No more human pin cushion for me – I finished my vaccinations today! Brian also got the last of his hepatitis this week. Yay, Guatemala, here we come!
Now we just need to look into malaria pills. I don’t think we’ll need them for our plans in Guatemala, but better safe than sorry (we could need them for remote areas). We also need some cipro.
I just wanted to do a quick little update dealing with easy money. Remember those CD’s Brian and I stashed away last August (If not, that’s OK. You can read up on it here.)? They took a whole 10 minutes to set up at the bank and have been accumulating cash ever since (we’re up to $270 for 10 minutes of work!). The one year anniversary recently passed, so I just wanted to show you all our pride and joy: when our money makes us more money!
Life is significantly less expensive back in Normal, Illinois. Sure, there are no big-city lights nearby to draw us in, but that’s a good thing when you’re still wanting to put some money in the bank. I feel as though I had finally gotten used to the sticker prices of New York making the move back to boring old Normal a little bit more interesting than I was imagining. Here is a list of some items of note:
These are the top 3 things that make coming back to the Land of Cheap Things so great!
…try to take over the world!
I can’t help but think about some of my favorite childhood cartoon characters, Pinky and the Brain, when I think about planning an RTW trip. The trip is a major feat in itself, but to take over the world?! I can’t even imagine the kind of planning that would go into such a task! Luckily I’m just planning on passing through a couple of countries here and there, so my job should be easy, right?
Wrong.
But how can that be? Our trip plan has changed drastically with the new job offer and whatnot, making for smaller trips to plan, yet still I feel a little overwhelmed. We will be spending 1 1/2 – 2 months in Central America this winter, and still I only really know where we are taking our Spanish lessons.
Is it cool that we don’t have any real plans except for some plane tickets? Is 1 1/2 – 2 months enough time to just “wing it”, or should we have some base itinerary to work off of? Maybe we’ll just buy a couple of Lonely Planet guidebooks and set off. With only FOUR months to go I probably need to kick it into high gear!
Riddle me this: Why do Brian & Brooke and a ’93 Jeep Grand Cherokee go together like oil and water?
Answer: This year has been plagued with car-tastrophy, starting with the “i feel like fish” car accident, continuing with the Sears oil change disaster, and reappearing with the most recent weekend from Hell!
Our summer in White Plains, NY was coming to a close, and then came the *fun* part of packing and cleaning. Our departure was set for Friday, August 17th with an ETA in Normal, IL on Saturday around 5pm. This schedule was going to give us a good day to unpack and get situated before starting work (Brooke) and school (Brian) on Monday the 20th.
By 4pm, the car was tightly packed and we were on our way to drop off our cable modem before officially hitting the road for our long drive home. It wasn’t more than 5-10 minutes in when it happened. We heard a loud boom and then the clankity-clankity sound that something dangling and dragging from the car might make. Time kind of slowed down as we made our way to curb, blinkers flashing.
“Can this really be happening to us now?” I thought to myself.
As I opened the car door, I immediately saw a pool of oil floating down the street. A quick peak under the car brought us to a grim realization. Nothing was dangling from the car, but given the pool of oil and our recent history (Sears oil change disaster), we knew this was not good. Just as I was looking at the back of the car at all of our stuff – the computers, the bikes, our clothes – the rain started pouring down.
Meanwhile, Brian was in the car, frantically dialing coworkers to get some local tow-truck information. We waited in the car, in the rain, in silence, until the tow-truck guy came to the rescue.
Tow-Truck guy’s name was Chris, and he was a very forward person with a New York style accent. He was there to work.
“Get out,” he barked to Brian. “Get in the truck.” He was obviously not a mess-around type of guy.
We get in the truck and he shows a side of concern because it was almost 5 o’clock on a Friday night. All the shops in White Plains like to close for the weekend, and we soon found out that just because you are homeless and not officially from the area doesn’t mean they will give you their last few minutes of business.
Chris, however, was great – pure salesman to the bone. He was dialing every number of every shop he could think of and really selling the situation. Afterall, we just wanted someone to take a quick look and give us a diagnosis because at this moment, we knew nothing about the matter. Is it a quick fix, or did the car just die? Finally, a lightbulb goes off as he remembers this one shop on Ferris Avenue. They stay open later than the others, as well as on Saturdays.
As he dials the number, “Oh, yeah, this guy is great. Keeps his shop clean. Works real hard. He’s driving all the other shops out of business!”
