At last, my long-awaited big 40's one-circle-round-the-world journey has officially begun, will fly about 20000 plus miles, touching 10 countries, visiting at least 5 of them (could be 6, will see how my Nepal lag play out...) This whole trip takes about 3 and a half week. Nervous, anxious, excited, happy, crazy, a little bit of everything collide inside me right now. It is kind of usual though. When I was planning the trip, it was my first highs, I got very excited when I was researching and making plans. My freaking travel plans is 51 pages long for christ's sake. And then as the trip approached, I felt a little nervous and empty, like there are a lot of what-ifs, and there are lots of unknowns ahead. Especially when we live in a very troubled world and very difficult time right now, to say I am totally worry free about safety, it is a lie. But I won't let the fear stops me neither, we just can't. You might as well lock me up, if I have to give up my freedom to travel.

The fascinating parts about travel to me is that I can go to some places total different from my normal settings, to look at people interact with each other, allow the new things, the new people stimulate you, take it all in, enrich yourself. It's time to re-center, time to reflect. That's what travel means to me. I am eagerly waiting for those moments when I see some amazing places and I go all "wow wow" inside. Those very moments are my second highs. I hope I will get many of those in this trip.

About an hour into my transatlantic flight to Berlin, via Dublin. This flight takes only 5 hours and 40 mins, it is just 1 am over at the other side of the Atlantic, I am scheduled to arrive at 5:20am. There is a 2 hours in transit at Dublin airport, a second flight will take me to my first destination Berlin Germany. Techically, I really should be sleeping right now, or I will be like a zombie tomorrow. I will do that right after the dinner. Hopefully, I can get 3 hours of sleep.

I feel like there should be Phil from the Amazing Race standing in front of me saying: "The world is awaiting. Travel Safe. Now go!" Instead I got a "Buckle up, and enjoy the ride!" from the announcer in the flight. I am doing just that right now. More in Berlin.



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