one week to go!

well, i'm ready. i think. i've got my hotels booked, flight from rome to paris booked, a rough itinerary for my time in rome (with a lead on a tour group for the vatican, too!), out of office documents prepared, enought clothes and electronic equipment to last a lifetime, copies of my passports and important cards, info for where i'm going and where i'll have been... the only thing left to do? buy a suitcase. i had originally planned on bringing the suitcase i bought during my master's year that was pretty much made for backpacking - a lovely little rollie bag whose back unzips to reveal handy backpack straps. and it even came with an unzippable day pack! but... i did my packing dry-run this weekend and it sadly won't fit all my essentials. and no, that doesn't include the kitchen sink - i'm actually being very prudent with my packing this time!! 4 pairs of pants (well, 5 if i can do it!), 1 skirt, 2 long sleeved tops, 2 sweaters, a rain jacket, 6 t-shirts (i wear them doubled up before you freak out), and 5 tank tops (i wear them under EVERYTHING). AND i've narrowed it down to only 3 (THREE!!) pairs of shoes! but, i also have to bring things like towels, guide books, "regular" fiction books (i can't live without my books for a month... especially with all the plane rides!!), and the small army of beauty products and herbal supplements that i just cannot live without. whew. my point: it was definitely time to upgrade to the 25" suitcase. and, lucky me, they are all on sale for half price at bentley. woo. once i purchase that tomorrow at lunch, i'm pretty much all set. i just have to remember to put all of it in the precious 25" suitcase. and pray that i don't get swarmed by the ghetto rats near termini station in rome. eek.

i think now that i'm starting to get really ready to go, the excitement is able to break through. i have this incredible opportunity to throw myself into TWO foreign countries and a miriad of crazy situations in each. it's really thrilling to think about all the potential adventures that are waiting for me (all good ones, hopefully!) and the different people i'll meet. it's a great feeling - especially as it's a relief from all of the worrying i've been doing and will do as the day gets closer and closer.

i'm starting to get the girls ready to go too. there's a lot of things that i need to remember to bring to grandma & granpa's: litter bags, bella's comfy pink bed & their cat condo (essential so that they don't scratch up the motorhome!), treats, leashes, their brushes... oh man. i'm going to miss them most of all. whose going to swish their tail in my face when they want a cuddle? whose going to bug me every morning for the food that's already in her dish? whose going to do laps around my legs when her second sense for cheese tells her there's something yummy getting grated in the kitchen? whose going to meow so loud into the phone and make grandma laugh?

yep, not so excited now....