Around the World in 8 Months to a Year

I like to take my time getting ready in the morning. I try to wake up 3 hours before work, which is 2 hours before I leave for work. I try to get in some running, yoga, a good breakfast, and God knows what else before leaving for the daily grind.

During my morning piddle-paddling today, I played a mental game with myself: What would I do if I could do anything I wanted? Dream big... dream big... Hmm...

Then, I remembered last year's no-way-no-how Big Dream of the moment: to travel around the world non-stop for 8 months (to a year). 

Now that I'm working and living cheaply with the bachelorette life, I think I can actually do it. If I give myself 5 years to save up money, plan, and commit to this job until my contract is no longer renewable... I can do it.

First, I'll plan what continents I want to visit.

Then, which countries.

And what world wonders.

And I'll buy a big backpacking backpack.

I'll look up tourist spots, geography of the area, and local cultural thingamabobs: language, religion, women's rights in their social strata, famous authors/books from the area (read up on it)...

I'll figure out best months to visit each country.

I'll figure out flight cost (using tips from THIS GUY) and cost of room and board... and food, I guess, though if travelling other parts of the world is anything like travelling SEAsia, I won't have to worry about cost of food too much.

I'll put away a set amount of money each month--I'll put away more and more money as my student loan debt diminishes to $0 (whoo!) and as I finish up travels of Japan (i.e., no longer spending $400 on one weekend trip... every weekend.)

YES. It's happening. I'm excited!