Top 5

It's the Saturday before we leave and I'm sitting here wondering where the last week went.  I feel like I have done nothing except add to my list of "Things to do before we leave".  It gets longer by the minute I think.  The biggest items on the list?  Finish moving out of the condo and packing for the trip.  It's kind of ironic how the former impacts the latter.  For a hundred dollars, I could not tell you where a simple pair of jeans would be right now.  Everything I own seems to be spread out between a bag at Dan's, my car, the old condo, and one of many boxes in the new apartment.  And I'm supposed to pack for a month long trip right now?  This is going to be ugly.

I think the only thing that is keeping me from getting stressed is knowing that the big stuff is done.  Our flights are booked and we will have a roof over our head in every country.  Everything else is just details.  I get to daydream everyday about the things we are about to see and experience.  Several people have asked me what I am most looking forward to on this trip.  It's a difficult question to answer when you'll be in 4 different countries, 3 of them brand new, and you're not really sure what to expect from any of them.  I thought I'd take a second to put down what I'm looking forward to because it's always so interesting to look back later.  It seems the things you thought were going to be so fantastic are usually ok, and the things you didn't even think about are the one's you remember the rest of your life and tell stories about for years after.

My Top 5 (in no particular order)

1. Camping on the Great Wall - How many people can say they've done that?!  Just thinking about waking up to the sunrise over mountains and seeing miles of stone, dividing a gorgeous landscape.  Not exactly a sight you get to see everyday.

2. Running the Sydney Half Marathon - Running over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, through the streets of downtown Sydney, and ending at the Opera House.  There's no way it'll be a PR because I'll be too busy looking at everything I pass.

3.  Watching Dan race in Galway - Ireland is a famous for it's picturesque landscapes.  How amazing it's going to be to be in the middle of it all, and cheer on some fantastic athletes at the same time.  To see the spirit of triathlon transcend arbitrary boundraries.

4.  Coogee to Bondi Walk - I never did this when I was in Sydney.  A 6km walk along the unforgettable coast of the Sydney suburbs.  Taking the big camera on this one for sure.

5.  Bicycling through Amsterdam - Not exactly cycling, as it will not be for the exercise.  Experiencing Amsterdam as locals do, where bicycles are normal means of transportation around the city, and cars yield to them.

I can't wait to see what it will be the most memorable moments of this trip.  But in the meantime, I just want to enjoy every minute of it and absorb everything I can.