It's feeling for real.

Had a relaxing Christmas (thanks mom), watched a ridiculous amount of TV, slept a lot. Watched from Pennsylvania (no snow) the snow fall in Texas. I realized that I not only didn't need anything for Christmas, I don't really want anything after all the work I've gone through to get rid of that which I had. But it feels very real now, I miss Austin as I listen to KUT online and read about the tsunami in the Thailand. I hear on internet radio the things I love (I'm sorry loved) about the comfortable and wonderful life I led in Austin. In stark contrast I hear about the terrible tragedy along the Indian Ocean, yet instead of seeing that as a far off, disconnected event, I realize I'll be in Bangkok in ~3 weeks. I have to ask myself, is this trip a mistake if I get myself killed on the far side of the world? And my answer is no, because I'd rather get myself killed there living my life fully, than suffer the death of stagnation by not living at home. So cheers to living it up; with equal parts exhilaration and fear I'm looking immanent adventure in the face and looking forward to running with it for a long while.

Left Austin.

It's Christmas Eve, and Christmas is by far the last thing on my mind. Had a garage sale Saturday, returned George's car (thanks for the loaner), picked up my car from the shop (still need to sell it if someone wants a 2000 Beetle), dropped off books and dishes, turned off cable & electric, made a final goodwill run, packed up my apartment in a U-Haul, put my car on a trailer, drove to corpus, uploaded 1/4 of a closet worth of possessions (all of them now), dropped off the U-Haul, went to sleep around 3:45, getting up to fly to Philly in the AM. Uh... Happy Holidays.

Yellow card carrying....

I'm a yellow card carrier now. Got my inoculations for yellow fever today and picked up typhoid pills (live vaccine). Boy this sounds exciting. (Turned down the Rabies shots)

Take off

Take off
Originally uploaded by treyguinn.

I'm gettin' ready to...

It's Official....

Passed the point of no return. Here's the itinerary:

Jan 17 Dallas to Bangkok (via LAX and Taipei, arriving the 19th)
Jan 25 Bangkok to Bali (via Singapore)
Feb 2 Bali to Perth
March 15 Perth to Nadi, Fiji (via Melbourne)
April 10 Nadi to Auckland, NZ

I can't help but feel a sense of combined elation and apprehension. The only thing I can compare it to is the rush before cliff diving, all the while knowing that when I land I can't wait to run back and do it again.