me + ecuador

i am off to ecuador in just about 28 hours. i am leaving portland at 6:20am on saturday the 15th and will return on november 15th. this will be my first solo trip and first time to south america. i was all super gung-ho about it when i booked the ticket and started thinking about the trip... but the last few weeks have been a little bit more of "omg, what was i thinking going to south american - by myself - for a month?!?!" i am sure it will be fine but i've been waking up before sunrise the last couple days due to pre-trip anxiety. i am also probably in the top 10% of the world's best procrastinators so am i packed yet? no, of course not. i am actually not that bad off though. i have downsized my luggage and will only be taking a 55 liter backpack which is quite small for me! i have a little backpack as a carry on but the idea is that i can get every single thing i'm bringing into the main pack. ideally, i'd like to even be able to have the clothes i plan to travel in packed in there as well but... that's looking to be a long shot at the moment. it's really not the clothes i take a lot of but all the other stuff. i like to be prepared so i have a mini first aid kit, bottles of vitamins/pills, makeup, ridiculous floppy safari hat i probably won't wear more than like 4 hours but i *might* need, a dry bag for the probably 2-3 times i might snorkel, and like a bazillion other small necessities...

anyhoo... it'll all get in there somehow and i am sure it will end up being a great trip. for now i'll turn my anxiousness into excitement and my worry into happy thoughts of possibilities :D

adios portland! (seems like i'm always doin' that, huh?)