The Waiting Game...

It's Thursday and we're about 80% packed. Clothes and personal items are actually only part of the preparations. In addition, we've registered the trip with the State Department (recommended for American citizens going to faraway lands); started our malaria pills; picked up the cash and the traveler's checks; stopped the paper and put a hold on the mail; left our instructions and itineraries with the kids; made the cheat sheets for all the various currencies we have to deal with; practiced hello, goodbye and thank you in five different languages; checked and re-checked the itinerary against the tickets (no errors!); learned how to use the international phone (not to mention that wonder of wonders, Skype! Do check it out if you haven't already); collected all the cords that go with all the electronic equipment we're taking; cleaned out the refrigerator; pre-paid the bills; and...well, you get the picture.

I want to thank the world's best travel agent, Barbara Wilks of Travel Directions, for working with me for months to get all these arrangements made. She is highly recommended if you need a travel agent extraordinaire. She has the patience of Job and the knowledge of Solomon, and besides that she is as nice as she can be. Barbara also found AsiaTransPacific Journeys, who handled all the specialized arrangements in Asia including 18 intra-Asia flights over and above the long around-the-world flights, two overnight train rides, one overnight boat ride, at least fifteen hotels, as many guides and drivers, and the logistics of putting it all together. Thanks to Pat O'Connell of ATPJ for getting everything worked out. We are prepared for glitches which are inevitable in any journey as complex as this, but we have total confidence that Barbara and Pat have done the best possible job of planning ahead for all possibilities.

Now all we have to do is wait....