I'm not sure what it is, but as you approach the final days before leaving on a big trip, it almost feels like the calm before the storm. All the time dreaming and planning a rather complicated endeavor such as this finally presents itself to be realized. There is the second guessing of whether or not you have everything in order, the last minute packing decisions (ya, I'll be fine with one shirt ;-), and the general anxiety of packing your carryon items, making sure you have what you absolutely need.
A packing strategy we borrowed from a close family friend (you know who you are) was to divide our clothes up and split them between the two suitcases. In this way, if one get's lost, you still have some of your items at your destination. Given that we are visiting five different countries over the course of this journey, this approach seemed like a good risk mitigation strategy to us. We also will be carrying on the minimum essentials so that in the scenario that both suitcases don't appear, we can function for a few days. Learned this the hard way on a trip to Montreal a year or two ago. It's surprising how many places I get to use my skills as a risk professional that is NOT cybersecurity related.
Add to this the fact that we will not be getting together with our grandkids for the next 6 weeks, and you can see how things might get a little tense.
If you had asked me this before we had experienced these adorable kids, I would have said that it would be no problem. And now I know I would have been wrong. Yesterday we spent much of the day with our granddaughter (who is clear that 'Grandpa' needs to be the one to take her here and there when he's around), and you realize how attached you really are. Tomorrow, our last full day at home before we leave, and we will spend most of the day with the grandson (who indicated to his daddy yesterday that he wanted to pray for his Grandpa on Oma when he went to bed last night). How cute is that!
We will miss them, but it will also make the time when we get back even more special. It's absence that makes the heart grow fonder.
It's also apparent that we will miss other things, funny little things, when we are away. I will miss our shower (we renovated 5 years ago and created a nice walk-in shower in our ensuite). Laureen will miss our tempur-pedic mattress (and bed frame that allows you to raise your head/feet). We both will miss our reclining chairs in the basement where we watch movies/tv. These things will be waiting for us on our return, and we can enjoy them again - maybe rediscover how fortunate we really are.
At the time of writing this, we have 1 day and 18 hours before the flight to Australia, and we are really looking forward to catching up with some friends from our European trip in 2016, visiting new countries, experiencing different cultures, and making new memories. I've even made preliminary arrangements to meet up with a colleague from my Masters Cohort who lives in the Sydney area!
Exploring the world helps us realize how interconnected we are. Not in the technical sense, but as human beings. Today's world seems overwhelmed with things that are trying to drive people apart. But, in a small way, travel maybe helps us realize that we have more in common than we have differences.
Our next post will be from Sydney, Australia. Glad you're following along with us mate. ;-)
Curt & Laureen
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