Packing

24May06

My Current Itinerary:

Keep in mind that, though this is the itinerary on my tickets, I don't actually plan on using the part of it past getting to Tokyo. I'm intending to get to South Korea by ferry and, obviously, not head back to the mainland. Nonetheless, in case I need to it's there.

04Jun06 Sun
Northwest Airlines #219
SEA-HNL 8:45 11:45 - 6h 07m

05Jul06 Wed
NWA #9
HNL-TKO 11:00 13:55 - 7h 55m

07Aug06 Mon
NWA #7
TKO-Seoul (SEO?) 18:55 21:35 - 2h 40m

05Sep06 Tue
NWA #8
SEO-TKO-SEA 11:10 8:15 - 13h 05m

So, got my pack mostly working with fitting all the things that need to go into it. I *know* I'm probably taking too much random crap, but I won't know that until I get out there. It seems to all be fitting, but there ain't much room left over either. Might have to abandon a few things that I want to take, like the yoga mat and thermarest. I can't afford to take too much comfort, eh? I've been walking around the neighborhood with my parents a bit to train (and generally get exercise) and did it with the pack today. Heavy, but it is reasonably comfortable. Friday I think we're going to try hiking up stone mountain (largest exposed grey granite formation) to get some exercise and shake down any further problems. We'll see.

The first thing that didn't make it so far is my aikido gi, which I had really hoped wouldfit. Alas, all that bulky cotton doesn't fit, surprizingly. I may just take the pants and work with a t-shirt or perhaps see if I can borrow, or get a lighter summer gi-top. My hope is to get around to several of the dojos in Hawai'i, and of course Japan, so we'll see how that works.

Otherwise, it's just getting the final prepartions done here and there. Working out a final going away party with the family and relatives. Still need to get my travel insurance and resolve some other financial matters. T-minus one week till Seattle and some Jason Webley Tomato Camp.

I promise.... pictures soon as well.

Also, if anyone has recommendations to add to my list of journaling suggestios (i.e. things to journal on) I would be happy to hear them. The current list goes as follows:

First impressions
Food eaten, avoided, etc.
Cost of items, stays, etc.
Details of specific parts, events, observations
Interesting thoughts and reflections, usually detailed

Additionally, this blogspot service is becomming more and more annoying and dissappointing to me. The options I would like to have are not nearly available as other blog publishers. Whine! Nonetheless, I'll let people know if anything changes around here; look here for the time being. As I'll be doing a lot of the backdating of posts, look at the top for the date it's originally written.

Home

My apologies for not updating sooner, it's been a busy several weeks.

Following my rather quick departure from my apartment, aided greatly by several rather benevolent friends, I found I had a lot more things in my apartment than I had previously thought I owned. I spent most of the first week of May distributing boxes and sorting through books, clothes and random crap to give away (mostly to Vina Moses), sell (books to the Book Bin and Powels, and some random things for my friends to sell eBay for me), and store with friends and family. My thanks to everyone who helped me through the process. I hope to make amends with gifts from afar.

Not that the hectic week was without fun and diversion. Spent a lot of good quality time with friends and family. Managed to get to Bagby's hotsprings and enjoy some of the forest land and warm bathing. My friend Kathy threw a fantastic going away party and managed to receive some monetary gifts for my travels. It was a bit more rushed than I really would've liked (I had hoped to relax in all of that last week), but it was still enjoyable, if full.

After that, it was off to Atlanta and my parents house and some needed rest and relaxation from all the activity (this would make it May eighth I arrived) . Spent my first week here being excessively lazy and geeking out with games, movies, and other things. I did also help my mom with some chores around the house though. Got in some yoga and have been getting my mom into it more. Managed to get to some gaming sessions with my dad's group here at Emory University. Went to my mom's local Contra dancing group and danced with her for a bit of a mother's day gift. Spent some part of the weekend shopping for some remaining items for travel (boots, rain jacket, bits, etc.) at REI. Went to a mom's day brunch over at an uncle's house and saw same extended relatives and cousins. I could go into more depth, but it is terribly mundane. Enjoyable in the moment though.

This last week was a bit more of the same. More trip preparations and enjoyment of not working. Updated many of my online resources for travel like my address book and bookmark list. Planning and reading about my travel destinations in Hawai'i and Japan, reading up on learning some Japanese, and researching final insurance plans and travel needs. More boring details for you folks. I do hope to eventually detail some of the things I've been doing, costs and packing lists and such, but perhaps later.

This weekend was spent with more dancing with mom and a local board gaming convention my father wanted to get to. Some fun 12 hours of gaming or so. Today (Sunday) was spent leisurely and we went to check out The DaVinci Code movie (partially to support the movie, but also because it was rather interesting). I haven't read the book yet, but perhaps when I have time.

I'm going to try and make some more posts in the next few days about current thoughts about some of the details I mentioned previously, but for the time being, this'll have to do.

I'm also preparing this on my improved Palm pilot and keyboard writing method (while watching the History channel and their DaVinci code show fest...interesting indeed). Hopefully this will work well and save some costs for the internet cafe's later.

More pictures soon as well.

Later. :-)

Preparations

A welcome and hello to all you readers finding my site. Since you've probably reached this space from a card I gave you, you're probably already someone I know. Yay! This is where I'll (if all goes well) post my travel writings, pictures, and other media type things. I hope you enjoy.

The site is still under a good deal of construction as well though. When I get it set up, please come back to sign the guestbook and leave your name and email if you would. Or, if you have your own websites, blogs, or other comments, you can leave those below in the comments link.

