5 Days before Take Off

It seems as though summer has just started and now July is here and there are just a few days before I leave for Chile.  I just got home yesterday from four days in Nashville attending an education conference.  The conference was good but now I feel a bit behind in my prep for the big trip.  I need to get going with things.  I have gotten some things checked off but much more is swirling around in my head and I really should write those down so I remember to do them.

I did just finish reading a travel book called Travels in a Thin Country by Sara Wheeler.  The author spent 6 months traveling from north to south down Chile in the 1990s.  The book has given me some good insight into pieces of the country.  I feel as if I know less about Chile than I have about other countries I have visited in the past.  I hope to do a bit more reading before we take off.

I guess right now I am more anxious about the trip than I am excited.  I think that comes from feeling behind in my preparation right now.  I am sure that the anxiety will go down and the excitement will go up as I get closer and stuff actually makes it into my suitcase.  

I am curious to see what we will actually be doing once we get there.  I have little idea how the research portion of the trip is going to play itself out.  I am excited though about actually getting involved, I think this makes travel so much more meaningful.

I am not looking forward to the flight.  I just figured out the trip from Dallas to Santiago is 9.5 hours.  Yuck!  At least there is only one hour of time change so jet lag should not be an issue.