Austin and Steph's 2013 Newsletter:

Bought a One-Way!

Bought a One-Way!

Take advantage of credit card airline deals; We are flying to Bali!

The day is January 13, 2014, 11:25 a.m., Los Angeles, California. Bound for Bali, Indonesia on a one-way flight, Austin and Steph are home-free, at-home, and homeless!

Moral of the story: milk flight-incentive cards for all they are worth. They have killer sign-up deals (50,000 free miles/points what-up!) and are free for the first year. You are a bill paying citizen for the year, then cancel the card before they charge you $200 for the second year--yikes AMEX! Meanwhile, you use all the free flights they give you!

Best cards for free flights:
- American Express Premier Rewards
- Chase Visa Signature (This card is made of metal and totes high class. They also have the best customer service EVER.)
- Southwest Visa Signature

In our two years of marriage, Austin and I have flown free or almost free to Denver (thrice), Florida (twice!), North Carolina, Bali, and (soon) Beijing to LAX. Pretty astounding. Also, if there is a problem with a flight or something, call them up. Multiple times I have called up the card company and been awarded extra miles for complaining about something/being inconvenienced. So don't throw those deals away. You are throwing away free vacations.

Let the Planning Begin!

Planning the Last Big Hurrah - Backpacking Southeast Asia and China

To slake my wanderlust and Austin's pre-fatherhood yearnings, we are embarking on a 4-month adventure to the land of the jungle, temples, elephants, monkeys, and all things beautiful: Southeast Asia and China!

When telling others of our exciting adventure ahead, I have often received the response "Why on earth do you want to go there? I have absolutely no desire to go to that part of the world." Well, first off, how rude. Shame on them for raining on my parade, (names omitted). Second, this area encompasses many of the most beautiful places on earth, places inaccessible with a minivan full of infants, toddlers, and whiners (aka my future). Third, it is cheap. Like super cheap. And I have already seen Rome and dined at over-priced Parisian cafes. Austin and I are thrilled to embrace new cultures, peoples, languages, sights, and arts that our American education skipped over.

The adventurers: Austin and Steph (24-yr-old married couple)

The plan: leave January 8, 2014 (Beijing first or Bali first? TBD), bring not but a backpack, travel our guts out, return May 1, 2014.

The countries: Indonesia (Bali), Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and China (See purple lines in map below. Ops. Cut off Beijing.)

The funds: $40 a day and almost free airfare (This is doable, according to our considerable research thus far. Wish us luck! Thanks a million American Express flight miles!)

The blog: I'm a big document-or, and there is a need for a one-stop shop for lots of travel information. Maybe this can help someone else avoid repeating some of the research we are sweating over! Also, we have freakish amounts of fun, way more than the average anyone. It is your decision to call it gloating, brave, stupid, or inspirational.

Plus, I love Charlotte and Jonah.