travelog

From: A Journey of One's Own: Uncommon Advice for the Independent Woman Traveler. Thalia Zepatos.

And my answers. I'm not a woman but these are a good set of questions.

A few of these questions are oriented toward having a travel partner, which I have indicated in my answer.

Purpose

• Why are you going on this trip?

  Just to go. To see places without an itinerary. To go to places I would never go otherwise. To challenge myself. To learn about the world. To learn about myself. To grow. To try new things.

• What to you hope to get out of it?

  An unrepeatable experience. Joy. Fun. Learning. Friends. Family. Purpose. Confidence.

Schedule

• How much time do you have to travel? When?

  The amount of time I have depends on my money, my budget, and what I want to do when I return. I am not constrained by career or personal issues at this moment. I am guessing my budget will let me travel between 6 and 18 months.

  I was hoping to leave by mid-October. But now I'm wondering if my departure date will slide more.

• Is this time frame flexible or not?

  This time frame is very flexible.

Budget

• How much money do you have for this trip?

  I have [deleted] for the trip. This sets aside [deleted] for my return. I will have more money by the time I finish my current job. I also have money in a 401(k) and a Roth IRA.

• What is your projected weekly budget?

  Weekly budget? Man, I have no idea. I figure I will be spending between $500 and $1500 per month.

• Do you have access to more money if you overspend?

  Nope. Technically, when I run out of my budget it is time to go home. In an emergency I can access the money I want upon my return, but I need that money when I return. I could in an emergency access my Roth IRA and 401(k), but that is not a great use of that money.

Itinerary and Plan

• Draft an itinerary for your trip with an estimate of time you'd like to spend in each place. Is this itinerary flexible or fixed?
  • India. 3 - 6 months.
  • West Africa. 3 months.
  • Southeast Asia. 3-6 months.
  • The list could go on. East Africa. 3 months. Mediterranean. 3-6 months. Central Asia. 3 months. Central America. 3-6 months. South America. 6 months. Still so much left to see. Why I'm trying to figure out the work/money-making possibilities.

  This itinerary is flexible. However, I have tried to list it in order of where I'd like to go first. I have the strongest desire to go to the places at the top of the list.

• What activities do you want to pursue in each place you plan to visit?

  Everywhere I visit I want to take photos and make entries on this website. I'd like to maintain this website. I would like to move through the landscape and experience it. I'd like to trek through each place I visit: urban trekking, rural trekking. I'd like to meet locals and travelers. I'd like to meet people who know about the geography, culture, and politics of the place. I'd like to give short talks about my travels at local schools and colleges. I'd like to write short articles. I'd like to relax and do things I would do at home on the weekends: sports, going to the beach. I'd like to meet friends in various places. I'd like to do what I'd like to be getting out of life anyway, but in other places. I'd like to be living as a nomad and reduce life to its essentials. I'd like to live by my wits and learn to be resourceful and live by my charms. I'd like to undertake some adventure, which I see as wilderness trekking or by unusual transportation, such as boat or overland truck.

• What's your idea of a good time?

  Getting outside and seeing things. Covering some ground. Meeting people. Socializing.

• What tourist/travel activities do you least enjoy?

  Any activity with more than ten tourists. Or possibly six. Sitting on a tour bus. Traveling en masse. Sitting on the beach for more than a couple of days. That's the tourist stuff. Travel activities I don't like: I don't always like sleeping in a different place every night. And I like something that feels like my own bed.

• What's your idea of a bad time?

  Traveling too hard, too fast. Not eating right. Not sleeping right. Wasting money. Spending time with unpleasant people.

• When traveling with another person, how much time do you imagine spending together?
  • Basically all the time together, with few exceptions.
  • Eating meals together, but planning separate activities.
  • Sharing the same itinerary and rooms, but otherwise being independent.
  • Separating occasionally for several days.

  I don't need to answer this question because I don't plan on traveling with a partner.

• Would you accept an invitation (for a two-day sailing trip, for example) if it meant leaving your travel partner behind?

  I don't need to answer this question, for the same reason as above. But I pity the guy whose girlfriend answers it 'Yes'.

• Are you open to the possibility of a romantic involvement during the trip?

  Sure, hon, as long as you love me for my mind and not just for my body.

• Are you open to spontaneously changing your itinerary?

  Obviously, yes. However, having some idea of where you're going provides some structure to your brain, so you don't go totally loopy. Good to have some goals.

Travel style

• Do you have usable language skills for the places you'll be?

  Of course! Everyone speaks English!

• Are you comfortable traveling with someone with much greater/fewer language skills than yours?

  Another travel partner question. How could the answer not be 'Yes'?

• What type of accommodations do you imagine staying in most frequently?
  • Luxury hotels with full comforts and services.
  • Moderately priced accommodations with private bathrooms and hot water.
  • Budget accommodations with common bathroom facilities that may lack hot water.
  • Youth hostels.
  • Camping out and carrying your own gear.

  I imagine staying most frequently in budget accommodations. I'd be open to camping, but I am imagining the budget accommodations will be so cheap where I'm going that camping may not seem that appealing. I'd also be open to staying with friends. I'm not that excited about youth hostels, although if one got decent recommendations I may try it. Of course, I'd like nicer accommodations when possible but want to keep my costs down.

