Leaving in ONE week

Dear Wonderful Family (and Friends and Fans)

I embark on the journey of a lifetime in less time than the calendar takes to munch 7 delicious days off the weekly buffet of days ending in "day".

I'm practically counting hours. Officially, as of THIS post: I'm at 162 hours and counting.

For anyone who wants to know, here is how I feel.

It is very hard to actually see the moment when I step away from this life into this new type of life. It think it begins when my room mate, Jahan, pulls up to the North Avenue Marta station at about 3:40 in the afternoon next Monday. He'll have just fed me a gargantuan smörgåsbord of Persian cuisine and will be bitching about why he can't drive me all the way to the airport.

"because" I'll say, "it begins here."

And so it will. I see them now, on that day that ends with "day, and begins with "Mon." I'll take my first step towards letting go. I'll enjoy the Marta ride to the airport, a quick 20 minutes or so right to the terminal. I'll relish all these American faces. Black, white, poor, rich, red, blue, ignorant, arrogant, comfortable and grumbling. But all American, except for the few. Like me, in fact.

I'll be traveling under an Irish Passport. Which is strange, methinks. Considering I've lived and paid taxes here for many years.* But that might actually come in handy come to think of it. I have always carried around a dual identity and it will be interesting to see how this fleshes out abroad.

I'll be traveling with all that sustains me upon my back and in my head. The train from downtown Atlanta will lead me to the glutch that is Hartsfield Jackson International, and from there I'll probably pass a wakeful four hours to L.A.

Over me Mum and Doug in Texas. Over me brothers and sisters from Colorado and Montana. Over my aunt in California. I shall wave to you all. I'll keep myself awake with fantasies of what-is-sooner-than-ever-to-come. **

Once I settle into a many many many many many (you get it) many houred flight destined for Nadi Fiji, all will be given to the future. My comfort and sustenance will be traveling at great speeds in an over head bin while I zoom over the pacific at break neck speed. Afraid of the unknown? Sure. We all are. But I am governed by Faith, which is drawn from an Unknown and Beautiful source which whispers that my path is down the very road I am on. My whole life has been leading to this moment, the moment when I take full responsibility, and leap with all fingers outstretched to the utmost, for the whirlwind of true and authentic experiences. The childlike joys of curiosity, adventure, and discovery are leaping at my hearts door to the wide world beyond this one.

When I land in Nadi, The journey will pick up its battle flag and steady its shoulders for the long shlog ahead. A quick hop on a flight chartered to the town of Labasa will carry me, weary of flight and travel to a largely Indian town on the north side of the north island of Vanua levi , Fiji.

And here, it is likely I will spend my first evening in Fiji, at the dawn of my travels. First thing in the morning I shall board the bus to Savu Savu, a three hour ride through the heart of Fiji's second largest island. Waiting for me, in the port of Savu Savu, will be my dear Aunt Cathy and her partner Peter, waiting to take me aboard their worthy vessel Leto.

And here, my dear family, is where the journey truly, finally, utterly begins. Where we shall travel is a mystery to me now, and what adventures to come but a grand scroll just waiting to be unfurled by the eager hands of time.

I shall miss you all tenderly and feel that the inescapable grasp of homesickness shall surely wring my heart of tears when I am a nobody in a far away land. Nevertheless, I shall keep you all closer and dearer than anyone.***

Much love to all, and many more updates to come on This Great Adventure!!!

• (while on the trip I finally received my invitation to take the test and be sworn in as a citizen. I missed it, since I was in New Zealand at the time...my application is still pending as of February of 09)

• *(due to poor weather in Atlanta, my flight was delayed and I actually missed my Fiji connection in L.A. I had to sleep in the airport. and wait another 24 hours for my trip to start. Major Bummer.)

• **(nope, was never homesick. Not once. Did miss my family, but was having too much fun to miss home)