We pull in to the shop, Autolex, and pop a squat in the waiting room as the guys take a quick look under the hood. A few minutes later, Alejandro, the owner, comes in and gives us the news.
“Your engine is dead.”
The shop guys lifted the car so we could take a look underneath to get a better idea of what went wrong, and wow, something really went wrong! There was a huge gash in the engine and bits of metal strewn about, which they believed to be pieces of piston that exploded, killing the engine. After they realized that the car only had 85,000 miles on it and not 185,000 as initially suspected, they became very concerned. This car was babied before Brian got it, and now the engine exploded internally? We told them the story of the Sears oil change disaster and they definitely agreed this was correlated. That little bit of knowledge gave us a small piece of inner satisfaction.
After the initial shock, we had to try and think straight. How are we getting home? Where are we going to stay? What about our stuff? The shop guys were more helpful than I ever would have imagined. They knew we were homeless and not officially from the area, and they cared! Alejandro gave us rental car place numbers, hotel numbers, and taxi numbers so we could have all options available to us right away. It was, afterall, getting late on a Friday evening. After much distress with the car rental places, Alejandro gave us yet another option – put in a new engine.
The engine and labor would cost $1500. There was one nearby that they could get on Saturday morning and put in that day, setting our departure time for Saturday night. We agreed this would be the best option seeing how we still had a car load of stuff to haul and would otherwise be car-less when back in Illinois. Alejandro gave us his cell phone number, and Carlos, another mechanic, gave us a ride to our hotel!
Unfortunately, all good things must end, and so did our joy (at least my joy – Brian slept like a rock). I never quite fell asleep into that good night like my counterpart, and the reason became quite clear around 3 am. Something in that Chinese food made me extremely sick to my stomach. I think I might have scrounged up 1 1/2 hours of sleep at most.
To make matters worse, the entire day Saturday was spent waiting in agony in the hotel lobby, trying not to be sick, for that call-back from Autolex. How exactly do you pass 8 hours in a hotel lobby? I honestly can’t remember how most of that day transpired. I just remember getting a call-back around 5 pm that we could come back to the shop.
Anticipation was killer. Our taxi dropped us off at Autolex, but the guys were still hands-in-the-engine working away. I felt a little uneasy. These guys were doing a 2 or 3 day job for us in just one. They turned away other business just to help us out. I tried to pick up if I could hear bits of laughter or frustration to get an idea of their mood. I noticed on the board their posted hours for Saturday were 8am-3pm. A quick glance at the clock showed 6pm, 3 hours later than normal. My stomach dropped. But, wait! Laughter! They are still having good attitudes. Whew, what a relief!
Finally, the moment of truth. Start your engines!
The car didn’t start the first time, the second time, or even the third time. Brian and I felt sick, but it was more for the shop guys who just busted their butts all day for this engine, for us, to have it not work in the end.
The guys didn’t stop. A few short, yet agonizing, minutes later, the car started. We clapped and cheered! The car lives!
It was 8pm before we were given the keys to the jeep and set off on our way. Armed with Alejandro’s cell phone number, oil, antifreeze, and new-found car knowledge, our first stop was to finish the task we never quite made it to yesterday of dropping off our cable modem. The guy Brian spoke to on the phone said there was a drop-box at this location, but to our dismay, there was only a mail slot. The modem fit through the slot, but the charger didn’t make it as far as the front porch. At that moment, we were just like charge us the $50 and get it over with.
We drove like the dickens, making it about halfway into Pennsylvania around midnight. Since I was nodding off, we figured it was a good time to find a bed somewhere, but yes, they were all booked up for 50 miles in either direction! Silly us! It is mid-August, prime vacation time, and we didn’t call ahead anywhere.
It was actually too much for either of us to handle. The only other thing we could think of doing was pulling into a rest area for a few hours of shut-eye. It wasn’t long before we found one to park at. Initially it seemed like a great idea, but since we didn’t plan for this, it made falling asleep difficult. Our car was packed too full to recline the seats! Our comfort level, or rather discomfort level, kept us from getting much sleep at all. Yes, folks, I think I got 2 hours of sleep. Let’s add that up: 1 1/2 hours on Friday night + 2 hours on Saturday night = 3 1/2 hours of sleep in 2 days.
Brian, luckily, managed to get more sleep than me yet again. I had to wake him at 6 am to get rollin’ before traffic started to pick up. I love early Sunday morning drives, especially when it starts to rain heavily.
