"My" castle... Image by jo.in.pink via Flickr

Tonight, the part of Joel Ward is going to be played by someone who’s not nearly as focused. With just over 3 weeks left, my brain is totally twisted into knots so I’m afraid this post is going to be a bit of a dumping ground and a quick offload of what’s been on my mind.

Winding Down:

As I head into my last full week of work, it brought to mind some of the wonderful experiences I had at DreamWorks. It really was a wonderful company to work for and while I may be leaving, it’s not out of frustration or dissatisfaction. I’m leaving for very positive reasons – to pursue a dream of my own.

Over the past 3 years, I’ve had the good fortune to work on some fantastic projects. So, if you’ll forgive the indulgence, I’m going to mention a few of them as a tribute and thank you to those who allowed me to participate in such magnificent project (and sure, it’s a bit of my own horn-blowing – sorry for that).

• Shrek The Musical: a truly wonderful show that I wish all the success in the world as it begins its national tour in Chicago next month. While I only managed a small piece on the business side, it was a tremendous experience to learn more about the Broadway world since my previous history with live shows was confined to within theme park gates.
• Universal Studios Singapore: this is the project that helped me finally decide to head out on my RTW trip. It was such a massive undertaking that I realized it put a nice period on the end of this phase of my career. With two entire lands (and a huge castle) devoted to DreamWorks films and characters, I had to draw on every bit of my past experience at one point or another – contracts, financial planning, ride development, marketing, merchandise and guest experience. The project filled a fair amount of the 3 years I spent at DreamWorks and was a nice bridge after working at Universal Hollywood for so many years.
• Royal Caribbean: the finale to my time with the company. With a press announcement last Friday about DreamWorks characters coming to the ships, it was a nice send-off for me as someone new takes the reins. I also learned to correctly spell “Caribbean.”

I also learned to correctly spell “Caribbean.”

Ramping Up

• Packing: Complete. I have been packing and repacking my gear so that I can get used to loading it on the bike regularly. I’m sure I’m still taking too much but c’est la vie. I’m not buying anything new, so if I toss it out along the way, there’s no harm.
• Purging: Not a lot left to do – but what’s left is big. Furniture and the car. I’ve been selling off small pieces along the way, but it’s about time to post the big stuff. I’m looking for a balance of getting the best price but not living without a bed & car for 3 weeks. That’s a tough line to straddle.
• Itinerary: I’ve lined up hostels for a couple of key points along the way (in areas I suspect will be near sell-out due to major events) and I connected with a friend whose family owns homes in Thailand so I’ll be set for my visit there later this year (assuming the terrible violence there subsides soon).
• Miscellaneous: ebooks are now available on my laptop and iphone for reading on long days on trains or in the rain; I’ve added translators and currency converters to my iphone and best of all, the Euro and British Pound are at their lowest rates (relative to the dollar) in years.

The Euro and British Pound are at their lowest rates in years.

Moving along

Cycling: With the busy work schedule, one unfortunate thing that’s been missing is cycling, so I won’t be in tip-top shape when I start traveling. The first month, however, doesn’t have any particularly long or hilly rides so I’ll be able to get up to speed before I get to the Alps or Pyrenees.

Last weekend, I did a fully loaded ride up to the top (more or less) of  Angeles Forest which was nearly 60 miles and 4300 ft. of elevation gain. It was slow, but it felt fine, so I’m not too concerned about what I’ve got coming.

Goodbye Los Angeles: After I get done with work, I have a week to play tourist in Los Angeles before I have to finish getting ready. It looks like a good friend of mine will be visiting, so I get to be tour guide and see some local sights one last time.

All in all, I’m in a wonderful place. Nervous but excited. Overwhelmed but full of optimism.

Bring it.

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