When we talked last time, which was some time ago (oops!), about our desire to go to Southeast Asia. Steven and I talked in circles for a month or so because of all the other upheaval in our lives (trying to sell a house, deciding where to move, trying to develop a freelance writing career) but then we decided to plan in earnest and worry about finances, time, physical fitness⁠—you know, the little stuff⁠—later.

Instead of getting into trip details, I’m going to focus on the how we plan. We’ve only just started this time, but here’s our process:

1. Get bug about a certain far-flung location. This time Vietnam for the caves and Cambodia for the oldest known zero.
2. Tell ourselves it’s completely unrealistic.
3. Admit to each other that we’re still thinking about it even though it’s completely unrealistic.
4. Decide that maybe it’s not completely unrealistic.
5. Do some Internet/print (what? a book???) research.
6. Use up many sticky notes listing places within the country/region we want to visit.
7. Steven makes a spreadsheet. (I know it’s weird, but this gives him joy.){Happiness is a good spreadsheet – and if I am lucky – a bit of a macro too!}
8. Realize that this trip will take two months {a minimum of 2 months}  and start scaling back.
9. Make some hard choices {I hate making hard choices!}.
10. Mourn the places we won’t be able to see and convince ourselves we will go back.
11. Figure out how much this will all cost by checking into flights and other transportation, hotels, food, attractions {Wow! that much!}.
12. Start booking! or not, if we magically become grounded in reality.

We are about to hit Stage 10. Notice that we already have our hearts set on this trip, which is now Cambodia and Vietnam if we do the cave tour, and Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos if we don’t. We’re figuring about three weeks plus a few days. That’s a chunk of time not to be working, especially if you’re trying to build a freelance business. On the other hand, we aint getting any younger or richer, so if not now, when?