The Night Before...

Anyone ever feel that wave of panic that hits you for a few seconds the night before you leave for a big trip? I'm feeling that right now. You're running around packing, making sure you haven't forgotten anything, you see something that reminds you of something else you need to do before you leave, and you go, "Ahhh shit," and collapse on the bed and decide to go to sleep, promising yourself you'll take care of it in the morning. That is my current state. Tomorrow I leave for Hong Kong, Singapore, India, and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is the key. The motherland. The prodigal son of a bitch returns somewhat triumphant. This trip to SL is the culmination of the past year and a half of travels. Once I see my birth island, experience it, feel it, I can rest easy. No more living life thinking will I ever get back. I remember Pham going back to the 'Nam in high school. He hated it. I don't think I'll hate my return. I'm into this kind of shit. I'm also into sit on my ass and watch TV kind of shit, as is Pham, but I think I'll enjoy sitting on my ass in Sri Lanka just as much as I enjoy doing so anywhere else. I'm also stupidly excited because SL is tense these days, civil strife and whatnot. Some fucking Rambo shit or something. Not Chuck Norris shit. Chuck Norris is a cunt. But Rambo, he could take out some jungle guerrillas with one wave of the Uzi. And, you know, I'll probably drink some tea, ride an elephant, hunt some big jungle cats, maybe marry a couple times. What we backward islanders do. But for now, I'll wait until morning. Night motherfuckers.