Well, the Russian visas anyway. Just eleven days until we leave and we have finally received our Russian visas. Yay!!! Next step, the Chinese visas. From what I hear, this is a much more straight forward (and timely) process. Thought I'd let you all know.
More as it happens...
Monday, July 30, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
Only 14 days...
A short two weeks from today Elizabeth and I will be boarding a plane to London- and the adventure begins. Well, actually the planning process has been an adventure in and of itself, but the train riding, tree climbing adventures are coming up quickly. As our date of departure is nearing, I thought I would fill you in with a few more of the details of our itinerary in this posting.
Not satisfied with a simple six week round-the-world trip I have decided to begin my travels a week prior to our August 10th departure date. I'll be heading out August 3rd to go camping in the gorge with the incredible folks from my home community and the next day my sister Amanda and I will begin our road-trip down to Pasadena where Elizabeth lives. And so it begins...
L.A. will serve as the beginning and end of this trip. Our journey will take us through: England, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Mongolia & China. We will make six stops along the way to visit friends, see the sights, climb trees and see what sorts of mischief we can find (just kidding. well, mostly).
Not satisfied with a simple six week round-the-world trip I have decided to begin my travels a week prior to our August 10th departure date. I'll be heading out August 3rd to go camping in the gorge with the incredible folks from my home community and the next day my sister Amanda and I will begin our road-trip down to Pasadena where Elizabeth lives. And so it begins...
L.A. will serve as the beginning and end of this trip. Our journey will take us through: England, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Mongolia & China. We will make six stops along the way to visit friends, see the sights, climb trees and see what sorts of mischief we can find (just kidding. well, mostly).
Here is the basic rundown on the dates:
8/10 WE FLY OUT!!!
8/11-15 London
8/15-16 train days
8/16-19 Prague
8/19-21 train days
8/21-26 Moscow
8/26-30 train days
8/30-9/3 Irkutsk
9/3-7 train days
9/7-17 China- time split between Beijing & Shanghai
9/17 flying back to L.A. from Beijing
There you go, now you all can follow along as we make our way around the globe.
Okay friends, that's it for now. More as it happens...
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
How it all got started...
If you are reading this you probably know about the adventure that Elizabeth and I will be embarking on next month. In case you don't, no worries, I'll fill you in. Many of the conversations I've had over the last few months have gone a little something like this...
Katie: "...but then I'll be gone for most of August and September."
Someone else: "Oh yeah? Where will you be?"
Katie: "A little bit of everywhere actually. My friend Elizabeth and I are travelling from London to Beijing by train."
This is where some variation in the conversation can be found. The two most common responses are: "Are you crazy? Why?" or "Seriously? Can I come?" There hasn't really been much of a middle of the road reaction. The next question is always an inquiry into the origin of the trip plans. Since that is such a popular question I thought I would start out by giving you all some background on how the trip came to be.
This is the story of two girls from Portland. They met long ago when they were quite young (check out the picture: Elizabeth-front row second from the right, Katie-back row fourth from the left). Their first momentus bonding time was at the hula party Elizabeth had for her 5th birthday. Katie sported a mumu for this event and is regularly reminded of this fact by Elizabeth's mom. For the next couple of years the girls saw each other every week at Sunday school and birthday parties here and there. And then Elizabeth's family moved to Russia. The girls mostly lost touch, seeing each other only when Elizabeth's family came back for visits.
It was during one such visit that the groundwork was laid for this friendship to change once again. Katie had been helping Delisa (Elizabeth's mom) with some computer work when Delisa asked Katie if she would like to come to Russia to see what she had been helping with. Being the adventure-seeker that Katie was and still is, she didn't waste a moment in accepting the offer. Katie then spent a good chunk of the summer of 1999 with Elizabeth and her family in Russia.
In that time Elizabeth and Katie found out that they need not seek out adventure when they are together, for adventure had a way of finding them wherever they were, whether they were looking for it or not. The girls spent that summer exploring various Russian cities by bus and train, climbing trees, introducing the sport of leg wrestling to Russia (don't ask), and tagging along after British sightseers in St. Petersburg. They were sad to part when Katie returned home.
Thanks in part to the miracle of e-mail Katie and Elizabeth have kept in touch for the eight years following this whirlwind summer. During a phone call (nearly two years ago now) Katie mentioned that riding the full length of the Trans-Siberian Railway was her dream trip. Elizabeth responded that it was hers too. Used to being called crazy for wanting to take this trip Katie brushed off Elizabeth's response. "No really, it is," Elizabeth replied. Since then, Elizabeth and Katie have spent hours at a time on the phone with each other planning (that is when they don't get caught up discussing the latest episode of LOST) and bringing together the details of the trip.
And the rest is history. Well, actually all of that was history, but you know what I mean. That is how it all began. So now you know. And knowing is half the battle.
Katie: "...but then I'll be gone for most of August and September."
Someone else: "Oh yeah? Where will you be?"
Katie: "A little bit of everywhere actually. My friend Elizabeth and I are travelling from London to Beijing by train."
This is where some variation in the conversation can be found. The two most common responses are: "Are you crazy? Why?" or "Seriously? Can I come?" There hasn't really been much of a middle of the road reaction. The next question is always an inquiry into the origin of the trip plans. Since that is such a popular question I thought I would start out by giving you all some background on how the trip came to be.
--- --- ---
This is the story of two girls from Portland. They met long ago when they were quite young (check out the picture: Elizabeth-front row second from the right, Katie-back row fourth from the left). Their first momentus bonding time was at the hula party Elizabeth had for her 5th birthday. Katie sported a mumu for this event and is regularly reminded of this fact by Elizabeth's mom. For the next couple of years the girls saw each other every week at Sunday school and birthday parties here and there. And then Elizabeth's family moved to Russia. The girls mostly lost touch, seeing each other only when Elizabeth's family came back for visits.It was during one such visit that the groundwork was laid for this friendship to change once again. Katie had been helping Delisa (Elizabeth's mom) with some computer work when Delisa asked Katie if she would like to come to Russia to see what she had been helping with. Being the adventure-seeker that Katie was and still is, she didn't waste a moment in accepting the offer. Katie then spent a good chunk of the summer of 1999 with Elizabeth and her family in Russia.
In that time Elizabeth and Katie found out that they need not seek out adventure when they are together, for adventure had a way of finding them wherever they were, whether they were looking for it or not. The girls spent that summer exploring various Russian cities by bus and train, climbing trees, introducing the sport of leg wrestling to Russia (don't ask), and tagging along after British sightseers in St. Petersburg. They were sad to part when Katie returned home.
Thanks in part to the miracle of e-mail Katie and Elizabeth have kept in touch for the eight years following this whirlwind summer. During a phone call (nearly two years ago now) Katie mentioned that riding the full length of the Trans-Siberian Railway was her dream trip. Elizabeth responded that it was hers too. Used to being called crazy for wanting to take this trip Katie brushed off Elizabeth's response. "No really, it is," Elizabeth replied. Since then, Elizabeth and Katie have spent hours at a time on the phone with each other planning (that is when they don't get caught up discussing the latest episode of LOST) and bringing together the details of the trip.
And the rest is history. Well, actually all of that was history, but you know what I mean. That is how it all began. So now you know. And knowing is half the battle.
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