Countdown Begins

Five sleeps till take off. Crikey

I haven't caught up with everyone I wanted to and I'm already experiencing separation anxiety from my stuff. I haven't got a job yet and I have no idea where I'll be staying beyond the first two weeks. I'm still pretty bumed emotionally and am lacking the essential anticipation and excitement I think should go with such adventures. I want to take too much stuff with me and I don't have that much time left for all the things I'm supposed to do. I'm going to miss every member of my family like crazy and will especially miss the wonderful people in my life like Emma and Sally.

But it'll be much easier to see Helen over there and Jason and Rich are just around the corner and Marty will probably drop by and I'm looking forward to seeing Jane and Darren again so I won't be bereft. And I'll get to see Italy and Spain and the rest of Germany and Austria and more of France and Portugal and may even get to Greece some day... so it's not all bad. I just have to reorient and recalibrate my brain into accepting change again.

Think of all that ancient architecture waiting to be explored. Think of how you had tears in your eyes standing on the ramparts of a 2000 year old castle. Think of the fruit bear and divine chocolate. Think of seeing a different musical every night of the week for a month without repeats. Think of the amazing adventure of living in a different culture.

Bugger the expense, bugger the cold, bugger the smog, bugger the fear.

Live!