So here are: a VERY brief and tentative schedule, what the coming trip will look like, with a few additions on things that must be done. The exhaustive list is being prepared now. But so everyone knows:
► AFRICA
1) Namibia, Nov 2009 - THIS IS RIGHT NOW!!! Chaz and I will start here, soon.
2) Botswana, Dec 2009. Swim in Okavango Delta. Maybe pet a hippo.
3) South Africa, Dec 2009. Try not to die. Drink some wine.
4) Lesotho, Dec 2009
5) Swaziland, Jan 2009
6) Mozambique, Jan 2009, Meet up with Eric and Natalie in Maputo. Travel along the coast, cross the Zambezi River and enter Malawi.
7) Malawi, Jan/Feb 2010: Get schisto in Lake Malawi?
8) Tanzania, Feb 2010
9) Kenya, Feb/Mar 2010, See Kilimanjaro. Probably climb 2 steps. Return later in life.
10)Rwanda, Feb/Mar 2010, Visit Mass graves
11)Uganda, Feb/Mar 2010, Visit Ruth and Embassy
12) Ethiopia, Mar 2010. Avoid land pirates.
13) Eritrea, Mar 2010. Fly across the Sudan to Egypt, hoping to not get shot down. Will probably skip, will leave out of Ethiopia
14) Egypt, March 2010: Cairo. Visit the pyramids. Attempt Sphinx riddle for universal knowledge. Leave for the holy land, Israel.
►THE MIDDLE EAST / EURASIA:
15) Israel- March 2010 – April 2010: Jerusalem and The Dead Sea, part ways with Chaz? Maybe. No idea yet. Go to Meggido, see if I'm the one that starts apocalypse.
16) Lebanon and Syria… Maybe skip - I really want to go to Damascus...perhaps reevaluate later. Say goodbye to Natalie and Heather.
*Maybe talk eric and chaz into going to Turkey, just for Istabul. or Constantinople. What it's calling itself these days. Crazy kids.
►EUROPE:
17-18) Greece, Italy
- April 2010: Take a boat or fly from Middle East. Eat tons of Feta. Visit Eric's girlfriend in Italy. I'm probably going to drag him to Messina. And Cinque Terra. and Rome....and....well, you get the idea.
19,20) Spain / France
- April 2010: At least Barcelona! May fly through. Want to see Nice, Paris, and Madrid too.
21) Belgium
- April 2010 – May 2010: Brussels sprouts. and Chocolate.
22.) Netherlands
- May 2010: Debauchery in Amsterdam. Meet up with Eric's buddy. Probably some of mine too. Go see Van Gogh Museum again. Stare at "Wheatfield with Crows" again for at least an hour.
23.) England
- May 2010 : Have a pint. Breathe. Probably take advantage of the health system and get a dental exam and physical
24,25) Scotland/Ireland
- May 2010: Massive Celebration. Swim in Guinness. Play wingman for Eric so he can mack on some redheads. Drink more Guinness. Fly back to the states drowning in debt. Remember to take Guinness home with me.
fin.
Go Big, or Go Home.
If you know ANYONE in ANY of these countries, willing to put up with me crashing a night or two, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know. it would help me out SO damn much.
T-minus one week. Jebus.
