savings and wrinkle-resistance may be worth it.

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This is the maxim of the long-term traveler. You are aware of it, yet want to be prepared for every contingency, and before you know it, you have a huge pile of stuff. This has happened to me. I just found an interesting website by an ultra-light traveler. After reading it, I decided to take another pass at my Pile o’ Stuff. I cut my first aid kit way down: No more rehydration salts, less Pepto Bismol, cold medicine, and bandages. Arguably, I do not need any of this stuff, since I will be starting out in the first world, where everything is available. I am considering not taking all the malaria prophylaxes. These pills will not prevent you from getting malaria. They are simply antibiotics, and taking them when you are not sick just makes the malaria parasites more resistant. I will take enough to treat myself in a pinch, but even then, they are available anywhere for less than what I paid for them. I wish I wouldn’t have bought eight months worth. Oh well, it only cost $25.

On the clothes front, I will take no shorts, since my convertible pants should be sufficient. I bought a nice pair of low-cut hiking shoes, but even these are heavy and take up a huge amount of space, so now I am leaning toward taking my running shoes. Not only are these more compact, compressible, and lightweight, I will also have the option of going for a run. I do not plan on doing any long-distance hiking until Nepal, and everything will be available there. I would also throw out one of my two long-sleeve tee shirts, but it will be cool in New Zealand, so I will need both to start out with. There is still much work to be done. I’m kinda wishing I would have gotten the 40 Liter pack, as this would force me to take even less.

There’s more good stuff on his website, include reasoning for taking a long trip when you are young, rather than working your whole life and going when you are retired:

Pretty much my thoughts exactly.

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I got my driver’s license today, so once again, I am a resident of Indiana. I guess no matter how far away I go, this will always be home. I never felt like Maryland was my home. I guess it was because I was too busy with work and school to have much of a social life. I also never had any intention of staying there, so didn’t want to get too comfortable. I figured in two or three years, I would be gone. Before I knew it, it had been five. I don’t miss the place one bit, though, and feel no homesickness for my overpriced, undersized apartment, the endless suburbs, or the roads overcrowded by incompetent drivers. I imagine I will not get homesick for Monticello either, since there is nothing to do, and I don’t know anybody here.

In other news, I’m still working on getting my finances organized. It looks like if I buy the new version of Microsoft Money, I will be able to balance my checkbook from anywhere in the world. Once I get that done, I intend to sit down and really work on this website.

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Not much exciting is going on, but I see that I only have 19 days to go, which is a sort of landmark. Not only is that less than three weeks, it’s less than 20 days. I got my Lonely Planet Australia from Amazon today, and as I looked through it, it really hit home that I am going to Oz. Woo hoo!

I am worried that I seem to get sick every time I travel, though. I caught the cold from hell in Scotland earlier this year, which ruined half my vacation, and wouldn’t go away for a month. I went away this weekend to visit friends, and got a sore throat, which still hasn’t completely gone away. I’m sure I will get sick at some point on this trip, but I hope I am not sick the entire time.

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The Great Railway Bazaar is turning out to be a weird book. Theroux had already been to many of the places on his journey, so there is no sense of discovery. In fact, he really has nothing good to say about the people and places he visits, and resorts to stereotyping frequently. I hope to avoid that in this travelogue, and think I will succeed, since I have few preconceived notions.

I ordered a copy of Bill Bryson’s In a Sunburned Country, about his travels in Australia. Bryson is entertaining reading. I read his Notes from a Small Island before my trip to the UK, and A Walk in the Woods when I was planning to hike the Appalachian Trail. Plus, my Lonely Planet Australia has been keeping me busy. It’s a massive tome, though, so I may have to resort to ripping out relevant pages so it fits in my pack.

After wraslin’ with Netscape and IE idiosyncrasies, I finally got the form mail working, and looking kind of OK. I also found a photo gallery which I will hopefully add in the next few days.

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I installed and configured Gallery, which does everything I want, and more. It’s the coolest thing ever: automatic thumbnails, captions, slideshows, comments; it does it all. I’ve only got three pictures in it so far, but tomorrow I will add the rest of my current pics, then start taking more. Check it out!

In other site news, I did lots of tweaking, and things are starting to look a bit better. I’m sure I’ll never be 100% satisfied, though. My next big project will be to install a forum. Not that I expect anyone to use it, but hey, I’m a computer geek, so this sort of thing is fun for me.

