Though we both enjoyed our 9-5s (more like 9-7 on many days), we both felt like this was an incredible opportunity to see the world. Leaving behind what little responsibility we have, we embark on this trip to explore - going where we want and when we want - within a $27/day per person budget.
Since high school I have wanted to live in Thailand. Ari has always been gung-ho to live outside the conventional (as many his friends can attest to). Almost a year and a half ago when I said in an off-hand comment "I want to live in Thailand", Ari responded "so let's do it" and our southeast Asia trip-seed was planted.
Are you gagging yet? Well arguably even better is that we are polar opposites. I am a planner. I need a plan, and a plan for that plan. Really, it's a never ending cycle. Ari on the other hand only needs the clothes on his back (which caused a few debates in our conversations about packing for this trip). So, though we're definitely still fine tuning this process we've come to a strange middle ground - "planned spontaneity"...or "spontaneous planning", depending on who you're talking to. (Funny, though we differ on many qualities, not all these can be made into comprehensible oxymorons e.g. anxiously laid-back)
This is still a work in progress and we're not sure where this trip is going to take us. However, we can both agree that we want to experience the world, try to experience and understand how people live, and (albeit briefly) live outside of our cubes.
