So That I Remember

Now that the job portion of my life has been determined, I can get on with the travel plans! I realize now just the extent of my luckiness: having a shitload of time to do whatever I want AND a full-time job afterward. I have to take advantage and not let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass. When else in life am I ever going to be this young, reckless, and burden-free ever again?

So, in less than 17 days time, the world will witness the beginning of NY's Excellent World Adventure! Prepare for world domination!!

China:

• Nov. 16 - leave on a non-stop flight to Beijing, then fly to Kunming (Yunnan province), then drive back to Yuxi (my home town)
  
• Spend 2-3 weeks in Yuxi to get over the time zone difference and to eat!
  
• Visit my cousin at her university in Chongqing (Sichuan province) for a week
• Go climb all the famous mountains in Sichuan, eat a ton of spicy hot pot
  
• Visit all the famous lakes and rivers, beaches, and forests
  
• Back to Yunnan, visit all the ethnic minority villages (ie Dali). Carry around a sketchpad, camera, voice recorder, and artsy my heart out
• Spend a week in Taiwan, go on the cruises, shop
• Spend a few days in HK, SHOP LIKE MAD
• Stay in Shanghai for a week, SHOP LIKE MAD

• January: Parents visit, go on farther travel trips with them around northern China

Thailand:

• Feb 15th: Fly to Thailand with my cousin
• Spend a week at a fancy resort, chill, visit all the famous temples
• Spend a couple days slumming it in hostels just for the hell of it

Then in no particular order: Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore - all for eating and touristing!

Finally: Korea, New Zealand, Australia - only if I have time and more importantly, money, at the end (budget of 15k CAD, really hope it sees me through!)

I'll be back on May 13th, 2010, just in time for when my job starts in August!

So yeah, gone for 6 months. THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME!!!!! I can't wait! My Chinese studying has been going pretty well. I can read a lot of signs and basic conversation now, but my speaking is still shitty. Hopefully, I'll acclimatize to the new environment and haggle my way to a good deal quickly though.

Admittedly, I'm also pretty scared. I've never been on my own for so long before. A lot of the southeast Asian countries are on travel advisory since there's been recent terrorist activity and many violent insurgents, so I'll have to be careful...Man, I really hope I don't die on this Excellent Adventure. What's more scary is the random violence; muggings, kidnapping...shit, even thinking about it makes me nervous. I'll have to be extra careful.

But it has got me thinking, I need to be physically stronger. Once I come back from this trip, I'm determined to start taking Taekwondo or Judo classes, so I can kick ass if ever need be.

Anyway, I guess the only thing I can do in terms of safety is to stick to the group and never be alone.

But I digress. This is going to be the best adventure ever!!