Reflection on my Travel

Things I did wrong

• Packed too much, took too many bags.
  
• Booked my flight too early (probably the first time airline prices actually dropped!)
  
• Booked my flight on Priceline, while I saved about $500... I didn't get flier miles, which would have been substantial given the distance I travelled.
• Bought spray on sunscreen (I had a Zebra pattern sunburn).
• Went hiking without the right equipment. 
• Flew through O'Hare. (15 hour layover on my return!)
• Didn't request off work the right way, made my boss mad.
• Didn't remove the work security settings from my phone, couldn't use WiFi.
• Didn't shop around on airlines. The food and movies weren't the greatest... and I had no way to power my electronics. In the future, i'll look at what is important to me and then book my airline accordingly. 
• Shouldn't have packed a suit jacket or a second pair of shoes. Thats extra weight, and you don't need a jacket in the summer in Australia.
• Borrowed luggage. It was nice of my room mate to loan it to me... but 4 weeks of intercontinental travel beat it up pretty bad... and I ended up having to replace one of the 2 bags I borrowed. 
• Booked a hotel at an airport. I should have booked online before I got to Sydney. Jenny flew in a day after I arrived, and I made no plans for a place to stay the first night when I was there by myself. 

Things I did right

• Stayed in hostels, met some great people, and the cost of staying was about 1/3rd the cost of a hotel.
• Got traveler's checks, and an extra credit card. I never once went anywhere where I worried about cash.
• Saved before I left. I don't owe anything after this trip for any trip related expenses. Planning ahead was crucial!
• Planned lots of options for airplane entertainment, my iPod battery ran low... but I had a good book to read too.
• Got aisle seats. I am fidgety, it was good to get up and move around. This was done with help from my friend Nick. (Thanks man!)
• Went with no expectations. It was an adventure, and a ton of fun! I wasn't disappointed about anything!
• Slept a minimal amount on the plane. I really didn't have a ton of jet lag, certainly nothing worse than the feeling I get after a late night or a long day at work. 
• Drank LOTS of water on the plane. I had maybe 3-4 liters over the course of the flight. The frequent bathroom breaks helped me keep my circulation going, and staying hydrated also helped fend off my jet lag.
• Read all the airline guidelines for travel. I had no trouble at the airport.
• Wore a hoodie and comfortable clothes to travel in. Layers helped me as I changed seasons, and I could draw the hoodie closed to block out light when I did nap on the plane.
• Checked my carry-on for the return. My backpack was considered a "personal item", and held everything I needed for the flight.
• Blogged. I can go back and look at my trip and I have a fairly accurate timeline of what happened. It's great for reflection, and it helps when sharing with family and friends what happened. When you do something of such a grand proportion, a lot gets lost. It's great to refer people to this blog for the details and then give them the highlights in conversation.

There were many other positives, and probably some negatives as well. But, these are some that stuck out in my mind.

If I were to give a summary of travel advice, I'd say:

Travel light, drink lots of bottled water, make sure you have travel power adaptors, tie up your loose ends at home so you have nothing to worry about, and then keep an open mind because no matter how much you plan ahead, crap happens. If you can stay positive and be dynamic, you'll have a lot more fun!