Friday, September 3, 2010

7 years in the making

When I was 23 years old I had decided with a friend that if we were both still single at 30 we would go backpacking across Europe together.  One year later she was married... and I wasn't surprised.  I held fast to my promise though, because just like the feeling I had that day, 7 years ago, that she wouldn't make it to 30 without being married, I had a similar feeling that I would make it. When she married, I resolved to go backpacking alone when the fateful day arrived that I turned 30 and single.

Four years later I was presented with the opportunity to move to Amsterdam.  I was elated!  But also left with a new decision to make... because if I were to live in Europe, and travel around Europe, there would be no excitement in backpacking across Europe.  I had to do something bigger and better.  Something that would exceed the culture, history, and richness that Europe has to offer.  I had to go on a safari... alone.

Last year the search for the perfect safari began. I scoured the internet for hours on end, finally happening upon a website I thought was awesome. Truly... it was.  That's all it took to sell me on their services.  After a few emails back and forth with my new found travel agent, we determined that Kenya would be the perfect birthday safari destination, since the wildebeest migration was in its prime in August.  Then to add to my already heightened excitement, I was able to avoid all single supplement fees since I booked nearly a year and a half in advance.


When the time arrived that I finally sat down on the plane leaving for Kenya, I thought back to that day, 7 years prior.  It was hard to believe our pact was made so long and so many adventures ago... because, really, those few years felt only like a few days.

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