London

Hi all,
I've arrived in London. I'm exhausted and realized why you don't really need a huge pack. I'm definitely giving some clothes away.
I didn't get to sleep as my Lebanese neighbor said that he couldn't sleep on planes so he was going to keep me awake. After doing pirate mad libs and getting extra nips from the stewardess I started to fall asleep only to get whacked in the head with the tiny airline pillow.
So, I'm safe and headed out to get exploring or pass out on a park bench.

New England

This is a bit out of order... not sure I can change the date, but I just wanted to say how wonderful it was to spend time with my family in Connecticut. Home is home and there is no place like it. I enjoyed my sweet short visit. Heres a few photos of where I come from.

The photos are of my bro in the Olds 442, a fancy fun boat, and lunch in NYC with my mom and brother. The photo of the building is of the one that Led Zep used for their album cover of Physical Graffiti

Offsets for trip

TPAGBE TerraPass Green Business 5 $10.91 $54.55 Terrapass discounts: $0.00 Service Rep: Jay: $0.00 Shipping: No shipping required: $0.00 Sales Tax: $0.00------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: $54.55

So... Jay from Terrapass figured out what it would take to offset the carbon emissions for all of the flights on my trip around the world. It only cost around 54 bucks. We rounded up. I know that flying is a huge carbon emitter, so I thought that its only fair to do my part and offset my carbon contribution.

Thanks Jay!

Clean Med

Hello from Pittsburgh!
I'm at the Clean Med conference. A two day conference raising awareness and taking action on issues around greening hospitals. I'm not sure what you all know about sustainability, but there is always something more to learn around making our hospitals more environmentally friendly which in turn promotes public health in general. Sustainability is meeting the needs of today without compromising the needs of future generations. And when you think of hospitals they are one of the biggest contributors to pollution, global climate change and toxics.
The people at this conference are incredible. They are all so passionate and work tirelessly on these difficult issues. The difficulty lies in the solutions to problems in that it is very clear what the problems are, but not so easy to know how to mobile on complex issues. So in addition to having so many coworkers at this conference with me, I have a lot of friends that I will continue to work with on these problems. Once you understand how serious these issues are and how much they effect every one's health, you cant not help. Our very hospitals and clinics that are trying to help people is actually doing a lot of damage to our environment and future generations.
So... I will return to work in a few months and work feverishly to make change and shift the paradigm of what is health care. I know we can get to a place in our society one day where we will understand preventing illness. Prevent getting sick, instead of taking a pill to make yourself better.

I have this gorgeous view of the three rivers from my hotel room, Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio Rivers. I can also see all of the beautiful steel work of the bridges and highways. Boy do the truckers like to use their engine (jake) breaks out there.

So Pittsburgh just got rated the most livable city. I guess I can kind of compare it to Detroit in that it was once a booming industrial area with a lot of pollution and now its trying to clean itself up. I didn't know that back during the Industrial Revolution, workers would actually look to the sky to see smoke to know there was work there. There is obvious progress and still a lot of issues, but there is a sense of renewal and pride here. Not to mention the lovely landscape and the green rolling hills that feel oh so Pennsylvanian.

Anyway, this conference has been great. Spending time with two really great friends, Julie and Alison, from work, and getting to know some of my coworkers better. And, its all around green and sustainability issues which is my passion. I'm happier than a bug in a rug. It feels like life's work. In my next two months off I know it won't really feel like vacation. I will be studying culture and infrastructure. I'm interested in how people think and feel and make stuff happen. I'm sure I will be telling y'all.

I'm so inspired by all of these fantastic people and their hope, laughter, and creativity.

Next stop is NYC and the family in CT. I'm really looking forward to hanging with the family in the house I grew up in. I cant wait to feel the grass between my toes and listen to the birds and bugs and frogs.

Less than a month

Hi everyone,
Im getting super amped to start this epic trip. I wanted to get this blog set up before I leave so that I can email it all to you. I do love sharing my experiences with you all (thats such a big important thing in my life) and I hope that I can inspire some of you to truly live your dreams. Traveling is a passion of mine, and it has always been a dream to visit Africa. I am so beflucky (blessed, fortunate and lucky all rolled into one fun word) to have such an amazing friend living in Tanzania. Jenny is a Peace Corps Volunteer working on HIV education and prevention. She has her own blog: www.jenintanzania.blogspot.com and I cant wait to visit her.
Im not just going to Africa though, because if you do go to Africa, you might as well see the rest of the world while you're at it no?
Here's the trip itin: May 20th - May 22nd Pittsburg PA - Clean Med - Sustainability Confernence. What a way to start the trip off? Pittsburg woo!
May 23rd- 29th Family time in CT.
June 1st - June 7th England
June 7th -July 2nd Tanzania
July 2nd - 17th Thailand/Cambodia
July 17th - July 25th Japan

July 26th San Francisco - theres no place like home.

So... Im looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones. More to post soon.

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