We have started to cut the ties to Japan. Last week we submit our resignations to work, gave notice on our apartment, cancelled our gym memberships, sold our bed, that kind of stuff. We also applied for our Chinese visas at the consulate in Osaka. Our last day of work will be February 26, and we will leave Japan on March 3. We're getting excited.

Here is the ferry we are planning to take to China. Click through the links to see some photos and information in Chinese.

Handy links added. These are sites that we're using and listing as links so my mother can be assured that we won't be trekking through minefields. They include travel advisory reports, malaria info for SE Asia, and the BBC's Asia-Pacific news website.

Proposed Trip Itinerary:

Our preparations to leave Japan are well underway. We will be giving work notice at the end of the month, and if all goes well we will be leaving for China at the beginning of March. Here's more details on the plan:

THE FIRST LEG: Slow Boat to China
• Take the ferry to Shanghai - a two day trip. Hang out in Shanghai with a friend who's living there.
• Hop on an overnight train to Xi'an, the ancient capital. Inspect the Terracotta Warriors.
• Head down to Chongquing to catch a cruise down the Mighty Yangtze river, past the Three Gorges. See it all before it gets dammed up.
• Work our way to Guilin, where they have all the fantastic Dr. Suess landscapes you see painted on vases in Chinatown.
• Make our way to Kunming, and try to figure out the best way to into Laos.

THE SECOND LEG: Laos into Thailand
• Northern Laos has some cool eco-tourism tours for trekking and rafting.
• We will be spending most of our time in the Luang Nam Tha, Nong Khiaw, and Luang Prabang area.
• From Luang Prabang we will head into Thailand, aiming to get to Chiang Mai in time for Thai new year celebrations (if we can get hotel reservations!)

THE THIRD LEG: Thailand & Cambodia
• Head to Bangkok. Count how much money we have left and check out flight options home.
• Go to Cambodia and visit Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. Probably cross back into Thailand and hit the beaches in the south.
• Our departure from SE Asia is likely to be out of Bangkok. If we have the cash and time, maybe we'll stop in India, or Europe for a while.

That's the current plan, anyhow. I'm always happiest when planning a trip.

Map of proposed route:
Click on map to enlarge.