Bang!
I pulled the trigger.
No turning back now; I just booked my flight. jensolo and Keer have housemates to replace me-they didn't find quality people willing to split the rent the way we have been, but they found two good tenants to take my room and the spare room. I'm moving into the spare room by the 14th of March, and a fortnight later, at 1:40am, I fly out of San Francisco, leaving it behind as a home for the forseeable future.
I haven't given notice at work yet. I was going to do that yesterday, but it seemed tacky on a day that I was mostly working from home, and the boss was busy anyhow. I'll talk to him on Monday.
Flights have gone up a lot in the last three weeks: the flight from here to Lima ended up being $686, instead of $517, an increase of 33%. The flights from there to Buenos Aires and back have gone up nearly 50%! This is despite searching with pretty much the same amount of notice as I did three weeks ago; I'm flying out three weeks later as well. It might have to do with the season, but I think recent events in the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, have even more to do with it: oil prices have gone up.
Part of the reason I delayed my departure was so I could work a bit longer and save a bit more, but by the time I've booked everything, the airfare increases will probably be more than what I saved. In an effort not to be upset about it, I'm telling myself that millions of people are going to be living better lives because of the events of the last few weeks, and if it means I have to pay more for the privileged life I lead, that's fine. But considering the bulk of the fare hikes are in airport fees and taxes, not the fares themselves, I can't shake the feeling that the usual fat cats are getting most of the benefit.
Anyhow, my plan is to arrive in Lima and store the bag containing stuff that I'll be living with in Peru, and continue with my travel bag to Buenos Aires. I actually haven't managed to book that return flight yet; the web site seems to be having issues. But it looks like the cheapest flights are with LAN, and they include a stopover in Santiago. I love Santiago, so I'm trying to arrange it so I'm there for eight or ten hours so I can leave the airport, instead of three or four. (I'm doing the same thing in Mexico City, even though I know nothing about that town-advice, anyone?) I'm really looking forward to hanging out with paisleychick and kragen in Buenos Aires; it's a great town, and I had so much fun with them last time, and with celerypie of course-I wonder if they'll be introducing me to anyone else cute this time!
I'm also hoping that the bag I'll be storing in Lima will contain tools to help with the humanitarian effort in Pisco, where I'll be living and working. I'm paying my own way there, and paying for my own accommodation, and working for free to make the world a better place, but I'm hoping some of my friends will chip in to help me buy some supplies that may be needed there, so I can take them with me in that other bag. I'll post about that soon. In any case, I'll be spending most of this year travelling with one bag, so I'll have to pare down.
Woah, this feels crazy, crazier than last time I did anything like this. This might be the longest bout of pre-travel stress I've ever had. Get me on that aeroplane!