Preparing to Leave!

It's Wednesday June 24th. We have been trying to cover every angle we can think of before leaving, but it's inevitable that we forget something. It's quite the challenge leaving your daily life behind for six months. You start saying good-bye to people for the last time, maybe a hug, maybe a handshake, a few tears, but the adventure awaits! It's sad, but exciting, it's thrilling and my imagination has played through the scenery that awaits us in Europe.
We've lined up our stays for our coast to coast hike for 16 days. This hike will be our first adventure of many and will lead us from St. Bees to Robin Hood's Bay. Our guide book is entertaining, it reminds me of one instance when I overheard someone close to me giving directions to somebody ( I swear this it true )..."You're gonna come down the two lane road, and keep your eyes peeled for the dog on the corner, if he's in his dog house, just look for the dog house, and if the dog house is gone, turn left at the Maple." Our guide book for our hike relies on these same kind of nuance based directions ... "Look for the sign that says Cleator ahead. Stay to the left of this sign. There might be no evidence of a trail at this point, but walk due south. After approximately 3 miles, you will want to look for a rock that resembles the head of a platapus. Orient yourself with the beak of the platapus, and walk away from the beak due north. Once set on the course, you should arrive at the YHA Youth Hostel."
So, here's to hoping we navigate successfully!
Yours,
Russell and Maria