Countdown to departure!

Less than 3 weeks away for my AFRICA trip! Not going to lie… I was in a tiny state of panic the other week when I realized I had 10 different things still needing to be booked, but I’m back on track now! J

I’m starting out in Cape Town and hitting up Plettenberg Bay along the way... then ending my time at a private game reserve. Activities will include animal sanctuaries, safaris, shark cage diving, city tours, bungy jumping, Hillsong, and more! :)

I will include references once I get  home of where I stayed, which companies I used, things I did, etc. but because I'm already a paranoid person those are staying on the DL for now.  :)

A lot of people have expressed concern for me going to Africa by myself...and I do have some worries, but the worries aren't any different than when I traveled to Europe or Australia by myself.  I've read plenty of articles,  blogs, safety concerns, etc. and I'd like to think of myself as a pretty travel savvy person.  Anything can happen anywhere at any time.  Sometimes you just have to let go of that fear (ha! easier said than done) and enjoy what's happening in the present.

I will say this though... I will never be traveling alone. I have transportation pre-arranged in all the different cities that are through RELIABLE companies, all tours are through RELIABLE companies, and I've even heard first hand reviews stating that these are all legit.

I think the best thing someone can do to ease a persons mind about solo travel is provide them with as much information as possible. Show them that you did your research. In my case I have a detailed itinerary of what I'm doing every day, where I'm staying, the address and phone number of each place.... as much detail as I can possibly put down on paper.

I'm the type of person who thinks about everything. Every little detail. Every little thing that could possibly go wrong. And I have a plan. I plan, plan, plan and I will probably still be planning things out in my head as I'm waiting in the airport! :)

Next post will be my typical "night before" post, but in the meantime please keep me in your prayers! Prayers for safety first and foremost and prayers for a good time in which I can learn and grow and have those once in a lifetime experiences !!

God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.

"And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good."

My heart breaks every time I hear of a bombing or terrorist threat...People should never have to be afraid to travel because they feel threatened. People shouldn't have to fear for their lives when they go overseas. Aside from being devastated about the loss of life; I'm devastated at the terror and fear that now reigns over the travel industry.

Travel is something I'm passionate about. People can tell because my eyes light up when I talk about it. 

...I can't lose that spark just because crazies are wreaking havoc all over the place. 

The Bible verse I quoted in the beginning is something that I've been reflecting on... It makes me so unbelievably happy to know that God created this world and when He created it, He said it was good. That's the way it was meant to be. We humans have messed it up big time,  but the world is still GOOD because GOD SAID it was!!! 

Why I don't take vacations...

I travel.

And I never call my traveling a "vacation."

I don't travel to relax. I travel to conquer anxiety. (And also to see the world, of course!)

Yes, I could book a nice beach "vacation" through a travel agent or do a nice relaxing cruise, but that's not my style. I plan my trips myself in which every hour is planned and accounted for, every detail, every booking... and it's stressful as heck.

Is that stupid for someone dealing with anxiety? Probably. But executing my plan, following through, and making it back home gives me something that a typical stress-free "vacation" never could.

I plan, I schedule, I stress out, I worry, but when I arrive back home at the airport I can breathe a sigh of relief. I did something that seemed near impossible. I conquered every "what if" fear and I MADE IT! I put myself through the hard stuff because I know it'll be worth it... every step of the way.  Every experience is worth it... even when I get into a tizzy. Because guess what? In the end, it's always okay. It has always been okay. And isn't that a good reminder?

While my traveling is never stress or worry free, it's okay. They're not meant to be vacations. They're empowercations. I need that in my life. I need to be reminded that I can do whatever I set my mind to and while there are scary things out there in this world, I can't live my life in fear. 

The world is too beautiful and the people you meet are too wonderful to let worry and anxiety dictate your life.

Go on, CONQUER THE WORLD.

Obsessive Planning Disorder (OPD)

Obsessive planning disorder.

I know everyone at work is tired of hearing of my travel planning so I figured I would let the rest of the world in on it as well. (aren't you lucky!) As most people know by now, the plan is to head to Africa in June or July of next year.

This is a sample timeline of how I've been planning Africa 2016:
April of 2015: Got ideas from a friend of places I NEED TO GO in South Africa
June of 2015: started researching different tours, hostels, itineraries, things to do/how to get around
August of 2015: basic 15 day itinerary is plotted out (tentative flight ideas, what city I'm in which day, what I'm doing in each city)
Jan-Mar of 2016: big booking !! (flights and game reserve that I really want to go to) ...
April 2016: obtain visa, communicate and ask any questions to tour places/hostels
May 2016: more booking! (hostels, bus travel, other tour)
June 2016: tentative departure!
^yes, I have a plan for planning out my plan! hehehe :)

It's crazy how much planning has already gone into it and just how many little details there are that all have to work out JUST right! For example: flights running only once a day and at a certain time, buses only operating on certain days, tours only operating on certain days, etc. so I'm currently going crazy trying to make sure every last thing is PERFECT and that I don't miss out on anything. It's like one big puzzle which is fun, but frustrating as heck. AND I LOVE IT!

As of now (9/4/15) I'm 75% sure I'm going to Egypt now instead of doing Botswana/Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls) ... I'm terrified, yet super excited. I think it would be awesome to finally see the pyramids in person!!

I'm also trying to get to Hillsong church in Capetown, South Africa (so again, planning out the details just right so I can be in Capetown on a Sunday!)

I must have researched flights at least 50 times already... using different dates, different times, different layovers etc.
Cincinnati --> Cairo
Cairo --> Capetown
Port Elizabeth --> Johannesburg
Johannesburg --> Cincinnati

phewww!

