Spainward Bound!

Hello friends!
It’s 1:05 AM Tuesday the 16th of December and a few brief hours from now another adventure is about to begin. My ticket is booked, my plans double checked, my bags packed, my shoes dusted off. Now all that is left is the open road, adventure and growth.

The sensation right before a trip is an amazing one. For me it is, in many ways, very similar to the sensation right before giving a big speech. Butterflies in your stomach, anticipation, the unknown, a little fear and an eagerness to undertake the experience. You wonder what you forgot, what you should have done differently and then ultimately commit to it 100%. Once your cross the threshold and the door is closed behind you, you’re off and running.

By the time I factor in the 3 hour lead time the airports require, flight time and layovers I’ll be looking at just under 20 hours of travel time….yikes. That said, the first leg of the trip will take me from Phoenix to Philadelphia. There, weather permitting, I’ll switch to a second US Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Madrid. My hostel is booked in the heart of old town and I’m ready to go.

First though, I recorded two quick videos as I packed this evening which outline what I’ve chosen to pack, why and how it all comes together. My goal for this trip is to avoid checking luggage, and with the shorter (16 day) duration, I’ve gone with a smaller pack. Without further adieu:

Part II:

Everything fit with loads of ample room.  Despite the extra room, I’m still nearly positive that I’ve over packed.  I’ll do a post mortem after the trip and share what should have made the list and what shouldn’t have.