Don't let them fool you

[wayfaringwordhack]

 If ever someone tells you that planning a round-the-world trip is easy, you have my permission to spit in their eye tell them it isn't so. There are soooooo many things to plan and think about, and of course, J and I, being laid-back, procrastinating people, are awash in a plethora of details that range from pressing to annoying.

Where's the anal plan-everything-a-year-in-advance gene when you need it?

Among the things to work out:
- Which travel company to buy our RWT tickets from;
- Visas
- Which credit card to go with (this is extremely important; not only for insurance purposes but because bank fees can vary by as much as €900 for the amount of money and trip duration we are talking about)
- Doctors' appts (eye, dental, vaccinations...)
- What to see in NYC;
- How best to meet up with friends *waves at mindseas *;
- How to get from NYC to chez rabiagale ;
- Best airfare to get to Minnesota;
- Best vehicle rental option for 55-day, 10-state road trip (car, camper van? camper van then car...?) 
- Exactly which parks, forest, etc do we want to see and how much time in each...

And sheesh, that's only part of our USA trip. We haven't even touched on the other six countries.

Would it be too wimpy if I said, "Shoot me now?"

Comments

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

That all sounds VERY exciting! Are you coming to Los Angeles?

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Sadly not this time. There for a while, we thought we might be able to, but time is just too short. We'll hit it in a future visit for sure, though. Just when that will be, we have no idea. But plans we have galore. :D

[jodi-davis.livejournal.com]

SOUTH CAROLINA!!!

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

*lol* Someday, but alas not this time. Once we are living in continental France again, the eastern States should be easier to visit.

[pjthompson]

Would it be too wimpy if I said, "Shoot me now?"

Dude, I would feel more sympathy if you weren't going round-the-world trip.

::envy::

::and smooches::

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

I guess I'll just have to take your envy and smooches, then. :P

[frigg.livejournal.com]

hehehe yeah, I PJ, I'm finding it a bit of a *cough cough* luxury problem.

*hugs and hands over home-made brownies and milk*

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

What a sweet *cough cough* sympathetic sickpea you are.

[frigg.livejournal.com]

Weeeeell, we always knew *I* was the angel pea. *wide eyed innocence*

And look, I can write a coherent sentence - that should of course be "LIKE PJ"

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

hehe. Glad to have the translation of what you *meant* to say. :P

[navicat.livejournal.com]

And don't forget your trip to Sydney... :D

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

See that's part of deciding which company to go with. One routes us through Sydney--and has worked in how we can spend a few days there--but the other doesn't. To you, which one to pick may seem obvious :P but there are other things in their proposition that aren't so great and they are more expensive (not by much though).

[navicat.livejournal.com]

Ah but aren't they all outweighed by the opportunity to see me? ;D

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

hehe. We shall see, we shall see. ;)

[navicat.livejournal.com]

*crosses fingers*

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

I'm crossing mine, too, because we would like for it to happen soon. However, if it doesn't happen this time, it will in the future. And we'll do it when we can take the time to see the country properly.

[navicat.livejournal.com]

I'll hold you to that :D

[frigg.livejournal.com]

ACK!
*wants to see Jo as well!*

[navicat.livejournal.com]

*wants to see you too!*

Waaaaaa! Why are you all on the opposite side of the planet? *weeps*

[frigg.livejournal.com]

We all need to make round the world trips! :)

[navicat.livejournal.com]

One day one day!

[bkdunn.livejournal.com]

If you want a terrific tuna burger, I recommend Odeon in Tribeca. OTOH, maybe the best plan would be no plan at all... :).

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

*lol* Yeah, the "no plan" sounds really tempting. Unfortunately, it's not applicable to all parts of the journey, not if we don't want to find ourselves denied entry to certain countries or unable to access our funds...you know, small things. ;)

How are your plans coming? Got the what-to-take list hammered out?

Edited to change user pic. Didn't think my "tasty" one had much to do with the comment :P

[bkdunn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think I've decided to go with "all of the above". I got a giant pickup, might as well get some use out of it...

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Yes, I envy you that. Nothing like selective packing to put a cramp in your style. :P

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

Have you looked at one way airline tickets?
That's what my older sister used when she took her around-the-world trip. basically, you pay one price for an airline ticket, and you can use it anytime and anywhere as long as you keep going in one direction (East-West or West-East).

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

After 9-11, apparently, a lot of countries are not gungho on you entering the country without a ticket to leave it, so did your sis have a number of tickets from the beginning that she used as she went along or did she buy them one at a time in each new country?

Also, could you ask her about how and where she bought them? And the cost of it, if she remembers? If you could, that would be utterly fantastic.

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

I'll check with her... She went around in 2003, so it was definitely post-9/11. It's not that you buy a bunch of one-way tickets, but just one 'ticket' that you keep using again and again. Sort of like how mini-golf courses let you play all day as long as you don't do the last hole.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

AH, nifty; I haven't heard of that before. Looking forward to learning more. :D

[rabiagale.livejournal.com]

Whee! I'm on the list!

What dates are you looking at to come see me? And what are you hoping to see while you're up here? I should start planning! :D

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

We are looking at traveling up on the 28th of September and leaving on the 2nd of October. We'd like to go for a nice walk/hike. Definitely want to be in places where we can see the fabulous fall colors and architecture of New England.

What's the closest Amtrak station to your house?

[rabiagale.livejournal.com]

White River Junction, VT.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :) Is that the same for bus lines?

[rabiagale.livejournal.com]

Greyhound stops in White River Junction. If you use the Dartmouth Minicoach, pick the Hanover, NH stop.