One step at a time
/Today I sent off my current passport, the application, a check for $110, and a photo (taken under massively bright florescent lights...awesome) to have my passport renewed. It's one of the many steps I am currently taking in an attempt to make this plan of upcoming travel a reality. If this is going to work then I need to actually put the pieces in order.
Planning long term international travel can be exciting, intimidating and overwhelming. If you are prone to overwhelm, I suggest taking it in steps. That's what I am trying to do. Breaking down some of the various aspects of travel into categories. Perhaps the following (in no particular order):
- Destination(s)
- Entry Requirements
- Money
- Packing
- Health and Safety
- Homefront Tidying
It definitely pays to do your research ahead of time and figure out some logistics. For example, your passport needs to be valid and shouldn't be set to expire within the year. Some countries won't let you in if your passport will expire in less than 6 months. You will want to see if any of the countries you are planning on visiting require visas and what the process is of getting them. A lot of countries provide short term visitation visas upon arrival, but some require pre-approval. Also, some countries only provide very short term visas, so if you were originally intending on spending months in one place, you need to make sure that's allowed. In that same vein, most countries offering limited visas will require proof that you will, in fact, be leaving. Meaning you will have to have bought a ticket out of the country already.
Here's a few helpful sites for travel info that I'm currently using.
Those are professional travel information sites that have a lot good info on them, but I also seriously recommend reading travel blogs. I have learned so much about the reality of being on the road and gotten really good travel tips from the following:
- www.thisbatteredsuitcase.com
- www.wanderingearl.com
- www.adventurouskate.com
- www.legalnomads.com
- www.youngadventuress.com
I'm trying to breathe through all of this. It is daunting trying to sort this all out. I think a big part of it is that I need to answer a few really important questions first. Important questions such as where am I going?!
Kind of key that question.
I think once I have that first location set down it will feel clearer. I am trying to take care of the things that I can take care of in the meantime while I'm still shifting about in my mind about exactly what I am doing and where I'm going, so that an opportunity may actually be able to present itself. I'm pretty certain that's manifesting 101- acting as though it is already received.
photo credit: airplane-collectible-best-net-resource.com
