Going

As many of you know, in about 19 days I will be leaving on a trip. Unlike ones I've taken before, such as one to the bathroom or South Dakota, this one will take me pretty far from home. My feelings are about as numerous and tangled as they can get -- from anticipation to trepidation to a mild but persistent burn that might actually, come to think of it, just be a foot rash. My current plan for the trip has me going to New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Turkey and Spain... but I'm sure there will be some changes along the way.

This is just a place to put my random thoughts along the way, and to let you all know how I'm doing and where I am. For those wondering about the name of this blog, it's taken from a quote by Jonathan Raban that I really enjoyed:

"Travel. It was an intransitive verb. It didn't involve any destinations. It was going to the going's sake, to be anywhere but where you were, with motion itself as the only object."

I want to see things, yes, and go places. But, really, it's more about the going itself -- and about removing agendas and itineraries from a place long enough to see what it's all about. No carrot, no stick--just me and some comfortable sandals, with movement as its own reward. For now, I can simply wonder. Wonder about what these places will be like, and how they'll look to my rookie eyes. I wonder about things like:

What do the cheeseburgers taste like in Vietnam?
Could I keep a kookaburra in my backpack for a 7 hour flight? And if so, could I call him Harvey?
If Turkish Delight fails to delight me, what are my options?

I guess only time will tell. More to come as I continue with the planning and packing.....