Since I've put in my notice at work I've been asked a lot of questions. Some are pretty random, but many are the same and I wanted to address those in a concise way in a single post, so here goes. Where are you going (first)? South America -> Africa -> Europe -> Asia -> Australia This, like the rest of our plans, is open to change. Check out our map.
How long are you going for? 1-2 years, we vacillate back and forth, the most likely number being 1.5 years. For each of the continents mentioned above we'll spend 4-5 months, 2-3 months, 2-3 months 3-4 months, and 2-3 months respectively.
Where will you live when you get back? We haven't really decided. The hope is to live somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, perhaps Seattle or Portland. Really though, wherever we can find jobs when we return will play the biggest part of where we live.
I'm jealous/you're lucky/I could never do that. I know, I know, this isn't a question. It is however a REALLY common response that I'm required to address. We made this trip a priority and spent a lot of time and effort saving to make it possible. If you have kids, sure it's hard, but this blog is a good one with a single parent traveling with her young son, homeschooling him along the way. Yes, we're lucky to be able to do this at 27, but many people younger than us do similar trips for much less money than we're taking.
You should see XXXXX! Again, not a question. Please keep sending/providing your suggestions, if there is something amazing that you think we should know about, tell us. At the same time, please keep in mind that our time is limited, so we may not be able to make it there.
What do your families think about this? They've been generally supportive. They want to make sure we're safe, but are excited that we've got such a fantastic opportunity.
What are you doing with all your stuff? We sold 90% of it. Our furniture, kitchen supplies, bedding, clothes, and just about everything else was sold in two yard sales we had in the summer of 2011. We sold our house and we will sell our cars before we leave. Of course, we kept our entire Nintendo collection.
Where are you living now? We're currently living in a long term stay hotel with a kitchenette. We'll be here until we leave Chicago on May 15th.
What made you want to do this? A strong desire to see the world, learn about new cultures, make new friends, and deviate from the norm.
What are you taking with you? We will have an in depth post in the next month or two detailing every item that we're carrying with us. For now,suffice to say, we've got two 40 liter packs, a few pieces of clothing, and a bunch of electronics.
You must be rich or something. Not really. We make decent money for 27 year olds, but really it is saving that made the trip possible. We're being really transparent about our finances for the trip so that people can see that it may not be so far out of reach. We've saved $60,000 for the trip and $30,000 for a cushion when we return.
What are you most excited about? Daniel - Chernobyl, Machu Picchu, Salar de Uyuni, penguins, Tran-Siberian railway, African safari, not working for a while Jordan - Penguins, Salar de Uyuni, Amazon rainforest, Incan Trail, running in different places all over the world
When are you leaving? Tentatively, May 24th 2012 (our three year wedding anniversary)
Let us know if we're missing your question!