Backpacking Trip 2010

I remember that night like it was yesterday…after all, it was just “yesterday” that Katie and I were sitting at Applebee’s for happy hour discussing the current views on our lives, what we had, what was lacking, and what we wanted. Of course our wants/needs out of life were/are different but the answer to the questions we had ended up the same solution: travel. We were previously reminiscing of our time in NY together and traveling and the idea came to us to travel again; this time we wanted big. We came up with our travel destinations fairly easily and in complete agreement; we were both looking to visit the not so timeless locations. I knew leaving the restaurant that night that we were both dead serious and I knew it was only a matter of time before it really happened. The trip kind of started off growing its own roots, starting itself and the ball just rolled along. The time to leave is here, practically tomorrow. The time flew by and I am on the verge of this life-changing trip. I am greatly looking forward to the exposure to multiple cultures, broadening my perspective of the world, growing as a human being, and finding new strengths in myself that have laid dormant until needed. I have been focused on the trip for so long that now that it is time to leave, I am finding out just what leaving really means, what I’ll be leaving behind to seek the knowledge and experience I have craved for so long. I have no doubt in my mind that I am making the right choice in my life, but it doesn’t help the reality of walking away from someone I love dearly, whom I’m not sure I will ever see again. I’m shedding my old skin, I’m leaving behind what I know, I’m finally releasing the restless cagged bird flittering inside my heart to find life, to live life. As exciting as this is, it is also bittersweet. I’m going to miss this place far more than I thought I would…I’m going to miss the people here too much and the love I leave behind. As much as I’m going to grow on this trip, the preparations alone have already stretched the limits of my own heart and I have learned much already. I can’t wait to see what comes….  

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 1st, 2010 at 6:45 am and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.