deciding where to go

we started with four must-see destinations
and found inexpensive and creative ways
to plan our journey around them

we planned three months ahead
to allow for some flexibility along the way
prioritise and compromise

we started our journey in the Philippines
this is where Duke is originally from
he hadn't been back for awhile and the
Dinagyang festival would be in full swing on Iloilo

so, we looked for a cheap flight from Australia
around the time we wanted to leave and we locked it in

Japan was our second destination
perhaps our favourite country
this would be our second visit to Japan together
but as anyone who has been there knows
once is not enough
and Hokkaido was still on our must see list
timing was perfect to see the Sapporo Snow Festival

the Vodka Train or Trans-Mongolian journey
from Beijing to Saint Petersburg
was high on our list
we had always wanted to see Mongolia and sleep in a ger (yurt) tent

our fourth chosen destination was really an event
the World Sacred Music Festival in Fes, Morocco
the festival was not until May, but we kept it on the agenda
and lucky for us, we found a super cheap flight
fitting in perfectly with our plans from Rome to Fes

so here we go

we head to our storage unit for some serious sorting
we now have two lives
one that is strategically packed away in a 3x3m unit
and the other in two bags and a 10.1" laptop

after a few days of mindful disposal and reshuffling
we were packed and ready to go
our bags were bulging (so much for traveling light)
but, we were prepared and ready for anything

so here we go...

pack your bags!

choose the bag that's right for you
spend time making this decision
based on where you know you are going
talk about who will be in charge of which bag
choose wisely, as the type of bag you take with you
can affect your travel experience more than you might think

buy along the way

take less and buy along the way
it gives you a chance to experience the place you are in
souvenirs become a useful part of your journey
and it adds to the fun

to take & not to take

after so many trips overseas with bulging bags
only to use less than half of what was in there
i should have learned my lesson by now

i make lists
but that is more for peace of mind than practicality
i find everything i think i need and organise them into piles
i carefully weed out the not-so-necessary items

but, inevitably, my bag is ready to burst at the seams
this is not ideal, it causes unnecessary stress
so my message - take the basics, take less
think light, hard wearing, hand washable clothing with pockets

read about my take and not to take lists on my travel tips page

planning

it is important to be on the same page
moving in the same direction
to plan a journey like this
or you could be in for an unhappy travel experience

it takes time
especially for a couple in their 30's
without holiday working visa safety nets
at least a few years of saving, accumulate less

talk about how long your journey will be
where you want to go, what you really want to see
settle on a daily budget
be creative, be realistic

we chose four world events
that we wanted to experience
we each selected an event, then two together
then we based our trip around them

talk about the type of travelers you want to be
we are, hostel & inexpensive hotel types
who deal with shared bathrooms
taste the local cuisines, but cook for ourselves whenever we can
skip attractions that don't interest us

we are as prepared as we possibly can be
buy world wide travel insurance
prepare for the worst
so we can take the leap of faith
with as little anxiety as possible

the beginning

we started to think about making a change a few years ago
a big one
so we thought about going away somewhere
we thought about quitting our jobs
and packing up our belongings
and traveling around the world together

so we did

we left our jobs in the northern territory
at a remote aboriginal art centre
what an incredible experience, but a very difficult one

back in melbourne
we took a few weeks to readjust and decompress
we reconnected with family and friends
and our favourite city