Kevin's Travel Blog

I recently renewed my old US passport that was set to expire on February 2012. There’s now an option to get the thicker 52-page version instead of the regular 28-page version, with both costing the same. It used to be free to add extra pages to a passport, but now it costs $82 to do so. With that in mind, and the possibility that I might end up using up all the pages of the slimmer version during my upcoming trip, I opted for the 52-page one.

For some reason, I was really excited about getting the new passport. I checked online almost everyday on my application status. The regular service is supposed to be from 4-6 weeks, but I got it under 3 weeks. I also got my old passport back in the mail a couple of days after the new one.

Aside from having more pages, the cover is also much thicker than the old one, probably because of the microchip they put in it now. Of the 52 pages, only 41 are available for visas and stamps, the rest contain miscellaneous information.

New US Passport

Old 24-pager US Passport vs new 52-pager

Assuming that I don’t lose it or have it stolen, this little blue book is going to be my inseparable companion on many adventures around the world.

Updated: December 21, 2011

Here’s a list of tasks I need to complete before the departure for my round the world trip. I’ll be crossing them out as I complete them, and adding more as they come up.

Logistics

• Decide on first destination
• Book plane ticket to first destination (unless it’s Mexico, in which case I’ll travel by land)
• Buy travel insurance

Documents

• Renew US passport
• Proof of vaccination

Gear

• Buy packpack (around 40 liters)
• Find a lightweight hair clipper (I have short hair and cut it myself every 2 weeks)
• Research and buy a netbook (I think the pros outweigh the cons for carrying one)
• Buy compact camera

Money

• Cancel unused credit cards
• Get a Capital One credit card (no foreign exchange fees when used overseas)

Books

• Read The Rough Guide’s “First-Time Around The World” 
• Read National Geographic’s “Journeys Of A Lifetime”
• Read “The Tao Of Travel” By Paul Theroux
• Read Lonely Planet’s “The Big Trip”
• Read Lonely Planet’s “Travel Photography”
• Read “The Photographer’s Eye” By Michael Freeman
• Read Lonely Planet’s “Travel Writing”
• Reread “Vagabonding” by Rolf Potts