In case you have been neglecting your Google Reader for the past couple of days (which I should be doing since it’s finals/graduation time), you’ve probably heard about my last minute trip to Thailand. It’s possibly the craziest thing I’ve ever done. I will start out teaching English in the mountains north of Chiang Mai for two weeks with my mom before doing my first solo trip to Croatia aboard a BusAbout cruise.
So what do I hope to get out of this trip? Saying I want to find myself sounds so cheesy, but it’s true. I’m testing myself to see if I can handle this lifestyle. I need to know if I’m cut out for it before I put all my efforts into being a travel writer. When I’m in Thailand, I hope to learn to travel less selfishly.
I want to learn to give back when I’m abroad. I want to spend time with my mother, who instilled this travel addiction in me. I know she wishes she could travel more, but she had a lot of her own adventures before I was born. When I’m in Croatia, I want to be independent. I want to arrive somewhere without knowing anyone and leave with lifelong friends.
So here’s the books/movies that have inspired this trip so far:
- Traveling with Pomegranates: I fell in love with this book when I read it in December because it’s about a mother daughter journey, which this is about to be. They’re at separate points in their lives but need an adventure equally.
- Eat Pray Love: It’s a contrived example of a travelogue where a woman finds herself after a crisis, but I really hope I will. I also can’t wait to see the movie!
- Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason: I know I know. It’s so cheesy. And I won’t be macking it with Hugh Grant or doing magic mushrooms or going to jail, but the scenery is what I’m after. And maybe I will eat a bug or two…if only to cross off #42 of my Life List (eat something exotic).
So here is my official itinerary:
May 26
·Atlanta to Los Angeles, Delta Airlines, 5:15-7:10 p.m.
·Los Angeles to Bangkok, Thai Airways, 11:20 p.m.-6:40 a.m.
May 27 –Crossing International Date Line
May 28
·Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Thai Airways, 7:45-9:05 a.m.
May 28-June 9 Thailand
·Chiang Mai for 3 days? Mountains until June 9
June 9
·Chiang Mai to Bangkok, Thai Airways, 5-6:10 p.m.
·Bangkok to Frankfurt, Lufthansa, 11:55 p.m.-6:10 a.m.
June 10
·Explore Frankfurt, 6:10 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
·Frankfurt to Split, Lufthansa, 12:05-1:40 p.m.
·Check into Silver Gate Hostel (www.silvergatehostel.com, +385 (0) 21 322 857)
June 10-11
·Explore Split, stay at Silver Gate Hostel
June 12
·Leave Split on BusAbout cruise (www.busabout.com, +44 (0) 131 557 9393)
·Travel from Split to Hvar
June 13
·Travel from Hvar to Mljet
June 14
·Travel from Mljet to Dubrovnik
June 15
·Travel from Dubrovnik to Korcula
June 16
·Travel from Korcula to Makarska
June 17
·Travel from Makarska to Omis
June 18
·Travel from Omis to Split
June 19
·Arrive in Split and check out at 9 a.m.
·Check back into Silver Gate Hostel
June 20
·Take day trip to Zadar
·Return to Silver Gate Hostel
June 21
·Split to Zurich, Croatia Airlines, 7:20-9:20 a.m.
·Zurich to Washington DC, United Airlines, 11:55 a.m.-3:05 p.m.
·Washington DC to Atlanta, United Airlines, 4:36-6:26 p.m.
So many airports, so little time. And how many passport stamps? At least 4.
What’s the craziest travel-related thing you’ve ever done?
OMG, how exciting!!! I think you are going to be so freaking proud of yourself for being brave and going on this awesome adventure. I can't wait to hear all about it after the fact. What an AWESOME itinerary! :)Congrats on graduating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!PS Most of my travels are filled with crazy adventures. But, I think I'm most proud of my 2 week solo trip to Brasil, and especially my 4 day trip to the heart of the Amazon.
So jealous I could throw up. But AWESOME, can't wait to hear about your adventures!