Four countries
And one blog........
I'm off ladies and gentlemen! ....To embark upon the adventure I have been talking people's ears off for months. For those that don't have the story memorized (likely few as I have been talking non stop), I planned this trip over 6 months ago in an impulsive desire to become an international bohemian (well, a yuppy version at least...a yuphemian). I had just turned 30 and quit my job and wanted to see a bit more of the world before becoming responsible, settling down, and committing to those sky high property prices in San Francisco. I want to test my body in all domains.... my ability to appease the ocean as I tossed under the waves surfing, my mental strength in meditation and near starvation in an Ashram, and my thigh's power in mountain climbing up to 20,000 feet in an wild African land.
For those that want to follow along at home, the itinerary is:
April 2-18 Australia
- Byron Bay (surf)
- WhitSundays (sail and dive)
- Perth and Margaret river (surf)
- Hanoi
- Sapa highlands
- TBD
- Kerela (ashram)
- TBD (debating Goa or the Taj land)
- Zanzibar
- Mt Kili
- Safari
Although excited my emotions are quite mixed. I'm quite sad for all I am leaving behind. I question the purpose for my trip (do I really need to go 10,000 miles away to find myself?). I am also nervous for some of the challenges I will undoubtedly face.
Nervous of being the old den mother in the Australian surf camp that holds the college girl's hair as they puke up their party spootie. Nervous of the reputed stench of the unbathed in my 110 degree ashram (why am I going to the hottest party of India in the hottest time of year again??) Nervous of sitting still. ('still quiet' is a Heidi's personal hell). Nervous that even my unfashionable hard core hiking boots won't make it to the top of Mt Kilimenjaro. My legs will have atrophied after the ashram. In addition, Monica told me the story of the altitude sick who hallucinated German people...this will be me...I will hallucinate Germans and repeat the 7 words I know in German for sausage over and over...(bratwurst, weisswurst, knockwurst....)
But this sounds like complaining. We all know it will still be an adventure of a lifetime. So stay tuned...I'll publish as often as the internet cafes allow!
Your faithful reporter....
Heidi
