We get asked often what our “travel itinerary” is. For those of you who have been keeping up with our preparations for a while, you know that I’m not the most spontaneous person in the world. I am a Type A personality that has every moment of the day planned and has milestones and goals to make my way through life.
So knowing that the only way to grow is to put yourself in unfamiliar situations, Shaun and I are planning to un-plan. I can tell you the countries we are shooting for but as for dates, times, and exact locations, I can’t tell you much past our first week out. All I know is that we have our budget and we will be trying to stay out as long as possible. We’re thinking a year-ish. And who knows, if we can figure out how to make money, we could be Over Yonderlust in Southeast Asia next!
So after we drive to Phoenix to drop off our car with some friends, our first destination will be:
1. Mexico
Puerto Vallarta to be exact. From there we are heading to Sayulita to participate in some much needed surfing lessons and to hang out on the beach for a week. We haven’t been on a relaxing trip since our honeymoon – damn near 7 years ago. We are also using this awesome resource to make our way through Mexico – Maitravelsite’s Mai Concise Guide of Mexico! Federico has created an useful guide to Mexico complete with places to go with discounted rates and introductions to the various areas of Mexico many people visit. His descriptions definitely give a great heads up on what to expect from the city you are visiting.
As for the rest of Mexico, I know we want to visit Volcan Paricutin, the ruins in Mexico City, and Oaxaca, we are just kind of going with it to figure out where we will end up.
2. Guatemala
This is where Shaun gets to get his feet wet withlearning Spanish. After taking a few weeks of Spanish lessons in Xela, we hope to move on to the ruins of Tikal and to check out current archaeological digs. We’re nerds and I’m looking to nerd it up to the max.
3. Honduras
SCUBA certification awaits us in Utila… and after that – who knows?
4. Nicaragua
A voice is calling us to sled down the volcano. I know Shaun is looking to try and beat a speed record.
5. Costa Rica
We have been dreaming of going to Costa Rica for years. We are hoping to make this our base camp for at least a month and all suggestions for finding an apartment is appreciated. Ziplining, surfing, hiking, and eco tourism awaits us!
6. Panama
We are collectors of “Wonders of the World” and plan to make our way to the Panama Canal. I am looking forward to the catamaran cruise that will take us to:
7. Colombia
Trekking to the Lost City and the mud volcano are definitely on our to do list. Other than that we are staying with a friend in Bogota for good times of dancing, drinking, and salsa lessons (can we say video of Shaun?).
8. Ecuador
By now I should have taken a million notes from Ayngelina’s blog Bacon is Magic. I know she is an avid fan of Ecuador and I’m sure I’ll be bugging her for advice. If a small miracle happens we will be able to finagle a trip to the Galapagos Islands.
9. Peru
You know that scene in Up where the main characters dream of going to that one waterfall their entire life? This is what Machu Picchu is for Shaun and I. I don’t care if it is cliche or overrated. This is one site that I have been dreaming about since I held my first National Geographic in my hands.
10. Bolivia
My adrenaline fix. Amazon River cruises, salt flats, and flying down the World’s Most Dangerous Road on a mountain bike. I’m a little excited.
11. Chile
Shaun is really looking forward to some snowboarding time if we happen to catch the end of the season. As your resident lush, I am really looking forward to meandering around the vineyards.
12. Argentina
After visiting our friend in Salta and getting to know that area for a while, Shaun and I will be setting up our second base camp, Buenos Aires. Tango lessons, night life, meat and wine – this sounds like the perfect combination. After our month there in an apartment, Patagonia calls. If another miracle happens to befall us, we will be going on an Antarctic cruise.
Honorary Mentions:
Possible countries:
Cuba: I mean…. NO, not there… Americans aren’t allowed to spend money there. *cough*
Brazil: Depending on how much money we have by the time we finish up Argentina, we may pop on over.
Please note: If you have any suggestions, please let us know! We’re trying to go with the flow as much as possible and would love to hear what you have to say! Just because a country is not listed does not mean we will not be visiting.
6 Days until we leave!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Disclosure: I did receive the Concise Guide to Mexico for free; however, I would not suggest it if I truly did not view it as a valuable source.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
wow these are all the coolest place I want to go. I can’t wait for all the cool stories you’re going to share on your blog.
