Hey!
Welcome to my blog. I am going to try my best to entertain and update you while I embark on this crazy adventure. It is November 29th, or more importantly, THIRTY THREE days before I begin my worldly travels, Lexington Bluegrass Airport is where my journey begins. The MV Explorer (my home for next 4-5 months) is scheduled to leave San Diego at 5pm on January 9th. I'd like to give a big shout out to the world’s most loving and generous family members (parents, cousins, aunt's and uncles and ESPECIALLY Farah; my sister in law that helped me get this show on the road! I really appreciate you helping me!! Expect tons of awesome things!) and friends for helping me get to where I am today and for giving into without a doubt, the craziest idea I've come up with over the past 20 years. After weeks of pestering you via all media platforms mixed with my finest powers of persuasion and a crafty video presentation, you really made my wildest dream come true. Over the next 160+ days, I will be taking classes aboard the ship and visiting 12-15 different countries along the way. I will have limited internet usage on the ship but unlimited email through our SAS email addresses, so please contact me!
raj.patel.sp13@semesteratsea.org
HERE WE GO!
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
ENSENADA, MEXICO (BAJA CALIFORNIA)
HILO, HAWAII
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN
KOBE, JAPAN
SHANGHAI, CHINA
HONG KONG CHINA
HO CHI MINH, VIETNAM
SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA
ANKGOR WAT, CAMBODIA
SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
RANGOON, BURMA
COCHIN, INDIA
PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
TAKORADI, GHANA
TEMA (ACCRA), GHANA
CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
BARCELONA, SPAIN
TBA...
My biggest pre-trip anxieties: getting sick from rough seas and proving my pops right, forgetting something important, tropical storms, friends ruining the ends of tv seasons before I get caught up and not wanting to come home.
I will follow up with a post in the coming weeks as I wrap up my fall semester with finals and begin packing for my best semester of college yet! Still need to look for airfare, hotels, figure out how to take enough clothes but not to many, buy books, take tons of movies, and learn how to PROPERLY use a DSLR camera!
Until we meet again!