So here I am in my last 24 hours making sure I have everything straightened out... and so far, so good! My dad came into town yesterday morning to spend the next few days with me to make sure I am not only on top of things, but to make sure I can have a pleasant few days in Seattle before he sends me off on my first 747 Airplane!!! I have always envisioned 747's being absolutely enormous and allowing me to sit in the top part of a plane (like in the Wedding Singer), but little did I know, I get to sit in the main cabin below this part. Which is fine with me seeing as it is a difference of about $12,000 to sit in the upper part of the plane!!! I think I would rather go to Bora Bora for a week.....
As of right now, I feel travel-ready after flying around the country last weekend from Seattle to Orange County, Orange County to Tampa, and Tampa to Seattle all within a 5 day period. Tampa was a lot of fun, had some definite peaks and valleys, but I am remember the peaks and learning from the valleys. It was great to spend time with my mom and cousin and her boyfriend :)
Additionally, my packing skills have increased tremendously after getting together with a good friend and former sorority sister of mine, Madison Aspiri, who told me all of the secrets to packing well while abroad! She had spent 6 months in Spain, transitioning between 3 seasons, and was able to maintain one checked bag, one carry on, and a backpack the entire time. She became so good at packing that she was able to take one backpack on three and four day trips! Her secret to travelling well? Pack a bag within a bag, and wear layers upon layers of clothes that you can take off once in the flight and stuff into the other bag--her reasoning for this? You can only bring on one bag... but you can take as many bags as you want with you off of the plane! She might be a very, very smart packer/traveller, but I am proud to say that I will not have to layer too much on my first flight, but we will see how it goes when I come home:) My dad helped me get my checked bag to exactly 48 pounds, and I am thrilled to have 2 extra pounds of wiggle room :)
Anyways, I have recently purchased a Barnes and Noble Nook tablet to keep me entertained, on a budget, intellectually stimulated, and connected to people! It has apps/facebook/e-mail access as long as I have wi-fi, and it enables me to be able to buy, download, read, and search within books that I can buy as e-books for 40% off of the cover price! Right now I am thoroughly enjoying reading Chelsea, Chelsea Bang Bang-not necessarily appropriate for all ages-but I am loving that I have not learned a thing from this book and have only laughed my butt off! Definitely have not read a book simply for entertainment in a very long time.....It made me realize how many novels I had read, being an English major and all, and the extent to which my reading and analyzing skills have expanded and been a challenge while being at college. The great thing about it is I can use it in Europe and at home, and it is lightweight and has a trifold leather cover that just so happens to match my purse!
This purse, by the way, is being reconstructed into an "across the chest" bag at this very moment by a shoe craftsman. Tracy, the lady I work for/babysit for, went to Prague some years back and highly recommended having a purse that I would not feel tempted to take off at every cafe I sit down at. I took this as great advice, advice only an experience traveler could give, because I am definitely that kind of person to take off my purse if it is simply a shoulder bag. Soon after hearing this advice, a girl in my group posted on our Prague facebook group saying that she was at the Louvre in Paris with her mom when she felt somebody rifling around in her purse, and upon turning around there was a little Frenchman with a hand in her previously zipped up purse looking the other direction! He did not get away with anything, luckily for her, but it is still a reminder to keep your belongings safe! That being said, when my Grandpa came into town, we went on a hunt for a money belt...yes...a money belt... to wear underneath my clothes. If you have ever seen Euro Trip, you know that these are a little bit embarassing looking and pretty dorky. BUT the pro of having this will be that my passport, and huge amount of currency will be safe under my clothes, not in my purse :)
I simply cannot wait to go to Prague. I will not have a phone there because I am trying to be very open to new experiences, and with my Nook, laptop, and friends who have phones, it will be unnecessary. Now I have more things to cross off of my 3 lists (to-do, to-pack, to-buy), and the next time I blog will probably be from Prague!
And now I am off in less than 24 hours to a 71-day adventure in Eastern Europe! In case you feel like mailing anything to me while I am in Prague, here is my mailing address (mail is sent to the school classroom):
Student’s Name
UW Study Abroad Program
“TUTOR” – U půjčovny 2
110 00 Praha 1
Czech Republic
Also, my skype name is "danicarlson" and I can be found with the e-mail search of "beautifulsoul31@yahoo.com" --- It will be great to see a familiar face!!!
Talk to you all soon!
.................'til then,
Na shledanou!!! (Goodbye!!!)
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