Why I want to travel (some info about me)

I suppose now that this blog is over a year old, I feel I should start a schedule for updates and redefine the mission statement: This blog is my ramblings, gear reviews, and in the future, where I will post about my travels while I'm out adventuring. Right now, though, I'm going to go through and talk about why I want to travel and why it makes sense to me.

An Effort in Tranquility: what does this mean to me?

According to Webster, Tranquility is "Repose: a disposition free from stress or emotion."

Now, my blog is titled "An Effort in Tranquility" meaning I'm searching and trying to find tranquility. This isn't exactly what I'm searching for, though. I'm searching for a life that leads to the least stress and least worry. I hope for emotion, in any form. But I want to search the world and find where I happen to fit.

I've had some people tell me that I would find tranquility anywhere, through god, or religion, or something. Others have told me that I'm trying to live in a fantasy world and should settle down and have kids. Other students I attend university with tell me to "buy a car and go party or road trip" but those ideas sound boring to me (well, except for the road trip). Some things I've stated before, but need re-iterating, others are things that I've been more recently able to tell people. So, here are some insights into what makes me, me:

1: I've always been nomadic- I've never lived in one place for more than 5 years. Never. I count this as the same house/town. I did live in the mid-Missouri area for almost 7 years, but that involved moving around, small travels, and a year away at school. Living in one place for more than a year or two sounds intensely boring. After about 2 years, I usually end up feeling this deep desire to get away, sometimes causing physical stress. The idea of me living in one spot for the rest of my life and doing the same old thing all the time is as foreign to me as my idea of travel is to someone who's never moved.

2: I'm not religious- It's taken time to really admit this to people, because it's usually taken as an offense. I'm an atheist. I don't believe that there's an afterlife, or that I'll be rewarded for being super faithful, or that there's a supernatural being/spirit/deity watching and judging everything that I do. I believe that only I am accountable for my own actions and live by that principle. . I've lost people that I thought were friends because of my lack of faith/belief. This doesn't mean I wish to eradicate religion, or turn other people away. I've looked into many religions and have the same issue with the supernatural aspects. I've realized that some people need to have something to believe in, this isn't a terrible thing, but at the same time, it's often used as a tool to cause harm to others. I do realize that I'm traveling to an area where religion is a BIG deal, and I will respect that. I am fascinated by other religions, but I do not wish to join them.

3: I do not want children- I'm 24 years old. I'm one of the few members of my high school class that isn't married or has children. I've been asked repeatedly "when are you going to settle down and have some children?" My answer has always been a firm "never." I don't want children, I can't see myself having children, I can't really see myself getting married either. A good friend said to me "you need a girl that is part science geek, part nomad, and maybe part hippie." and I think that friend is right. I doubt I'd really "settle down" but maybe have a travel partner. But marriage or a life long commitment aren't my thing.. maybe when I'm 40? I have no clue. I'll find out later anyway.

4:  I'm afraid of not living my life to it's full capacity- I'm currently in the beginnings of working towards a geology degree. I love geology, I really enjoy the classes and labs, I am fascinated by rocks, minerals, plate tectonics, formations, etc. I'm afraid of the degree tying me down. I'm afraid that working on it will put me in a place where I am required to live in the same place, doing the same thing. I've been told that this shouldn't be the case, but at the same time, I still want that freedom. I know that I could change to an English major with a random minor, or go for something outdoorsy  but the job prospects on that front don't leave me with much of a fallback. What I hope for is to complete my B.S. in geology and be able to do short term work that pays well enough to travel, as well as traveling for work. I want to look into teaching English abroad because it sounds interesting and I receive very good grades in my writing and language classes (despite this blog probably being an editors nightmare).

Anyway, just some (wall of text) details about me. In the future, I'm going to try out a bi-weekly update schedule (or at least once a month, more as I get closer to my departure). so, this post is being written on the 30th of September, but should post on the  of 1st of October  So, if you're reading this before October 1st, then I probably messed something up or changed my mind (which happens a lot)

Progress!

Alright, I officially am making progress for my trip to South East Asia, and I've got great news:

I've bought my flight tickets to Bangkok! That's right, I've finally done it. It's official, I WILL be traveling this coming summer.

