But no matter how excited I am for a trip, it always seems to present itself before I am anywhere near ready. Not like it takes too much to be ready - pack our backpacks, clean the house, and remember our passports. But here are SOME things things that help my mind prepare:
Books - I love reading about a place before or while I am there. Especially novels, because it gives a genuine and interesting inside into a place.
Itineraries - Not only is it a good idea to have some notion of where you are going to be, but it makes you focus on what is to come - kind of like wrapping presents. You have to look at maps and research little towns, reference the guidebook and ask for recommendations. Then give all this detailed information over to your mother, who will have much better peace of mind.
Food - What do they eat? One of the greatest ways to experience a place is by their food. What would I have done without Melissa's mini food guide in Paris, and how amazing was Smoking Pot Khmer cooking class in Cambodia? Very Important.
(I have already bought Argentinian olive oil and wine from Mendoza - I need to prepare my palate.)
Movies - We've already watched Motorcycle Diaries, and a Peruvian surf dvd...:)
Trying on Outfits - nothing gets you pumped for an activity like trying on your new gear, and same goes for traveling. It's definitely a mind workout trying to figure out clothes for hiking and city life, mountains and beach!
And no I do not walk around the house wearing my new hiking boots and backpack. Well, maybe.
On that note - any South American novel recommendations??
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