Day 2 – Fort Wayne, Indiana – 9:11 PM

Well my round-the-world adventure has begun, although my first 2 stops are in the United States.  I’m currently in Fort Wayne, Indiana visiting family.  I landed yesterday afternoon after a short layover in Philadelphia.  Yesterday began on a stressful note as I awoke 45 minutes later than I intended.  Luckily, everything was ready the night before so I arrived at the airport with enough time to visit with my parents before I had to make my way through security and proceed to my gate.  It didn’t sink in then, nor has it now that I won’t see my parents for the next 12 months or so.  Nor do I believe they have taken into account all the little things I do that make their lives run smoothly, like reminding them of the wireless internet password or demonstrating over and over how to use the guide function on the television.  Good luck Mom and Dad!!

A major concern of mine was avoided when I successfully navigated both flights with my large backpack and smaller daypack.  Surprisingly enough, it is not completely uncomfortable to wear one backpack on your back and another on your chest.  I hope the ease of carrying around 2 bags lasts the entire trip.

After leaving the airport in Fort Wayne, my sister and I went to a sushi restaurant for lunch.  One goal prior to beginning this trip was to have a final helping of sushi.  I’m glad I was able to cross that off the list.  After lunch, we drove to my sister’s house and I unloaded the belongings I’ll live off for the next year or so.  It is a humbling experience to unzip  your backpack and realize all your wardrobe options for the foreseeable future lie in such a small space.  Later that afternoon, we went to Country Heritage, a local winery, for a glass of wine and an appetizer to hold us over until dinner. After rising so early that morning I was ready for bed not long after dinner concluded.  Day #1 was in the books and I looked forward to Day #2.

I woke this morning shortly after 8 a.m. and decided to complete a couple tasks I had intended to finish prior to departing New England.  After sending a number of emails my sister and I discussed our plan for the day.  We made our way to Grabill, Indiana, approximately 25 minutes from Fort Wayne.  Grabill, a town of less than 1 square mile, is well-known in the area for being home to numerous antique stores and a flourishing Amish community.  We ate lunch at the Coffee Cabin, an old farmhouse style building that was renovated into a 2 floor restaurant famous for its cinnabons.  I ordered a reuben along with a homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwich on homemade bread.  I’m a huge fan of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and this homemade peanut butter and jelly were far better than those I purchase from the local grocer back home.

After lunch we walked across the parking lot to browse around the Souder & Sons General Store.  The first floor of this store housed a wide array of candies I had not seen since my youth.  Also for sale were classic board games like Twister and Monopoly.  The second floor was home to numerous holiday decorations and other odds-and-ends for purchase.  After leaving the Souder & Sons General Store, my sister and I drove around the local area for a while before returning to Fort Wayne to complete a number of errands.

Day #2 is almost complete and I’d say my adventure has been a success so far.  I know it’s still early but I gained a certain amount of confidence yesterday after making my way through airport security with both bags and lugging them down the aisles of airplanes without hitting anyone.  On this journey, unlike any I’ve undertaken, it’s the small confidence builders now that will benefit me greatly as I make my way to foreign countries across the globe.