Today marks the last full day before my journey begins. Tomorrow evening I will board a flight to Santiago, Chile (stopping in Atlanta; thanks, Delta) and I will officially be on my next venture. I’ve been planning this for so long that it’s hard to believe it’s finally here.

Celebrations and Sentimentality

The past few days have been the most incredible whirlwind of a dream and the perfect way to mark the end of one era and the beginning of the next one. My team at work threw me an amazing going-away bash on Thursday night. I attempted to give a motivational speech that was planned for 15 minutes and turned into 45 (oops! But people apparently liked it). My teammates said a ton of nice things about me. One of my favorites:

“I had the pleasure of working with Andrea from early in Placed’s history.  At first, I didn’t know quite what to think of her as she seemed a little too fancy to be working for a start-up with no clear direction and sharing a grubby single room office with a bunch of geeks.  I can remember her staring out the west window, impeccably dressed, marveling at the poor souls shooting up in the back alley below.  However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that beyond the glitz was someone who was canny enough to wade through the noise of a small panel, endure the hand waving of the data scientists and convince clients that what we were offering would help them make better decisions.  Andrea has unique talents and will be missed.  I am excited to see what the next chapter brings for her.”

My team gave me a set of crystal Baccarat tumblers (they all know how much I love my Manhattans) and a copy of “Oh, The Places You’ll Go,” complete with yearbook-style inscriptions. Then we played a round of flip cup and headed to a bar. I don’t know how I managed to not cry.

I did cry when I left the office on Friday, hugging the four people who actually managed to make it in after our big blow-out. Then I dropped off my laptop and badge and lugged all my stuff home.

My second send-off soirée was on Saturday night. I splurged on a private room at the NoMad Hotel for my nine closest friends in NYC and their significant others (who have also become my close friends). Miraculously, everyone was in town. Somehow, it just seemed meant to be. A few of my friends went above and beyond with decorations for the room, including a “photo booth” with retirement-themed props, inflatable airplanes, balloons and a sign. They also got me a map with pins for all of my planned destinations. The NoMad bar team even gave me a bottle of Billecart-Salmon since they know my brother and recognized my name. It was almost like I was famous!

The evening took an even more magical turn when my friend Vicki got engaged. She and her boyfriend Bill had left and headed to the train station when he popped the question. They came back to the our after-party locale and we celebrated with more champagne (complete with sparklers!) It was unreal.

And now, here I am. The parties are over, it’s Sunday night and I don’t have to go to work tomorrow. It does not seem like reality… but it is. In just over 24 hours, I will be on my way. So, I’m going to kick things off by reflecting on the frequently asked questions I’ve been receiving when I tell people about my travel plans. While I don’t want to think about the end of this saga, it will be interesting to look back and see how I think about everything with a different perspective.

FAQ #1: What destination are you most excited to visit?

Can I say all of them? Honestly, I am excited for all of it. There is no way I can choose just one. Some of the highlights:

