The drive to JFK was smooth. I’m glad Matt suggested the one way car rental idea, much better and cheaper than the other options I’d researched for getting me from their house to the airport. I left the house exactly at 6am like planned and got the the airport exactly at 9am as planned, 3hrs before my international flight. Which was good because the computers were down and they were checking everyone in by hand.

Eventually the computers got back up and check-in sped up, but in the end the flight was still delayed in taking off by about an hour. I thought I’d make a dozen phone calls in the hour or two waiting to board the plane, but there was no service in the airport terminal. I like a dozen others walked around the terminal with cell phone in hand looking like was tracking a radio collared animal.

When we’d finally boarded and reached the runway we turned around. This was the second time in two week I had a flight make it to the runway then turn around. The first was flying back from Long Beach when someone “didn’t feel well”. This time is was something wrong with a “panel” in the cockpit. Anyway, that added about another hour and a half delay but I had better cell phone reeception sitting on the plane than in the terminal so I made couple calls. Then finally… I left US soil.

So here I sit on the plane, next to a really nice guy, also named Jon, whose been to Asia many many times. He’s gone both in his youth as a back packer as well as his years have started to add up. It’s great to her his stories about India, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. I can’t help but think that I hope many years from now I have similar stories to share some day.. perhaps ones that don’t involve broken legs in a bus accident though.

Finally I’m done updating my blog, at least with the typing, not the uploading. It seem appropriate that at this very instant I’m almost directly over the north pole and crossing to the “other” side of the world. The non-stop flight from JFK to BKK flys almost due north, over Quebec, over the pole, then south over China and into Thailand. Flight time is 16 hours 35 minutes and roughly 8600 miles. We were originally scheduled to land at 5pm local time, but now it looks like it’ll be closer to 7:30pm. Which is why I’m glad I already booked a room at a hostel for the night. I’m also assuming I’ll get some daytime views of the Himalayas out the window of the plane as we fly over (yeah!!!).

The four days in Pennsylvania went quickly.

I spent the Wednesday I had to myself packing and planning as much as I could. Changing phone service, the last credit card billing addresses, insurance information as well as running around trying to find someone to re-weld my cracked exhaust pipe.

On Thursday I took care of a few more errands before heading down to Philly to pick Elena up from the airport. It was wonderful to see her again, and I’m really glad I got to spend this last weekend with her before I go overseas.

Friday, Elena and I spent most of the day together, although she ran out to a spa for a facial and massage with Em which I searched for a new back pack since I’d decided mine was too small. As much as I wanted to squeeze into a tiny pack, there was just now way to pack my boots and carry the minimal clothing I wanted to carry. It all fit in the pack I had no problem until I add the boots and couple small items. Anyway, my search was futile and I decided to make do with one of the two other bags I had with me. Either the fairly big trekking pack I’d taken to Europe which I didn’t like because it’s top loading or the big north face duffle bag I have that has optional shoulder straps but no waist belt As with so many decisions I went back and forth many times… I finally settled on the real back pack since I’ll probably be doing some trekking and don’t want to think of what it would be like to hike with the northface duffle without a waist belt for support. I’ll look for a pack in Thailand, hopefully finding a medium sized panel loader (zippered) and sell or send home this pack.

Saturday was the party which was loads of fun as always. Elena made a vegetarian soup and a pumpkin risotto. Both were fantastic, as was all the food.

Sunday was absolutely crazy. I needed to drop my van off with Mike in Westminster, Maryland (outside Baltimore). I’d gotten a one way car rental from Baltimore Airport (BWI) to JFK. So Elena and I drove down to Baltimore to pick up the car and then to Mikes & Carries new house. Which is big and beautiful and I see Mike and Carries doing a ton of work to :). Nearly his entire family was over to help them move in so Elena and I got to sit down and join them all for lunch. It was really nice to see an entire family (Mike’s parents and grandparents as well as sister) stop in the middle of the day to sit down to lunch together. Elena and I headed back towards Pennsylvania in the rental car leaving the Vanagon with Mike. The Vanagon covered roughly 12,000 miles since I left California. The drive home was miserable, they’d shut down 2 of the 3 lanes on I-95 so it was stop and go traffic for two hours. It took nearly five hours to get back to Matt & Em’s, even though it took just under three to get down to Mike and Carrie’s including the stop at the airport. It all made for a very late and harried night where I packed and re-packed again trying to whittle down the amount of stuff I’m taking and making sure I really am happy with my choice of bags… The three of us got to sleep shortly after midnight. Yes it sadly was my last night sleeping with Tucker for a long time as well.

