As some of you may know, my husband, Tanner, and I have been working hard and saving money to travel and volunteer abroad for quite some time. Over the last few days, we’ve made tremendous strides in our plans.
We’ve decided to focus our first trip in Southeast Asia to suit our smaller budget, our love for natural settings, tropical weather and diving, and to take a much needed break from the western lifestyle and go off the beaten path to observe new cultures. I’ve wanted to revisit the coral reefs in the Philippines and to share the unforgettable diving experience with Tanner. Also, I have extended family in the Philippines who I can't wait to visit and introduce to my new husband. :) And I’ve always wanted to volunteer in marine conservation, see the stone temples of Angkor Wat, experience a Full Moon party on the beach in Thailand, and to get back into travel photography. And Tanner simply can’t wait to learn and travel overseas.
So we took all of this into account and put together a rough itinerary according to our budget. We will be on the road starting January 2012 for at least 3 months. We plan to volunteer and participate in marine research and conservation for at least 4 weeks on the island of Koh Rong, Cambodia with Marine Conservation Cambodia; then continue our adventures through Southeast Asia; spending up to 4 weeks in Thailand, and 4 weeks in the Philippines.
There are many things to consider when planning a trip so every few days or so I will post updates and share what we’ve learned along the way. So expect to see more travel oriented posts in weeks to come!
