Mon, Tues, Wed, and Thrusday... Days 52, 53, 54, & 55

Well I had planned to write a longer more insightful post this week before I left for Peru, but the opportunity to go to Linkin Park was presented to me by a good friend of mine and with it the prospect of spending the afternoon in Los Angeles doing some of my 1000... so I took it.  And as a result you are getting the post you are reading now... the one that is being written at 330am 15 minutes before i have to leave for the airport to catch a plane for Peru.

I am sleepy, but a good sleepy... that sleepy you feel when you are tired, but you are tired because you have done so much and packed so much in that you are happy to be sleepy.  I feel like I really rebounded this week after the tough week I shared with you all.  Work was extremely productive, 1000 Challenges were experienced, and, most importantly a lot of fun was had.

I noticed when posting pictures to facebook earlier I do not get as excited taking pictures or posting them of man made stuff as I do the natural wonders.  I must have took 100+ pictures in the snow in the few hours I was there on Sunday.  On Wednesday I had equal amount of time in LA and I took a dozen. 

I am excited for Peru for the nature aspect of it... being out on the Inca Trail hiking where people have been walking for 100's of years and being able to take in all the beauty from up high the Andes Mountains.  I feel so fortunate to be able to go and am excited to share my experiences with you all when I return. 

Someone emailed me the other day and said how they wished they could travel, I'll share with you what I shared with them.  If you want to travel, you have to make it your priority, just like anything else.  I, personally do not have gobs of money available, but what I do have is the desire to see and experience the world.  So, I have learned to save for travel.  Depending on where I want to go and when, I figure out how much it is going to cost me and start to save for it.  Putting away $20, cash, in a fund that is for travel only, for the cost of a meal out, after a few months I have saved enough money to pay for a cheap trip.  And I use the word "cheap" because I have found that if you are willing to take the time and research deals, you can often find plane tickets, places to stay etc... for at a minimum of %50 off of what the first price you see is.

I have to run to the airport right now.  It will be over a week before I will be able to write on here.  I am not going to lie, I miss it.  Slowing down to share my thoughts, my feelings, my ideas with you all is very cathartic for me.  My life is at a super charged pace right now and taking this time gets me to not only slow down, but also to reflect on all that I experienced the previous week.  It is the reflection I enjoy the most.  It is so import to spend some time reflecting on the days we have lived.  If we don't, how are we able to fully appreciate the days to come?

While I am gone, please continue to pass on the 1000 Challenge to your friends, family, co-workers etc...  I am amazed and humbled by how many people are following me here, on facebook, on twitter.  Post a link on facebook, tweet about it, you all are the ones that can help me get to 50,000.  I was amazed on the support yesterday for CarpeDiem day.  My favorite expression, to see it sent out around the world through cyber space over and over again all day... simply amazing.  Something I will reflect more fully on on my plane ride today.

Enjoy the pics,

Carpe Diem,

Jesse