I kept track of prices for awhile and stumbled upon a price war going on between domestic carriers and the asian carriers. Tickets were all sitting at $1500-$1800 round trip, which was putting a big strain on the tight budget that I will have available. My goal was to buy my tickets for under $1200 total for the flights only, what I noticed (through other bloggers pointing this out to me) is that when buying a ticket from the mid-west US, the price is between 1/3 to 2/3 more expensive if you pick up a connecting flight.

Example:
Flying from Kansas City: $1500-$1800+
Flying from San Francisco: $1070 (this is the ticket I bought)

I'm planning on picking up either a budget ticket ($230 or less) or a greyhound ticket (currently $230) for a separate round trip to drop me right in SFO or the city in general with plenty of time to get to the airport and time to maybe couch surf a day or two before leaving on the return leg.

I'm leaving May 8th and returning July 10th. My flight transfers in Tokyo (I ended up flying Delta airlines because I wanted to save $200.. might bite me in the bum, but maybe not) and, sadly, I arrive in Thailand around midnight local time. So I'm thinking of relaxing for awhile at a coffee shop or something. (thanks wanderingEarl for that pointer).

So I have my ticket, my passport, backpack, and some of the clothes I want to take. I'm looking into getting my shots here, though I found I can get them at the red cross (aka snake farm) in Bangkok for MUCH less (have heard around $100, which is WAY better than several hundred). So that's where things stand, New backpack update soonish (busy with school, so updates come second, apologies).

Feel free to comment with questions or comments!

A long time coming

Alright, Yet another update. This time, though, it's a bit of explanation.

First off: No, I didn't go anywhere over the summer. Other than moving to the small town where my university is located. I spent the last year taking classes at a small college that didn't cost me much and working to save money for my trip. The end of the school year came along and I was getting everything finalized for my move back to university and my mother discovered that she had cancer. again. I ended up staying and spending a decent bit of money on helping out her and one of my brothers. She lived with me and I was driving her 2 hours away to the doctor twice a week and after all was said and done, I had maybe $800 left after everything. Obviously not enough to go anywhere. Add that to the near tripling effect that happened to fuel prices causing flight costs to skyrocket (pun semi-intended). I was pretty much stuck. I bought a small bike to get me around town while at school and replaced my phone and that pretty much ate through the rest of my savings.

Fast forward a little bit to now, classes start tomorrow and I'm enrolled for 13 credit hours. My mother has moved in with her boyfriend and I've got a room mate to make rent easy. She's mentioned paying me back a portion of what I spent so with my grant/loan refund coming I should have enough to take a trip this coming summer.. about 8 ish months away.

I'm going to be buying my flight ticket to BKK once I find a price that isn't $1800+ (hoping for closer to $1200, which i've found a couple times). Hopefully getting that mid-september, at which point i'll be set for my way there and back and just have to save the rest.

With luck, I'll have enough money to go for most of the summer and have a budget of around $40 or so per day. From what i've heard so far, that's decent for a budget backpacker, I'll find out when I get there, right?


It's one of those things that I need to do. Once I'm finished with school, I hope that I'll still be able to travel. I plan on saving everything after next summer's trip for when I graduate and liquidating the rest of what I have so I can be easily mobile. I want to find a career outside the USA because I feel that there's too much out there that I won't get to experience and I want to see as much as I can.

UPDATE!

Alright, I’m back from my overly long hiatus. UPDATE TIME!

So, back in November of last year, I hit a funk. I had been working very hard at a job that I didn’t really enjoy too much to save money for my trip. Add to this my transportation issues that cropped up off and on, plus school, family, sickness, etc. etc. etc. With all of the things piled up, I managed to get myself in a sort of depressed state, but still managed to save money.

Fast forward to March of 2012, I was fed up with missing class because I didn’t have my own transportation. I ended up taking my savings (around $2000) and bought a motorcycle. Long story short, I should be selling the bike this coming weekend and I’ll have the money for my summer trip again.

My current itinerary is in development, but I’ll probably fly to Cancun, MX in a few weeks (looking between mid-june and july 1st and returning around august 1st – 8th. I’m going to sell a couple more items to make sure I have enough money for the duration of the trip, but I’m going to do it. I’m going to take my trip like I originally planned. It’ll be a bit of a rush to get everything finalized, and the trip will be a tad shorter, but It’ll still be pretty awesome, I think.

