Comments on: Notes From the Home Front: I Need A Kick in the Pants

By: Steph

Steph — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 03:27:30 +0000

oh- and your plane ticket!

By: Steph

Steph — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 03:27:09 +0000

As long as you’ve got your visas and wallet the rest ought to work itself out…

By: Ian [EagerExistence]

Ian [EagerExistence] — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 09:53:10 +0000

Wow… that must be what I’ve got.
But, I can only procrastinate so far! Ive already quit my job, rented out my house… so if the big date comes & I still haven’t got moving…

By: Steph

Steph — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:09:59 +0000

Yeah me too, I need to have the end in my sights to truly get me motivated.

By: Josh | The Wander Project

Josh | The Wander Project — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:51:49 +0000

Definitely not just you, Steph! I'm a month out and I've still got a ton to do. If the past is any indicator, I can't get anything done until the last minute. My strategy is just to get the genuinely important things done (vaccinations, insurance, 1st ticket etc)- everything else has a way of working itself out. I've always worked better under pressure- I think I just need that late-in-the-game adrenaline surge as motivation. Good luck! .-= Josh | The Wander Project´s last blog ..Travel Delays are Unavoidable, Annoying and Perhaps for the Best =-.

By: Steph

Steph — Sun, 23 May 2010 15:10:50 +0000

Yup, learning to take down time is a continuing lesson for me this year and I suspect next year as well!

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 22 May 2010 09:07:03 +0000

It’s good to take a break sometimes from planning. I found myself getting a bit burnt out with the whole planning process, but after a bit of a break I was ready to dive back in!

By: Melanie

Melanie — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:39:59 +0000

Ah, I was definitely like this for our 5-week trip to Australia/New Zealand. I was excited, but the planning seemed overwhelming. The biggest help was the fact that my husband and I shared the work, but aside from that, I found that telling myself I “only have to work on it for 10 minutes” was a good motivator. Of course, some days I only got 10 minutes worth of work done, but other days were much better. Once I actually opened the guidebook / spreadsheet / whatever, some enthusiasm came back and it was easier to tackle the stuff on my to-do list.

Good luck! Sounds like an awesome trip!
.-= Melanie´s last blog .. =-.

By: Steph

Steph — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:11:45 +0000

Yeah I definitely tend to over think these things. Thanks for the tip on the pack- I will have to go check out Hudson Trail!

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 11 May 2010 07:52:31 +0000

I know you’re setting off on a different trip than I’m currently on, but I often find that the less plans I have, the better. Sure you need an approximate idea for where you’ll go and what you’ll see – but my favorite part of traveling is experiencing the unexpected: that museum you didn’t know existed, the cafe on the corner, or the hostel you found only because there were no more beds in town.

My advice: focus on the big transportation specifics, and let the rest just fall into place.

Oh, and for gear, I’d go for the Gregory Baltoro. Excellent pack – I snagged mine out on Wisconsin Ave at Hudson Trail. I’ve found it out now especially since my campervan blew up!

Good luck! Cheers!
.-= Matt´s last blog ..A Day Trip on New Zealand’s West Coast (Photo Essay) =-.

By: Kirsty - No Place To Be

Kirsty - No Place To Be — Mon, 10 May 2010 19:38:39 +0000

I think for us, we’re in that limbo time, there’s still four months to go, so can’t do any real plans, but it’s too close to postulate what countries to go to etc.

I think once my exams are over, I hope I will be more motivated to do travel things

By: Steph

Steph — Mon, 10 May 2010 02:41:35 +0000

Yeah I work best under pressure as well- just trying to save myself some aggravation!

By: Steph

Steph — Mon, 10 May 2010 02:40:45 +0000

I agree the anticipation is a large part of the fun! I will do my best to enjoy these days and not stress too much.

By: Steph

Steph — Mon, 10 May 2010 02:40:08 +0000

You’re right, planning can be much more interesting than doing all the chores that need to get done. I need to focus on the big things and let the rest get sorted later.

By: ehalvey

ehalvey — Sun, 09 May 2010 23:37:16 +0000

That’s how I was with our Rome honeymoon. We marked all the places we wanted to see and do, but I was writing out an itinerary on the plane to our layover. That last minute “oh crap” is really the only thing that truly gets me going whether it’s paper writing, art making, trip planning, etc. I had that bug wedding planning, too. Lifelong member of the procrastination club right here.

Try setting Google calendar reminders to get certain things done. When you have the big window saying shots 8 weeks out, it’s easier to tackle.

Take me with you
.-= ehalvey´s last blog ..We Are Nashville =-.

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 09 May 2010 22:13:21 +0000

mmm…cookies.

But seriously, you can do everything you need to do in 30-45 days. It’d be a bit rushed, but I use to tell myself all I need is money in the bank, a debit card, and my passport. Of course I took more stuff, but it usually helped to calm me down.

Enjoy the anxiety – I think in some ways the pre-trip anticipation is more exciting then the actual travel. So many possibilities lie ahead, yet you’re not having to deal with squat toilets and mosquitoes yet.
.-= Dave´s last blog ..Video – Surviving Bolivia’s Death Road =-.

By: Joel

Joel — Sun, 09 May 2010 21:20:30 +0000

I have a different theory.

If you’re like me (and you appear to be in a number of ways in this respect), then you’re an adrenaline junkie. Not saying you need to jump off bridges, but you plan & plan & plan, but there’s no excitement in actually executing the plan.

So, you wait until the last minute when it’s virtually impossible to get everything done. And then you kick into overdrive to do it all.

My advice? Take care of the things you have to and then roll with the energy wave when it comes.

By: Steph

Steph — Sun, 09 May 2010 21:18:03 +0000

That’s a good point as well, probably not a bad idea to give it all the once over.

By: Steph

Steph — Sun, 09 May 2010 21:17:32 +0000

One day at a time is always good advice when feeling overwhelmed. Thanks!

By: Steph

Steph — Sun, 09 May 2010 21:17:01 +0000

I haven’t bought tickets yet and that may be part of the problem. Just doesn’t seem “real”yet. Once I buy a plane ticket I will HAVE to get a move on!