1 day, 9 hours, and 36 minutes...

...or so my cellphone countdown reports. Months and months of planning (mostly on Leigh-Anne's part) and we're down to less than 48 hours. If I could be less afraid of flying, I'd be waaaay more excited. As soon as we land in Europe - after the realization that the wings didn't fall off, the pilot didn't fall asleep, and nothing blew up - just try to scrape me off the ceiling, I dare you.

I have not started packing yet - just call me the 'pack-crastinator.' Catchy, isn't it? I think I should be a superhero...or maybe a villain, who torments people about to leave on vacation until just moments before they are supposed to depart for the airport. You know, stealing suitcases, 'misplacing' passports, and so on. Anyway, Leigh-Anne will probably kill me if I'm not packed by the time she comes to pick me up tomorrow night, so I will have to get on the jenga puzzle called my Mountain Equipment Co-op knapsack. Aack.

I am greatly looking forward to the flight over Ireland when we arrive. I can't believe it's been a year and a half since I flew home over the great green quilt. I cried the last time I saw Eire from the air, and I'm sure I'll cry this time, too. Leigh-Anne has already been warned about my anticipated waterworks. As long as the phalanges on the airplane remain in tact (see the finale episode of Friends to understand the reference), it will be all good.

So...before I end this first blog entry, maybe you'd like to know where we're going?

Okay, here goes:

We start off in Ireland, visiting the West and the North (the two regions I didn't see the first time around) while also taking in my favourite Dublin sites. We then travel across the Irish Sea to Holyhead in Wales before training down to Dover, where we will stay overnight and see the White Cliffs that Matthew Arnold loved so much (see Intro to English Lit, "Dover Beach" - depressing guy). Anyway, moving on...we then take a ferry to Calais, at the tip of France, before heading to Brussels. We will only be in Belgium for a couple of hours - long enough to take in Le Grande Place, some chocolate, and maybe a waffle. We will then head to Amsterdam for a few days, with a number of stops in mind (no jokes about the Red Light District needed...my worldly youth centre kids have provided more than enough humour there), before moving on to Berlin. We are hoping to meet up with my friend Julia in Germany before we fly to England to see Leigh-Anne's family, the Queen, Jack the Ripper's favourite haunts, and my good friend Will...Shakespeare, that is. After England, the maple leaves will miss us too much - we'll be headed home.

So...1 day, 9 hours, and roughly 23 minutes now...stay tuned for the European update - straight from Ireland!

Love,
Katie.