First Stop: REI

Well, with our plane tickets bought and the first of what I'm sure will be many trips to REI earlier this week, our journey is becoming more and more real. Since Dad took us shopping it was function over fashion 100%. We picked up a lovely pair of rain and windproof pants (and the matching jacket) so we can trek through any weather without missing a beat. Did I mention that both these articles of clothing come with their own stuff sack allowing them to shrink to the size of my palm? We also got our backpacks and they are AMAZING; it's hard to believe that our lives will fit entirely on our backs for four months. Sleeping bags are first on the list for our next shopping trip, as is something called a bivy sack, which will allow us to sleep on a park bench in Bulgaria without freezing to death overnight - think giant sheet of tinfoil. Here we go...