On My Way

My friend Laura loves photo shop and made this photo to celebrate our departure for Hong Kong to celebrate Chinese New Year. Yeah year of the rabbit here we come!
This morning as I was thinking about my HK adventure and other upcoming adventures and this song popped into my head. Korea is the first country I have been to outside of North America so I am totally psyched to visit another place while I am here.



This song also is running through me because my life plans have recently changed again. For a while I have been planning a cross USA trip with Liz for when I leave Korea. We planned to start in Seattle and work our way down the Pac coast then across to New York. Well  with a recent look at our budget, recent employment changes for her and a drive to always explore we have decided to scrap that trip. We have decided to travel through South East Asia instead. We will spend two months backpacking through Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia and anywhere else our little hearts desire. I do plan to spend a good deal of time during our trek volunteering. I've found a program in Thailand where I can help with sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation. There is a different program where I can work with elephants. I'm also interested in taking regional cooking classes throughout the trek as well. I don't know exactly what I will be doing for the travel time but I do know that I will be relaxing, making memories and exploring our beautiful earth. You may be asking yourself about my other future plans. Camp? School? Marriage? Kids? 401K? I can honestly tell you I don't exactly know. All of those things interest me but my "plan" is to live my life in the best way possible and live it for me. I have been trying to learn to be more selfish and make decisions for me. Make decisions about what is best for me. I know that might worry some of my protectors out there and I love your concern but just know that it is because of your support that I am able to do things like this. I cannot tell you how many friends and family members have told me how much the envy me or have expressed how they would NEVER be able to do what i'm doing. I know it's not for everyone. I know a life of hostel jumping and communicating only through smiling and hand gestures is not appealing to many but for me it is amazing. It gives me energy and excitement. When I am an old lady and I am sharing stories and photos with the little people in my life I can't wait to inspire in them what the world travelers in my life have done for me. So thank you everyone who has helped me want to eat strange food, swim with sea turtles and live out of a back pack. You Rock!