Ready, set...SPAZ!!!

In less than 12 hours, I will (hopefully) be midway to Miami. This is a somewhat terrifying prospect; it seems as if there is no possible way that I can actually be ready to dive headlong into the middle of South America.

See, this is the point at which the excitement over travelling and last minute preparations combine to form little anal-retentive fits. I think I have the illusion of preparedness...

...but am a bit baffled that I can fit 7 weeks in one suitcase and one backpack. 

On the other hand, though, I’m pretty sure that there’s going to be an inevitable learning curve, and let’s face it. If I’m starting off at a lower baseline, it just means that I have more opportunity for increase! (If learning is defined as the rate of knowledge gained over time, could a “learning curve” be described by d(learning)/dt, or f’’ of the increase in pieces of knowledge?) Then I get thoughts like that, and wonder how I can even manage to leave the house, much less the country.

Either way, though: Ready or not, Quito here I come!

To pack, or not to pack...

It’s t-minus-34 hours until departure, and I am faced with a decision. I can either pack and prepare for my upcoming journey, or I can start a blog. Let’s see. Be productive... or muse about productivity. 

Blog it is.

This leads me to wonder, however, as to why I am starting a blog in the first place (and to when I got so pretentiously meta). I mean, sure. I’m off to Ecuador to see exciting things, meet new people, eat tasty foods and am therefore clearly qualified to provide witty yet thought-provoking reflections on these experiences, but why not just journal quietly to myself?

First, there was a challenge. “You? Maintain a blog? That’s funny, you’re WAY too lazy for that!” We know how I am about challenges. Enough said.

Second, I have to be honest. I’m horrible at communicating with people. It’s not that I don’t care, or that I don’t love you, but I’m not the type to call or send flowers. Or emails. Or even facebook messages. So if you happen to care whether or not I’m still alive in my travels (though I’m not sure why you would), here’s your proof. 

Finally, I think I could use the structured form of reflection to fully appreciate the next 7 weeks of my life. It could be too easy to rush from experience to experience without ever truly stopping to fully process and synthesize anything, much less everything. Tempting as it might be, though, I suspect that some dedicated reflecting might well lead to a fuller, richer journey.

I suppose I could throw in my enjoyment of humorously self-deprecating anecdotes, but I have sneaking suspicion that there will be plenty of mishaps and silly adventures for that to come easily enough.

So with these three goals in mind, I have a plan (and suppose the third one could perhaps be considered a hypothesis?) and realize that out of all the experiences to come, packing is perhaps not one enhanced by deep reflection, and just needs to get done.

It’s t-minus-33.5 hours to departure, and it’s time to get going.