Just shy of two months ago, I was away from home for nine days.  It was just a short drive away to Western Massachusetts where I spent time with the most amazing forty plus humans in the woods at the Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide training program, one of the most phenomenal programs I have yet to experience.  Now, as I write this, I am sitting in the airport in Boston getting ready to depart for thirteen- days of travel.  While this trip will consist of an epic journey to hike and explore in Peru, it never gets easier to leave my two little loves, my boyfriend, and my family and friends behind. 

If you’re a parent reading this, you know what I mean when I say that in order to be away from home for an extended period of time, it is necessary to take care of ALL the things.  It literally takes a village, involves extensive planning, and there are a ton of moving parts.  Thankfully, I have an amazing boyfriend, the kids have an awesome Dad, and we have a beautiful community of friends and family that have helped to make my adventure possible.  For that, I am beyond grateful.

If all three flights are on time, all in it will take me just under 17 hours to travel to Cusco, Peru.  I would say that that is where everything will begin, except, as I sit here in the airport people watching, two bags checked and two back packs strapped to my body, I am acutely aware that everything has all already begun.

Preparing for this time away, especially crunch time over the last week, has been exhausting, overwhelming, and stressful if I’m being honest.  But this afternoon, after the car pulled away and I was left standing outside the airport doors, I began to feel that stress and overwhelm slowly melt away.  It hit me as I was standing on the moving walkway gliding forward with zero effort catching myself smiling that I made it.  ALL the things got taken care of, all the bags got packed, all the boxes got checked and today is the day it all begins.  Today is day one of thirteen.

I am off to a continent I have never visited, to a country I have never stepped foot in,  to towns I can’t even imagine in my mind, and I am feeling excited.  I am feeling curious.  I am feeling ready.  

I will meet up with 21 other humans who I have never met before.  I will arrive a stranger to the entire group and I hope, leave a friend to many.  We will experience an epic trek on the Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu organized by the best travel company ever, Embark Exploration Co.  Then, a much smaller group of us will continue on to visit Rainbow Mountain, a sacred place and a place I have wanted to visit for years.  This will be the real life planes, trains, and automobiles, experience…not to mention hiking and camping too!

I know that personally, I am embarking on yet another spiritual journey.  Beyond that, I have no expectations, little knowledge of all the details, and remain wide open to whatever actually lies ahead.

I am safe. I am loved. I am guided.

Here we go.

T-minus 63 minutes to take–off. 

See you on the other side.