Slight Change of Plans

OK. I am altering my trip rather significantly. I think. I am scrapping Europe, taking the time (4 months) and money (about half my budget) I was going to spend there and spend it elsewhere.

Four months of money in Europe is enough for 6-24 months elsewhere in the world. Yes, Europe is that expensive. This change I am not sure I am doing yet, but it is very likely: I will extend my trip from 15 months to 22, spending more time in fewer places and getting to know the culture more and take my time when moving about. With this (potential) change comes several others:

1. It no longer makes sense for me to get a round-the-world (RTW) ticket since they are only valid for a year. In addition, in the future, I will only be taking one big flight (Australia/New Zealand to South America). So, even from a cost perspective it does not make sense.

2. This relates to number 1 above. My original order of regions no longer makes sense. Starting from the "intermission" in Mexico with family from early- to mid-October, I was planning on the following basic path: Japan-South Korea-China-South East Asia-Australia-New Zealand (RTW ticket start)-South America-Europe-India-New Zealand (RTW ticket end)-Central American-Chicago. Now, assuming I do not go to Europe, the RTW ticket no longer makes sense, as discussed above, and that path does not either. New plan, starting from where I am now (Hong Kong): China-South East Asia-India-South East Asia-Australia-South America-Central America-Chicago. You are probably thinking, "How can 'South East Asia-India-South East Asia' make sense?" Well, it does, thanks to Air Asia. Flights between SE Asia and India are cheap. This path allows me to catch India when the weather does not make everything miserable.

3. Given the 7 month extension of the trip, fewer countries visited, and the over-all slowed pace of travel, I will probably pick a handful of cities and spend about a month in each. I will probably try to find a meaningless job in each of these cities. For example, I have heard that hostels in a place in China I am going are always looking for people to help out with English. Perfect. Something like that. Or, I may spend the month learning a practically useless skill like surfing when I am in Brazil. I do not know where I will stay and the decision will most likely be made by if I can find a job or if there is something like surfing that can keep me entertained in a single place for that long of a time.

If everything goes as described above, I would return to Chicago in May 2011.



On a nearly completely unrelated note, I return to China tomorrow. This means that I will not be able to post anything on this blog or have access to Facebook. I have set up a way around the blog being blocked so that I can continue to post but I have heard that my back-door method of posting is blocked as well. If it is in fact blocked and I do spend a month in the small city as mentioned above, it may be some time until I post again. So, until then, when ever that may be.