Hola, Buon giorno, Merhaba

Preparing for this trip is taking a lot out of me and my very precious free time. I am what you could consider an overplanner. While I am not marking out every destination spot and restaurant on our trip- we are trying to be "care free"- I am just generally over doing. Take a look for yourself, this is a facebook post from a few weeks ago...

"Six months until Kaitlin and I backpack through the Mediterranean and I was just going over the things I want to accomplish in that time. Work 65 hours a week to save up money- check. Learn how to use my new DSLR camera- getting there. Learn Turkish- check. Learn Italian- starting tomorrow. Learn Spanish- my brain may explode by this time. I think I may be a little overambitious."

The 65 hours turned out to be more like 75 hours and three languages is obviously too much for one person at one time. I am managing though. My friend, Selma, is helping me improve Turkish and Kaitlin has started learning Italian as well. After a talk with my boss we cut my hours back down to 65 hours.

The closer it gets the more excited and anxious I become. Five months to go!

Starting at the Beginning: August 2010

The Conception
Carpe Diem! Embrace two decades of friendship and throw caution to wind. Recently I have wanted to visit Turkey, what a better excuse than for an anniversary with my best friend. It is time to let my hair down and loosen the purse strings. Call up my best friend and share the idea; Spain, Italy and Turkey it is; of course Kaitlin is on board, has she ever been known to turn down an adventure.

The Idea
Spend a month traveling along the coastline of the Mediterranean in a carefree fashion indistinguishable from the locals.

The Reality
Kaitlin's over booked, chaotic life only affords her a two week break from reality. That leaves us with only two short weeks to travel from Madrid to Barcelona to Rome and make a pit stop in Venice at which point Kaitlin returns to the States and I continue my journey onto Istanbul.