So now that I'm one year wiser, I think people are expecting me to write a pithy or profound statement to capture the essence of what I've learned in the past year. Strangely enough, I can't think of anything.

Hmm...something to contemplate on my trip, I suppose.

I've scheduled for leaving in less than 8 hours, but I'm still not finished packing. Aiyah. I'm such a bad packer/organizer. If I had been a 14th century military general, my army probably would have mutinied on me. I probably would have forgotten to pack the swords.

sigh.

Anyway, I figure I'll just go to bed early, and wake up tomorrow and finish up the packing.

Oh...btw, I don't think I will be able to answer e-mails until I reach San Fran. But drop me a note if you want me to give ya an update on how I'm doing. Probably no updates to this webpage until I come back.

Tootles everyone...

So you've probably wondering what this "Out There and Back" thing is...

Well that's what I'm calling my next travelogue. I'll be leaving for a roadtrip through the states of Washington, Oregon, California, and Nevada (and passing through a few other states) in about a week. My departure date is set for Monday, June 18th. I will be traveling solo and hopefully I will find great things and meet friendly people along my excursion.

Since my Eurocom laptop blew up (turns out that repairs would cost over $800) this roadtrip will be quite low-tech (meaning no GPS, no mobile Internet, no "live" web updates, and no digital camera pictures). It will be just me, the road, a couple maps, and my trusty "analog" camera. Back to the basics, if you will. As Henry David Thoreau once said: "Simplify, simplify, simplify..."

Unfortunately this also means there will be no "live" updates to the travelogue (like my Korean travelogues) nor will there be any updates to this webpage until I stumble back home. I will probably keep a small notebook of notes, and I will compile a travelogue after I come back... But I think the wait will be worth it, because on this trip I'll taking a lot more photography equipment (than before) and I will try to be more focused on taking photos on this trip (I'm planning on taking about $150-$200 worth of film with me).

My basic driving itinerary is roughly drawn out in purple in the Mapquest.com map on the side. Just ignore the numbers on the map, they mean absolutely nothing. Considering that I've been known to endure twelve hour drives, I could technically drive this "loop" in under a week. However, since this is supposed to be my vacation (that I'm supposed to enjoy) I think I'll take my time traveling through Oregon and California. I estimate my trip should take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few. It may take more or less time, depending how bored I get, how many cities I end up exploring, and how long my cash reserves last...

I would give precise dates if I could, but I can't be more precise since I'm a terrible travel planner. When I travel, I tend to improvise and make up things as I go along (which really annoys my travel buddies).

Got suggestions on where I should I go? Traveling hints? Driving music suggestions? Well, feel free to e-mail me!

Wish me luck kids! Keep fingers crossed for no accidents, speeding tickets or flat tires...