Preparation

Those two weeks...what happened to them? All of a sudden here I am in Sydney!

It never really sunk in that I'm going somewhere else, that "goodbye" actually MEANS "goodbye". I have travelled overseas many times, but I have never had so much to say goodbye to. Chatting to friends on beds and couches, sitting in QE2 watching clouds and bogans drift by, getting excited over maths whilst tutoring my little tutorees, going out and dancing to songs I hate because I'm with people I love... As I replay the memories of the last six months in my mind, they are all tinted gold. For those mystified at how I keep so happy, you need only look at yourselves! I never thought I'd say this, but doing nothing in Albury for 6 months has been one of the best times of my life!

I hate to leave it all behind, I miss everything already. I couldn't delay leaving though, for one simple reason; There will never be a time when I want to leave all that. If I can't part from it now I know I'll never be able to. Images of friends keep flashing through my mind, I'll miss you all so much!

Leaving is the hardest part, and once that's over I'm sure arriving at something new will make it all worthwhile. I'm sure a whole new world lies before me, and even now excitement is bubbling up as I finally realize - I'M GOING TO ASIA!I have no illusions about life as a nomad, with just my 10kg backpack (less than 2kg per month!) and a pocketful of dreams. It will not be pretty, it will not be glamorous, and it will not be easy. In setting out I know I am not travelling for pleasure. Nor am I travelling for fun. Nor am I travelling to relax. I am travelling with only one purpose, which is to have my eyes opened even in the slightest, and this will be the only goal I can measure the success of my journey on. Wish me luck!

Two weeks to go, and I thought I better get organized just a little bit!
Still not really sure what I'm signing myself up for, I'm hoping it will just hit me when I get off the plane into a foreign country. Anyone who has asked me about my trip may well have had a conversation like the one below:

"Where are you going?"
"Asia"

"What are you going to do there?"
"Travel, meet people, have fun, a little bit of this, a little bit of that..."

"Got any more specific plans?"
"No not really, just, you know, thinking about...doing...stuff?"

"Hmmmm....."