Getting ready to go

I've only got eight days left in the city and I'm starting to get beside myself with excitement, especially when I look at the weather forecast and it reads like the leaderboard at a golf tournament—before wind chill is even factored in.

I finally picked most of the places I'll be staying at on the islands, as well as booked my inter-island flights. Two weeks isn't a lot of time to see eight islands, so I've narrowed it down to the most popular, and given myself ample time at each.

But what I'm most looking forward to is pitching my tent on the sand and being able to see the sun rise and set every day, flanked by swaying palm trees and casting its glow on white or black sand beaches.

For about a third of my trip, this'll be my view:

And then for another third, it'll be this:

Finally, with any luck sneaking off the trail with a handy compass, a map, and a dozen hopes and prayers, I'll be camping on something that looks like this: