Investigating the possibilities

Here's a pretty picture I took:

Also,

I've been looking into what to buy for my journey. There are many things one has to consider.

In particular, my girlfriend and I have been looking at backpacks at various stores. So far, actually we've only been to one store to look at bags and have otherwise been looking on the internet.

We've sort of agreed on ASOLO 80L backpacks, which sell for about $250, and are about as big as a bag can get. It's beast. But, it's also the most comfortable that we found and just has all types of stuff.

However, we're still looking at other brans (though Asolo is cheaper) and waiting to find an appropriate size. I've read that 60L bag is almost all you need, but who knows, I plan on being gone for a while.

Other than that, I guess for anyone who reads this is that Neil's getting married!!!! I guess no one reads this so... we can talk on facebook.

Mission to save

So I'm on a mission to save for my trip. The obvious challenge is not spending money I normally would spend them on.

When you think about these things it becomes amazing how much you spend on relatively useless items.

For instance I quit smoking, a habit that for 8 odd years was costing me on average 10 bucks a week, which is a very low estimate I assure you. that's at least $4o00 I would have spent on smokes alone. Not much over that long, I mean c'mon.

Anyway, I've tried to narrow my spending to just $200 between paycheques. That HAS to include gas, food, and anything else I happen to want or need and expenses that come up.

Right now I've already spent $40 on a money order for my pardon application. I was paid today so I have 14 days to live off of $160 bucks.

Normally that'd be alright, but I also have to pay for everything I do. (I know adults all do this, but I'm new to it alright?)

So basically, I can already earmark, around $80 on food, probably $20-$40 for gas, thanks to stable $0.80/litre gas, and that leaves me with about $40 of discretionary money.

Everything else I earn goes towards savings, paying down debt and monthly expenses, like insurance, rent, heating and electricity.

So, that's how it is. I'm not complaining, a lot of people have to do a lot more with a lot less and sometimes have kids in their too, so kudos to them.

Anyway, I'm on a tight budget for a world expedition, so I figure it's worth it.

On travel, I watched the movie Into the Wild.

Jist: guy says FTW, becomes a travelling bum, ends up in Alaska. just givn'r out there. He brings ten pounds of rice and gun and that's it.

I don't want to ruin the story, but if you look it up, let's just say there was a bridge 1/4 mile north of where he stopped.

Anyway... these posts are probably a little boring, so feel free to ignore them until I have more interesting, travel related things to write about. I just figured I'd chronicle all this stuff, so i could look back from the beginning.

As time goes I'll add more photos from my preparations and that should make it at least interesting

see ya

Blast you credit cards

Credit cards are very useful, but of course should be used responsibily.

But in this time of ecnomic uncertainty, I think it's obvious that people should put them away if not cut them up and start saving some actual money. It seems like it would do everyone better since money in the bank is REAL money for both yourself and for the banks to invest, instead of them trading debt around, which is essentially what brough us to where we are today.

And so, for my saving fiasco I have decided to flip the bird to credit cards, get out of debt, stop paying interest and saving my money instead.

I don't really care if that's not what the economy needs right now, that's what it's getting.

For anyone's interest, since January 01, 2008, I've paid $260.36 in interest. That's actually quite lower than I thought it would be. However, I've had that credit card since I think 2007 and I can only look at my history online up until Jan 2008. So it's probably closer to $300-$400.

If you have CIBC, you can look at it by checking out your credit card spending report. Start a label (I called mine, getting a** humped), then went down the list and put all interest charges into that categroy to get my magic number. Weak. I don't know how to do it with other banks.

That's my money, you jerks!

So, because I'm trying to save money, it's important to know these things. I could have bought my travel backpack with that money, and had enough money to go out for dinner and some drinks. AND essentially I would have been able to buy everything that I've used my credit card for if I had just saved up that money in the first place.

I know, credit cards are useful, even necessary for some things (car rentals, hotel rentals, online shopping) but that's all good if you've got the money in the first place already. The mentality of "I'll pay for it later" is just plain stupid. You know who you are.

Anyway, here are some website's that have helped me come to this conclusion, though I admit that it's not hard to come to it by yourself.

IS IT WORTH IT? Ken Rockwell, Photo extraordinaire, is my hero for photography at least. But he's also a genius when it comes to practical knowledge. Mostly I was looking at this to save up for photo equipment, but I already own a sweet camera and whatnot so it's all for the trip!

GET RICH SLOWLY pretty self explanitory really. He just gives you some obvious advice that everyone should take. You'd be surprised how much money you're throwing away.

Anyway, that's it for now.

