To complete my knowledge I still need to learn to braid my bangs, lest they become unruly or excessively sweaty and ruin all of my travel photos (Worst Case Scenario).

Reporting in at the two-mark. Here is the progress to date:

Health Insurance –check. For those who care, BCAA provider with a $0 deductible. For trip budgeting purposes this came to just over$220.00.

Travel Immunizations -first round to start in a week. I’ve found it hard to nail down a concrete answer on which vaccines to get and much to my annoyance the doctor at the travel clinic will be charging $30 just for the consultation. I can’t help but feel that if I am going to invest another $250+ in my health, at your travel clinic, then maybe it should be waived. If I decide to consult you and then on my own initiative head to Costco and fill the prescriptions myself, then sure charge me a consultation fee. Then again, who has the time and patience for that.

Visa Applications –in progress.  Given that we’re staying in China for 10 days we certainly need travel visas. They’ve been printed, completed and an unflattering photo affixed in the corner. We’re considering Thai tourist visas but haven’t yet committed to the idea. Flying into Bangkok we’ll receive a 30 day visa upon arrival. If we arrange a tourist visa ahead of time then we will receive 60 days and opt for double entry, to be used within a 6 month period. I’d like to avoid border runs as much as possible. From what I hear, visas are cheap to procure on location but is the time/stress/travel cost redeeming? For $30 or $40 I’m not sure. Of course we could also engage in a bit more travel planning and create an itinerary that minimizes visa costs (ex: leave Thailand after 30 days, head to Laos or Cambodia and then back into Thailand at a later date). Anyway, the applications will be sent in just a couple weeks, such that they don’t expire before leaving for our destinations.

Footwear –check.

Backpack –check. [Yo thanks to my Bro]

Braiding –half check. Braiding, whhhat? Well with humidity, no styling tools, long hair and heck being a girl, I decided that learning to fishtail braid my hair was a top priority. After six (6) months of trying to learn, I tried a practical approach and created a ‘pony tail’ from yarn and studiously watched a youtube tutorial for two hours. Alas, check-fish tail braid. To complete my knowledge I still need to learn to braid my bangs, lest they become unruly or excessively sweaty and ruin all of my travel photos (Worst Case Scenerio).

Camera Knowledge –pending. I need to become more intimately acquainted with my new Nikon DSLR. [Yo thanks Parents]

So trip planning is coming together quite nicely, though planning our departure from Prince George (to Vancouver) is a whole other logistical challenge. Between downsizing and efficient packing I think I’ll be able to reduce my belongings to a spacial minimum, apart from my bed. We do have access to a truck but it will have to be returned to the north, which could possibly entail a three day road trip and 2,400 kilometres. Not a pleasant prospect, so it appears that I will have some thinking to do between now and the next post.