Seal Beach: The Beginning

As I collect the plethora of blue and red "to go" cups from around the living room, the magnitudue of my upcoming adventure grows much more real. It seems like any other morning when I wake up from having a party at 211 11th. Cups everywhere, slimey used dixie cups in, on, and under everything, an empty guacamole bowl, beer cans in the bathroom, CDs strewn about, missing cell phones, wet patches on the floor....
But today is different. There is an email list on my desk. There is a pile of clothes and diving gear piled neatly on my floor waiting to be put in a backpack. There are confirmation numbers written on many scraps of paper. There are Ipod and camera batteries charging. There is a sense of excitement, independence, and adventure all controlled by a powerfully, overwhelming feeling of uncertainty.

I have a "ruff draft" of a plan for the next few weeks. But one might recall from last July, that never really works out. So the current theory states that I am heading to Cambodia. I will leave today and arrive in Phnom Penh (the capital of Cambodia) on the morning of July 3. Oh yeah... minor stops in Bangkok and Japan- just to get off the plane, go through customs, get a stamp in my passport, drink some local brew, sleep, and pay an airport departure tax.

My blogging capabilities have already improved since 2006. As you see, I have pictures and visual aides. I have a small semblance of an idea as to what I am doing. I do know that I will miss the comforts of home, but relish, soak-up, and immerse myself in the places and cultures I am visiting. I will do my best to share my discoveries as I meander through Southeast Asia. Maybe I will find what I am looking for, or maybe I will just have fun looking.