We just couldn’t catch a break that weekend. Not only were we driving across 4 states that day, but we were also driving through pretty bad storms the entire way. Even worse, our “check engine” light came on in Ohio, forcing us to pull over under a bridge to check the fluids. We popped the hood, and as I was checking the oil, the troopers pulled up to make sure everything was OK. Everything ended up being ok and we proceeded on our hurricane route for home.
My mom met us at our new apartment in Normal, IL with my keys. She helped us unload the jeep (thanks mom!) and get settled. Finally home! But, wait… Where’s my desk? Why is there only a twin bed? And, why are there no 3-prong plugs anywhere in this place?!
Just when you’re feeling the adventure is over, there’s more! The apartment we chose for this fall was a furnished place, meaning we could leave our other furniture in storage. I ended up having to set my computer up on the breakfast nook, sitting on a hard, wooden bar stool. Brian ended up sleeping on couch cushions on the floor, while I slept on the twin bed. Before all this could happen, we had to run to the store to get some 3-prong plug adapters. And before we could call it a night, we had to call our Internet Service Provider to find out why our connection wasn’t working.
We made it! We made it back to Illinois in time for work and school on Monday. It took another day to realize we were actually in Normal, but when we went shopping the other night and almost got into an accident 3 times, I knew we were home.
THE END!!!!
*Autolex – 164 Ferris Ave, White Plains, NY 10603 914-428-9101
These guys worked super hard to help us get our jeep fixed up. Best shop around!
**Sears Oil Change Disaster – In May, Brian took his jeep to Sears for a routine oil change, only to find the next day he had driven it on little or no oil because of their mistake.
Sure, giving up all conveniences and comforts of modern life can help you stash away loads of cash for your upcoming travels in a short amount of time, but just how much shoestringing is too much?
The answer would be a year’s worth.
A little over a year ago I was dead set on saving as much money as I possibly could for my round-the-world travels. Only now the effects and stress of being “less than happy” in the present day is becoming apparent in more than just a constant thought in the back of my mind. This past year has had a lot of triumphs, but there have also been many defeats.
Aggrandizing the cause in the beginning is one of the most exciting parts of preparing. Saying such things as, “If I don’t eat today I can save $20 for the trip!” seem so reasonable when thoughts of riding camels and trekking Nepal dance in the head.
Well people, I’m waving my little white flag. I’M TAKING A VACATION! Yep, you heard me, Brooke is taking some time away from her work, her trip, and her computer for a week of something that’s not this. I am taking my GRE on September 21, and have the entire next week off work for whatever I want. I was planning on doing an archaeological week in Colorado, but the program filled up as I was reserving a spot. Now, who knows. Maybe I’ll go to the Caribbean to see my friend, Bethany, or perhaps I’ll go to the southwest for some hiking. Any suggestions???
Moral of the story: There has to be some happy medium when saving for your trip. Giving up everything is ok for a short amount of time, but can be stressful longer term. Find ways to take time off and relax to help bide your time. 
Recycling was originally one of our main money-saving categories for the trip, but the effect fizzled out when we cashed in our 9 months of saving cans in Normal, IL for about six bucks. The amount was so measley I didn’t even add it to the statistics page. I had decided to drop the recycling category from our savings focus, but not give up on recycling altogether (because I’m not just doing it for the money). There is, afterall, that whole environment and conservation issue to tend to.
However, in my little over two months in New York, I realized that for some people in some locations, you might be able to make a pretty penny by collecting cans, or bottles for that matter. My entire life, I had always skimmed over the section on cans and bottles that lists a few states and then a big “5 cents” next to them because it did not pertain to me. Ah, but this summer, that is another story. We now receive 5 cents for each can or bottle we bring in, and by bring in, I don’t mean we have to haul this stuff to smelly factory buildings on the wrong side of downtown. We simply bring them to the grocery store!
The first time I saw the recycling rooms by the grocery stores I was floored. There are machines, each labeled “bottles” or “cans”, that you feed your recyclables into while it tallies up your total. When you’re done, it spits out a ticket that you exchange in the store for cold-hard cash! Let’s pause for just a second while I contain my joy.
Ok, I’m contained.
Brian and I gathered our recyclables and headed to the store for collection. When we walked in we saw a bum in there with a shopping cart filled to the brim with said recyclables.
I turned to Brian and said, “That dude is making a bundle!”
