Archive for Trip Planning

RTW Trip Budgeting for Central America

| by Aracely on January 26th, 2010 | 21 Comments » | Trip Planning

Best Travel Budget App for iPhone or iTouch

iXpenseIt iPhone Application

One of the most important concerns regarding long-term travel is finances.  There are many questions that bombard our minds, make us nervous, and lead us to shy away from the idea of traveling for longer than a week.

Can I afford it?  How much will it cost?  How long can I travel on a set amount? What will my financial situation be when I get back? And so on.  The answers to these questions can be different for everyone.

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Travel Immunizations

| by Aracely on July 19th, 2009 | 9 Comments » | Trip Planning

Aracely receiving her vaccinations

Aracely receiving her vaccinations

After the decision to drop everything and go travel was made, we had to write The List.  It began as a high level to do list which has grown organically into a massively detailed inventory of what we need to take care of before leaving it all behind for the adventure of a lifetime.  If you ask me, the list is on steroids; it has grown exponentially.  One of the sections of said list (yes, it has sections), is medical related tasks.

In the medical section we list things such as: purchasing travel insurance, getting physical exams, dental checkup and my absolute favorite, immunizations—I hate needles.  I’m that girl, the one that not only turns away when getting blood drawn, but also closes her eyes, tightly.  Yeah, that’s me.

Anyway, both Jason and I made appointments with our general practitioners to get some questions answered about the medical risks of long term travel in foreign countries; they both recommended consulting a travel specialist.  Luckily, we found a great one locally in Hoboken; Dr. Messihi certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases. (more…)

Preparing to Travel Can Be Overwhelming

| by Jason on June 29th, 2009 | 11 Comments » | Reflections, Trip Planning

Packing and selling our stuff

Packing and selling our stuff

Preparing to travel has become overwhelming for me.  Last night was the first night I was not able to sleep; awake until 3:00am thinking about all that remains to be done.

When you live in the United States, traveling to another country typically means you have a long trip overseas.  It means you have to research passport and visa requirements, book flights, and ensure things at home are taken care of.  I assume it might be easier in Europe, considering at any given location you are only a few hours away from another country.  Europe offers varying cultural environments within close proximity, making it a travel hot spot.  Leaving the States, on the other hand, well that is going to require more time, money and preparation.  Maybe this is the reason many Americans avoid overseas travel.  I don’t think it is the only reason, but I am sure it makes the list.

We aren’t traveling to Europe for a 2-week vacation.  And if you know me well, you would believe that I would prepare months in advance for that 2-weeks.   I would want to make sure everything was perfect, limiting any chaos or stress during our travels.  But, we aren’t going on a 2-week vacation, instead we are embarking on a year long backpacking journey.  A journey which will be filled with the unknown; new cultures, language barriers and obscure villages.  For me, it is about letting go of control.  I am unable to prevent the inevitable stress we will experience.  Being able to control yourself when in a situation that is out of your control is a skill I hope to learn. (more…)