Itchy feet

Normally by this time of year I'd have a rough plan for major trips for the following year. My travel is perhaps 30% big trips (visiting several countries), 30% smaller trips planned well ahead and 40% short notice trips.

For the bigger trips I aim to visit as many new places as possible as part of my neverending quest to see everything there is to see, experience as much as I can and learn from others.

I like to travel around April. It is not a peak time for travel so I usually can get reasonable fares and getting around is simpler (my itineraries are complicated enough without adding to the logistics due to full flights/trains/buses). It is also a good time climate-wise, and importantly this is the case in most regions for many of my trips involve regions of the globe with contrasting seasons, climate & weather.

For a number of reasons I am not far advanced in my travel plans for next year. It is beginning to look like I won't have a big trip in April and will have to content myself with smaller trips in the first half of next year.

Just thinking about this makes me grumpy. It doesn't help I'm in between trips at the moment. Today an awesome trip for November has taken a step closer to reality, which has helped lift my spirits.

I need to go somewhere, anywhere, soon. Either that, or come up with a good plan for next year. I'm dreaming of Africa ... and Central Asia. It would be very nice to win the Conde Naste Traveler dream travel contest.