Am I really leaving?

So the time has come.  The time where I begin freaking out and realize that I am not just making up some whimsical journey around the world from my imagination.  Preparing for my nine month trip has taken more time than I could ever imagine.  From choosing a custom base route through STA Travel to planning out destinations in between each stop, it is safe to say that I have been occupied with my itinerary for the past few months!  Luckily, since my sister will be traveling with me throughout Asia and East Africa, it has been nice having us both look into all of the possibilities for each destination.

Here's my route and some details of the big trip:

Denver--> Los Angeles--> Sydney-->Bangkok-->New Dehli-->Mumbai-->Nairobi-->Accra-->Cairo-->New York-->Denver 

* 7 weeks in Australia to chill by the beach and do some surfing while making time to get scuba certified and head up to the Great Barrier Reef for a liveaboard dive trip

* 8 weeks of beach and culture in southeast Asia (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam).

* 4 weeks in India to explore its famous sites and all that it has to offer.

* 5 1/2 weeks in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda) for a massive serving of adventure

*6-7 weeks in Ghana to live with a local host family and volunteer at an school and explore West Africa

*4 weeks in Egypt to explore this fascinating ancient culture and indulge in some beachside locations