YAY! So excited you’re getting your certifications!
this is going to be SO AMAZING!!! so happy for you two!!! and IT IS SO CLOSE!!! 🙂
Wow, only 6 days?! Looks like an awesome itinerary! One of these days I’ll make it back to South America… if I can ever get myself out of Asia.
@Sarah: You are so quick to comment girlie! <3 I can't wait to HAVE stories to tell!
@Kristin: This is definitely something I’ve been looking forward to for some time!
@Lorna: EEEEEEEEEEE I can’t believe it is in less than a week!
@Sally: What I thought was going to be an eternity – rushed by quickly. I can’t believe it is already here. One of these days I’ll get back to Asia. I miss it dearly.
What a great itinerary! I’m exhausted just reading about all your activities! (And please get video of Shaun dancing. Hee.)
It’s awesome that you’re leaving it as open as possible. You won’t regret that. My own itinerary changed so much, mostly because I kept meeting awesome people with whom I wanted to travel. Also, a few of my mates have a very strict itinerary and I think they’re already starting to regret it. They also have to change it because one of them dislocated his shoulder in Vang Vieng (this does not surprise me whatsoever — it’s my insane friend Ste if you remember from my many posts about him). So be BREEZY!
Good luck and have a blast!
Wow, I can’t believe you’re leaving so soon, SO EXCITING!
It sounds like an amazing trip and I can’t wait to read all about it 😀
@Kate: Why hello there girlie! The videos are embarrassing both of us at the same time. I have no athletic bones in my body while Shaun lacks rhythm like a SOB.
I have gained so much inspiration from you guys with the lack of itinerary. The adventures you get into would not have been possible had you not taken that leap. I’m looking forward to things just like that. And poor Ste! <3
@Lauren: I KNOW. I just want it to start now. All this preparation is actually coming to fruition! EEEEEEeeee!
Wow! Love all the places you are going. Guatemala is a favorite of mine, so let me know if you need any recs. Also, I got my advanced divers on Utila with Parrots Divers and they were a solid option…it’s really backpackery and hard to tell which are the best, but I was overall happy with them 🙂
So excited for you!
I’m really excited for your trip. I have to say that I feel like I don’t know as much as I should about Latin America even though I speak pretty decent Spanish. How odd is that? I have to been to Cuba (legally), and I would love to go back. I didn’t get to go to Havana, but I did like the small city feel of Santiago de Cuba, where I went for a conference. Also if you do get to go to Brazil, I’d say definitely hit up the Northeast. I really enjoyed Salvador and would have really enjoyed exploring the smaller beach towns in Northeast Brazil. Have a wonderful time and looking forward to reading along!
These are all fabulous destinations, each with plenty to offer. I’m sure you’ll have more than one lifetime of memories after traveling through them! I am fairly Type A too, and when I started on this trip I had the first few months planned out. But I found that serendipity worked its magic and some of the more smile-inducing memories are from places that weren’t even on my initial itinerary. Safe travels to the both of you and looking forward to reading all about it!
Sounds AWESOME! I look forward to your posts and wish you the best possible luck in doing everything you want! As a fellow type a, I also can’t wait to see how you do without a definitive schedule. Just thinking about not having one makes my stomach queasy!
PRomise us you’ll keep in touch. Even though it seems you’ll b right behind us in SOuth America we might lag long enough for you to catch up. Would lv to meet up!
Your itinerary looks fabulous! I’m a Type A personality too, it’s hard to open yourself up to the unplanned when you feel the urge to map out all the details. You’ll find your balance though, it looks like you’re going to have the time of your life 🙂
For a non-itinerary it looks pretty cool. All the best to you two.
You should really write a post on photography tips. How you take such amazing photos… seriously. Unless you already have. Then I am sir suck a lot.
Twitter me and let me know if you have, I didn’t seem to find any, but I also didn’t look super hard haha @_thetraveller_
The itinery looks superb!
I’m also looking forward to see that you make similar pics yourself soon!
OMG you saved the BEST 2 countries for maybe!?! Nooooooooooo, you MUST go to Cuba AND Brasil haha. Although, you will go crazy in Argie. 🙂
You will find beautiful people in all of those countries, please try and make it to Brazil, it’s still n.1 in the list of places where I could stop my nomadic life. Only danger, you might fall in love with it and won’t want to continue your trip 😛
I love to have things all planned out. For me it’s a big part of the fun and keeps me going while I’m waiting to actually take the trip. But on this next one I’m really going to try not to plan as much, which I’m sure will still look like an awful lot of planning to most people. You’re gonna have such a great time in Central and South America. Just reading your non-itinerary makes me want to go back there and see more. Can’t wait to see all your pictures and read your great stories. Just a few more days, soooo exciting!!
