I'm not this hairy, honest |
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Prepping for the World: Vaccinations...
Monday, December 17, 2012
Prepping for the World: How it's Done
Now I'll try to get something going about my first trip: to the Galapagos Islands, 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. Still researching the best cruises--damned pricey (it will be at least $2500), but this IS the opportunity of a lifetime, and now is no time to stint. My friend Geri, a former flight attendant for a major airlines, retired and is able to gift a couple of "Golden Tickets" (passes to fly anywhere in the world on stand-by) every year. I'm the lucky recipient of one ticket for 2013. There are different classes of stand-by, and as a friend, I'm in the lowest category. But being able to fly around the world for free? Booyah!
Ecuador controls entry to the Galapagos pretty carefully (it's $100 just to set foot on one of the islands). Though it's possible to visit the islands in the archipelago on your own, a pre-booked boat trip saves a lot of haggling, especially if your Espanol is as lame as mine; the alternative is to fly from Quito (the mainland capital) to one of the two airports on the islands and take day cruises from one of the two main towns (Puerto Ayora is the most accessible). I want to go further out to the western islands, and that requires more time on the water.
I have to fly to Quito first, and Quito--a World Heritage Site--has a very bad reputation, at least according to the State Department. I picked up some pepper spray, though I don't know if I can get it through security.
Ecuador controls entry to the Galapagos pretty carefully (it's $100 just to set foot on one of the islands). Though it's possible to visit the islands in the archipelago on your own, a pre-booked boat trip saves a lot of haggling, especially if your Espanol is as lame as mine; the alternative is to fly from Quito (the mainland capital) to one of the two airports on the islands and take day cruises from one of the two main towns (Puerto Ayora is the most accessible). I want to go further out to the western islands, and that requires more time on the water.
I have to fly to Quito first, and Quito--a World Heritage Site--has a very bad reputation, at least according to the State Department. I picked up some pepper spray, though I don't know if I can get it through security.
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Monday, December 10, 2012
It's Happening!
I'm traveling around the world!...and I'm alternating between elation (this is so great! My bucket list, realized!) and terror (holy cow! Will I be safe? Which country requires a visa? Where will I stay?). Through the auspices of my good friend Geri, I'll have access to any and all standby flights on a major airline next year (meaning I may or may not get on the flight, in which case I will perfect the art of sleeping upright in a busy airport). I've already set up an itinerary that may kill me; I'm planning on traveling 10 days a month, with 20 days in between for appreciation, relaxation and planning for my next destination. On the calendar so far: Galapagos in January, Delhi and the Golden Triangle of India in February, and Stockholm and Jukkasjarvi Sweden in March (I'm Ukrainian, I can take cold weather). Only one visa is necessary--for India--the others only require a passport for a trip less than 90 days, plus some sort of proof that you don't intend to become a panhandler in Quito or Stockholm.
I discovered to my horror that my passport expired last month. The US Passport Office makes no promises about when your new passport will make it back to your house, so I paid the extra $100 (including rush postage to and from) to guarantee peace of mind. Money definitely talks: it was here in a little over two weeks. Next, I have to figure out how to get from Quito to the Galapagos Islands, what's the best tour boat to take, and by the way, where the heck am I going to stay?
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