The Future #2

I just purchased a map of the world. As I unrolled it, I recalled an interview I heard recently with a fellow whose parents had tacked a map of the world up in the bathroom, and because of this, geography is now his area of expertise. Sadly, my bathroom isn't big enough to include the whole world, so I will continue to educate myself by reading Calvin & Hobbes, instead. I'm sure it will come in useful someday.

However, there is a point to the purchase of the map. Jeff and I realized that we could leave on our home-schooling/travel-extravaganza a year earlier than anticipated, and now we are standing before a mapped version of the world that is our oyster.

Here is the preliminary Stephanie Agenda:

1. Buy a used RV with no bad smells

2. Stock up on Gravol

3. Travel across Canada as far as New Brunswick

4. Head south through Maine, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, DC, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and finally, Florida.

5. Leave RV in Florida Storage Place

6. Hop a plane to Spain

7. Spend Christmas in Spain

8. Take train to Morroco - hang out in Casablanca and Marakkesh

9. Fly to Egypt - hang out in Cairo and Luxor

10. Fly to South Africa - hang out in Cape Town and Johannesburg

11. Fly to Australia - avoid dinner-plate sized spiders. Hang out in Melbourne and Brisbane? (If I am being really honest, I am not sure how I feel about Australia, other than completely not excited. Please convince me to go there, dear reader - all five of you)

12. Fly or float to New Zealand

13. Fly to Sicily

14. Fly to Venice and head down the Adriatic Coast to visit San Marino and Ortona

15. Float to Greece

16. Visit many Greek Islands and then head to the mainland

17. Train to Turkey - hang in Istanbul

18. Fly from Turkey to Florida

19. Reclaim non-smelly RV

20. Drive home via Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and up to the Dakotas to see Mount Rushmore (and maybe Tornado chase along the way)

I also purchased some erasable markers to plot the route on my new laminated map, which has instilled a kind of deranged feeling of world domination deep within me. I think I will complement it with an evil laugh, which I should probably practice before its unveiling.

If you want to meet up with us along the way, don't hesitate to let us know. We plan to be gone from September 2010 - July 2011. Any travel tips would be gladly received, and so would a farewell party.

Merci!