Quick Pre-Departure Note
In five days I'll be on a plane, traveling farther than I've ever been before.
It's still not real. It's still abstract, hypothetical.
And it's incredible. So often I forget that this is not just planning, web development, and Lonely Planet message board lurking. It's for real. I've been building toward something.
There's still much to do. I have to pack all my worldly possessions up and move them into storage. Tomorrow is my last day of work. A bon voyage party follows.
I don't know what to expect. I feel like I've prepared for so many things, but there's no way I can know what's before me.
In four days I'll be sleeping at a dear friend's house. At 6am I'll rise, clean up, and walk to the Blue Line. I'll ride an El train to O'Hare airport where I'll finally meet the flight attendant who's providing a free standby ticket from Chicago to Bangkok by way of Seattle and Tokyo. With connections, the journey will take over 26 hours. It's going to take me farther than I've ever been before.
I'll see you there.
Posted on September
26, 2002 09:36 PM
Pugh, my friend, your life is about to change. Best of luck. Stick it out. Have fun. Venture down the backstreets. Eat street food. Send me something from Mandalay. [insert toasty Irish saying here - cheong and I are drinking a Guinness in your honor].
Mike~
I am totally impressed, not about the dream but the fact that you are living your dream. To walk outside of the box and live your life. Best of Luck in the next year. I look forward to following your journeys and hope that you experience will push me and others to get out there!!!!!
Jennifer McLane
Mike I hope you arrive safely, still have your wits about you after a long journey and sleep well and comfortably you deserve it
Mike,
Good luck with your own journey, I will be following when I get a chance from internet cafes.
Terry
howdy me and my friend are lookin 2 plan a trip round the world and are just wonderin how you started planning the trip. also how do you plan to transfer the pics and posts onto this site i.e. what equipment or are you just gona do it when you get back. one last thing how much is this costin you as i got no funds but am plannin to start savin soon.
Pughey,
Suki and I are hoping the best adventure possible for you. Post some pix asap! Can't wait to see the capers.
Craig and Suki
Looking forward to your updates. Way to make it happen.
Looks like we lost our disenfranchised British chap. Obviously under the misguided impression that being English means something.
Craig
Pughey Lewis,
What's the news? How's yer Bangkok?
I'm curious to see your first post. Get on with it! Cheers my friend.
Chaz
p.s. Watch out for them white slavers!!!
Mike-
Good luck and safe travels. I can't wait to hear of your many adventures. You are an inspiration to those of us stuck in a cublicle for the next year.
Ashley
mike p-
be safe, and enjoy yourself. looking forward to following your (mis)adventures on the other side of the globe. keep me posted on the music scene out there.
cuenc
hey mike, i was hoping i could get those cds you borrowed back. are you gonna be home this weekend?
jb
El Cuzino, I'm glad to see you have made it safe and sound. Hope everything happens the way you want and cool things happen when you don't expect em. Have fun, be safe and try the snake blood!
Dearest Mikey,
Hope that all is well and keep up he good work, etc. We'll all miss you and your stories at Thanksgiving, etc. Adrienne is doing very well and I can't think of anything clever to say.
Bon Voyage,
Sue
Mike your courage and determination to adventure is really special. We all wish you the best in your travels.
I'd expect that the finished product (travel log extraordinaire)will provide income or better yet a career doing what you obviously love.
Mike,
Carl E. told me about this journey you are on, you magnificent bastard. I'll be watching. Best of luck to you. Be safe.
Chad Major
Big Mike,
Wish you luck on the rest of your trip. Wish I knew about your journey sooner. I can feel the picture of Torch Lake, been there when we were 11. Take it easy.
Danny
You're currently in Malawi and, lacking new vagabonding news, I'm perusing your initial entries from almost a year ago. Mike, excellent job on the web site; right from the start.
As you read back, I wonder if the start of the trip will seem like a decade ago for you rather than a year. I’ll be interested to hear your summarizing thoughts at the end of the adventure, though with a similar travel experience your writings might be little more than verification of my own. Also, I’m wondering if you could envision yourself (as a possibility or, perhaps, a requirement) doing something similar when/if you find yourself hitched. I mention this only because I can‘t imagine going through life with a wife who hadn’t experienced a similar world traipse.
Cheers.
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