Getting Ready

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Tom and I are getting ready to leave Tennessee AGAIN, traveling to Asia. Our current plan is to fly from Atlanta to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City or HCMC) and spend 6 weeks traveling in Vietnam, then to fly from Hanoi to Kunming, China, which is located north of Hanoi and east of Burma/Myanmar. In China, we plan to travel east from Kunming to Shanghai – another six weeks. Depending on the ferry schedule, we HOPE to take a 2-day trip to Osaka, Japan and travel there for about a month. We’ll fly home from Tokyo.

Right now, we’re in the throes of final preparation. As I write this, Tom’s up in the guest room trying to downsize the contents of his backpack. The weight limit (20-25 pounds) is our personal goal; the size challenge is related to both geography and age. High temperatures in Saigon in February average near 90 degrees (Fahrenheit), while highs in Kunming in March average 55. We now both use CPAPs for sleep apnea and must carry an adequate supply of our prescriptions. Basically, we pack three pairs of light-weight trousers, four shirts, underwear and socks, Chacos, raincoats, Dopp kits … I’m taking a packable dress and Tom’s taking some shorts. We’ll wear our pile jackets and hiking boots to minimize bulk during long flights, while daypacks will handle electronics, CPAPs and medications . Thank goodness for digital cameras!

Other preparations? Turn off the water, give the key to a neighbor, change the ADT contact info, set up mail pickup, take Tulip to Lynchburg to her vacation home, and make arrangements for all the bills to be paid automatically. The prep list is about three pages long. We hope you enjoy following along on our trip.

NOTE!! All the posts you see below this date from our last trip to east Asia. Enjoy them, but don’t get them confused with this trip!

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Photos

Winter 2012
From our porch -- the Cherokee National Forest

Comments

[The Beck Family]

So Excited !!
We are so excited for you Sandy ... and we're looking forward to traveling "with" you this time.

[Kathleen]

Waiting and watching
Oh,my! this picture of you on the far right buried under all the bundles, Is this how you are traveling from country to country? and this is under 25 lbs!!!!!!!

[Emily]

wow, such adventures!
I'm sorry to say I didn't keep up with the blog...thought you wouldn't even leave the US before now, mid March. Shame on me. What wonderful blogs and pictures. I was in Japan for 2 weeks in early january and loved it. Getting around Kanagawa province was so easy by train. Hope you have a wonderful time there. I'll be in Tennessee March 26-April 1, visiting a friend near Memphis, then in Gatlinburg for an Arrowmont Arts and Crafts weekend. Hope to hear from you sometime.

[Emily]

wow, such adventures!
I'm sorry to say I didn't keep up with the blog...thought you wouldn't even leave the US before now, mid March. Shame on me. What wonderful blogs and pictures. I was in Japan for 2 weeks in early january and loved it. Getting around Kanagawa province was so easy by train. Hope you have a wonderful time there. I'll be in Tennessee March 26-April 1, visiting a friend near Memphis, then in Gatlinburg for an Arrowmont Arts and Crafts weekend. Hope to hear from you sometime.