A pre-travel blog

Travelling is surprisingly expensive, no? The hunter-gatherer in me resents this a little. Having seen Andrew Marr's History of the World I feel that me wandering around should be free. I blame farming (for anthropological reasons that I refer you to Andrew for).
Ok, so I understand that the hunter-gatherers walked everywhere. I am flying so I suppose it is acceptable that I have to pay to travel (the environmentally friendly me would say necessary and important). But visas?? I risk sounding like a seven year old but "its a free world," or should be. Why do I have to pay to be on that bit of earth but not this? I'm bringing my tourist money, aren't I? Probably there is a good reason that I haven't thought about.
And then there are vaccinations, insurance, passport and visa photos in different sizes for different places, stamps and envelopes, and that's before you even leave the country. Then you've got to get a backpack, first aid kit, malaria tablets, all kinds of clothes from walking boots to bikinis (all compact enough to shrink to nothing), camera, power adaptors, the Lonely Planet guide which is maybe slightly larger than the Bible and slightly heavier than a baby elephant. Etc.
I live with the hope that once I get there I will feel like a super rich Westerner and have cash to burn.
On the other hand I fear the prospect of seeing poverty that I will never experience. Then I will feel rather ashamed of this blog and the fact that I resent spending money on having a nice time and not needing to work for months.
Selfish Westerner.
But for now I will put that thought to one side, and think instead of seeing tigers, ancient caves, palaces and temples. Of drinking from a coconut on the beach whilst reading The Jungle Book and applying liberal amounts of suncream and mosquito repellent. The hunter-gatherer in me is baffled by this prospect but is looking forward to the coconut.
I will save a fortune on Christmas presents though, being away from November to February. Look forward to your Christmas emails and poems friends and family. You lucky people. Maybe you can have a souvenir rupee when I get back (N.B they are worth about a penny).
But I still have 50 days to go and plenty to do. Visa application 1 is sent. Now I have to wait for my passport to come back before I can do the other. Next stop, guest house booking and health insurance. Confused.com?
It's quite scary sending your passport away. I feel like I posted my identity. And I have the fear that Nepal will lose it and I won't be able to go anywhere. And I won't be a real person anymore. Oh no!
Calm thoughts, Jess...sunshine...beaches...baby elephants...