The weeks before the Adventure:
I spent the last few weeks with all kinds of preparation’s but it does not feel that I’m getting anywhere, it all gets a bit closer and feels more real but preparing to be away for a year or more is kind of unreal till the day you go.
The last few weeks I made myself a list what I have to do and what is necessary for my travels. The organizing part was not a big deal, I’m kinda good in that but to get it all done is a different thing. If there is to much going on at the same time, I sometimes get lost in little things and don’t focus on the main thing to do. But at the end I get it all done …. some things just take a bit longer.
I’m not a big fan of planing when it comes to travelling, so my travels are spontaneous and I have always time to stay or leave whenever I want. If people join, great… if I travel alone, perfect too. There is no better way then doing things in your own time. I do have a rough plan where I go and If I have friends in one of these destinations, yes I let them know that I’m coming but apart from that I’m with no fixed schedules .
I go where my heart leads me 🙂
10 Things to prepare:
- Get your credit- and/or travel cards sorted – safety first, you don’t wanna be anywhere without money
- Appointments with the travel doctor to get your vaccinations done – That shit is expensive but some of it is useful and necessary
- Passport – you pretty much fucked without one so better get that sorted asap
- Travel Insurance with sport cover – That you can do some crazy shit whenever you want
- Organize Visa’s if you know where you are going – some countries you get it at arrival but could be more expensive so better check beforehand
- Book your tickets if you know where you wanna go first – Its always helpful to check different Airlines and Agents to get the best deals
- Camera and all other equipment – decide what you want to take with you, the less the better but I realized to not give up on anything you really want to take, just because it might be to bulky. For example I thought about buying a compact camera because its way more handy to take with me but now I’m so happy I took my canon DSLR + Lenses
- Backpack – if you travel for longer, a good backpack and cover is recommended. Nothing is worse then if your backpack breaks or is not in a condition to stand rain, sand or every day handling. Go get a good one, I got mine second hand from a friend and I’m very happy with it (Thanks Jac’s)
- Get good Gear and clothes – most of the clothes I have with me are second hand or not very important to me, so I can pretty much put them in the bin if they don’t serve their purpose anymore. but a different story is a good rain jacket, Hiking shoes and a wind breaker. You will be happy to have it 😉
- Take the biggest smile with you and remember to always show it to everyone. Be happy and enjoy 🙂
Countdown is on:
With only a few hours to go till departure, I expected myself to be way more nervous then I am but I’m not. That could be because i was never so unprepared to the last minute as for this trip, so there is not even time to think about being nervous because every minute counts to get my shit sorted. Normally I would give my self a day to think and repack my bag but because I also had to pack away all my other belongings that i leave behind at my friends places, it made things harder to get my travel bag ready. It’s so easy to leave your stuff and just pack your bags, if you know you are back soon but if you give up your room and sell most of your stuff and have to pack everything else in boxes because you leave for a year…. definitely a different level of organizing and preparing but I made it.
16,5kg backpack and a smaller backpack as hand-luggage.
World here I am, let the journey start. First stop Sri Lanka 🙂