One of my favorites parts about planning travel is that moment when you finally get your flights booked because then you know it's official!! I'll anxiously be awaiting the day....  :)
If anyone wants to come with me, I can squeeze you in! I'll even let you adjust the itinerary... maybe!

Be Safe and Smart!

This is kind of a weird topic for me to write on since I don't have many personal examples... I've been fortunate enough (thank God!) to have never experienced trouble while overseas and am blessed beyond measure to have never felt my personal safety threatened. (let's keep it that way, please!)

I feel like I owe some major thanks to my TRAVEL POUCH!  This is one of my favorite traveling companions. I've heard many stories about pick pocketing in foreign places so I like to walk around with this tucked away underneath my shirt/pants. I'll have my passport and cash stashed away in my pouch so I never have to worry about someone stealing from me. (I also have a copy of my passport in my hotel room and one copy at home with someone I trust)

Before I go to any country, I ALWAYS read up on the do's and don'ts (what's acceptable and what's not) so I know what to expect and will hopefully eliminate some culture shock. :) I do my research, check any advisories, and any insider tips that I can find.  Trip Advisor is such a life saver nowadays so be sure to review activities, tours, hotels, etc. before you go! And then if you had a good experience help them out with some positive feedback! Common sense plays a major role anywhere, but especially when you travel... Don't do things that aren't smart! This should go without saying, but obey the rules of where you're at!

I've seen other blogs mention how important it is to be confident when you're walking and to not pull maps out in busy places. I hardly ever carry maps around, but that's usually because I would rather get lost than look like a tourist.  ;)  I think the main lesson here though is to pay attention to your surroundings. And don't trust (all) people! There are some really good scammers out there-even kids!

I always have someone back home that I check in regularly with... usually via email or text.  They have a copy of all of my important documents and know where I'm staying and where I'm supposed to be each day. This helps tremendously and definitely eases some concerns! 

STAY SAFE & BE SMART!! 

Traveling with money... or no money

I've stayed in really nice hotels and I've also stayed in really disgusting hostels. One of the great things about travel is that you can spend a lot of money or you can spend a minimal amount.

I had never stayed in a hostel until my time in New Zealand... and I stayed in quite a few there as well as one in Australia and a few in Spain. I was extremely skeptical since I had never done anything like that before, but the experiences were actually pretty decent! A good portion of the time, I shared a double bedroom with my friend and I don't think I ever paid more than $30 a night. I also stayed in a female-only dorm style room which was really nice and spent a couple nights in a mixed room. The less picky you are, the cheaper it is. :) I know there are some horror stories out there, but I recommend checking ratings on the hostels before booking. I didn't have a bad experience in any of them... some were just better than others. My favorite one that I stayed in that I can highly recommend is Base in New Zealand/Australia. A lot of hostels even provide you with tours (some free) that you can sign up for and explore the city. Some cities even offer FREE walking tours which usually hit the highlights of the city! 

Another great way to travel around is through HelpX. It's how I traveled around New Zealand in the beginning. You stay with host families and they will usually include food and accommodation in exchange for working a few hours a day. You do simple things like cleaning or gardening and then you have the rest of the day to explore. It's super nice and it's all done by ratings so you can verify the host listings before you get there. It also provides you with an authentic experience by staying with families. :)

Hostels and HelpX are both wonderful ways to travel around on a limited budget.

I have mixed feelings about hop-on-hop-off tours. It's nice if you only have a day in the city and want to hit the highlights, but you don't often get the authentic non-touristy experience by doing so. Usually the bus price is pretty reasonable and it's an easy way to not get lost. I got into Ireland at 6 or so in the morning and my hotel wasn't ready yet. I had a half a day to waste so instead of using my brain to think about where I was going I just got on the hop bus and took it around the city a few times.

As you can see, there ARE options for travel on a limited budget. You just have to find them. :)

What travel means to me...

Traveling is one of the most incredible and rewarding experiences... EVER. I've said it before and I'll say it again - one of my all time favorite things about travel is the "I'M FINALLY HERE" moments! 

I remember our drive to see the Great Wall of China and I was so full of excitement and anticipation. This was something I had seen multiple times on TV, in textbooks... and I was about to see it in person!! My eyes were wide open (I don't even think that I blinked!) the last 30 minutes of the drive as I was trying to catch the first glimpse of the wall. I remember when I first caught sight of it-- it was pure JOY and elation! You learn so much about history, culture, people, politics, art... anything you can possibly think of. Going to these places and experiencing things first hand is always way better than any textbook or documentary. 

Not only that, but the people are incredible. One of my favorite stories involves staying at a hostel in Australia. I shared a room with a girl from Venezuela, a girl from Australia, two girls from Norway, a girl from China, and a girl from England. (5 of 7 continents represented!) We had been in the room for maybe 10 minutes and we were already talking and laughing and poking fun at each other. There is something so wonderful when everything else gets pushed aside- whatever is happening in the world simply doesn't matter and countries can come together as friends. It's a beautiful thing. 

Something else that's beautiful is the confidence you gain when you realize that you're a strong and independent woman and you can navigate any gosh darn country you please!  ;)  I've mentioned this in other posts, but I'm as anxious as they come. I'm also an introvert. I'm also terrible with directions, but that has not stopped me! I've done solo traveling on two different continents and 6 different countries. It is the most exciting and liberating experience and I have not regretted it once!! 

I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes about travel:

"Travel has made me a better Lover. A lover of self, a lover of individuals, a lover of humanity at large, a lover of the possibilities, a lover of opportunity, and a lover of what is, in any given moment, right in front of me."

(For full article click here: BootsnAll)