The Alchemist

"The universe always conspires to help the dreamer." -"The Alchemist" Paulo Coelho

(thank you to Sol for the photo and inspiration)

So today after church I put my nose to the grind and began researching ticket prices for flights between overland travel to supplement my appending trip around the globe. I went to BootsNall which took me to AirTreks where I provided them with locations in which I plan to fly to in between my travel by bus/rail/car/foot/tuk tuk/camel/donkey/the list goes on....

Here is the itinerary I plugged in (the numbered items are the flights I plugged in, I'm not being charged of course for overland travel, I put those add-on approximated costs in {braces}).

Itinerary as of the present time (subject to change, most likely will)

1. Nashville, TN, USA > London, England (Gatwick)

London, England > Singapore :

-[overland by Eurail (Eurail Global Pass - 1 month) visiting Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, and Ukraine to Moscow (via rail from Kiev kupeyny and platskart {$70}] {add on approx. $718}

-[overland by Trans-Mongolian Railway, Moscow to Beijing - 26 days, see itinerary http://www.trans-siberia.com/tours-ultimate.html {add on approx. $2,870}

-[overland through China via bus/rail] {currently unestimated cost, details to come in future}

-[overland through Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia to Singapore via bus/rail/boat/light aircraft] {currently unestimated cost, details to come in future}

2. Singapore > Kuching, Malaysia

3. Kuching, Malaysia > Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok, Thailand > New Delhi, India:

-[overland through Burma (Myanmar) via tour bus/car (country insists on travelers being accompanied at almost all times, the only way an American citizen can enter the country is if they are part of a tour and with a visa...unless entering illegally....the consulate wouldn't like that.)] {currently costs are uncalculated, details to come}

-[overland through Bangladesh, into Nepal and Tibet to India (possible side trip to Bhutan depending on whether or not I can find a cheap package tour and aquire a visa as they are both requirements), Annapurna Base Camp trek (14 days $80), Everest Base Camp trek (15 days about with acclimatization $102 for flight to Lukla from Kathmandu via Yeti Airlines, 13 day trek paying guide $8 a day from Lukla to Everest Base Camp, accomodation is included in guides fee)]

4. New Delhi, India > Nairobi, Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya > Rome, Italy:

-[overland through Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, D.R. Congo and Sudan to Egypt via bus/car] {costs uncalculated, details to come}

-[overland/sea through Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Cyprus, Turkey by boat/bus/car {cost uncalculated, details to come}]

-[overland to Greece and oversea from Athens, Greece to Brindisi, Italy, overland to Rome (visit to Vatican City) {boat via Hellenic Mediterranean Lines (seat only) from Athens (Patras) to Brindisi, Italy $71, with %20 discount with Eurail card, other overland costs not yet estimated}]

5. Rome, Italy > Madrid, Spain:

Madrid, Spain > Paris, France:

-[overland through France via Eurail Regional Pass {about $233}

6. Paris, France > Nashville, TN, USA

The total costs for all the main flights is approx. $3,000, which is incredibly cheap considering a flight from Nashville to Sydney, Australia in itself if buying from Orbitz, Travelocity or Expedia is $2,000.

NOTE: This cost is not including all of the costs in braces and is not including such things as money needed for visas, accomodation, overland travel, food, etc.

"There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost. The world will not have it. Keep the channel open, follow your heart, and everything else will take care of itself."
-Martha Graham to Agnes Demille

Visa Costs

Bangladesh: $50
Bhutan: $70
Burma (Myanmar): $20 + proof of package tour
Cambodia: $20
China: $100
Congo (Democratic Republic of): $75 + yellow fever vaccine
Egypt: $15
India: $30
Jordan: $14
Kenya: $50 ($20 possibly can get transit visa for $20)
Laos: $30
Mongolia: $25 (traveling through via Trans-Mongolian Railway)
Nepal: $30
Russia: $30
Sudan: $150
Tanzania: $50
Tibet: (counts as Chinese visa, might have to pay extra to extend time on
visa because I'm visiting Tibet months after China)
Turkey: $20
Vietnam: $50 (from Kunming, China)
Zambia: $100 + yellow fever vaccine

Total: $929 in visa fees (Ugh! Subject to change!)

Earth my Body

Water my Blood

Air my Breath

Fire my Spirit

Travel Insurance

World Nomads Travel Insurance: $240 (per 6 months of travel)

Policy:
Emergency Medical & Dental USD $50,000
Provides benefits for
emergency medical and dental expenses you incur within the date of your policy.
Services must be provided by a licensed provider and must take place during your
trip. A $100 deductible applies to outpatient care. There is a $500 maximum on
all covered dental expenses.
Emergency Medical Evacuation USD
$500,000
Pays for emergency medical transportation services, authorized in
advance and organized by the World Access Hotline Center, and medically required
as a result of an injury or illness which occurs during the coverage period, to
have you moved to the nearest appropriate facility. Once you are able, we will
also pay to have you returned home.
Travel Accident USD $10,000
Provides
lump sum coverage for death and serious dismemberment directly resulting from a
covered Accident. The loss must occur within 365 days of the covered
Accident.
Baggage USD $2,500
Provides benefits for loss, damage or theft
of baggage and personal effects provided you have taken all reasonable measures
to protect, save and/or recover your property. Coverage is secondary to coverage
provided by a common carrier.
Sporting Equipment USD $1,000
Provides
coverage for specialist sporting equipment due to loss or damage by a common
carrier or theft of equipment during the trip.
Trip Cancellation or
interruption USD $1,000
Provides financial protection for expenses related to
trip cancellation or trip interruption caused by a covered event. Trip
cancellation provides reimbursement for prepaid, non-refundable expenses, up to
the amount of coverage.
Trip interruption coverage provides reimbursement
for the unused, non-refundable portion of your trip and increased transportation
costs for you to return home following a loss caused by a covered event.
Some examples of covered events are:
* Illness, injury or death of you,
a covered family member or traveling companion.
* Strikes, natural disasters
or bad weather that result in the complete cessation of services by an airline,
tour operator or cruise line for at least 24 hours.
* Employer termination
if you have been with the same employer for at least three continuous years, and
are terminated through no fault of your own after the effective date of this
insurance.
* You or a Traveling Companion being directly involved in a
traffic Accident while directly en route to a departure

Okay so whaddaya think? Keep in mind that these are all just small steps in the hundreds of miles I still have to cover in planning. These are ballpark figures, as I have yet to set the dates and amount of time I plan to spend in each country the estimated amount of my ticket costs will change slightly (I expect between $2,900-$3,500). Visa prices for some countries may change or even become impossible to get (the price I pay for being an American *wink wink*, but Bush will be out of office before long so my country options may expand hahaha) before travel time comes. The insurance price will definitely change as they only allowed me to put my dates of travel as next year, very unlikely if not impossible.

"...whoever you are, whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth. To realize one's Personal Legend is a person's only real obligation." - "The Alchemist" Paulo Coelho

"Furthermore, we have not even to risk the adventure alone; for the heroes of all time have gone before us; the labyrinth is thoroughly known; we have only to follow the thread of the hero-path. And where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god; where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves; where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence; where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world.” -"Hero With A Thousand Faces" Joseph Campbell

Oh yeah and.....

....puppies like chocolate cake too! (This is Luke).