It has been over a year of saving, and months of planning and dreaming of our Big Getaway, and FINALLY, it is the morning of! It has been a very busy few years for Peter and I: working hard to make it in NYC, obtaining Masters degrees, planning weddings, walking Sweetie, and composing many to-do-lists.
I first planted the seed of the "Big Getaway" on Valentine's Day 2009. Pete and I were getting ready to go to an expensive dinner, and started talking about how much money we could save if we just lived more simply. I suggested we start saving that money, putting it into a joint savings account every month, and eventually using it to travel around the world. Pete, of course, was a little hesitant. But, those of you how know me well, know that I can be very patient and persistent when it comes to getting my way. So, I used every argument in the book including classics like "It's a once in a lifetime trip", "Most girls would be wanting to save this money for a wedding, I don't want a big wedding- I want to see the world!", and "If we don't do it, we will regret it for the rest of our lives". Finally, Pete was on board. We opened up a savings account and religiously put in money every month. It meant much more home cooked meals, more Netflix nights at home, fewer drinks when we went out, and less frivolous spending on things like over-price lattes or mid-afternoon snacks. But, finally, we can say it's all been worth it.
We kept ourselves busy to the very last minute. About one week ago, I accepted a job with NYU in Abu Dhabi. Our move date is September 10, and we arrive back from our trip on September 3. As a result, I have spent countless hours researching immigration criteria, gathering and scanning documents, and trying to figure out how to get Sweetie out of the country with us. Pete has been planning and shopping for things we need on the trip, finishing up his last few reports at work, and organizing our house. We were up until 4AM this morning making final phone calls to Abu Dhabi, cleaning and packing, but alas, can leave for this trip with nothing left on our to do list but to enjoy a much needed and well deserved break.
The agenda:
-We fly out to Tokyo, Japan in four hours! We will spend one week there, seeing Tokyo, Hakone, and Kyoto.
-Our next stop is Bangkok. We have 25 days there and plan on seeing quite a bit of Thailand and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
-Then, we are off to Abu Dhabi to explore a little of the place we will spend the next two years
-We arrive in Amman, Jordan on August 2 where we will meet some family and friends and celebrate another wedding
-A quick trip to Egypt
-Time exploring Morocco
-Up to Spain for a long weekend of tapas and parks in Barcelona
-Finish off in Iceland
-Back in NYC about ten weeks from today
We are all packed and off to the airport! Stay posted for frequent updates:)
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