By the time I had set off on my first trip, which began a little less than year ago, I knew that I would want to travel again this summer. I travel because I can. I've just graduated from university. I have no boyfriend, no children, no job, no debts - in short, no obligations. That won't be true forever and I'm determined to make the most of my youth. Nobody lies on their deathbed wishing they had spent more time at the office. I can have a house, a car, and a steady job any time I'm ready, but I can only travel now.

    Less than two months ago, I was planning to go Asia. Then there was SARS. It had been in the headlines ever since I had begun planning my trip and the situation kept getting worse: China admitted to hiding cases of the disease. There were quarantines for travelers from infected countries. My parents were terrified. Finally, when the WHO issued a travel warning for Vietnam, I decided not to go. I wasn't afraid of catching SARS, but I was concerned about border crossings. I didn't want to spend ten days of my trip in quarantine or be denied re-entry to the United States because of an ill-timed cold. Then came the really tough question: if I didn't go to Asia, what would I do? Maybe this was the universe's way of telling me not to travel. I could stay in New York, find an apartment, get a job. I could take a year to think about my plans. But I knew that if I didn't go now, I never would. It was time to pick a new destination. I mentally reviewed what I knew about South America: rainforests...Macchu Picchu...inexpensive...no SARS. I had seen pretty pictures of Chile. That was good enough for me. A week later, I had a ticket to Santiago.

    I spent nearly eight months planning last summer's trip. I had eight weeks to plan this one...eight weeks during which I also had to study for finals, graduate from college, say goodbye to friends, and move back home to Oklahoma. My preparations haven't exactly been thorough. I've read many guidebooks, but I've had little time to read about the history and politics of the countries I'm visiting. On the night before my trip, I have only a rough plan: Three weeks to work my way through northern Chile. A stop on the south coast of Peru and a visit to Lima. An expedition through the Amazon rainforest and a long bus ride to Cuzco, the departure point of a 4-day trek to Macchu Picchu. Cross the border into Bolivia at Lake Titicaca. Return to Santiago by September 1, the first day of a month-long English teacher certification course.

    I don't feel nervous or excited - just impatient. After the difficulty of making this trip happen, I don't believe it's real. It won't be real even when I begin the first leg of my journey tomorrow at 4:26 PM. That's only a flight to Dallas. Until I'm seated on a plane to Santiago, there will be time for emergencies and last-minute changes of heart. So, with nothing to be afraid of or excited about, I'm going to sleep well tonight.

~Meredith