Moving right along now

Woo hoo! Itinerary delivered to Travel Agent. Forms for visas downloaded and will be filled out and express mailed to visa processing place (Wow $$$). Tour company contacted and I'll be able to have someone hold my hand from Mumbai thru to Hanoi. Those tours will be finalized Thursday next week. One minor hitch I ran into was the regulations regarding the Schengen countries. Pardon my ignorance, but I had never heard the term before but during a chat with a very helpful gal from the Study Abroad offices of the nearby college, she brought it to my attention that there is a limit of 90 days to staying in the Schengen countries which is most of the EU! In all my research, this was the first time I had heard of this. I'm planning about 4 months in that area so this is a potential problem. I've found the Schengen website so I'll be talking to them on Monday. I think I'll be OK. If I extend my stay in the UK a bit, I'll be able to keep my days within the EU below the 90 day limit. I was thinking that maybe a week or so in Switzerland would give me a few days but as I read the regulations, I'm not how long I'd need to stay there to stop the clock. I'll let you know on Monday how that works out. Inoculations/immunizations start next week, too.
I'm learning lots this first time out. The biggest lesson is to start the preparation waaay earlier. I'm setting everything up to leave by Sept 1st and I'm crossing my fingers that my papers will be ready! Of course doing the paper chase is the only excuse I have for not getting more packing done.
I'm still trying to figure out if there is a way to take my Swiss Army Knife with me without having to check luggage but I am more or less resigned to the idea of simply buying one when I get there. Check my bag for $15 and a wait at the baggage claim or buy a new knife for $35 and walk away after customs. I think the $35 is worth it and I'll be able to donate the knife to the next person who stays at the hostel in Greece.
Oh, that reminds me-I'm trying to come up with some kind of worldwide scavenger hunt. If anyone has an idea on that, drop me a line. I'm thinking it might be a hostel thing, clues left for anyone who knows the right sign/counter sign or maybe symbols could be left like the signs hobos used to leave when it was popular to ride the rails in the US. (Uh, that may still be popular for all I know!) Could be a letterbox thing as well. . .http://www.letterboxing.org/
Another trip to REI today and I think that'll do it as far as new items for this trip. . .maybe. I'm debating whether or not to get a digital camera. I'v e been wanting to get one for a while but the cost of new camera is almost a month's lodgings at hostels. What I might do is get a couple of the data memory card deals and just ask other people to take pictures for me. There are two benefits to that-first, I have to talk to other travelers and second, I get to be in the pictures. All of my other travel pictures could have been taken by anyone or they are shots of me holding the camera at arms length and there may or may not be a glimmer of the place I'm visiting.
Well, I think it's coming together and as long as I get the packing done (sure could use some help on that- hint, hint-I'm not being too subtle on this point, am I?) I should be soaring over the globe in a little over a month from now.
I am eager to get your questions . . . comments. . .snide remarks, so please feel free to drop a line anytime.
Hasta la bye bye for now.
Keli