FAQ

Where are you going?   We’re flying to Bangkok, traveling around Thailand, heading north to Laos, thru Cambodia, on to Vietnam and finishing in Bali

How long will you be gone?  Our tickets are for 3 months, 3 weeks and 4 days (Michael thought it was 3 days but it’s a leap year) 

How can you afford this?  Once you decide you’re going to do its completely doable.  The average budget per person per day for SEA is $20, that’s food, lodging and transportation.    We saved $20,000 while were  for traveling.  That's covering all our travel expenses and our bills back home.
* I wanted to elaborate on this question because a lot of Americans seem to think you need to be independently wealthy in order to do this when all you really need is the drive.   Michael and I both work, we both save,  in the time we've been together we've only had a car payment for a little over a year, for the better part of 3 years we've been a one car family, we try to only eat out twice a week and one of those meals is generally lunch, we bring lunch to work, we are religious about going food shopping so "there's nothing to make" isn't an excuse,  we don't get cable,  we are very conscience of our electric usage (for a number of reasons) and haven't paid more than $40 in a very long time even before the perfect weather of San Diego.  Our neighbor in TX had the same exact apartment as us and was paying $250 a month for electric compared to our $30.  So with all that savings we go a vacation!   

Did you quit your jobs?  No!  Our jobs let us take up to a year leave of absence.  We asked for 4 months and they gave us 6 so we do have some leeway for when we return.  We’ve booked round trip tickets and WILL be returning to work (Stephen don't give my job away).

Why didn’t you leave right away?  We both got home from deployed over the summer and although it would have been logistically (and financially) easier to leave right away we just weren’t ready for it.  We had family and friends we wanted to see, American food to eat and we weren’t ready to miss another Christmas.   We both needed the reintegration time, for the first month Michael didn’t even want to be in areas with crowds, we would not have fared well with traveling.  

What are you packing?

 

Carolyn

3 pairs of short, a dress, 2 tank tops , 3 t-shirts, 1 long sleeve t, 1 bathing suit and sarong,  5 pairs of underwear, 3 bras and 2 pairs of socks, a pair of keens and a pair of flip flops

In my 40 liter bag

Shown (L to R)

Kindle , Ipod touch and cords in dry sack

Birth control (ahh why didn’t I take the doctor on the tubal ligation suggestion)

Socks

Toiletry kit (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, chapstick, hairspray, hair ties, bobby bins, hairclip,  mirror, brush,  nail file, nail clippers, floss, ear plugs, facial moisturizer with SPF, lotion, hand sanitizer, razor, tweezers)

Clothes in eagle creek 2 sided cube

Keens

Towel

Tampons (I’ve read that they are hard to come by and I’m picky so I’m bringing plenty)

Stuff sack with undergarments and bathing suit

First Aid Kit (tiger balm, bandaids, ibuprofen, Imodium, anti itch cream, pepto, liquid bandage, multivitamin,  bug spray, sewing kit, antibiotic cream, sunblock)

* Not shown is the outfit I’m wearing on the plane which is pants and a t-shirt and:

Small journal and a budget notebook, pen, gum, micro day bag, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste which are in the front pouch of the backpack 

All packed!

Michael 

3 pairs of shorts, 3 t-shirts, 1 long sleeves shirts, 2 button downs, 1 pair of socks, 5 pairs of underwear, 2 bathing suits, keens and flip flops 

In my 40 liter REI bag 

Shown (L to R)

Dry sack (which will hold the iPad, my iPhone and possibly our camera and various chargers)

Stuff sack (which holds all my underwear and both swim suits)

 Quick drying towel and small quick drying wash cloth

Toilet paper

Flip-flops (Reef brand)

Keens

Toiletry kit (shampoo, body wash, deodorant, 2 razors, shaving cream, spare sun screen, mirror, q-tips, floss, and wet wipes)

Clothes in eagle creek 2 sided cube

Army socks (very tall to keep my feet and lower legs covered and safe from the skeeters)

Towel

sink stopper

gorilla pod (camera tripod)

Not shown:

Small journal, pen, gum, micro day bag, toothbrush and toothpaste which are in the front pouch of the backpack, large sun screen bottle (apparently sun screen is uber-expensive in Thailand).

If there's a question you have for us let us know and we'll be happy to answer.