With only two days left before we depart on the GreatEscape 2015 Global Scavenger Hunt, it is crunch time. We are so excited that we cannot stand it, while at the same time anxious that we are remembering all of the things that we have to do!
Leaving for 23 days is definitely an undertaking, especially when you own your own business. However, everyone should do it at least once, because it really reminds you that life is not all about work and routine, and that it is very possible to get away and enjoy an adventure! In fact, it is very necessary to get away for periods of time, as this increases your overall happiness and productivity, as studies show (see our Resources tab for an article about that)! With this in mind, we eagerly await Friday Morning, as our flight leaves Nashville at 9:55 am.
What are we thinking? A plethora of things! We are mainly excited to be going and experiencing so many amazing places, cultures, people and foods that we have never known before! People keep asking us if we are nervous about all of the danger out there- terrorism, etc. We are not. This is quite an interesting question to us when we consider how many dangerous places there are right here in the United States. It is the same in other countries as it is here; the most important thing to do to maintain safety is to be smart and aware, and avoid dangerous areas! 96% of the world is still very safe to travel in and we are staying together and will be listening to each other; if one person feels uncomfortable in a situation, we will agree to change direction.
How do you prepare for such an adventure- 10 countries, 5 continents, in 23 days, without knowing where in the world you will be visiting? We have been to 32 countries between us and we do hope that all 10 are places we have never been before! We have packed and unpacked multiple times. We are wrapping up some trips and honeymoons we have booked for clients. We are going through our electronic devices, checking sim cards, making sure we can work our cameras and deciding which devices and accessories to take.
We have had a few inoculations: Hep A and B, tetanus for Kate and Meningococcal for me, and are taking Malaria and Typhoid meds, just in case. We loaded up the probiotics to bring along, as well as melatonin to help us sleep, vitamins, allergy medication, and a great new discovery from Costco, ZipFizz (an all natural energy booster, loaded with lots of vitamins and minerals, especially C and B-12). We drink lots of green tea, and plan on taking some to hold us over until we can buy some abroad. Surely we will go to Asia…
So, our final clothing packing list includes all muted colors, as it is best to stand out as little as possible when traveling. Because we do not know where we are going, we want to bring clothes that will work for us in most places. Our final packing list includes three pair of pants (no jeans, as jeans are heavy, very unpleasant when humid, and make you stand out as a tourist), three long sleeve shirts, three short sleeve shirts, one long skirt, one dress (as some countries do not allow women to wear pants), one windbreaker and one lightweight Columbia fleece jacket, a gift from TGSH! Also, a one piece black swim suit, six pairs of socks and underwear and two bras. We also have a rain poncho each. We chose BCG, Mountain Hardwear and Columbia as the brands of choice, with some of the shirts being moisture wicking and microbial socks! The shoes we chose are Naot, Chacos and Anu Kharma brands, all easy on the feet!
We are packing all of this up in Tortuga Backpacks, which are made for people who travel for longer periods of time who do not want a roller case. Look up our YouTube channel (My Savvy Vacation) for a video showing the backpacks and how we pack them! We are also bringing one checked bag, mainly to bring home amazing items that we acquire from around the world (yes, loved ones, there will be gifts)!
We hope to blog every so often while we are away, to update everyone on what we are doing and who we have met and what we have seen. We really hope that you stay tuned and share this experience with us!
To Adventure!
