shoefry

I would have always thought that I would be ready for this moment.  Months of thinking and dreaming about it have finally come to an end, and now we find we are very excited but a bit apprehensive.  Planning a year-long trip is not as easy as we thought, and it seems like we could have made a new “to do” list every day.  Finally, we arrived at a point where there seems like there is nothing else you can do, and you have to give in that you are leaving for a year.   Packing has been a huge part of our life for the last few months, constantly thinking about what you can bring and what will match with what.  We have made more trips to REI in the last few weeks then we have in our whole lives.

And the final verdict is in.

Things for a year.....

A dining table full of our possessions is what you are looking at.  This is all we are taking for the year. It is crazy to realize that when you break it down, you really don’t need too much. We have managed to cram all that we will need in two bags that are carry-on size (or close enough to it).

Getting this all in our bags and getting the house ready for our departure signals the start of our adventure.  I cannot wait to get underway and start enjoying the experience of being on the road.

Cartagena tomorrow.

– Joe

After great times with both families, we are back in Colorado doing final preparations before taking off on the 28th. Crazy! Panic is just now starting to set in- less than a week to go!

A little recap of our adventures over the summer:

• Joe’s parents came out from England, and we ventured into uncharted Colorado territory… Pagosa Springs. We had an absolute blast hiking, tubing, biking, hotspringing, and enjoying time with one another. It was definitely a place Joe and I plan to return to once we come back to Colorado.

Fry Family at the Waterfall

• We then hit up Rincon for 2 weeks with the Schubergs. Even G-ma joined us for a good chunk of time. We were lucky to hit both great weather and waves.  I even surfed one day (first time in years) and had so much fun! It was great to get a chance to hang with everyone and get to see some friends before we leave for a year.

Gorgeous sunset after spending all day at the beach

• We drove right up from the beach house to San Francisco for Outside Lands, a music festival. It was three days of friends, amazing food, gorgeous weather, and great performances. The highlights have to be seeing Arcade Fire, Muse, The Black Keys, The Shins, and The Decemberists. Joe loved seeing Phish’s 3.5 hour set, but I was probably more amused watching Phish’s fans dance around in various forms of tie-dye. San Francisco has definitely become one of my favorite cities, especially now that I seem to be getting a handle of the MUNI bus system.

Now we’re back at home hanging out with friends, organizing our house, and finalizing our packing arrangements. We have both packed our bags and are happy to report they only weigh 21 (Kristen’s) and 25 (Joe’s) pounds. When packing for a year, I know we can’t bring everything, but we’ve definitely tried. I feel prepared, but I know there will be many times when I will have wished I would have brought something else. Hopefully our Spanish improves enough so we will be able to buy whatever we need along the way. 

So far, this is the extent of our plans: We fly to Cartagena, Colombia on Sunday. We have 3 nights booked there, and from there on, we have no plans. We have researched a bit and have some ideas of where we’d like to head to after that in South America, but we are just playing it all by ear (not usually something I do well). With a year to travel, it is great to have some flexibility, and not have to see and do everything in 2 weeks. We are hoping this opens up some fun last-minute possibilities (maybe an Antartica cruise?!?).

Normally, I plan everything (accommodations, transportation, activities, and must-sees) in to a nice spreadsheet, so I think I am freaking out most about not having specific plans. When we initially decided to take this trip, we wanted to see as many countries as possible, but now we are just rolling with whatever comes. If we find an awesome place, we might hang out a bit longer. It will be interesting to see how I cope with so much fluidity in our travels.

We’ll keep everyone updated as far as our location and activities via this blog and twitter (www.twitter.com/shoefry).  We should have wifi for the majority of the time we are away, so if you need to reach us, email is the best bet. Please keep us updated with what is going on with you while we are away.

We are looking forward to starting this crazy adventure, but we will miss everyone. We hope you enjoy reading about our little adventures throughout the world.

7 days till adios!