A couple of days ago I pulled out my backpack to pack it yet again. It was like seeing an hold friend when I did this. My bursting pack was a part of me for the first month of my expedition from Seattle. After that I lived out of it for another month or two and I finally fully unpacked it and stored it away about a month ago. Now here I am again, all packed up, though this time with far fewer things.
The journey is to go like this:
Quick switch (if all goes well) in Dublin, then off to Venice.
Phew. Time to get this party started. It's been an anxious last couple of days for me. If you know me, you know I'm wildly impatient. Before a big trip/adventure of any sort, I get crazy brain about the week prior to my departure. I run through every scenario possible- good, bad, ugly, unexpected, anticipated- and allow my mind to run wild. Then, the day before I leave, I get excited. Crazy out of my mind excited. The kind of excited where I feel like my brain is going to explode out of my ears and my bladder is going to explode out of my butt. Yes, that kind of excitement. Tourettes level excitement. It's a pretty intense scene. Yesterday was nuts. I worked my last shift at the toy store for two weeks, had my last Shag Rock brewed beer at my restaurant (as it is closing it's doors forever while I'm gone) and spent the evening with a few good friends.
The drive down to Portland was gorgeous. Maine in the Fall is one of the most beautiful things I've seen. The East Coast (specifically New England) has a special kind of Fall. If you've lived or been here in the Fall, then you know what I'm talking about. It is incredible. The colors of the trees are so vibrant, even when it's raining. The red, orange and yellow leafy trees go on as far as the eye can see. Driving through all the sweet little towns, decorated with festive scarecrows, pumpkins and Halloween whatnot, as colorful leaves fall, blowing across yards and roads, you're mind isn't on the where you're going or how long it will take you to get there, rather you're ineluctably drawn to a peaceful state of mind. Don't believe me? Come to Maine and give it a try. I dare you ;-) Just not any time in the next two weeks!