I’m so excited for you guys. 6 days, wow. South America is going to be great.
@Shannon: I will definitely bug ya about Guatemala! I remember your post about hypoglycemia – what snacks do you suggest we pick up before heading out on hikes and bus rides? I’m a little concerned about what is available.
@Terri: I would love to go to Cuba but a lot depends on budget stuff when we make our way to the Yucatan. Believe me – it is a dream of mine.
@Jodi: I’m putting faith in the fact that life will take care of us. Cheers to that!
@Tricia: Hello fellow Type A! lol I think I’m going to go insane.
I plan on hitting many of the same places next year on my big trip. Much luck and I will be following along for sure!
@Jill: Maybe you’ll want to stick around in one place for a while? I would love to meet up with you guys and knowing you’re just a few steps ahead of us is almost heartbreaking.
You’re finally on your way! It will be great to hang around and meet both of you next week, eat some tacos and sip a beer after a surf session in Sayulita!
@Patricia: Thank you! Finding the balance is definitely going to be an interesting adventure.
@Andrew: Thanks! It has been a long time coming.
@Lindsay: While I would love to take credit for these photos, alas, I used the Creative Commons library to post them. I do wish these were mind.
As for my other pictures, when I feel a little more confident in my ability, I would LOVE to write a tutorial. I like my pictures but I don’t think I feel as though I have the expertise to write a tutorial just yet. <3
@Melvin: Thanks! I’m sure it will change. When I get pics of my adventures, I’ll make sure to add a few to your website. 😀
@Andi: Cuba really depends on how our money situation is going. If I notice that we are spending less than we thought we would, I’ll be there in a heartbeat – it is a photographers dream! As for Brazil, since it is near the end of our trip, I’m not sure if we’re going to be able to hack the reciprocity fees and the $60/day/per person bank statement. We’ll see!
@Angela: I would love to go to Brazil but it all comes down to how our budget looks when we get closer. Reciprocity fees for Americans can get quite pricey when visiting countries who have decided to tack it on.
@Ali: I think if I would have planned this trip like I did all the others, Shaun would kill me. We have always emerged more tired from our “vacations” than when we went into them! And yes – we’re driving out to Phoenix on Sunday morning to visit friends and catch our flight!
@Mike: We were supposed to leave in December but chose to make a more responsible decision by staying until now (which I now look at as a fantastic thing!) and I thought that waiting this long would be a lifetime. I’m SO EXCITED.
@Scott: We’re glad to have you on board… or as a stowaway… however you want to look at it. 😀
@Fede: Beer and tacos are some of my favorite things in the world. I’ll be there with bells on.
your unplanned itinerary looks like a lot of fun
I haven’t been to any of these places yet but a SA trip will hopefully be in my future — and I’ll be looking to you two to learn about new places to see and of course, some good eats O:-)
Enjoy the SCUBA especially…I’m toying with doing a certification course since PADI emails me every other day to touch base about the intro dive I did last summer.
What cures insanity created by non-schedules? WIne or Whiskey – anything to take the edge off really. 😉
Hey guys, the trip sounds great.
If you need any help, ideas, suggestions just give a shout. We’re 4+ years into our Journey across all the Americas and we’ve only made it from the Arctic to Guatemala, and (very) slowly moving south. So far we’ve done 18 months in Mexico, 2.5 months in Belize and currently almost 3 in Guatemala. We’ll be heading into Honduras in early June.
Hopefully our paths will cross.
Have fun!
EEEEEEEEEEeeeeee with this itinerary I know for sure I am going to bump into you. I can not freaking wait!!! Oh its going to be so damn awesome when we do!!! You have a great itin my is reverse from Panama up…lol!!!
What an itinerary! Puerto Vallarta is an ambitious start because that might be hard to top, but it looks like every place on your list is great.
Ha I could have given you all your photos as you are following my exact path.
