100 days

Before I continue, allow me to take a few steps back and tell you a thing or two about my overseas travel experiences thus far. I have been abroad once, to the UK and Ireland with my dance school in July 2001. It was a great trip but it was also very structured. I could still tell you what time I got up on July 8, 2001 and what I put on. No really: 7am. blazer, plaid skirt, white blouse, pantyhose and black shoes. The great thing about that trip was all the work was done for us. There was no need to worry about plane tickets and rail passes. My dance teacher was in charge of the former and we had a chartered bus. I also got a lot of experiences out of it that I wouldn't get going on my own. Like performing in Dublin and attending a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. I also learned how to shower quickly, a skill which will no doubt come in handy when I'm staying in hostels.

This time around though, I'm after a different kind of trip. One that doesn't involve a printed itinerary with everything planned down to the hour. There are some places I definitely want to see but right now anyway, I want to keep a lot up in the air. I want to have the option of staying in bed all day if I feel like it or taking a random trip somewhere because I can.