As soon as I have time to actually work on this stuff, I'll post my flight itinerary as well. First I have to move out of my apartment by the end of the month, and I've found I've accumulated rather a lot of junk. Still a few moments to stop by and steal my stuff. Lemme know.

Otherwise, be well. Hope to hear from you all.

Exodus

Okay, so, though I did that last post as an initial inspiration to make this a video blog, I got hung up pretty quick with gettin' my video to upload smoothly. I have since fixed the fundamental problem, but still haven't bothered to upload the videos. The future awaits for those.

Nontheless, I'm going to make this my new blog for my upcomming worldly travels. The travel bug infection I've been nursing for so many years is now finally going full-blown, and will soon be over-running my body. I'm going to try and start updating it more regularly now to keep my family and friends, and new aquantinces, updated on my current travel plans and whatnot. I'm usually a bad blogger, but I'll try harder. Really.

Incidentally and ironically, keeping with my original post theme, this post's title seems apt.

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In any case, today's mission was to go to Eugene and get my bike fixed up from the tour I had last summer. Several bits had rusted fairly well with all the coastal riding, and my rear rim was starting to crack again with all the weight on it, so had to replace that as well. The rear derailleur was a bit busted up and hadn't been shifting right for awhile either, so fixed that as well. Luckily, I had some credit from a referral that I made to Julie's father, and with additional credit for it being used in store, I saved $95 on the whole. And now my bike's all (non-)squeaky clean again.

Whilst I was waiting for said repairs, I entertained myself with shopping at REI. Luckily I ended up not buying anything, partially due to the fact that they didn't have the size backpack I've been eyeing, and partially because I didn't have my REI credit card and couldn't get that remaining 2% dividend when they give you your accumulated discount (when not using *their* credit card; it's a sham, but at least they tell you). I wanted to check out the difference between their "travel" packs (which are mostly big backpacks with a detachable day pack and are complete with a hojillion clips and straps to tie itself together in new and confusing ways) and normal frame hiking style backpacks. I opted for the former. But, when sized (oddly enough, I fit the medium best), they didn't have in stock. So, online order it is.

Still working on a bunch of stuff for the whole travel thing. To continue that however, I would now like to solicit you all for general help. Mostly I would like to collect some of your advice on travel if you're willing, especially on areas I'm planning on going and ways I mean to travel, but I'm not real picky. And contacts and connections are a big help, like if you know people who might be willing to bunk me for a night in some far off place, that would be terribly helpful. If you know of good places to go, or not to go, or what to look for, or not look for, promote or avoid, etc. ... or whatever... I am merely an egg.

My current trip plans go something like this:

I'm going to start by heading out to Atlanta to see my folks for a few or three weeks. By this time I'll have moved all my stuff out and managed all the stuff around town. I'd like it to be by the end of April, but there is a bunch to do.

Post Atlanta, I want to head to Hawai'i to hang out there for a bit. Maybe a week, maybe a month. Hard to say. Also depends on what kinda flight arrangements I can manage that don't suck. We shall see.

After that, my decision is much more fluid, partially because I'll be out in it at this point, and I intend to stay as flexible as possible wit my plans. I realize this is terribly unhelpful for most aspects of planning, but if I wanted to plan it, I would've already. I can do that, I actually have a great deal of trouble not planning things to death. Must be a genetic german thing. Hum. At any rate though, I'm leaning towards Japan and South Korea after that. When is mostly the stickler. I'm debating right now whether I want to try setting up a job/stay/thing in Japan to be able to afford staying there longer and enjoying the culture in more depth. My primary interest in Japan is to study Aikido, and if I can swing that by teaching English, or really anything for that matter, I'm game. My only possible conflict is that I don't know if I'd be willing to go it a whole year. Six months would be fine, but after than, I dunno. Again, debating that part.

My other thought is to do a bike tour down part of the country. This is a tricky thought though: I don't know the language well, even less about the geography, and still less about how to do a bike tour there. Much research still required. Anything anyone can add to any of that would be helpful. I'm going to go look up Japanese bike touring.

I also have some friends in South Korea teaching English right now. Though I'm not as inclined to teach there, primarily because if I stay somewhere long enough, I'd like to get into a good more Aikido lest I loose what small edge I have now.

A potential and workable scenario would be to go to Japan on a normal tourist visa, check it out for the 90 day limit or so, head to S.Korea and check it out, and then decide what to do.

Nonetheless.

All that is in such a more dynamic future, that even those plans seem futile to be called a tentative possibility.

After that, I would like to work my way through east-southeast-south asia. Thailand is rather appealing. Vietnam and the others in the peninsula look interesting, but I could spend lifetimes there in any case, so I'll just say Thailand right now.

And after that, India. Again with the lifetimes.

But, that's where I want to go. Spend a good deal of time bummin in India if all goes well. Cheaper there anyway. I'd think of China more, but I don't really have a thing for China yet. Perhaps someday. I'd like to head through there after India, perhaps go on the Trans-Siberian Rail to moscow and St. Petersberg, work my way through Europe, and then head back to the states. But, as future things go, it is out there.

And there you have it. Discuss. :-)

Genesis

Thusly have I pulled the electrons into this form you see before you. Thus will I alter countless others. Thus has an act of will become matter and form.

:: cue snazzy music... something like also sprach zarathustra ::

:: cue crappy video at night in an apartment room, pan down to a hairy geek shining with bad camera placement ::

Thus was a video blog created.

:: cue *uploading* video ::