I'm packed, packed, and repacked, including all those extra shirts. Plants are watered, catsitter has keys and is moving in as I leave, place is cleaner than it's been in months. Chances of sleep tonight: close to zero, what with excitement, nerves, and the certainty that tomorrow will be the day my cell phone alarm, which has never failed me yet, won't work and if I do sleep I'll oversleep. Speaking of the cell phone, I set the away messages on phones and email, though in truth I won't quite be out of email contact for the whole trip. Like for example tomorrow morning at Newark Airport, since I cashed in about a billion miles and will be flying Continental Biz Class to Japan (leg 1). This puts me in the Continental Biz Lounge, where I think they have not just wi-fi but computers for the computerless. So you may hear from me tomorrow morning. Also, in the hour and a half layover in Tokyo waiting for the flight to Seoul (leg 2) I may be able to find a computer -- it's Japan, after all. In Seoul we're at a guesthouse, not a hotel, so maybe not, but again in Ulaan Bataar I bet there are internet cafes. After that, who knows? Anyway, I'll be keeping a travel journal (B. G. -- I'll be writing the haiku, and everything else, down. You think I can remember anything at all?) so you'll get it all one way or another.

Everyone be safe and be good. Stay out of trouble while I'm gone. Thanks for all your comments -- they really worked for me. See you later!