pre-trip

travelog

information

background:  the five w's

who ^

• Brian and Brooke are a young, adventurous couple from central Illinois.  You can read more about us on the who page, if you're that interested ;-)

what ^

• We are going on a round-the-world trip, meaning we are going to circle the planet, stopping in as many countries/cities as we can along the way.  In an attempt to get to know each place we visit, we will be taking part in different cultural exercises along the way.  You can join us on our trip by reading the travelog, viewing pictures, and communicating through leaving comments or posting on the boards.

where ^

• We plan on going to as many places as possible without being too rushed.  It is the experience in each place that we want to enjoy, so we will hopefully hit all the continents except Antarctica, however, we are willing to leave Africa for another trip if money does not permit us to make the visit worthwhile.  Here are the countries we have intense interest in visiting:

1. Central America - Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama
2. South America - Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil
3. Western Europe - Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Germany
4. Eastern Europe - Turkey, Austria, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Moldova, Russia
5. Central Asia - Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
6. Africa - Morocco, Egypt, South Africa
7. Middle East - Jordan, Israel, UAE
8. Asia - India, Nepal, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines
9. South Pacific - Australia, Fiji, Tasmania, New Zealand

when ^

• We plan on leaving in December 2007!  Brian gets his Master's degree in December, so we'll sort, pack, party, and leave right after.

why ^

• I could get all cliché here and tell you why we are doing this, and even though every bit of that cliché would be true, I will contain myself and just give you the facts of the matter:

1. Life happens once, and you're living now.
2. What better time than now?  (young, no kids, healthy)
3. It is cheaper to travel the world for a year than to live in America.
4. The world is a big place and the best way to understand it is to experience it.
5. It is a dream, and dreams should be pursued.
6. I, Brooke, majored in International Studies.  Brian is in Economics.  What better experience?

• Now let me tell you about my (brooke) personal need to travel.  I have always loved road trips, vacations, just plain packing a suitcase, so it makes sense that my trip to Italy in high school would be no less than life changing.  When I came home my mom barely recognized me (it had only been 10 days), but I feel as though I soaked up the experience as best any 17 year-old could.  I was determined to return, and that I did in the spring of 2004 for a semester of study abroad excitement in Verona, Italy.  I had an amazing, interesting, wonderful time and came home possessing a new spark and self-confidence.

A few years earlier, I fell asleep with the TV on, which happened a lot, but this night I woke up with blurry eyes to an interview.  I really have no idea why I woke up, but it was almost as if my body heard the word "travel" and I awoke.  David Elliot Cohen was on TV talking about his book, "One Year Off:  Leaving it all behind for a round-the-world journey with our kids."  I was mesmerized.  David and his wife sold all their worldly possessions, yanked their kids out of school, and proceeded to travel around the world for 13 months... oh yeah, did I mention with their 3 kids?!  I went out the next day and bought the book, which was then read in 3 days.  I have for the past 5 years dreamed about that sort of freedom and experience.

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