Of Wanderlust

"Wanderlust" is a term that has become fairly well-known in recent years and especially among the young adult generation to describe the desire to wander and travel the world. When one has a "case of wanderlust," they are itching to get out and explore and experience life. I can only assume that I must have developed a terminal case of this condition, because the more I travel, the more I want to keep traveling. I won't deny it -- homesickness has certainly crept in at times, but being abroad for over a month now has given me that jolt of feeling absolutely alive that I crave so much.

My wanderlust has come back none too soon: tomorrow night (technically, early Friday morning) I will be heading off to a new country -- Ireland! I will be spending a week in the Republic and Northern Ireland to do some backpacking and study the local parks and nature reserves for my research project.

Besides London, this is only the second trip I've planned all myself, and the logistics were tricky. Because I've given myself such a tight budget and we're so restricted as far as transportation goes, timing and costs become very critical. Buses, I have discovered, are both our best friend and our worst enemy.
Needless to say, I'm not exactly looking forward to the first day (I'll be running on about 3 hours of sleep) but I have no doubt that it's going to be the adventure of a lifetime once we get going.

Between now and tomorrow I just have to get through class, pack my bag (no more than 10kg, thanks to airline restrictions), get rid of this stupid cold that's hurting my throat, and manage to get a few hours of sleep before we leave tomorrow night. Ah, the rhythm of travel and the song of wanderlust beat on.

I will likely be out of contact for the next week (unless I manage to find an internet cafe somewhere), but I will be sure to come back with lots of stories and probably more pictures than any of us need.

If I don't post again before I leave, much love to the family and friends!