Mon Sept 3, 2001 - t-minus 7 days
Hello friends and family,
Winfred Loschburg, a German scholar of travel, wrote that "the longing to defeat distance, the longing for the unknown became stronger and stronger in parts of Europe. It was the desire to excape the baronial castle or the convent-school, and move out into the wide world through the town gates..."
I too feel this desire and it is becoming stronger every day. In just eight
days, I move out into that "wide world" through my town's gates: at LAX
airport! I do not know what awaits me in Europe, but I know there is
something, someone, somewhere to visit there. It has been a desire of mine
for close to TEN YEARS now and it all will become reality in just about a
week's time!
In Europe, my budget will be about $20 a day. Now some of you might be
saying to yourselves "$20!? That's not enough Kolby!" I say, hogwash! It
might not be much here in the US, but it really depends on where I am in
Europe to spend it. For instance, in Paris (where I will be staying for nine
days immediately after landing) the cost of 
everything is about 60% of that
in Los Angeles. So in Paris, I could buy an item that would be $10 here for
about $6 (42FF) in Paris. However, when I get to the Eastern European
cities, I'll be a relatively rich man! In Turkey, for example, I can buy a
loaf of bread for about 3 cents. A nice little apartment can cost as little
as $30 a month. And in Romania, the average income is about $150 a month!
However, it will be challenging for me to stick with the budget. But a wise
man wrote that "a journey without challenge has no meaning."
My time here at camp ends in two days time. I have been living up here since June 6th and I am more than ready to leave. It is such a beautiful place though and I will miss it but there are far more interesting, exciting and mysterious places in my near future - I can't wait to visit them ... and tell you all about them!
Until next time,
~Kolby
