It's almost time...for winter?

I'm sitting in my room at home, looking at the next 7 months of my life fit into my 50 L backpack and a duffel bag of about the same size. Although they're both decently full, I'm glad to say they're not stuffed to the gills...which means I have room to accumulate the inevitable souvenir or gift here and there. It's hard to believe that tomorrow is the day I finally embark on my adventures. Over breakfast, my mom and I both agreed that it seems strange and almost surreal to say "Tomorrow, when I (you) leave..." since my departure date has eternally felt like an ambiguous day some time in the future. But I couldn't be more excited.

I'm making last minute notes from guidebooks about Perú, of places or names I want to remember to investigate. Soon, we'll head up to Denver and spend the night there as an intermediary stop between me and the airport, where I have to be early tomorrow morning. Colorado's farewell to me has been a taste of the winter I'm skipping in exchange for a South American summer; yesterday morning, we awoke to big fat wet snowflakes blanketing the ground and still falling from gray clouds above. It took most of the day for the sun to come out, but once it did, the snow melted away quickly enough. It got cold enough overnight for frost to form on the grass, and for any water in our raincatchers outside to freeze. Though I do like this weather sometimes, I'll be glad to miss the gloomy, bone chilling days I know are right around the corner. Maybe next winter I'll want to stick around? Admittedly, I would love some time on the ski slopes, but that'll have to wait. Right now, it's time to say adios, Salida!