Ibn Battutah Made It Into the Bag

Well I couldn't exactly leave him behind could I? Still, baggage overload has been a bit of a feature of the past week and opinions are divided as to the root cause. My parents suspect it's my sensible book quota that's been exceeded. Personally, I think I've been a touch generous on the clothes count, but I then again, I really couldn't face the prospect of wearing the same two pairs of underpants for seven months solid. I once walked a 1000 miles across France and Spain with just a single change of socks, so I know about these things.

Not quite sure what I'm feeling as I reach the eve of departure for Dover. A heady mix of excitement and anticipation, laced with a fair amount of anxiety and the usual sadness of impending departure from family and friends. The anxiety is oddly focused when I think about it - which I try not to do too much. I should probably be worrying about the political situation in Uzbekistan or catching chicken flu in Tibet. That's what everyone else seems to be worrying about anyway. Instead, I find it's the everyday stuff that bothers me, such as how the other members of the group will turn out to be when I finally meet them (2 at Dover and a further 10 or so in Istanbul), and whether I'm going to regret not packing that second bottle of shampoo, etc. Hopefully, I'm heading for a serious reality check very very soon. But in the meantime, I shall enjoy my last evening at home by trying not to think about the trip at all.