Along with tackling my Australian-based goals, and taking a bit of a break, my main focus while here in Perth is to plan my upcoming travels for the next few months. It’s a complicated process, as there are a lot of factors to take into account. The biggest hurdle is that many of the goals have specific dates and locations, so for example, to see the Carnival in Rio I have to be there in February 2010, as I missed it this year.
In November there are three events in different parts of the world: Festival of the Dead in Mexico, the Elephant Round-Up in Thailand, and the March of the Red Crabs on Christmas Island. If there is any chance of getting to all these within the space of a few weeks, it is going to involve a lot of travel and a lot of expense!
But then when I started this journey, I knew it was not going to be easy, or cheap! When I made the final list of 100 goals I did not edit it in any way, and simply listed the things I really wanted to do, regardless of cost or location. That is already giving me a few challenges, but I suppose that is all part of the fun.
So over the past couple of weeks I have started to get organised, and have maps, calendars and lists covering one whole wall. I try to do a bit of planning and research each day, and feel that I am getting a bit closer to an outline idea of how the next year or so may look.
I am still looking for a well-paid driving job in the mines here, and if I get one I plan to hang around and save up some money for about three months, and set off again in July. However, I don’t seem to be looking too hard for a job, and am already starting to get itchy feet, and if a job doesn’t fall into my lap over the next month, I think I will be off on my travels again in early May.
These are my thoughts so far:
May – France/UK
Cannes Film Festival
Cheese Rolling
June – Russia/UK
MIG Flight
Weightlessness Flight
Gather 5 Ian Ushers
Wingwalk
Wall of Death
July – Spain/UK/USA
Running with the Bulls
Bognor Birdman – if it is on this year!
Bit part in a Hollywood movie
August – USA
Bonneville Speed Week
Colorado – 7 Peaks in 7 Days
Whitewater Rafting
Poker competition
September – USA/Mexico
Underwater Hotel
Chichen Itza
October – ???
November – Mexico/Thailand/Christmas Island
Festival of the Dead
Elephant Round-Up
Ride an elephant
March of the Red Crabs
December – Australia?
2010
January – Australia/South America
Easter Island
Machu Picchu
Iguazu Falls
February – South America/Africa
See “Christ The Redeemer” in Rio
Carnival in Rio
Cape Town
Dive with Great White Sharks
Ride an ostrich
March – Africa/Nepal
Victoria Falls
Learn to fly a plane
See Everest
April – India/China
Taj Mahal
Great Wall of China
This outline is by no means complete or finalised, and will be subject to all sorts of change and modification over the coming weeks and months, but it is certainly starting to take shape.
As always, there is the offer to anyone who would like to join in with any of the goals to do so: as I have always maintanied, “Happiness is not real unless shared.” So if anything takes your fancy, have a look at the “Join In” page, and get in touch.
And once again, if there is any way that you think you might be able to help with any of this is any way whatsoever, please take a look at the “Help Out” page, and contact me.
There are still several goals on the list that are not addressed in this plan, the trickiest ones being:
Bobsleigh Run
See an iceberg
See the Northern Lights
Drive a car off a jetty into water
Sedgefield Ball Game
“100goals100weeks” book deal!