Who knew preparing for a round the world trip can be so overwhelming!
As I continue to work full time to save up, I am also busy trying to build up my own travel blog, while writing for LivingtheDreamRTW on the side. As if I am not exhausted enough, now that I am just two short months away from departure, I have noticed more and more obstacles that are popping up.
Obstacle #1: Changing my address, storing my stuff, and filing my taxes
Other than to save money, one of the biggest reasons I moved home was because I needed a place to park my incoming mail, especially important documents such as my income tax returns. While I have sold a majority of my furniture, I still need a place to store the items I plan on keeping. However, my plans now need to change, as my mother suddenly decided to put the house up for sale! Now I'm not sure where to change my address to.
I can't use my girlfriend's address, as her parents might snoop through my mail. My sister's boyfriend is an option; the problem is they plan on purchasing a home sometime next year.
Another possibility is to change my address by phone, while I am on the road. The problem is if I am put on hold, which could really put a dent in my travel funds.
Possible solution:For now, the best solution I have is simply to send my mail over to my sister's boyfriend's apartment, then worry about changing the address when they have found a new place. At the very least I can file my taxes
Obstacle #2: Selling my car
Selling my car right now would mean I would have extra money to pay off the gear I need to purchase before I leave. However, having no car would also mean I have to take public transit, which wouldn't be a problem if our transit system were actually reliable, AND I didn't need to be at work by 5:45AM.
Another possibility is to sell my car closer to the departure; however, I don't want to settle for a low ball offer as a result of me being in a rush to get rid of my vehicle. What a headache!
Possible solution:Sell my car after the first week of August. This will give me some leeway as I attempt to find a buyer. I will start by offering to sell my car to friends, co-workers, acquaintances followed by Craigslist and Kijiji.
Obstacle #3: Pre-trip purchases
There are still a number of items I need to purchase prior to departure. These items are rather expensive, and could potentially slow me down, or even prevent me from saving up $16,000 in travel funds. As you have read above, selling my car would alleviate the problem, but a new set of problems would present itself. How would I get to work, to make the money to go on this trip?
Here is a list of things I still need to buy:
* Camera - $500-$700 (Might as well take nice pictures if I am going everywhere!)
* Three month Eurail Pass - $2430 (I can't travel hack this unfortunately...)
* One Year Travel Insurance - $900 (Better safe than sorry)
* Shots and Medications - $400 (Preventing death is definitely not cheap)
* Hiking Shoes - $60 (I'll be wearing this full time)
* Fleece Jacket - $50 (I need to stay warm without having to carry a bulky jacket)
* Rain Proof Jacket - $50 (Staying dry would be awesome)
* Packing Cubes - $30 (Maximizing my backpack's space)
Pick up extra shifts and train more personal training clients to pay for the items above! That way, I won't be in such a rush to sell the car.
There you go! Round the world travel seems fun, but the planning process is certainly not glamorous, and can be very frustrating at times. There are definitely some tough times ahead of me, but I'm learning to come to terms with it, and accept that it is all part of the journey.
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