Clearing Out...
Trip Start
Oct 12, 2005
1
3
48
Trip End
Mar 31, 2006
Brooklyn,
New York,
United States
Monday, August 15, 2005
It felt great to clear out some of our old stuff via Stoop Sale in preparation for packing and moving stuff into storage at Matt's parents house in Connecticut. We made enough to cover our move and met a lot of great people in our neighborhood. (We think everyone in New York should do this immediately upon moving in to help ferret out the fascinating people that live all around you in this city.) We met a wonderful man and fellow traveler who was on the 1960 Olympic Boxing Team. After buying a few of our precious books, we talked to him and his wife about our travels. He's traveled to countless countries and had some great advice to offer. He also offered his card so we can stay in touch.
In addition to meeting our neighbors we also learned that people seem to have a lot of the same questions when we tell them about our upcoming travel plans. As a corporate communicator, I decided it would be most efficient to put together a little FAQ that we can refer folks to.
Q: Who Are We?
Kristy and Matt are married couple currently living in Brooklyn, NY. Kristy, age 30, works in corporate communications. Matt, age 28, is a video editor and motion graphic designer. Kristy and Matt met in 1994 while attending Boston University. They were married in August, 2004 on Kauai, Hawaii. They have a cat named Nina.
Q: Why?
A: Because we want to and we can. We love to explore new places and can't wait to visit all the world destinations we've heard about since childhood. Now's the time to go before we have the responsibility of a mortgage and a family.
Q: Where?
A: Our itinerary as of today is as follows:
Oct 12 - 15
San Francisco
Oct 15 - 25
Japan
October 25 - 27
Hong Kong
October 27 - November 7
Thailand - Bangkok/Chiang Mai
November 7 - December 5
Vietnam
December 5 - 15
Cambodia
December 15 - January 2
Thailand - Islands
January 2 - 18
Malaysia
January 18 - 21
Singapore
January 21 - February 20
India
Feburary 20 - 25
Dubai
February 25 - March 18
Jordan & Egypt
March 18 - 31
Turkey
March 31
NYC
Q: How can you afford this? Are you rich?
A: No we're not rich -- We've been saving and planning for two years. It's amazing how much you can save when you have a good motivator. Since almost all of the countries and cities we'll visit cost less than life in New York, we will actually spend far less in six months than we would here in NYC (We will have no income for that period which is of course the down side!). As we're going along watch for budget reports and updates especially the comparison between what we think we'll spend and what we actually spend.
Q: Is this an organized trip?
A: We purchased the tickets through Airtreks. All other travel accommodations will be handled by us via the Internet while we're on the road. We did look into some group travel options for certain countries (India and the Middle East) but they turned out to be a bit pricey and we think we can do it cheaper ourselves.
Q: How long will you be gone? Where will you return? (and most importantly for New Yorkers, what are you doing with your apartment?)
A: We'll be gone six months and plan to return to New York. We're letting our apartment go (it's already been rented, don't e-mail!).
Q: What about your jobs?
A: Kristy's company has generously extended a leave of absence which we have accepted. Matt plans to pursue freelance work when he returns. (link to freelance site will be coming at some point in the future).
Q: What are you taking with you?
A: Since you asked...we'll be taking two backpacks (approx. 45 liters) filled with:
Matt Clothes
1 swim suit
1 pair pants
4 pairs underwear
1 pair sandals
1 pair sneakers
3 pairs socks
3 t-shirts (1 to sleep in)
1 long sleeve shirt with collar
1 belt
1 hat
Sunglasses
1 towel
1 rain jacket
1 fleece
1 pair shorts
Long underwear top and bottom
Kristy Clothes
2 swimsuits
1 pair of pants
1 skirt
5 pairs of underwear
2 bras
sandals
sneaker-type shoes
flip flops
1 tank top
1 hat
sunglasses
towel
rain jacket
fleece
long-sleeve shirt
3 pairs of socks
2 t - shirt
1 pair shorts
Long underwear top and bottom
PJ's
Electronics
Universal Power Adapter
Digital Camera
Extra Memory Card
Extra Battery
Battery Charger
Clie (Handheld Palm Device)
Clie Keyboard
Clie Charger
USB Card Reader (with cable)
Clie Memory Card
Medical Kit
band aids
Motion Sickness Pills
aspirin
anti-diarrhea pills
asthma inhaler
blister treatment
prescription medicines
mini glasses fix kit
wrap-bandage
antibiotics
malaria pills
laxatives
tampons
Toiletry Kit
2 Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Shampoo
Soap
razors
deodorant
Hanging Case with Mirror
sunscreen
brush
key makeup
moisturizer
nail clipper
tweezers
lip balm
Miscellaneous
Alarm clock
sharpie marker
pencil
super glue
duct tape (small)
sewing kit
clothes line
ear plugs
small flashlight
swiss army knife
lighter
Guide Books
Books for reading material
Universal Sink Plug
Wire Lock
Combination Padlock
Compass
hand sanitizer
snorkel mask for matt
LED Reading Light
Money Belt
binoculars
Documents
Passports
Plane Tickets
Photocopies of all documents (stored separately)
Extra photos for visas
Contact Info
Certificates of Vaccinations
(aren't you sorry you asked?)
Q: How will you keep in touch?
A: We'll keep in touch via e-mail (kristy.matt@gmail.com) and our Travelpod Travelogue! We'll also try to set up some regular check in phone calls to Moms and Dads.
Q: Where will your cat, Nina, live?
A: Nina will be enjoying a six month sabbatical in New Haven with Matt's parents. I'm sure we'll miss her desperately but we think she's going to love "country" life.
Any other questions / answers you'd like us to add?
Comments
contact
Hey! Yippee, we're on the list. Keep the posts coming!
p.s. I looked at your packing list, and I know some will call me a wimp - but I was never sorry for bringing some toilet paper. The stuff they used in Poland (granted it was 10 years ago) could be used as a light duty sandpaper.