I just got to the airport! I’m on my way!
I’ve got pretty much the same gear packed with a few different shirts. I’m bringing jeans this time around since I’m going to be staying put for a few weeks at a time and sitting in class all day. And yes, the travel hair dryer and straightener are also coming along! Go ahead and judge, but I’ll be the one with dry, uncurled hair.
I’m excited to test out my new backpack despite the nasty letter from my old pack. I switched from a 70L REI Venus to a 65L REI Ridgeline. The Venus was just too big for my small frame. I’ve been wearing the Ridgeline around a bit, and I really like it. I wish I had chosen it in the first place.
I’m also armed with a new Acer Aspire. The MacBook Pro was just too big and heavy to fit in the backpack with all the camera gear. Plus, Clark needs a computer for his job search and/or travels. This Acer is a real piece of crap, but this blog isn’t going to write itself. Clark’s one post per month won’t satisfy our dozens of readers.
Just made it through security at O’Hare. I’m on Continental Flight 463 leaving at 5:23 this morning. We’ll see how I feel at noon when I finally arrive in Guatemala City and haven’t slept in 24 hours. Maybe I can find a nice comfy bench or piece of carpet to nap on.
I have a few butterflies in my stomach, but I think solo travel will be really good for me. I have to keep reminding myself that I just traveled the world. This should be a piece of cake… o tarta en español.
I’ve smoked hookah in Istanbul, been mobbed by kids in Cairo and Jodhpur, been busted for riding the metro for free in Vienna, driven my scooter into a wall in Cappadocia, CouchSurfed and ridden on local buses in India, attended a Red Shirt rally in Bangkok, and navigated my way through countless train stations and airports.
I can handle this.
Wish me luck!
Check out our latest video covering our adventures to date! It includes a new packing time lapse and deleted scenes from our world travels!
Trippin’ Round the World from To Uncertainty and Beyond.
Kim & Clark Kays quit their jobs for an uncertain trip around the world. Originally from St. Louis, they relocated to Chicago after getting married in 2005. After working for five years in middle school and the Fortune 500, they realized there was more to life than the 9-to-5, so made the crazy decision to exchange money for time rather than the other way around.
Their hobbies include fighting over writing styles and searching for gelato. They think food, beer, architecture, and photography are some of the best things about travel—especially when combined. Their travel blog, To Uncertainty and Beyond, includes long-term travel tips as well as humorous anecdotes from their journey through Europe and Asia. They invite you to experience their journey and learn from their adventures and mistakes.
