So for those that have known me for a while and that I've talked to have heard about me talking about this big trip that I have planned. For the past number of years I've been saving money and working my ass off to get this thing planned.

Well finally last week I took the biggest step. I have bought my ticket! For those that don't know I've been planning on traveling around the world in one year and doing nothing but photography.

So as of Dec. 28 I will not be around (not that I'm around much on here these days anyways). I am heading to NYC for New Years than on 02-JAN-2009 I'll be on a flight from NYC to Argentina to start my excursion. I will be spending two months traveling around Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil which will also include hiking the Inca Trail to Manchu Picchu, see the waterfalls on the boarder of Argentina and Brazil (they were featured in the newest Indiana Jones movie). As well as traveling to the southern most point in the western hemisphere.

From there I'm flying to Frankfurt and traveling around Western Europe for three months before spending three weeks wandering around England, Scotland, and Ireland. Then I fly to Iceland for 10 days, after which I will be spending two weeks in northern Europe checking out Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Then for a month I'll tour eastern Europe checking out the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Romania, Turkey, Hungry, some of the Middle East and possibly Egypt (that hasn't been set in stone yet). Then I fly to Delhi, and spend a week in India before catching a short flight to Kathmandu to start the hike from there to the base camp of Mt. Everest. There is talk about the Nepalese gov't paving the trail to base camp and I want to travel it with the sherpas of Nepal before that happens.

After all that I'll then be flying to China to walk 42KM of the Great wall, and checking out the towns and villages along it. Then I'll get to relax a bit more as I spend a month in Japan, a month in Australia, and a month in New Zealand. My new years shall be spent resting on the beaches of Hawaii, and then the next day I will arrive in San Fransico to hang out and bomb the hills on a skateboard.

I'm stoked that after more than two years of saving up for this trip that I will finally get to go for it and do nothing but travel and take photos for an entire year! I just wanted to share some of my excitement with all of you.

(and unfortunately I will not be chasing a perpetual winter as I had hoped I would. The timing just did not work out.)

That is super awesome! Congrats on going for it - not many people have the guts to do something like that. I'm sure  you'll have a great time!

What are you going to be doing with the photos? Are you going to photo-blog it as you go? I'd be interested to see the progress of a trip like this!

Funny you should mention that. Part of the reason for the trip was to strip away as much technology as possible and do it old school. So I'm not traveling with a cell phone, and am only bringing my laptop for the purposes of holding photos (along with some external harddrives.) AFter the trip is all said and done I'm going to attempt to get a book published about my journey.

Thats awesome that you're living your dream man.  Get some sick ass shots for us bro.

Seriously Kyle, this is amazing!!!  It takes a lot of guts to just up and leave for a whole year... but sounds like it'll be an amazing trip!!! 

yeah thats amazing! what a cool experience it will be! i love photos.. take some great ones! you cant really go wrong with where youre going though.. the great wall.. manchu picchu.. everywhere haha

Kyle it's about time you pony up and get your ass out there.

congrats broddddduuuuuhhhhh

[Edited by gigglechick on 7/10/2008 at 3:07 p.m.]

The only person that is getting emails from me is my mother as she is worrying like crazy. haha. Even at 25 I'm still her little adventurous boy. She said if she did not get an email from me once every two weeks she'd come find me. (I know she would too).

Other than that I'll be sending a few post cards here and there to let people know where I happen to be at the given moment. I've also resolved that I'm going to write letters to my girlfriend while I'm traveling. I've always heard about these cool stories about people writing letters while apart and that they can create their own kind of history. I really like that idea so I'm going to make it happen. Then she is going to meet up with me in Spain for a couple of weeks as she is going to be traveling around Spain, France, and Italy by train.

I'm super stoked about coming to NZ, D. I have a buddy who lives in Auckland who has become like a second brother to my family so I'm probably going to hanging with him for a bit. But that being said I have a month there and want to go to as many places as possible! I'm sure you can show me around, and show me a good time.

For sure! I live  4 hours south of Auckland near  Mt Ruapehu, so you and your buddy are most welcome to use my place as a base or whatever...so much to do around here....and I'll get that slack arse Cris in on the job as well!

Sounds like an amazing trip you've got planned, hope it all goes well and good luck! I'd be really interested in seeing the pictures as well, a book sounds like an awesome idea to document your trip and share it with everyone else who dream of doing something like that!

I'm so jealous Kyle.. and you know it! I will most definitely buy your book, and probably fly to Calgary when you get back, just to see your pics ;)

sounds absolutely amazing to plan and actually do. itll definitely be one of those awesome life journey kind of trips. gotta walk the lord of the rings path while youre in NZ though

Wow... you pretty much described what I've been wanting to do for a while :)   Glad to hear you're making it happen... good luck, have fun, and please tell us all about it when you get back. 

Sounds like a great time man.  Definitely a dream worth fulfilling. 

thats awesome kyle!!! Youre going to have one hell of a time. While in germany if you happen to run into a guy named peter lindsen, tell him "the yankee said we are all less jewish than he is"...inside joke

trip of a lifetime, eh.. congrats! i am extremely jealous. we all expect to see pics when you get back :P

I'm just curious, but how much does a trip like that cost?  I would absolutely love to do that some day, it sounds so awesome, congrats man

Congratulations man.  Sounds awesome.  

Congrats man!  I'm muy jealous.

good deal kyle... live your dream. have fun, enjoy yourself, and take some nice shots!