**SOS** I’m Looking For Some Ideas** HELP**

Im looking for some unique ideas on how I can document my trip.  I’m not talking about collecting stuff, money, stamps, magents etc,  I do that anyway.  I want something that can be done in each city and / or country.  More along the lines of photographic or something that can be captured on video.

Have you heard of Matt Harding? He is an American also known as Dancing Matt for his viral videos that show him dancing in front of landmarks and street scenes in various international locations.  Harding was known by his friends for a particular dance, and while video recording each other in Vietnam, his travel companion suggested he add the dance. The videos were uploaded to his website for friends and family to enjoy. Later, Harding edited together 15 dance scenes, all with him center frame.  The video was passed around by e-mail and eventually became viral, with his server getting 20,000 or more hits a day as it was discovered.  

http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/

What about Andrew Günsberg.  He did a photoshoot called "365 Days". A Challenge to Shoot a Self-Portrait every day for a year. To push himself to be creative. A reason to get the camera out of the bag every day. To document a year in his life.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewgunsberg/3708092010/in/set-72157619664755998/

The ideas we have come up with to date aren’t as grandios as the above two but see what you think about these:

• As I am travelling to so many counties a photo of breakfast or dinner everyday.  I am sure there maybe some ‘unusual’ foods that will be seen.  But the downside is I may not make breakfast everyday.
• A photo of my hotel room / tent / accommodations and or the view from them.
• A photo of the toilets used on the trip.  I think this could be interesting and disgusting all at the same time.
• Photos of famous landmark ‘shadows’ – I have seen a lonley planet book solely on that, but maybe weather bound
• A picture of a local from every country ( with permission of course )
• The good old mascot photo.  I have always taken a mini Elmo on all my holidays – but he has been MIA on the last few trips.  He is now on the packing list for this one.
• Vegemite reactions.  Get locals to taste some vegemite and take a photo of their reactions.  This would possibly be quite a funny one to do.
• Making what number day I am up to of my trip out of local products of the country I am in.  So everyday would be spelt out in shells or tea or coconuts for example……
• The last one I have was to do with the song ‘I’ve Been Everywhere Man’ and substituting the places of that song with the places that I am going to as I visit them, so it would be an on going thing.  I think that would be pretty cool!

Anyway that is all we have come up with so far.  If anyone has an idea they want to share

PLEASE DO – I’d love to hear from you. 

I would just hate to hear a great idea half way through my trip and missed all the countries I had already been to.

**SOS** I’m Looking For Some Ideas** HELP**

Meet My Bloggie

Well since I have started a blog – it is only fair that I introduce you to my new gadget that I received at Christmas from the Elkin Family – my BLOGGIE.

It is basically a high definition video camera the size of a small mobile phone.  Okay so I won’t make Steven Spielberg quality movies from the Bloggie, but it is small enough and good enough for the budding videographer that I hope to become on my trip. 

I have had a video camera before – it was bought with all good intentions of regularly  using it 8 years ago, especially on holidays.  But as you maybe aware, I love to take a lot of photos and found that I always had to choose between the photo shot or the video piece, with the camera winning every time and found that the video camera just wouldn’t even make it out of  it’s bag.  With the obvious bulkiness as another downside it was used once on a trip to the USA and it has never see the light of day again.

So why will it be different with the BLOGGIE? 

• Well the size of the Bloggie is the first plus.  At the size of 5.1cm wide, 1.5cm depth and 10.7cm long it truly is the size of a mobile phone.  That thing will fit in your pocket, bag, bra, where-ever you normally keep a phone this thing will sit right in there as-well
• The Bloggie doesn’t come with any cords or chargers.  This can be a plus or a downside.  It has a built in USB that flicks out and connects directly to your computer and this is also how it charges.  For me this is a plus.  Less cords to take on my trip – I just have to be organized.
• No memory cards required.  It has an 8GB memory.  Another plus or downside I hear you say – but do you realize how much video can fit on 8GB?  Trust me – that is a lot of footage.
• The 3inch touch screen also makes it cool to play with – so for only that reason it will come out and get some ‘play’ time.  It is AWESOME! 

Quite fitting that it is called a Bloggie and I will be using it for my Blog.  I hope to not only share all my gazillion photos but maybe a little footage aswell to give a true feel of what is being experienced.  I am just thankful that as it is a ‘precious’ item meaning it will not be getting any video footage of drunken escapades or drinking nights ( the thought of losing my Bloggie while drunk scares me ) and to be honest I think what the normal camera captures is more than enough information when sharing ‘those’ particular experiences – that is scary enough in the still format.

So I hope that you will get as much pleasure at seeing some video footage from our beautiful world that I will be lucky enough to experience first hand. 

Stay tuned and look out Ron Howard there’s a new kid on the block!

**How Much Money Will I Need**

As a travel agent this is one of the most asked questions I get. 

"How much spending money will I need for my trip"

It is a bit of a crystal ball question:

Do you drink heaps?

Do you buy a lot of knick knack stuff?

Do you send packages / post cards home?

Do you eat out at fancy restaurants all the time?

The list can go on………………………………………………

I have had a rule right from the very start of my first overseas trip – like **cough cough** – well a few years ago now.  My rule is to budget $100 a day for each day that I am away.  My trips usually consist of a tour and I would have already prepaid that before I leave Australia.  So the $100 is purely spending money, food money, crap money and more importantly drinking money.  I find this rule works well – as some days are travel days and you are lucky to spend more than $20 depending on where you are in the world and some days you may have a BIG night out and spend more than you were supposed to. 

People ask me what about the currency exchange?  My $100 bucks goes a long way in places like Malaysia, Indonesia, India and Asia in general and then when you get to places like the Cayman Islands, Iceland, Norway, Tahiti and countries that are generally well-to-do and have their own, very strong currencies – it kicks our Aussie dollar right in to next week. But this is all part of the travelling experience and I will generally stick to the rule – no matter where I am in the world.

In saying that I do have a secret stash of money, so if I see a piece of jewellery, want to do that balloon ride over the Serengeti or the helicopter ride over New York, I can dip into that and not feel too bad that I have upset the ‘budget apple cart’ to much.  Some experiences you just have to do – it would be crazy to pass up, as you just may not get back to certain countries again.  Some things are just worth blowing the budget for.

I’m hoping I will be able to re-coup some of the budget money in Africa, Madagascar and on my French River Cruise to name a few tours.  This will in turn give me some extra money in the kitty for ‘other things’ or maybe even be able to extend my time away if I am super good.  I mean how much money can you spend on an African Safari or in Madagascar – a country known for Lemurs and the export of Vanilla – how could I possibly blow my budget there?

So this rule will hopefully hold me in good stead on my round world trip for 14 months.  That’s 461 days people – you do the math’s and let’s just see how close I come to keeping my own rule.

$100.00 a day for each day I am away!!!