You know it's getting close when...

Your family and friends start calling you to wish you a safe and fun trip because they know you're going off the "grid" until you leave!

Thank you for all the warm wishes and 'bon voyages' :)

I hope to update once more before we actually head to the airport; probably Sunday or Monday!

Until then...

Cable/Phone/Internet irritation

I have NEVER been so frustrated with our service provider... I was so shocked at how so many people could be giving me the wrong information. I spoke to 6 different people in an hour and most of them had different information from each other. SO frustrating.

Needless to say, I was super irritated by the process but eventually got it figured out (I sure hope so... because that's what I thought the LAST time I called!)

My cable/phone/internet is being put on hold as of Thursday, September 1st so I won't be able to blog unless I head to Jeff's parent's place. If you need to get a hold of me, please call my cell (call mom or Jeff for it!)

It'll be a tough go without internet but we'll have to find a way to manage. We're downloading seasons of shows we want to watch to entertain ourselves over the next number of days! lol

Backpacks!

These are the two bags we'll be taking with us for 2 months. Each bag has a smaller backpack ('day pack') that zips onto the main one. Mine has come in handy more times than I can count. It also doubles as carry-on luggage so we can have essential items on the plane in case our bags don't make it (let's hope that doesn't happen).

Here is my first attempt at packing... not a serious pack yet as Jeff and I may do that together later this week once he's finished work. Note the rolling of the clothes; an excellent technique to use space more efficiently AND to reduce wrinkles. You'll also notice that all of my clothes are in the same colour family so that no matter what I wear, I'll match :) And in case you're wondering what the blue thing is on top, it's my knee brace.

It doesn't look like much now, but when it's full and ready to go, it'll be a monster of a backpack! But I love it. This backpack has lived on several continents with me so I'm very attached to it. This is just one more adventure we get to take together!

Now, you may be thinking, "Why on Earth is she talking like that about a backpack? It's only a backpack!", let me tell you, when you're in a foreign country and everything around you is radically unfamiliar, potentially scary and more than a little overwhelming at times, your backpack begins to feel like home. Your familiar items are there, your source of comfort comes from there, and you know you'll be taking it wherever you go. It may sound silly but you do become attached to it because it's seen the world right along with you! :) I admittedly get a little twinge of excitement every time I look at it.

One Week to Go!

A week from today is departure day; Fortunately for us, Jeff's parents are going to drive us to the airport to save taxi or airways transit fare. It will be a long day as we wait until our late evening flight. We're leaving late at night and yet arriving late in the morning in Portugal; a 7-hour flight actually becomes a 12-hour flight with the time change (kind of neat but it'll make for a super long day once we get there!).

Jeff's excitement is mounting along with mine, although he's much more covert than I am. I'm practically bouncing off the walls ready to go.

I'm going to attempt packing my carry-on today, just to see how much I can fit and then start laying out everything else for my backpack. Jeff and I'll have to figure it out this week and by the weekend we should be ready to go.

At my grandma's birthday party yesterday, family and friends encouraged me to blog as often as I can and seeing as I'll most definitely have better access to Internet cafes (not to mention electricity) in Europe than in Africa, I'm sure I'll be able to oblige.

As our trip draws ever nearer I'm beginning to take notice to the things in my comfortable life that make it home (because I've missed them before after long journeys)... #1 My super comfortable, warm, soft, welcoming, cushy bed - I always miss my bed while I'm away and I'm sure many of you can relate if even for a couple of nights in a hotel room. #2 Our hot, high pressured shower - after bathing in Ecuador and Ghana with cold water and sometimes out of buckets, I'll probably miss my shower too, even though I hope not to shower out of bucket on this journey. #3 My kitty, who is a member of our little family - even if he did pee on our bed yesterday because my parent's dog scared the beejesus out of him! #4 The comfort of 'home base' which I've had on other journeys but won't have on this one.

Even though my previous adventures have taught me a lot about travel, nothing has quite prepared me for this backpacking experience. Jeff and I'll have to navigate it for the first time together - what a team! We're ready to get this party started :)