Click Confirm

January 8, 2013, In: Backpacking, Life, Travel

I wanted to write a post to all of the people who have written to me recently saying they are dying to take a trip like the one I am currently planning, but the timing isn’t right for them. That is a legitimate reason not to pull the trigger… yet!

I previously posted that this is a trip that I have casually talked about for a looooong time. It wouldn’t have been responsible for me to take this trip two years ago. Some people would say it still isn’t, but when they start talking I just smile, nod, and imagine myself riding an elephant in a pointy hat and it doesn’t bother me anymore. My point is, that just because you aren’t booking plane tickets today doesn’t mean you won’t. Make up your mind that someday you are going to “click confirm”. Write it down. Commit part of your heart to it… when the right moment comes along, you will know. And when it does… don’t look back.

 

Time To Move

 

 

The last 15 days have been a whirlwind of internet searches, price comparisons, last minute purchases, vaccinations, insurance headaches, and phone calls to recordings that are followed by terrible songs while I wait to talk to a “real” person. I wish I was writing to say “and now it’s all taken care of!” but I’m not! Hey, I still have 4.5 days… so there is no reason to panic. (ahhhhh!)

 

As I have been trying to get all of this taken care of, while still giving my company the 100% it deserves from 8-5, (let me tell you how hard it is not to google “things to do in Vietnam” while you are sitting at a desk with three computers!) I have realized that there will never be a “perfect time” to head off to the other side of the world. So while you are waiting for that “moment” to tell you the time is right…. don’t expect that moment will mean it’s going to be easy. Your moment probably won’t come as a visit from the vaccination fairy, telling you not to worry about malaria. You’re also probably not going to have some travel apparition telling you that your trip won’t interfere with anything at home.

 

You are never going to be completely “ready.” Now, is 19 days enough time to prepare for what has become an 8-week trek through Asia and Australia? Probably not. But sometimes you just have to commit to a dream and trust that if you work hard enough you can pull it off. For me, this time, it meant I had 19 days. My point is that no matter how long you have to prepare, when the moment comes, you aren’t going to feel 100% ready. Click. Confirm. Anyway.

 

Am I kicking myself for buying a round-trip ticket when it turns out I won’t be using the return? YES! But if I had waited to know my entire itinerary… I would still be planning, not going. Do I wish I had bought lightweight hiking clothes in the summer rather than in January? YES! Will it be inconvenient to carry a cooler around so that my Typhoid vaccine can stay refrigerated because I didn’t give myself enough time to take the full cycle before I leave the states? YES! But I’m gonna do it. Because I’m doing it. The moment came. And I clicked confirm.

    • Skip Nield
    • January 14, 2013
    Reply

    WOW! Sorry to see you leave FC, you made my first weeks here comfortable working with you on the company website redesign. Enjoy all that this trip puts in front of you and live in your dream!

    • TBM
    • January 10, 2013
    Reply

    I love and hate planning for a trip. I’m in the midst of planning a big one now–not as impressive as yours, but still big for us. It’s a hassle. It sounds like you are going on an amazing trip. I wish you a happy, safe, and adventurous trip.

    • Suzanne Hamels
    • January 8, 2013
    Reply

    Love this, Mindy…I can “hear” the excitement in your writing, but…what? You won’t be using the return??

    • Reply

      :) As it turns out… I added Australia to the trip, so now rather than coming home from Thailand, I will be coming home from Brisbane. Still coming home though!!

Leave a Comment

MOST RECENT IN "TRAVEL"

VIEW ALL
Goa India | I'm headed to india again | Walking thorugh wonderland

God is Great, I Gave Up Beer, and People Are Crazy | I’m headed to India – Again

I left off just as I was beginning to tell my tale of a month in India, and now I'm…
CONTINUE READING
Bullying in India | WTW

Begging, Bargaining and Bullying in India

If you thought yesterday's post sounded bizarre, today it gets even better. I like to call this one "Begging, Bargaining and…
CONTINUE READING
Goa Yoga School | WTW

My First Goa Yoga School & Why I Walked Away

The best advice I can give to someone who is looking to book a Goa yoga school for their 200…
CONTINUE READING
Stream of Consciousness First Impressions of India | WTW

Stream of Consciousness- My First Impressions Of India

I journaled a list of my "First Impressions Of India" as I flew from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai and Mumbai to…
CONTINUE READING

MOST RECENT IN "PROJECTS"

VIEW ALL
Website Design Mindy Arnholt Photography | WTW

Mindy Arnholt Photography Website

I finally decided to start a Mindy Arnholt Photography website. You know... because I am so good at keeping up with…
CONTINUE READING

Oh Baby! (Shower Invites)

I've been doing a whole lot of baby shower invitation designing lately. And sadly... the majority of these babies aren't…
CONTINUE READING
Christmas Card Designs | Walking Through Wonderland

Christmas Card Designs

I really love playing with design. If I had college to do over again (a regular dream of mine) I…
CONTINUE READING
Oki Hai Calendar | Walking Through Wonderland

2016 Okinawa Hai Calendar

Until Thanksgiving, I don't think I'd seen anyone socially in about two weeks. When I finally came out of hiding,…
CONTINUE READING

Meet Mindy

In 2013, I quit my job and bought a one-way ticket to Thailand. After four months of backpacking I returned to the States and fell in love with a guy whose job sent us straight back to Asia. Nothing has gone according to plan... and it's been absolutely magical.
Read more

Looking For Mindy Arnholt Photography?

Archives