Last Saturday night we decided to invite all of our Portland friends to our apartment for a going away extravaganza. I should say, we decided to invite them all to our apartment that seems quite spacious for two people, yet is surprisingly not for 35. Oh well, it forced mingling and I don't think anyone became too claustrophobic.

We decided to put on the invitations that the party started at 6:00. Granted, we know that no one wants to be the first to show up at a party, but as 6:30 rolled around and we were sitting there staring at each other, the keg of beer was starting to seem like a very bad idea. Luckily, people did start to show and in bigger numbers than I really thought would. It's funny, that when deciding who to invite that after four years of living in Portland, it felt like we knew precious few people. However, when they all start showing up, it makes you feel pretty popular after all.

The party was a big success and it was great to have a chance to see so many of our friends before we take off. No one really wants to say it, but its hard to know just exactly when we'll cross paths again. A friend, a 911 co-worker and fellow world traveller, Jeff Wood told me as he left that we would see each other again. The world has a way of bringing true friends together again. I agree with that.

I had read in one of our travel books, that everyone should have a world map or globe somewhere in their home. It encourages dreaming and gives you a better perspective on the world we live in. Unfortunately, far too few Americans look at a map often enough. We had decided to post our world and Asia maps at party so people could gain a little perspective into where we're planning on going. I'm glad we did as lots of folks spent quite a while staring at them. I would never expect everyone to be interested in doing a trip like ours, but its great to see people dream, question and share their stories while looking at a map of the world.

And on a final note: beer. It turns out that there is really a lot of beer in a keg. Our lack of college party experience left us woefully unprepared for throwing a kegger. We have lots and lots of beer left. I'm drinking it with every meal and using it as a meal replacement shake, but damned if that keg just won't run out. Some of our friends really let us down on their beer intake. Between 911 dispatchers making the lame excuse that they can't go to work drunk and a few pregnant ladies whining about poisoning the baby, its no wonder we're stuck with all this. Some people just have no respect.

-- Shawn