Taking It On the Road (Again)

Fall comes and travel beckons.....
Time to start prepping that travel journal and packing up my art kit and hitting the road.
Actually, it would be easier if I were hitting the road -- we are flying to Portugal, Spain (Basque Country) and Paris and I have to pack LIGHT.
As light as I can anyway.....

I love travel. You might have guessed that by now. The anticipation......I don't think I am going to understand a lot of Portuguese....

I picked up some cookbooks and FADO cd's at the SF Library and I've been getting myself in the mood. Ok, it doesn't take much for me to be in the mood to pack my suitcase...but, as I said, anticipation is nice.

I have had A LOT of time to prep my travel journal. Too much so, in fact. I started over a year ago but the trip had to be cancelled because of the passing of my lovely father-in-law. 

I dragged it back out of the closet and of course I couldn't leave it alone....I had to add a bunch more stuff to it..

Here's how it was....

Here's how it is now....but it will look a lot different at the end of the trip with writing and lots more ephemera stuck inside...(I will be a week in each place so I counted the pages and marked with stick-it notes so be sure I don't run out of room. But, I can add to the book if I have to.

I've tucked in bits of ephemera to add as I go...and you NOW I will be looking for papers on the ground and on walls......
nothing is safe from me.

I've added lots of postage stamps too.....

Perhaps I should study my French?

I passed this baby up -- only $1 too - at the Library Big Book sale and now I am wondering why.
I'd like to speak Spanish with no study or effort, wouldn't you?

When I see grammar like this I just freeze....I speak French like a two year old...and they don't think it's charming.

Packed up and ready to go. I always keep my travel journal with me, in my carry-on. It is my favorite souvenir of the trip. I buy those giant zip lock bags and put the journal inside.
I put my minimal art supplies in another small zip bag and I am ready to roll.
I have a couple of small books to stash in my purse when I'm out and about and I usually work on my big travel journal with coffee in the morning at the hotel....
I can't wait!

I packed a small notebook for making a collage a day. I'm nothing if I'm not ambitious.
SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE!!!!