Hasta Luego, Europa

Like most things in life, John Denver said it best:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoPT5Mq1pzQ

In that 3.20 minute stirring live performance, you were supposed to pick out the lyric, all my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

Because after taking 6 metros, feeding the bus station locker fifty-five €1 coins, lugging two massive cases up and down 8 flights of stairs in and out of various metro stations (where are the ADA elevator regulations when you need them? Oh...in America), and dragging them down one of Madrid's main roads to my hostel, I've completed my assessment on the copious amounts of stuff I probably don't need.

Please. I just want incredibly delicious oranges within easy reach forever.

Then made an emergency trip to the Chino store to get my Príncipe cookies, Melacoton y Uva juice, and a couple oranges.

Whatever doesn't fit in those guys will have to join everything else in the backpack.

Europe, it's been real. I'll reflect on you later, after I've pounded through the Principe cookies on the plane and I realize that I'm really, actually leaving you. Right now, it feels as though I should be getting my Visa and passport checked an inappropriate number of times in preparation for a routine RyanAir flight.

But that's a couple years down the road.  Next stop, Texas.