Wondering Where the Wonder Went

I'm leaving for Madagascar in a little over two days. I'm not nervous; maybe that should be worrisome. I've tried to whip up what seems like the appropriate amount anxiety -- luckless. I'm sleeping, eating, focusing well...which is a shame. I remember when I was a little girl, in the days leading up to my family leaving for Vermont at Christmastime: I was living the countdown. I kept my own calendar in the kitchen next to mom's and sliced through the days one after another; stealthily creeping upon "LEAVE FOR VERMONT". Its box was decorated with stickers and exclamation points. I carry a brown leather planner now. January 29 doesn't have stickers or illustrations - in the bottom right corner I have printed very unobtrusively "Flight to Paris: 4pm, JFK". It is sad when the awe is lost, isn't it? I think that is one reason I wanted to go to Madagascar -- if any place can restore my wonder at this grave and comical (comically grave? gravely comical?) planet, it is the red island.