In other news… nothing. This is all I did today. From the crack of noon to 1:30 in the morning, all I did was work on this website. So you better enjoy it, damn it!

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From today’s Chicago Tribune. Maybe I will meet her in New Zealand:

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After another day of work, the forum is up an running. It’s pretty snappy, I must say. In other site news, I may have found a limitation with Gallery. My digital photos are 1600 x whatever resolution, but I only want to upload them at 640 x 480 so I don’t burn through my 333 MB too fast. Gallery thoughtfully resizes them for me, but allows you to view the massive image too. It does this by creating a small, intermediate, and keeping the original image. That’s great and all, but I don’t want to keep the big images. I may have to resize them myself, which is a simple matter, but requires me to carry more software. Thus, while I investigate this, there are no pictures in my gallery. Stand by, they will be coming soon. Other stuff I want to do before the Big Day:

• Add a site search
• Add a referrers script
• Investigate a polling script for the main page
• Update all the Logistics and My Plan stuff
• Change the color of my scrollbar. It’s the stupidest little thing, but it bugs me to no end that I can’t do it. When I update my stylesheet, only the textarea scrollbars are affected. Strange.

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Wow, only two weeks to go. I can’t believe I have been here for three weeks. The site’s does about everything I want now, so I will probably leave it alone for awhile. Well, I may play around with the color scheme a little, but no more major stuff.

I think everything’s about ready to go. However, since I have to have something to worry about, I started second-guessing my decision not to take a sleeping bag. While it would definitely come in handy, I probably won’t need it. I should be able to rent camping gear on the spot. I’ve set up a poll on this in the forum, so register and cast your vote!

I can’t wait to get going, though. Packing for a trip is terrible, at least for me. I worry about all the things I might need, and all the contingencies I may be faced with. I imagine that once I am off, I will simply adjust to what I have, and make do without what I didn’t bring. And it’s not like there are no stores in New Zealand and Australia!

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After finding a small two pound sleeping bag online for $100, I again decided not to take one. For one, New Zealand will be cold. According to Lonely Planet, it will get close to freezing at night in Queenstown, so I don’t think I will want to sleep outside. Ahh, why didn’t I go to Fiji for a month first while New Zealand warmed up? Then there are cabins available on the tracks, but I’m not sure if they are open in the winter. So I may no be doing much tramping. As my Australia plans start to form, it looks like I will only be sleeping outside a couple of times: in the Outback, and Fraser Island. Fraser Island has 4WD drive tours where camping gear is provided, which sound pretty good. And the consensus seems to be that camping gear is absolutely unnecessary in Asia, where accommodations are so cheap, you would be silly to sleep outside. Then there’s the fact that there are no campgrounds.

Yesterday I went to Barnes and Noble to look at the Indonesia Lonely Planet, since I have no clue what I will do there. However, I saw the one for Tibet, which I couldn’t resist. It looks like it is theoretically possible to go there. But it won’t be easy. I would have to arrange my Chinese visa in Bangkok, since they don’t give them out in Katmandu. This is complicated by the fact that I would need a multiple-entry visa to get into Yunan province from Vietnam. Then, in Katmandu I would have to join a “tour,” to get into the country, and to get my travel permit. Then there are more permits (bribes) for travel within the country. I really want to go to Tibet. Whether I end up going will depend on if I am up for the red tape, and how I am handling the altitude.

Some of you may think my plan to go around South East Asia, up through China, then through Russia is insane. However, I just heard from someone who is doing exactly that. Guidebooks are good, but it’s better to hear first-hand information from somebody who has recently done what you plan to do. He says it’s hard to get tickets for the Trans Mongolian, but you can always get tickets to the next stop. This is fine, since I want to stop in Ulaan Baatar and Irkutsk at the minimum. He also said his tickets cost $100. I wonder if he left off a zero?

Tomorrow, for the first time in my life, I will be riding the dreaded Greyhound bus. I’m going to Chicago to visit a friend. Should be interesting, I’ll let you know how it goes on Monday.

Oh, and if you want to vote in the poll, you have to register. There’s a link in the top right to do this. It will ask for your email, but you could just make one up if you don’t want to give your out. But to be honest, I’m not even sure how to get to the emails that are entered. I assume it goes into a mySQL table, but I am to lazy to look through my database, so you don’t have to worry about spam.

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