I feel like a time will come when I don�t have to work full time. I sure hope that time comes soon.

Adam did me the great favor of cancelling a climbing trip so he could go hiking with me on Saturday. We went to Hawk Mountain. It�s the typical PA �boot killer� terrain with lots of rock scrambling. Right before the summit, there�s a boulder scramble. By this time, you�ve been hiking awhile, over rough terrain and have seen few, if any, people. It gives the impression of isolation and harsh wilderness. At the top, you peek over the edge of the boulders to see� old people in wheel chairs and children eating ice cream. There�s a handicapped accessible path to the summit, as well.

I think it�s hilarious, like something out of a comedy. Adam calls it �anti-climactic.�

Anyway, the hike was good. A lot of our activities are with other people. It�s nice for us to get out and do something with just each other once in awhile.

Yesterday, we went to Sunday morning meditation, we hadn�t done that for awhile, either. On the way home, we stopped to pick up some groceries. After we returned home, we made lunch, and then played Frisbee in the park across the street from my house. After Frisbee, we went back to the house, picked up a blanket and some books and then headed back to the park. We found a spot under a tree to lie down. Adam napped. I read a little and then watched the clouds for the rest of the time.

The rest of the day was the typical Sunday evening stuff; dinner, etc.

Next Sunday, we�ll be leaving for California. We�re going to stay at a Buddhist monastery in the mountains for a week. We�re both pretty excited.

We�re flying in and out of Oregon (easier access to northern CA) and we�ll have an extra day at the end of the trip, so we�re planning a day hike in Oregon before we leave.

The hikes look so fantastic that I feel like we need another week just to spend it in the mountains of Oregon.

This morning, I received another message from my brother. While reading it, it occurred to me that maybe it would be possible for me to visit him in Japan. Before, I was paying off my trip to England so I felt that I couldn�t go. After it was paid off, I felt I couldn�t go because Adam is saving up for school and can�t afford to go, himself. Today, I realized, do I really have to wait until he can afford to go, too?

He�ll probably die of envy, but at least before his death, I�ll have someone to watch my house and cats.

If I decide to go, I wouldn�t be surprised if he found a way to scrape together the cash, as well. I know that it�s definitely on his to-do list.

I asked my brother if he knew what time of year flights were cheapest to Japan. The next time I can schedule vacation time will be over Christmas or sometime 2010. That really isn�t as far off as it sounds (it�s already June!).

While thinking about a possible trip and the possible expense, I remembered that I actually went into debt to go to Europe. Granted, I did not go into debt to buy the plane tickets, but I had to pay for hotels, food, travel within the country, etc. which amounts to more money than you�d think because everything costs twice as much in England, despite the fact that I was travelling cheap, but still not skimping to the extent where I felt like I wasn�t making the most of the trip.

I�m an independent enough of a traveler where I don�t need someone to hold my hand from location to location and will do things as much like the locals as possible (always the cheapest way). Being vegetarian and non-drinker, food is always cheap for me.

I�m not saying that I�m any savvier than any other average Joe. I�m not on the level of finding free room and board because I�ve become so well-loved by the natives that they are gifting me with everything I could possibly need. Anyone can travel cheaply, as long as they are confident that they can travel cheaply. I guess the main thing for me is that as a non-native and not necessarily all that travel savvy, I take for granted that there will be times where I will look stupid (and/or lost), and in all of the places I�ve gone, that�s the biggest danger. Unless, of course, I�m hiking some place remote and the biggest danger is being eaten by a bear, but at least then, there�s no danger of looking stupid (except in your obituary).

All of this is to say that, yes, I went into debt to leave the continent, the last time I left the continent, and I don�t regret one penny of it.

So, given that, does it make any sense to put off another trip now that I�m back in range of affording it?

This time, I wouldn�t even have to go into debt, I don�t think. There are house-related things that my money could also be spent on, depending on the frequency and necessity of repairs (you can never really predict, can you?), the trip could cause me to go into debt indirectly.

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