A Non-WoW post.  Feel free to mark as read.

As pretty much all of you are no doubt aware, I am embarking on my first big trip at the end of the year, off to Japan, then Canada and the US.  In some ways, I am really looking forward to this holiday, but in other ways I am dreading it.

Why?

Well… I can say with 99.9% certainty that I will not have as much money as I would like.  That’s just a given.

I’m also a bit nervous about travelling on my own through the US and Canada.  Now, I know that it’s perfectly safe… I’m just more worried about the fact it’s all so unfamiliar to me.  I don’t have the first clue where I am going, what there is to do, or anything like that.  I think I’ll just be winging it.  Hell, I don’t even know where I’ll be staying yet… or how I’ll get from the airport to anywhere else.  I’ll probably just go with backpacker’s hostels, and if I can manage to scab free accommodation anywhere along the way, that’s a bonus.

I’m kinda hoping I can meet people along the way as well.  Of course, this all depends where I end up going.  And, for that, I am really looking for input from you guys.  After all, more of you would be familiar with places to go and what not than I would!

So, here’s the VERY vague itinerary I have planned.

28th December:  Fly out to Tokyo and meet my sister.  Crash at her place for free – huzzah!

30th December – 4th Jan: Ski trip in Japan with my sister, her boyfriend, and one of his mates.  I have a horrible feeling this will involve me rolling down hills, possibly breaking bones.

6th January: Fly from Tokyo to Vancouver.  Only a 9 hour flight I think, which is fairly tolerable all in all – that’s about how long it takes me to drive from my place to my parents’ anyway

…

…

…  Not sure what the hell I am doing from this point on, until

26th January: Fly out of LA back to Sydney.  Means I am spending Australia Day on a stinking plane.  What a rort.

Things I –think- I want to do:

• Is ice hockey even played at that time of year?… I would imagine it would be, being winter and all.  I figure, you should really see a game of ice hockey if you are going to Canada.
• I’d say skiing, but I am doing that in Japan.  And I probably couldn’t afford another ski trip.  And I think a ski trip would suck on your own.
• Go to Washington along the way, since, hell, I’ll probably have to go through there anyway!
• I’d consider a trip to Vegas, but again, Vegas sounds kinda lame on your own.  And I am really not sure how far away it is.
• Hit San Francisco… not sure why, but it sounds good.

So, I was wondering – what sort of things should most definitely be on my to-do list?  While I prefer cheap, since I am kinda broke, I am willing to spend a bit of cash where necessary.  If people also know some good, inexpensive places to stay along the way, well… that would rock as well.

And I have already vetoed hiring a car.  The weird backwards roads over there scare me too much!