Announcing New Travel Plans
Hello dear friends and readers and welcome back! First of all, thanks you for sticking with me during my writing hiatus in California. When I returned from five months in New Zealand, Bali and Fiji, I thought I would be here for a couple of months and then resume my traveling. The break was necessary for a number of business reasons. However, I greatly enjoyed reconnecting with family and friends as well as getting some good High Sierra hikes in and fine-tuning my photography skills.
I have some fun travel news to share in a minute. When I started this blog two years ago and took off for Central America, I really wanted it to be a way to share my inner and outer voyages with old friends and the new friends I made along the way, hence the blog’s byline. Well, I have indeed connected with many new friends (including virtual ones). It has been gratifying to hear from some readers how I helped them overcome the nameless fear of solo travel and show that solo and independent travel at almost any age is not only possible but is quite enjoyable and rewarding.
OK, one last thing before the travel news. My good friend Josie asked if I would escort her to a black tie wedding on Christmas Eve. Although it has been around 40 years since the last time I wore a tux, I nonetheless enthusiastically agreed. I rented one as it may be another 40 years before I wear another tuxedo. Hiking boots or flip flops wouldn’t cut it so I had to buy a pair of black dress shoes comfortable enough to dance in for several hours. Here I am trying it all on for fit, snicker snicker. Maybe I will get a better photo at the wedding tomorrow evening.
And now for the news!
Two nights ago, after deciding I wanted to return to Southeast Asia, I was checking for award mile travel to the region. It is getting cold here in Northern California and I am way ready to return to the land of hot. It is often difficult to find a good award ticket on short notice. I found the one and only Star Alliance business class ticket from LAX to Bangkok for the next three months. And it is leaving in just over two weeks! A few moments of doubt, “Can I pull this off on such short notice”? Heart racing like crazy and knowing that if I returned to the website an hour later the opportunity would most certainly be gone, I pulled the trigger!
I will most likely spend a month in Thailand and a month in Burma. That’s a good starting plan as both countries have long held a desire for me. After that, who knows, but there is much more in the region awaiting me.
I am in a prepping and research frenzy. Today, I spent 10 hours just reading up on Thailand and chatting with friends who have recently been there. Yesterday, I got vaccinations from the travel doctor and it was the only day he would be in the area before I left. The universe is conspiring once again to assist me in the manifestation of my heart’s desires! There are so many details to address over the next two weeks that it is scary to contemplate the totally of it. However, it is good to have a project on which to focus my energies. Gear replacement, checklists, cash for Burma (new unwrinkled 100 dollar bills only please), et cetera. I can do this.
But first, there is the matter of a wedding.
Happy holidays from
The (soon to be in flip flops) Dimensional Heart Traveler
Yes! We’ll be vicariously enjoying SE Asia while exploring Central America in reality. ‘Not bad…. have a great time, Philip
Thanks Bob and Vivian. You are an inspiration to the whole notion of independent travel at any age. Travel safely and travel well.
I’m really excited for you as I know for a fact from my own travels that the Universe certainly does conspire in our favor sometimes when we are planning last minute travels. I had the same experience planning a last minute trip to Sydney from Melbourne to see the New Years Eve celebrations up there. I got a really cheap airline ticket and found what I think would have been the last New Year’s Eve hotel room around the $110 dollar mark. Sure the room was out in the suburbs but the whole experience was unbelievably good. Just writing about the memory makes the travel bug bite again.
I really enjoyed reading about your travels to New Zealand and seeing that South East Asia is on my radar to travel to one day as well, I can’t wait to read of your travels.
I wish you all the best for the new year and what it entails.
Thank you Matthew for your kind wishes. I love the spontaneous New Year’s trip. So true (in my experience and many others I know) that once I get clear on what I want to do, all sorts of facilitation takes place, often in the most unexpected ways. Have a great year ahead and definitely keep traveling. Cheers!
Very exciting news! I wish I was going to be wearing flip-flops soon. Although it was nice to get out on my snowboard for the first time in three years.
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..8 Travel highlights of 2012 and why it is important to think about it
Snowboarding and no volcanos to descend, what a concept. Yes, I am in high gear prep mode right now. Wishing you the best year ever Stephanie. P.S. Don’t think they have much in the way of craft beer where I am headed.