the monchichi world tour

So, this will be my third blog, but I've brought all the posts from my old ones (serendipity berries and monchichi) over, so we're one big happy Brady Bunch now.

(In case you're wondering about all this shuffling about, I'd gotten bored of my first blog (bad sign) and went off looking for something new and fancy (another bad sign) but then realized that fancy photo slideshows don't always go with great text function (a good analogy for other things, too). So, I'm back to blogger and here to stay. It may not have the bells, whistles and flashy tight jeans, but it's like the good old tugboat that keeps on chugging and never lets you down.)

Anyway, on to the exciting news: our travel itinerary! I've finally got a skeleton worked out, with a bit of room for whim and chaos. So, here's a rough estimate of where we'll be for the next few months.

June-July: Road trip across the US
Boston -> New York -> Philadelphia -> Washington, DC -> Pittsburgh -> Chicago -> Iowa City -> Des Moines, Iowa -> Lincoln, Nebraska -> Denver -> Arches National Park, Utah -> Canyonlands -> Capitol Reef -> Grand Staircase - Escalante -> Bryce Canyon -> Zion Canyon -> Grand Canyon -> Las Vegas -> Los Angeles

July-August: Australia and New Zealand
Los Angeles -> Sydney -> Melbourne -> Alice Springs -> Uluru (Ayers Rock) -> Alice Springs -> Cairns -> Port Douglas -> Great Barrier Reef -> Sydney -> Christchurch, New Zealand -> TranzAlpine train to Greymouth -> Franz Joseph Glacier -> Fox Glacier -> Wanaka Lake -> Te Anau (glow worms in caves!) -> Queenstown -> Dunedin -> Hanmer Springs -> Kaikoura -> Abel Tasman National Park -> Christchurch -> Sydney -> Los Angeles

September: Mexico to visit in-laws
(hoping swine flu is gone by then)

October-December: Tanzania for field work

We're still sorting out the details, but it's starting to come together. We'll visit friends and family, couchsurf a couple times in the US, camp for almost two weeks in the national parks in Utah and Arizona, and go in a campervan for five days from Alice Springs to Ayers Rock. We'll wing the New Zealand portion of our trip, as it's pretty easy to get around the south island. And we're debating whether to go through with our Mexico plans (likely), in spite of swine flu terror.

In the spring, I think we'll try to go to Asia and South America, but nothing is planned yet.

So, world travelers, where do you suggest we go (or not go)? Any favorite places you don't mind sharing?