Twelve Days

Twelve days. Twelve days until steaming bowls of pho, Tuk Tuk rides, gorgeous beaches, and a sore back ... from the back pack of course. I can't wait. I leave in twelve days for Saigon (Ho Chih Minh). Every time I refer to it as "Ho Chih Minh" I get a head shake and a throat clear, where someone says, " you mean, Saigon?" From now on I may just refer to it as Saigon with "Ho Chih Minh" in parenthesis and vice versa. It's kinda like the Bombay, Mumbai thing. I call it Bombay other's call it Mumbai, but what, really, is the PC thing to call it. Or is there even a PC way to call it? I guess in the end it doesn't really matter. It's the same city no matter what you call it and all this name changing is really starting to give me a headache.

It's so like me yet so unlike me at the same time to go on such a spontaneous trip. I'm an adventurous person, but I have to admit, this is extreme for me. It really is going to be a test to see how adventurous I can really be, how dirty i'm ok with getting, how sweaty and tired I can be, while still being happy at the end of the day. Traveling has really gotten the best of me again ... I love it too much. It's deep rooted in me. It's like alcohol, or chocolate, or shopping, or something I really love but don't need--I will survive without it, but I definitely won't be as fulfilled or as happy in life. Ok, maybe it's silly to compare travel with chocolate, or shopping, and god forbid, alcohol--I'd give up any and all of those things if it meant I got to see the world some more.I've been stressed, this trip is a big deal to me. I even tried to meditate, but got bored and ended up looking up bags on Urbanoutfitters.com a half an hour later. I'm gonna keep at it though ... maybe I'll go to an Ashram in India and idle away days in the lotus pose ... finding myself spritually by way of yoga and meditation. Sounds like a great idea, in theory. Most likely, I'll just drink a shitload of beers on the beach and pass out with my belly full of samosas and coconut water.