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TRAVEL BLOG ENTRY
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“...leaving on a trip: once you’re off it’s all right, but the last
moments are earthquake and convulsion, and the feeling that you are a
snail being pulled off your rock."
What a true quote! As it becomes not months,
not even weeks, but mere days until I leave, I’m being slammed by such
strong and contradicting emotions that it feels like a physical
wrenching of my stomach at every moment. Huge excitement at what is to
come, incredulity that it’s actually happening, great sadness to be
leaving, overwhelming anxiety at all I still have to do, frustration
with Wells Fargo for charging $5 international ATM fees (yes really!
isn’t that ridiculous!)--and it all adds up to breakdowns over stupid
things like having to pay a few more dollars for my guidebook.
Seriously, I’m not really crazy, just with all The
Lasts starting to come up (the Last day of work, the Last time I’ll go
to Walmart-I’m sure that one’s not true actually, you always need
something more from Walmart, the Last time I’ll see one friend or
another) it is actually hitting me that I’m leaving.
Luckily, I’ve already dealt with much of my
preparation. I am taking just one medium sized backpack, so I don’t
have many clothes to take, and I’ve gotten them all, washed them, trial
packed them, etc. I’ve gotten all my shots (Hepatitis A, polio and
meningitis boosters, typhoid), though my upper arms didn’t
appreciate it much. I have my prescriptions, including Malarone
for malaria when I get to the area that requires it. I have a super
cool water purifier, which somehow uses UV light to make water safe to
drink, and a couple fleece jackets since I’m always freezing. In terms
of gear, I think I’m ready!
But am I going to be READY? Mmmm...I say probably
not, but I’ll take off anyway, and we’ll see what happens! To find out,
tune in next time for all the news fit to write from Prague!
previous travel blog entry
SDC says:
Maggina, You should give the mace a trial run just to make sure it works.