** I realize that older people I know will probably be saying D'UH YOU TOOL WE'VE BEEN SAYING THIS SINCE YOU WERE 13. Well, to them I say... YOU'RE RIGHT! I should have listened. Well know I am. Thank you.

the fernweh

Fernweh is a German word that means 'a longing for the horizon.' People also like the word Wanderlust, which is also German, but German people don't actually say that anymore.

So, my girlfriend and I have decided we're going to save up a bunch of money, say FTW and go travel a lot, since all the cool kids are doing it.

The idea came when we were watching Harold and Kumar- Escape from Guantanomo Bay.

The guys are there in Amsterdam tokin' the reefer, and I told Danielle that we should go to Amsterdam.

Somehow the conversation spiraled into us deciding that Amsterdam simply wasn't enough of a world experience for us and decided that the entire world was now necessary.

Thus far, we've come up with a basic plan and will hammer out the details as we come closer to them.

Over the spring and summer, we're going to save up our money working at our jobs. I may have to get another part-time to maximize the savings.

The goal is somewhere in the range of having $10,000, after we've bought everything we need plus the first plane tickets.

Essentially, we've decided that nothing else, be it drinking, going to the city, eating out, is worth the joy of hanging out in some far off place under strange stars and interesting people. Therefore we are now endeavouring to save every penny in order to reach that goal and beyond.

Our travel plans are thus, thus far, are to go to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (where my parents live), then to Goa, where I have other family, then to Thailand, the fabled backpacker's paradise.

From there, depending on our money situation, well go to perhaps Australia, the Phillipines, Japan, Chine, all that sort of stuff, depending on visa availability and the money situation.

We're thinking that because we'll be staying with family in three of those four places, it should be quite easy to spend as little money as possible.

Also, if we're in Australia, we can maybe do the tradition rent-a-van-and-live-in-it-and-work-some-random-job-to-make-money type thing.

All in all, it should be quite the adventure, nay, it will be THE adventure of a life time.

I know Amanda already did this, but she had her fun now I might as well have some too.

So follow me along as I complete a long checklist of things between now and September, and then enjoy the journey thenceforth.

My current checklist of things (kind of mundane for the first few months I know)
- work towards getting a pardon. I was charged with possession with the intent to traffic back in... 2003? I honestly can't remember. The point is I need to get that done. That requires several steps INCLUDING, going back to Whitby to visit the courts there (or is it Oshawa?).
-Getting a passport. The problem with this one (as my dad told me months ago) was that no one in this province has known me for at least two years to vouch for me. However, there's a way around it that involves signing forms at the passport office. Easy enough, but unfortunately means I have to take a day off and go to the city to do that.
-Sell off as much random useless stuff I have accumulated over the last little bit to reduce what I leave behind when I go and to increase my capital.
-attempt to reduce expenses to save up the maximum.
-Figure out visas. We've pretty much done this. India and Australia are the only ones you really need to get before. AD, Goa, Philipines you can get when you land.
-Purchase the necessary equipment. The four major things Danielle and I have to have are: backpacks, boots, a tiny computer and a video camera. After that, it's things like mosquito nets and the like, which are both easier and cheaper.
-Train. Once we get our backpacks are plan is to fill them as they would be on our journey and then proceed to trek around the area until they are like a part of us. That way when we're in timbuktu, we can hike for days or run for that train.

You'll notice it's an extensive list and a grandiose plan, but we've been doing our homework.

I'd suggest to everyone and everyone that they should embark on a similar journey, and i suppose could accompany me or meet me somewhere.

Here are some website, movies and people that have inspired me and will no doubt inspire you to travel.
.
Movie: The Beach. Do I need to explain? Leo, Boyle, some hot french chick, Thailand, pot, beaches, murder, sex, funny references to the internet as it appeared in 2000, including Richard's screen name being simply 'richard.' It's gold. Watch it.

Video: Where the Hell is Matt?. If you don't already know who or what that website is about, you are a sad excuse for a human being. The guy's been all over the world like three times and just dances like a goof. That's all he does. and my friends that is AWESOME. seriously. watch that NOW.

Blog: Where the eff is Amanda?. In light of the last link, it's clearly not original. BUT you can't hate on someone that's had an adventure. The info is old, she's already done her trip, but the pictures, and the inspiration are always good if you ask me.

Website: Karl Grobl. this guy is awesome. That link just brings you to his golden advice, but check out what else is on the site. he's a humanitarian photojournalist. All he does is travel and take pictures of how fucked up/amazing the world is.

bah. there's more and I'll update you accordingly my friends.

And to those who haven't seen me in a long time. I may come home in May, and then be gone for ever so see ya!