18 Days and a Wake Up!

Well the world didn't end like the Mayans thought it would, and somehow I managed to graduate college.... so I guess my trip is on!

Couchsurfers are being contacted, Farms are being emailed, and I sent a request to a winery! Everything is starting to fall into place and it feels nice. I still have a lot of work to do before I leave, several request to send out, and a few goodbyes to say but I'm close.

For Christmas I got the rest of the things on my REI registry! And I was finally able to do my first pack. Besides about 5 more lbs of miscellaneous, couple emergency food stuffs, and water-- my backpack weighs 27.5 lbs!!!!!!! So my final load out should be UNDER 40 lbs.

Pack Includes:

Tent

Hammock (straps with Hammock)

Sleeping Bag

Sleeping Pad

Water Filter (Pump)

Clothes (1 jacket, 3 pair of pants, 3 shirts, 3 underwear, 3 pair socks)

Chocos or Boots(I'll be wearing one pair and the other will be in the pack)

Cook Set (Pot, Pan, Bowl, Cup, HoboForkKnifeSpoon)

64 oz water bottle

Headlamp

First Aid(Including Malaria pills)

Knife

Compass 

Toothbrush

Solar Charger

If I'm forgetting something off that list, odds are it's in my pack and I just cant think of it right now.

I'm really looking forward to New Zealand. the fact that 18 days from now I'll be spending my last day in the US is crazy. I can't wait until I feel the plane land in Auckland. I've been looking forward to stepping off that plane for a long time now. My trip that has been several years in the making is about to happen. MY NEXT BLOG POST MOST LIKELY WILL BE MADE FROM NZ!!!! That just sank in!!

My Schedule keeps changing but one thing is set. I leave Jan 15 out of New Orleans. 

Happy New Year Guys!
If you want to see me before I leave hit me up!

Dont forget my new Email: SteveGoesAbroad@gmail.com

Wheels up in 56 days!

Every day feels a little more exciting than the last! Graduation is coming up December 15, but the real countdown I'm worried about is a month later-> January 15. I have gone from loose schedule to exact date time. I'm starting to contact host on www.couchsurfing.org/ If you haven't heard of it, it is an awesome site that enables people to stay with host who love interactions with travelers. I also signed up on www.helpx.net It is similar to the other work/live program that I signed up for a while back but this one enables communication with other travelers and covers a couple counties not just New Zealand.

My REI registry is pretty bare but still has plenty of things that I need. http://www.rei.com/GiftRegistryDetails/GR2866963. Not even gonna lie I got lazy and haven't sent in my boots for a different size yet. I'll have to do it over Thanksgiving break. I'm not that worried about it though, since I broke my ankle I won't be able to break in my new boots properly anyway.

My plan for the 3 months in New Zealand:
Leave USA on Jan 15
Arrive in NZ Jan 17 (if I understand the international date line correctly)
CouchSurf from Jan 17 - Jan 20 Hopefully wearing off most jet lag and getting my pack perfectly situated.
Jan 20- GO. Just GO. Hopefully find another backpacker or somebody headed the same direction. The Helpx.net site has an awesome way for travelers to communicate with each other so I think finding somebody headed the same way wont be to big of a problem.
Jan 25- Show up at first farm, stay as long as they let me, move on to next farm. Rinse and Repeat. Luckily with two different work live programs that I've now signed up for finding a farm to work for shouldn't be a problem.
Feb 25- Meet up with some CS buddies that I made last year when they were state side. Shout out to Jack Henderson!!
Feb 26- Transition from North Island to South Island
Feb 27- Start on a farm then keep doing that. Hopefully making contact with the farm that involves Pottery that I found. That would be legit.
March 31- Start securing passage to Australia by April 15.

Still pretty lose. But over Thanksgiving break it should get more concrete. Also Australia has been loosely planned but it will get more concrete soon as well. To be honest these two countries will be the most concrete of all of the places I go. Due to their greater internet access I can communicate with possible host much easier and actually lay down specific dates. I'm guessing when I'm backpacking through Malaysia I won't have nearly as perfect dates lined down, but I'm ready for both situations I think.

