Hopes and Fears

These are actually better categorized under "goals and concerns". My sister asked me what my goals were, so I listed off these less-tongue-in-cheek-than-you'd-think ones. "What about personal growth?" "Sure, that too."

Goals

• Hop on a EuroCup bandwagon or two. Hoping to increase my futbol knowledge, which can only aid a traveler on an international trip. I remember sitting around talking sports with a mainly German group in Panama, them talking about their World Cup team. "Mhm, mhm, mhm......so how bout that Dirk Nowitzki?"
• Ride an elephant. This is a must. Between Thailand and India I think I can make it happen.
• Have a wizened Buddhist monk look me over, deem me worthy, and impart a heaping helping of grand, sacred knowledge.
• If I make it to Nepal, c'mon, I'll need to trap me a Yeti.
• In Australia, have one of those big beers I'm always hearing about.

As for fears, in all seriousness, fear is an emotion we should strive to chuck from our consciousness. I've seen it trap people in a million different ways. As a guy who would fidget quite a bit if in the same room as an owl, I'm no different. But other than owls, let us eliminate fear people!  I can tell my mom is quite concerned. She, like most mothers, often reverts to viewing her grown-ass son as a 15 year old.  To which I quote Al Pacino in Heat, (gotta do his voice in your head) "You cun get killedddd walkin yur DOGG-Yyyyy!" And it's not like Chicago, where I've been living, is exactly Pella, Iowa. All that said, below are my main concerns heading into the journey.


Concerns

• Theft, especially the indignity of a pack of children mugging you. Trip would be easier with an IPad or similar technology sadly, but I'd rather not risk it. Petty theft is always the main concern when traveling. Luckily I have a genius password for my combo lock and I have my old standby, the fakey wallet!
• "Tonight at 10pm, Chicago man caned in Singapore".
• Vision issues. Losing my contacts would blow. I'm going with the many eggs, many baskets approach. And hopefully no monkey grabs the glasses off my head. LASIK is a possibility when back in the states.
• A good problem, but having to contemplate cutting the trip way short when the Royals make their playoff run! Nosotros creemos!
• Pretty much every living thing in Australia. Mainly jellyfish. I can swim. I like the ocean. But at the end of the day, I'm still from Kansas and a bit wary of it. Also, drop bears.