Preparing for Departure...

Tom Petty was right. The waiting really is the hardest part. Tonight we head back to Chicago to reunite with all people we love and missed very much. But our flight is not until 11:00pm so the anticipation has a pretty long build. Not to mention the 20 hours of travel between here and home....

Luckily, they have a pretty fantastic pool at the Hotel so I decided to spend much of the day - after a nice little workout - soaking up the last bits of African sun. Which also means...more time to think...

What I thought most about today as I prepared to return to life back home, was of all the incredible people that I have in my life who made this trip - and so many other moments in my life - possible. 

When you tell your husband that you're considering taking on a train trip through Africa for three weeks and he doesn't look at you like you've lost your damned mind, you know you have it really good. But when he ends up being the one who actually pushes you towards it for all the right reasons, you know you have someone really special. I've known that from the very first time I met him, and every moment after that. But perhaps sometimes I take how amazing he is for granted. Amazing Husband. Amazing Father. Incredibly loyal, loving and supportive. I know that life with me is not always easy, but he is patient beyond measure. I love and appreciate him more than he will ever know. He is the best part of me.

And then there's also my Mom. She's been my rock my whole life, so it's no surprise that she stepped into my Mom role without hesitation these past few weeks. I know it was as much for Gordie and the boys well being as it was for me, but I will be forever grateful for all that she has done to keep the wheels moving. It seems impossible to ever repay her for everything she has been to me - and I know that's not what she wants - but I'll spend the rest of my life trying...

Last - but certainly not least - to all the wonderful friends back home who have done so much to encourage and support me along this Journey : I am forever grateful. Nora and Mackenzie...and the rest of the "CC"...you guys rock. Thank you for being PJ's personal Uber service and getting him safely and happily home from school every day. He considers you like family and so do I. My guess is he will be secretly disappointed come Wednesday when he goes back to his boring old Mom pick ups. 

To the rest of my incredibly loyal and amazing circle of friends - thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your encouraging words as I got ready to head off. Constantly easing my worries and fears. Checking in with us along the way just to see how things were going, how we were holding up and making sure we were still alive. Sending pictures from the 4th Grade school play. Sending pictures and updates from Friday Night Football games. The play dates for the kids back home. Making sure Gordie was surviving. All of the other things that I may not even know about yet. Thank You. You have no idea how much you all mean to me and I love each and every one of dearly... 

So...that's a wrap for me, kids. I told my Dad that I was done with my Journal Director duties and wanted him to finish this off with his thoughts on the trip and any final words of wisdom. I also promised him no editing on my end, so here goes nothing...

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And now kind readers, a message from your sponsor....

I have a favorite quote tacked to my map in my Travel Room up at the Lake (which some know as "The Secret Room") which reads:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed about the things you didn't do than the things you did"

The other one I really like goes something like: 

"Excess in the pursuit of travel keeps everyday life from becoming mundane"

To know the world you live in and understand it's people, you must know where they live. What they think. How they think. You end up realizing - as we did on this trip - that although we think everyone is so different from us...they're just not. We're all just trying to get through it.

My final favorite quote is the one that goes something like: 

"If you are traveling in a small conveyance for a lengthy period of time with a group, and after a few days you haven't discovered who the asshole is... it's probably you...."

So...don't be the asshole.

Learn. Listen. Be open to new experiences. Laugh. Get to know people. Tell your story.

And...have fun. 

That is all.