Worn Sandals Journals

My Weblog as Moved!

globetrekker — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:00:00 GMT

Hi guys! I moved my travelog to the following link:

http://wornsandals.blogspot.com/

I decided to use Google Blogger instead due to its more sophisticated editing/formatting tools and easier integration with the Flickr photo sharing/publishing service. So please visit my new address!

Almost Ready

globetrekker — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 11:26:00 GMT

"There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it." -- Charles Dudley Warner (American Essayist and Novelist)

My lack of posting in the past week is due to my frenetic preparation for the trip - I'm such a prograstinator! My to-do list included the following:

1) Buy backpack - After consulting the backpack guru(thanks David!), I finally decided on North Face Skared 55 in size small. The nice salesgirl from North Face shop on Newberry Street recommended it as the ideal option for ultra-lightweight packers on the go.

http://www.thenorthface.com/opencms/opencms/tnf/gear.jsp?site=NA&model=AZJ8

The last time I "backpacked" in France and Italy (right after my Stern graduation), I wheeled around a carry-on sized luggage for a month, which makes me as true a backpacker as Ashlee Simpson a real rocker. So time for me to gain the street cred with real backpack.

2) Buy trip clothes - I just realized after 4 years working in Corporate America, I don't really own any t-shirts/sweatshirts (and I can't squeeze myself into those leftovers from my college days regardless of how hard I try to suck in my belly...oh Jenny Craig, where are thou when I need thee?). I took advantage of the tax holiday this past weekend and hit Marshalls - why pay full at Abercrombie&Fitch when you can get the same shirts here for 50% off?

3) Buy camera supplies - I bought my Canon SD200 a year ago online but never used it. Went to Best Buy and bought 2G SD card, SD card reader (for easy digital photo downloading at internet cafes) and replacement battery.

4) Buy miscellaneous supplies - first aide kits, travel guides to India and Egypt (I prefer Rough and Lonely Planet), mini-sized toilletries (the fluid regulation for carry-ons are obviously NOT designed by women. I mean one quart sized plastic bag per person? how am I suppose to fit all my essential beauty supplies in that tiny space?)

5) Miscellaneous errands - Cancel my utilities for my apartment, change addresses for various bills, pause my mobile phone service, etc, etc.

It's almost here people! I promise I will upload pictures when I actually start traveling!

Cleaning Out My Closet

globetrekker — Sat, 4 Aug 2007 03:00:00 GMT

“Real charity doesn't care if it's tax-deductible or not.”

~ Dan Bennett (Don't ask me who he is because I have no idea)

I'm moving out my apartment, my home for the past two years, in parallel with my trip planning. Moving is such a bitch! My back almost broke after hauling my vintage magazine collection out of my apartment (it's no joke, I subscribe to every women's magazine under the sun printed in the English language, including Vogue, Marie Claire, Health, Shape, Jane, Women's Health, Allure, etc, and I NEVER throw them out, until now.)

To ease the moving out process and do some good work at the same time, I decided to donate most of my furniture to the Salvation Army. You can call their donation hotline and schedule a pickup. Someone will come by and take your donations away. Not only your conscinence will be sastified by the good deed, you will also get tax deductions. So everyone wins!

The hotline number: 1-800-SA-TRUCK

Website: www.satruck.com

The Importance of Insurance and Other Wisdoms....

globetrekker — Thu, 2 Aug 2007 04:47:00 GMT

“Expensive medicines are always good: if not for the patient, at least for the druggist" ~ Russian Proverb

As recommended by the travel websites and common sense, I made an appointment to get my immunization shots against Typhoid, Yellow Fever and other potentially deadly diseases at The Travel Medicine Center at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston. And boy is it expensive! $150 for the doctor's visit alone + $110 for each shot. And of course because I don't have health insurance anymore, I have to pay everything out of the pocket. God damn the lack of public healthcare plan! Lesson learned here: quit your job AFTER you get the shots.

I also bought my travel health insurance at Worldnomads.com (This travelog is a free service provided for its members). The company is based in Australia and only operates online, hence its relatively low prices in comparison to other insurers, such as Travelex. I got a 4-months plan for $182, as opposed to $250+ from Travelex. The insurance plan, not suprisingly, is popular among the backpacking crowd and covers many adventure sports, such as bungee jumping (maybe I should give that a try!). Of course, hopefully i will never get the opportunity to use it!

Welcome To My Travelog!

globetrekker — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 14:22:00 GMT

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain

Hello Everyone, welcome to my travelog!

As you know, I'm planning an "Around-the-Globe" trip that will take place over 100+ days. Here are some of the details of my trip:

Trip Begins: 8/17/07

Trip Length: 3 1/2 Months

Itinerary: New York-Tahiti-New Zealand-Australia-Vietnam-Cambodia-Thailand-Nepal-India-Kenya-Egypt-Rome-London

Travel Agent: Airtreks.com (They are based in San Francisco and specializes in around-the-world trips. I got this pre-packaged itinerary on sale from their website, but you can customize your own trips with their easy-to-use TripPlanner tool)

Planning Process: I spent past two weeks traveling to Washington D.C. and NYC for travel visas. FYI - for American citizens, tourist visas are required for Vietnam (2-day processing time), India (same day but long lines) and Kenya (same day). Visas are also required for Nepal and Egypt but they can be obtained at airports of entry. Visas are required for Australia and Cambodia but can be applied online (welcome to the 21st century!)

For further information on entry/exit requirements for all foreign countries, you can visit the State Department website (good to see the tax dollars put into some practical use): http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html

For those of you who just have to wait for the last minute to get your passport/visa, do not fret! There are many agencies that offer expedited passport/visa services for the procrastinators among us. But of course, the convenience comes with costs - you will have to pay a service fee for each visa on top of the processing fees charged by each embassy (rush delivery fees extra).

http://www.visaexpress.net/

http://www.travisa.com/

http://www.visa4you.net/

Disclaimer: I personally did NOT use any of these services because I had plenty of time to get the visas myself.

To do list for the upcoming week: finalize Cambodian visa, buy travel supplies and slave in the gym to get my bum into bikini-worthy shape(Tahiti is the first stop after all!)