Surprise!

"If you do nothing unexpected, nothing unexpected happens." ~ Fay Weldon ~


Surprise, Anna! Guess what? You're going to Peru! Also, you leave on March 3rd instead of March 4th!

Yet another example of the Universe teaching me to be flexible. I imagine this lesson will be repeated ad naseum throughout my trip!

After visiting the travel clinic and receiving the required Cipro prescription and vaccinations (Flu and Typhoid, just in case) I headed over to STA travel. I was there to collect my tickets and to try and secure a flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia on March 6th. It was there that I was surprised to learn that I was NOT in fact leaving on March 4th and that my layover in Lima was just a bit longer than a few hours. The ticket is for March 3rd and I have a day and a half in Lima, Peru! Although I was a bit disconcerted and confused (as were the travel agents), I've decided that I am just meant to visit Lima. Lynda at STA booked me a nice hotel in the city center of Lima, and I'm hoping to visit the Pachacamac ruins outside of the city. Lynda also found a fabulous $130 flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, will the one small caveat of departing at 5:50 am.


So March 3rd, folks. Let the adventure begin.

Trip Planning!

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain

Welcome! This will be my travel blog as I embark on a journey that will take four months, reaching the very bottom of South America, both islands of New Zealand, Australia, Europe (Italy, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, France) and Iceland. I'm hoping that I can use this to update family and friends on where I am, what I'm doing, and hopefully I can share pictures showing how gorgeous the scenery is.


I have purchased my tickets and on March 4th I leave on my Round the World adventure! With less than a month to go, I've moved into high-intensity planning mode but things seem to be falling into place. I have my new passport with updated maiden name on it, I have a general plan of attack for Patagonia, my first stop, and I'm organizing the New Zealand leg as well.

Yesterday I took a terrific self-defense one-on-one class with Nancy from Spirit of the Heart in Northampton . . . although it was a little scary to think about nasty situations I might find myself in ("Let's imagine he's got you pinned to the ground."), I really felt more confident physically after taking her class. My punches are strong and I can yell!

Today I go to the travel clinic for any necessary immunizations, antibiotic prescriptions, etc. I'm also visiting STA travel to pick up my airplane tickets (that's right folks- real actual physical airplane tickets!). I think I'm also going to book a flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world (or so they claim . . . there's actually a tiny town just below them), at the tip of South America. I'll start from there and work my way up through Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine, El Calafate and El Chalten. I'm envisioning flying out of El Calafate and back up to Buenos Aires in time for Easter and some city exploration before flying on to New Zealand at the end of March.

My general itinerary is as such:

Argentina/Chile March 5th-26th
New Zealand March 28th-May 6th
Australia May 6th- May 18
Europe May 19th- June 27th
Reykjavik, Iceland June 27th-July 1


Would love to meet up with anyone traveling, or friends of friends, etc.!






Hello Fog! This lovely picture was taken by yours truely at Clonmacnoise, County Offaly, Ireland . . . family trip Jan. 2008.