WIRED2THEWORLD.COMWIRED2THEWORLD.COMAugust 3, 1998 One Task, Two Task, Red Task, Blue Task
Much
was accomplished today in preparation for the trip. First we went to the
main Citibank branch office in downtown
LA and we opened a checking account that will allow us to do online banking.
This way, it will be much easier to manage our money from the road. We
can transfer money, see our statements, and pay our credit card all online.
Task accomplished.
Then, we went to buy new wedding rings for the trip.
Why, you ask? Well, we have just a little sentimental attachment to our
current ones. So, if they got lost or stolen, they'd be too hard and expensive
to replace. We found nice, simple, gold bands. Task #2 accomplished.
We also decided on our traveler's health insurance.
We're using a company called Champion Insurance that offers various policies
by different insurance companies. We chose MedHelp Worldwide policy. They
have a web site at www.champion-ins.com.
It's a good deal and has all the things one is supposed to look for;
coverage for doctors, prescriptions, medical evacuations,
repatriation of "mortal remains", and more. Task #3 accomplished.
August 5, 1998 Open Up and Say Ahhhh...
Woke
up this morning and took the first of our typhoid vaccine pills on an empty
stomach. Then we went to the doctor so David could get checked for SCUBA
certification (I go next week) and get our various prescriptions for the
trip. Cipro for stomach bacterial infections, Zithromax for upper respiratory,
Claritin for allergies. If you're planning on doing a trip like this, and
you have health insurance, I recommend that you get as many prescriptions
filled as possible before hand. Just be careful, some HMO's will question
any "abnormal" prescription (like Malaria pills) and won't pay for them.
More packing done today
and we finally rented a storage space.
August 11, 1998 Fear and Loathing in L.A., Part 2
The days are just flying by now. I thought when I
stopped working I would have plenty of time to do everything, pack, prepare,
and rest. No way. Too much to do still. Packing the house into storage.
Cleaning the house. Garage sale. And all the little details that have to
be addressed before we leave; bank accounts, money, travelers checks, new
ISP, packing the bags, writing a will, hotel reservations, rental car,
and on and on. I know some people approach a trip like this by selling
everything, throwing some clothes in a bag, and getting on a plane. They
don't sweat the small stuff. I do. It's my nature, I stress.
The anxiety is paralyzing at times. I have to write
about this, because, so far, I haven't really encountered the issue in
others' travelogues. What is going to happen to us? Will everything go
relatively ok, or will we be victims of some horrible injustice? I anticipate
the various travel related problems, and I can accept that. I'm more worried
about meeting illiterate, power-hungry, greedy, police/border guards who
take a liking to our computer, our money, or me. Also, some of my anxiety
is home related. Will my cats be ok? Will my family? What if I'm
10,000 miles away and something happens?
I did finally choose a new ISP today. it is
a company based in Northern California called DNAI
. They have an agreement with a company that offers global internet access
called IPASS . This will allow us to
dial up a local access number wherever we are and it's only a "local" call.
The fees are supposedly anywhere from $3 to $12 dollars an hour. Let's
hope it works, and that we can find access to a phone.
A few days ago we did a trial pack of our bags for
the first time. Everything fits, but just barely. Not an extra inch to
spare. I really don't think we're bringing anything unnecessary. I keep
unpacking and repacking, hoping to find something to take out, but there's
nothing. We're not even bringing that many clothes, but considering all
the different climates we will be in we need to be prepared.
Hawaii will be warm, as will Fuji, but New Zealand
and Australia could be cold, considering that it will still be spring there.
We just won't be able to buy anything. If we do, we'll have to send it
home. The computer and all it's accessories add about 5 lbs of weight and
take up space. Of course, we could leave the computer at home, but then
you wouldn't be able to read this now, would you? Oh, the sacrifices we
make for others....
August 20, 1998 Nine days to go....
Nine days and counting. Oh, no stress here! We had
a garage sale last weekend and managed to make almost two hundred dollars.
Unfortunately, we did not sell our sofa.
Mostly, we just continue to pack up our house. David
went to visit an aunt and I went to the doctor to get my medical release
for SCUBA. I wish I had more to contribute, but these last days should
be pretty mundane. We will be having a Bon Voyage party this weekend, but
it is still unknown as to how many people will actually show up.
We have managed to pack our bags better and take
out a few things, so now they are just full, not bulging at the seams.
I want to take this opportunity to say thank you
to all the people who have e mailed me about this web site. I really appreciate
all the positive feedback and words of encouragement. I hope people continue
to write, comment, contribute, and ask questions.
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