Introductory Pre-trip post (incl. itinerary)

---

I'm going to leave this as my introductory pre-trip post.

I have one week left before my trip and four shifts left until I'm unemployed for the first time since I was fifteen. A bit odd that- I'm not sure if I'll be able to find a job as quickly as I need for school when I get back.

I have no idea even what I'm doing next year. Currently I'm enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts program for the fall that I'm not super excited about, but we'll see what ends up happening. It didn't happen on my last two backpacking trips, but I'm holding out hope that on this backpacking trip I'll finally do this mystical thing called "finding myself." Who knows. So far the only thing I've found is that I'd rather be 2000 miles away from home exploring other cultures and places than slaving away at a 9-5 job to afford to sell my soul to an uninspiring education to work a 9-5 job. Do you see my problem here?

Anyway, my future uncertainties (and possible quarter life crisis) are not what this blog is about. I have one week left before my trip. I have two months of wonderful, highly anticipated freedom to do whatever I want. I love, love, love traveling. I love not having to work. I love seeing new cultures. I love trying new foods (okay, maybe not fried bugs! Amy says she's going to get me to try them in Bangkok this time -- yuck!). I love exploring and having things to do. Mostly I love the freedom and variation. No day is the same while traveling. It's a bit weird traveling because most of these places you go, you will never visit again or if you do, the experience will be completely different. I want to make the most of each place I go to because of this. Let me tell you more about my actual trip though.

Here's my itinerary as I know it now:

Leave Edmonton: June 5

Paris, France: June 6-9

Thailand: June 10-30 (haven't received my itinerary yet. I'm going on a 20 day trip with Free and Easy Traveler. My destinations are Bangkok, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Phangan, Khao Sok, Railay)

Gili Trawagan, Indonesia: July 1-4

Kuta, Bali, Indonesia: July 4-10

Yogyakarta, Indonesia: July 10-14

Denpasar, Indonesia: July 14-15

Bangkok, Thailand: July 15-17

Paris, France: July 18-22

Rome, Italy: July 22-26

Paris, France: July 26-30



I'm not going to be doing much solo travel on this trip. My sister lives in Paris, so I'll be staying with her and her husband while abroad. Also, Amy and I are traveling together from June 10-July 14 or 15. I'll be alone for a couple of days in Bangkok and maybe Indonesia. I'm really not overly concerned with being alone in Bangkok. I'll be staying in one of the nicest hostels I've ever stayed in for only $15/night in a neighbourhood I'm already familiar with (Khao San Road- very popular backpackers area). Also, it's a great time for shopping, especially in their huge 8 story mall (YOU CAN BARTER IN A MALL!!!).

When I get in to Paris, I'll have an hour to kill in the airport before I meet up with my friends Samantha and Adriana from home. They'll be staying in hostels instead of with my sister because a) I don't want to impose that much on my lovely host and sister, and b) space is limited. Sam and Adriana will also be coming with me to Rome. My plan for my couple of weeks in Europe is to see my sister on weekends (she works the dreaded 9-5 workday) and evenings when I'm not in Rome and hang out with Sam and Adriana in the daytime.



Things I'm most excited for:

1) Seeing my sister and her husband

2) Paris Disneyland

3) Khao Sok. We're staying in a quiet area on floating bungalows on a lake surrounded by mountains. We also ride elephants to get there.

4) Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan. 20,000 people coming together on the full moon each month to dress in bright colours and party until the sunrise? Yes please.

5) Meeting up with Miss Amy in Bangkok and getting to meet the 20 other people in my Free and Easy group. Also meeting up with Sam and Adriana in Paris will be great after not seeing them for a month and a half. Basically just meeting people.

6) Koh Phi Phi. They filmed the Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio there and it's ridiculously gorgeous. It blows my mind that I actually get to go there.

7) Indonesia. Just in general. Bali has been on my bucket list for a while and Gili T has great beaches and scuba diving. I also can't wait for the temples in Yogyakarta, which are actually older than Angkor Wat.

8) Rome! Penelope and I rode past Rome twice on a train and never got out on my last trip. Not this time! I'm so stoked to see the architecture and to get to stay in a European hostel



Things I'm not excited for:

1) Not seeing my friends for two months

2) Flights



Whew! That was longer than I expected. I've definitely had shorter essays than this. I don't expect a lot of people to read my blog, but if you are reading this, then you know what's going on with my summer. I'll probably not post this much on the road, but I'll definitely be posting pictures and blog entries along the way.

---