Tuesday, April 29, 2008

The itinerary of the year!

After much deliberation, I finally have my entire itinerary planned out. It took some time, as the Round The World Airfare requires that you book EVERY city out before your first departure date. I initially thought all you needed was your first city and from there you just pick and choose where you want to go next-- nuh uh. However, you do not need to tell them exact dates, except for the first city so there's a bit more flexibility there. And I know this will make some of you roll your eyes, but I coughed up the extra $6K upgrade to fly business around the world-- I know, not exactly roughing it but I think in the whole grand scheme of things, it's worth it!

May 5th: Los Angeles to Hong Kong
May 20th: Hong Kong to Madrid, Spain (via London)
(After Madrid, all dates are open-ended so if you want to meet up, let me know!!!)
June:
Madrid to Glasgow, Scotland - Dublin, Ireland - Reykjavik, Iceland
July:
Glasgow to Warsaw, Poland. Train through Lithuania, Lativa and Estonia
August to mid-September:
Sweden, Finland, Norway
Mid-September to early October:
Denmark, Copenhagen - Munich, Germany - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Late October- Mid-November:
Athens, Greece - Ankara, Turkey
December:
Cairo, Egypt - Accra, Ghana
January :
Buenos Aires, Argentina - Santiago, Chile (side trips to Uruguay and Paraguay)
February:
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
March:
Quito, Ecuador (side trips to Columbia and Venezuela)
April:
Costa Rica (side trips to Panama and Belize)
May:
Return to the US where I will fly into some Eastern US city (Miami, Atlanta, or New York) and drive coast to coast back home to Santa Monica, California.

Phew!!!

I'm sure somewhere along the way, this WILL change but at least you guys have an idea of where I'll be. I can't wait!!! This is really the trip of a lifetime and hopefully some of you can make it out here and there for some good times.

Friday, April 25, 2008

"So.... when are you leaving???"

One of the most common questions I've been asked over the past month since I quit on March 31st finally has an answer! It's official, on Cinco de Mayo, I will be doing my Mexican hat dance all the way to....Hong Kong! Yes, I know, it's been almost a month already since I quit-- what the heck have I been doing? Well, lemme tell ya...

Over the past 4 weeks, I've learned many things, specifically centered around not having a job:

1) It can really screw up your sleeping schedule. Just last week, I think I set the world record for "Latest hour to bake cookies." I finished baking the last batch at around 2:30am, on a Monday, naturally! It was worth it, because when I woke up at noon, it made for a perfect breakfast. Not to mention how great it is to wake up with the smell of freshly baked cookies still lingering in the house.

2) You have more unemployed friends than you think, and they will literally show up at your door just to hang out with little or zero prior notification. My buddy knocked on my door the other day and he said, "I just figured you'd be around!" At least he didn't show up before noon. I'm assuming because he had also been up late doing something constructive like baking cookies the night before.

3) Back in the 80's we had trashy soap operas during the day. The 90's brought forth such notable daytime talk shows like Jerry Springer and Ricki Lake. I am convinced cable news is just the ugly bastard child of Days of Our Lives and Maury Povich.

4) eBay should be renamed eCrack.

5) Life was much, much, simpler back when I was 9-- but things do not change much when you're 32, either. While cleaning out my closet I found an old piggy bank that I kept when I was a kid. I opened it up, and I found my first, ahem, "bank account statement." What made this little note so interesting is the fact that my budgeting and financial planning back then is practically the same as it is today-- ultimately allowing me to take this year-long hiatus in the first place. So all you people who have been asking me, how can I afford to do this trip? It started with $19.60 back in 1985. Better start planning!!!

Also interesting to note is that it took me about three years to save $11.35! And, Alfred, I'm coming after you....

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

April Fools!!!

Ironic, isn't it, that April Fools' day just so happens to be the first day I am no longer a working man! Fitting that only a fool like me would embark on this crazy adventure.

Life's great when you don't have to fill out TPS reports!

PS: Golf anyone?