Figured out!

Erith says:

Yesterday, we figured out where we were going and for how long.

Marcus says:

As Erith said, yesterday we started planning the amount of time in each place in order to book the tickets with as accurate dates as possible. What has become apparent is that we aren't really going to have much time to look around, particularly in Europe, where we'll only have 17 days. All the same, I think that the route looks pretty efficient - we'll certainly be getting the most out of the time we have. I've also been pretty generous about scheduling travel days, so, we may be able to recoup some days with late-afternoon or evening flights.

On one hand, I feel that 11 days in Canada might be excessive, but on the other hand if Erith follows the path of countless other Australian youth, she'll head back to Europe under her own steam in another decade or so. Canada is a place of exquisite beauty, but I think it's best experienced with one who is familiar with the lay of the land. Erith thought of something that she wants to do - go for a horse ride in the Rockies. I must admit, that sounds like a lot of fun to me as well, though my last ride reminded me that my horse-riding muscles are way out of shape...

Before our trip

Erith says:

Hi, I'm Erith! My dad and I are going for round the world trip this year! Before our trip I was so excited because I haven't been to any of the places yet. Before we go on our trip we need to do these things, pack our bags, get plane tickets, and organize how many days we stay where. All together I have saved $92.70 in silver coins.

Welcome to our blog!

Marcus says:

Erith and her dad Marcus are going on a trip around the world, spanning the school holidays in June 2007. We've started this blog so we can keep a diary for our family and friends. Of course it's going to be much more interesting once we start traveling, but we need to get our technology set up so that we're ready to go.

The astute will realise that the name of this blog was taken from the Bill and Ted movie - it's a particular favourite of mine if for no other reason than the superb use of the time machine to eliminate what would otherwise have been setbacks. Although our expectation of having similar means for smoothing out our own journey is low, we are confident that circumstance will similarly smile on us.

We're planning to take only a small bag each, so we can carry them on the plane with us. Although we have some definite destinations, we want the freedom to change our plans based on how we feel when we wake up in the morning. I want to shape the holiday generally, but beyond that I intend to act more as Erith's chaperone, encouraging her to explore the world with my assistance. Of course this comes with a price, though hopefully not too onerous one. Erith will need to document our travels, organise a budget for herself and understand the process of crossing international borders. Basically, she'll need to learn to travel - a skill that will hopefully serve her well as her life progresses.

We're going to Thailand to ride an elephant, satisfying one of Erith's objectives. From there, we'll fly to Europe for a few weeks, then to Canada for perhaps ten days or so. We have a lot to do and not much time to do it, so we're going to be nimble and make the most of our time. Drop us a line if you have any suggestions, questions or recommendations!