And it begins...

Packing is not going so well. What the heck do I take for 12 days away from home with all different types of plans and a lot of unknown? Well, for one, I take a suitcase just for shoes. Yep, guys out there, I said one suitcase dedicated *just* to shoes. Wanna see?

Ahhhhh. The day is almost here. The suitcases are heavy. There are more bags & rolly bags & bins & suitcases than one person would ever need for 12 days away. Good thing I'm rolling solo.

Solo Road Trip 2011 - Mental Preparation

I'm takin' a road trip. By myself. For 12 days. I'm really excited but I'll be honest, there are some things that I'm worried about.

1. I might get lonely. It's a lot of open road, lots of time to think, lots of not much to look at. This is part of the reason I'm going - to really get away from it all. I'm just a tad worried that I may get sad I'm not experiencing this with anyone. I'm sure I'll get over it...
2. I'll get sick of my music. I mean, what if Pandora doesn't work in the middle of nowhere and I'm stuck listening to Blame It on the Rain over and over?
3. Overspending on hotels. I'm trying really hard not to plan everything to the last detail. That's typical me and I'm trying to stifle typical me for this trip. I like to get the best deal. I can't help it. Not booking all hotel nights in advance makes me worried. Oh well. So I'll overspend. It's a vacation!
4. I won't take as many photos as I intend to. This IS the purpose of the whole trip...
5. I'll procrastinate. Even on vacation. Heck, I haven't even packed yet and I leave in 2.5 days. What exactly am I waiting for?
6. I won't be able to go out alone. Talk about awkward! I'm going to try REALLY hard on this one. I'm going to two super fun places and I don't want to just sit in my hotel. That's lame. I need to go out and meet people. Wish me luck on this one....I need it. If you have any confidence dust, sprinkle it now.

For the most part, I know I'll be fine. I'm not worried about breaking down in the middle of nowhere. I'm not worried about being kidnapped and sold for drugs. I'm not worried about getting lost and losing time. I'm not worried about what I'll be wearing. (Ok, that last one is a lie.)

The countdown truly begins. Oh, and if you think of anything I should see or any photos I should take or any scavenger hunt-type items I should do, post a comment! 

PS - My road trip needs a name. It's o-s-c-a-r. HA. Kiddin'. I'm leaning towards A Girl's Gotta Drive or A Solo Road Trip for the Soul. What about a Soul-o Road Trip? Cheesy? Yes. What about Just Drive. Or Shut Up & Drive. Well, I won't be doing that - I don't think I ever shut up and that's a terrible song. How 'bout Vanishing Point? No, that's terrible too and I'm sorta giving myself bad luck with that one. Hmmmmmmm.........

Spend Nothing for 10 Days

I wonder if I could truly do this...

I am terrible with money. I'll admit it. I never admit it...I pay my bills on time, I have a (modest) savings account and I eat cheaply for the most part (Cheerios anyone?) I have spending vices like clothes, shoes & coffee and all of that adds up QUICKLY. My thinking lately has been "garage sale! garage sale!" just to offset some of the money I've spent and get rid of the crap I've accumulated. Not spending a dime for 10 days terrifies me. What if something awesomely cool comes up? What if I really need new black pants? Then the rational side pops up and says - dude. It's 10 days. Come on.

I think I should try. Granted, this may go the way of my trying not to eat meat for 10 days...