With money signs in our eyes, we each took to a machine and started feeding, Brian next to the bum. We grabbed our tickets and proceeded on to do our weekly shopping (another one of our money-saving tactics — do all your shopping at once so you can keep better track of your spending). Brian then started to complain about an itch. He started scratching his neck, then his back, and then all over. Brian was scratching so hard he turned red.
“That bum gave me fleas!” he shouted.
Shopping was actually cut short because of his discomfort so he could run home for a shower. Even though I felt bad, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the situation, which in turn just made Brian more frustrated. Woops.
Besides that whole escapade, we thoroughly enjoy recycling in New York. We have, in just over 2 months, made more money from reclycing than we did in the previous 9 months in Normal, IL. So, before you throw out your cans, think twice. Those are nickels you could be adding to your jar-o-change!
It’s 8:30 in the morning. I log in, check my messages and email, and update my tickets. A few minutes pass. I am called on the phones because it becomes too busy for our downsized help center to handle. My first call of the day has me rolling my eyes as someone panics that their computer won’t start. I am ambivalent. I yawn and pass a ticket to 2nd level. I’m still sleeping as I take the next call. Checking the clock, “Only 1 1/2 hours ’til break,” I tell myself.
This is my life. I used to say I was living day-to-day, but now it’s getting tougher, and I’m living break-to-break. Maybe it is that I know there’s something to look forward to at the end of the year and the anticipation is making it unbearable. No, I doubt that is the case.
Without the goal of saving up thousands and thousands of dollars for my upcoming travels, I’m not so sure I would have made it this far in the call-center job environment. However, sticking it out this long has brought me to some realizations and conclusions about myself and my future I don’t think I would have attained if I had been floating from job to job. Here’s a list:
These are some important attributes to take into account when trying to plan for career happiness. That brings us to our travel plans. I’m hoping to integrate furthering my education with traveling the world. It’s time to stop living break-to-break.
Put your hands up.
Now put one hand down.
You can now count the number of months until our Central America excursion, and the beginning of a long and interesting journey afterwards, on that one hand. Five months to go people. Five itty bitty, teeny tiny, count-it-on-one-hand months.
Wow.
I started planning this trip about 13 months ago, and there have been various moments, or landmarks, during this time where I thought I felt it. Buying the backpack proved I had every intention of going somewhere, whether it be circumnavigating the globe, or just to the beach. I had my bag. When I called to start the vaccine process, I thought to myself about how exotic that location would be. Then, when we bought the first plane ticket, I thought I felt it, as I finally knew where that exotic place was located.
When I say I felt it, I am referring to the feeling of dream becoming reality. When you’re constantly planning for an event so far in the future, the day-to-day struggles take away from the realization of the event’s magnitude. It isn’t until you hit one of these landmarks that you take a step back from the small details and see the big picture again. The excitement rolls over your body.
In all of these previous moments, I thought I felt it, but now, while looking down at my hand and knowing we are so close, I can’t help but think about all the items I still need to cross off my list, how much money I have saved, and where I see myself in a year. At this moment, I am inundated with excitement, anxiety, nervousness, joy… the reality of a decision made 13 months ago to leave this country for adventure.
It just may shock you.
Everyone knows I’ve been super fanatical about saving money for our RTW trip, and even though that specific plan might now be placed on the backburner, I’m not about to go and blow all the dough I’ve saved on some shopping spree. Oh, no, I still have travelling to do with that money. I am still super-money-conscious Brooke.
Our site has gotten away from us recently, and in an attempt to regain the old pre-trip funding character we loved, I’m going to share a little tip that might help speed that whole saving process up for you all — how to give up cable TV.
*GASP!* Give up cable TV, are you nuts?!
Yes, I am.
But, besides that fact, there’s something else you must know. Way back when we were a couple of “wet behind the ears” RTW trip savers, we thought that subscribing to a DVD-in-the-mail service was the way to go – only a couple bucks a month for many, many movies. However, I’m not so sure anymore. We cancelled that back in April as we just couldn’t take watching anymore bad movies. No, you no longer have to spend more money a month just to watch B-class movies while you countdown to take-off. I give you:
Hundreds of TV shows, multiple seasons, all at your finger tips, 24/7. Love the Sopranos, but don’t have HBO? No sweat! Want to relive your childhood with shows like, “Salute Your Shorts,” “You can’t do that on television,” and “The Secret World of Alex Mack”? You got it! I hope you all enjoy this little morsel of television goodness. I know I do.