I know that I want to see the big volcano in Nicaragua, I want to go out to some tiny island and walk its’ circumference, and I want to possibly see the panama canal, I’ve heard it isn’t spectacular, but I wouldn’t mind seeing it.

More to come in the next few days as I put things together and get my tickets bought.

-Greg

New Horizons

I've been going over the numbers again for my trip and I came to a stunning realization..

I'm behind in my savings and not able to save as much per month as previously planned.

Add in to this is the shortened time period available, and I recognize I *might* need to change destinations... AGAIN. As it stands, Thailand is simply outside my upcoming budget. With the very expensive flight, the immunizations, a move to a different town to return to university, and a lack of a cash buffer like I originally planned, It's just not a feasible option at this time. Now, I'm not removing it entirely from my options, however, I am putting together a list of destinations that can fit into a 45-60 day trip.

The criteria:

1. must be $1000 or less for a round trip ticket from the US (MCI or STL airports)
2. Cannot be a country that shares a border with the US (no canada or mexico, unless mexico is only part of the trip)
3. Prefer somewhere across the ocean, but if that's not possible, see bullet 2.
4. Also prefer there to be a language barrier. I want to learn a new language and the best method is immersion.
5. I need to be able to live on $50 or less per day as a low-mid range budget.
6. (optional) Prefer somewhere slightly off the beaten path, or with options to see places that most non-backpacker tourists would avoid. Also would like to see the shoulder season or off season. Though it isn't a problem if its main season, I just want to see what the real life is like in the areas I visit.

I'm currently considering a trip down to Cancun, Mexico as a starting point for the Central America backpacker circuit. I'd catch a bus to Playa del Carmen, stay there a few days, maybe a week, and would then go through central america to Panama and catch a flight back to the US. Though I'm open to plenty of other options and ideas.

Since the price of a plane ticket to central america is cheaper by a power of 10, ($180 vs $1800) It opens up more options for travel within the region along with leaving more money available to do things. Plus I'll be able to set aside any remaining money when I return home. This option also opens up the winter/christmas break for a short trip unless I save every penny for a euro-venture the following summer. Once I graduate from NW, I'm going to take the trip to Thailand (if I don't do it this summer) and make my way through the area, hit up a few other countries, australia, etc. My ultimate goal is to make a full circumnavigation of the world by the time I'm 30, on top of traveling as a lifestyle.

In the off chance that I'm able to afford the trip to Thailand, I'll still leave it for later. The average suggestion from other backpackers and long term travelers is to leave it for when I have the time. I'm also looking into a short trip over winter break, maybe buck the trend and go north instead of south. That or grab my brother and some friends and take a short jump down to mexico, possibly baja. That's something for later though, right now I'm working out the summer trip and making sure I have everything set.

Japan Tourism board to give away 10,000 flights

According to various news outlets, the Japan Tourism Board is giving away 10,000 free round-trip flights to aid in bringing back their now suffering tourism. Since the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident have caused people to have fear of traveling there. Myself? I'd TOTALLY go to Japan if my flight were covered free of charge. My reasons for not going to Japan on my current trip idea are only because the yen to dollar ratio isn't the greatest, and prices are a bit higher in general.

My plan was to make it to Japan when I have a larger/better income and savings. Though, now I completely plan on applying for one of these free flights as soon as the application system opens up. Yes, I realize that the chances of me actually winning one of these special trips is slim to none, but even so, that's better than my chances at a free flight if I don't apply, right? The conditions are that you have to post pictures and write about your experience in country either during your trip or after. Hmm, isn't that what I'm doing with this site anyway? YES INDEED!

To be honest, I'd love to travel to Japan, climb mount Fuji (its an easy-ish trail) It's actually on my bucket list of things to do before I die. I'd hit Tokyo (of course), then probably Mount Fuji, I'd actually be thrilled to go see the areas affected by the tsunami. I'd also like to see your standard "touristy" things: sumo wrestling, a bunraku show, things like that. I'd like to see the blend of the traditional Japanese style mixed with the newer age. Overall, if I were to win a free flight to Japan, I'd change my travel plans to go there next summer instead of Thailand. I'd just delay the Thailand trip for the following christmas break or following summer.



