Lace up your traveling sandals…

To Budapest: 19+ hours
To St. Petersburg: 65+ hours

All aboard.

In the past week, the travel department of markljackson.com has been working at breakneck pace. Next weekend, I will be off to Budapest for a couple days. Despite the fact that it will take over 19 hours to get there, I take heart in the fact that I will be at my destination longer than my travel time. Obviously, pictures and documentation will be on its way.

Also, it looks very likely that I will be able to go to St. Petersburg in March for work. This is a big one folks. And, of course, if we are with in striking distance of Moscow, we wander over there too. The twist in this little fantasy world I live in is, again, mode of travel. It will take no less than 65 hours each way. This is what happens when you have more time than money - could be really bad, could be really good. Again, this is in the works; but, if I had to bet on it now, I would say it is happening.

Other cities on the ‘likely list’ for before September are Athens and Istanbul (definitely happening). Not bad.

The Big Trip.

But, of course, the real show is after I finish my service here. The Peace Corps gives us a modest sum of money to let us ‘get on our feet’ once we get back to the States. Some volunteers use part of that money to travel – I am one of those Volunteers. Africa? Central Asia? The Tsunami region? Pure Travel? Mini Volunteering projects? Who knows? Not me.

Anyone with any ideas, tips, stories, tricks,… Let me know. Every time I look at a world map and try to plan for this, I well up with blinding excitement. The same giddiness that made me rip open every Christmas present in less than five minutes has now manifested itself into me trying to plot a ‘safe’ route from Jerusalem to Cape Town. I really have no idea what I will end up doing, but it will be good.

Well, back to dog-earing pages in the travel books and pouring over maps…More to come…Take care.

A good traveler has no fixed plans,
and is not intent on arriving.
~Lao Tzu [my kind of guy.]

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