Months of planning and preparations – read that as paperwork, shots, and packing in my head – are about to come to fruition. C and I are joining our friends L and P for a NatGeo trip traversing the world with 70 other intrepid travelers. While this has been some time in the making, all of a sudden it feels like the hands on the clock are spinning wildly out of control.

I hope to post pictures and thoroughly witty comments from each stop, even though I am ultimately posting this several weeks after our return. Time will only tell how successful I am with this.

So, to begin with here are the stops:

• Cusco (Macho Picchu), Peru
• Lima, Peru
• Easter Island, Chile
• Samoa
• Cairn, Australia- Great Barrier Reef
• Siem Reap, Cambodia
• Kathmandu, Nepal
• Lhasa, Tibet
• Agra, India
• Serengeti, Tanzania
• Petra, Jordan
• Marrakech, Morocco

Now to the nitty gritty of getting ready. All have had the necessary shots (hepatitis, yellow fever, tetanus), obtained the required visas (India & Tanzania), and filled prescriptions for high altitude and malaria medicines.

I have prepared my work things as much as possible for a month away. It is fantastic to have the support of my manufacturers and co-workers.

Next thing – packing ! Yep, put this off till the end for as we all know panic-packing is a thrill ride all its’ own. NatGeo sent each of us a roller bag and back pack. Every intrepid, long distance traveler I have ever spoken to has always advocated that less (way less) is more so that was my mind set. I was determined to get three weeks into one bag, and by gosh, I made it !

After taking care of clothes and toiletries had to make sure the other essentials were tended to…

Next, on the way to Machu Picchu !