56 days.
Nervous- OH yeah
Prepared- Physically almost
Ready- For sure
Scared- Just a little

Y'all Take Care Now
Steve

So close

Graduation is so close. My trip is right around the corner. Rei shipments are coming in almost ever other week. It's an exciting time.

I've decided to exchange my awesome size 12 boots for 12 wides. Turns out I'm 12 wides... not 12s....

My gear is checking out across the board really. A different sleeping pad and size change in boots are the only hiccups so far. I've been wearing my chacos almost daily- love em. And the zip away pants are legit, I've been wearing them as often as possible and washing them by hand and letting them dry over night- they are completely dry by morning and smell just fine. Also the jacket I can tell now will keep me warm always, it's one of the few jackets I've ever liked wearing. All of these can be found on my registry rei.com - these things I have now but there is plenty left I need.

I've started looking into GPSs. Cant decide if I'll really need one or not. For New Zealand and Australia I don't think I'll need it. But when I get to places with less and less English, I thought it might be nice. Cant decide yet. It would have to be one I could put multiple maps on and such. But it would also add cost and electronics need to be charged and stay dry. I might just stick with good ole maps and a compass(yes I can navigate by map with a compass). Still up in the air.

I look forward to my first message from overseas.
Gettin nervous. It's right around the corner!

Take care y'all.

First Shipment From REI

I've ordered a majority of my stuff off of Amazon for this trip so far. But for the very serious stuff, the things I will have to depend on no matter what happens, I ordered off REI. Over the summer I went to the REI store in Austin, TX (http://www.rei.com/stores/austin-downtown.html) and set up a graduation registry for myself! This is for me(to find the things I need), my family(so they can see and possibly order things for me), and for my friends (to order things for me and to possibly just check out the gear I am getting)

You can find the registry at http://www.rei.com/GiftRegistryDetails/GR2866963
(Yes, for the climbers out there who are gonna call me out on having a Figure-8 in my registry, I know I dont need it... but I always like having one around and lost mine)

So if you want to buy me anything, there is the list of things I still need! I went ahead and got the most expensive of things, and the items I wanted to test out. Firstly my boots!! -->

I am still breaking them in, but the second I put them on at the REI store in Austin, I knew these were the boots for me. The trip feel more real somehow with them on. Knowing that they boots will last the trip is a good feeling. For those wondering they are Asolo TPS 520 GV Hiking Boots. 

I also went ahead and got a pair of hiking pants. They fit awesome, feel great, compact to a very small size, zip away to shorts, and dry quickly. 

I also ordered a pair of Chacos but everybody knows what they are so I'll not bother with a picture or explaining what they are.

Every day I get closer to the trip I get a little more prepared and a lot more excited. Yesterday I got my Yellow Fever Vaccination and prescription for Malaria pills. Got a few more shots to get, but it feels good to be getting these out of the way. Currently I am suffering from the side effects of the vaccine but it's a lot better than suffering from Yellow Fever!!

Thanks everyone for your support! See ya around!
Steve

Welcome to My Blog!

Hello Friends!!

Here it is! My new blog! I have created this blog to help people keep informed of what I will be doing after I graduate.

This upcoming January I will be leaving the United States for approximately 30 months. I plan on traveling from New Zealand to Ireland. Making extended stops along the way to stay in some of my favorite countries.

The first 3 months abroad will be spent in New Zealand. I have signed up for a "Work-Live" program called "Farm Helpers in New Zealand" (http://www.fhinz.co.nz/). I signed up and they sent me a list of 250 farms to pick from and I choose which ones I want to work at. I work around 4-6 hours a day and they feed me and give me a place to sleep. The farm work changes from place to place, so some places are actual farms, others orchards, while some is just shepherding sheep.

I plan on writing a few post before I leave about what gear I have, what places I am looking forward to, and anything else that is about the trip really. While abroad I have no idea how much internet access I will have. I know while in Australia I will have pretty easy access to the internet, but while in Russia or China it might be limited.

Tell anybody you think would like to keep up with me to save this blog address!

If you have any questions hit me up with a Facebook Message or Email.
My New email Address is SteveGoesAbroad@gmail.com

Be Joyful Always,
Steve