The boy's name was Santiago.

And so the story begins - both Santiago's and mine. (And Nate's, of course.) It all began innocently enough. I had the itch to do some traveling. Some REAL traveling. Some "get so far away from everything normal and routine that you forget it" kind of traveling. But it was just an idea, simmering quietly in the back of my mind.

Then came the book. The greatest book ever. A tiny little paperback just 167 pages long. It's called "The Alchemist", written by the Portuguese author Paulo Coelho. It's required reading if you're coming on this journey with me (vicariously or otherwise.)

The story is about a boy, Santiago. He's a shepherd. A dreamer. He risks everything to achieve what the book calls his Personal Legend - traveling the world, meeting new people, trusting his instincts. A wise man tells him:

"A Personal Legend is what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their Personal Legend."

Personal Legend, eh? Setting off on a life-changing journey into the unknown before it's too late? This sounds interesting...

"To realize one's Personal Legend is a person's only real obligation. All things are one. And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

Well, when you put it that way...! I knew what I had to do. Step one: convince Nate. The strategy: start big. REALLY big.

Diana: "Honey, what do you say we quit our jobs and travel around the world? I mean, why not? If not now, when?"

Nate: "Whoa. Not your greatest idea ever, considering the recession we're in. What kind of crazy pills did you take this morning?"

Diana: "Ok, how about we start saving up our money and our vacation time and take a month off."

Nate: "How about three weeks?"

Diana: "Done."

"There is a force that wants you to realize your Personal Legend; it whets your appetite with a taste of success."

Success! Nate was in. Time passed, and our vision solidified. All the universe conspired to nudge us along - the end of Nate's semester coincided with the wedding of our good friends in France. We had a reason to fly across the Atlantic. Our journey will take us to Paris, Israel and Egypt where we hope the past will guide us into our future.

So go ahead - hit your library or bookstore for "The Alchemist" and get reading. We leave in 4 days.