Up the creek without a plane?

Today's brilliant idea came to me courtesy of Duncan Carroll, a sailing buddy. He suggested I take a look at the Crew Seekers website and think getting some sailing in on my year off. Having taken a look I wondered if it would be possible to get myself around the world without setting foot on a plane?

This is now my challenge, I must touch every continent and I must do it without flying.

After setting myself this task I remembered some of the dangers. After checking the International Maritime Bureau's website for the latest stats on piracy I may want to rethink my approach. The South China Sea is a particularly busy spot for pirates and to get from the Indonesian archipelago to Australia may be a little tricky. Then there is the Pacific Ocean. Hmmm, some thinking required.

I also realised that I'm going to have to get all my jabs done too. I can't just rock up to any old place and not have my inoculations now can I? Then there is the malaria tablets to think of. What have I got myself in for?

Having no plan is a plan to fail

So this morning I went to see the solicitors. They're coming round next Tuesday to take the photos and value the flat. This is it, I'm really doing this. It's scary and exciting at the same time, but as my friend Jane says "Feel the fear and do it anyway".

I'm busy finishing off the curtains I started two weeks ago so I at least have matching curtains in my bedroom. Then it's a good dust and polish before dressing the flat on the weekend for it's close up.

I can't say I'll be sorry to sell this place. It was fine for a while but I'm tired of it now and all the hassles with the noisy neighbours have taken their toll. I'll be glad to sell it and put the money in the bank for a while.

Next is getting the car sorted and putting it on Auto Trader. That is unless you my lovely friends and readers wish to buy a silver W reg Polo with 58,000 miles on the clock? I've loved my little Polo but it's time to say goodbye and join the millions of people around the world who use public transport or low/no carbon (foot or bike) transport again.

My plans for travel are starting to come together. While I have no definite time frames yet I have a rough list of countries I want to see. Planning isn't always my forte, I have been known to rock up to far flung places with no further thought than actually flying there. But this is an adventure right? So what's to plan?

Quite a lot it seems. The more I actually think about what I am doing the more I realise that I have a fairly substantial amount of 'stuff'. I've also realised that none of that 'stuff' makes me happy. It's all just possessions and they can be lived without. What to do with it all though?

There was the guy in Australia who sold his life on Ebay, friends and job included. Maybe I could do that, but without the job bit? Whatever, I have a shed load of stuff to get rid of as I don't want to put it all into storage.

I'm going to take the military precision approach to this and list it all out. Maybe then I'll get really scared....

The first step on the road

Today I was given a choice; take voluntary redundancy, apply for a new role or wait and take compulsory redundancy. I've decided to take the first option and look for greener pastures. This blog is going to be my diary of the next however long as I make my way to taking an adult gap year.

I've had the most awful three years anyone can imagine. I lost my mother to brain tumor in April of 2008 and have been going round with my head up my backside.

In the aftermath of my mother's death I started a relationship with a lovely bloke who I have fallen in love with. The problem is that he's getting divorced and like most blokes can't cope with it all. Instead of waiting round to see what he decides and getting my heart trampled on any further I've decided to take this opportunity to go and see the bits of the world I've not yet got to.

At 32 I'm fairly old to be doing this. When most other people are settling down to have their kids and pay off the mortgage I've decided to pack it all in and put my home on my back. I may get tired and weary of it after 2 days. I may fall in love with the romance of the road. Whatever comes I will be sharing it with you.

Get ready for a roller-coaster ride.

Tomorrow: contact solicitors to sell the flat....