I’m deeply worried about him while I’m gone. I’m far more worried about him than Elena. Elena I can email and talk to all I need. She understands where I am and how long I’m gone for. All he knows is the guy that rescued him from the pound three years ago and that has spent nearly every minute of the last six months with is suddenly going to be gone. I’ve done what I can. I gotten him use to living at Matt and Em’s, use to the other dogs, as settled as I could possibly could… I’ve left him with people I know, love and trust as much as anyone else in the world… but it’s still hard.

In the morning kissed and hugged both my loves tearful good-byes and headed for JFK airport.

I got into Acadia later than planned, about 8pm. I’d thought about just over-nighting at the walmart just outside the park, although it happens to be one of the walmarts where the local ordinances don’t allow over-nighting in their parking lots. I thought however I’d drive into the park and look for a camp site anyway and use Walmart as a back up. I’m glad did for two reasons. First, the campground was nearly empty and beautiful. Second, while looking at the campground board another solo camper drove up, fully equipped with kayak, bike and skis on her roof and Washington State plates. After a quick hello I invited her over to the campfire I was planning on later. I wanted to burn the wood I’d now hauled from Cape Cod and through Canada that I didn’t really want to bring all the way back to Pennsylvania. Anyway, it was great to have another random friend met on the road to chat with by the campfire that night. Amy was on a three month hiatus before starting a new dream job for her back in Washington, Hippotherapy (Occupational Therapy using horses).

In the morning I awoke to a incredible forest around me. I couldn’t just drive out of the park as I’d planned… now a couple days behind schedule to get back to Pennsylvania in time to get “things” in order before picking Elena up from the Philly airport. I figured another half day wouldn’t be the worst thing, so I took the morning to walk with the dog along the Otter Cliffs. Acadia National Park is the only (as far as I know) national park that allows dogs on their trails. Why this is I suspect goes back to the origin of the park which was primarily private land donations, rather than the usual Federal Government purchasing. After a beautiful walk along the Otter Cliffs, under clear skies I took Amy’s suggestion (Amy grew up in the area, Conneticut IIRC) and hiked Pememtic Mountain. The hike ended up being much longer than I had planned, and shortly after starting the clouds moved in. In spite of the wet weather the hike was wonderful and tucker certainly enjoyed running like crazy up and down the steep trail. The trail was categorized as “moderate”, which almost turned me off from it. I thought about switching to a trail categorized as “difficult”. I’m glad a didn’t… Acadia has a reputation for rock and root strewn trails, legendary for twisting ankles… this trails was no exception. Tucker of course took it all in stride running up steep rock section that had me using hands to make my way up, and jumping down cliffs that I carefully negotiated descending with my still recovering sprained ankle. Again, the best pictures end up on Flickr, so go look there for more photos from Maine/Acadia.

It was all worth it and I made it most of the way down the marvelous Maine coast before sunset. I was headed for Pennsylvania, but also wanted to stop by a friends in Harpswell Maine. Well, friend isn’t quite the right term. Jon is a mechanic, a Volkswagen mechanic and partners with the guy who imports and sell the engine conversion I have in my Van. He has helped me out by phone many times over the years and I really wanted to say thank you in person. The thank you took a little longer than planned… my scheduled arrival back at Matt & Em’s had already slipped form 5pm to 7pm to 10pm thanks to the hiking in Acadia and now was after midnight… and of course it was raining again…. raining hard again.

Thankfully I arrived safe and sound… close to 3am and Tucker and I were greeted by two very happy dogs 🙂