The Gift

This crazy whirlwind trip I'm taking is a graduation gift from my mom. I am not completely sure gift is the right word for it.
My mom knows that I've wanted to go to China. I've always wanted to go... I just wasn't quite sure that her taking me would be part of the plan. She said she wanted one last great adventure for me, before I start working. I reluctantly said yes; as most of you know, past trips were nothing short of disastrous, always leaving our relationship permanently scarred. We were actually getting along before she asked me about this trip. It sounded amazing from my perspective, but having her accompany me, made me feel like I'd just be dragging her around Asia.
How do you say no to the trip of a lifetime? I'd be able to knock something off my bucket list, visit a good friend, and buy my favorite face wash in bulk.
This left a lot of my friends saying, "Are you crazy?" or "are you going to be okay?"
But as some reminded me, my mom isn't exactly young anymore. Who knows? This really could be our last grand adventure together.

So I said yes.

Then she said, well if we're going to Asia, "we might as well stop by the Philippines and see the family."
And knowing how exhausted I'd be by the time we got there, how could I possibly say no?
So I said yes. Yes to 7 days on a boat. Yes to 4 countries in Asia. Yes to 8 separate flights.

All with my mother.