3 Months to go

3 Months to go and I'm jabbed up to the eyeballs with vaccinations...!

Three jabs... left me feeling a bit groggy for a day or two, but nothing extreme. Think the sting to my bank account was more the thing that made me cringe.. what all the flyers and price sheets fail to inform you in the medical centres and doctors surgeries is that the prices listed are for each jab and not the whole course of three jabs (which is required in the cases for Hep B and Rabies).

You have been warned... and i have learnt!

Same time next Monday 24th and then Monday 1st Dec for the follow-up jabs to complete the courses.


Itinerary and NZ Visa

I have my forms for a NZ working visa which only takes a few weeks to sort and will be valid from the date i enter the country.

Altering of my Itinerary at STA went well, tho there was a £50 admin fee incurred for moving the choice of start date of the Latin America trip to the 20th Dec 09... Its all mounting up!


Chile Itinerary

Arrive at Santiago somewhere around the 1st of Dec 09 and the visit:

- Valparaiso / Vina del mar
- Chillan: market town
- Pucon: a few days here for a hike up volcan Villarrica
- Valdivia: for Spanish turrets and forts!
- Punta Natales: from here head for the local national park of Torres del Paine.. epic!
- Punta Arenas: final stop at the very southern tip of Chile to see the location referred to as 'The end of the world'!

Video Blog? Video of Itinerary!

Testing of Video Blog... V-Blog!

100 Days!

With 100 days to go! Ive quite a bit to sort and do...


Medical Issues

Yesterday i went to see the 'Traveldoc' on Regent street to consult him about the jabs I still require. This place offers a 10% discount as I've booked through STA and is reasonably cheaper than my local NHS nurses practice. Heres how the remaining medical costs are racking up:

• Hepatitis B jab - £37
• Rabies - £47
• Yellowfever - £47

Plus malaria prophylaxis drugs: Melfloquine - £48

Jabs appointment for Monday 17th Nov...


Traveling Money

After considering several credit cards and Mastercard alternatives I'm looking at a STA travel Mastercard cash card, which is accepted around the world, has excellent security features and is designed for travelers. This should be a suitable alternative to an actual credit card, which I've never been to comfortable with the idea of...


Visas

I've also been looking at several sources of acquiring a NZ working visa. After scouring several websites and phoning for a couple of price quotes I've once again decided that STA's is economically the best choice, undercutting other prices by at least £20. A holiday visa is also needed for OZ at a small cost of £20.


Itinerary

Once again I'm considering adjusting my itinerary... this time to make it a little more flexible in places and allowing myself more freedom for traveling about, namely in New Zealand, allowing the possibility for me to visit west OZ and maybe Indonesia. After all, isn't that what travelings about? ~Being free!~ The adjustments would also make the South American part of the trip fit into the summer season better, tho i'm not quite sure where I'd end up around Christmas or new years... lol I may also end up in Rio in Feb 2010 for the greatest carnival on Earth ...

The alterations would be simple at this stage, with no loss of any deposits and the moving of a few flight dates. The inspiration for the changes came from several sources; an indepth conversation with Ben from the alley about traveling, discussion about how i like things to work and how I am as a person with John from Bistro and my own thoughts considering the whole point of me traveling and why I want to do this. The last sentiment may hold the answer to the big looming question about what I want to do after I've traveled...

South East Asian Jaunt

So, the Thailand trip has been paid for in full and my place confirmed! This cost me about £450, which is £50 more than i budgeted, but Stewart the guy sorting all my stuff at STA managed to get with a few bits of discounts et c. So thats sweet! Included for the price is Hill tribe treks, elephant rides, tours, accommodation blah blah blah..

http://www.intrepidtravel.com/trips/TRM


Also a £100 deposit has been put down on the Latin American cross continent adventure trip... I have a balance of over £1500 to pay before the end of January tho... Ouch! looks amazing tho and includes lots of touristy passes, tours on top of cooks and porters, meals accommodation. The price keeps rising aswell.... week by week. I reckon the best decision was to put the deposit down asap and get it at that selling price.

http://www.gapadventures.com/tour/SXMR

Need to learn some Spanish and get vaccinations done....


Planning....