• Patagonia – It will be my first major stop, so that is exciting in and of itself. This will also be one of my more physically adventurous destinations. I basically bought everything that REI sells to prepare for my four nights in Torres del Paine.
• Easter Island – I don’t even remember how I decided to go to Easter Island, but I consistently hear, “I don’t know anyone who has been to Easter Island,” when I tell people about this stop. I do actually know one person who has been, and he is also one of the most well-traveled people I’ve ever met. It has natural, exotic beauty, it’s isolated and it has a rich and unique culture. Can’t wait to hike all over this island. I am also doing both Easter Island and Patagonia solo, which I purposely planned so I could fully immerse myself at the outset of my travels.
• Japan – As I’ve been researching this destination, I already know that I want to return. I can’t wait to experience the incredible food and culture. I planned this stop during cherry blossom season, which should be especially gorgeous! I will also be traveling with my good friend Lauren, and am looking forward to experiencing a new country with an excellent travel buddy.
• Singapore – Here I will be reunited with my brother Jonathan for the first time since New Year’s Eve. The Singapore bar scene is sizzling and I am excited for several days of bar crawls with an expert.
• Morocco – After a bit of cajoling, I managed to convince my three good friends (and ex-coworkers) in San Francisco to meet me in Morocco. We had to cut my original two week itinerary to just one week since they all still have jobs (lame), but I know we will have a blast! We have been doing an annual trip for the past five years and Morocco will really raise the bar for us. I’m going to need to start thinking about how we can compare in 2020…
• Istanbul – I am only going to be in this city for a couple days and I’m a little nervous about being here solo, but am glad I decided to do it. I’ve consistently heard from well-traveled friends and family that Istanbul was their favorite travel destination.
• Cape Town – Jonathan will be meeting me for four nights here as well. It almost didn’t happen since my original itinerary had me in Cape Town at the same time as Singapore Cocktail Week (a must-do event for my brother), but shortening Morocco by a week left me with some free time, so it worked out perfectly! I’ve been wanting to visit South Africa for a while now, and I know this is a place where I’ll want to return. The natural beauty looks stunning, the nightlife seems vibrant and I love the variety of outdoor activities that the city offers. I can go to the beach, I can hike, I can go to wine country… I’d almost want to move here if I didn’t love NYC so much.
• Southern Spain – I am spending nine days here for a bachelorette party celebrating my close friend Lindsay. We have a fantastic group of women and I know we will have an amazing time together. Bring on all the tapas and flamenco.
• Italy – While most of my friends will need to return home to work after Spain, I will stay in Europe! My friend Gina is going to do Lake Como with me and I can’t wait to experience our hotel in Tremezzo. Then I will see Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, Tuscany and Rome solo before meeting my friends Julie and Jen on the Amalfi Coast. This will be my second trip to Italy and I am so, so excited for the delicious food, incredible wine and gorgeous sights.
• Balearic Islands – My friend Nina will be joining me for an island-hopping tour of Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca. We’ll sample a little bit of the nightlife, we’ll chill out a lot and we’ll definitely get out on the water.
• Portugal – I have yet to visit this country, but it has been high on my list for a while. My friend Karen will be wine tasting with me in the Douro Valley, exploring the city of Porto and hitting the beach in the Algarve. Then I’ll check out Lisbon on my own before meeting my friends Lindsay and Erica in the Azores Islands.
• Israel & Jordan – Tel Aviv has also been high on my list for quite some time, and I’m hoping to experience a Shabbat dinner in Jerusalem. Also, the more that I talk with people, the more excited I get for Jordan (Wadi Rum, Petra and Amman are all on the itinerary). Plus, my friends Gina and Erica have expressed interest in joining for at least some of the trip.
• Peru – When I started planning this journey, Machu Picchu was a must-do. My friend Karen also really wanted to hit it up. I am looking forward to drinking some pisco sours, eating some ceviche and then hiking it all off! We are not going to do the Inca Trail, however. Sorry, not for us.
• New Zealand & Australia – I also knew that I wanted to be in Sydney for New Year’s Eve when I began creating this itinerary. And fortunately, my friends Lindsay and Katz agreed! My week in Sydney with Jonathan in 2017 was one of my favorite trips of all time and I am looking forward to returning. I also think our road trip on the South Island of New Zealand will be a ton of fun, and I know we will be exploring lots of wine country.

FAQ #2: Are you scared? What are you most nervous about?

Um, hell yes! I’m terrified. But I know this is the right thing for me right now. I am nervous that my bags will get lost, that I’ll get injured or sick or worse, that someone at home will get injured or sick or worse, that I’ll get tired of traveling, or that I’ll love traveling so much that I never want to return to a full-time job (but will need to in order to maintain my standard of living). I know things will go wrong and there’s nothing I will be able to do about it, so worrying is a waste of time and energy. Travel is an excellent test of patience (at the very least), so I’m mentally preparing myself to just roll with the punches.

FAQ #3: What are you going to do when this experience is over?

I have no clue. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.