When we tell people that we're going on a long trip, the responses have varied from squeals of excitement, to high-fives, to a mildly stunned silence.  After the initial reaction, there are a few questions that consistently come up.

1. Where are you going?

The simple answer is Asia and Europe. We're hitting Tokyo, Hong Kong, Siem Reap, Bangkok, Phuket, and Singapore in Asia. After that, we head off to Europe with Munich as our first stop, and then off to the island of Crete for a bit of rest. From there, things get a little nebulous.  We know a few countries we want  to hit like Italy, Portugal, and the Czech Republic, but the timing will depend on transportation costs, any major events (e.g. avoiding mass pilgrimage in Rome during Easter), and accommodation availability.

2. Are you booking everything or doing things on the fly?

On the scale of Planners and Doers, we are definitely planners, which also means that we are doing a bit more booking up front. As we get further along in the trip we may get more lazy and lax with this, but for now, we've got the first two months booked.

3. What's the weather going to be like?

It'll be an all season trip: winter in Japan and Hong Kong, a steamy 30-40 degree summer in South East Asia, and varying degrees of spring in Europe.

4. How are you going to pack?

We're not backpacking, but we're not checking in any 50 pound pieces of luggage either. We're going to attempt this trip with carry on only. This means approximately a week's worth of clothing (yes, we will be doing laundry on this trip), bare minimum toiletries, and no fancy suits or high heels. Oh yes, and I've just discovered that packing cubes are a traveler's best friend!

5. When/Where/Why did you decide to do this?

A large scale trip has been on our list to do for some time and we felt that now was one of the better stages in our lives to do it. The idea rattled and bumped around in the back our heads for most of 2015. The final decision was made during a September trip to New York while sitting in Times Square amidst the kinetic frenzy of lights, cameras, and action.  We thought to ourselves, "Could we do this?  Travel.  See.  Absorb and be absorbed by new places and landscapes?"  The answer was "Yes."