A little more than 6 months ago, I made the decision to quit my job so I can travel the world.
About a month ago, I got up and went to work at Bosley for the last time and I said goodbye.
I have been unemployed for almost 4 weeks, bumming around... recovering from my first tattoo, my eye surgery, trying to enjoy my time here at home in Manila as much as I can.
Next week, on Friday to be exact, I leave for Australia... and the Round The World Trip begins!
HOW DO I FEEL?
A little freaked out, I have to be honest. I mean, I'm excited - but still nervous. I'm leaving in a week!!! Plus, it's just been increasingly difficult to be productive without being able to SEE clearly yet. AGH! All the preparations that I should have done the past few weeks I'm only able to do now because I could hardly even see my own reflection after the surgery, let alone the computer screen! Thank goodness I'm getting waaay better now, and I'm doing my best to catch up on some prep work for the trip.
INSURANCE
What kind of preparations, you ask? Well... there are a few. First, I need to sort out my Travel Insurance. I'm sooo tempted not to get one to save on some cash, but with everything else that's happened to me in the past, I'd rather not risk it -- and by that, I mean - I have a tendency to get really weird illnesses. Long story.
Anyway - I'm getting one, and I'm just trying to compare prices. At the moment, it looks like World Nomads is the leading contender on travel insurance. It is highly recommended by all the travelers I've been in contact with, and they seem like a pretty legit company.
NECESSITIES
I've recently realized that the Glagla Water Shoes I purchased a few months ago although very practical and efficient are not aesthetically pleasing. They make my feet look as big as Ronald McDonald's. And so I found these new ones from K-Swiss... they are called "Vertical Tubes Recovery Shoes" and look like a cooler version of Crocs sandals. The function is the same (good for water, walking, working out, etc) and they look better on my feet.
I have a Runnur Personal Cargo Pack I purchased months ago for this trip. It's basically a "Hands Free Carry All" sling, which is sort of like a Messenger Bag without the Bag. I got a white canvass pack in the hopes of getting it designed and painted - and my graphic designer friend, Jamnagar, is working on it as we speak.
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| One of my best purchases! |
PACKING
This is probably the biggest cause of stress at the moment. I'm only going to bring one small backpack, and as I am slowly trying to lay out the clothes I'm going to bring, my heart palpitates due to the fear of not being able to fit them all. I'm going to try and do a packing "trial run" this weekend, and pray to all the masters of the universe that my compression sacks will do the trick. IT HAS TO! And I will post about my "Ultimate Round The World Trip Packing List" next week before I leave. Wish me luck! |
| Agggh What a mess! |
UNFORESEEN EVENTS
I've also had to deal with issues regarding trip itineraries and flights. Due to unforeseen events, my travel buddy won't be able to join me in New Zealand anymore, so I had to make some changes. I was quite upset at the beginning... I mean who doesn't when things don't go according to plan, right? Well, I've come to terms with the fact that things sometimes just have a way of working things out... and that I just have to trust the course of nature and the universe. As I was making changes and arrangements, I started to realize my itinerary was shaping up to be a lot better than it would have been... No offense to my travel buddy - but because she can't make it to New Zealand with me, it now seems like I have been given more time to explore the areas I want to visit! :)TRAVEL MASSIVE MANILA
I was also invited to speak at a Travel Massive Manila event, to talk a little bit about my story, and how I deal with "Culture Shock" when I travel. It was quite astounding to realize that most of the people who came already knew who I was... these are people who have been keeping tabs on me through my blog! Amazing like-minded people who also have a passion for traveling! I can't tell you how thrilled I was to be around them!
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| @earth2eartha meets @mylifeonboard |
MAXIMUM SUPPORT
Since I've been here, I've received nothing but good thoughts and support from my friends and family - which is great! It helps ease the fear somehow. And because everyone knows I'm on "frugal mode" at the moment trying to hold on to every last penny I have, they have been taking me out, treating me to dinner, movies, drinks... I am being treated like a queen, basically. My friends are amazing. I feel the love... :)On this final week of bumming around in Manila, I'm basically going to run around, get my teeth cleaned, buy last minute travel necessities, print all my documents, get a few hangs in with my friends, and spend some quality time with my family. After that, there will be nothing else to do but leave...
It's hard to believe that after EVERYTHING that happened over the last 6 months, I'm finally here at this point. It's been QUITE a journey already, and I haven't even officially started yet!
Get ready, folks. This is going to be one crazy year. :)
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Hi There! Have we met before? You look familiar! Those shoes look great on you, by the way! I’m Eartha and I recently decided to quit my job to travel the worrrrld! Join me in my adventures by checking back on my blog, and leaving me a comment or two!
Hi There! Have we met before? You look familiar! Those shoes look great on you, by the way! I’m Eartha and I recently decided to quit my job to travel the worrrrld! Join me in my adventures by checking back on my blog, and leaving me a comment or two!
- Subscribe to my blog and get updated every time I post here!
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Come and visit me again soon! :)
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