The Departure

Five guidebooks, myriad travel magazines, train maps, city maps, countless websites, knowledgeable insight from friends and family, and a thirst for discovery.  These were the basic aspects that directed our due diligence when considering/planning this journey.  Over six months of preparation for 70 days of travel should be sufficient.  With a basic (and I mean BASIC) itinerary set, flights purchased, and bags packed, we are finally ready to go.

My Osprey Kestrel 48L backpack is full - it is also light and manageable.  It's contents:

• 5 shirts - both short and long sleeve, easy dry, easy wash
• 2 pair shorts, 1 pair pants - also easy dry and comfortable
• 8 pair boxer briefs, 8 pair socks - easy dry (notice a pattern?), one pair heavy socks, one pair Colorado flag socks
• Raincoat - lightweight, got it for free
• Long underwear, long sleeve Under Armour - it might get cold at some point
• Shoes - Brooks running shoes; Easily the best pair of shoes I've ever worn.  Realized this after a night in Boulder where spilled drinks on the dancefloor were foiled in their attempt to make me stumble.
• Sandals - Rainbows for life
• Bandana and hat - keep that sun off my face
• Swiss army knife, binoculars, flashlight, Canon G11 camera with charger, reading glasses, journal, inflatable pillow, laundry detergent (nifty), flash drive, key lock, money belt with passport and currency, photocopies of important documents
• Colorado Flag - represent
• Tickets and ticket confirmations for:
• Eurail Pass - 15 days of non-consecutive travel over 2 months, trains, trains and trains
• Roundtrip Flight - Denver to Dublin, London to Denver
• Hostel Confirmations - Only Dublin, Ibiza, Barcelona, and Munich so far
• Flight from London to Ibiza - August 21
• Swedish House Mafia at Pacha - August 22; Swedish House Mafia at Ushuaia - August 24; "Be" at Space (Armin van Buuren, Gareth Emery, Fedde Le Grand, and more) - August 24
• FC Barcelona vs. Villareal at Camp Nou - August 29
• Flight from Istanbul to London - October 20
• Printed copies of emails from friends and family - invaluable advice from travelers with experience  in our destination cities

Sounds like a lot, but this pack does not weigh more than 40 pounds.

My iPhone and MacBook are staying behind.  Rather exciting to go off the grid for a little while.  Email will be checked regularly and I intend on updating this blog periodically.

PLEASE send me an email (andrewleede@gmail.com) with your address - I'm a fan of postcards, so you must be too.

Flight leaves in 4 hours and 29 minutes.  I've been looking forward to today for a long time.  It's to the point where simply talking about it is insufficient; we need to be there - creating experiences first-hand, taking pictures, meeting new people, speaking different languages (trying), tasting local foods and drinking great wine, exploring wilderness, studying history, indulging culturally, getting lost, finding the way, pushing the limits, sleeping when possible, feeling uncomfortable, smiling and frowning, laughing and crying.

Ready.  Go.