We're on a plane!

Adventure, officially begun.  Our apartment keys have been turned in, our belongings now reside in a really classy 10x18 storage locker.  We're on a plane with free wifi, so it seemed like a fun time for an update!  We're on our way to three days in DC, then up to NYC for the month.  Goodbye San Francisco, We will miss you and all of your good times.  Hello.... destination number one.

Travel Clinic Update

Mike has been taking a bunch of his travel medications for a while... so I finally emailed my dr. and said, "I need a typhoid vaccine, which takes 8 days and needs to be refrigerated and I am leaving the state 6 days after my travel appointment", she emailed the travel lady, who called me 15 minutes later! Sometimes it really pays to complain :)  Anywho, I've got all my things ordered now, except a rabies vaccine, because there isn't enough time (3 shots, 1, 7 and 21 days) but I told her I would try to just avoid foaming at the mouth wild animal bites.  She said good call.

So much to do!

Today I've been getting in an ongoing fight with Kaiser on getting all of my travel vaccinations/perscriptions/etc. all of a sudden it makes me a little panicky about leaving. But after 4 emails with my Dr., two calls to a Kaiser advice nurse, 4 phone calls and 2 faxes with the Santa Cruz Medical Clinic and a little help from some friends, I'm feeling a little better.

Goodness gracious there is so much to do!  We leave SF in under a month...

We own backpacks!

Due to the great generosity of my parents (Happy Chanukah, Birthday and 1st Anniversary to us!), we now own backpacks!  It feels like a major step in getting ready for the trip.  We both ended up getting Osprey Waypoint 85 (the men and women's versions... although since my torso is about 4 inches long mine is actually an 82 liter pack). They were just redesigned and have all sorts of great features - slash-proof fabric, zipper covers, fun mesh secret pockets- the whole nine yards. It was a really hard decision for me between the 65 and 85, but when it came down to it, I think I would rather make a concerted effort to not fill the 85 rather than worry that that last pair of underwear are going to split a seam...In other news, Mike is jealous of my travel gear (my backpack is a lovely green, his is black, because girls like pretty things) and I got the most awesome travel hat ever. It is a tailored reversible bucket-y hat that is a cute green on one side and awesome brown plaid on the other (see above awesomeness).

The Itinerary

Dec. 15-Dec.18  Washington, DC

Dec. 18-Jan. 20  New York, NY

Jan. 20-Feb. 7  Costa Rica

Feb. 7-Feb. 9  Los Angeles, CA

Feb. 11-Apr.  12  Australia/New Zealand

April 12-Apr. 23  Japan

Apr. 23-May 6  China

May 6-May 11  Hong Kong

May 11-July 27  South East Asia

Mid-August  Jordan/Israel/Egypt

Late August  Turkey

Early Sept.  Greece

Late Sept.  Croatia

Early Oct.  Italy

Oct. 14  New York, NY

                         

Making Plans

Here we are two weeks married, proud owners of OneWorld alliance Around-the-World tickets, and we have both notified our gainful employers of our impending departure... what does that mean? It must actually be time to plan this thing! We'll be posting our itinerary (so you can join us or give tips), planning thoughts and general life news. So welcome!