GoBackpacking

I made it…..to New York City! One small step today, in preparation for one giant leap tomorrow. I estimate from the time I leave for JFK airport, to the time I arrive at Chez Nelson on Moorea, I’ll be in transit a good 20-24 hours (if no delays).

I thought I’d need to reach Tahiti to feel relaxed, however it happened when I was waiting in the chilly morning air on 15th and K St in DC, watching all the nicely dressed professionals walk to work (via Starbucks). My anxiety switched to living in the moment, and all I can say now that I’m in my friend’s apartment is “wow” this feels weird (that I’m the guy doing it, not some random other guy/gal) and exciting.

On my first travel day, I was quickly reminded of a few good rules of thumb:

• Be patient (the bus was 40 minutes late, and all I’ve got on is a t-shirt and windbreaker)
• Bring food on the bus (since the bus was late, it didn’t make a pit-stop as usual)
• When evaluating what to pack, walk for an hour in a city, because 20lbs feels a lot lighter on a carpeted bedroom floor

I’d post a dreary photo of NYC’s skyline, however I can’t figure out how to work this MacBook very well. You’ll have to imagine it, and I’ll make up for it with a few photos from French Polynesia.

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