I had many conversation with Lindsay, who has already been to Nakavika, about what to expect. After listening to her advice I came to the realization I didn’t want to know everything. It’s nice when traveling to have a Lonely Planet guide book with you – to help you out with the area that you are traveling to – but with this trip, I wanted everything to be a surprise to all my senses.

I wanted the basics for packing and our living situation, but when it came down to the nitty gritty details, she left it up to me to gain the raw experience.

Because of this I had no expectations.

Many people develop an idea of what a place is supposed to be and look like. When they arrive, if something is different then what they expected, it can sometimes ruin their trip. I am not saying that planning and being completely prepared is a bad thing. Be informed yet open minded. Be prepared to have speed bumps and be able to quickly adapt to situations that do not work in your favor.

Lindsay and I have developed many tricks on the road to overlook the bad and create some good from it. Humor is one of the best solutions to a unfortunate situation. There were many situation that could have made our trip from the USA to Fiji a little miserable, but we tried turning everything upside-down to be in our favor.

I guess I can add that being able to get along with your travel buddy is of great importance.

Here are some other tips that could help when travel is difficult.

Laughter

Laughter is the best medicine (disregard the obvious cliché). Everyone knows this. Unfortunately when I’m tired, cranky, and the elements are all seemingly against me, chuckles are far from my mind. In this world where travel is easier than ever, speed bumps are not taken lightly. I believe I have a choice: be a pissy mess or deal with the situation – take a deep breath and find people wearing cut-off jeans, heavy metal tee shirts with mullets to brighten the moment. Being in a lighter mood also helps me think clearly and find better solutions to a problem.

Distract Yourself

When using public transportation turns into a trip from hell (e.g. being unable to move for hours, needing to use the facilities, poor road conditions ruining plans, etc.), try introducing yourself to a nearby local of similar age or one that looks open to conversation (usually not passed out or wearing earbuds). This will allow you to learn more about the country and how much longer the trip will take. A little commiseration could be fun, and it will also distract you from what is really grinding your gears.

Don’t Marry Your Arbitrary Plan

If traveling during a holiday or slow season and transportation is not on schedule to arrive at your expected destination when you were hoping, try going somewhere close by to kill time or make the travel time shorter. Lindsay and I were planning on traveling to the Fijian island of Vanua Levu after Christmas, but the boat did not leave for three days. We wanted to relax, so we found a local bus that would take us to the closest point of access to the island. We found a relaxing spot on the northern island of Viti Levu, hours closer to our destination in mind, and it gave us a new experience on another part of the island we had yet to see.

Let It All Out

If you are unable to be open and have candid conversations with your travel partner, then learn to. Often times there will be opposing ideas about a location or a plan, the food won’t agree with us all or there are small medical problems that cannot go overlooked. If you are unable to talk with someone who is sharing the same experience or symptoms, then it will become an annoyance. You don’t have to be gross and discuss every detail the BM from earlier, but knowing that you’re not the only one effected is oddly comforting. Knowing that someone you’re spending a lot of time with is feeling good about all decisions and health concerns will allow for growth and a good dynamic (awwww).

What are some mental items you pack to make sure you’re fully prepared to enjoy your trip? Leave a comment and let us know!

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Turn That Racket Off!

What’s your reason?

Why We Climb Mountains

Those of us hoping to make a living doing what they love of an unconventional nature continue to read the works of Chris Guillebeau and hope his success rubs off from his text to our eyes to our brains to our wallets. This week Chris discussed his motivation for travel and his perspective on the fear of failure. Why do people travel? Why do people climb mountains? Why do people risk so much for experiences they don’t love 100% of the time?

With a big mountain, you know you’re going to need more than just stubbornness. You may get wildly off track. You may encounter unforeseen difficulties. You may even have to come back down the mountain at some point before resuming the climb. Thus, you’re going to need some form of internal motivation.

I appreciated his comment about the correlation between small goals and small worries. As we dive into our own project, Garrett and I will need to remember flexibility and that we won’t be able to control very much of what we’re able to accomplish. But our goal is fairly large, with realistic baby steps, and we’ll have to find that happy medium between flexible and stubborn in order to make something [the village wants] happen.

25 Seconds of Morning Glory

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdkIwaF2ujs

Thanks to World Hum for this find.

Other Discoveries

Lego + World Landmarks = a holiday favorite

Brushing up on my packing skills and finding ways to travel lighter

Something to chew on when it comes to culture shock and being ready for the next adventure

Princess to the rescue!

Update on Nomadderwhere

This will be a quick update as this next week brings some frantic preparation and documentation.

1. The Nakavika Project pages are published and ready for your lovely eyes. There are many subpages that detail various aspects of the trip, such as our objectives, our visuals and the status of our sponsors and donations thus far (which is in it’s last construction phase before publishing). Next week, I’ll be posting two missives on how this project came to be -- entitled The Birth of The Nakavika Project, a multi-part series. If you’d like to know more and/or help out, please send me an e-mail!

2. My talk at the Honeywell Center for the Clark Gallery Photo Show went very well, and I was happy to be speaking to such a large group of passionate artists. In my short talk, I covered my three big trips and how photography has playing a documentary role with surprising effects on the memory of my experiences. I also informed another group of people of The Nakavika Project, which always feels good.

3. Remember that whole writing challenge I had for myself? 20,000 words on my Big Journey Book by November 30th? Well the status is dismal, since this whole Fiji project came underway after the announcement of this challenge. I’m still keeping it in mind for Fiji, however. The deadline will come to pass, but the challenge still draws me in while I’m up in the village scribbling words by head lamp light.

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Some other advice I’ve gotten for this pre-departure crunch time via my friends on Twitter:

jliamquinn @nomadderwhere TIP: Scan a copy of your passport and email it to yourself and a family member. This way you have a copy if you loose it!

feleciacruz @nomadderwhere just read this…mostly obvious, but some diffs… http://www.travelblogs.com/articles/18-things-you-dont-need-on-your-packing-list

jliamquinn @nomadderwhere TIP: International ATM’s often offer the best conversion rates and with little or no fee’s. (see your bank for details)

jliamquinn @nomadderwhere Be sure to alert your bank about traveling abroad.

Boy-o-boy, I leave tomorrow. Gimme some advice before I go! I’m much obliged…

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When the Colts go to the Super Bowl, I lose my voice but keep going.

But when I babysit for two kids that have me pulling my hair out, my body finally takes a beating. And now I am drinking my food through a straw while watching a Rocky marathon in my basement. Super.

The amount of time I’m spending on my packing list is astronomical. I should put these research skills on my resume. I have eight more days of this wonderful sitting and preparing before we head off on a family vacation…makes me want to soak up all the depressing Indiana atmosphere I can. Hopefully this is the last time I’m sick like this until at least late May because that would be my definition of a tragedy…bed ridden in Rio. I’m already missing my 90 roommates and that beautiful B-town landscape.

Here’s to T minus 8 days.

By the way, Rocky just knocked out Clubber Lang.

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