-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-


Alright, this is just a quick update about the free flights to japan thing that's in the news. I've been very busy with school lately, so my post on the "tourist day" in columbia, mo has been a long time coming. It's coming though, I promise!

what do you think about the Japanese Tourism Board giving away 10,000 free flights? Will you apply? feel free to comment below.

A Change of Scenery

I'm struggling up a steep hill, having hiked a couple miles already, a glance ahead reveals the loose gravel road beginning to level off. I shift the weight of the backpack holding the food I just picked up at the small store back down the road, adjusting the straps to keep it from sagging. “Only another mile, slowpoke” my friend calls from ahead. “Yeah,” I think to myself, “only another mile.” My shirt soaked in sweat, my asthma acting up, feet protesting every step, but there's a difference, I'm having a great time.

That piece is out of my old journal that was written after my trip to Canada. I wasn't in the middle of nowhere, though it seemed that way sometimes because I wasn't familiar with the area. Looking back at my writings from 2006 and thinking back with fresh perspective, I've seen how much I've grown and changed in five years. I was fascinated by travel back then, though also afraid. Not afraid of the travels or the experience, but of what other people would think of the lifestyle I was desiring even then. Back then I cared so much about what people thought of my choices. I wanted people to approve of whatever I ended up choosing as a career. I was lost and confused and misguided. It took a long time to grow into the person I am today. I'm still growing, I'll never be finished “growing up” mind you. Life is all about the adventure.

A modern explorer. That's what I want to be. No, That's what I AM. I've always looked at Columbus (even though he failed at finding a route to Asia and found Cuba instead, he took it in stride), Marco Polo, all of those other explorers that I can't remember the names of, I've always looked at them with a sense of awe. “Thats what I want to do” I'd always say, but I always thought there wasn't an option for me to do anything of the sort. Now I know that there is in fact exploration out there. Sure, I won't be looking for new civilizations or vast unseen lands, but exploring the already established ones that are out there to see sounds like an adventure. That's what I want to do, that's what I am going to do. I will find a way to do what I want and be open to the various doors that life opens.

This dream is as multifaceted as a finely worked diamond. Each facet different while all together making something amazing. I'm discovering my talents as well as the things at which I am not as skilled. I can do chemistry decently, but not as well as most others. I can do other sciences as well, but not to the degree that many reach. I am learning that I have a penchant for writing and it happens to be something I've wanted to do for a very long time. Along with my dream of traveling the world, I am pursuing my dream to be a writer. I'm willing to do what writing comes my way, I'm not looking to be a hard news writer, but if that's a project available to me, it might be what I do for a period of time. If all I manage to write are tales of my exploits, so be it. I'm not under any delusion that this will be a walk in the park. I fully believe and hope that it will be the challenge I feel it will be.

           With enough perseverance, hard work, and a good attitude, I fully believe that you can accomplish anything. I will be traveling by this time next year. In fact, I know that's what I'll be doing. I'm going to travel and write about my travels. I want to find more inspiration for writing. Things that I can put into a new perspective, have a source for more accurate brainstorms about the fiction novel I've wanted to write. I'm not afraid of danger, new things, or changes. Proof of this would be last year during the blizzard. A friend and I walked about 5 miles (2 and a half each way.) Why? We wanted chili for dinner and the campus store was closed so we walked through the blizzard to the grocery store. We caught a bit of flak for that when we returned. The RA's were not happy about it, but found the situation funny afterwards.

I'm not apprehensive about taking this kind of giant leap into the unknown, it excites me to be honest. This will be a huge step into new territory. Most people in my generation don't do things like this, I find that quite sad. The “wanderlust of youth” isn't entirely gone, but mostly involves small trips within our own country, within the confines of their home state or to neighboring states. I'm not knocking the USA or its sights to behold, I just think that if you're gonna go, go big or go home. I plan on seeing the sights back here at some point in my travels, I just want to get out there and experience the world first hand. I've spent 23 years in the USA, I'd say I'm due for a change of scenery.