Nicaraua is also in my heart, you will love it there
I’m so excited for you guys! I’ve been to Chile once, when I was 15 (my family is from there), and it was AMAZING. I highly recommend the vineyards (wish I’d been old enough to appreciate them at the time, but I remember they were beautiful), and Vino del Mar in Valparaiso in particular. They have an enormous working clock made out of flowers and it is unbelievably cool. Very touristy, sure, but cool. We also enjoyed La Serena.
Have fun!!!!!
I’m digging your plan to “un-plan”! We’ve planned WAY too much during this trip, so we’re hoping to knock that off when we head abroad. A little bit is good, but after a certain point it starts to constrain you.
Of all the countries in South America, I’ve only ever been to Mexico (briefly), so I can’t be of any help to you there. But I will enjoy getting loads of ideas from your guys’ travels! 😉
This is such a great non-itinerary! Beautiful and inexpensive – perfect combo! I can give some detailed info on Chile if you need (lived there for a year in 2008). Hope you guys have an amazing time!! I leave for Colombia in 8 days perhaps we will cross paths somewhere along the way! 😉
@Zablon: Thanks!
@Heather: You should join us… you know, since you haven’t been there and all. *cough*
@Tricia: I’ll take both thank you. 🙂
@Trans-Americas: I will definitely be using your site for information! It is very needed since we don’t have much of an itinerary.
@Jaime: Party time!
@Scott: Ambitious is the way we do it!
@Ayngelina: I guess I could have! I’ll just have to scour your blog for information! ♥
@Cecilia: Believe me, I will be checking out those vineyards. It is definitely on my to-do list!
@Christy: Unplanning is new to me so we’ll figure out if it sticks. I’ve only been to Mexico but that doesn’t count since I was brought up in El Paso. I used to eat lunch in Juarez pre 9/11.
@Alisha: Inexpensive is a huge thing for us – we’re hoping to stay out at least a year (while trying to find a way to get income). Chile information would be awesome and meeting up with you would be even more amazing.
Sounds like a good non-plan! The distances are so huge in South America it really pays to take it slow and be flexible. We loved Bolivia the most but it’s tiring, and Argentina is great. Make sure you do a road trip to Cafayate and Cachi from Salta – the scenery is amazing and Cafayate is a less well known wine destination. Enjoy!
Its great that you two are willing to take a chance and do something different. Un-planning sounds like it will be an adventure. Wish you two the best and hope fo follow your travels seems like some wonderful places you will be visiting. Only a few days left before you leave.
It was great to see you guys last night. Good luck and have fun! We’ll be following your adventure every step of the way.
@Erin: Oooh! Thank you for the heads up on Argentina! I’m not looking forward to the epic-ly long bus rides around C/S America but at the same time… I don’t mind so much when it comes to our budget. 😛
@Kirk: Un-planning is killing me and somehow Shaun is super okay with it. Opposites attract for sure! I’m hoping it will take us where we need to be and experience things we should. 😛
@Bryan: Thank you guys for coming out! I am so glad that we got to see you one last time. 🙂
If you decide to go to Brazil, let me know. I have a kind of family member who lives there, and she loves giving advice on what to do and see.
So excited for you, and I so hope we get to connect while we’re all traveling since we’re going to many of the same areas.
Awesome for you on the unplanning path! This is my first time traveling this way as well. It’s kind of exhilirating!
@Talon: If we go to Brazil it will be last minute depending on what our budget looks like but I will definitely ask you to hook us up to get advice! 😀 It is so nice to have a support group of people who are experiencing the same feelings we are!
You’re leaving so soon!!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds like you’ve got a pretty great un-plan. Can’t wait to see what happens next!
@Kim: I hope the unplanning works out!
Ya I am the same way, I do not like much change in my trip and I like it planned well. I have my trip to Europe soon and I get so mad when the European airlines change the time flights on me. But I am so glad you are going to see or already saw Chile and Costa Rica ! I’ve been to both and they are amazing! While you are in Chile I hope you are able to visit Patagonia . The mountains, glaciers, and of course the penguins were breathtaking! It can be exhausting but well worth it.
@Alex: Now that we’re halfway into the trip I’ve realized the freedom of non-scheduling. I can’t imagine how hard it is going to be to assimilate back into the notion of schedules. We are heading to Patagonia at the end of our trip. It will be one of the pinnacle highlights.
I hope I feel the same way on my trip coming up.. it is going to be my first long one. Enjoy the rest of yours!