Packing and procrastination

As the departure day draws nearer I fill with an undefineable sense of urgency. I know that all I really need to do I pack, purge the kitchen, tidy up a little.

Wait, what! PACK!! Argh!!... What do I need to bring, what goes together, how do i pack all this in a backpack, how long before I find a laundromat, what tech-gear to I bring. I make lists, stress, ponder and dwelve in all kinds of procrastination (see the nice new travel map at the top right).

And then i dawns on me, I'm being a total girl about this, no offence ladies, I'm packing for this like it was one of my business trips, everything must work like clockwork... But this is a vacation, and a fairly chaotic, in sense of planing, one at that. I just need to pack what I think I'll need and then rock'n'roll.

The US dollar and peanuts holding equally the same monetary value at this time, should also make on-the-road aquisitions more feasable.

Its hard to find your inner rock'n'roller and just letting go, but damn it feels good!

The Dessert

After a bit more planning and changing the route, we desided to visit the Zion national park and a few other of natures stunning attractions in the dessert. We are both very excited about this, since we've heard about the remarkable beauty of these places. But again, Im a little daunted by the prospects of entering into the American WILDLIFE. Im not that sturdy a hiker, it's going to be abominately hot (its the dessert in august. The dessert) Nothing can survive there but scorpions, rattlesnakes and, I greatly fear, velociraptors. But I hope very much that it will all somehow turn out well and that we will not end up exhausted from heat, being mercilesly hunted down by famished predators.

It's like Titanic - but with Bears!!!

After leaving Washington and picking up the Car, we will travel through the Appalachians for quite a distance. Hence, I have been reading about the area, the national parks of Shenandoa and the Great Smokey Mountains. Apparently these mountains are spectacular in the sheer and remarkable amount of horrendous disasters and untimely deaths they can inflict upon you. Ivan is most exited and I'm quite passionately horrified.

"The Great Smokey Mountains National Park is home to as many as 1800 bears (BEARS!!!!!) a density of more than 2 per square mile..."

As a higly sensitive and fragile city-girl I must confess that I prefer a somewhat lower Bear-density. According to the loverly guidebook I'm reading, these mountains also contain an especially aggresive sort of WASP, that I might mention can KILL or at least greatly incapacitate me. Also, there is a rather great risk of falling down mountain sides harming oneself quite nastily or the alternative of just getting lost and freezing to death.

Now back to the subject of bears (BEARS!!!!!!!) The guidebook kindly provides a guide as to handling an unforseen bear-confrontation.

"I you see a bear (!!) , remain watchful. Do not approach it. (Are they freaking kidding me???) If your presence causes a bear to change it's behaviour, you're too close. (!!!!!) If a bear (A BEAR!!!!!!!!) displays aggresive behaviour - making loud noises and runnig towards you - increase the distance between you and the bear by backing away slowly. The bear will probably do the same. Don't run lest the bear consider you prey!" .... here I find it appropriate to insert a mental image of myself running through the brush, screaming with my arms flapping over my head.

"If the BEAR continues to follow you, stand your ground . Talk loudly or shout at it. Try to intimidate the BEAR(!!!) Throw non-food objects or use a stout stick as a deterrent."

"...if all else fails, fight back aggressively with any available object."

......*

....!

I thouroughly regret ever reading this guide.