We’ve been planning for this grand trip for nearly five years now, so you’d think we’ve had plenty of time to prepare and get everything together, right? Wrong.
As I sit here writing this, it is exactly 42 days before we’ll be moving out of our home. Coming to the realization that we have less than a month and a half left to get everything done is downright terrifying.
Most of the planning so far has really been more like dreaming. Aside from financially planning for the trip, its mostly been fun leisurely motions like researching destinations, scouting out different routes to take, reading through travel blogs & guide books, discovering sites to see, and learning about different adventures to consider along the way. I’ve had a great time over the last few years in this prolonged fantasizing stage of planning, spending just a few hours a week here and there. But now the time has come to start making some big moves and there’s a lot of tactical and logistical to-do items that need to get done, all while both holding full time jobs right up until we leave. That means only five weekends left. Oh crap!
Still need to:
Submit resignation notice to our jobs(completed 11/5/2013 )Get travel vaccinations(11/15)Sell all of our furniture(12/07)Hold estate sale to sell said furniture and other household items(12/07)Sell or donate most of our clothes(12/09)Get a dentist check-up(12/03, one cavity – doh!)Get a physical(11/27)Finally go to that great restaurant(11/22),that museum(11/17),and that bar(11/23)we’ve been meaning to try before we leave- Get this website in much better shape and start writing content (Work in progress)
Obtain any needed travel visas(none needed, for now)Get travel medical insurance(01/06)Researchand buy dSLR camera and(01/06)Research and buy a video camera(11/29 – Black Friday – score!)- Learn how to use our new dSLR and video cameras
Get a netbook for Heather(11/29 – another Black Friday score)- Buy other travel necessities:
new sneakers,travel adapters, back-up battery, mini speakers,good socks(01/06) Fix up a few things and clean the house before moving out(12/14)Tie up loose ends and have our last day at work(12/12)Say goodbye to friends and colleagues(12/12)Finalize travel arrangements for the first week or so(01/06)Disconnect cable and internet and return equipment(12/14)Pack up whatever personal belongings we can fit in our cars(12/15)Drive across the country to store said personal belongings with family(12/28)Sell two cars(01/06)Forward mail somewhere(12/14)- Set up bank accounts and auto payments
Notify banks and credit cards about our travel plans(01/05)Get one last haircut in the US(01/06)Move address from MI to FLand get FL drivers licenses (not complete)Pack our bags(01/06)Bon voyage(01/07)
Okay, after typing that out, I realize I need to get moving. Think we can do it all? Let’s see.
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