Enter Overwhelm

And BAM!

It hit me.  The HOLY CRAP I'm really doing this!  I don't even have a departure date set and I'm already feeling panicked.  

I started thinking about all of the things that I will need to accomplish before I leave:

• Open a Charles Schwab bank account (considered by travelers to be the best bank account for travel, they reimburse your ATM fees)
• Get some vaccinations (probably, depending on where I plan on going.)
• Figure out at least SOME of where I'm going
• Sell my car? (If I plan to be gone long term, this seems like the smart move)
• Entrance visa for at least my first destination
• Buy travel insurance (a must for travelers!)
• Buy a few travel related health and safety items (locks, door stop, whistle etc)
• Actually purchase plane tickets and book initial accommodation

All of that can feel like a bit much, but honestly I think what really got to me was a panic about money.  I'm pretty sure it all started with the realization that my current Bank of America account has a minimum balance requirement.  That just cut into my travel fund!

I really ought to calm down because the truth is that I can simply close that account. If I want a separate savings account to store some cash while I'm off, I'm probably better off opening a CD or something that might get at least a minuscule amount of interest anyway.

So okay, I'm starting to talk myself down.  But DAMN, it's amazing how easily and quickly I can freak out! 

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I'm trying to trust life.  I'm trying to trust the words of all the wonderful travel bloggers out there who promise that it will be alright, that I will figure this out as I go.  I'm also trying to remind myself that anytime I've started a new adventure, whether it be stateside or overseas, even though it ended up being AMAZING it was terrifying and tough at first.

I suppose that is the way of truly worthwhile experiences.  They move you out of your comfort zone and into a place where you can grow.  

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I have a notoriously chatty mind.  Trying to get it to just shut up and be quiet already is not easy.  But maybe I shouldn't be trying to fight it as much as work with it.  Maybe learning how to embrace the part of me that over-thinks instead of wishing I would just chill out is the key.  

An ability to think about different possibilities and plan for those possibilities is actually a strength.  It is just the fear and paralyzation that can come with it that is the problem.

Perhaps that is the lesson: getting the head, heart and gut to all work in tandem. 

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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.

• www.frommers.com
• www.lonelyplanet.com
• www.letsgo.com
• www.bootsnall.com

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