Pre Departure Diversions

Barcelona, Spain - December 2008

The month of December brought the onset of the realization that "Time does not wait", inevitably I must face what I gotten myself into - one of the best trips on the planet! 

- South America - Latin America - 

That mysterious exotic and endlessly intriguing continent, that seems rich in cultures, languages, history and the most incredible natural beauty. I am going to realize how small I am and how little of the world and life I actually know. 

But here I was, in Barcelona - a city that I love and adore, despite feeling it as being, at times, too "Barceloca" or "Carcelona" - those times when you realize that you have been living in a self-consuming Barcelonean bubble and that there are other things outside of it. Yet I could not think of a better place to live. And there I was, about to leave it, spending my last days, hours and memories there, before embarking on a voyage that could and probably would change my life forever. 

Will I return? Will I look back at Barcelona the same way? 

I felt strongly ambivalent, not knowing whether I will find the reasons to leave Barcelona, or the reasons to stay indefinitely. I was looking at it all for the last time, yet having not finished the endless enterprise of discovering the ever-moving and colorful Barcelona. To cut a long story short - it was very saddening saying good bye! 

And upon realization of this -  perpetual parties ensured... 

Two weeks, TWO SOLID WEEKS of partying and hangovers was the way out of this confusion!

Thank you all in Barcelona for having given me the most incredible hangovers and making me realize how much my body could endure! An average of 3 hours sleep a night and working hard at the office all day. I did not have a minute to think about my travels. Perfecto! I can now go relaxed and partied out. 

I packed my bags, my life - donated items of my life in collections to all whom appropriate and my material life was reduced to 40 kilos. 

I have not even left yet and I am writing so much - my mini-epitaph to Barcelona. 

Cannes, France 

What a difference! 

Quiet

Clean

Elderly

Empty

French

No pasa nada por aqui. But I won't bother talking about that. The only thing worth a detour round these parts are family and the french culinary talents. 

Plans were to be with family until my big D-Day but Alitalia decided otherwise. My plans were to catch my connecting flight straight from Milan, so that I could spend more time with my mama - but it turns out that if I do not catch the first flight from Barcelona to Milan, my connecting flight to Sao Paulo will be cancelled. Therefore, I must return to Barcelona! After all the emotion from despedeing myself!

Result is that my total travel time will be extended from 16 hours to 50 hours! 

No worries though... I'll consider it a warm up!