Today is the first day of the rest of your life

Today is the day I turned my much loved but hardly ever used Photography Blog into my "will use every day on pain of death" Travel Blog. I leave for my great adventure across the continents of South and North America in a mere 11 days. To say I am somewhat apprehensive is an understatement and to say I am ready and organised would be a flat out lie! I booked this trip three months ago and the time has flown by, I have no idea what I have been doing with myself during these 3 months but I can tell you it wasn't preparing for this trip. Sorry, I did take time out to sort out my US Visa which I was led to believe would take an age yet was over and done with pretty quickly - it was me that took so long!

Yesterday I finally fitted my clothes into my backpack having decided to go with the minamalist approach and back only one pair of jeans and five t-shirts to tide me over for the next 2 years (don't worry I have a jumper in there as well!) I can't say that it has truly hit me that in only a few days I will be boarding a plane to the otherside of the world for I don't know how long. That's right - there is no specific return date as yet, all I know is I must be in Southampton May 2013 or a certain C.F (soon to be C.O) will fly across the Atlantic and drag me back - dead or alive - your best friends wedding reception is not to be missed, no matter where you are! There is also the case of the little sibling who if I do not update - this includes skype/texts/emails/blogs/letters/postcards - on a regular basis may also have a few choice words to say for me. I did try to explain that there are some places where I may not be able to update her weekly (her demands are daily but I feel weekly is a compromise) but she refused to accept this and told me that I would just "have to walk the 35 miles to the internet and deal with it!" In her defence I am missing her 18th birthday which does make me a poor excuse for an older sister I admit but have been trying hard to make it up to her recently.

Tomorrow the first of my friends will arrive (fingers crossed) for our epic Easter weekend leaving soiree I have been trying to organise since I booked said adventure. It is times like these that you realise who your real friends are - the ones that turn up to the event that will be the last time you see them for a good few years. I am glad to know who these friends are (will save me so much time emailing now there are less of them ... ) It has been an interesting few months being away from my group of friends having moved back home to save the pennies before my departure. Interesting in that yes I have missed my social life but also at the same time relished this time alone and with the little sibling. It has been a very rewarding past few months all in all; the quality time with friends and family, the quiet planning time that has caused me many a sleepless night and the time spent reminiscing about the last time I went travelling those 6 years ago now - you see, time really does fly!