Why I've got the travel bug (also the flu bug, which can kindly eff off)

I've been feeling the itch lately. No, put away your ointment, not that kind of itch--the travel itch. I mean feeling it. The last time this happened I was living in Boston, and I reacted by moving to France for nine months. But ever since I moved back stateside in 2009, travel opportunities have been extremely limited. I'm talking a couple quick trips to Philly, a few days in New York, a few days in Boston, and a weekend at the beach. Seriously, that is it. In three years. Considering that in a prior life I once romped all around France as a tour guide, and then darted on over to Spain to hang with my friend Molly in Madrid, and later vacationed in Valencia and Barcelona with my friend Canaan, well, things have felt a bit tedious lately.

I was lamenting my fate to my friend Molly when she said, "I'm off until the 24th. Want to go to--"

"Yes!" I said. 

Ok, that's not entirely true. "What? When?" I asked.

"Next week?" she said.

"Molly, I...I can't go next week!" This was right after I had taken two days off from work for the New Year, and two days off the week before that for Christmas. There was no way I could take more days off that soon.

"Two weeks from now?" Molly said. 

"Well, maybe..." I said.

Less than 24 hours later I sent Molly an e-mail. "I found a plane ticket and a hostel with private rooms. Let's go!" 

"Oh wow, so we're really doing this?" she replied.

It looks like we are. (If I ever get over this plague that is currently felling me, that is.) 

Where are we going? It's somewhere I've been wanting to go for three years, at least. In 2009 I blogged the following conversation:   

"You should visit Mexico," Leonardo told me during dinner, nodding solemnly to accentuate his point. 

"I really should," I replied, considering it. "And you know...I think I will."

Here's to wishes coming true when you least expect. Mexico City, here Molly and I come!!!