Comments on: This Is How it Begins

By: Josiane

Josiane — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:08:25 +0000

The packing getting less orderly as you go, the pre-trip anxiety, the overwhelmed feeling due to all the things left undone… that all sounds very familiar! Have a great trip, Chris!

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:22:19 +0000

Your writings reminded me of my friend’s daughter who just came back from a semester at sea. in her third year at university, she did a semester on a ship that travelled to many countries. During sea travel she went to classes and when they got to port she could travel and visit. She also had a blog and I could actually feel the wonderlust in her writing growing from one continent to the next. I am continually amazed at someone elses impressions of different events and cultural experiences. Everyone has their own special frame of reference and I enjoy reading about “that” in peoples’ travels. Yours is, I must say, quite refreshing. THANK YOU!

By: Diana

Diana — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 20:46:18 +0000

I’m jealous…

By: David

David — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:00:24 +0000

This was great to read. Last year when we lived in NE PDX, we didn’t have a car. When I traveled out of town, I had to do this same level of planning (public transit+rental+walking+nightbeforeanxiety).

Still, it’s fun to figure these things out.

There’s something exciting and fun about getting up before anyone else in your corner of the world and embarking on a long trip. Can’t explain it.

In Paul Theroux’s “Mosquito Coast,” Father says, “We’re talking about 4 o’clock in the morning courage. And who’s got that?”

Have you ever tried Zipcar? We’ve used Zipcars since we lived in Manhattan and D.C.. If you live in an urban area, there are lots of cars available and the rates stack up against car ownership (plus environmentally a good option).

We got by on Zipcars and public transit living in three different cities. We even took camping trips and visited far away friends.

(No, I don’t work for Zipcar. I just think it’s a fantastic idea.)

By: Colin Wright

Colin Wright — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:08:10 +0000

Great to see a step-by-step from someone who does this all the time. I get those pre-travel jitters when hopping from state to state, so I’m sure they’ll be even more intense when I set out for Argentina in a few months.

Good luck and keep us updated!

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:34:50 +0000

@David (8 comments up),

Some airports have express lines for people with elite cards from an airline (Gold, Platinum, etc.). In some cases this can help the process go a bit quicker, but in other cases the non-elite line actually moves faster – I can use either one.

I think CLEAR went out of business last week, which doesn’t surprise me since I didn’t think they offered much of a service.

By: ieishah

ieishah — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:32:15 +0000

this afternoon, i got off the plane in belgrade, and was greeted by young athletes from all over the world–ghana, korea, switzerland, brazil– all wearing their team colors. they were mingling and talking, exchanging facebook and orkut addresses, even if they couldn’t understand each other so well. it was the most beautiful mingling and mixing and oneness of mankind i’ve ever seen. as i read your post it occurs to me: moments like these are why i travel…

i’m off on a road trip to macedonia tomorrow; you wrote a post about gratefulness that was set in macedonia, no?

safe travels!

btw, the universiade games (like olympics for university athletes around the world) are being held in belgrade, that’s why nikola tesla airport looked like the un headquarters.

By: Roy

Roy — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:30:17 +0000

Have a great trip, I empathise with you about pre-trip nerves, I suffer from them myself.

Roy

By: Erica

Erica — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:03:30 +0000

Hi Chris,
I discovered your blog a few months ago, and, must say, it’s always an interesting read. Looking forward to more posts from your travels in South America!

By the way, sounds like a smart move to get a new hub in Portland.

By: Gianni

Gianni — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:39:13 +0000

“The more I travel, the more I realize that this kind of pre-trip anxiety is just part of how it works. [...] All of a sudden I feel alive, in a sense of being wide-awake that doesn’t come from coffee.”

Thanks Chris! You described exactly the way I – and, quite sure, many of us – feel when traveling to foreign countries.
(And, by the way, Chile is a soooo nice place – enjoy!)