• Would you share a sleeping room with your travel partner? A bed?

  Is she beautiful? If not, will the lights be out?

• Is it important for you to have reservations booked in advance?

  No. Much to the consternation of anyone I travel with.

• Do you like to "shop around" for restaurants, accommodations, and purchases or would you rather accept the first reasonable option?

  Yes and yes.

• Where do you feel most comfortable eating most of your meals?
  • Restaurants located in hotels that cater to foreigners.
  • Restaurants listed in the guidebook with menus written in English.
  • "Out of the way" places frequented by local residents.
  • Inexpensive street-side food vendors.

  I'll avoid my previous smart answer of saying all of the above. Okay, the answer is in reverse order. I like the street vendors. And the local places. The other two are unavoidable at times, or they have exactly what hits the spot at that moment. I'd actually like to eat a lot of home-made healthy snacks and meals, to save on cost and indigestion. I should always have a meal or two in my backpack.

• Are you opposed to or unable to eat any foods? How do you feel about smoking? Drinking?

  No, these are all fine. I don't smoke and I'm a light drinker. I just watch the foods to judge for healthiness.

• How adventurous are you about eating? Would you eat an exotic dish if you had no idea what it was?

  Sure! Life is short!

• In an country where bargaining is traditional, do you feel comfortable bargaining for purchases?

  Comfortable, but I'm not very good at it.

• Will you need to be in contact with family, job, or friends back home? How often?

  As often as they'd like to talk to me!

Pace and Routines

• What time do you usually wake up in the morning? What time do you go to sleep? How will that change during the trip?

  I get up anywhere between 5:30am and 8:00am. I go to sleep anytime between 9:30pm and 12:00am. Since I don't have a travel partner, I can choose my routine. My experience is that not a lot is going on in the mornings sometimes when traveling, so this would be a time for me to do things on my own, such as work on the website or read or exercise.

• How much daily activity do you anticipate on the trip? Do you like to keep very busy? Do you have any physical limitations that affect your level of activity? Do you need time for a daily siesta?

  Hmm, I have no idea. I like to have a schedule similar to my home schedule. A regular pace but not rushing around.

• How quickly do you like to get going in the morning? Do you have a regular exercise or other routine that you follow daily?

  I get up early and start doing things early, but I like to do a lot before I go out the door. At times in the past I have done yoga in the morning which I would like to re-start.

• Are you a morning or a night person?

  I'm a morning person. I like to have fun at night, but I don't always last long. I don't like writing and other mental activities at night. This is another one of those partner questions.

• Do you find it boring to stay in one place for a long time? Do you find it tiresome to move quickly from place to place without a long stop?

  Yes and yes. I like to stay about a week in one place, I think.

• Can you adapt to a travel pace very different from your own?

  Don't know. Would probably try to negotiate along the way. Too fast or too slow and I get tired or bored. I think the other person does too, although they don't always recognize it.

• How long can you walk comfortably? In hot weather?

  With water, supplies, and rest, I can do it all day.

• Do you plan to use mass transit? In what circumstances?

  Whenever it makes sense.

• Would you consider renting a car?

  Yes, but it would be very deliberate, with an eye to costs.

• Who would drive?

  In India, the driver! I'm not driving there, it's dangerous!

Departure: Washington, DC, USA.  Depart Sunday, February 12, 2006.

India:

 Mumbai:

Below is my own FAQ about my travel. I also have answered a good set of questions from a travel book:

Travel Questionnaire

What are you doing, Mark?

I'm taking a year off to travel.

No, really, what are you doing?

-blank-

Where are you going?

I am creating my itinerary as I go.

Could you be more specific?

My initial destination is India, and as of this writing, I'm already here.

Where are you going after that?

There are actually a lot of places in India I would like to see, so I am going to see them first.

And where are you going after that?

There is a strong urge to plan the entire trip down to the last detail. I have almost succumbed to it. But I am much happier to plan it as I go. I have an endless list of places I would like to go. It is much longer than the places I will be able to go in this lifetime.

Are you independently wealthy?

No.

Really?

I have wanted to do this for a long time. I have spent the last number of years paying off debts and saving money.

Did you give up your day job?

Yes.

Were you... let go?

No. I left on good terms with my employer; I gave them plenty of notice and gave my resignation.

So why are you traveling?

The Nike slogan is "Just do it." It corresponding rule is Fred's First Rule of Travel: "Go."

I am experimenting with following all of Fred's Rules of Travel.

Is that the only reason?

I have tried to judge whether it is necessary to have a reason. I haven't decided on an answer yet. In actuality I do have other reasons. The top is: for the experience and the adventure. The second is: as an experiment in applied geograhy. The third is: to push myself and test my limits.

Do you have any goals?

I'd really love to say that I have no goals or agenda. But I do. I would like to: 1.) Document the trip as I go on the internet, as an experiment in applied geography. 2.) Record observations and comments on the places I see, changing under the influence of modernity.

Wow, that discussion sure got dry! I want to have fun, too, meet new and interesting people, and stay in touch with everyone back home!