Leaving this morning!

Caker and I are leaving this morning to the Airport in Rio to take off on our round the world trip! We are excited and a bit nervous. We didn't do much planning and so I cannot say that we have a plan or even know where we are going. We land in Auckland, New Zealand tomorrow at 4:15 in the morning...yikes! Who knows how long we will stay.

It is the second day of Carnival here in Brazil. The samba dancers are amazing to watch, though I suggest watching from a distance because it is loud, sweaty, packed with bodies, and a bit low class...sort of like Mardi Gras in New Orleans except people are not as drunk. Of course some are drunk, but it is not as bad as Mardi Gras! Our French neighbors have rented their house to some low class people, so we are glad to escape the constand concert of 80's music that is being pumped from their stereo. I am so sick of Journey cover songs!

We are bringing just two suitcases and one carry on. I have my ebook reader (the Sony version) packed with 120 books, which should do it for quite a while. I just read Fat Girl and The Year of Magical Thinking, both were worth the read time, but neither made any kind of "top 10" list. I just started reading the writings of Abraham Lincoln - it seems interesting to read the words of this historical giant! Usually I just read biographies, but this seems more intimate.

We spent our last day here with our neighbors hanging out by the pool and eating barbeque. We will honestly miss them terribly as they are the most normal people we know and these past months here in Brazil, despite the stress of living away from the US, have been wonderful and full of a kind of freedom and spirit that the States no longer has. I think that being away from our angry, aggressive, self entitiled, neurotic, and law suit obsessed culture has done some good and I am thankful to Brazil and our friends here. I cannot believe that we don't plan on being back here for almost a year! How is this house going to get finished?

Our housekeepers are making our last meal: eggs, mangos, papaya, toast and fresh oj...I will miss the housekeepers! The woman does the best laundry - stuff comes out looking like new. I don't know how she does it.

My pockets are stuffed with Xanax for the trip - After take off, I munch them like tic tacs because I love to drug out and sleep through a long flight.

Wish us luck and we hope to see you in Auckland, City of Sails!