Oct 01, 2013

 

So here we are, six months out from our D-Day. The anticipation is mounting for me and I find myself taking steps to prepare in ways that might be more appropriate for 3 months out, but who cares, it feels good to make progress. Lately, I’ve been blissfully going through a “sell your shit” phase and I absolutely love every minute of it.  As I mentioned, it feels like progress towards making the trip a reality but I also feel incredibly good about not having so much stuff to worry about.  So with that said, here’s a little information about what I’m getting rid of 6 months out from the trip.

Transportation

Ok so I got rid of my truck, a 2005 Toyota Tacoma, much earlier than I expected. Luckily, I was able to secure reliable transportation for the next few months to bridge the gap. Selling my truck was both easy and hard. It was easy because it sold quickly and for the price I was aiming for, however, it was hard because I loved that truck. Sure, it was bad on gas but it was the best vehicle I had ever owned and I really enjoyed driving it. Now that it’s gone, I don’t miss it one bit and in fact, I’ve given some serious thought to what I might drive someday when we return and let me assure you that it will be the cheapest vehicle with the best gas mileage I can get my hands on. The truck was great but I drive so little that the idea of having it was probably better than actually having it.

Stuff

Wow, where to begin? Well I’ve been wrangling up things here and there that still hold some value – a web cam, a watch, some nice RX glasses, Skis, etc. – and selling them on craigslist and eBay. For the most part this has been pretty easy aside from the occasional long e-mail exchange with someone that didn’t lead to a sale. All the money has gone straight to my “trip” account and I’m not missing any of the things I’ve sold.

My red bicycle

Surprisingly, this was one of the toughest things to sell. I sold it to a friend for a reasonable price and it would have sold very quickly but I didn’t want to let it go. I really enjoyed that bike and if it weren’t for this trip, I doubt I ever would have sold it. Oh well, there will be more bikes…

Clothes

Ok I’m not really selling these, I’m just giving them away but still, it’s liberating to downsize the wardrobe a little. Most of the items I’ve gotten rid of are in great condition but don’t see a lot of use. My closet and drawers are emptying out a little and I’m getting a feel for what it will be like to carry fewer clothing items. So far, I like it.

I’ll end this short post by saying that I really recommend taking the same steps when those of you planning a similar trip reach the 6 month point. Mentally it’s gratifying to make progress and most of these things must happen eventually so why not get a head start if you can. 

Roam on!

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