Under 72 hours

Less than 72 hours to go until I head for the great unknown. Bought the last bit of gear today (specifically: a sweater, pair of sandals and a CD-holder thingy). I have all of it now, and then some. I know myself: a lot of the stuff I bought will either be left at home or will be gotten rid of after a couple of days Down Under. Ah well, at least I know I have all the stuff I need.

In these final hours of being-in-Holland-ness, I am surprisingly not nervous, at least not in the traditional sense. There is some doubt about whether or not I have what it takes to make this trip great, and I do wonder how I'll fare without my stuff and without familiar surroundings. But that's normal, I think. Especially for a first-time backpacker (a two-week bike trip to Berlin was the closest I've ever gotten to this), some anticipation is normal.

Tomorrow I will gather everything I want to bring to see if I can already delete certain items. And I'll be taking the full gear for a test spin in the forest nearby. Just to feel what it's like to have all your worldly possessions (the ones that matter, anyway) on your back. In the meantime, I'm shooting some pool with a couple friends tonight.