The One When We Move All Of Our S#*% Into Storage

I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE HELL WE WERE THINKING. I can’t believe we are voluntarily giving up our cozy apartment to a stranger, packing boxes and putting all of our belongings and furniture into storage, just so we can move back into this place and unpack everything in one year’s time. This is insane. No one ever follows, ‘Let’s go travel the world!’ with a reality check, because if they did, no one would actually do it. I also keep getting hit with the realization, again and again, that we’ve quit our jobs, have no income and are going to be living on the road for the next 9 months. It’s a dark rabbit hole I’ve frequented in the past few days. The euphoria of the whole thing hits each of us in waves, so right now I’m the overwhelmed one in the fetal position on the sofa, rubbing the leather and muttering to myself, while the man is singing songs and packing happily in the kitchen. In an hour our positions will probably flip. I’m actually so overwhelmed that I think I’ve lost brain cells. Yesterday it came to our attention that we need visas to enter Brazil, which is our first stop and less than three weeks away; expedited visas take 4 weeks minimum, according to the website. We’ve been planning this first leg for months, and the whole get-the-visa-before-you-go thing never crossed my mind. So I prayed to Saint Anthony, patron saint of lost things, because clearly I’d lost my effing mind, and to the consulate we went. The woman at the counter took pity on us and said we should have them next week. Hallelujah! Also today, I found my favorite sunglasses I thought I’d lost forever. They were in the winter coat I used to wrap and store a serving tray. So as of today we have visas and sunglasses. Our big trip can officially happen. I feel better already! Anthony now has the glazed look in his eyes he gets every time he realizes how much we still have to do before the movers arrive in 36 hours. My time in hysteriaville is up. I’m off to help the needy.

– D.