Time to get started…

So after much searching, evaluation, testing of different blog hosting sites etc (read: procrastination), I’ve decided to finally just sit down and get started on my blog. And I’m back where I began; at WordPress 🙂

As I sit here typing this, there are precisely 39 days to go till I get on that first flight out from KL to start my travels. On some days I feel so unprepared and on others I think to myself, what can I really prepare for this trip?? I plan to “plan-as-I-go” (that counts as a plan right?) and yet that is so unlike me. Or perhaps that is so unlike who I used to be. In any case, barring any major life shit-storms, I will be on that flight out on Mar 1st. So when that date comes around, then I guess that will be as prepared as I will be!

Much has changed since I first started planning this trip. Plans, as life has taught me not too long ago, are just that. Subject to change. We are never in control of all the levers; life will always find a way to throw those plans out of whack. Sometimes life will throw you a curveball….or sometimes an easy straight hit for a home run. We’ve just got to make the best of those curveballs and hit those home runs whenever they come our way.

Ok, that’s the extent of the philosophical rambling for this post (I hope). Getting back to the “plan”. It’s now a 6 month adventure. I had initially planned to cover the route (more on that later) all via land/water i.e. no planes. Unfortunately, that isn’t possible now because of visas. With changes at work, I am no longer able to take the time off in KL before departing to sort out the required visas. It is what it is; adapt, change, be flexible. I’ll try and minimise the number of flights instead.

If you’ve survived reading this far, you might have some questions.

• What’s this route then? – Well the idea is (was) to get from Cambodia to Scotland without taking a flight.
• Why no flights? – Tired of flying. Plus I think this way I’ll get to see and experience so much more of the places I’ll be visiting/passing through.
• How did you come up with that route? – I opened up Google Maps, zoomed out and took it from there.

(idiot)

• Who’s going with you? – No one. Traveling solo.

(weirdo)

• So, this is just a really long holiday lah then? – Yes and no. I’m definitely looking forward to the vacation bit. But I’d like to use this as an opportunity to create awareness and hopefully raise funds for Tenaganita as I travel.
• Tenaga-who? – Tenaganita. It’s an NGO founded by my late Mum focused on the rights of women, migrants and refugees. Please visit their website to learn more about them (http://www.tenaganita.net).
• Did you mortgage your house to fund this trip? – No (please don’t do that). Saved what I could. The plan is to limit my expenses to AU$50/day (incl. lodging).

(LOL. Really idiot lah this fella)

• So if you spend more then you’re a hypocrite lah! – Re-read paragraph 3 about “plans”

Well, that’s all from me for this first post. As you can tell by now, I’m just making this up as I go along. I have no idea when the next post is coming up but you’ll know when I do. For now, I’m going to get back to a little more procrastinating.