Oh, also

Oh, also, I guess I should mention for those of you who want to know my flight status that I'm flying:

Virgin Atlantic flight VS22
Departing 18:40
Arriving at London Heathrow at 7:05 (which is 2:05 for you Eastern Standard Timers)

Later dudez!

And so it begins

Captain's Log, Stardate 03082011.

Hehe, just kidding.

Let me start off by saying....I'm glad the goodbyes are over!  Imma let you finish, and I love you and I'll miss you all, but I'm happy to move on to the next stage of my travels which is complete and total EXCITEMENT!

So, anyways.  Mom insisted on parking the car and coming in with me while I checked my bags, so we went in while Bill parked the car.  Took my bags up, and lo and behold...one is overweight and one is underweight.  So we take them off the scale, do a little shuffling of stuff (and an awful lot of STUFFING into pockets) and take them back up there.  They passed that portion, so the guy set them behind the desk and I got back in line.  When I went up to the counter again, the new guy looked at my carry-on (rolling duffel bag) and my "purse" (which was actually the slightly smaller, but pretty much the same size duffel bag without wheels that came with the set) and was like "Ma'am, one of those has got to go."

Crap.

Back to re-organizing we go.  I took out my laptop bag, put my books in my carry-on, my shoes in my suitcase that was already checked but still slightly underweight, and stuffed the other duffel bag into that suitcase as well.  And when I say stuffed, I mean it seriously almost took an act of Congress to get that thing to close.  I should get a medal for my packing skills.  An Olympic Gold medal for the most anyone could ever fit in their suitcase.  Ever.  

Right, so then I said goodbye to Mom and Bill (sigh, more goodbyes...) and went on to the Security Checkpoint.

I don't think I've ever gotten through Security as easily as I did today.  And I say that with a big ol' knock on wood.  Even though there were like 283490827485 people in line, it went really fast, and super smooth.  I will say, however, that it was kind of a letdown that no one asked to rub me or pat me down.  Honestly, my ego took a little hit with that one.  What are they trying to say here?  I don't look menacing enough to warrant a thorough security pat-down?  I'll tell you right now, I am menacing, and even though I had tears in my eyes and my mascara was running a little bit, they just don't even know. I am Kiwi, hear me roar.

So now I'm just patiently waiting for when the time comes for me to turn off the computer, get on the plane, and get up, Up, UP in the ayerrrrr!

In other news, there is a woman with really strong, and really fake smelling perfume sitting very near me.  It's the kind that gives you an instant headache the second the scent tickles your nose.  I hope and pray to the powers that be that she is NOT sitting next to me on the plane. 

I guess that's all for now.  I need to put the computer away and find some snacks or something for the plane.  Because, duh, I need snacks.

Peace out, America!  See you on the flipside!

2 More Days

So we're down to brass tacks here.  I still have a ton of stuff to do, but I think I have a plan.  And like 10 lists to go with that plan. 

I just finished stuffing the 3 spacebags of clothes into my biggest suitcase...I'm hoping that they won't notice that it definitely weighs more than 50lbs.  If they do, I'm screwed.  So let's just all think good thoughts that they'll overlook the weight limit.  All together now - ooommmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

In any case, I may actually redistribute between my other (slightly smaller) suitcase and see if I can even it out a little.  But...one thing at a time.  As you can clearly see, I a.) get distracted easily, b.) have a hard time finishing one task before moving on to the next one, and c.) can't get off the damn internet.

So now I'm going to go back to watching The Last Samurai and packing my stuff.  If I get it all done by tomorrow, then I think I'll deserve a cookie.  And a beer.

Swinging in the palanquin

Travel

I should like to rise and go
Where the golden apples grow;--
Where below another sky
Parrot islands anchored lie,
And, watched by cockatoos and goats,
Lonely Crusoes building boats;--
Where in sunshine reaching out
Eastern cities, miles about,
Are with mosque and minaret
Among sandy gardens set,
And the rich goods from near and far
Hang for sale in the bazaar;--
Where the Great Wall round China goes,
And on one side the desert blows,
And with the voice and bell and drum,
Cities on the other hum;--
Where are forests hot as fire,
Wide as England, tall as a spire,
Full of apes and cocoa-nuts
And the negro hunters' huts;--
Where the knotty crocodile
Lies and blinks in the Nile,
And the red flamingo flies
Hunting fish before his eyes;--
Where in jungles near and far,
Man-devouring tigers are,
Lying close and giving ear
Lest the hunt be drawing near,
Or a comer-by be seen
Swinging in the palanquin;--
Where among the desert sands
Some deserted city stands,
All its children, sweep and prince,
Grown to manhood ages since,
Not a foot in street or house,
Not a stir of child or mouse,
And when kindly falls the night,
In all the town no spark of light.
There I'll come when I'm a man
With a camel caravan;
Light a fire in the gloom
Of some dusty dining-room;
See the pictures on the walls,
Heroes fights and festivals;
And in a corner find the toys
Of the old Egyptian boys. 

-Robert Louis Stevenson

He really summed up all of the things that I want to do.  Minus being a man and stuff.  I don't plan on having a sex change or anything...

Ok, so new blog

Since I'm going to England now and not Switzerland, I figured I should make a new blog and just start fresh.  So this is me starting fresh.

Ready?  Ok.

I'm leaving in one week.  Tomorrow it will be 6 days.  On Thursday it will be 5.  On Wednesday....well, you get the idea. 

Am I ready for this?  No.  Am I totally excited for this?  TOTALLY YES.  Like, for sure.  Do I have any idea of what I'm getting myself into?  Uh, no.  But I think that's half the fun of it.  I have no idea what to expect, and no idea about what kinds of things I'm going to see or do and that makes me so...thrilled?  giddy?  ready for adventure?  I don't know.  It makes me something and that ultimately makes me happy. 

Anyways, I still have a ton of stuff to do and what am I doing right now?  I'm writing a silly blog post.  Yay me.  Yay procrastination.