| Road Trip Preparation and Mental Notes |
| The plan: Embark on a 17 day road trip adventure with a tour group where only you and Mencher are the token Americans but you can’t call him “Mencher” but by his first name only, “Brian” and pretend like you hardly know him (poor lie #59: “Yeah I met Brian in a grad school class at UF! Sure, but that leaves out 3 years prior and the fact that he’s in my chapter and a former suitemate of mine!) so no suspicions are raised (ie – why are we picking someone up 4 days into the trip in a place not on the tour list!) , then getting picked up in Gainesville where your car is at your brother’s girlfriends apartment complex. Book a one way plane ticket from New York to Jacksonville and pray that your little brother will schlep 1 ˝ hours to pick up your ass. Preparations: Since you’ve never packed for a trip like this and can only bring one piece of luggage – why not take the biggest suitcase you have? Pack more than enough going out outfits and pack the only pairs of shorts you have (3!). Take full size pillow (only to realize nobody else had one) and a comfy sleeping bag. Did I mention we would be camping out for 15 nights? Yes camping. Me. Camping. It could get ugly. Worthless item packed #1: Sketcher leather sandals – wore those twice and they were a bad idea… What I should have packed (but later bought): cheap ass sandals for those questionable showers, swimming in rocky rivers (see later in story) and white water rafting. |