There And Back Again

For those Tolkien fans, you know that's the subtitle to The Hobbit.  I've always loved that book, and that title.  It implies a great journey and a safe return.  And that's what I'm about to embark upon, a great journey.

On Friday I leave for a two month sabbatical.  Technically it's an "extended leave of absence" which means it's unpaid and I have to pay for my benefits while I'm gone, but I like the word sabbatical better.  And what am I doing on this sabbatical, what quest?  Well, mainly travel.  I'm going to Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.

So the question I always get is, why those place, why now, etc.  Well when I left the Navy, I spent a month in New Zealand and a month in Australia.  BEST TIME EVER.  And I've been with my company for over 15 years now, and I just had a certain milestone birthday, so I'm like why not?  I mean, this whole trip will probably be less than a new sports car.  So just chalk it up to part of my continuing mid-life crisis.  I'm going to Australia and New Zealand to hopefully recapture/relive some of the wonderful experiences I had the first time I was there.  And then (with exception of a short port visit to Pattaya Beach when I was in the Navy), I've never been to Thailand, Cambodia,  Myanmar, and Fiji.  I've always been fascinated with Angkor Wat so I wanted to do that and I've recently discovered Bagan so I'm making a quick trip there when I'm in Myanmar.  And Fiji?  Well a little beach time in a hut on a sparkling blue lagoon sound just about perfect, right?

When I did this last time, I was young and fairly carefree.  I'm a little bit more anxious about this trip.  It's a little bit out side of my comfort zone.  Plus going to Asia means shots!  I've had two Hep A/Hep B shots, two Japanese Encephalitis shorts, a polio booster, a series of typhoid pills, and I'll start my malaria pills when I get on the plane.  So good times.  But I'm sure it will be all worth it.  

Anyways, please follow along on my travels!